The MSC Poesia cruise ship was detained by the U.S. Coast Guard at PortMiami, Miami, Florida, on November 1, 2026, before its scheduled departure. The detention followed a pre-departure inspection that revealed deficiencies with systems on board the vessel, prompting officials to bar its departure.
As a result, MSC Cruises cancelled the MSC Poesia’s 11-night Caribbean cruise itinerary. The planned route included port calls in Jamaica, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Belize. Passengers booked on this cruise were provided assistance to return home and will receive a full refund of their cruise fare, the cruise line confirmed.
Official Statements on the Detention
Captain Frank
Florio, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami, said the Coast Guard identified “deficiencies with systems on board the vessel” and that these issues are being addressed with MSC Cruises. He declined to comment further due to the ongoing Port State Control Examination.
MSC Cruises stated that a regulatory matter arose prior to departure that required resolution, but the company was unable to resolve it in time for the sailing to proceed. The cruise line expressed apology for the disruption and frustration caused to guests by the cancellation.
The U.S. Coast Guard emphasized that safety of passengers, crew, the
vessel, and the environment remains the Captain of the Port’s priority during this process.
Ship Capacity and Upcoming Itinerary
The MSC Poesia has a reported passenger capacity exceeding 2,550, with crew numbers over 1,000. Despite the detention and cancellation of the November 1 cruise, the ship is scheduled to depart from PortMiami for a 10-night round-trip Eastern Caribbean itinerary on November 12, 2026, pending resolution of the identified deficiencies.
Inspection Status and Cooperation
The detention of MSC Poesia is part of a Port State Control Examination conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard. MSC Cruises is cooperating fully with the authorities to address the regulatory issues. No further details on
the specific deficiencies have been released by either the Coast Guard or the cruise line.
