Selenay YAGCI
MSC Cruises, one of the largest cruise companies in Europe, has consistently given the good news that more frequent arrivals will be made at Turkish ports. The cruise company, which started lively ship tours from Kusadasi every week during the summer season this year, this time docked at Istanbul Galataport Istanbul Port with one of its largest ships, MSC Fantasia, the size of three football fields. MSC Fantasia has become the largest ship ever to dock at Galataport Istanbul. The 18-storey giant ship brought a total of 5,500 passengers to Istanbul.
Announcing that active cruises will start from Turkish ports every week from May in 2023, the company will bring a total of 280 thousand passengers to Turkey. Bringing top segment tourists with a high average spending average to Turkey, MSC Cruises will also contribute 55 million Euros to Turkish tourism.
MSC Cruises Managing Director Angelo Capurro, who started his speech by saying that they miss Turkey, said that they actually included Turkey in their routes in the 2020 summer season, and then the pandemic emerged and they had to postpone it.
It also receives passengers from Turkey
Capurro stated that they are happy to return to Turkey after a long hiatus, and that Turkey, especially Istanbul, has a strategic location for cruise tourism. Stating that they have been the brand that has made the most investments in Turkey in terms of tourism for years, Capurro said, “Before the pandemic, we were always in touch with Turkey during our cruises with alternative alternatives to Istanbul and Turkish ports every week. Among our programs that attracted the most attention were the ones that mostly included Istanbul and Turkish ports. In 2023, we made active programs in Turkey,” he said.
“Our plan is to make Galataport Istanbul its main port”
MSC Cruises Managing Director Angelo Capurro stated that they are also a pioneer in attracting interest in cruises in Turkey and said, “We have a very high trust in Turkey. As MSC Cruises, our future plans include making Galataport Istanbul the main port of our cruises. With its nature, hospitable people, unique culture and art, being the only country with a cultural transition connecting Asia to Europe, and an ancient history that has hosted civilizations, Turkey always deserves the best. MSC Fantasia is one of our largest class ships, promising our guests an unforgettable cruise holiday. We combined the Italian elegance with the international ambiance offered by our ships with the services for our Turkish guests that will make them feel at home abroad.”
It will organize approximately 50 flights to Turkey in 2023.
Making evaluations about MSC Cruises 2023 planning, MSC Cruises Turkey Country Manager Burak Caliskan said, “In MSC Cruises’ 2023 planning; An active 9-night program will be held every week between 05 May – 23 October 2023 with MSC Splendida, the twin sister of our MSC Fantasia vessel. MSC Splendida will operate a total of 19 flights to Turkey. The program will offer a travel experience that includes the port of Kuşadası, Italy’s Trieste and Bari ports, Greece’s Corfu Island, Katakolon and Piraeus (Athens) ports in addition to Istanbul. Again, within the scope of 2023 plans, the Greek ports of Mykonos, Santorini, Piraeus (Athens), Israel’s Haifa and Cyprus’s Limassol port will also take place, with the MSC Musica ship and Kuşadası a lively 7-night program. Departing from MSC Musica, Kuşadası, we will perform a total of 26 flights between April 25 and October 17, 2023. In addition, between September 24 and November 24, 2023, our MSC Poesia ship will make pleasant 11-night programs departing from Istanbul and Kuşadası, and will make 5 trips to our ports in total.”
It came to Kuşadası in the summer season and continues in the autumn
With MSC Lirica on its weekly route starting from Kusadasi between April and October 2022, Haifa in Israel; Limassol in Southern Cyprus; After visiting Rhodes, Santorini and Piraeus/Athens in Greece, he made 29 voyages and signed seven-night programs, with stops returning to Kuşadası. MSC Lirica will continue its active 2022 summer programs in Kuşadası until October 15, while MSC Fantasia will make 3 trips to Istanbul in September and October. After Istanbul, MSC Fantasia will follow the Istanbul route after Corfu, Trieste, Zadar, Bari, Piraeus and Izmir.