Key Aspects:
- MSC Poesia has had her current 11-night sailing cancelled following a two-day delay in Miami due to a U.S. Coast Guard inspection.
- The ship was originally scheduled to depart on Sunday, November 1 at 5 p.m. but remained in port through Tuesday morning when the cancellation was announced.
- No information about the nature of the inspection or any findings have been publicly confirmed.
MSC Cruises’ MSC Poesia was scheduled to set sail from PortMiami on an 11-night Southern and Western Caribbean itinerary beginning Sunday, November 1, 2026, but the ship remained at the South Florida port with guests onboard as the cancellation was announced on Tuesday morning, November 3.
A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) inspection delayed the vessel’s departure. The ship should have been at her first port of call, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
At just after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, however, guests were informed their cruise was now cancelled.
“It is with very deep regret that I must inform you that we have made the difficult decision to cancel our cruise,” the ship’s captain announced over the ship’s public address system. “Despite our team’s continuous effort to solve the regulatory matter that delayed our departure, we unfortunately have to cancel.”
The captain went on to apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience, and confirmed that MSC Cruises would provide a full refund to guests along with a future cruise credit and additional compensation.
Full details about the compensation, debarkation, and next steps for guests would be delivered to guests’ staterooms later on Tuesday.
Guests are being permitted to remain onboard MSC Poesia until noon on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Furthermore, free WiFi is being provided to all guests so they could make travel arrangements if needed.
“We understand that this is not the outcome any of us had hoped for,” the captain said. “My crew and I share your disappointment and we are truly, truly, truly sorry that we have been unable to deliver the holiday experience you were so looking forward to. On behalf of everyone on Poesia, thank you for your patience, understanding, and cooperation throughout this difficult situation.”
What Happened to MSC Poesia?
Passengers did board the ship on Sunday as planned, but MSC Poesia was unable to depart. According to CBS News Miami, Coast Guard Sector Miami had detained the ship for inspection to ensure compliance with U.S. regulations and international standards.
“The Coast Guard is tasked with verifying safe and secure commerce. It is the Captain of the Port’s priority to ensure the safety of passengers, crew, the vessel, and the environment,” the USCG said in a statement to CBS News.
No further details on the nature of the inspection have been publicly disclosed. This is not, however, a health inspection from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program, which is a different type of inspection from a different agency.
At 8:40 p.m. Monday, more than 27 hours after the ship had been scheduled to depart Miami, the ship’s captain provided an update to guests onboard, but it wasn’t what guests had hoped to hear.
“Regarding our departure from Miami, our team continues to work closely with the United States Coast Guard, and we remain hopeful that we will receive the necessary clearance to proceed with our voyage,” he said.
If clearance had been granted, a revised itinerary would have been provided for the remainder of the cruise. If guests preferred not to continue with the sailing, cancellation options would also be provided.
“If we are unable to depart tomorrow, we will unfortunately need to cancel the voyage,” the captain warned guests. “In that event, be assured MSC Cruises will provide a refund and additional compensation with full details and guidance on the next steps.”
Onboard entertainment, dining, and amenities remained available to guests during the delay.
Cruise Hive reached out to MSC Cruises for clarification on the situation but has not heard back from the cruise line as of press time. The cruise line did provide a statement to CBS News Miami noting that it is cooperating fully with the authorities in this matter.
The original itinerary for this 11-night sailing included port visits in Jamaica, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Belize before the 2,550-guest, Musica-class ship would have returned to Miami on Thursday, November 12.
Depending on the outcome of the USCG inspection, additional sailings may also be impacted, though there is not yet any announcement about future cruises.
The ship’s next departure is a 10-night round-trip Eastern Caribbean itinerary planned to set sail from Miami on Thursday, November 12 with visits to the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Antigua, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
