MSC Cruises today announced that it will restart operations in the Mediterranean with the Grandiosa on Jan. 24.

The company was forced to cancel its Jan. 10 and Jan. 17 sailings, citing the extension of the restrictive measures related to movement within Italy, as set out in the latest decree from the Italian government preventing access to and use of ports of embarkation until Jan. 15.

As a result, the first cruise of MSC Grandiosa following the temporary suspension of operation in connection with the implementation of these same measures during the Christmas and end-of-year festivities, will now depart from Genoa on Sunday, Jan. 24, the company announced.

The ship will resume planned weekly cruises leaving every Sunday from Genoa and calling the Italian ports of Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo and Valetta in Malta, with embarkation available in each port in Italy.

The company said the MSC Grandiosa will offer these itineraries until March 21, after which she will remain in the Western Mediterranean to offer cruises from the summer program with a new itinerary.

From February 14, the MSC Magnifica will also resume her operation departing from Genoa for 11-night cruises designed to enable guests to discover the West and Eastern Mediterranean in Italy, Greece and Malta.