2022 Cruise Season: The MSC SPLENDIDA enchants Taranto

PORTO OF TARANTO, 06 APRIL  2022  - There has been a second cruise landing at the port of Taranto which today welcomed the majestic MSC Splendida, an environmentally friendly ship belonging to the prestigious international cruise line MSC Crociere which, will sail the gulf of Taranto every Wednesday until 9 November, the last of its 32 calls in the Port of Taranto’s 2022 calendar.

Greeted by the water display of the port’s tugboats, the arrival of the MSC Splendida honoured Taranto with the gift of a breath-taking scene on the Mar Grande, which the city had been looking forward to for some time. The imposing and elegant cruise-ship – capable of hosting up to 4,363 passengers thanks to its 1,637 cabins and a length of approximately 333 metres - will provide weekly cruises from Taranto with an exclusive Mediterranean itinerary that includes the ports of Civitavecchia, Genoa, Marseille and Syracuse.

As is customary, a ceremony was held on board the ship at 11:00 for the exchange of crests between regional and city authorities, port operators and the ship’s Master, Michele di Mauro, in the presence of MSC Italy’s Country Manager, Leonardo Massa, who confirmed Taranto as a desired location for the company after the Ionian port was chosen in 2021, thanks to the numerous attractions in the area that allow for the development of a wide and diversified range of MSC-branded excursions.

With this first call in April, free excursions for cruise passengers have resumed for the first time since the restart in 2020. Passengers had the chance to visit the city’s attractions completely on their own. Of the 1,182 or so passengers travelling aboard the ship, several hundred also used this opportunity to explore the region, joining excursions to the towns of Martina Franca, Alberobello, Ostuni and Matera.

2022 marks MSC Crociere’s second consecutive year in the Ionian capital, which last year reported record numbers for the destination of Taranto. In 2021, the company ensured the port with an opportunity to play a prestigious role in the national and Mediterranean cruise industry, opening the city up to new routes for the development of the region, including as a world-class tourist destination.

Therefore, as a turnaround port for MSC Crociere, Taranto has been confirmed as a leading destination for thousands of passengers, recording new flows of tourists to the area with consequent economic upturns, during both the high and low seasons.