MSC Tour de monde 2026

Embarquement et départ à 18.00.

On the spectacular coastline of the French Riviera lies Marseille, an MSC Mediterranean Cruises destination. This atmospheric port city is known for its unique mix of grit and glamour, seen in its labyrinth of streets and historical architecture. Only a few miles from Marseille’s charismatic cafes and bustling Vieux Port, stunning cities are to be found. Visit Aix-en-Provence, birthplace of Cézanne, or take in the ancient beauty of Avignon.

L’un des ports de croisière les plus fréquentés de la Méditerranée, la ville balnéaire de Barcelone est connue pour son architecture emblématique, sa culture colorée et ses restaurants et boissons de classe mondiale. Explorez la Sagrada Família d’Antoni Gaudí, le célèbre boulevard des Ramblas, le Barri Gótic médiéval et le Museu Picasso. Mais il y a encore plus à découvrir dans cette ville espagnole tentaculaire, destination de MSC Mediterranean Cruises : des bars à tapas cachés aux fabuleux marchés alimentaires en passant par le plus grand stade de football d’Europe.

À votre arrivée à Funchal lors d’une croisière MSC, votre navire jettera l’ancre dans une baie protégée par des montagnes s’élevant tout droit derrière le port. Le nom, Funchal, dérive de celui de la plante de fenouil, le funcho encore utilisé aujourd’hui dans les bonbons traditionnels connus sous le nom de rebuçados de funcho, que l’on peut trouver partout sur l’île de Madère.

Une excursion vous fera visiter le centre-ville, visiter les églises historiques, de la cathédrale A Sé, avec son plafond marqueté, à la majestueuse église de l’Incarnation, à l’église de Carmo sans voûte.
Une autre excursion MSC vous emmènera jusqu’au village de Monte, d’où vous pourrez admirer une vue spectaculaire sur la baie de Funchal. Vous pourrez visiter son église du XVIIIe siècle et le tombeau du dernier empereur d’Autriche, Charles Ier, et flâner dans les magnifiques jardins botaniques. Mais si vous aimez les hauteurs, rien de plus impressionnant que le Cabo Girão et ses falaises de 589 mètres de haut, parmi les plus hautes du monde, au pied desquelles se trouvent les terres cultivées connues sous le nom de Fajãs do Cabo Girão.
Si vous recherchez une plage équipée pendant votre croisière MSC, une autre excursion vous conduira à Machico. Fondée au XVe siècle, elle abrite le plus ancien édifice religieux de l’île, la Capela dos Milagres, et les forteresses de São João Baptista et Nossa Senhora do Amparo construites au début du XVIe siècle.
L’attraction touristique la plus animée se trouve plutôt à Calheta, sur la côte sud-ouest. De splendides yachts traversant l’Atlantique sont amarrés dans le port et si vous voulez vous baigner, il y a deux belles plages de sable doré ; malgré les structures modernes, Calheta remonte au milieu du XVe siècle. C’est là qu’ils fabriquent l’ »Aguardente », le meilleur rhum blanc, et ingrédient fondamental de la boisson typique de Madère, le « Poncha ».

La Barbade a été découverte par les Portugais en 1536 mais tout au long de son histoire coloniale, qui a pris fin avec la Déclaration d’Indépendance en 1966, la Barbade est restée sous la souveraineté britannique.

Réputée pour sa population chaleureuse et accueillante, la Barbade vit au rythme des Caraïbes. L’art, les nombreuses activités, la vie nocturne, la musique, l’histoire et les fantastiques établissements pour se restaurer sont quelques-uns des innombrables atouts de l’île.

L’eau de la Barbade est l’une des plus pures au monde ; elle tire sa source dans les lacs et les grottes de corail souterraines. Le passé colonial de l’île se manifeste clairement dans l’ancienne capitale de Bridgetown, qui se distingue nettement par son caractère anglais ; à tel point que la ville possède même une miniature du Trafalgar Square de Londres, avec une statue de Lord Nelson !

Des parfums d’épices tels que le clou de girofle, la cannelle et la noix de muscade flottent dans l’air lorsque vous arrivez sur la croisière MSC Caraïbes et Antilles à Saint-Georges, la capitale de l’île de Grenade. Surnommée « l’île aux épices » pour son agriculture, le symbole de la Grenade est la noix de muscade, le produit le plus célèbre de l’île, qui figure également sur le drapeau de la nation.

Colonisée à l’origine par les Français dans les années 1600, qui ont éliminé les peuples indigènes caraïbes au cours des conflits, la Grenade a été capturée par les Britanniques en 1762 et est restée sous leur domination jusqu’à son indépendance en 1974.

St. George’s offre de nombreuses attractions, à commencer par ses vues magnifiques, ses jardins botaniques, ses parcs et ses plages paradisiaques, notamment la plage de Grand Anse située à proximité.

Commencez votre voyage par une promenade guidée lors d’une excursion MSC à travers le dédale de rues de la capitale, depuis le Carenage, le port en forme de fer à cheval, avec sa promenade animée au bord de l’eau. Admirez les pittoresques maisons créoles du 19ème siècle aux couleurs pastel, faites de briques et de pierres, avec des toits en tuiles rouges fabriqués à partir de ballasts de bateaux.

Découvrez directement la merveilleuse palette d’épices et de parfums de l’île lors d’une excursion MSC qui s’arrête au Dougaldston Estate. Dans cette plantation rustique de cacao vieille de 300 ans à Gouyave, découvrez à quoi ressemblent les plateaux de séchage des épices et du cacao et apprenez comment ces épices sont traitées à partir des gousses de graines, ou comment la cannelle est récoltée sur l’écorce d’un arbre. De là, rendez-vous dans une usine coopérative de noix de muscade à l’ancienne, où le travail se fait à la main.

La Grenade compte une multitude de belles chutes d’eau, dont la plus spectaculaire est Annandale Falls, à environ 11 km de St.George’s. Cachée par une grotte de végétation dense dans les montagnes, la chute d’eau descend de 9 mètres au milieu des feuilles et des branches, créant une piscine naturelle où vous pouvez vous baigner.

Pour un retour dans le passé de la Grenade, montez à bord d’un bus créole pour une excursion guidée en MSC le long d’un labyrinthe de routes escarpées vers les hauteurs. Profitez de panoramas somptueux depuis les forts du 18ème siècle de Fort George et de Fort Frederick, surnommé « le fort à l’envers », pour les canons qui font face à la terre et non à la mer.

Kralendijk est la capitale de Bonaire, une île néerlandaise située dans la mer des Caraïbes. L’architecture colorée parsème la rue commerçante de Kaya Grandi. Le musée de Bonaire expose des pièces archéologiques, des coquillages et des photos anciennes. Au large de la côte se trouve le parc marin national de Bonaire, avec un récif de corail abritant des poissons tropicaux. Il s’étend à l’ouest jusqu’à l’île de Klein Bonaire, où les plages de sable constituent un lieu de ponte pour les tortues de mer.

A beauty to behold, Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island just off the coast of Venezuela, offers dramatic coastlines, hidden beaches tucked into coves, expansive coral reefs, wondrous caves and two different climates: one wet and tropical, the other dry.
Abuzz with European flair, Willemstad, the capital, boasts a thriving art and culinary scene, pretty pastel-coloured colonial architecture, museums and a go-go attitude, thanks in part to its booming economy.

As you arrive on an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise in Willemstad, you’ll have options for MSC excursions at your fingertips as diverse as its climate: Cultural tours or nature tours? Beach or hiking? A blend of both? The choice is yours.

Start by exploring the narrow alleys and gaze at the curious houses in bright colours in the picturesque old town of Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dutch colonial-style houses with sloping roofs, and alternating pink, light green, blue and yellow colours contrast with the monochrome blue of the sky and sea, a panorama worthy of Instagram. MSC excursions let you hop on a trolley tour or join a guided walking tour to marvel at the city’s best known sites.

At the mouth of the bay of Sint Annabaai, between the two districts of Willemstad, lies Fort Amsterdam, one of the most important forts on the island. Built in 1635, the fort is now the seat of the governor, and houses a Protestant church and a museum. The church, built in 1769, was fired upon by a British warship in 1804, and you can still find a cannonball embedded in the southwestern wall of the church. Another fort worth seeing is Fort Beekenburg, overlooking Caracas Bay. Constructed in 1703, it was actively used in the 19th century to defend against the French, British and pirates, and is one of the best-preserved fortifications in the Caribbean.

