MSC World Europa

This procedure outlines the guidelines for minors who are wanting to participate in treatments or services offered in the SPA on board.

13 – 17 years are permitted to receive:

• Swedish Massage
• Body Scrubs
• Hands-On Facials
• Lash & Brow Services
• Waxing Services (excluding intimate waxing)
• Hair Services except Colour
• Barbering Services
• Nail Services

12 years and under are permitted to receive:

• Hair Services except Colour
• Nail Services

GYM, GYM Sauna, Fitness Classes and Personal Training Sessions

• From ages 13 years to 15 years, a parent or guardian must complete a GYM waiver and they must accompany the minor when using the GYM/GYM Sauna.
• From ages 16 years to 17 years, a parent or guardian must complete a gym waiver only.
• 12 years and under are not permitted to use the GYM, GYM Sauna, Fitness Classes or Personal Training Sessions.
• 13 – 17 years are permitted to receive: Swedish Massage, Body Scrubs, Hands-On Facials, Lash & Brow Services, Waxing Services (excluding intimate waxing), Hair Services except Colour, Barbering Services, Nail Services.
• 12 years and under are permitted to receive: Hair Services except Colour, Nail Service.

Guidelines

• Minors (17 years and under) must have their parents’ consent before receiving treatments. A parent or guardian must accompany the minor to the spa, complete the waiver and then sign the final receipt with no exceptions. Ensure all consultation forms are stored as per procedure.
• Minors (13-17 years) receiving massage treatments and body treatments are required to wear their bathing suits during treatments and an adult must be present in the same room.
• Minors 12 years and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian all times.
• Aromatherapy oils are not to be used on minors. Base oil only.
• Thermal Area usage is permitted to guests 18 years and above.
• Swedish Massage is the only massage that we can offer to minors.

Visual Impairments

MSC Bellissima, MSC Divina, MSC Euribia, MSC Fantasia, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Preziosa, MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview, MSC Splendida, MSC Virtuosa, MSC World America (from 2025) and MSC World Europa have Braille signs in public areas, in lifts and at the entrance to the cabins; all the ships have deck indicators in the lifts and fully accessible public areas, decks and tenders. For their safety, and depending on their level of disability, guests may be requested to travel with a carer or service dog.

Service animals

Suitably trained and certified service dogs are allowed on board all ships, assuming that they are in a good state of health and possess all necessary documents for entering the foreign countries visited during the cruise. Some Port of Call, due to local regulations, can require other prerequisites so it can be useful to check the countries along the booked itinerary.

The guest is personally responsible (with the aid of the carer if applicable) for the custody, feeding and general care of the animal during the whole stay on board.

Hearing Impairments

Guests with partial hearing disabilities can travel alone, only if they request the installation of a TDD System kit in their cabin. This kit, available in limited numbers on all ships, includes light and vibrating devices, a text phone and an analogue alarm clock.

Children with Special Needs

Children with special needs have normal access to all on-board services and facilities. Although the entertainment staff do not offer a childcare service, they are trained to provide a wide range of entertainment aimed specifically at children. Please note that no one-to-one supervision service is offered on board our ships.

All children, including those with special needs, are assigned to a certain entertainment area depending on their age. If necessary, children or young people with special needs can be placed in a lower age group (with the agreement of their parents), or they can take part in specific activities, together with their parents if required.

Special needs form

Our onboard medical facilities meet or exceed the standards for cruise ship medical centers adopted by CLIA and include basic diagnostic and treatment abilities, however the ship’s medical centers are not required to be and are not equipped to the same standards as a land-based hospital. They are staffed by full-time registered doctors and nurses, including paramedics on some ships. In addition to twice-daily clinic hours, medical staff are available 24 hours a day in an emergency.

Our Medical Centers are intended to provide acute care for illness and accidents that may occur while on holiday and not to provide long-term care for patients with chronic illnesses or as a substitute for regular health care. The medical staff on board is not available for daily care unless you are hospitalized in the ship’s medical Center. You must be able to care for yourself, including dressing, eating, and attending the ship's safety drills. " If you cannot care for yourself independently in these areas, please make arrangements to ensure you can do so.

If guests become ill or injured during the voyage and the diagnostic and/or care needs exceed the capabilities of the on-board medical Center, guests will be transferred to medical facilities ashore.

Charges for medical services rendered on board are added to your shipboard account, and an itemized account will be provided to submit to your insurance company.

Please note that many health insurance plans do not cover the cost of medical care at sea, in foreign countries, or for air evacuation unless this has been specifically arranged. Guests are encouraged to obtain travel medical insurance before travel to be reimbursed for services rendered.

