MSC Cruises reveals Winter 2022/2023 programme as MSC Preziosa to sail from Southampton

MSC Cruises revealed that its Winter 2022/2023 programme will see 21 modern, elegant ships sailing to more than 190 of the world’s most lusted-after destinations in 85 different countries.

Hotspots include the Middle East, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South America and South Africa, with voyages ranging from mini-cruises to the 118-night world cruise.

The winter season also welcomes new cruise ship MSC World Europa. It's the company’s first LNG powered vessel (equalling great environmental qualifications) and is a brand-new class of ships.

MSC World Europa will be based in Doha for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and will go on to offer cruises calling Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas (United Arab Emirates) Doha (Qatar) and Dammam (Saudi Arabia).

She will sail a mini-cruise on December 20 before resuming a regular schedule of seven-night cruises.

The ship is not the only one to be launching in the winter. MSC Seascape will join the fleet, becoming MSC's second innovative Seaside EVO class ship.

- READ MORE: Full list of new ocean cruise ships 2022 -

She will offer two different seven-night itineraries from Miami starting from December 11.

Closer to home, we have MSC Preziosa sailing from the UK from October 2022.

The cruise ship will arrive in Southampton on October 3 performing Northern European cruises visiting destinations including Amsterdam, Bruges and Le Havre for Paris and will sail from the port until April 2023.

This news follows hot on the heels of the announcement this week that MSC Virtuosa will extend her ex-UK season so MSC will now have two ships sailing from Southampton throughout October 2022.

MSC Virtuosa will arrive in the port from April 29, beginning the summer season with a mini-cruise to Guernsey, with the last sailing to the Mediterranean departing November 4.

- READ MORE: Complete guide to Guernsey cruises -

Also this week, MSC Cruises announced it was extending its successful season in the Arabian Gulf through to the end of June 2022.

MSC Bellissima will offer additional seven-night cruises calling at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas in the United Arab Emirates and Doha in Qatar, taking over from MSC Virtuosa from April 2 and sailing the region until June 25.

In July, MSC Bellissima will move to the Far East to perform her itineraries in Japan and China.

MSC Cruises Winter 2022/2023 highlights

Middle East

MSC World Europa will offer seven-night sailings from Dubai including Abu Dhabi and the beautiful island Sir Bani Yas (United Arab Emirates), Dammam/Al Ahsa Oasis (Saudi Arabia), Doha (Qatar).

- READ MORE: Win a 7-night no-fly MSC Cruises European holiday for two -

Caribbean and Antilles

MSC Seascape will commence her inaugural season from December 11, 2022, out of Port Miami (U.S) on Sundays.

She will offer seven-night itineraries calling at the eastern Caribbean calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and Nassau in The Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and the Western Caribbean also calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Cozumel in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands and Ocho Rios in Jamaica

Mediterranean

MSC Grandiosa will offer seven-night cruises from Genoa, Civitavecchia and Palermo (Italy), Valetta (Malta), Barcelona (Spain) and Marseille (France).

Northern Europe

MSC Preziosa will offer the new seven-night winter itinerary introduced this season visiting five of Europe’s most popular cities - Hamburg (Germany), Zeebrugge for Bruges and Brussels (Belgium), Rotterdam (the Netherlands), Le Havre for Paris (France) Southampton for London (UK). Sales for MSC Preziosa will open in the coming days.

South America

MSC Seaview will homeport for the first time in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) from December to March. She will offer three to eight-night cruises with different itineraries ranging from breathtaking views and islands, such as Buzios, Ilhabela, Ilha Grande/Angra dos Reis, Ilheus, Salvador (all in Brazil) to Uruguay and Argentina.

- READ MORE: Ultimate guide to cruise ship MSC Virtuosa -

South Africa

MSC Sinfonia will operate in South Africa starting December 2022, will homeport in Cape Town (South Africa) sailing the west coast to Mossel Bay (South Africa), Walvis Bay and Luderitz (Namibia).

MSC World Cruise for winter 2022-2023

MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia will both perform the MSC World Cruise 2023. The two ships in an industry first will host over 5,000 guests for a round journey around the world and they will both depart from Civitavecchia and Genoa (Italy), respectively on January 4 and 5, Marseille (France) one day later and Barcelona (Spain) on January 7.