Planning a Florida trip? Explore Launchpad Getaways: day trips, weekends and parks around the state →
MIAMI, FL, Nov. 4, 2026 — The cruise ship MSC Poesia was still docked at PortMiami as of Tuesday night, according to Cruise Hive and gCaptain, two days after the U.S. Coast Guard detained it during an inspection and kept it from leaving on an 11-night Caribbean trip that MSC Cruises has now canceled.
A Coast Guard Miami Port State Control team detained the ship Sunday "after identifying deficiencies during an inspection," the agency said in a Nov. 3 news release.
"The Coast Guard cannot currently comment on the specifics of an ongoing Port State Control Examination, but we have identified deficiencies with systems on board the vessel that we are addressing with MSC," said Capt. Frank Florio, commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami.
The release said the ship "remains detained at the Port of Miami until the deficiencies are corrected and it is cleared for departure." Neither the Coast Guard nor MSC has said publicly which systems are involved or when the ship might be released, gCaptain reported.
What a Port State Control detention means
Under its Port State Control program, the Coast Guard inspects foreign-flagged commercial ships visiting U.S. ports to check that they meet safety, security and environmental requirements. "When substantial noncompliance is identified, the Coast Guard may detain a vessel until the deficiencies that prevent its departure are corrected," the release said.
MSC Poesia is flagged in Panama, according to gCaptain. Built in 2008, the 92,627-gross-ton ship is part of MSC's Musica class, is 294 meters long and can carry 3,223 guests and about 1,039 crew members. It went through a major refurbishment earlier this year, and gCaptain reported there's been no indication the work is connected to the detention.
What MSC told guests
Guests boarded Sunday for a trip that was scheduled to leave at 5 p.m., Cruise Hive reported. They learned just after 10 a.m. Tuesday that the sailing was canceled. Cruise Hive reported that announcements on board said the issue wasn't related to health or safety; Launchpad couldn't independently confirm that, and the Coast Guard hasn't described the deficiencies.
"We have made the difficult decision to cancel the current sailing," MSC said in a statement reported by CBS News. "We recognize how disappointing and frustrating this news is for our guests, and we sincerely apologize for the disruption to their holiday." A source told CBS more than 2,000 people were aboard.
A letter MSC delivered to staterooms, as quoted by Cruise Hive, said, "On Sunday evening prior to departure, a regulatory matter arose that required resolution and unfortunately, the resources necessary to address this matter have not been available in time to meet the sailing schedule."
According to Cruise Hive's account of that letter:
- Guests get a full refund of their cruise fare and eligible prepaid purchases, such as drink packages, specialty dining, internet and shore tours booked through MSC, returned to the original payment method within 14 days.
- Guests also get a future cruise credit equal to 100% of the fare they paid, which must be used by confirming a booking by Nov. 2, 2027.
- MSC will reimburse eligible change fees and transportation charges, plus a hotel if a guest can't travel home on the day they leave the ship. Claims have to be submitted for review.
- Wi-Fi is free on board so guests can rearrange their travel.
Guests can stay on the ship until noon Thursday, Nov. 5, gCaptain and NBC 6 reported.
The trip that didn't happen
The canceled cruise was set to visit Jamaica, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Belize before returning to Miami on Nov. 12, according to gCaptain. The ship's next scheduled trip is a 10-night Caribbean cruise leaving Miami on Nov. 12, and MSC hadn't announced any change to it as of gCaptain's report.
If you're booked on that sailing, check directly with MSC or your travel agent for updates.
Sources: U.S. Coast Guard; gCaptain; Cruise Hive; CBS News; NBC 6 South Florida.
← More State stories · All Launchpad stories · Spotted an error? Request a correction.