MSC Cruises will launch a ship from Saudi Arabia this summer, with the MSC Bellissima offering 21 Red Sea voyages from Jeddah from the end of July through late October.

The MSC Bellissima will offer three- and four-day cruises to Safaga, Egypt (near Luxor), or Aqaba, Jordan (near Petra), before returning to its Saudi
homeport. MSC said it will be the largest cruise ship ever to sail the
Red Sea.

MSC recently said it would launch cruises from the kingdom this winter, with the MSC Magnifica homeporting in Jeddah in November and offering seven-day Red Sea cruises through March 2022.

The addition of a second MSC ship to homeport in Saudi follows last week’s announcement from Scenic Cruises, which also said its luxury expedition ship, the Scenic Eclipse, will launch Saudi Arabia cruises this summer from Jeddah, offering scheduled cruises as well as charter sailings.

The 228-guest Eclipse, based in Jeddah from July 17 to Dec. 9, will be under charter through October, after which it will begin offering scheduled cruises to international guests, Scenic said. Among the destinations on its itineraries will be Yanbu, a beach destination with opportunities for swimming, diving, snorkeling and watersports in the Red Sea as well as rich cultural experiences. Beyond Saudi Arabia, the Eclipse will also visit Aqaba in Jordan and Port Ghalib Marina, a short distance from Luxor in Egypt.

“Saudi Arabia will be one of the hottest tourist destinations in coming years, and we’re very glad guests will get to experience it in six-star comfort onboard Scenic Eclipse,” said Glen Moroney, chairman of Scenic Group.

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