MSC Cruises was forced to cancel two voyages of the MSC Bellissima after the ship encountered engine and navigation issues.
The mechanical failure left approximately 1,880 Taiwanese and other cruise passengers stranded in Okinawa while disrupting the ship’s planned itineraries.
The 171,598-gross-ton vessel had been scheduled to depart from Keelung, Taiwan, on December 6, 2024, for a four-night cruise. It was to make stops in Ishigaki and Miyakojima, Japan, and return to Keelung. Passengers awoke on December 7 to find the ship still docked in Naha, Japan.
A series of cancellations
Initially, passengers were informed of delays due to mechanical problems. However, by December 8, MSC Cruises announced the ship would remain docked through December 10, effectively canceling the voyage. Planned calls to Ishigaki, Miyakojima, and Keelung were scrapped.
In a statement to the media, MSC Cruises said:
“MSC Bellissima remains in the port of Naha, Japan, while the necessary maintenance work is completed to enable the ship to continue with the planned cruises. We have chartered aircraft and booked seats on commercial flights to help guests fly back home. We are doing everything we can to ensure that the guests on board still have an enjoyable time on the ship.”
Engineers from Europe arrived in Okinawa to repair the vessel. As of December 9, MSC confirmed repairs were complete, but adverse weather conditions in the region caused additional delays. A high wave advisory remained in effect in Naha until midnight on December 10.
Help for passengers
MSC Cruises coordinated with travel agencies, airline partners, and Taiwanese authorities to arrange return travel for affected passengers. EVA Air, one of the airlines involved, deployed larger aircraft to accommodate the additional demand, upgrading several flights between Okinawa and Taipei from smaller Airbus A321 planes to Boeing 787-10 and Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
Passengers were also provided full refunds for the canceled cruise, including compensation for excursions booked through MSC Cruises.
In addition, the company offered affected guests a voucher worth 50% of their original fare for use on a future cruise. The third and fourth guests in each cabin received vouchers valued at $75 per person.
MSC reimbursed up to $200 per person for additional transportation within Japan, while up to $400 per person was compensated for international travel.
Disruption from the start
The voyage was marred from its outset. Passengers reported being informed of engine issues shortly after the ship failed to depart as scheduled on the evening of Dec. 6.
The MSC Bellissima’s December 8 departure from Keelung was also canceled. The cruise line has not indicated if upcoming sailings scheduled for late December and early 2025, including a repositioning to Shanghai, will be impacted.
