MSC has spent the past several years putting new ships just about everywhere, and now it may be getting ready to put vessels in a different type of waterway.
According to a report from Italian maritime publication Shipping Italy, MSC Group is studying a possible move into the European river cruise market. The report says the company may use Explora Journeys, its luxury brand, rather than the mainstream MSC Cruises name.
Nothing has been officially announced, and there are no ships, itineraries or launch dates to talk about yet. But this isn’t exactly a wild idea.
River Cruising Is a Completely Different Animal
For anyone who has only cruised on the big ships, river cruising is a very different experience.
Most river ships carry fewer than 200 passengers. There are no waterparks, giant casinos, production shows or a dozen places to eat. In many cases, there isn’t much happening onboard at all.
That is because the river and the places along it are the attraction.
Ships sail right into cities and small towns, often docking within walking distance of the main sights. One day you may be in Vienna, the next in a small German village, and the day after that cruising past castles along the Rhine.
It is a slower, quieter and usually a way more expensive type of cruise.
The Big Cruise Lines Are Starting to Pay Attention
River cruising has been dominated for years by companies such as Viking, AmaWaterways, Uniworld and Scenic.
Now the big ocean cruise lines want a piece of the action.
Royal Caribbean Group is already moving ahead with Celebrity River Cruises, which is expected to begin sailing in 2027. That gives Celebrity a way to keep its customers in the family when they decide they want something smaller and more destination-focused.
MSC may be looking at the exact same thing.
Explora Journeys Would Make More Sense
I can’t imagine MSC trying to squeeze the MSC World America experience onto a river ship.
There isn’t room for a waterpark, a giant LED screeen or several thousand passengers, and that really isn’t what river cruisers are looking for anyway.
Explora Journeys is a much better fit.
The brand is already focused on luxury, better dining, larger accommodations and a more relaxed onboard experience. Put that on a river ship, add included drinks and shore excursions, and MSC suddenly has a product that could compete with the established luxury river lines.
It would also allow MSC to charge luxury prices, which are pretty common in the river cruise market.
Where Would They Sail?
The Rhine and Danube would be the obvious places to start.
Those are the rivers most people think of when they picture a European river cruise, with stops in places such as Amsterdam, Cologne, Vienna and Budapest.
The report also mentions the Seine, Douro, Elbe and even Italy’s Po River.
A luxury river cruise through Italy under the Explora name would certainly get attention, especially from North American travelers looking for something different from the usual Rhine and Danube itineraries.
But, running a river cruise line isn’t as simple as ordering a few smaller ships.
River vessels are built to very specific dimensions so they can fit beneath bridges and through locks. Water levels can also cause major problems, with ships sometimes unable to sail because the river is either too high or too low.
Docking space is limited, experienced crew members are harder to find and there are only so many shipyards capable of building these vessels.
MSC would also need an entirely new operation on land, including local guides, excursions, transportation and docking agreements.
So even if the company decides to move forward, this probably isn’t something we are going to see next year.
Is MSC Really Going to Do It?
At this point, all we know is that the company is reportedly studying the idea.
Big companies study lots of things that never happen, so I wouldn’t start planning an MSC river cruise just yet.
Still, Royal Caribbean’s move into the market may force MSC to take a closer look. If Celebrity River Cruises takes off, MSC probably won’t want to sit on the sidelines while one of its biggest competitors builds an entirely new cruise business.
MSC already has vast maritime experience, gobs of money, the European connections and a luxury brand ready to go.
Now it just has to decide whether Europe’s rivers are worth diving into.
