As she unfortunately sometimes does, Mother Nature has forced another cruise ship to alter its itinerary.
MSC Meraviglia, which is simultaneously operating a 7-night and 18-night Bahamas sailing that embarked from New York on January 5, 2025, has had to alter course due to poor weather conditions.
The flagship of MSC’s Meraviglia-class vessels called on Port Canaveral, Florida, as planned on January 7, 2025 – which was the first stop on the itinerary.
But while passengers expected to be sailing back to sea around 9 p.m. EST, the weather led to a change of plans that kept the 171,598-gross ton ship in port overnight.
Current guests also have reported that the call on Ocean Cay scheduled for January 9 – which is MSC’s private island destination and marine reserve in the Bahamas – will also have to be skipped.
“We’re on the MSC Meraviglia and they announced that we’re staying overnight in Port Canaveral and skipping Ocean Cay…This is due to weather,” one of the current guests posted on Reddit on January 7.
“Itinerary changed due to weather. No Ocean Cay. More Port Canaveral,” another passenger confirmed on Facebook.
But between Port Canaveral and Ocean Cay, there is another port call scheduled. The 5,714-guest ship is expected in Nassau, Bahamas, on January 8 – and it’s so far unclear if the surprise overnight in Orlando will impact her visit.
That said, cruise tracking data shows that the MSC ship isn’t due to arrive in Nassau until 1 p.m. local time. Thanks to its close proximity to Florida, it’s quite possible that the ship could still arrive in the capital of the Bahamas on time if they depart from Orlando early enough in the morning.
This situation is still developing and MSC Cruises has not released any statements regarding the matter as of the time of publication.
Should Bad Weather Lead to Compensation?
One question on many guests’ minds was if they would be compensated by MSC for the missed call on MSC Ocean Cay – which many saw as the highlight of their vacation.
However, frequent cruisers know that safety is always the top priority – and the cruise lines have the right to change the itinerary at any time for a multitude of reasons. This means that compensation is unlikely in this case.
“MSC can not control the weather…As far as compensation, don’t get your hopes up. It is not their fault, and they make very sure you know that missed ports can happen,” one person wrote in response to a question about potential compensation.
“I’m literally on the same trip…and we’re so bummed that they’re skipping ocean cay…that was gonna be the highlight of the trip…but I guess they won’t refund anything besides the excursions,” another current passenger wrote.
Former guests who had experienced similar circumstances said they only received a refund for the port fees and cancelled excursions.
Read Also: What to Do Onboard a Cruise Ship in Bad Weather
Currently, Port Canaveral is under a Hazardous Weather Outlook advisory by the National Weather Service that says the area is impacted by winds of up to 20 knots, seas up to 6 to 8 feet tall, and potentially life-threatening rip currents.
“A moderate risk of life-threatening rip currents, in addition to a strong, southward-flowing longshore current, exists at all central Florida Atlantic beaches…Poor to hazardous boating conditions continue, with northwest winds 15 to 20 knots and seas up to 6 to 8 feet in the Gulf Stream,” reads the advisory, in part.
While cruise ships are equipped to handle rough seas, it’s simply safer to avoid them – if only to help keep passengers comfortable. Some guests have already shared that the voyage to Port Canaveral was unpleasant.
“What a rough ride tonight. Couldn’t enjoy gala night and my lobster dinner. Motion sickness, my son and I. Even with Dramamine,” one guest wrote.
That said, it’s also possible that the conditions are also poor in Ocean Cay. According to early reports from current passengers and cruise tracking data, MSC Divina is also turning its January 7 call on Ocean Cay into an unexpected overnight call due to high winds.
