MSC Shipyard Delays?

[Maikell]

MSC shipyard delays?

Due to the Corona Crisis, a lot of work in the shipyards has been halted and has now resumed.

MSC has a number of new ships under construction but so far they have not released information about any delays to these ships.

 

If there are people here who have reliable information about delays to MSC Cruises' new ships,

please let us know here so that your fellow cruisers keep up to date with delays that have not yet been officially communicated by MSC Cruises.

 

Under construction:

 

MSC Virtuosa

Launch Date: September 2020

 

MSC Seashore

Launch Date: June 2021

[Fostelo]

Not sure about any delays but here's a couple of recent pics of seashore 👍🏾

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, Fostelo said:

Not sure about any delays but here's a couple of recent pics of seashore 👍🏾

 

Thank you for the pictures.

 

I hope that she will be ready for our cruise in July next year but I'm prepared for that the cruise will be cancelled. I asked MSC in Sweden and they said that they had not heared about any delays yet. I should prefer to switch to another ship now but as long as MSC think that there will be no delays they will not let me do that!

[sidari]

Virtuosa will be delayed by the looks of it, meanwhile Seashore is some way off being finished which means time can be made up especially as Fincantieri have a number of other yards in Italy where they can bring in workers from to get the project back on time.

Plus we don't know if the build was ahead of schedule before the close down.

A friend who is working on the ship reckons it will be finished on time.

[ssmea03]

According to CCs own news release Virtuosa is delayed until the New Year.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5334/

[sidari]

48 minutes ago, ssmea03 said:

According to CCs own news release Virtuosa is delayed until the New Year.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5334/

MSC have yet to officially announce a delay.

[sverigecruiser]

9 hours ago, sidari said:

Virtuosa will be delayed by the looks of it, meanwhile Seashore is some way off being finished which means time can be made up especially as Fincantieri have a number of other yards in Italy where they can bring in workers from to get the project back on time.

Plus we don't know if the build was ahead of schedule before the close down.

A friend who is working on the ship reckons it will be finished on time.

 

I really hope that you are correct and if nothing more happen you probably are. Hopefully they won't have to close everything again during the second wave, if they get a second wave.  

[cruiser man 60]

4 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I really hope that you are correct and if nothing more happen you probably are. Hopefully they won't have to close everything again during the second wave, if they get a second wave.  

I would think a second wave is more likely in America looking at news reports of packed pools, bars etc, Europe is fairly safe at practicing social distancing at present.

[deliver42]

I'm an American, and, unfortunately, we are a country of too many morons who take advantage of any situation, even if it turns out to be deadly.

[cruiser man 60]

After today's announcement on delays and new itineraries for 2021 , looks like Virtuosa won't sail until May & Seashore until August so will be another raft of cancellations!!

[Maikell]

3 hours ago, cruiser man 60 said:

After today's announcement on delays and new itineraries for 2021 , looks like Virtuosa won't sail until May & Seashore until August so will be another raft of cancellations!!

 

It is indeed confirmed by MSC Cruises;

 

The MSC Seashore will now come into service August 1, 2021 due to the delay caused by the temporary closure of the shipyard as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for this period, MSC Fantasia will temporarily cover her itinerary.

 

Starting in May 2021, the new MSC Virtuosa will spend her first summer season with seven- to 14-night cruises from Kiel, alternating between the fjords and the Baltic capitals, with all itineraries offering embarkation in both Kiel and Copenhagen, Denmark.

 

For guests who had booked it is sad news. 

For now it looks like i will be safe with my holiday cruises in 2021. My new booked  voucher cruise starting with Virtuosa at 31th of July and then i will make a cruise with Seashore at 20th of August. 

 

We can only hope that Europe will stay safe and better day by day. 

For the USA it will be a real challenge to get life back. It is a total disaster what they do (or not do) in that part of the world. It is really poor to see, i hope for the best who lives there!

 

[sidari]

Virtuosa is supposed to be delivered in March but as yet MSC have not come out and told customers unlike they have with Seashore.

It may be that Virtuosa will sail March and April in the Med in order to iron out any wrinkles before heading to Germany.

[Maikell]

12 minutes ago, sidari said:

Virtuosa is supposed to be delivered in March but as yet MSC have not come out and told customers unlike they have with Seashore.

It may be that Virtuosa will sail March and April in the Med in order to iron out any wrinkles before heading to Germany.

 

They only confirmed for Virtuosa that it will be ready for Northern Europe in summer 2021.

 

The sailings with Virtuosa in March/april will depend on national and international health and authoritative bodies;

 

MSC Cruises will resume short-term activities for the winter and spring season 20-21 in phases and by region when the time is right, according to the regulations of that region.

Edited June 4, 2020 by Maikell

[sverigecruiser]

 

I will not accept a FCC valid until December 2021 for our cruise in July 2021. If a FCC should be accaptable it must be valid much longer than that!

 

I have paid around $1200 and will ask to get that money back as soon as they confirm to me that the cruise is cancelled.

[Maikell]

13 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I will not accept a FCC valid until December 2021 for our cruise in July 2021. If a FCC should be accaptable it must be valid much longer than that!

