MSC Euribia leaves Kiel: Start of the positioning voyage to Dubai

Bild: wikipedia.de
Early Saturday morning at 07:10, the MSC Euribia docked with its starboard side at the cruise terminal of the Ostuferhafen in Kiel. This marks the cruise ship's last call in the Schleswig-Holstein state capital this year. Unlike usual, there will be no change of guests for another voyage, but regular operations with passengers will be completely suspended for almost a month.

MSC Cruises had already decided in April 2024 to cancel the planned Grand Voyage from Kiel to Dubai. The reason for this is the ongoing uncertainties around the Red Sea, which make the passage too risky. Many shipping companies have therefore decided to avoid both the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. While some cruise lines have instead set up routes around southern Africa, MSC Cruises decided to send the MSC Euribia on a positioning voyage without passengers, with crew members only.

After all guests have disembarked in Kiel today, MSC Euribia will for the first time sail to an area other than Northern and Western Europe.

On the way from Kiel to Dubai via southern Africa, the ship will make several operational stops to take on supplies and fuel, among other things. The first of these stops is planned for October 25, 2024 in Las Palmas on Gran Canaria.

The MSC Euribia is scheduled to arrive in Dubai by November 16, 2024 at the latest, as cruise operations will resume for the 2024/2025 winter season from this date. For the first time, the ship will then be deployed on week-long cruises in the Orient, with departures from Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.

In September 2024, MSC Cruises also canceled MSC Euribia's Grand Voyage planned for 5 April 2025. This means that the ship will also return to Northern Europe in spring 2025 without passengers from the Orient winter cruise area. MSC Euribia will cease operations in Dubai on April 5, 2025 and will then be transferred to Kiel via southern Africa in 28 days. She will arrive there in time for the 2025 summer season and will resume her one-week Norway cruises from/to Kiel on May 3, 2025.