A Curaçao cruise lets you tour the factory where the world-famous Curaçao liqueur is made. At the sunshine yellow Chobolo Mansion, visit the old distillery to learn how the distillation process works and, of course, you get to sample the Blue Curaçao liqueur.

For an otherworldly experience, opt for a short drive to the north of Willemstad, passing salt flats and flamingos, to explore the Hato Caves on a guided tour. At this natural wonder, you’ll learn about stalagmites, stalactites, limestone formations and, if you’re lucky, you’ll spot long-nosed fruit bats.

Or to observe the stunning coastline, another MSC excursion takes you on a country drive, past old plantation homes, to Boka Tabla, part of Shete Boka National Park, on the north coast. Admire the phenomenon of how the pounding surf has over time formed beautiful coves and interesting rock shapes stretching over seven miles of unspoiled shoreline.

Cobbled streets, balconies overflowing with blooming bougainvillea and pastel-coloured buildings lining elegant plazas make Cartagena in Colombia one of the Caribbean’s most photogenic cities, and a memorable stop on an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise.

Founded in 1533, this Spanish colonial city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is steeped in history. Its location made it a popular target for plunderers and English pirates, and arguably features the most impressive collection of forts in the Caribbean. Today the city is eager to share its treasures with modern visitors. Magnificent colonial structures such as the 16th-century Santa Catalina Cathedral, with its striking stuccoes and dome tower, and the three-arch clock gate, the Torre del Reloj, are just two of the many landmarks of this enchanting city dotted with many squares and sidewalk cafés.

A wonderful photo stop on our Cartagena City MSC excursion is the San Felipe de Barajas fortress, a marvel of colonial Spanish military engineering. Its construction began in 1536. Slaves la-boured for more than 120 years to erect this fortress – built on high ground with dominating ap-proaches to the city by land and sea to fend off pirates – and its network of tunnels.

On yet another MSC excursion, enrich your palate as you learn about the rich aromas and flavours of Colombian coffee. Introduced by the Jesuits in 1723, coffee quickly became a key crop in Colombia, which is now one of the top producers of Arabica coffee in the world.

Colombia is also the world’s top producer of emeralds. If jewellery and gems fascinate you, learn all about these green precious stones and make your own emerald-studded jewellery in sterling silver during a hands-on MSC excursion that guides you step-by-step.

And you don’t need to go far to explore nature. An MSC excursion takes you by canoe through mangrove tunnels to Ciénaga de la Virgen, where you can witness a diversity of birds from king-fishers and white herons to pelicans and pink-feathered roseate spoonbills.

Autrefois connu comme le principal port de la côte atlantique, aujourd’hui Puerto Limon, situé à 165 km à l’est de San José, a un air un peu négligé. Il y a eu peu d’activité sur le port depuis que les bateaux de bananes commencèrent à être chargés à Moín, à 8 km au dessus du cap en direction de Tortuguero. Peu peuplée, la province de Limón s’étend en arc de cercle du sud du Nicaragua jusqu’au Panama. Enclavée au nord par des jungles denses et des cours d’eau marécageux, à l’ouest par la puissante Cordillère centrale et au sud par la sangle encore plus large de la Cordillère de Talamanca, la province de Limón peut paraitre un lieu perdu, au bout du monde. Ici vous pourrez observer les douces tortues de mer géantes pondre leurs œufs sur les plages de Tortuguero balayées par les vagues, admirer les récifs coralliens en plongée avec tuba à Cahuita, surfer à Puerto Viejo, dériver le long du canal de la jungle de Tortuguero à la Barra del Colorado, une destination majeure pour pratiquer la pêche sportive, ou essayez le repérages d’animaux et d’oiseaux dans les nombreux mangroves.

Panama is synonymous with the Panama Canal. While Panama connects Central America to South America, the Panama Canal, which opened in 1914, connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. The channel reduces shipping time and currently connects 160 countries and 1,700 ports around the world. Hailed as an engineering marvel, the artificial waterway with its elaborate lock system is one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century.

Arriving on an MSC Caribbean and Antilles cruise into Colón, Panama’s gateway city, you’ll encounter the irresistible juxtaposition of the ancient and modern, the artificial and natural, as enormous computerized container ships transiting the canal slice through primeval rainforests teeming with fluorescent frogs and elusive wild cats.
Book an MSC excursion to hop on a ferry that will take you along the length of the Panama Canal, through lakes and locks and past the Centennial and Americas bridges. Finally, you will arrive at Pacific port at the entrance to the Panama Canal, and then enjoy a 90-minute bus ride back to your ship.

The Pearl of the Pacific Ocean
On a fine sandy peninsula, 8 km long and an average width of 400 meters, Puntarenas, the « Pearl of the Pacific » can be found. During your MSC World Cruise, you will have the opportunity to visit this city, formerly the largest port in the country and now a busy place full of life, characterized by beautiful beaches and lush nature.
One of the best excursions during your holiday in this land will be the Rainforest Skywalk, a combination of suspension bridges and trails through the rain forest to get you acquainted with one of the most complex ecosystems in the world made up of numerous native plant and animal species that can be observed directly in their natural habitat.
Puntarenas is also famous for another treasure: its coffee, known as « Grano de Oro ». It is not only among the best and most appreciated across the planet, but it has played a key role in the development of Costa Rica, affecting social institutions, culture and politics in the country. Thanks to your MSC Cruise, you will have the chance to taste exceptional coffee in its land of origin, where its roots can be found in the late 1700s in this fertile land with a cool climate, and which even today is one of the main agricultural exports of the country .
Our cruise ship will also lead you on the discovery of San José, the capital city which is 115 km from Puntarenas. It is a must-see for its natural beauty, museums, historical sites and its characteristic streets markets. On its streets, you will find a cosmopolitan culture but one that is at the same time very close to roots. Surrounded by mountains and full of rivers and streams, San José is the icing on the cake of your vacation with MSC Cruises.

Magnificent beaches, towering volcanoes, lakes and rain forests. In Nicaragua, you can find unspoiled natural beauty waiting to be lived and fallen in love with, starting from Corinto, home to the largest port in the country and one of the destinations on your MSC World Cruise.
This picturesque town with its tropical idyllic atmosphere is located on the Pacific coast in the north-west of the country, and its streets are shrouded in the charm of colonial architecture and filled with small shops and ancient churches.
It is a place from the past where you can breathe in an atmosphere of joyful serenity and enjoy its virtually intact history during your holiday adventure. Not far from Corinto, the journey will continue with a stop at El Viejo, a town known for its particular culinary specialties but above all for its historic colonial era sites, including the Immaculate Conception of Mary Basilica, considered to be a very important national religious shrine. And let’s not forget another stop that can’t be missed on this trip with MSC cruises: a visit to the Caña Rum Distillery.
From the port of Corinto, you can reach the distillery where the famous Flor de Cañarum is produced, find out how it is produced and maintained, as well as have the opportunity to sample different types of rum aged for 18-25 years. During your holiday, how could you not make a stop in the capital city of Nicaragua? León is breathtakingly beautiful, a city full of energy with beautiful urban views, cosmopolitan restaurants, an effervescent night life and fabulous art collections. Here you can find one of the finest museums of contemporary art in all the country: the Museo de Arte Fundacion Ortiz-Guardián, where you can admire the works of Rubens, Picasso, Chagall, Rivera and many others.
On your MSC cruise, you will have the opportunity to visit an area rich in historical, cultural and environmental treasures.

A voyage between fire and water, between majestic volcanoes and stunning lakes. There are so many colors, you can get lost in them, from the bright traditional clothes of the people to the church facades.
Everything is a rainbow of life in Guatemala, starting from Puerto Quetzal, the largest port in the country found on the Pacific Ocean and one of the stops of your MSC World Cruise.
In the heart of the Mayan culture in Central America, you will begin an adventure that will combine the beauty of an artistic heritage with natural splendors, the discovery of ancient civilizations and the ruins of a still alive and vivacious people, such as can be found at the impressive ruins of Tikal, the largest of the ancient Mayan cities.
The Mayan culture survives in the clothes of the people, religious processions, markets and sawdust and petal carpets, a symbol of Guatemalan sacredness. All of this can be found surrounded by an unspoiled habitat, one of the highest volcanoes in the region and what is considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Your MSC cruise will take you along the enchanting shores of Lake Atitlan, formed 84,000 years ago in the highlands of Guatemala.
Surrounded by many villages, where the inhabitants still wear Mayan traditional dress, the Atitlan boasts immense crops of coffee, avocado groves and a wide variety of agricultural crops along its shores. From Puerto Quetzal, you can easily reach another stop on your holiday: Antigua, a beautiful colonial city located in the center of the country. Famous for its examples of well-preserved Hispano-American Baroque architecture, the city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. With MSC Cruises, you can experience the lifestyle of Guatemala and its ancient evocative traditions, changing it from a dream into reality.

