MSC Cruises held a special celebratory event on board the MSC Lirica in the port of Piraeus on Monday for nearly 150 members of the Greek travel industry to herald the start of the ship’s summer 2022 sailing season.

This is the first time that MSC Cruises has based one of its ships in Greece and the first time that its guests can embark in Piraeus.

MSC Lirica will operate a newly designed seven-night itinerary with 28 voyages between April and October from Piraeus to visit Kusadasi in Turkey, Haifa in Israel, Limassol in Cyprus and the picturesque Greek islands of Rhodes and Santorini before returning to the port that serves Athens.

Angelo Capurro, MSC Cruises’ executive director, was on hand on Monday to welcome guests aboard before the ship’s first sailing that evening and said, “MSC Lirica will offer our guests a dedicated Greek experience and service that is coupled with a cosmopolitan ambience that can only be found on board one of our ships.”

“They can look forward to the very best of fine dining restaurants, world-class entertainment, relaxing bars and lounges, boutique shopping, spa and fitness centers, as well as an aquapark and clubs for toddlers to teenagers. There is something for everyone to enjoy. We cannot wait to welcome them on board throughout the summer months for a wonderful, memorable and, above all else, safe holiday at sea,” he stated.

Voyages on the MSC Lirica will be, as they are for all of the company’s ships, only open to guests who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 from the age of 12 upward.

In general, Greece is set to play an even greater role this summer for MSC Cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Crete will also be a port of call in the MSC Lirica’s four 11-night sailings during November and December 2022 with visits to Iraklio.

The MSC Armonia will call at Piraeus on a weekly basis during the summer months and MSC Fantasia will offer 11-night cruises to the Greek port for guests to visit Athens from September 2022.

Summer sailings for the MSC Musica will include calls at Katakolo for Olympia, Iraklio and Santorini.

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.