Free Upgrades on MSC Cruises’ Grand Mediterranean Program

Sydney, Australia, March 17, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The Grand Mediterranean combines two of the family owned cruise liners most popular cruises, the Eastern and Western Mediterranean with a free land transfer between Venice and Genoa connecting passengers from their Eastern vessel to their Western one.

The liner is delighted to be offering free upgrades for bookings made now until the end of March 2012 on MSC Splendida and the yet-to-be-launched MSC Divina for travel in October, 2012 as an introductory offer to the new vessel.

“Pay for an inside category one cabin and you will be upgraded to a category six to ten ocean view cabin on some of the cruises,” informed Lynne Clarke, managing director of MSC Cruises Australia and New Zealand.

“That means you can have an ocean view cabin from $1,598 per person, twin share for a combo cruise on MSC Splendida and MSC Divinia in October,” she said.

“That’s 14 nights for $115 a night with the free transfer between ships (Venice and Genoa) thrown in – fantastic value.”

MSC Divina will cruise from Venice to Bari, Katakolon (Olympia), Izmir, Istanbul and Dubrovnik before the passenger transfer to Genoa for a cruise aboard MSC Splendida to Barcelona, Tunis, Valletta, Messina and Civitavecchia (Rome) and back to Genoa.

The number of inquiries and bookings for MSC Cruises programs continue to grow at a “healthy” rate as the cruise line prepares to launch the luxurious MSC Divina in May this year.

Mediterranean cruises remain the cruise line’s strength with many Australians opting for a Grand Mediterranean experience.

“This will be an especially important year for MSC Cruises as we will soon have a 12th member to the fleet, the MSC Divina, which will be christened by screen legend Sophia Loren at a gala ceremony in Marseille in late May,” said Mrs Clarke.

"The ship’s maiden voyage will be a six nigh voyage from Marseille to Venice before it begins a series of seven-night East Mediterranean cruises, prices from $939 per person twin share," she said.

Details: MSC Cruises, phone 1300 028 502, www.msccruises.com.au

MSC Cruises is the world’s leading cruise company in the Mediterranean, South African and Brazilian markets and operates across the globe. Its modern fleet comprises eleven ships:MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia, MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera, MSC Lirica, MSC Melody and MSC Magnifica, launched in March 2010. The fleet will increase in size with the addition of the MSC Divina which will be christened on May 26th in Marseille in 2012, France. The fleet cruises year-round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, North America and Canada, South America, the Indian Ocean, South and West Africa, Abu Dhabi and the Emirates. MSC Cruises is the only company in the world to receive the "6 Golden Pearls" award from the Bureau Veritas in recognition of its high level of quality management and environmental responsibility. MSC has also achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certification for the quality and food safety of all aspects of its catering, both on shore and on board. MSC Cruises cares about the welfare of children, and as a responsible market leader believes in making a positive impact in the regions where it operates. To this end, the company recently forged a partnership with UNICEF to fund a community project aimed at providing disadvantaged children in Brazil with a quality education.