Before leaving

Light, casual clothing for everyday wear. Make sure you dress comfortably. Take a costume along, as all our ships have swimming pools. As regards footwear, you should wear comfortable shoes for our land excursions and sandals or rubber-soled shoes for walking on deck. If you like keeping fit and taking part in sports activities, take the sportswear and gym shoes you might need. We recommend a hat or visor against the sun.

Every passenger must make sure he has the identity document, valid for travel, required for the selected cruise.
Otherwise the passenger will not be allowed to embark ship. In this case, a refund for the cruise ticket will not be authorised.

• 1. United States: international travellers who are seeking to travel to the United States are now subject to enhanced security requirements. All eligible travellers who wish to travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must obtain an electronic travel authorization prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the U.S. under the VWP (effective since Jan. 12, 2009). To check which countries participate in the VW Program and for any further information, please visit the web site https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
• 
  2. Minors: for minors travelling to Egypt, Morocco and Gibraltar, please consider that: the "Birth Certificate with travel abroad authentication" and "the Identity Certificate for children" are no longer valid. Children under 15 are therefore required to:
  • - have their own passport or
  • - be included in their parent or a
  • - guardian's passport or
  • - have a valid ID for travelling abroad.
  For all other travel documents and visas, please ask your travel agent.

Embarkation begins approx. three hours prior to the departure time indicated in the brochure and on your cruise ticket.
Check-in closes one hour before the ship departs, except for American ports where check in closes two hours before. On-line check - in is available at selected ports on the web site www.mscexpress.net. Passengers will need to carry their own luggage from the airport onto coach and also from the coach onto ship. All the guests of the MSC Yacht Club suites (on board MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia and MSC Magnifica) will enjoy a dedicated check in and will be assisted by special staff, who will immediately accompany them to be welcomed in the Concierge lounge.
On embarkation passengers should perform the following (in the order specified):

• Deliver luggage to the designated staff who will then deliver it to your cabin. Prior to this all bags should be labelled with name, surname, name of the ship, cabin number and date and port of departure.
• Proceed to the check-in desk with cruise ticket and passport.
• After the document check, passengers will receive a Cruise Card; a magnetic card used for onboard payment of excursions, bar bills, laundry, in-cabin service, hairdresser, beauty centre, dutyfree shops, photographer and tips (excluding the casino). To obtain the Cruise Card, passengers must either register their credit card or leave a specified cash sum as deposit. Personal cheques are not accepted. The following credit cards can be registered onboard: Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, JCB and American Express. This CASHLESS SYSTEM is valid on all ships.
• Safety procedure: as a safety precaution, security staff may search a passenger and/ or his/her luggage and confiscate any articles that the Company considers could risk the safety of the passengers, crew or ship.

On-board staff reserves the right to remove any beverages present in passenger baggage. These will be returned the evening before disembarkation. We would like to remind you that passengers are prohibited from bringing unpackaged food on board.

For cruises including flight connections, passengers should check in at the flight company desk at least two hours before the flight. On arrival at the international destination airport, passengers will find cruise representatives and transfers to the port.

EC Regulation 1889/2005: Any natural person entering or leaving the Community and carrying cash of a value of Euro 10,000 or more shall declare that sum to the competent authorities of the Member state through which he is entering or leaving the Community in accordance with this Regulation.

Passengers with physical or mental disabilities are referred to Clause 6.10 of the Booking Conditions. The Passenger warrants that he is fit to travel by sea and by air and that his conduct or condition will not impair the safety or convenience of the vessels, aircraft and/or the other passengers. Any Passenger with a condition that may affect fitness to travel must submit a doctor's certificate prior to booking. Without this certificate, boarding may be prohibited.
Any specific transport and/or lodging and/or assistance needs must be communicated at the time the reservation is made, and are subject to availability. Ships are not equipped with specialized rooms/equipment/ medical assistance. Women, who are less than 28 weeks pregnant by the end of the cruise, must at the time of embarkation produce a medical certificate from a doctor confirming their fitness to travel on board a cruise ship for the period of the cruise and for the actual itinerary. MSC Cruises is not in any way responsible for any consequence resulting from a passenger's inability to travel, whether or not it is evident. No refund or indemnity is owed to any passenger who cannot begin or continue the trip due to their own inability. Every ship carries a doctor and medical personnel who are able to treat minor injuries. Charges will be made onboard for medical services.

Passengers are advised to consult their National Health Service prior to the cruise for information regarding recommended vaccinations. MSC Cruises declines all responsibility for passengers who do not adhere to the recommendations on the prevention of infectious diseases.

From September 2009 South African and Namibian Health Authorities require that all passengers arriving from previous African ports are compelled to show proof of Yellow Fever vaccination.

Therefore, concerning MSC Sinfonia Cruise departing on 24 October and all the other South Africa cruises, any failure to provide proof of vaccination will result in passengers being denied boarding.