MSC sets course for the pearls of Northern Europe in winter

Five "pearls" of the North in a single cruise: BRUGES, HAMBURG, AMSTERDAM, LE HAVRE, AND SOUTHAMPTON. This is MSC's winter proposal, making its first winter voyage to Northern Europe.

From November 14 MSC Magnifica will offer 8-day cruises exploring 5 of the most suggestive cities in Northern Europe, the Pearls of the North. The ship will make stops in Hamburg, Germany, IJmuiden/Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Zeebrugge from where it will be possible to reach Bruges or Brussels in Belgium, Le Havre in France, with the possibility of visiting Paris and finally Southampton in the UK, from where it will be possible to visit the cosmopolitan London. The port stops will last up to 12 hours, giving guests the full opportunity to enjoy shore excursions. It will be possible to embark from all these ports thanks to well-connected international flights.

Winter is one of the best times of the year to visit Northern Europe: cities are less crowded with tourists, Christmas festivities bring festive decorations and markets that create a magical atmosphere, and many landscapes turn into winter wonderlands! This is also a unique opportunity to visit some European capitals in a single trip.

The Pearls of the North

Hamburg, in Germany, is renowned for its elegant avenues, noble buildings, and emerald green parks. In November and December, enjoy one of the 30 Christmas markets in the city, sipping mulled wine or snacking on roasted chestnuts! From Hamburg, it is possible to visit the magnificent Hanseatic city of Lübeck – UNESCO World Heritage Site or Lüneburg – the “City of White Gold” with its numerous historic buildings richly decorated and narrow cobbled streets.

Amsterdam is the charming city of canals and bridges with stunning 16th-century architecture. Famous attractions include Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum. For food lovers, a visit to the famous city of Gouda, renowned worldwide for its delicious creamy cheese, and also for stroopwafels, syrup waffles, is recommended. For those wishing to leave the city, it is possible to visit the windmill village of Zaanse Schans, where most houses are wooden with charming facades painted green typical of Zaan. The village is famous for Dutch handcrafted products: it also has a wooden shoe factory where you can see how traditional clogs are made.

Zeebrugge, in Belgium, is close to the picturesque city of Bruges, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe with picturesque cobbled streets and charming canals. Here, you can enjoy traditional Belgian treats such as waffles, chocolate, famous beers, and fries – a true Belgian creation – or buy beautiful local lace and tapestries. Guests can also choose to spend a whole day exploring Belgium’s capital, Brussels, where skyscrapers and hotels have modernized the skyline of this French and Flemish-speaking city. You can pretend to go back in time and stroll through the “Grand Place,” one of Europe’s most beautiful squares. The extraordinary collection of baroque facades was built right where Brussels’ first inhabitants held their market in the 12th century, the heart of the Medieval community.

From Le Havre, in France, it is possible to visit the historical capital of Normandy or Honfleur, a small town known for its picturesque port and beautifully preserved old buildings with slate facades. A favorite among painters, Honfleur is known for inspiring Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, Eugène Boudin, and Johan Jongkind. Those interested can visit Paris and immerse themselves in the charm of the romantic French capital, admiring the Champs-Élysées, Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde, and many other famous monuments in the world.

The British port of Southampton offers easy access to some major tourist attractions in southern England, including nearby historic towns of Winchester or Salisbury with their famous cathedrals, Windsor Castle dating back to the 1st century, or reaching the “Hanging Stones” of Stonehenge, one of the most intriguing and ancient sites in the UK. Stonehenge is a Neolithic site located near Amesbury in Wiltshire, England, about 13 km northwest of Salisbury. It is the world’s most famous prehistoric monument, added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1986, shrouded in charm and mystery.

For those wishing to visit another capital, a day in London can be spent exploring Oxford Street, Hyde Park, the Covent Garden market, or immersing in culture at one of the many museums or art galleries, or simply enjoying a pint of beer and relaxing in a traditional English pub.

Embarkation Requirements on MSC

Cruises aboard MSC Magnifica will only be available to vaccinated guests, and COVID-19 travel insurance will be mandatory. All guests must undertake an RT-PCR test within 72 hours before embarkation. The ship will follow MSC Cruises’ health and safety protocol, which includes enhanced onboard hygiene services, mask-wearing in indoor public areas, a fully equipped medical center, an emergency response plan in collaboration with land authorities, and other key measures to protect the health and safety of guests, crew, and the communities visited by the ship.