MSC Cruises has cancelled the current voyage of MSC Poesia after the US Coast Guard detained the vessel at the Port of Miami on November 1st, citing deficiencies identified during a Port State Control inspection.
The Coast Guard confirmed the detention in a statement issued on November 3rd, but did not disclose details of the deficiencies, describing the examination as ongoing. The identified issues involve onboard systems and must be rectified before the vessel can receive clearance to depart. The Coast Guard’s Port State Control programme inspects foreign-flagged commercial ships calling at US ports to verify compliance with safety, security and environmental requirements. Vessels may be detained when significant deficiencies prevent them from sailing.
MSC Cruises said a regulatory matter requiring resolution had emerged before the scheduled departure on November 1st. Despite efforts to address the issue, the company was unable to resolve it in time for the voyage to proceed.
The cruise line subsequently cancelled the sailing and confirmed that affected guests would receive full refunds of their cruise fares, along with assistance with arrangements for their return home.
According to media reports, 2,000+ people were on board when the ship was detained. MSC Poesia has a maximum passenger capacity of ~2,550.
The cancelled 12-day itinerary was scheduled to depart Miami on November 1st and return on November 12th, with calls in Jamaica, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Belize.
For more MSC Poesia incidents and accidents, see the ship's CruiseMinus page.