MSC Preziosa Makes First 2026 Svalbard Call at Longyearbyen
A second Longyearbyen call is scheduled for August 15 on a similar two-week Norwegian itinerary, with two more Spitsbergen cruises planned in both 2027 and 2028.
MSC Preziosa arrived at Longyearbyen on June 28 for the first of two Svalbard calls MSC Cruises has scheduled in 2026, bringing a 139,072-gross-ton ship into a destination more commonly served by smaller expedition vessels. The call was part of a 14-night Norway and North Cape sailing from Hamburg, where the ship is based for the summer.
Preziosa is the only MSC Cruises vessel listed for Svalbard this year. Its second Longyearbyen call is scheduled for Aug. 15 on a similar two-week Norwegian itinerary.
The North Cape itinerary
For the June sailing, Preziosa spent about 14 hours docked in Spitsbergen. The cruise also included an overnight call at Honningsvag, from which passengers could visit the North Cape, the northernmost point of continental Europe, along with calls at Tromso, Molde, Olden and Stavanger.
The August sailing pairs Longyearbyen with Olden, Molde and Stavanger. MSC Cruises has also placed Svalbard back on Preziosa’s forward schedule, with two Spitsbergen cruises planned aboard the ship in both 2027 and 2028.
Longyearbyen logistics for a large call
Built in 2013, Preziosa carries 3,502 passengers at standard occupancy and up to 4,345 at maximum capacity, with a crew of about 1,390. The ship is 333 meters long. That is close to the 335-meter vessel limit listed for Longyearbyen’s Bykaia cruise pier.
Longyearbyen’s cruise piers do not have shops, cafes or restrooms at the berth. Visitors can reach the town center by a flat 1.5-kilometer walk, shuttle bus, taxi or organized tour, while movement outside the settlement requires a rifle-trained escort because of polar bear risk.
Preziosa stays in Northern Europe
MSC Cruises is using Preziosa for a broader Northern Europe program that includes the British Isles, the Baltic and Scandinavia, as well as week-long winter itineraries to ports in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The ship arrived in the region earlier this year after completing a South America winter season with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay itineraries. Its published deployment keeps Preziosa in Northern Europe through at least late 2028.
See current MSC Preziosa fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
