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Italy's MSC Cruises with 'Opera' becomes first major line to homeport in Cuba

The first MSC cruise will depart from Havana following MSC Opera’s Grand Voyage from Genoa to Cuba.

Italian owned MSC Cruises will be the first major cruise line to homeport in Cuba, with the 2,120-passenger MSC Opera embarking on week-long cruises from Havana starting December 22, reports Travel Weekly.

 The cruises will include two nights and two-and-a-half days in Havana, and will also visit Montego Bay, Jamaica; Cozumel, Mexico; and Georgetown in the Cayman Islands. The seasonal schedule will end in April.

Shore excursions will be offered through Cubanacan, a Cuba-based travel group, and will include the UNESCO World Heritage old quarter and the famous Malecon seafront promenade.

The first MSC cruise will depart from Havana following MSC Opera’s Grand Voyage from Genoa to Cuba. The ship will leave Cuba for the season on April 12, 2016, for a Grand Voyage back to Europe, arriving in Germany on May 7.

MSC said it will have fly-cruise packages for passengers in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Brazil and Argentina. MSC Opera is currently in dry dock as part of a $220 million plan to upgrade four of the cruise line’s older ships.

In a statement, MSC chief executive Gianni Onorato thanked the transportation and tourism ministers in Cuba for “their continued highly professional contribution.”

“We are particularly proud to make this exciting new destination available to our guests,” Onorato added.

“The move to Cuba proves our commitment to offer our guests and holidaymakers the best and most sought-after destinations as they become accessible, thus further enhancing our global offering while providing travelers best-in-class experiences and service.”

MSC does not currently sail from the United States, although it has plans to return a ship to Miami in November.

Caribbean cruises calling at Cuba and already popular with Americans are offered by Star Clippers and the Celestyal Cruises offshoot Cuba Cruise, which uses the ship Celestyal Cristal. Other small and mid-ship cruise lines already calling at Cuba include Thomson Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruise Line and Saga Cruises, as well as cultural cruise lines Swan Hellenic and Noble Caledonia.

The new Cuba itineraries have replaced MSC Opera’s original winter 2015-16 schedule in the Canary Islands, Madeira and Morocco.