The cruise ship MSC Splendida set sail from Trieste, Italy on June 12, becoming the fifth MSC Cruises vessel to resume operations. MSC Splendida will depart each Saturday from Trieste on a 7-night East Mediterranean itinerary along the Adriatic and arrive in Ancona on Sunday and Bari on Tuesday, calling at Corfu (Greece), Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia until 3 July when a stopover will be included in Kotor (Montenegro).

To celebrate this milestone traditional ceremony of the "Maiden Call" was held in the presence of the top management of MSC Cruises - represented by the CEO of MSC Cruises  Gianni Onorato, Managing Director  Leonardo Massa, the Captain of Msc Splendida  Michele di Mauro - and the city authorities and institutions, and the representatives of the port community. 

Following the restart of MSC Splendida MSC Cruises CEO  Gianni Onorato said:

“Finally we are ready to start sailing again this time from Trieste. A city that we have in our hearts, as well as this region where we have chosen to build many of our ships, including 4 extra-luxury ships of the new brand of the Group for an investment of 2 billion with Fincantieri that makes us proud. Ships are not made to stand still and crews are not, the sea is our element and we couldn't wait to leave here too. Thanks to the health and safety protocol that we have implemented with the help of local and international authorities, we have been able to return to sailing, putting the safety and health of crew and passengers first, but also of the communities that host us. We have 11 ships in service for summer 2021but there are still 8 that are stopped until November or December, it is not easy but we are doing our best to indulge the desire to return to travel calmly and in complete safety. And despite everything we are happy to have been the first to leave again in Italy, Europe and the United Kingdom but to be the first to return to climb Marseille on 20 June and Barcelona after 7 months of absence."