MSC Cruises to make maiden call to Shanghai

The 65,000 GRT ship will make the company's maiden call in China's biggest megalopolis after a 60 day round-the-world grand voyage via Europe, which departs on 3 March 2016 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"We are delighted to once more be able to offer our guests a brand new itinerary - from Brazil to China via Europe - which offers the chance to visit some of the most appealing locations on earth, certainly across a huge array of people and cultures," said Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises CEO.

Three different versions of the grand voyage, with Shanghai as final destination, are currently on offer. Guests will have the opportunity to depart from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Genoa in Italy, or Dubai in the UAE.

Fully renovated

Before setting sail, MSC Lirica will have been fully renovated and enlarged under MSC Cruises' Renaissance Programme, which entails a comprehensive overhaul programme due to be completed in November 2015.

The ship will leave Guanabara Bay and Rio de Janeiro on 3 March 2016, and sail north along the coast of Brazil to Buzios, Salvador, Maceio and Fortaleza before crossing the Atlantic towards the Canary Islands and the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, before reaching mainland Europe and Cadiz, Spain.

From there, MSC Lirica will call the three biggest ports in the Mediterranean: Barcelona, Marseille or Genoa. Guests will therefore be able to decide to embark in Europe to journey towards Asia. Thus, MSC Cruises guests will be offered the unique pleasure to sail from Catalonia, Provence or Liguria to the port of Shanghai, the gateway to China and the Far East, on a 41 night journey to the other side of the world.

Once-in-a-lifetime journey

During this once-in-a-lifetime journey across seas and oceans, guests will embark aboard the 2,600 capacity ship in Barcelona, Marseille or Genoa, on a 42 day cruise that will take them to 18 ports in 13 countries, once they have left the shores of Liguria.
Ports to be visited

From Genoa, MSC Lirica will call Naples (Italy), the island of Crete with Heraklion (Greece), then head south to Aqaba in Jordan, followed by Muscat (Oman), Khor Al Fakhan in the United Arab Emirates, followed by an overnight stay in Dubai (also U.A.E).

From the Persian Gulf, the MSC Lirica will set sail towards the east and the Indian cities of Goa and Cochin, then call Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka, and then journey to Phuket, Thailand, Penang and Port Kenang in Malaysia, before arriving in Singapore.

After her stay Singapore, the MSC Lirica will bring its guests to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, before reaching Hong Kong. From the former British colony, Shanghai will be the next call for an overnight stay, and then she will head across the China Sea to Fukuoka in Japan. From here, MSC Lirica will head to Shanghai, due to arrive on 1 May 2016.