MSC Cruises has resumed sailings from the United States for the first time since the pandemic, with MSC Meraviglia departing Miami, bound for the Caribbean.

MSC Meraviglia will cruise roundtrip from Miami to Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas on 3- and 4-night itineraries until October.

MSC Meraviglia will cruise to MSC’s private island in The Bahamas, Ocean Cay

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MSC Cruises’ return to service in the United States is a key milestone in its plan to bring more than half of its fleet back into operation by the end of the summer.

MSC already restarted cruises in the Mediterranean in August, 2020 and in Northern Europe, the UK and has plans to resume cruises in the Middle East later this year.

It has also launched the world’s first ever cruises in the Red Sea roundtrip from Saudi Arabia this summer.

The cruise line has carried tens of thousands of guests since August last year under the protection of its health and safety protocol that is now also available for cruises out of U.S. ports.

The COVID-19 mitigation protocols have prevented several dozen outbreaks of the virus aboard its ship, mainly MSC Gandiosa, which was the first to re-enter service out of Italy.

MSC Cruises COVID-19 protocols

Since last summer, MSC Cruises has implemented a health and safety protocol onboard each ship, which includes universal COVID-19 testing at embarkation; regular testing of crew; physical distancing; mask-wearing; enhanced sanitation measures and more.

In the U.S., MSC Cruises will welcome both vaccinated and not fully vaccinated guests onboard with additional requirements for guests who are not fully vaccinated.

When MSC Meraviglia calls at the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve she will stay overnight to allow guests an extended stay to discover the company’s new private island destination.

The island destination offers guests more than two miles of white sand beaches in an eco-friendly 64 square mile marine reserve that the cruise line rehabilitated over the course of several years.

MSC Meraviglia in PortMiami

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Guests can enjoy the island’s nature, marine life, paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and more.

MSC Divina will be the second MSC ship to return to cruising from the U.S., with three-, four- and seven-night itineraries from September 16th, from Orlando (Port Canaveral) – a new homeport for the company.

Delivered last week, MSC’s newest ship Seashore will arrive at her new homeport in Miami on November18th, 2021, following her inaugural season in the Mediterranean.

The ship is an evolution of the Seaside class, designed to bring guests “closer to the sea than ever before” with 140,000 sq. ft of outdoor space, the most of any MSC Cruises ship in the U.S., according to a press release.

The ship also features numerous outdoor bars and dining, pools and deck area for relaxing and sunbathing, as well as a variety of new spaces for guests.