While cruise business is picking up in many areas of the world, Covid issues are causing cancellation of a number of ‘world cruise’ or ’round-the-world’ itineraries cruise lines were hoping to sail in 2022, making up for 2020 and 2021 cancellations.
Latest to hit the cancel button is MSC Cruises, which last week dropped a 117-night itinerary for MSC Poesia; other cruise lines including Carnival brands Holland-America, Princess, Seabourn and Cunard had already canceled, citing the same reason: So many of the intended ports of call either have major Covid restrictions in place or have not yet agreed to allow ships to call.
Most of the cruise lines that are currently sailing have been limited in their reach: mostly 5 to 10 day cruises within either North America, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Bahamas or in the Mediterranean and British ports.
MSC is offering the canceled passengers either a refund, or a transfer to a newly-added 2023 world cruise. It will send MSC Magnifica on that one, following the same dates and itinerary as MSC Poesia’s next-year cruise.
