Before booking your cruise, please click HERE to check if your country of residence is allowing guests to cruise in your selected destination.

VACCINE REQUIREMENTS:

All guests 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of embarkation. To be considered fully vaccinated:

• Your final dose in a 2-dose initial series of the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Novavax vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine must be completed within 9 months and at least 14 days before embarkation.
• If more than 9 months (270 days) have passed since receiving the two set of vaccine shots, a booster vaccine will be required to embark, with the exception of guests 12-17 years old. 
• Guests 12-17 years old are considered fully vaccinated if they have completed the primary vaccination cycle - 2 DOSES OF VACCINE (in accordance with local regulations). 
• Guests who recovered from COVID-19 with one shot of vaccine are considered as fully vaccinated.  (It will be necessary to provide a QR or alternative validation documentation). 
• Guests who received the full set of vaccines and have either received a booster shot or recovered from COVID-19 are considered fully vaccinated and their certificate is considered valid without an expiration date.
• A “mix-and-match” combination of the above list of vaccines is accepted.
• The vaccination certificate must be valid for the duration of the entire cruise.
• Guests must present their original vaccination card or certificate reflecting all required doses at the pier upon check-in.
• Guests who have recovered from COVID-19 within the last 180 days and have a verification certificate or QR Code confirming as such will be allowed on board.

COVID-19 TEST REQUIREMENTS: 

• All guests 2 years & older must show proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before embarkation. If you embark on your cruise at 15:00 on a Saturday, you should take your COVID-19 test on the Thursday as of 15:00.  Guests must bring the valid negative test certificate with them to the terminal.
• The original test results certificate or vaccination or recovery certificate must be presented at the terminal (paper or electronic format) and must be in one of the following languages: English, Italian, German, French or Spanish. The COVID-19 test certificate must contain a guest’s personal data (verifiable with the other travel documents), date of the test, identification / contact details of the center that performed the analysis, technique used, and negative test result.
• Antigen self-tests are not accepted for embarkation. 

Additional Requirements for Germany

• **Two doses of a non-European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved vaccine plus an European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved booster (including Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax) will be accepted for embarkation only if guests provide a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate or equivalent or an antigen test taken 24 hours prior arrival in Germany.

Additional Requirements for Southampton (UK)

All guests (2 years old and over) embarking on MSC Virtuosa must provide a certificate of a negative antigen/lateral flow test or RT-PCR test taken within the 2 days before the day of embarkation. Antigen self-tests are accepted as long as they’re accompanied by an official certificate/email (some of the suppliers that are accepted: Randox, Expresstest, Collinsons, ect.). NHS certificates not accepted.

Additional Requirements for Guests embarking and in transit in Lisbon (Portugal)

**Two doses of a non-European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved vaccine plus an European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved booster (including Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax) will be accepted for embarkation only if guests provide a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate or equivalent or an antigen test taken 24 hours prior arrival in Lisbon.

Additional Requirements for Guests going ashore or disembarking in Belgium

To go ashore or to disembark in Belgium, Guests travelling from a country outside the Schengen Area or European Union that is not is not included in the “white list” as per Belgium authorities are required to complete the BEL PLF and submit online prior to arrival to the cruise. (guests staying onboard the ship in Zeebrugge DO NOT need to complete the BEL PLF).

For more information, it is recommended to check your country’s competent authorities official channels and the following websites:

Belgium: https://www.info-coronavirus.be/

Additional information to fill in your Belgian e-PLF:

• Identification of the vessel: MSC Magnifica
• Residential address: Street: MSC Magnifica, Number: 9387085, Box (=Pier number): 702, Zip/postal code: 8380, City: Zeebrügge

Click here to review & accept terms & conditions and confirm that you will be fully vaccinated at the time of your cruise.

TRAVEL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS:
All bookings are required to purchase travel insurance with coverage for COVID-19 through your country of residence. If purchased from MSC Cruises, this must be purchased prior to making final payment on your booking. You must either purchase insurance through MSC Cruises or present at the pier documentation of sufficient coverage purchased from another provider, or you will be denied boarding.

View our FAQs for additional details regarding Vaccine, COVID-19 Testing, and Travel Insurance requirements.

• Additional measures may be necessary during the cruise including the wearing of a face mask in certain spaces, temperature checks, and social distancing, in accordance with applicable regulations of the country or port of call. When ashore, guests must follow any local regulations which are subject to change. 
• If you become symptomatic during your cruise, you will be required to take a RT-PCR test on board (covered by MSC Cruises)

• To go ashore or to disembark in Belgium, guests traveling from a country outside the Schengen Area or European Union that is not included in the “white list” as per Belgium authorities are required to complete the BEL PLF and submit online prior to arrival to the cruise. (guests staying onboard the ship in Zeebrugge DO NOT need to complete the BEL PLF) 
  
•  A COVID-19 test may be required to return home.  It is the responsibility of each guest to ensure they are in compliance with any local regulations related to COVID-19 testing when returning to their final post cruise destination.  In addition, a PASSENGER LOCATOR FORM (PLF) may still be necessary for national or international mobility requirement: it’s every guest’s responsibility to verify this requirement before departure. For more information, it is recommended to check your country’s official requirements

SHORE EXCURSIONS:

Additional requirements for going ashore in Germany

• **Two doses of a non-European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved vaccine plus an European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved booster (including Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax) will be accepted for embarkation only if guests provide a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate or equivalent or an antigen test taken 24 hours prior arrival in Germany.

Additional Requirements for Southampton (UK)

All guests (2 years old and over) embarking on MSC Virtuosa must provide a certificate of a negative antigen/lateral flow test or RT-PCR test taken within the 2 days before the day of embarkation. Antigen self-tests are accepted if they’re accompanied by an official certificate/email (some of the suppliers that are accepted: Randox, Expresstest, Collinsons, ect.). NHS certificates are not accepted.

Additional Requirements for guests going ashore in Lisbon (Portugal)

**Two doses of a non-European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved vaccine plus an European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved booster (including Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax) will be accepted to go ashore only if guests provide a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate or equivalent or an antigen test taken 24 hours prior arrival in Lisbon.

 To go ashore in Belgium, guests traveling from a country outside the Schengen Area or European Union that is not included in the “white list” as per Belgium authorities are required to complete the BEL PLF and submit online prior to arrival to the cruise. Guests staying onboard the ship in Zeebrugge DO NOT need to complete the BEL PLF.

For more information, it is recommended to check your country’s competent authorities official channels and the following website: 

Belgium: https://www.info-coronavirus.be/

Additional information to fill in your Belgian e-PLF: 

• Identification of the vessel: MSC Magnifica
• Residential address: Street: MSC Magnifica, Number: 9387085, Box (=Pier number): 702, Zip/postal code: 8380, City: Zeebrügge

Guests will be able to go ashore independently according to local requirements which are continually monitored and subject to change. Guests who are traveling with unvaccinated children are also able to go ashore independently. 

For the best ashore experience, we recommend all guests explore destinations with the comfort, convenience, and safety of an MSC Cruises Shore Excursion, bookable pre-cruise and on board. 

Some excursions will require an official COVID certificate to access some venues (I.e. museums, churches,..) or to participate in any event. 

Visit our Shore Excursion  FAQ section for more information.