MSC Cruises incorporate Cuba as a destination from December this year and positioned thier ship 'MSC Opera' in Havana, as homeport for the winter season 2015/2016 cruises.

As a result of this change in winter scheduling season 2015/2016, MSC Opera will not stop in the Canary Islands, Madeira and Morocco. The company has reached an agreement with the tour group Cubanacan, based in Cuba, to provide ground services and excursions. So, Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Mexico will be explored by travelers.

"We are especially proud to have this new and fascinating destination", said the MSC CEO , who also thanked their cooperation to the Minister of Transport and Tourism of Cuba, Oscar Carbajal.

The first cruise will depart from Havana on 22 December, previously the 'MSC Opera' will sail from Genoa bound for Cuba, on December 2 on a route 'MSC Grand Voyage'.

The April 21, 2016 the ship leave Havana for a journey back to Europe, eventually docking in Warnemunde, Germany, on May 7, 2016.

As part of the investment plan, amounting to 5,100 million euros announced in 2014, MSC Cruise had booked 200 million euros to renovate and modernize four of its ships 'MSC Armonia', 'MSC Sinfonia', 'MSC Lirica' and now 'MSC Opera', currently in dry dock and are waiting to resume his sailing this month.

55% of cruise passengers worldwide comes from North America (11.82 million), of which 10.92 million US residents, according to the report Global Economic Contribution of Cruise Tourism 2013, the first evaluating the economic impact of global cruise industry developed to CLIA for Business Research & Economic Advisers (BREA).

On June 29, Baleària issued the approval of the first license to operate between the US and Cuba, granted by the 'Bureau of Industry and Security', which allows the entry and exit of boats to and from Cuba, but not transporting passengers for tourism.