The MSC Grandiosa recently set sail from the Palumbo Shipyard Malta after spending three weeks in drydock at the facility.
Set to spend the upcoming winter season in South America, the ship arrived in Genoa, Italy, to kick off a repositioning cruise on Nov. 16, 2024.
Following visits to destinations in France, Spain and Portugal, the trans-Atlantic crossing is set to end at the Brazilian port of Santos in early December.
Among the ports of call set to be visited by the Grandiosa during the 21-night itinerary are Barcelona in Spain’s Catalonia region and Funchal on Portugal’s Madeira Island.
Upon arriving in Santos, the 2019-built vessel is poised to kick off a five-month deployment that features a series of seven-night cruises to Brazilian destinations.
Set to be offered through early April, the ship’s regular itinerary includes visits to Búzios, Santos, Maceió and Salvador.
With the exception of Búzios, passengers can start the cruise, which also features three days at sea, at any of the ports of call.
Leading a six-ship winter season in the region, the MSC Grandiosa is the largest ship ever to sail in South America.
Before starting its repositioning cruise, the 4,888-guest ship underwent routine maintenance and class work as part of its three-week drydock in Valletta.
The work also included technical updates, as well as the upkeep of public areas and staterooms with the replacement of tiles, carpets, upholstery and more.
After completing its winter season in Brazil, the 177,100-ton vessel is set to kick off a summer deployment in the Western Mediterranean in late April 2025.
The ship continues to operate week-long cruises to Italy, Spain and France through late December, when it’s set to embark on a repositioning cruise to the United States.
Debuting in the country, the MSC Grandiosa offers cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean from Port Canaveral during the 2025-26 winter season.