From April 2, MSC Cruises' gratuities will be rolled into cruise fares for UK and Ireland passengers.
Speaking onboard MSC Bellissima ahead of her naming ceremony in Southampton UK, line's UK & Ireland managing director Antonio Paradiso told an audience of travel agents that he understood gratuities “can be very controversial”.
He added they were optional and the cruise company expected passengers to pay them, but guests could remove them if they wished. Paradiso said they were "currently working to include them in cruise fares from April 2."
This came as MSC Cruises' executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago revealed he hoped to bring one of the line’s “enhanced ships” to homeport in the UK in 2021, fuelling speculation it could be MSC Bellissima, given the vessel’s UK-centric features, including an English pub and London Theatre.
Paradiso also said they were working on brand new itineraries and would make Southampton their home in 2021. He added it would be an existing, enhanced ship that would be sailing "a full summer season out of Southampton.”