MSC MUSICA

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Positioning trips cancelled due to safety situation

After the trips had no longer been bookable for a few weeks, MSC Cruises has now finally canceled the positioning trips from Kiel to Dubai with the 'MSC Euribia'. Due to the security situation on the Red Sea, where ships are being attacked by the Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen, MSC Cruises has now reacted early to ensure security for booked guests. The 2024 summer season ends on October 19, 2024 in Kiel. The last guests of a one-week fjord cruise from/to Kiel and the guests of a six-day cruise from Copenhagen to Kiel will disembark there. MSC Cruises currently seems to be planning a trip around Africa for the 'MSC Euribia' without guests in order to safely move the ship from the summer sailing area in Northern Europe to the winter sailing area on the Persian Gulf. The first cruise in the Orient is scheduled to begin in Dubai on Nov 16, 2024. All sailings with the 'MSC Euribia' from Oct 19 to Nov 15 have therefore been cancelled. This applies to the Grand Voyage from Northern Europe to the Orient, which could also be booked in shorter sections. The period from Oct 19 to Nov 16 should be enough to take the 'MSC Euribia' from Kiel to Dubai without guests. New cruises to destinations in Africa are unlikely to be possible given the relatively short cancellation period. In addition to the 'MSC Euribia', according to the original schedule, the 'MSC Musica' is also scheduled to sail through the Red Sea in autumn 2024 to get to South Africa from the Mediterranean. Trips in the period from Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 22 cannot currently be booked. An alternative for the journey from Genoa to Durban is still unknown. Here, too, there could be travel cancellations or a new itinerary along the coast of West Africa.

Medevac off Punta del Este

An 84-year-old passenger suffered a heart attack aboard the 'MSC Música' when it was sailing near Punta del Este on March 6, 2024. Navy personnel asked the Maritime Rescue Association (ADES) for assistance after 7 p.m., and the Ädes 30' proceeded to the vessel and carried out the medical evacuation of the stabilized patient 45 minutes after the alert. Once at the port, he was transferred in an ambulance to a healthcare center.

Israeli passengers franferred on another cruise ship

With the full-scale conflict under way in Gaza, cruise lines have suspended port calls in Israel's Mediterranean ports for at least several weeks. On the 'MSC Musica', this security-driven consideration left hundreds of Israeli nationals at sea, far from home, until the operator chartered the Israeli-owned cruise ship 'Crown Iris' to take them back. The 'MSC Musica' is home-based in Haifa, serving the Israeli market with cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean. On Oct 5, the vessel got under way, bound for Limassol and Mikonos on her regular rotation. When Hamas terrorists broke through Israeli border defenses and attacked civilian settlements on Oct 7, the 'MSC Musica' was under way off Rhodes, and called at Mikonos as expected; however, MSC decided that under the circumstances, she would not be returning to Israel. Instead, the 'MSC Musica's itinerary would be cut short and Israeli passengers would be transferred to another vessel at Limassol. MSC chartered the cruise ship 'Crown Iris' from an Israeli operator, Mano Maritime, to return the 800 Israeli passengers from the 'MSC Musica' to Haifa. On Oct 10, both vessels berthed in Limassol and carried out the passenger transfer. All passengers were back in Haifa on Oct 11, and MSC covered all related costs. MSC has suspended port calls in Israel through the end of the month, and the 'MSC Musica', unable to return to Haifa, has moored in Thira on Oct 16.