European guests will be able to take Ethiad flights to the UAE to start their MSC Musica cruise
By
Rebecca Gibson |
MSC has launched new Fly&Cruise packages to enable guests to fly to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Europe with Etihad Airways before starting their cruise onboard MSC Musica in winter 2015-2016.
As part of the agreement, guests from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the UK will be able to fly to Dubai or Abu Dhabi on a flight run by Etihad Airways, or one of its partner airlines.
The Fly&Cruise package will be available to all European guests sailing on one of MSC Musica’s 16 seven-night cruises from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, Khor al Fakkan, Muscat and Khasab in Oman between 13 December 2015 and 27 March 2016.
“With our Fly&Cruise packages, MSC Cruises guests will benefit from Etihad Airways’ and our company’s impeccable service from the minute they leave their homes for a memorable cruise experience on MSC Musica,” said Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises CEO.
Ethiad Airways and MSC have also partnered with Abu Dhabi Ports Company and Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority to help make Abu Dhabi a popular winter cruise destination. In total, MSC brought more than 100,000 passengers from 115 countries to the UAE between 2011 and 2015 and its passengers counted for almost 20% of the total market share in the 2014-2015 season.
“Our partnership with MSC Cruises, as well as Abu Dhabi Ports Company and Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, for ‘Fly&Cruise’ will expand source markets for cruises in the UAE and regionally, bringing in more travellers from destinations across Europe,” said James Hogan, president and chief executive of Etihad Airways.