Golden sand, green hills and a fantastic tropical climate, the perfect place for a holiday filled with sun, sea and cocktails on the beach.
Puerto Vallarta, in the heart of Mexico’s largest bay, is a pleasant paradise that combines various locations, each with its own character and special charm. During your MSC World Cruise, you will have the opportunity to disembark in a land full of pleasant amenities accompanied by the lush greenery of the Sierra Madre.
In the far south of Puerto Vallarta can be found the picturesque Romántica Zone, where the famous Malecón lies. Its boardwalk, the main attraction of the village, is characterized by artistic paving in the form of drawings made out of pebbles. It is here, on this coast, that you can find the emblematic sea horse, one of several bronze sculptures that overlook a breathtaking view. The tour will continue with a stop at the famous Olas Altas Beach, ideal for swimming, but above all for surfing or snorkeling.
The Mexican coast does not offer just any old normal beaches, but real treasures for lovers of the natural beauties of the ocean, beauties that can be enjoyed thanks to your MSC Cruise. Puerto Vallarta also hides another precious jewel, the most attractive of the city’s landmarks. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, whose bell tower rises majestically above the other buildings, is surmounted by a wrought iron crown held up by angels, specifically designed to look like the one worn by Empress Charlotte of Mexico.
How many wonders can you discover, explore, and fall in love with thanks to a cruise ship and an MSC World holiday.

Cabo San Lucas, a resort city on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, is known for its beaches, water-based activities and nightlife. Playa El Médano is Cabo’s main beach, with outdoor restaurants and numerous bars. Past the marina is Land’s End promontory, site of Playa del Amor (Lover’s Beach) and El Arco, a natural archway in the seacliffs.

Attractions that are famous all over the world for their beauty and grandeur, endless beaches with numerous facilities for surfing and water sports. Fun, relaxation and a mild climate that caresses the skin. This and so much more can be found in San Diego, a city that will remain etched in your heart thanks to your MSC World Cruise.

Located in sunny Southern California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, San Diego will surprise you with La Jolla, literally « the jewel », an area known for its beautiful sandy beaches, broken up by canyons, cliffs and hills that end at Mount Soledad. The perfect place for an unforgettable holiday, especially because of Torrey Pines State Reserve, a 2,000 hectare coastal park consisting of rock and lagoon areas which offers the opportunity to hike in full nature.

MSC Cruises will also take you, in this land full of surprises, on the discovery of the famous San Diego Zoo, the largest and most well known zoo in the world currently home to 800 different species, with a total of about 4,000 animals, and occupying an area of approximately 43 hectares
. It is surely one of the most beautiful attractions in the city, as well as being one of the few zoos that can boast the presence of a panda among its creatures.

But the holiday does not end there. San Diego also includes many quaint neighborhoods that are well worth visiting. One of these is undoubtedly the Gaslamp Quarter, a focal point of the city that hosts a large number of shops, theaters, casinos and nightlife. It is perfect for shopping during the day and entertainment at night. The district also hosts numerous events and music festivals and includes 94 historical reconstructions built in the Victorian Age. You will only see places this spectacular with MSC Cruises!

And if your MSC World Cruise could take you to one of the most fascinating cities in the United States? Making your dream into reality is San Francisco, the next stop on your vacation.

In addition to its many tourist attractions, its fame is linked to the high cultural and architectural value it offers, making it the most European of any overseas city. San Francisco is also unique for its particular geographical location, which sees it stand out against green hills while at the same time spreading out directly into the sea, an enchanted view from which you can observe landscapes full of colors and harmony.

As soon as you disembark, you will start on one of the signature excursions of MSC. You can admire the symbol of San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge, the infamous red bridge linking the city to the county of Marin. The structure is one of the wonders of the world, the boldest of its kind ever created by American architecture: its 2700-meter length is supported by two gigantic pylons made to withstand the strong winds and raging currents of the bay. One of the best ways
to see this bridge is to cross it on your way to Sausalito, a charming seaside resort also known as the Portofino of America, another stop on your unforgettable trip to this area. Sausalito has a different climate than San Francisco, with beautiful sunshine and weather that is a few degrees warmer creating a pleasant atmosphere, perfect for a trip out of town with a view of the San Francisco skyline and the island of Alcatraz.

With MSC Cruises, your vacation becomes an adventure, thanks to a visit to the legendary site of the former maximum security prison. Its name, Alcatraz (which is Spanish for « pelican »), comes from the many pelicans on the spot. It is an attraction that takes you back in time and will introduce you to a piece of San Francisco’s history.

And if your MSC World Cruise could take you to one of the most fascinating cities in the United States? Making your dream into reality is San Francisco, the next stop on your vacation.

In addition to its many tourist attractions, its fame is linked to the high cultural and architectural value it offers, making it the most European of any overseas city. San Francisco is also unique for its particular geographical location, which sees it stand out against green hills while at the same time spreading out directly into the sea, an enchanted view from which you can observe landscapes full of colors and harmony.

As soon as you disembark, you will start on one of the signature excursions of MSC. You can admire the symbol of San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge, the infamous red bridge linking the city to the county of Marin. The structure is one of the wonders of the world, the boldest of its kind ever created by American architecture: its 2700-meter length is supported by two gigantic pylons made to withstand the strong winds and raging currents of the bay. One of the best ways
to see this bridge is to cross it on your way to Sausalito, a charming seaside resort also known as the Portofino of America, another stop on your unforgettable trip to this area. Sausalito has a different climate than San Francisco, with beautiful sunshine and weather that is a few degrees warmer creating a pleasant atmosphere, perfect for a trip out of town with a view of the San Francisco skyline and the island of Alcatraz.

With MSC Cruises, your vacation becomes an adventure, thanks to a visit to the legendary site of the former maximum security prison. Its name, Alcatraz (which is Spanish for « pelican »), comes from the many pelicans on the spot. It is an attraction that takes you back in time and will introduce you to a piece of San Francisco’s history.

Discovering Pearl Harbor
Who hasn’t dreamed of going to Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii on the beautiful island of Oahu, home of the most famous beaches in the world?
Thanks to your MSC World Cruise, you will have the opportunity to disembark in this charming place made for relaxation and peace of mind, where you can sunbathe, enjoy typical Hawaiian food and cocktails and take a trip into the past, reliving the story of Pearl Harbor.
The old military base made famous by the Japanese air force attack in 1941, during the Second World War, can be found in the county of Honolulu. A historical site filled with memories and reflections where you can round out your MSC Cruises excursion with a visit to the USS Missouri, a battleship from the time period kept in perfect condition with some of the original parts like the wooden bridge.
A tour for lovers of history and events that began the Second World War in the Pacific Ocean. Exploring Honolulu also means talking a walk in the city center, which boasts not only excellent museums and the only royal palace in the United States, but also numerous restaurants and bars, all within easy reach thanks to a dense network of buses that allows you to travel to every part of the capital.
With MSC Cruises, you will have the opportunity to experience a great vacation, discovering the infinite beauty of Oahu whose white sandy beaches are a symbol of unparalleled natural beauty.

Discovering Pearl Harbor
Who hasn’t dreamed of going to Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii on the beautiful island of Oahu, home of the most famous beaches in the world?
Thanks to your MSC World Cruise, you will have the opportunity to disembark in this charming place made for relaxation and peace of mind, where you can sunbathe, enjoy typical Hawaiian food and cocktails and take a trip into the past, reliving the story of Pearl Harbor.
The old military base made famous by the Japanese air force attack in 1941, during the Second World War, can be found in the county of Honolulu. A historical site filled with memories and reflections where you can round out your MSC Cruises excursion with a visit to the USS Missouri, a battleship from the time period kept in perfect condition with some of the original parts like the wooden bridge.
A tour for lovers of history and events that began the Second World War in the Pacific Ocean. Exploring Honolulu also means talking a walk in the city center, which boasts not only excellent museums and the only royal palace in the United States, but also numerous restaurants and bars, all within easy reach thanks to a dense network of buses that allows you to travel to every part of the capital.
With MSC Cruises, you will have the opportunity to experience a great vacation, discovering the infinite beauty of Oahu whose white sandy beaches are a symbol of unparalleled natural beauty.

