7 Night Mediterranean - Western Cruise
Itinerary
Marseille
France
Day 1Since being designated a European Capital of Culture for 2013, with an estimated €660 million of funding in the bargain, Marseille has been in the throes of an extraordinary transformation, with no fewer than five major new arts centers, a beautifully refurbished port, revitalized neighborhoods, and a slew of new shops and restaurants. Once the underdog, this time-burnished city is now welcoming an influx of weekend tourists who have colonized entire neighborhoods and transformed them into elegant pieds-à-terre (or should we say, mer). The second-largest city in France, Marseille is one of Europe's most vibrant destinations. Feisty and fond of broad gestures, it is also as complicated and as cosmopolitan now as it was when a band of Phoenician Greeks first sailed into the harbor that is today's Vieux Port in 600 BC. Legend has it that on that same day a local chieftain's daughter, Gyptis, needed to choose a husband, and her wandering eyes settled on the Greeks' handsome commander Protis. Her dowry brought land near the mouth of the Rhône, where the Greeks founded Massalia, the most important Continental shipping port in antiquity. The port flourished for some 500 years as a typical Greek city, enjoying the full flush of classical culture, its gods, its democratic political system, its sports and theater, and its naval prowess. Caesar changed all that, besieging the city in 49 BC and seizing most of its colonies. In 1214 Marseille was seized again, this time by Charles d'Anjou, and was later annexed to France by Henri IV in 1481, but it was not until Louis XIV took the throne that the biggest transformations of the port began; he pulled down the city walls in 1666 and expanded the port to the Rive Neuve (New Riverbank). The city was devastated by plague in 1720, losing more than half its population. By the time of the Revolution, Marseille was on the rebound once again, with industries of soap manufacturing and oil processing flourishing, encouraging a wave of immigration from Provence and Italy. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Marseille became the greatest boomtown in 19th-century Europe. With a large influx of immigrants from areas as exotic as Tangiers, the city quickly acquired the multicultural population it maintains to this day.
About this cruise
As our first Liquified Natural Gas fueled cruise ship MSC World Europa is a huge step forward in that mission. This next-generation power reduces emissions and marks a milestone on our journey to net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions operations. Her state-of-the-art design also includes the latest water treatment technology, to purify wastewater, and propellers designed to reduce the underwater noise in respect of marine wildlife.
From her stunning silhouette to her signature plumb bow, the futuristic MSC World Europa is as visually striking as she is innovative.
Her unique Y-shaped open aft leads to the 104m long outdoor World Promenade, with incredible panoramic ocean views. The promenade also features the record breaking, longest dry slide at sea – the Venom Drop @ The Spiral – an 11-deck high stainless-steel masterpiece, unique in the cruise industry.
Available dates
Stateroom Options
- InsideFROM£982 pp
- oceanviewNOT
AVAILABLE - BalconyFROM£1,602 pp
- suiteNOT
AVAILABLE
Fast, Simple, Secure booking
No Booking Fees
No Hidden Fees
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enrichment
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dining
Pizza & Burger
Pizza & Burger can be found on Deck 6.
Pizza & Burger
Pizza & Burger can be found on Deck 6.
Pizza & Burger
Pizza & Burger can be found on Deck 6.
Pizza & Burger
Pizza & Burger can be found on Deck 6.
Pizza & Burger
Pizza & Burger can be found on Deck 6.
Pizza & Burger
Pizza & Burger can be found on Deck 6.
Pizza & Burger
Pizza & Burger can be found on Deck 6.
Hexagon Restaurant
Hexagon Restaurant can be found on Deck 6.
MSC World Europa
MSC Cruises
FROM
£982 pp
- What's included?
Included benefits
Bella Experience
Fantastica Experience includes all Bella benefits, plus:
Aurea Experience includes all Fantastica benefits, plus:
- MSC Yacht Club (Available on board MSC World Europa, MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Bellissima, MSC Seaview, MSC Seaside, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Preziosa, MSC Divina, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia):
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