By
Rebecca Gibson |
MSC Cruises’ MSC Musica arrived in the Port of Kiel on 25 April to begin its summer 2013 cruise season.
Susanne Gaschke, the mayor of Kiel, conducted a traditional Plaque and Key ceremony upon the ship’s arrival, handing a plaque to Captain Pierpaolo Scala. She said: “We are proud of Kiel being an important hub for MSC Crociere this year again. With its modern terminal facilities, first-class service and smooth accessibility, Kiel is an ideal turnaround port for German and European guests.”
MSC Poesia and MSC Musica will offer 41 cruises from Kiel’s Ostseekai berth and take passengers to Northern Europe, the Baltic region and the Norwegian Fjords.
“Due to its geographic location, Kiel is the ideal starting point for butterfly cruises. The combination of Baltic Sea and Fjord routes is a very interesting option for travellers,” said Dirk Claus, managing director of the Port of Kiel.
Kiel is scheduled to receive 128 calls by 21 cruise ships, as well as 370,000 cruise passengers and around 1.5 million ferry passengers during the 2013 season. AIDA, Costa, TUI Cruises and other well-known German operators will all return to the port.
The port’s parking service was extended at the beginning of the season and Berth 1 in Ostuferhafen has been redesigned to accommodate larger cruise ships and a higher passenger capacity.