The Samoan Islands, pristine and majestic, offer spectacular beaches and panoramas that have no equal. Vast stretches of mountain forests, tropical forests, lakes, rivers and towering waterfalls. Perfect for those who love nature and relaxing, these islands offer an unforgettable experience that starts in Apia, capital of Samoa and the first stop on your spectacular holiday with MSC World Cruise.

Apia is located on the northern coast of the island of Upolu and is positioned in a natural cove at the mouth of the river Vaisigano. This city’s ability to combine metropolitan progress with traditional Samoan culture will amaze you, starting with the modern parliament building surrounded by a lush green area, or the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, an ornate architectural gem made of beautiful stained glass windows, the other must-see of your excursion into the heart of the city with MSC Cruises. The local population has remained very anchored to its traditions and religion, preserving a culture that can especially be seen in its songs and dances.

The highlight of Samoa is undoubtedly
the seaside, which includes places like the natural pools of Piula Cave, two freshwater caves a short distance from the sea, which are able to transport visitors to another world with their magical beauty. And how can we not mention the Papapapaitai Falls, the highest waterfall in Samoa and the climax of your journey with MSC Cruises along with a visit to Robert Louis Stevenson’s residence on Mount Vaea. You can embark on an adventure immersed in green paths and, once you have reached the highest peaks, you can enjoy the view of the ocean and idyllic landscape.

Suva est la capitale de la nation insulaire des Fidji, située dans le Pacifique Sud. C’est une ville aux larges avenues, aux parcs luxuriants et aux grands bâtiments coloniaux britanniques, tels que la bibliothèque municipale de Suva. Le marché municipal de Suva, coloré et animé, propose une gamme de fruits et légumes locaux. Le musée des Fidji, situé dans les jardins Thurston de l’époque victorienne, contient des exemples de canoës traditionnels, de massues de guerre et d’outils de tatouage.

Adorned with a harbor and a spectacular bridge, the largest and most populous city in New Zealand is also one of the most beautiful. Auckland will be the next stop on your MSC World Cruise, for an extraordinary vacation in the « City of Sails », named as such for its beautiful bays and its passion for water sports and yachting.

Its superb location, on a narrow strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, is made even more attractive by the lush subtropical forests that surround the nearby hills and the volcanic landscapes of the surrounding islands. Another stop on your trip with MSC Cruises that can not be missed is the Sky Tower, the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere. At 328 meters in height, this tower offers breathtaking sights: out of its glass windows, the view stretches for 80 kilometers in every direction.

To find out all about the Maori culture and the origins of life in the ocean, you can visit the Auckland Museum, with a section dedicated to the Second World War. Here you can not only enjoy the collections on the local traditions, but also
watch live vocal performances and dances by the local people. The National Maritime Museum instead will reveal the secrets of sailing in New Zealand, and at Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World aquarium, you can see fish of all kinds, alternating with the recreation of fantastic arctic excursions.

The city has a lot to offer in terms of art galleries, festivals and events of all kinds, related to music, cooking, wine and adventure, such as bungee jumping, skydiving, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and diving or shellfish. Thanks to your MSC cruise ship, you will experience unique moments in one of the most amazing cities in the world.

Adorned with a harbor and a spectacular bridge, the largest and most populous city in New Zealand is also one of the most beautiful. Auckland will be the next stop on your MSC World Cruise, for an extraordinary vacation in the « City of Sails », named as such for its beautiful bays and its passion for water sports and yachting.

Its superb location, on a narrow strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, is made even more attractive by the lush subtropical forests that surround the nearby hills and the volcanic landscapes of the surrounding islands. Another stop on your trip with MSC Cruises that can not be missed is the Sky Tower, the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere. At 328 meters in height, this tower offers breathtaking sights: out of its glass windows, the view stretches for 80 kilometers in every direction.

To find out all about the Maori culture and the origins of life in the ocean, you can visit the Auckland Museum, with a section dedicated to the Second World War. Here you can not only enjoy the collections on the local traditions, but also
watch live vocal performances and dances by the local people. The National Maritime Museum instead will reveal the secrets of sailing in New Zealand, and at Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World aquarium, you can see fish of all kinds, alternating with the recreation of fantastic arctic excursions.

The city has a lot to offer in terms of art galleries, festivals and events of all kinds, related to music, cooking, wine and adventure, such as bungee jumping, skydiving, kayaking, swimming with dolphins and diving or shellfish. Thanks to your MSC cruise ship, you will experience unique moments in one of the most amazing cities in the world.

Wellington, la capitale de la Nouvelle-Zélande, se trouve près du point le plus au Sud de l’île du Nord, sur le détroit de Cook. Ville compacte, elle comprend une promenade en front de mer, des plages de sable, un port de travail et des maisons en bois colorées sur les collines environnantes. Depuis Lambton Quay, l’emblématique téléphérique rouge de Wellington se dirige vers les jardins botaniques de Wellington. Les vents forts qui traversent le détroit de Cook lui valent le surnom de « Wellington la venteuse ».

La Nouvelle-Écosse : l’un des paysages sauvages les plus spectaculaires de la côte atlantique canadienne avec ses vastes espaces verts est un véritable paradis pour les amoureux de la nature qui peuvent y admirer des orignaux, des aigles et aller observer les nombreuses espèces de cétacés qui vivent dans les mers environnantes, notamment les baleines et les dauphins.

Votre croisière MSC vous emmènera à la découverte de cette belle province canadienne, qui abrite également certaines des plus anciennes villes d’Amérique du Nord, comme Sydney.

Située sur un fjord de la baie d’Espagne, Sydney est le plus grand centre urbain de l’île du Cap-Breton, avec un passé lié à l’industrie minière. Les attractions touristiques de la ville sont principalement liées à son héritage culturel écossais : sa population, en effet, est un mélange varié de nationalités qui organise tout au long de l’année divers événements culturels canadiens d’origine écossaise ou d’Europe de l’Est.

Lors de votre croisière au MSC, vous pourrez voir par vous-même le plus grand violon du monde (appelé le Spirit of the Fiddle), l’une des principales attractions de Sydney, situé sur son littoral. Vous pouvez également visiter le cœur de l’île du Cap Breton qui contient des joyaux historiques tels que la Forteresse de Louisbourg, le musée des mineurs de Glace Bay et la ville de Baddeck, située sur les rives du lac Bras d’Or, qui abrite le musée Alexander Graham Bell.

La partie Nord du Cap-Breton est dédiée aux visiteurs plus aventureux via la tristement célèbre Cabot Trail : une route panoramique de près de 360 km, nommée en l’honneur de l’explorateur John Cabot, le premier Européen à avoir mis pied sur l’île. La route traverse le parc national des Highlands du Cap-Breton, un parc majestueux où les montagnes rencontrent la mer et où l’on trouve des forêts de feuillus, des plateaux et une côte accidentée mais magnifique.

La Nouvelle-Écosse : l’un des paysages sauvages les plus spectaculaires de la côte atlantique canadienne avec ses vastes espaces verts est un véritable paradis pour les amoureux de la nature qui peuvent y admirer des orignaux, des aigles et aller observer les nombreuses espèces de cétacés qui vivent dans les mers environnantes, notamment les baleines et les dauphins.

Votre croisière MSC vous emmènera à la découverte de cette belle province canadienne, qui abrite également certaines des plus anciennes villes d’Amérique du Nord, comme Sydney.

Située sur un fjord de la baie d’Espagne, Sydney est le plus grand centre urbain de l’île du Cap-Breton, avec un passé lié à l’industrie minière. Les attractions touristiques de la ville sont principalement liées à son héritage culturel écossais : sa population, en effet, est un mélange varié de nationalités qui organise tout au long de l’année divers événements culturels canadiens d’origine écossaise ou d’Europe de l’Est.

Lors de votre croisière au MSC, vous pourrez voir par vous-même le plus grand violon du monde (appelé le Spirit of the Fiddle), l’une des principales attractions de Sydney, situé sur son littoral. Vous pouvez également visiter le cœur de l’île du Cap Breton qui contient des joyaux historiques tels que la Forteresse de Louisbourg, le musée des mineurs de Glace Bay et la ville de Baddeck, située sur les rives du lac Bras d’Or, qui abrite le musée Alexander Graham Bell.