 

I have paid around $1200 and will ask to get that money back as soon as they confirm to me that the cruise is cancelled.

 

You will not get a fcc. The MSC Fantasia will cover the itinerary for the delay of seashore.  You will get €100,- onboard credit for that change. No canclelation but a other ship.

I think that is a decent financial solution in a time of corona. 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Maikell

[sverigecruiser]

20 minutes ago, Maikell said:

 

You will not get a fcc. The MSC Fantasia will cover the itinerary for the delay of seashore.  You will get €100,- onboard credit for that change. No canclelation but a other ship.

I think that is a decent financial solution in a time of corona. 

 

Thank you for that information.

 

I agree with you that it's a "decent" solution in a time of corona. Decent but not more!

 

One problem might be that MSC Seashore has a bigger capacity than MSC Fantasia, especially in the Yacht Club. Will everyone booked in the Yacht Club on Seashore get a cabin on Fantasia? I know that it's more than a year until the cruise but think that the Yacht Club may already be overbooked if everyone shall get a cabin on Fantasia!

[Maikell]

32 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Thank you for that information.

 

I agree with you that it's a "decent" solution in a time of corona. Decent but not more!

 

One problem might be that MSC Seashore has a bigger capacity than MSC Fantasia, especially in the Yacht Club. Will everyone booked in the Yacht Club on Seashore get a cabin on Fantasia? I know that it's more than a year until the cruise but think that the Yacht Club may already be overbooked if everyone shall get a cabin on Fantasia!

 

I think problems will be not be that big, the ship and itinerary where not fully booked. You know how it works with upgrades by change dates and extras when such problems accord.

Edited June 5, 2020 by Maikell

[little britain]

I had not seen this information. Looks like we will be on one of the first Seashore sailings now! 

[cruiser man 60]

Lots of cruises cancelled in USA for 2021 season with ships going to Europe 

[Megtheblackbelt]

Well, I guess my April 19th, 2021 Med sailing on Virtuosa will be cancelled.

 

Stinks. We got a bargain on the YC that I doubt we will ever see again. 🥺

Edited June 5, 2020 by Megtheblackbelt

[Maikell]

10 minutes ago, Couple-Somerset said:

 

Yes, they have said the Virtuosa summer sailing will begin in May 2021.

 

Unfortunately, they have NOT stated there will be no winter 2020/21 itinerary; even a tiny one.

Until they actually say it, we still cannot use the FCC or claim a refund on our December 2020 sailing which we all know is not going to happen but MSC refuse to come out and say it yet.

 

All true, but like they also said for winter and spring 20/21, it will depands to the regulations of that region by that date;

 

"MSC Cruises will resume in phases, ship by ship, when the time is right."

 

For now you have no fcc or refund rights. It is what it is, in this situation nobody can tell where we will be in the crisis by the end of the year.

Edited June 5, 2020 by Maikell

[sidari]

The FCC terms of sailing before December 2021 is far too small a window with the amount of cancellations already and those to come it would make far more sense to extend the period to December 2022, the lack luster itineraries for 2021 will not help either especially for those of us who have been to most of the ports.

[cruiser man 60]

We have seaview Rome to Dubai in November & Virtuosa March in Mediterranean, if both cancelled we would struggle to use FCC before December 2022 as have some other plans summer 2021 already.

[panamapd]

Totally confused now.  Note to self - only book any future cruises with one cruise line as all these differing policies is staggering!!

 

After reading this post I contacted my travel agent to ask if the Virtuosa would be sailing in time for my 18th December 2020 booking.  This is the email reply of 28th May:-

 

" Thank you for your message.

 

We would like to inform you that the maiden voyage of the MSC Virtuosa is planned for November 2020. If changes occur here, we will inform you and our mutual customers immediately.

 

Have a nice day."

[Maikell]

28 minutes ago, panamapd said:

Totally confused now.  Note to self - only book any future cruises with one cruise line as all these differing policies is staggering!!

 

After reading this post I contacted my travel agent to ask if the Virtuosa would be sailing in time for my 18th December 2020 booking.  This is the email reply of 28th May:-

 

" Thank you for your message.

 

We would like to inform you that the maiden voyage of the MSC Virtuosa is planned for November 2020. If changes occur here, we will inform you and our mutual customers immediately.

 

Have a nice day."

 

Why confused? Its not that hard to understand;

 

The first departure of MSC Seashore is planned for 1 August. The MSC Virtuosa is still planned for winter and spring 20/21. MSC cruises is still looking at what the local authorities are doing and will then make a decision to build the fleet in phases, including the Virtuosa.

 

They have now canceled MSC cruises through July 31, 2020 and announced their summer season for 2021. That's all. The latter is of course mainly done to cover all vouchers.

 

And yes, the Virtuosa is sailing in the summer season of 2021 Northern Europe. But that is completely separate from what the ship will do before that, because that departure is outside the summer season of 2021 and has simply not yet been canceled because the fleet has stopped so far until July 31, 2020.

 

I hope this make things clear for now. 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Maikell