Emirates and MSC Cruises plan broader fly-cruise cooperation
The companies’ memorandum covers distribution, passenger services, crew travel and customer loyalty initiatives.
Emirates and MSC Cruises signed a memorandum of understanding at Arabian Travel Market to expand their existing fly-cruise partnership. The planned cooperation will extend into distribution, passenger handling, crew travel and loyalty programs.
The companies intend to develop through-fares and open-jaw itineraries that combine flights and cruises beginning and ending in different destinations. They will also evaluate additional gateway markets where air and cruise services could be integrated, while developing products for MSC Grand Voyages and repositioning cruises.
Passenger-service plans include exploring whether some operations currently used at Port Rashid in Dubai could be introduced at other cruise ports. Possible areas of cooperation include cruise-terminal check-in, baggage handling through to a passenger’s final destination and coordinated transfers between airports and cruise terminals.
Under the agreement, Emirates will become one of MSC Cruises’ preferred airlines for crew rotations. The arrangement is expected to include dedicated crew fares, extra baggage allowances and services designed for maritime professionals traveling to and from ships. The companies also plan customer-loyalty initiatives, although they have not released further details.
