MSC Cruises has put its Summer 2028 programme from Southampton on sale, with 21 sailings aboard MSC Meraviglia running from May to October 2028 — and one itinerary in particular aimed squarely at football fans.
Departing 10 June 2028, a special seven-night round-Britain sailing calls at Cherbourg, Cork, Liverpool, Belfast and Greenock while UEFA Euro 2028 — which the UK and Ireland are hosting — plays out ashore, with match screenings and themed entertainment on board throughout.
The release stops short of naming the tournament for licensing reasons, but the route reads like a host-city tour by sea.
The wider programme
Beyond the football sailing, the season spans the Norwegian fjords, Northern Europe, France, Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands and Morocco, on itineraries of 7 to 14 nights.
Fares start from £824 per person for a seven-night France and Spain sailing departing 1 July 2028.
It’s Meraviglia’s second summer based in Southampton, having taken over the slot from MSC Virtuosa in 2027, and MSC keeps Southampton served year-round with MSC Preziosa covering the winters.
Early bookers were offered a £50-per-person deposit on 2028 sailings, though that promotion closed at the end of June; Voyagers Club members still stack a 5% loyalty saving with a further 5% early-booking discount.
The ship
Meraviglia brings the full big-ship MSC package to the Solent: speciality dining including the Ocean Cay seafood restaurant, Hola! Tacos & Cantina, Butcher’s Cut steakhouse and Kaito sushi and teppanyaki; 20 bars between decks including the Edge Cocktail Bar and Jean-Philippe Chocolat & Café; pools, an outdoor waterpark, racing and flight simulators, a bowling alley and full-scale theatre shows; a Balinese spa with thermal suite; and the MSC Yacht Club, the line’s ship-within-a-ship enclave with butler service, exclusive restaurant, lounge and pool.
Why it matters for UK cruisers
No-fly departures from Southampton remain the easiest possible entry to cruising, and a two-year booking horizon means the best cabins and school-holiday dates are on the table now rather than in the last-minute scramble.
As ever with headline fares, compare on total cost rather than the lead price — but a £824 starting point for a brand-new-to-Southampton ship in peak summer is a competitive marker for 2028.
Image: MSC Cruises
