MSC Cruises canceled an 11-night Caribbean trip after the U.S. Coast Guard detained the MSC Poesia in Miami over problems with systems aboard the ship.
The Coast Guard announced the detention on Nov. 3. Capt. Frank Florio, commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami, said officials could not discuss details of the ongoing inspection but were working with MSC to address the deficiencies. The ship will remain in port until the issues are corrected and it is cleared to sail.
An MSC spokesperson said the company had to cancel the voyage after a regulatory matter came up shortly before departure. The company said it was unable to resolve the issue in time, apologized to passengers and said they would receive full refunds of their cruise fares. MSC also said it was helping guests arrange their journeys home.
The Coast Guard’s Port State Control program inspects foreign-flagged commercial vessels at U.S. ports for compliance with safety, security and environmental requirements. If inspectors find significant problems, they can detain a vessel until the issues are fixed.
More than 2,000 people were reportedly aboard the MSC Poesia when it was detained. The ship had been scheduled to leave Miami on Nov. 1 and return on Nov. 12, stopping in Jamaica, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Belize.
Maritime attorney Alex Perez said it is unusual for a cruise ship carrying thousands of passengers to be detained instead of simply receiving a citation. Cruise ships are regularly inspected in U.S. ports, he said, but the detention suggests the Coast Guard found an issue serious enough to keep the ship from sailing.
Perez said the Coast Guard has authority to inspect vessels in U.S. ports, including cruise ships registered in other countries.
The cancellation may leave travelers facing extra costs for flights and lodging, as well as time off work they may not be able to recover. Passengers can file individual claims, Perez said, but cruise ticket contracts generally prohibit class-action lawsuits. That can make it harder for passengers to combine their claims and seek compensation together.
Some passengers discussed the disruption on online forums. One person who said they had been aboard the ship since Sept. 28 wrote that they realized it had not left the harbor at the expected time during dinner. The passenger said they were disappointed that the final portion of an extended cruise had been canceled, but appreciated the compensation and help getting home.
Another commenter wondered what kind of problem would lead the Coast Guard to prevent the ship from sailing, adding that more details might eventually emerge.
