MSC Cruises provides some of the best cruise options for families that wish to explore the Mediterranean. A rich combination of exquisite cuisine, unique cultures, untouched beaches and breathtaking visuals make the Mediterranean region one of the world’s most preferred cruise destinations.

Founded in Italy and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is the fourth largest cruise company in the world, and is one of the finest family cruise options that lets you experience the Mediterranean way of life. With 12 ships in operation and another eleven planned over the next five years, MSC cruises has one of the world’s newest fleet of ships.

MSC is one of the most family friendly cruise liners and provides a wide range of entertainment options for each and every member of the family. It is an exceptionally kid-friendly company, allowing children upto the age of 18 to travel free if they travel in the same cabin as their parents. Depending upon the age group, the cruise comes with a host of special services for kids:

• For children between 1 and 3 years of age, they provide an MSC Babycare Service. Parents can leave their kids at the Mini Club and enjoy some time on their own. MSC has recently started a Baby Laundry Service for kids upto the age of 6, that takes care of kids’ clothes, saving parents the trouble of washing.

• Kids above the age of three have a number of Kids Clubs where they can interact, socialize and play with other kids in a safe environment. There are Miniclubs for kids between 3 and 6, and Junior Clubs for kids from 7 to 11 years of age. The Kids Clubs provide an extensive range of activities such as group games, sports, arts & crafts, dance classes and video games.

• Parents can rest assured about their kids and can enjoy themselves while MSC takes care of them. Every child is given a security wristband the moment he or she comes onboard. Specialized menus for children are available at all restaurants on-board. Kids can enjoy ‘Fun Time Dinners’ and ‘Happy Dinners’ along with the entertainment staff.

• For youngsters and teenagers, MSC has the concept of Young Clubs and Teens Clubs that allow them to socialize and make friends. They also have a number of entertainment and sports options such as an Aqua Park, swimming pools, social network games, dance contests, karaoke and dance contests. MSC provides many other exceptional entertainment options for youngsters and teenagers, such as flash mobs, talent shows and prom nights.

MSC offers a wide range of Mediterranean cruise packages throughout the year with four of its finest ships covering the Mediterranean region. Depending on your budget, you can pick and choose packages ranging from 2 days to 23 days, covering both the Eastern and Western Mediterranean. If you are looking for a relaxing family holiday, you can choose from a wide variety of MSC Cruise packages.

Eastern Mediterranean: Cruise Packages generally cover Italy and Greece upto Turkey. MSC takes vacationers to beautiful cities in Italy, such as Bari, Cagliari, Civitavecchia, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, and Venice. Do not miss the opportunity to visit the pristine islands of Santacruz de Tenerife, home to the tallest mountain in Spain. Packages also include Pireaus, Mykonos and Katakolon in Greece, home to some of the world most ancient sites. Some Eastern Mediterranean cruises go to unique locations such as Limassol (Cyprus), Sarande (Albania), Kotor (Montenegro) and Zadar (Croatia).

You can choose from dozens of Eastern Mediterranean cruise packages. Popular packages include a 7 night cruise on MSC MUSICA, starting from Venice, covering Katakolon, Santorini, Pireaus, Corfu and Montenegro. Packages start from USD 505 pp for 7 nights.

Western Mediterranean: MSC has a number of packages that mainly cover Spain and France. Packages include exotic Spanish ports like Malaga, Valencia, Barcelona and Ibiza. Travelers can also visit famous French cities like Marseille and Cannes. Many Western Mediterranean cruise packages also include sails to Valletta (Malta), Casablanca (Morocco) and Lisbon (Portugal).

There a number of Western Mediterranean cruise packages starting from Barcelona, Malaga, Palm de Mallorca, Valencia, Marseille and Lisbon. A 2 night package on the MSC Orchestra departing at Barcelona and covering Italy and France, starts at USD 179 pp. A 7 night package starts at USD 644 pp.

You can also choose to take a Northern European cruise, starting at Genoa. A 10 night package on the MSC FANTASIA starts at USD 829 pp. It covers great destinations across Spain (Barcelona, Valencia, Vigo), Portugal (Lisbon), UK (Southampton), Belgium (Zeebrugge) and Germany (Kiel).

MSC Yacht Club
The Yacht Club is an exclusive luxury service that is available on only a few ships – MSC Preziosa, MSC Divina, MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia, MSC Meragvilia and MSC Seaside. It includes all-inclusive services, a 24 hour dedicated butler service, dedicated restaurants, the MSC Aurea Spa, customized shore excursions and private facilities such as the Top Sail Lounge and the One Pool Deck (private swimming pools, sun decks and bars). Yacht Club members get exclusive, MSC Yacht Club Suites. These are super luxury, Italian style suites, each with its own private balcony and mini bar.

Upcoming Itineraries MSC cruises are very popular for summer cruises in the Mediterranean and many of its packages get sold out 3-6 months in advance. Here are a few available packages for 2017:

• MSC Splendida: 8 day / 7 night package starting from Marseille and covering Italy, Malta and Spain. Starts at USD 459.50 pp
• MSC Splendida: A 12 day / 11 night package that takes passengers to Italy, Malta, Greece and Cyprus. Packages start at USD 709.50 pp.
• MSC Magnifica: An 11 day / 10 night package taking you to Italy, Spain, Morocco and Portugal. Packages start at USD 929 pp

Make sure you book your cabins well in advance to get your choice of cabins and sailing dates.

Author The author is a travel blogger and writes about popular holiday destinations and tour packages. In this particular article, she reviews MSC Cruises, and focuses on Mediterranean family cruises.