MSC Cruises to include India in its itineraries

MSC Cruises, a division of Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., will include India in its itineraries after it adds four ships to its fleet. The ships are scheduled to be delivered by 2018. The company currently has 12 cruise ships.

According to Antonio Paradiso, Executive Director – Emerging Markets, MSC Cruises, India will feature on the route map of MSC Orchestra on a maiden voyage next year from the Emirates, down through the Southern Hemisphere, partially circumnavigating Australia and arriving in Fremantle, Western Australia. The ports of call in India will be Mumbai and Kochi. The 33-night voyage will start on February 21.

Paradiso was recently in Delhi to attend a roadshow organised by MSC Cruises, in association with Sharaf Travel, which is the General Sales Agent for the cruise company in India and the Middle East. The roadshow was attended by around 30 travel and tourism professionals from Delhi and the NCR of Delhi.

Paradiso opined that Cruise Tourism is a growing segment world over. MSC Cruises sees huge demand in the segment. He said that cruising is one of the few means of travel whereby people can avail of different entertainment options on board a ship, and at the same time visit a number of countries.

Amit Mathur, Country Head, India, MSC Cruises, said that India is an emerging market for the Cruise segment. “We see a huge demand for cruise tours to Europe from the Indian market. A lot of Indians are taking cruise tours to Europe. We have witnessed a 30 per cent rise in sales last year over previous year. We are now focusing on cruise tour packages to Dubai-Abu Dhabi-Oman, and three- or four-night South Africa cruise packages.�

Salah Ibrahim Sharaf, Executive Director, Sharaf Group, said that India is an emerging market for them, and that they would like to network with the Indian travel trade to create more visibility for MSC Cruises.