Above: Havana

By the Cuba Journal staff

A major cruise line is adding a new homeport in Havana.

MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately-owned global cruise line, will begin homeporting its MSC Opera in Havana in December.

The 2,120-guest-ship will homeport for the winter 2015-16 seaon to offer 16 Caribbean cruises.

The ship will include stops in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Mexico, along with two and a half days in Havana.

“We are particularly proud to make this exciting new destination available to our guests,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises. “For this, I wish to personally thank all those who worked with us over these past several months to make it possible for MSC Cruises to launch Cuba as a destination to its guests. In particular, I wish to thank the Ministers of Transportation and Tourism of the Cuban Government and their representatives for their continued highly professional contribution.”

The seven-night cfruises will be available to MSC Cruises travelers on a combination of packages.

“The move to Cuba attests to our steadfast commitment to offer our experienced guests and holiday-makers the best and most sought-after destinations as they become accessible – thus further enhancing our global offering while providing travellers best-in-class experiences and service,” Onorato said. “We can definitely attest of the strong demand for the product, due to the combination of the attractiveness of Cuba as a culture-rich destination, coupled with the fact that it is offered through our distinctive MSC Cruises experience.”

The first cruise will sail from Havana on Dec. 22, following the MSC Opera’s voyage from Genoa to Cuba.