Medications transport on board

MSC recommends that guests pack enough medication to last 14 days (about 2 weeks) after the end of their cruise. We strongly recommend carrying some medication with you in your purse or carry-on bag while traveling. Remember to leave all medication in its original container. We recommend carrying a prescription record or written list of your medications in case they are lost. The list should include the name of the drug, dosage and times taken. In case of emergency, the Medical Centre can assist in replacing medications, however if the exact item is not carried on board, an equivalent may be issued.

Please note that the cabin coolers are not fridges and therefore are not suitable for refrigerated medications. We suggest that you bring cool bags with ice blocks, or request medication cold storage in the medical Center. Medication stored in the medical center fridge can only be accessed during opening hours.

Restrictions may apply to travelling with certain controlled drugs. Guests are responsible for ensuring they meet any specific requirements for the countries they are travelling through. It is recommended that guests carry and retain a signed, dated explanatory medical letter from their treating physician detailing the indication for use of any prescription medication. Onboard staff will not routinely ask to see the documentation; however, it may be requested if there are queries by local authorities or additional information is required.

Vaccinations

Guests are advised to consult their National Health Service prior to the cruise for information regarding recommended vaccinations. MSC Cruises declines all responsibility for guests who do not adhere to the recommendations on the prevention of infectious diseases or do not have the appropriate vaccinations to enter a particular port during the cruise.

Dialysis

Guests undergoing peritoneal dialysis treatment can travel as normal, bringing with them all medicines and equipment that may be required during the cruise. 

MSC Cruises does not provide individual hemodialysis.

Guests who are stable and able to independently manage home peritoneal dialysis may sail on cruises that do not include trans-ocean crossings or remote itineraries.

Guests will be responsible for supplying all equipment, medications and supplies necessary to self-perform dialysis.

Guests should contact their medical supply company to arrange for dialysis supplies for the entire cruise. Guests are responsible for ensuring adequate supplies of dialysis fluids are on board stored in their cabin before sailing.

The shipboard medical staff are not trained in management of peritoneal dialysis.

- Enteral And Parental Nutrition

MSC Cruises does not provide enteral or parental nutrition, but guests who independently manage it are welcomed onboard. Guests are responsible for providing all feed and equipment required for the cruise.

Pregnancy

MSC Cruises SA does not permit guests who be more than 23 weeks pregnant at any time during the cruise to sail onboard. This is for maternal and fetal safety, as specialist obstetric and neonatal care is not available on board.

Pregnant guests who will be 23 or less than 23 weeks gestation at any time during the cruise will need to submit a letter from their obstetrician/gynecologist confirming the following:

• Ultrasound confirmed expected date of delivery (EDD)
• That the pregnancy is low risk
• That the guest is fit to sail on board a ship with no immediate access to specialist obstetric or neonatal care

Letters should be sent by email to Special Needs at the moment of the booking and at least 2 weeks before sailing date. A copy must be presented at check-in on the day of embarkation.

• Daytime Attire - Casual wear is recommended for daytime attire. Shorts and T-shirts are permitted.
• Evening Wear - A more polished look is recommended for evening wear when dining in the main dining rooms, speciality restaurants and while enjoying the entertainment in the theatre, bars, and lounges. Collared shirts, tailored trousers or shorts, skirts, and dresses are suggested. It is advisable to layer clothing and bring a light jacket or jumper for cooler nights and the ship’s air-conditioned public areas.
• Gala Night - On Gala Night, dress to impress! Whether that means a tuxedo, suit and tie, an evening gown or cocktail dress, or perhaps it’s your very best jeans and polo shirt, your attire should fit your own level of elegance. The only thing required is your smile.
• Theme parties - We organise various daytime and evening theme parties on board. You may wish to bring bright, fun clothes for the Sunshine Party and something white for the White Party.

MSC Yacht Club

To fully appreciate the exclusive ambiance of the MSC Yacht Club , dressing appropriately in its various venues is highly recommended.

MSC Yacht Club Restaurant:

To preserve the exceptional ambiance of this private restaurant we kindly ask you to dress in a way that complements its exclusiveness.

• By day: Feel at ease in casual wear, including t-shirts and tops, but to maintain a respectful atmosphere, swimwear must be avoided at any time.
• By night: We kindly ask that you dress in smart casual attire. This includes options such as dresses, skirts, long pants, jeans, and button-down tops. However, please avoid shorts and flip flops.
• For Gala evenings: An elegant and glamourous attire is strongly recommended with sophisticated outfits such as cocktail dresses, skirts, slacks, designer jeans, elegant dress tops, blazers, or even tuxedo suits and gowns.

