The MSC Virtuosa recently arrived in the Southern Caribbean to kick off its 2025-26 winter season in the region.

After undergoing a routine drydock in Europe, the MSC Cruises ship embarked on a trans-Atlantic crossing to Martinique in late November.

The 16-night repositioning cruise departed from the United Kingdom, sailing from Southampton to destinations in France and Portugal before arriving in the Caribbean.

The Meraviglia-class ship then visited Barbados, St. Kitts, Antigua and Dominica before docking in Martinique in early December.

Sailing from Fort-de-France and Guadeloupe, the Virtuosa is now offering a series of seven-night cruises to the Southern and Eastern Caribbean.

Aimed at international markets, the weeklong itineraries feature visits to a wide range of ports of call, such as St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, Antigua, Tortola and St. Maarten.

The season runs through early April, when the ship is scheduled to return to Northern Europe for a farewell summer season sailing from Southampton.

In 2026-27, the MSC Virtuosa debuts in South America, offering a series of cruises around the Brazilian coast.

Sailing from the ports of Santos, Salvador and Maceió, the 177,100-ton vessel will be the largest sailing in the country.

With the MSC Meraviglia taking over its itineraries in the United Kingdom, the 4,888-guest ship is then set to offer its first summer season in the Mediterranean in 2027.

While the Virtuosa is moving elsewhere, MSC is expanding its operations in the Southern Caribbean starting in late 2026.

Two ships are scheduled to sail in the region during the 2026-27 winter: the MSC Seaview and the MSC Opera.

Adding La Romana in the Dominican Republic as a homeport, the latter will continue to offer Southern Caribbean itineraries during the summer. The deployment will mark the first time that MSC Cruises offers year-round cruising in the region.