MSC Meraviglia Undergoes Repairs, Coast Guard Warns Boaters
An MSC Cruises ship is docked in Portland, Maine, but it’s not there with any passengers.
Arriving in port on May 12, 2025, for an unscheduled “call,” the 171,598-gross-ton MSC Meraviglia is being serviced by a dive team working beneath the surface to replace broken propeller blades, which forced the cruise line to cancel its first New York to The Bahamas voyage scheduled for May 11, 2025.
The US Coast Guard has been warning boaters in the area to use caution while sailing in Casco Bay due to the underwater operations taking place near the port’s Ocean Gateway Terminal, where the ship sits with just its crew.
Underwater repairs are necessary when a ship cannot return to a dry dock. Divers can remove bent propeller blades by using hydraulic grinders to cut and crop blade sections. They also will do the same on the opposite propeller to balance the system.
The massive ship is the 23rd largest in the world and an imposing figure at the port. Even more imposing has been a spew of “odd-colored” smoke emitting from the 4,500-passenger ship’s smokestacks.
Turns out, while under repairs, the vessel is utilizing its scrubbers to remove toxins from its exhaust, leading to the environmental group Portland Protectors to raise concerns about MSC Meraviglia’s impact on the air and water quality.
However, the ship won’t be in Portland much longer. Repairs are expected to be complete ahead of the weekend and MSC Meraviglia, which was christened in 2017, will be heading back to sea by May 17, 2025, to resume her cruise schedule.
The ship is not scheduled for dry dock until 2027, although details are not yet available.
Ship to Resume Bahamas Schedule
While residents of Portland aren’t exactly happy its port is home to a damaged vessel, MSC Cruises passengers will be thrilled to see the ship return to its course.
Instead of Portland, Maine, the ship will finally begin a long series of cruises from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to the Bahamas.
Guests set to journey with the cruise line on its first voyage of the season had been notified of the initial cancellation in mid-April due to then-reported mechanical issues that were affecting MSC Meraviglia’s speed.
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Passengers were offered a chance to rebook on another MSC Cruises’ sailing or to receive a full refund, as well as a 50 percent Future Cruise Credit for the inconvenience.
Turns out the issue was related to its propellers and following the repairs, she will be ship-shape again and can finally launch the series of roundtrip voyages between New York and the Bahamas.
Her next scheduled sailing from Brooklyn is May 18, 2025, if the repairs can be complete on time, which the cruise line anticipates.
The Bahamas cruises will take passengers from New York to Port Canaveral, Florida, before visiting Nassau and MSC Cruises’ private island destination, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, in the Bahamas with two sea days to enjoy the ship.
This includes multiple pools and the Polar Aquapark, Broadway-style theater and Cirque du Soleil-style shows, the indoor Galleria Meraviglia promenade, and a host of specialty restaurants, themed bars, and lounges.
Kids sailing, from babies to teens, can enjoy the MSC Kids Club as well as special LEGO play areas and activities through the cruise line’s special LEGO partnership.
The Bahamas roundtrip sailings will continue through April 19, 2027, when MSC Meraviglia repositions to the Mediterranean.
The ship will also sail on two 7-night cruises to Kings Wharf in Bermuda in August and September of 2025.