MSC Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge:

• By day: Casual clothing, including t-shirts and tops, is perfectly acceptable, but we kindly request that you do not wear swimwear at any given time.
• By night: Smart casual attire is required for entry to the Top Sail Lounge. Feel free to wear dresses, skirts, long pants, jeans, and button-down tops. However, please avoid wearing shorts and flip flops.

MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar:

Wear your bathing costumes, t-shirts, tank tops, hats, and sunglasses as you please. Just remember that topless bathing is not allowed in this family-friendly area.

Sports lovers

For sports lovers, gym shoes and tracksuits are must-haves when using our cutting-edge gym and attending yoga and dance courses, where available.

Shore Excursions

For shore excursions, which may include visits to religious sites, we advise that appropriate clothing should be worn (covered knees and shoulders).

Dress Restrictions

Specific restrictions may be enforced by onboard staff members, including restaurant hostesses and management. At no point is swimwear allowed in any formal dining venue for any meal, including breakfast and lunch. Shorts, flip-flops, and tank tops are not allowed for evening wear or Gala Night in the main dining rooms, speciality restaurants, or MSC Yacht Club. T-shirts are not allowed to be worn on Gala Night. Dress code rules that are posted outside the buffet should be followed.

MSC Cruises S.A. makes every effort to accommodate our guests' dietary requirements whenever possible.

We keep special dietary needs in mind when planning our menus and serving our meals.

MSC Cruises S.A. is aware that some foods may cause an allergic reaction in certain guests due to intolerance of some ingredients such as the 14 major recognized allergens listed in the Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011; therefore, guests are invited to inform the Company of any such allergy at the time of booking but not later than 30 days prior to sailing (by duly filling out the Special Needs form). We further ask guests to report such allergy or intolerance to Reception - Guest Service and the Maître d’hôtel in the Main Dining Room upon first boarding the ship and prior to consuming any food or beverage onboard. Although there are several options at our various restaurants, special dietary and food requests can be accommodated in our main dining rooms only.

Despite our efforts, we cannot exclude the possibility of cross contamination between foods. We recommend our guests who are aware of allergies or intolerances always bring with them their emergency medications as prescribed by the doctor to be able to react in case of any allergic reaction.

When booking a tour with a meal included or when dining at Ocean Cay, please remember to always communicate your allergy/intolerance to the appropriate staff.

For medical reasons or for infants, guests can specifically request some food to be blended onboard. Guests can also bring their special sealed food on board, following written approval from the Company. Products to be taken onboard should respect EU food labelling / packaging regulations, should not have imminent expiry date, once open should be consumed as per instruction on the label. Inside your cabin you find a cooler, which is not a fridge, therefore it cannot be used for storing food. It is recommended to bring with you freezing bags. No homemade food is allowed. The onboard personnel is not authorized to store or manipulate (cook, heat ect) food that our guests bring on board.

In line with global standards, smoking areas on board are fewer than non-smoking areas and are indicated by signage and ashtrays.

Smoking (including e-cigarettes) is not permitted in cabins, on cabin balconies and anywhere not expressly indicated by signage and ashtrays.

The Company reserves the right to levy a fee should passengers be found smoking in non-designated areas of the vessel. Repeatedly smoking in non-smoking areas can ultimately lead to disembarkation.

We remind you that throwing cigarette butts or anything else overboard at sea is strictly prohibited as it may seriously put in danger safety at sea.

Wi-Fi is available on board all of our ships. 

Everyone loves the feel of freshly-laundered clothes and the convenience of a same-day laundry service.

Extend the relaxation after a wonderful long holiday by returning home with your shirts and trousers washed, dried and ready to put away

That's why we offer several Laundry Service Packages to choose from.

For a modest single charge, you and every traveller in your cabin can use the service whenever you like for up to 40 items per cabin per cruise.

Simply your items will be collected before 12:00 pm and will be returned in 48hrs before dinner. Laundry service is not available the last day of the cruise. Now isn’t that a clean sight better?

The company uses six main languages for its communications: English, Italian, German, French, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese. The order in which these languages appear is determined exclusively by the number of guests in each language group as a proportion of our total guests. The cabin information booklet and other printed material used on board are available in different versions for each of the six languages listed above. The order of the languages used in our menus changes depending on the area of the world in which each ship is located.

