MSC Cruises Adds New Pre- and Post-Cruise Program

MSC Cruises is tempting guests to extend their at-sea vacations with new pre- and post-cruise hotel stays in several dynamic cities across the globe. The “Stay & Cruise” offers apply to summer 2024 itineraries onboard 11 cruise ships.

‘Stay & Cruise’ Packages Offered in Europe, US

MSC Cruises rolled out a “Stay & Cruise” program that invites cruisers to turn their 7-night voyage into a longer vacation, with 2- and 3-night hotel accommodations before or after their sailing, depending on the city.

The summer 2024 packages feature a variety of hotel options in Athens, Venice, Rome, Miami, and New York. Specifically, 2-night add-ons are available at a 4-star hotel in three cities — Athens, Venice, and Rome, while a 3-star hotel is featured in Miami. In New York, 2- and 3-night plans are offered at a 4-star property.

Several inclusions add value to the line’s “Stay & Cruise” packages, such as breakfasts, private roundtrip ground transfers between the airport, hotel, and ship, and a half-day excursion to each city’s leading attractions.

The add-on package deal is available in Rome on itineraries operated aboard MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia, MSC Musica, MSC Seaside, and MSC Seaview.  The Venice hotel stay is offered to guests sailing on MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, and MSC Sinfonia. In both Rome and Venice, the packages are offered pre- and post-cruise.

The package in Athens is featured with MSC Opera sailings and is available only pre-cruise.

On cruises departing from US ports, the “Stay & Cruise” packages are offered as a pre-cruise option to guests sailing Caribbean itineraries onboard MSC Seascape, departing from PortMiami. And in New York, the hotel deal is offered pre-cruise on Caribbean cruises operated on MSC Meraviglia.

Add-on Plans Feature Free City-Tour Excursions 

The pre- or post-cruise add-on packages include one excursion per person in each of the cities where the plan is offered. In Rome, guests will tour Vatican City and visit the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Also, travelers will explore the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Additionally, a guided bus tour will take guests to the Colosseum and other top attractions.

Read Also: Why Are MSC Cruises So Cheap?

In Venice, guests will enjoy a 90-minute walking tour of the heart of the city as well as a boat ride on the Guidecca Canal. Attractions visited will include San Marco, the Clock Tower, Doge’s Palace, and the famous Ponte dei Sospiri — the Bridge of Sighs.

Guests booking the Athens package will have a guided tour of the Greek capital, including sites such as the Temple of Zeus, the Royal Palace, and the Acropolis and its Parthenon.

In Miami, guests will participate in a guided tour of the vibrant city’s arts and music scene, and visit popular Miami Beach. Guests booking the package in New York will enjoy a tour of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods, such as Little Italy, Chinatown, and Dumbo, Brooklyn, plus the Statue of Liberty, World Trade Centre, and Battery Park.

All of the add-on plans, which were created as part of the cruise line’s partnership with the Italian tour operator Going, are available for booking now. Air travel can also be booked through MSC Cruises and added to the “Stay & Cruise” packages.

MSC Cruises’ “Stay & Cruise” packages are part of the line’s 2024 cruise enrichment program. The cruise line recently unveiled several new itineraries it will offer from US ports for the 2025 summer season, onboard MSC Seascape, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seashore, and the new-build MSC World America.