La partie Nord du Cap-Breton est dédiée aux visiteurs plus aventureux via la tristement célèbre Cabot Trail : une route panoramique de près de 360 km, nommée en l’honneur de l’explorateur John Cabot, le premier Européen à avoir mis pied sur l’île. La route traverse le parc national des Highlands du Cap-Breton, un parc majestueux où les montagnes rencontrent la mer et où l’on trouve des forêts de feuillus, des plateaux et une côte accidentée mais magnifique.

Cairns, considered the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is a city in tropical Far North Queensland. Its Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park tells the stories of indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with music and dance. Cairns Esplanade, lined with bars and restaurants, has a swimming lagoon. Northwest of the city, Daintree National Park spans mountainous rainforest, gorges and beaches.

Discover the capital of the Philippines, Pearl of the Orient Sea. Your MSC Cruise will take you to the world of Manila. Overlooking the South China Sea, the city is located on the island of Luzón, the largest of the archipelago. Twelve million people live in this colourful yet chaotic metropolis.
Its origins can be traced back to the sixteenth century, when May Nilad, a Muslim colony, arose on the banks of the Pasig River. Following the arrival of the Americans in 1898, the town grew to become one of the most important cities in Asia. Today Manila is an economic and cultural hub, and ‒ like many big cities ‒ has to deal with overcrowding, crime and poverty.

Here past and present coexist seamlessly. An excursion will take you to Fort Santiago, an ancient Spanish fortress in the citadel of Intramuros, built in 1571. In 1945, it was almost completely razed to the ground in the battle of Manila. Today it is an historical park and a place of prayer, in memory of the Filipino victims during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War.

Tagaytay City is about 37 miles from Manila and can be visited with an excursion. It’s not what you might imagine when you think of a Philippine town: forget the traffic of Manila and enjoy the wonderful greenery and peace of this town, dominated by the massive Taal Volcano – the second most active in the Philippines – with its green crater lake.

Immerse yourself in the history of Corregidor: you can take an excursion to the last bastion of the allied Filipino and U.S. forces during the Second World War. Corregidor was conquered by the Japanese in 1942 and then liberated by the Americans in 1944.

Discover the capital of the Philippines, Pearl of the Orient Sea. Your MSC Cruise will take you to the world of Manila. Overlooking the South China Sea, the city is located on the island of Luzón, the largest of the archipelago. Twelve million people live in this colourful yet chaotic metropolis.
Its origins can be traced back to the sixteenth century, when May Nilad, a Muslim colony, arose on the banks of the Pasig River. Following the arrival of the Americans in 1898, the town grew to become one of the most important cities in Asia. Today Manila is an economic and cultural hub, and ‒ like many big cities ‒ has to deal with overcrowding, crime and poverty.

Here past and present coexist seamlessly. An excursion will take you to Fort Santiago, an ancient Spanish fortress in the citadel of Intramuros, built in 1571. In 1945, it was almost completely razed to the ground in the battle of Manila. Today it is an historical park and a place of prayer, in memory of the Filipino victims during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War.

Tagaytay City is about 37 miles from Manila and can be visited with an excursion. It’s not what you might imagine when you think of a Philippine town: forget the traffic of Manila and enjoy the wonderful greenery and peace of this town, dominated by the massive Taal Volcano – the second most active in the Philippines – with its green crater lake.

Immerse yourself in the history of Corregidor: you can take an excursion to the last bastion of the allied Filipino and U.S. forces during the Second World War. Corregidor was conquered by the Japanese in 1942 and then liberated by the Americans in 1944.

With over 2,600,000 inhabitants, Taipei is the largest city on the island of Taiwan and its capital. It represents the fulcrum of the country: the headquarters of the government is located here and it is the cultural and commercial center of Taiwan. An MSC Cruise will take you inside this crossroads of Japanese and Chinese cultures, where the ancient and modern coexist with no distinction. One of the symbols of the city is the Taipei 101 Tower, named for the fact that there are 101 floors. First known as the Taipei World Financial Center, it is located in the Xinyi district. Reachable on an MSC excursion, this singular construction, built in 2004, is bamboo-shaped and its 509 meters in height made it the the tallest building in the world in 2004: today, it is in fifth place; first place is held by Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is also one of the destinations that can be reached with an excursion: a white building with a blue octagonal roof, whose colors also reflect the national flag, it is a symbol of freedom, equality and brotherhood. Consisting of 89 steps, one for each year of the leader’s life, it is surrounded by Chinese-style gardens and buildings housing examples of Taiwanese culture.
Considered one of the most important monuments of the 20th century, the Memorial Hall tells the story of the head of the Chinese nationalist government which was in charge from 1950 to 1975; the hall opened in 1980. More than 700 thousand pieces representing 8,000 years of Chinese history and art from the Neolithic to the present day are exhibited in the National Palace Museum which can be visited on an MSC excursion. The museum was once located inside the walls of the Forbidden City of Beijing. In 1949, it was moved to the Shilin district in Taipei, into the current building, after the government of the Republic of China was also transferred.

Ishigaki Island is the commercial hub of the Yaeyama Islands, in Japan’s southwestern Okinawa Prefecture. It’s known for beaches and sites for snorkeling, diving and surfing. Within Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park lies the Shiraho Reef’s rare blue coral. In the interior is Mt. Omoto and other peaks. On the northern Hirakubo Peninsula is the Fukido River, a mangrove forest habitat.

La sophistication, l’élégance et la culture séculaire du Japon. Lors d’une croisière MSC Grand Voyages, vous pourrez découvrir la beauté ancienne des îles d’Okinawa. Appartenant à l’archipel des Ryūkyū, leur capitale est Naha. De nombreuses attractions et monuments peuvent y être visités. Il s’agit notamment du village Ryukyumura et du site inscrit au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO : Shikinaen Garden, où l’on peut admirer les bâtiments en bois caractéristiques aux toits de tuiles rouges qui surplombent un lac artificiel et une végétation qui inspire la méditation et la paix. Le Peace Memorial Park a un fort impact émotionnel : vers la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, Okinawa a été le théâtre d’une bataille sanglante entre le Japon et les États-Unis, qui a fait environ 200 000 morts, dont plus de la moitié de civils. La rue commerçante et de restauration de Naha est la Kokusai : deux kilomètres de bars, de cafés, d’hôtels et de boutiques où vous pourrez vous attarder et vous amuser en sirotant de l’awamori , une liqueur typique de l’île servie avec de la glace. La capitale abrite également le musée de l’ancien quartier général souterrain de la marine japonaise et le musée préfectoral d’Okinawa, où vous pourrez découvrir l’histoire et la culture d’Okinawa. Pour comprendre comment vivaient les habitants, vous pouvez également visiter le Ryukyumura Village , un petit parc à thème qui recrée un village où les artisans façonnent des poteries, tissent des vêtements et des couvertures et où des musiciens jouent de la guitare sanshin. Située face à la mer de Chine orientale, la falaise du Cap Manzamou est une véritable sculpture naturelle façonnée par l’océan : une partie de celle-ci ressemble à la trompe d’un éléphant. Il est impossible de partir sans prendre une photo.

Votre croisière MSC vous emmènera à Tokyo, symbole de la modernité et des traditions japonaises. Située sur l’île de Honshū, cette métropole de près de 14 millions d’habitants est la capitale du Japon.
C’est une ville aux multiples facettes, avec des bâtiments et des gratte-ciel futuristes, des monuments historiques et religieux, des quartiers anciens et des parcs luxuriants. Sans oublier l’art, la musique, le design, le shopping et le théâtre. Cette ville a tout, à tel point qu’il est impossible de tout voir. Le MSC propose quelques excursions pour vous donner la possibilité de concentrer votre visite sur les endroits que vous devriez vraiment voir. Comme le quartier historique d’Asakusa, nommé d’après un garde de la ville de Tokyo, célèbre pour le temple bouddhiste Sensō-ji dédié au bodhisattva Kannon.