We are fully committed to playing our part in addressing climate change and promoting ocean biodiversity. We are determined to accelerate our transition toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from our marine operations. We work closely with leading technology companies, shipyards, and fuel providers to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Pathway to decarbonisation

We are on track to meet the IMO (International Maritime Organization) carbon intensity goal of a 40% reduction from 2008 levels ahead of the 2030 milestone. In 2023 we already achieved 37.8% reduction. Since decarbonizing marine operations is one of our main priorities our goal is to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions for our fleet by 2050.

Improving operational efficiency

We are on track to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s 40% carbon intensity reduction for the maritime industry well ahead of the 2030 target, in 2022 we already achieved 33.5% reduction.

Many sustainability measures are, in fact, simply good business sense because they reduce costs in addition to our environmental footprint. Energy efficiency is an obvious example of that, with LED lighting and heat recovery systems having that dual impact. Anti-fouling paint reduces drag, and lower speeds and trim optimisation make the voyage more comfortable and reduce fuel consumption. We continue to advance the digitalisation of our energy efficiency programme.

In 2022, we completed the installation of Oceanly Performance on all ships in our fleet. This platform enables the continuous monitoring of thousands of raw data points on the position, speed, weather, engine load, flow meters, fuel consumption, torque meters, and all other on-board equipment which can be connected to a central data collector, allowing continuous analysis and onboard adjustments to maximise efficiency.

Minimising local pollutants

We are a guest in all the ports we visit and strive to minimise our impact on local communities and their environment, particularly in the area of air emissions.

Reducing emissions to air: Connecting to shore power enables us to turn off our ships’ engines and connect to the local electrical grid to run our onboard systems. With electricity travelling to the ship through a specially designed transformer at the dock, this process prevents emissions produced from our onboard engines, improving local air quality as well as reducing noise and vibration levels – benefitting both the environment and the surrounding communities. Wherever we are involved in building and financing new terminals, we ensure the designs take account of shore power requirements – current examples being the new terminal developments in Barcelona and Miami.

Creating freshwater: Every day, our ships use desalination technologies like reverse osmosis to convert vast volumes of seawater into clean drinking water. Our most modern ships can produce up to three millionlitres of freshwater in a single day.

In 2023, 87.2% of all freshwater consumed (7.4 million cubic metres) was produced onboard our ships for use as drinking water as well as for cooking, cleaning, and in the laundry. As many of the ports we call into can experience periods of water scarcity, our goal is to minimise the amount we take from shore by continuing to increase the share of water produced onboard.

Treating our wastewater: All our ships have wastewater treatment systems installed and treated wastewater is discharged in accordance with strict international regulations. Fourteen ships have advanced wastewater treatment systems and four of these meet the very highest discharge standards, known as the ‘Baltic Standard’, allowing them to treat and discharge water back into the most sensitive areas in which we operate.

Treating ballast water: To avoid transporting contaminants from one ocean to another, and potentially threatening local ecosystems, all our ships have a ballast water treatment system with filtration and UV treatment. Our fleet continues to meet all the requirements of the 2004 Ballast Water Management Convention regulations.

Protecting the biodiversity of our oceans

Safeguarding the health and biodiversity of the sea is crucial and we are committed to the preservation of marine and coastal habitats. In 2023, we demonstrated this in a number of ways.

Marine conservation on Ocean Cay: In July, the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve was formally designated a ‘Hope Spot’ by Mission Blue, the non-profit organisation promoting the protection of marine ecosystems. Ocean Cay joins Mission Blue’s global network of 154 Hope Spots, places recognised as critical to ocean health.

Bridge Officer Whale and Dolphin Training: In 2023, MSC Cruises partnered with marine conservation charity ORCA to deliver a comprehensive ship strike mitigation programme for deck officers to reduce the likelihood of collisions with whales, dolphins, and porpoises in oceans around the world. By the end of 2023 226 MSC Cruises’ officers had been trained, and any new joiners goes through the course during their familiarization period.

DNA sampling and analysis: We announced an innovative partnershipwith NatureMetrics, the pioneering nature intelligence and environmental DNA specialists. Three vessels collected eDNA samples from seawater while operating in international waters in the North Atlantic.

MSC Cruises does not permit minors to occupy a cabin without the presence of at least one adult. For sailings within the US, guests aged 18-20 can be accommodated in a cabin alone, provided they are traveling with a guest aged 21 or older.

Starting from 15 May 2025, infants under 2 years old are admitted on board, except on cruises starting from 11 nights onwards, for which it is required that the minor is at least 2 years old at the moment of embarkation.