MSC Cruises to close private island for six weeks next year

MSC Seashore's first call into Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
By Harry Kemble
30/06/2023
Home » MSC Cruises to close private island for six weeks next year

MSC Cruises is to temporarily close its private island Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve next year to ‘make necessary guest experience enhancements’.

The line confirmed the island in the Bahamas would close for most of April and May 2024 in an email to passengers and travel agents.

A MSC Cruises spokesperson said: “Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will be temporarily closed to MSC Cruises guests from 7 April to 22 May 2024 in order to make necessary guest experience enhancements and support the island’s future growth plans.

“We are in contact with impacted guests and travel advisors to share updated itineraries and travel options. We are providing flexibility to allow for requested changes to their travel plans.”

More than 35 cruises to be operated by MSC Seashore (pictured), MSC Seascape, MSC Divina and MSC Meraviglia have been changed.

Instead of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, passengers will either visit Nassau or Freeport in the Bahamas or Isla Roatan in Honduras on some longer sailings.

Affected guests can either choose to remain on the altered cruise or move to any comparable MSC summer 2024 sailing of the same length and accommodation type between 1 April and 31 October 2024 without penalties.

MSC says the best price will be honoured, either of the original sailing or the new cruise, whichever is lower.  

Passengers can also switch to any other MSC Cruises sailing, on any ship or date, but prevailing cruise rates will apply.

Guests who choose this option must pay the current price for the new cruise minus the funds from the transferred cruise.

Finally, passengers can also cancel their cruise vacation for a full refund with no penalties.

MSC is currently working on updating all existing bookings and the changes won’t be confirmed until 5 July.

Passengers will be given until 31 July to decide which option they wish to take.

Latest News

Loading