Vous pouvez également faire une excursion pour vous émerveiller du Tokyo moderne, en partant du célèbre quartier de Shibuya et du croisement de Shibuya, le carrefour le plus fréquenté au monde, où convergent six routes principales. Ensuite, vous pourrez vous perdre dans les nombreux bâtiments ultramodernes de la ville, comme le musée Sumida Hokusai, l’architecture expérimentale de Ginza ou le bâtiment Ao, haut de près de 91,4 mètres. En vous promenant le long de la rivière Sumida, qui traverse la ville, vous pourrez profiter d’une vue panoramique sur les merveilles de Tokyo.

Une excursion vous permettra de visiter les plus importants des nombreux musées de cette métropole, comme le Musée national de Tokyo, qui abrite des pièces artistiques et archéologiques, le MairaKan, une exposition permanente sur les sciences émergentes et l’innovation, ou le Musée de plein air Edo Tokyo, qui préserve le patrimoine architectural de la ville. Le Centre national d’art de Roppongi – qui fait partie du Triangle d’art de Roppongi avec le Musée d’art Mori et le Musée d’art Suntory – reste incontournable. Le quartier de Roppongi lui-même mérite également une visite : avec sa tour de Tokyo, c’est une ville dans la ville, pleine de restaurants, de clubs, de bars et de boutiques pour faire du shopping.

Votre croisière MSC vous emmènera à Tokyo, symbole de la modernité et des traditions japonaises. Située sur l’île de Honshū, cette métropole de près de 14 millions d’habitants est la capitale du Japon.
C’est une ville aux multiples facettes, avec des bâtiments et des gratte-ciel futuristes, des monuments historiques et religieux, des quartiers anciens et des parcs luxuriants. Sans oublier l’art, la musique, le design, le shopping et le théâtre. Cette ville a tout, à tel point qu’il est impossible de tout voir. Le MSC propose quelques excursions pour vous donner la possibilité de concentrer votre visite sur les endroits que vous devriez vraiment voir. Comme le quartier historique d’Asakusa, nommé d’après un garde de la ville de Tokyo, célèbre pour le temple bouddhiste Sensō-ji dédié au bodhisattva Kannon.

Vous pouvez également faire une excursion pour vous émerveiller du Tokyo moderne, en partant du célèbre quartier de Shibuya et du croisement de Shibuya, le carrefour le plus fréquenté au monde, où convergent six routes principales. Ensuite, vous pourrez vous perdre dans les nombreux bâtiments ultramodernes de la ville, comme le musée Sumida Hokusai, l’architecture expérimentale de Ginza ou le bâtiment Ao, haut de près de 91,4 mètres. En vous promenant le long de la rivière Sumida, qui traverse la ville, vous pourrez profiter d’une vue panoramique sur les merveilles de Tokyo.

Une excursion vous permettra de visiter les plus importants des nombreux musées de cette métropole, comme le Musée national de Tokyo, qui abrite des pièces artistiques et archéologiques, le MairaKan, une exposition permanente sur les sciences émergentes et l’innovation, ou le Musée de plein air Edo Tokyo, qui préserve le patrimoine architectural de la ville. Le Centre national d’art de Roppongi – qui fait partie du Triangle d’art de Roppongi avec le Musée d’art Mori et le Musée d’art Suntory – reste incontournable. Le quartier de Roppongi lui-même mérite également une visite : avec sa tour de Tokyo, c’est une ville dans la ville, pleine de restaurants, de clubs, de bars et de boutiques pour faire du shopping.

In Japan’s third-largest island – Kyushu – an MSC cruise will help you discover the city of Nagasaki.

Gathered in the tucks and crevices of steep hills rising from a long, narrow harbour, and spreading its tentacles along several tributary valleys, Nagasaki is one of Japan’s more picturesque cities, and one of the most popular with international visitors.
This appeal is furthered by an easy-going attitude and an unusually cosmopolitan culture, resulting from over two centuries of contact with foreigners when the rest of Japan was all but closed to the world.
On an excursion you can visit GloverGarden, as well as offering some of Nagasaki’s best views, it features seven late nineteenth-century, European-style buildings, each typically colonial with wide verandas, louvred shutters and high-ceilinged, spacious rooms. The houses also contain odds and ends of furniture and evocative photos of the pioneering inhabitants they once housed.
The best approach is to take the“SkyRoad”up to the garden’s upper entrance and work down. Glover’s house, the oldest Western-style building in Japan, is worth a look around, as are those formerly belonging to Frederick Ringer, founder of the Nagasaki Press, and tea merchant William Alt. The exit from Glover Garden takes you through the Museum of Traditional Performing Arts, which displays the beautifully fashioned floats and other paraphernalia used during the Kunchi festivities.
Nagasaki is not short of good viewpoints, but none can compare with the spectacular panorama from Inasa-yama, a 333m-high hill to the west of the city. A ropeway, or cable-car, whisks you up there in just five minutes. From the top, you get stunning views of the contorted local coastline, as well as the confetti of nearby islands and islets.

Après Séoul, Pusan est la ville la plus peuplée de Corée du Sud. Lors d’une croisière MSC, vous découvrirez les attractions les plus intéressantes de cette ville de trois millions et demi d’habitants qui surplombe le détroit de Corée ; un point de référence économique, culturel et éducatif pour tout le pays.

La ville offre de nombreuses possibilités de loisirs. Une expérience gastronomique authentique est indispensable, vous pourrez déguster le kimchi, un plat de chou fermenté et épicé. Les amateurs de shopping ne peuvent pas manquer le Shinsegae Centum City Department Store, le plus grand complexe commercial du monde et le marché Gukje, l’un des plus grands de Corée : chaque rue est encombrée d’étals avec de l’artisanat local à gogo.

Lors d’une excursion, vous pourrez visiter Gamcheon, un village tranquille et paisible aux ruelles étroites et aux maisons colorées, lieu de résidence de nombreux artistes coréens.

L’aquarium de Pusan compte plus de 35 000 spécimens de poissons, reptiles, amphibiens et algues, que vous pouvez visiter lors d’une excursion. Situé sur la plage de Haeundae, le complexe est un centre de vie marine ultramoderne où vous pouvez interagir avec de jolis phoques ou vous promener à travers un tunnel souterrain où nagent des requins redoutables.

Une plongée émotionnelle dans la spiritualité bouddhiste peut être vécue au temple de Beomeosa, reconnu comme l’un des trésors nationaux de la République de Corée. Construit au 14ème siècle, le lieu de culte est immergé dans la forêt du Mt Geumjeongsan, au nord de Pusan.

When your MSC cruise brings you to Shanghai it is easy to understand that after years of stagnation, this great metropolis is undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has ever seen.

As Shanghai begins to recapture its position as East Asia’s leading business city, a status it last held before World War II, the skyline is filling with high-rises – there are well over a thousand now.
Gleaming shopping malls, luxurious hotels and prestigious arts centres are rising alongside, while underneath everything snakes the world’s longest subway system. Shanghai’s 23 million residents enjoy the highest incomes on the mainland, and there’s plenty for them to splash out on; witness the rash of celebrity restaurants and designer flagship stores. MSC Grand Voyages cruises also offer excursions to the Bund – Shanghai’s original signature skyline –, a strip of grand Neoclassical colonial edifices on the west bank of the Huangpu River Pudong on the opposite shore – a backdrop domestic visitors queue up against to have their picture taken.
Named after an old Anglo-Indian term, “bunding” (the embanking of a muddy foreshore), the Bund’s official name is Zhongshan Lu but it’s better known among locals as Wai Tan (literally “Outside Beach”).
By whatever name, this was old Shanghai’s commercial heart, with the river on one side and the offices of the leading bank and trading houses on the other. Jinmao Tower is a beautiful building, an elegant tapering postmodern take on Art Deco, has an observation deck on the 88th floor. An ear-popping lift whisks you up 340m to the top in a matter of seconds. The spectacle of the city spread out before you is of course sublime, but turn round for a giddying view down the building’s glorious galleried atrium. Shanghai Museum is one of the city’s highlights, with a fantastic, well-presented collection.

A spectacular cityscape
As you will discover during your MSC Grand Voyages cruise, Hong Kong Island is the heart of the whole territory, its administrative and business centre and site of some of the most expensive real estate in the world.

