Cruise Passengers Left Stranded in Miami After Coast Guard Detains Ship

Embarking on any voyage comes with the potential for hiccups, no matter the amount of preparation. The reason for this trip’s derailment, however, is probably one of the more unique ones out there. Thousands of vacation plans were thrown into disarray after the U.S. Coast Guard detained a cruise ship in Miami, preventing it from setting off on an 11-night Caribbean voyage.

Passengers aboard the MSC Poesia had expected to depart on Sunday, Nov. 1. Two days later, they learned their entire trip had been canceled after inspectors discovered problems involving systems aboard the vessel.

The ship had been scheduled to visit six destinations across the Caribbean and Central America before returning to Miami on Nov. 12. After two days of waiting aboard the vessel, passengers instead faced the prospect of arranging transportation home.

In a Nov. 3 U.S. Coast Guard press release, Capt. Frank Florio, commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami, confirmed that inspectors had identified deficiencies involving systems aboard the ship.

Inspectors Found Problems Aboard the Ship

Embedded media follows. Please allow a moment for it to load.

A Coast Guard Port State Control team detained the Panama-flagged MSC Poesia on Sunday, Nov. 1, after discovering the deficiencies during an inspection at PortMiami.

“The Coast Guard cannot currently comment on the specifics of an ongoing Port State Control Examination, but we have identified deficiencies with systems on board the vessel that we are addressing with MSC,” Florio said.

The agency explained that its Port State Control program examines foreign-flagged commercial vessels visiting U.S. ports for compliance with safety, security, and environmental requirements. Ships found to have substantial deficiencies can be detained until the problems are corrected.

The Coast Guard confirmed on Nov. 3 that the MSC Poesia would remain in Miami until the necessary corrections were made and inspectors cleared it to depart.

Passengers Offered Refunds After Cruise Canceled

MSC Cruises confirmed the cancellation on Tuesday, Nov. 3, apologizing to passengers and promising full refunds of their cruise fares. According to a cancellation letter distributed to guests, shared on Facebook, and reported on by Cruise Hive, passengers were also offered a future cruise credit worth 100% of their original fare, along with reimbursement for certain travel-related expenses.

The ship had been scheduled to visit Jamaica, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Belize. Its cancellation meant passengers would miss the entire 11-night itinerary, which was supposed to conclude in Miami on Nov. 12.

Passengers were permitted to remain aboard until noon on Thursday, Nov. 5, while arranging alternative transportation, according to NBC 6 South Florida. The MSC Cruises website lists the ship’s capacity at 3,223 guests and 1,039 crew members, although the exact number of passengers aboard the canceled sailing has not been confirmed.

Vessel-tracking data from VesselTracker continued to show the MSC Poesia moored in Miami on Nov. 5. Its next cruise was scheduled to depart on Nov. 12, although the Coast Guard had not publicly announced whether the deficiencies had been corrected or when the ship might receive clearance to sail.

Want more articles like this one? Give us a follow on Yahoo