MSC Cruises Plans Additional Private 'Bubble' Beach Excursions

MSC Cruises today revealed a first look at its new beach experience in Italy, the first of what it said will be similar offerings for guests in order to provide off-ship beach time on bubble excursions. 

Guests on the MSC Seaside will be able visit the Ionian Sea beach in Taranto, Puglia, in an area blocked off exclusively for MSC guests when the ship is in port.

"As we continue to offer one of the safest ways to take a holiday, we knew that we needed to make sure that we delivered on all of the elements of a summer holiday, and this meant finding a way to enable our guests to also spend a day at the beach, whilst ensuring that the same high standards of health and safety were implemented ashore as they are on board," said MSC CEO Gianni Onorato in a statement about the Taranto offering. "With this, we have also established a blueprint for this type of experience, and we will now work to introduce more private beach experiences at other destinations this summer."

MSC said the experience, part of its protected shore visits, will maintain a safe social bubble for guests with the same standards of health and safety as on board.  MSC will arrange what it calls "bubble transfers" to take guests to and from the beach at fixed times throughout the day. Beach club facilities, such as umbrellas, lounge chairs, a bar and restaurant, bathroom facilities, showers and changing rooms will all be available. The experience will cost about $30 per person.  MSC first said it would offer the new beach experience in Taranto as part of its 10-ship launch this summer in Europe.