MSC Cruises revealed it would bring MSC Virtuosa back to homeport Southampton (England UK) in summer 2022 before the company deploys another liner during the winter.
The 6300-passenger ship will operate 20 roundtrip itineraries, ranging from 2 to 14 nights and visiting ports in the Baltics, Norway, Western Mediterranean.
The ex-UK season started in May 2021 and offered around-Britain roundtrips thru September.
Because of the “popularity” of Virtuosa’s 2021 summer sailings, MSC said another boat would also operate ex-UK voyages during winter 2022-2023.
The second ship (to be announced later in December) will operate a Northern European program similar to those that MSC Magnifica is now operating.
The 2022 UK cruise season will be the biggest ever program of MSC from Southampton (England) and will offer “something for every holidaymaker”, the company said.
Magnifica had been previously scheduled to be UK-deployed in summer 2022. Travel agents and customers with bookings on the boat will be contacted directly by MSC and offered the opportunity to switch to “a like for like” Virtuosa sailing.
MSC Virtuosa's summer 2022 program includes a 3-night mini-cruise to Rotterdam Holland, 3x Baltic Capitals itineraries ((May, July and September) and a 14-night Western Mediterranean roundtrips (with 7 call ports).
The ship will also offer 4x Norwegian Fjords itineraries (summer 2022) visiting Norway's ports Flam, Maloy, Olden, Stavanger. Both Maloy and Olden are new /maiden ports for MSC.