Development is concentrated along the island’s north shore, a 6km-long strip of financial, commercial and entertainment districts overlooking Victoria Harbour.
At its core, Central sprouts an astounding array of high-tech towers, edged to the west by Sheung Wan’s smaller-scale and traditional Chinese businesses. Behind this the land climbs steeply to The Peak, wherever you get them from, vistas are stupendous, down over the island’s intensely crowded north shore, across the busy harbour to a lower-rise, unspectacular Kowloon and the green peaks of the New Territories. Man Mo Temple is one of the oldest in Hong Kong, waiting to be value on an MSC Grand Voyages cruise excursion.
It dates to the 1840s and was originally founded as a charitable institution; the central atrium beyond is hung with great spiral incense coils suspended from the ceiling, filling the interior with eye-watering, aromatic smoke. Back along the harbour and moving east through Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, the emphasis shifts from finance to wining, dining and shopping. The south side of Hong Kong Island straggles into the sea in a series of dangling peninsulas and islets. The attractions here are separate towns such as Aberdeen and Stanley, with a flavour of their own, and also beaches, the best of which fronts the little outpost of Shek O. East of the Aberdeen expressway, Causeway Bay forms a knot of lively, seething streets packed with restaurants, accommodation and shopping plazas, its eastern part is dominated by Victoria Park, an extensive, open space containing shady paths, swimming pools and other sport facilities.

Bienvenue en Chine. Votre croisière MSC vous emmènera à Shenzhen, dans la province de Guangdong, non loin de Hong Kong. Quinze millions de personnes vivent et travaillent dans cette ville ouverte 24 heures sur 24, avec ses étés chauds et humides et ses hivers doux. Shenzen compte de nombreux sites et attractions touristiques à découvrir, à commencer par une excursion au parc culturel créatif OCT Loft. Vous pourrez y découvrir les nombreuses boutiques qui proposent les dernières tendances en matière de mode, de design et bien sûr d’art. Savourez un café froid au Gee Coffee Roasters, qui se trouve à l’intérieur du parc des OCT, ou faites un tour au OCAT, un ancien entrepôt de deux étages qui abrite des expositions temporaires. Une excursion vous permettra d’admirer l’art au village de peinture à l’huile de Dafen. Situé dans le quartier de la ville, cet ensemble de maisons est connu depuis plus de vingt ans pour le travail de milliers d’artistes spécialisés dans la reproduction de copies d’œuvres d’art occidentales, également sur commande. Par exemple, si vous voulez une Mona Lisa de taille portefeuille, vous pouvez acheter votre mini-reproduction d’un Da Vinci à un prix raisonnable, puis vous asseoir et l’admirer en sirotant un thé dans l’un des nombreux cafés du village. Il y a également une excursion au parc à thème Vitrine du monde (Windows of the World), dans la partie ouest de la ville, où vous pourrez voir des reproductions miniatures de cent trente des plus célèbres monuments du monde, dont la Tour Eiffel, les Pyramides, l’Opéra de Sydney, le Mont Rushmore, le Taj Mahal et le Château de Versailles. Un tour du monde en quelques hectares seulement. Il y a également des pistes de ski intérieures et un téléphérique.

Overlooking the mouth of the river Hán, Da Nang is a popular Vietnamese destination on an MSC Cruise. This metropolis, called Tourane under French colonial rule, is in central Vietnam and has 1.350,000 inhabitants. It is one of the country’s economic, cultural and artistic hubs.

You can take an excursion to Da Nang, where you can visit the Museum of Cham Sculpture. Dating back to about 1,000 years ago, these sculptures by the Cham, an ancient Vietnamese civilisation, are made of terracotta, bronze and sandstone. It is an extensive collection that includes over four hundred works dedicated to the most important Hindu deities, from Brahma to Shiva.

Huế was the ancient capital of Vietnam and you can take an excursion to the remains of the Imperial City, located on the banks of the Perfume River and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The entrance, reminiscent of the famous Imperial City of Beijing, leads visitors into the Forbidden Purple City, where the emperor lived with his concubines. The complex was heavily damaged by American air raids during the Vietnam war.

In 1999, the old town of Hoi An was also declared a World Heritage Site. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, the town ‒ called “Faifo” by European merchants ‒ was a nerve centre for Vietnamese Commerce, thanks to its strategic position on the estuary of the Thu Bon River. You can take an excursion to visit the old town: the colourful houses, red lanterns, narrow traffic-free streets and lush flowers make it an unforgettable experience.

Nha Trang est une station balnéaire du sud du Vietnam, connue pour ses plages, ses sites de plongée et ses îles au large. Sa plage principale est un long tronçon incurvé le long de la rue Tran Phu, bordé d’une promenade, d’hôtels et de restaurants de fruits de mer. Des téléphériques permettent de se rendre sur l’île de Hòn Tre, et les réserves naturelles des îles de Hòn Mun et Hòn Tằm, accessibles par bateau, possèdent des récifs coralliens.

Cet état de la ville prospère, ultra moderne détient encore beaucoup de surprises. Explorez les enclaves culturelles comme ChinaTown, Little India et la rue arabe. Visitez des attractions comme le Jurong Bird Park et l’île de Sentosa. Ou tout simplement dirigez-vous vers Orchard Road pour le shopping de classe mondiale. Enfin, offrez-vous du thé et de la nostalgie à l’hôtel Raffles.

Port Klang is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Known during colonial times as Port Swettenham but renamed Port Klang in July 1972, it is the largest port in the country. It is located about 6 kilometres southwest of the town of Klang, and 38 kilometres southwest of Kuala Lumpur.

In the far northwest of Peninsular Malaysia, Penang is the most ambiguously named part of the Malaysia: depending on context, the moniker may refer to the island (Pulau Pinang in Malay, pinang being what Malays call the betel-nut palm), or the state (the island plus a blob of mainland opposite, around the town of Butterworth), or even just the state capital – properly Georgetown, waiting to be appreciated on anMSC Grand Voyages cruise excursion.

This was where the British established their first Malay port in the late eighteenth century, laying the foundations for the Georgetown of today, a fascinating blend of colonial, Indian, Malay and – especially – Chinese and Peranakan heritage. A shore excursion on your MSC Grand Voyages cruise can be the opportunity to visit this city that has seen a renaissance since its central old quarter, along with that of Melaka, were jointly made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, and makes a wonderful base to see all of Penang. Elsewhere on the 285-square-kilometre island are a coastal national park where you might see nesting turtles, a couple of unusual temples and a rather overdeveloped beach at Batu Ferringhi.
Filling a triangular cape at the island’s northeastern corner is Georgetown’s centre, its historical core of which is essentially the area south and east of Lebuh Farquhar, Lebuh Cinta (Love Lane) and Lebuh Melayu. It’s a surprisingly harmonious maze of lanes lined with shophouses in various states of repair and liberally sprinkled with religious buildings, impressive clan associations or kongsi – a blend of Chinese welfare organization, social club and temple and other monuments. Dating to 1884, Georgetown’s Botanical Gardens boast extensive lawns, a stream and little jungly waterfall, and several (rather paltry) plant houses. Weekend mornings it’s packed with groups of exercising Chinese, who storm around the circuit trail in about thirty minutes.

Das historische Zentrum der Stadt ist dasFort. Dort finden Sie das alte Parlament sowie die Zwillingstürme des World Trade Center Colombo.

A shore excursion on your MSC Emirates and Oman cruise can be the opportunity to discover Bur Dubai, at the heart of the metropolis of Dubai, on the south side of the breezy Creek. It’s the oldest part of Dubai and it offers a fascinating insight into the city’s traditional roots.

This is where you’ll find many of the place’s most interesting Arabian heritage houses, clustered in the beautiful old Iranian quarter of Bastakiya and the waterfront Shindagha district, as well as the excellent Dubai Museum and the atmospheric Textile Souk.
MSC Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Qatar also offer excursions to the bustling district of Deira: the centre of Dubai’s traditional commercial activity, much of it still conducted in the area’s vibrant array of old-fashioned souks, including the famous gold and spice markets. A few kilometres south of the old city centre, modern Dubai begins in spectacular style with Sheikh Zayed Road, home to a neck-cricking array of skyscrapers including the glittering Emirates Towers.
Even these, however, are outshone by the massive Downtown Dubai development at the southern end of the strip, centred on the stupendous new Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, flanked by further record-breaking attractions including the gargantuan Dubai Mall and spectacular Dubai Fountain.
West of the Sheikh Zayed Road, the sprawling beachside suburb of Jumeirah is the traditional address-of-choice for Dubai’s European expats, its endless swathes of walled villas dotted with half a dozen shopping malls and a smattering of low-key sights. At the southern end of Jumeirah, there are more iconic sights in the sleepy suburb of Umm Suqeim, including the wave-shaped Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the extraordinary mock-Arabian Madinat Jumeirah complex and the unforgettable Burj al Arab hotel.

