MSC to Broadcast London Olympic Games

As the end of Euro 2012 approaches,  MSC Cruises’ guests will be delighted to learn that they can now combine their fabulous holiday with all of the excitement of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. From July 72 to August 12 2012, guests across the entire MSC Cruises’ fleet can tune in live to London for the high drama, emotion and tension that the Olympics never fails to provide.

Over 2,000 hours of the games will be broadcast via satellite in public areas as well as in guests’ cabins.

Coverage will include 29 Olympic sports as well as the opening and closing ceremony, and guests can cheer on their favourite sportsmen and women from the over 10,000 athletes competing in diverse events from archery to triathlon, athletics to volleyball.  

Onboard entertainment during this period will also be Olympic themed. A colourful parade celebrating different nationalities will take place on every cruise, and lesser known national anthems will be sung around the pool in a fun-filled ceremony.

Guests can place bets on the games, the finals and on the number of medals each nation will take home. Video quizzes on the history of the Olympic Games will also allow sports buffs to show off their knowledge.

For the most competitive guests, five-aside football, ping pong, darts and shuffleboard tournaments will be organized,  with medals awarded to the champions of each event.

For something a bit more light-hearted, many amusing events have been dreamed up, including fully-clothed relays in the pool, football juggling, and exciting scavenger hunts.

MSC chefs have also taken inspiration from the games, and impressive cakes decorated with the famous symbol of the Olympics, the six interlocked rings, will tempt even the most serious athletes to break their strict regimes. Cocktails have also been renamed and matched with different events, so guests can enjoy the “Muhammad Ali” Strawberry Daiquiri during the boxing, the “Kung Fu Panda” Negroni during the wrestling, or the “Tour de France”  Aperol Spritz during the cycling, amongst many more.

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Delays and Itinerary Changes for U.K.-Bound Cruise Ships

With gale-force winds battering much of the United Kingdom over the last few days, at least two cruise ships have faced delay or diversion due to high wind and rough seas.

MSC Opera, which was scheduled to dock Friday (8/6/12) morning local time (GMT) in Southampton, made it into port at 4 p.m. GMT on Friday, according to a port spokesperson. A statement from MSC Cruises cited the adverse weather conditions and focus on passenger safety as the cause for the delay. From Southampton, MSC Opera is scheduled to depart on an 8-night Baltic & Northern Europe cruise. It is not yet known whether the ship, which is supposed to depart Southampton at 10 p.m. GMT on Friday, will face further delays.

A second ship that faced weather-related difficulties was Costa NeoRomantica, which was unable to dock in Dover, the ship's turn-around port, Friday as scheduled. A Costa spokesperson commented that the ship was redirected to Amsterdam to offload passengers from the current cruise and pick up those scheduled to sail on the next, an 8-night Baltic & Northern Europe cruise.

Upon disembarkation in Amsterdam, passengers will be flown back to the U.K. as required, and guests who had been due to embark in Dover will be flown to Amsterdam to meet the ship. The line is covering the cost of all flights, and no further itinerary changes are expected.

Looking for the latest FABCruise offers on a wide range of cruise holidays let FABTHINGS2do help you.