MSC Virtuosa : UK cruises - are excursions still mandatory?

[phoenixalpha]

Looking to book a trip on the Virtuosa in September but if memory serves you cant leave the ship unless on a mandatory MSC Excursion. Is this still the case?

[Huntingdon1701]

I've not seen anything to say that's changed. Other cruiselines have relaxed on that, but not MSC to date. 

[Notts1964]

It’s correct on the current sailing. We didn’t bother getting off today in Portland, but have booked an MSC shore excursion in Belfast. There are warnings in our literature, that if we leave our shore excursion we won’t be able to get back on the ship.

[phoenixalpha]

I had read that if you left an excursion that was you - off the ship. 
I know other cruise companies had relaxed their mandatory excursions but I didnt know if MSC would be doing so.

[hamrag]

7 hours ago, phoenixalpha said:

Looking to book a trip on the Virtuosa in September but if memory serves you cant leave the ship unless on a mandatory MSC Excursion. Is this still the case?

 

Not true...what is true is you can't leave the ship unless on a MSC excursion....which is by no means mandatory! 🙄

[Huntingdon1701]

There are restrictions compared to normal on the excursions, but on the ones I did, I also found the guides were pragmatic and would assess risk. ie If alone in the middle of nowhere, masks were not required off the coach, but were required when going to a crowded beach.