May 22, 2021 - Which rules will MSC Cruise Ship guests in Croatia need to follow once they first arrive in Dubrovnik in June?

Jutarnji List reports that while other shipowners are still calculating or choosing cruises within national borders with the line of least resistance, the Geneva-based company MSC Cruises was the first to clearly and loudly confirm the flow of floating hotels in the port of Gruž this season. The arrival of the first cruiser has been agreed to for June 2021, and approved by the Dubrovnik Port Authority.

In the management of MSC Cruises, Jutarnji inquired about the safety protocols that Dubrovnik passengers need to follow this summer.

"Passengers must be tested before the cruise, but also in the middle of the cruise, with an antigen test before departure to cross the Italian border. The crew will not leave the ship just yet, they are being tested once a week, and the company has started a comprehensive crew vaccination program," points out Darija Semiz from MSC's marketing department.

There are also new rules for guests on cruise ships:

"Food and drinks are served only at the table. In addition to the standard menus, guests can view them on their mobile phone by scanning the QR code," says Semiz and explains further details of the itinerary:

"Destinations during the cruise are visited only as part of organized excursions of MSC Cruises, which means reduced vehicle capacity, testing of guides and drivers before starting work, and face masks are required, and passengers must not be separated from the group during the trip," said the Dubrovnik MSC Cruises representative.

"Passengers are required to wear masks in common areas, MSC has also provided smart bracelets that serve as a means of payment onboard, a cabin key, and to identify close contacts if necessary," Semiz said.

The MSC center reports that the vaccination program against COVID-19 for all crew members is becoming a vital element of the company's health and safety protocol, which has been in place since last August when the first ship began sailing regularly.

In the initial phase, MSC Cruises prioritized prevention to crew members, with ten ships announced in the cruise program for the summer of 2021 in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Priority is also given to the crews of the white fleet, which should re-sail the Caribbean from American ports and others that are preparing to re-sail.

The latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

As Morski.hr writes on the 11th of August, 2019, Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković received an official letter from the MSC Cruises executive chairman, Pierfrancesco Vago, apologising for a situation which occurred owing to the MSC Sinfonia vessel, which for the first time in two years caused a total halt in pedestrian traffic at Pile gate (western entrance to the Old City).

Pierfrancesco Vago's apology arrived to Mayor Franković after a letter of protest was sent by the mayor of Dubrovnik to CLIA Europe shortly after the unfortunate event.

The chairman of one of the world's largest cruise companies also apologised to the residents of the city for the inconvenience caused by the MSC Sinfonia mooring in the Port of Gruž earlier than envisioned.

This, as Vago says, is the result of unfortunate and unplanned circumstances. "The earlier arrival of the ship to was largely driven by adverse weather at sea, which caused Sinfonia to miss Mykonos (Greece) on the way from Venice and head directly to Dubrovnik," the memo reads.

The MSC chairman also states that, under these circumstances, the arrival of the ship was actually orally authorised by the Port Authority of Dubrovnik two hours before schedule, but that there were lapses in the MSC control mechanisms and that Sinfonia was not allowed to disembark until the regular time of arrival, thereby violating the rules of CLIA, as well as those put in place by the city itself.

"I would like to assure you personally that this event was an exception - caused by external factors and that we have introduced a new level of control without delay that will ensure that all of our arrivals are fully in line with the agreement of CLIA and the city," concludes MSC's chairman, along with the message that their commitment to their agreement with the CLIA and the wishes of the southern Croatian city remains solid.

The City of Dubrovnik recalls that on the 24th of July, 2019, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the City of Dubrovnik signed an Agreement on Cooperation for the Preservation and Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Dubrovnik through Responsible Tourism Management, in order to make the UNESCO city an example of sustainable tourism in the Adriatic sea and beyond.

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