MSC Cruises Cancels Sailing, Schedules Ship For Dry Dock Instead
A few thousand cruisers booked to sail aboard an MSC Cruises’ ship in 2026 received some unwelcome news: Their voyage is cancelled due to a newly scheduled dry dock, where routine maintenance on the ship will be completed.
The 4,500-guest MSC Seashore, a Seaside EVO-class ship that entered service in 2021, homeports year-round at Florida’s Port Canaveral. In a notice to booked guests, the cruise line apologized for the disruption to their vacation plans.
The ship’s April 5, 2026 cruise to the Bahamas has been nixed to accommodate a two-week-long dry dock.
The 170,412-gross-ton vessel will enter a shipyard for repairs following a 3-night Caribbean & Bahamas cruise, ending on March 29, 2026, and emerge in time to operate an 11-night voyage to the Bahamas and several Western Caribbean ports departing on April 19, 2026.
“Due to the scheduled maintenance, it is with deep regret that we inform you that your sailing has been cancelled,” MSC Cruises wrote in its notice to guests.
“We understand how disappointing this news is, especially since you were looking forward to your vacation with us. Please accept our sincere apology for this cancellation and the disruption to your travel plans,” the notice added.
Booked guests have two options: Receive a full refund of the cruise fare paid so far or choose another voyage and transfer their reservation. Guests can select any other MSC Cruises’ sailing to any destination and on any departure dates.
No change fees will be incurred, however, current cruise fares on a replacement sailing could be higher than the original fare.
Cruisers who wish to choose another voyage from Port Canaveral will have more choices, since a second MSC Cruises’ ship, the 4,800-guest MSC Grandiosa, will be based at the Central Florida port for the winter 2025-26 season.
In fact, the deployment to Port Canaveral will be the first time MSC Grandiosa will be based in North America. The ship will sail 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises, offering a wide choice of accommodations in her 2,400-plus staterooms and suites.
The deployment of MSC Seashore to Port Canaveral in 2023 marked the first time that one of MSC Cruises’ Seaside EVO-class ships was based at the destination, which is known as the gateway to Orlando, home to several major theme parks.
Some Dry Docks Leave Little Time to Make Changes
Since the cancelled voyage aboard MSC Seashore is nearly a year away, booked guests have plenty of time to reschedule a cruise, arrange air travel if needed, and make other plans. That is not always the case.
Read Also: Why Are MSC Cruises So Cheap?
In fact, MSC Cruises recently gave booked guests just three weeks’ notice that their May 11, 2025 cruise from New York’s Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to the Bahamas was being cancelled.
Cruisers all set to board MSC Meraviglia were informed on April 16, 2025 that problems with the ship’s propulsion system required immediate attention, forcing the cancellation of their 7-night cruise.
In that disappointing case, guests could opt for a refund or choose another sailing, and those who do so by May 2, 2025 will receive an onboard credit of $100 per person, for a maximum $200 per stateroom.
Also, those who rebook will get a 50% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) based on the cruise fare they paid for the cancelled sailing.
When MSC Seashore emerges from dry dock, she will likely have had renovations to public areas and staterooms. Dining and lounge areas typically get refreshed during dry dock, and any structural fixes are made to the ship’s hull and other components.
MSC Cruises Cancels Sailing, Schedules Ship For Dry Dock Instead