A shore excursion on your MSC Emirates and Oman cruise can be the opportunity to discover Bur Dubai, at the heart of the metropolis of Dubai, on the south side of the breezy Creek. It’s the oldest part of Dubai and it offers a fascinating insight into the city’s traditional roots.

This is where you’ll find many of the place’s most interesting Arabian heritage houses, clustered in the beautiful old Iranian quarter of Bastakiya and the waterfront Shindagha district, as well as the excellent Dubai Museum and the atmospheric Textile Souk.
MSC Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Qatar also offer excursions to the bustling district of Deira: the centre of Dubai’s traditional commercial activity, much of it still conducted in the area’s vibrant array of old-fashioned souks, including the famous gold and spice markets. A few kilometres south of the old city centre, modern Dubai begins in spectacular style with Sheikh Zayed Road, home to a neck-cricking array of skyscrapers including the glittering Emirates Towers.
Even these, however, are outshone by the massive Downtown Dubai development at the southern end of the strip, centred on the stupendous new Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, flanked by further record-breaking attractions including the gargantuan Dubai Mall and spectacular Dubai Fountain.
West of the Sheikh Zayed Road, the sprawling beachside suburb of Jumeirah is the traditional address-of-choice for Dubai’s European expats, its endless swathes of walled villas dotted with half a dozen shopping malls and a smattering of low-key sights. At the southern end of Jumeirah, there are more iconic sights in the sleepy suburb of Umm Suqeim, including the wave-shaped Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the extraordinary mock-Arabian Madinat Jumeirah complex and the unforgettable Burj al Arab hotel.

Khasab, is also known as the Top of the Emirates, a play of words to define its position – it’s the most “northern” city in the Emirates – and the appeal of this Oman port located in the northernmost exclave of the Sultanate. Sailing on an MSC cruise to Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Qatar you will notice that Khasab guards the Ormuz strait that separates the Arabian Sea from the Indian Ocean.

Here the cruise proceeds into the Musandam, the longest and most famous fjord of these coasts, with its long inlets dug out of the limestone, that open towards the hinterland through cliffs rising vertically from the clear blue waters, populated by dolphins and a vast varied marine life, which is why it is known as the “Norway of Arabia”.
One of the most fascinating ways to explore these lands is aboard a dhow, typical boats used in the Arab peninsula, nowadays also propelled by a motor, if not rigged with one or more Latin sails. During your visit to Oman, you can choose an excursion to Telegraph Island, the historic island in which, in the middle of the 19th century, the British built an intermediate station of the telegraph that connected Bombay to Bharain.
Khasab is a town founded by the Portuguese at the beginning of the 17th century in the best possible natural port of the area and offers many interesting excursions. One of the most appealing is the Khasab Fortress.
Now farther from the sea, it has maintained its original charm and… some typical boats of the region which, just as in the military buildings, are decorated in the traditional style of the Musandam peninsula.
Or you can visit the town of Bukha with its two beautiful forts built in the Portuguese period: Fort Bukha, perfectly preserved with its uninterrupted crown of rounded merlons and Fort Al Qala, with its fairfaced stone walls.

Stepping ashore in Oman’s capital Muscat, when your MSC cruise takes you to Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Qatar, means stepping into one of the oldest cities of the Middle East. This is where incense was shipped to Greece and Rome as far back as the 2nd century.

Today it is still possible to find traces of its glorious past in the old centre where, until the latter part of the past century, the gates that separated the various quarters would be closed three hours after dawn. Muttrah, the historic centre of trade and activity of the capital that you will see during the cruise, is one of the most intriguing and well preserved parts of the town centre.

Its commercial vocation is due to its proximity to the large port, where your MSC ship, which is named after its sovereign Qabus, will be waiting for you. Dedicate part of your vacation to Muscat to visit the sites, like the fish market, the Portuguese fort and, above all Muttrah’s Souq, one of cruisers’ favourite destinations.

You can continue along the sea road to the old town of Muscat where, about 200 years ago, the predecessor of the
current head of state, built the Al Alam (the Flag), the palace which was restored in the Seventies and has become the Sultan’s official residence. It is a beautiful example of contemporary Arab architecture situated at the centre of the part of Muscat which is still surrounded by its 17th century walls.

Nearby, in the quarter of Bawshar, you find the Great Mosque of Sultan Qabus. About 6500 devotees gather to pray in the main prayer hall which has a single, huge carpet of about 4200 sq.m., made of one billion and 700 million knots and weighs 21 tons. All the halls, which may be visited also by non-Muslims, are decorated with motifs that celebrate Arab culture.

Lorsque vous arriverez à Aqaba durant votre croisière MSC, vous pourrez jouir de son idyllique position ensoleillée sur les rives de la mer Rouge, à l’extrémité méridionale du pays.
Au cours des dernières décennies, de lieu isolé et négligé Aqaba s’est transformée en une agréable, même si encore peu exploitée, destination touristique. Des hôtels de tout type sont en train d’apparaître en ville tout comme les hôtels de luxe en bord de mer qui se développent le long de toute la côte ; de nombreux investissements sont réalisés pour améliorer les services publics et les infrastructures de la ville. Les meilleures activités de plongée sous-marine et de plongée libredumonde se concentrent sur les barrières de corail intactes qui entourent la côte au sud de la ville, un contraste fascinant avec les attractions voisines des déserts de Pétra et de Wadi Rum.
Le centre-ville forme un épais réseau de rues et de ruelles qui se regroupent derrière la rue de la plage (appelée la « Corniche »). Une excursion à terre durant votre croisière peut être l’occasion de découvrir Pétra. Cachée dans une ancienne vallée dans le cœur des montagnes de Shara au sud de la Jordanie et située derrière une impénétrable barrière de roche à l’abri du monde extérieur, Pétra reste enveloppée dans le mystère.
Jusqu’au jour où un aventurier est tombé dessus par erreur en 1812, sa splendeur et son emplacement spectaculaire l’ont fait entrer dans la légende comme les Pyramides ou le Taj Mahal. Aujourd’hui, c’est presque comme si le temps avait littéralement étendue un voile sur l’importance de la ville qui s’est suffisamment enrichie avec le commerce caravanier pour défier la puissance de Rome : deux millénaires de vent et de pluies ont brouillé les bords effilés de ses façades classiques décorées et poli son sable doux, en dévoilant les vivantes bandes de couleur en-dessous et en rendant tout le décor évanescent.

Suez est une ville portuaire du Nord-Est de l’Égypte, située sur la côte Nord du golfe de Suez, près du terminus Sud du canal de Suez, et dont les limites correspondent à celles du gouvernorat de Suez. Elle possède trois ports, Adabiya, Ain Sokhna et Port Tawfiq, et de vastes installations portuaires.

Suez est une ville portuaire du Nord-Est de l’Égypte, située sur la côte Nord du golfe de Suez, près du terminus Sud du canal de Suez, et dont les limites correspondent à celles du gouvernorat de Suez. Elle possède trois ports, Adabiya, Ain Sokhna et Port Tawfiq, et de vastes installations portuaires.

Marquée par les coutumes et les légendes anciennes, la ville d’Héraklion sur l’île grecque de Crète est profondément enracinée dans l’histoire

Habitée depuis plus de 10 000 ans, la Crète occupe une place spéciale dans la mythologie grecque et a joué un rôle important dans l’évolution de la civilisation hellénique.

Un point culminant de votre visite à Héraklion sera le tour des ruines du Palais minoen de Knossos, censé abriter le labyrinthe original du Minotaure et datant d’il y a 3 700 ans. Mais des plaisirs plus contemporains attendent également les passagers de la croisière.

Civitavecchia est un port à environ une heure de la capitale de l’Italie: Rome. Rome signifie l’histoire. Il y a des couches d’étoffe – tombeaux étrusques, salles de réunion républicaines, temples impériaux, églises chrétiennes, clochers médiévaux, palais de la Renaissance et basiliques baroques. Dans cette ville, une concentration phénoménale d’histoire, de légende et de monuments coexiste avec une concentration aussi phénoménale de gens qui s’activent quotidiennement. Faites le plein de culture, mais assurez-vous de laisser le temps à des préoccupations plus hédonistes: manger jusqu’à ce que vous n’en pouvez plus et s’enivrer de l’architecture et de l’ensoleillement.

Débarquement.