MSC Cruises has launched its 2026 itineraries, urging agents to promote early bookings.
- Booking early offers the best chance to secure high-demand cabins and benefit from competitive pricing.
- Newly launched itineraries include diverse destinations such as the Canary Islands, Iceland, and the Mediterranean.
- MSC Cruises will be the first to offer three summer seasons simultaneously, pioneering advanced sales.
- Travel agents are deemed crucial in promoting these new offerings to UK and Irish customers.
MSC Cruises has officially announced the launch of its eagerly anticipated 2026 itineraries. The cruise line is actively encouraging its agent partners in the UK and Ireland to focus on promoting extended booking periods. Booking early is highlighted as a key strategy to secure accommodation in high-demand cabin categories and to benefit from competitively priced offers, according to Antonio Paradiso, the vice president of international sales for MSC Group’s Cruise Division.
Paradiso articulated two main reasons for booking in advance: the high demand for certain cabin categories upon the release of new cruises, and the dynamic pricing influenced by supply and demand economics. He stressed that customers securing their reservations early are more likely to access the most desirable accommodations and favourable pricing.
The 2026 season comes with a variety of exciting itineraries. Travellers can select from summer cruises ranging between two and fourteen nights visiting illustrious destinations like the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean. Additional routes include seven- and fourteen-night journeys to Iceland and Norway, featuring an overnight stay in Reykjavík and new ports such as Akureyri and Isafjordur. For those preferring a shorter get-away, there’s a nine-night Mediterranean exploration calling at Lisbon, Gibraltar, Malaga, and Cadiz, as well as mini cruises from Southampton to Cherbourg, Bruges, or Cobh.
Antonio Paradiso also noted that MSC Cruises is trailblazing by becoming the first contemporary cruise line to open bookings for three summer seasons concurrently. This move is part of MSC’s aim to set a new record by 2024, underlining the pivotal role travel agents will play in marketing the 2026 itineraries to UK and Irish clients.
The launch of MSC Cruises’ 2026 season presents an unprecedented opportunity for early booking, promising both high-demand availability and attractive pricing.
