One of world’s largest cruise companies has canceled its season in Argentina and Uruguay

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The cruise company MSC decided to cancel its 2021-2022 season in Argentina and Uruguay. The ships MSC Sinfonia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Preziosa, and MSC Splendida had planned to carry out their season from and to the ports of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, as detailed by the company.

“Since the beginning of this year and continuing the path initiated last year in pursuit of achieving the safe restart of cruise operations in the Port of Buenos Aires, MSC Cruises has been working closely with the authorities of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay to be able to establish joint protocols and operating rules for the 2021/2022 cruise season from Buenos Aires and Montevideo under this new normality,” the company explained in a statement.

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Although they highlighted the support provided by the authorities of Argentina and Uruguay, they attributed the decision to suspend the season to a measure taken by the Brazilian government.

On October 2, 2021, the Brazilian authorities, through Ordinance 657, determined that the operation of cruise ships in Brazil is restricted exclusively to Brazilian jurisdictional waters (cabotage only). This restriction left out of the possibilities the itineraries to and from Argentina and Uruguay.

“Consequently, and given the imminent proximity to the start date of operations, we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel the 2021/2022 MSC Cruises season,” the company confirmed.

The Ministry of Tourism informed that they are working together with the Argentine Embassy in Brazil to reverse the measure taken by the Brazilian government.

For this season, the cruise company will assign three ships to Brazil where it will have four embarkation ports: Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Maceió, which will allow the entry of foreign guests as long as they enter the country by plane and comply with all the protocols described in the ordinance.

“It is with great sadness that we have had to decide to cancel the cruise season from the ports of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the reasons expressed exceed us as a company and prevent us from being able to carry out the current season.”

It has always been our goal to ensure a gradual and safe restart of operations in the ports of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, guaranteeing the necessary logistics and procedures based on our comprehensive health and safety protocol, which has already proven its effectiveness both in Europe and in the Caribbean where we restarted operations with the support of the same,” said Javier Massignani, managing director of MSC Cruises in Argentina.

“We will continue to sustain our commitment to the Argentine and Uruguayan markets,” he added. And he also revealed some details of the 22/23 Season in South America. According to the executive, there will be five ships, four of which will sail itineraries to Argentina and Uruguay. Two will embark in Buenos Aires, and one of them in Montevideo.

All in all, Massignani thanked the Argentinean officials, the Minister of Tourism Matías Lammens, the Minister of Transport Alexis Guerrera, and the Port of Buenos Aires authorities for their support and willingness to dialogue.

For the 2022-2023 season, the ship MSC Musica will depart from Buenos Aires and Montevideo for cruises of 7, 8, 9, and 10 nights in tropical Brazil.

While MSC Armonia will have 5-, 7- and 8-night cruises in southern Brazil, the MSC Seashore, the latest ship inaugurated by the company, will sail 6, 7, and 8-night cruises to Northeastern Brazil departing from the port of Santos.

On the other hand, the MSC Seaview has scheduled 14-night cruises visiting the port of Buenos Aires three times, and for the first time, as well as 7-night cruises to Salvador de Bahia and Ilheus departing from the port of Rio de Janeiro.

To complete the offer of five ships in South America departing from Santos, MSC Fantasia will offer seven-night itineraries to Argentina and Uruguay, passing through Punta del Este, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires.

The company indicated that clients could obtain information on seasonal changes or the new itineraries offered from their travel agents or the MSC Cruises Contact Center in the case of bookings made directly with the company.