- MSC Cruises has cancelled the MSC Armonia repositioning voyage to South Africa
- The cancellation is due to the geopolitical situation in the Red Sea region
- The 26-night voyage was scheduled to depart from Marghera on 1 November 2026
- Passengers can cancel for a full refund, transfer to another Grand Voyage, or move to any other cruise
- MSC will guarantee the more favourable cruise fare for eligible transfers
MSC Cruises has cancelled a repositioning voyage to South Africa that was scheduled to take place onboard the MSC Armonia in late 2026, citing the geopolitical situation in the Red Sea region. The company confirmed that the sailing cannot take place due to the persistent geopolitical situation in the Suez region and the impact this is having on maritime transport. The cruise onboard the MSC Armonia was scheduled to depart from Marghera, Italy, on November 1, 2026, sailing to Durban on a 26-night voyage visiting destinations in Croatia and Greece before transiting the Suez Canal.
The 2001-built vessel was then scheduled to sail to ports in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, such as Aqaba, Mahé, Diego Suarez and Port Louis. The company stated that passenger safety and well-being are the highest priority and that the decision to cancel the cruise was taken after careful consideration. Affected passengers will have three options, including cancelling the booking with no penalty for a full refund, transferring their reservations to any other MSC Grand Voyage of similar duration, or moving their reservations to any other cruise currently scheduled without penalty.
For those transferring to another cruise, MSC will guarantee the more favourable cruise fare between the original departure and the new one for sailings with up to three additional nights. The company will also apply the price of the newly selected cruise and transfer any payment already made for the previous cruise to the new one. The MSC Armonia was scheduled to offer cruises in South Africa during the 2026-27 winter season, marking the ship’s debut in the region.
MSC Cruises shared in a wirtten statement: “Due to the persistent geopolitical situation in the Suez region and the impact this is having on maritime transport, we cannot guarantee safe transit through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.”
