First Mediterranean cruise launches after five-month pause with stop scheduled in Malta
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The first major cruise ship to set sail in the Mediterranean in almost five months has left from the Italian city of Genoa.
The MSC Grandiosa will stop at three Italian ports and the Maltese capital Valletta in a seven-day voyage.
Operator MSC Cruises, say all passengers and crew have been tested for coronavirus before boarding.
A handout photo made available by the press office of MSC Cruises shows staff members carrying out swab tests for COVID-19 prior to boarding on the MSC Grandiosa cruise ship docked in Genoa, northern Italy, 16 August 2020. MSC Grandiosa is the first cruise ship in Italy to resume operation after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown. According to a statement released by MSC Cruises, guests will undergo a health screening prior to embarkation with a temperature check, a health questionnaire and a COVID-19 swab test. Guests who test positive, display symptoms or a temperature would be denied boarding, it added. EPA-EFE/MSC CRUISES PRESS OFFICE HANDOUT
Last week Italy’s government gave permission for cruise lines to resume operations in the country from 15 August.
MSC Cruises, which operates the MSC Grandiosa, will launch another cruise from the Italian port of Bari on 29 August, but has otherwise suspended its Mediterranean cruises until mid-October.
It comes as virus cases continue to rise around Italy, with more than 600 reported by authorities yesterday.
In response, Italian authorities have ordered the closure of all dance halls and night clubs from Monday. Face masks will also be mandatory from 18:00 to 06:00 local time in public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible.
MSC Cruises said it will also be operating the MSC Grandiosa at around 70% of its normal operations, with approximately 2,500 passengers onboard, to ensure safety protocols.
Its launch is seen as a first step towards rebooting an industry that generates an estimated $150bn for the world economy, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
