MSC from Florida current sailing capacity

[pirokp]

Hi,

Has anyone recently sailed MSC from Florida?  If so, how full was your cruise?

 

Mike

[zackarykeef]

I was on the Meraviglia 2 weeks ago, and there were about 1200. Most recent cruise was around 800 I think. It seems from reports they’ve all been 800-1500 about. Feels empty! My review is coming soon…

[jules815]

Does anyone know how long they'll be sailing under capacity?

[Geobugs]

Last week, I heard more crew than passengers.

[no1talks]

17 minutes ago, Geobugs said:

Last week, I heard more crew than passengers.

More crew than passengers? Not always a bad thing...
😏

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, no1talks said:

More crew than passengers? Not always a bad thing...
😏

 

God, I miss the Yacht Club...😩

[GA Dave]

10 hours ago, jules815 said:

Does anyone know how long they'll be sailing under capacity?

I think the bigger issue right now is not having enough customers wanting to cruise vs limiting how many reservations they take.  I thought my cruise this Friday would fill up with the absolutely ridiculous deals they are offering, but it still looks very empty.  Once people realize that they are truly safer on a cruise ship right now than they are at a Wal-Mart or in a theme park, they will start filling up.

[Morgsmom]

Wow, you are right GA Dave - there are a ton of empty cabins on the upcoming sailings from FL

[Homosassa]

Now that vaccinations are required for all passengers ages twelve and up for ships to enter port in the Bahamas, the US Virgin Islands, and other ports of call, those of us who did not rebook our canceled MSC cruises because of their decision of welcoming the unvaccinated on board may be looking at MSC again as an option.

 

Especially good was the change in considering unvaccinated children that were traveling with vaccinated parents to be vaccinated to now being considered unvaccinated. Hopefully, those children will have all procedures for unvaccinated guests enforced on board.  

[Geobugs]

I just got off of the MSC Meraviglia.  Another possibility is that people don't want to cruise out of Florida in the August heat.  Most of my cruises have been November through February, during the colder months.  I won't cruise in August again.  The Heat was intense in Nassau and Ocean Cay and I am a Floridian.  Even the staterooms were warmer than normal during the daytime. 

[9876]

54 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Now that vaccinations are required for all passengers ages twelve and up for ships to enter port in the Bahamas, the US Virgin Islands, and other ports of call, those of us who did not rebook our canceled MSC cruises because of their decision of welcoming the unvaccinated on board may be looking at MSC again as an option.

 

Especially good was the change in considering unvaccinated children that were traveling with vaccinated parents to be vaccinated to now being considered unvaccinated. Hopefully, those children will have all procedures for unvaccinated guests enforced on board.  

Just remember that the vaccination change is only for September and October from the Bahamas for now.  This is not a MSC issue, it is a Bahamas issue.  MSC has been operating out of Europe with passengers that have the shot and not for a while now.  I feel they know how to do this.

[HappyInVan]

3 hours ago, GA Dave said:

Once people realize that they are truly safer on a cruise ship right now than they are at a Wal-Mart or in a theme park, they will start filling up.

 

I can think of two reasons why cruisers are cancelling. One, those who live out-of-state might not want to linger to visit the attractions in Florida. So, makes a cruise out of FL less attractive. Second, FL hospitals are full. In the event of a non-covid emergency. Who knows where the patient might end up?

 

IMHO, the cruise lines should consider sailing out of safer ports. That will fill up the ships. I doubt that MSC will continue to sail at 30% capacity indefinitely?

[DFWGUYZ]

Don't forget it is also Hurricane Season. 

[shipgeeks]

59 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

 

I can think of two reasons why cruisers are cancelling. One, those who live out-of-state might not want to linger to visit the attractions in Florida. So, makes a cruise out of FL less attractive. Second, FL hospitals are full. In the event of a non-covid emergency. Who knows where the patient might end up?

 

IMHO, the cruise lines should consider sailing out of safer ports. That will fill up the ships. I doubt that MSC will continue to sail at 30% capacity indefinitely?

Baltimore, please!  (Bring Armonia back.  I bet she would sell easily there.)

[ciabelle]

I recently posted my analysis of available cabins  on a group I manage on another popular social media site for my upcoming cruise on the Divina.
 

 

Key takeaways, at least 30% of all available cabins are currently unsold with sailing just over a month away. Absolutely no Bella balconies (B1) are available on decks 9, 10, or 11 even though there are several B1 class cabins on these decks. My hunch is that these may be set aside for quarantine or other CDC compliance. 

What remains unknown is if every one of these cabins could potentially still be booked, or if the sailing would automatically be closed to new bookings once a certain threshold was reached. 

[MEDIAGIRL]

19 hours ago, pirokp said:

Hi,

Has anyone recently sailed MSC from Florida?  If so, how full was your cruise?

 

Mike

We went in August.  It was 2/3 full.  We had no problem with things being crowded.

[Homosassa]

5 hours ago, 9876 said:

Just remember that the vaccination change is only for September and October from the Bahamas for now.  This is not a MSC issue, it is a Bahamas issue.  MSC has been operating out of Europe with passengers that have the shot and not for a while now.  I feel they know how to do this.

To believe that more countries will not extend the vaccination requirements or put in place new ones is  naive.

 

And while it is true that MSC has been cruising with mixed passenger populations on board in Europe, there is no reason to do so from the US ports where vaccinations are readily available for ages twelve and up.

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, Geobugs said:

I just got off of the MSC Meraviglia.  Another possibility is that people don't want to cruise out of Florida in the August heat.  Most of my cruises have been November through February, during the colder months.  I won't cruise in August again.  The Heat was intense in Nassau and Ocean Cay and I am a Floridian.  Even the staterooms were warmer than normal during the daytime. 

 

I have been in your part of Florida during the Summer.  It's uncomfortable for this Ohioan.  But, South Florida is a totally different type of heat.  I'd describe it, at its worse, as walking into a blast furnace from an air conditioned airport terminal!  

 

I'd suggest another off putting reason for some cruisers reluctant to sail from a Florida port is the State's Covid record.

[9876]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

To believe that more countries will not extend the vaccination requirements or put in place new ones is  naive.

 

And while it is true that MSC has been cruising with mixed passenger populations on board in Europe, there is no reason to do so from the US ports where vaccinations are readily available for ages twelve and up.

Maybe but remember that this is how these countries survive.  Tourism is not a drop of the bucket in their world and have been hurting badly during these times.  We shall see...no telling what lies ahead.  I still can't believe the last year and half.

 

[kilkoyne]

Sailings have only been 3 and 4 nights. For myself it's not worth the travel time to go on a cruise that's less than 7 nights. Maybe that has something to do with it too?

[Heartgrove]

I currently have a problem sailing from a state that has a worse COVID record now than a year ago before the vaccine. It would be nice to consider MSC for a cruise now but I wonder if I will even be able to sail on a HAL cruise booked for February 2022 from Florida. I feel safe while on the cruise ship but the travel to and from concerns me.

 

But I am seriously looking at September 2022 for some MSC cruises leaving from Genoa. This would end a few days before a HAL cruise from Venice.

[cruzccl]

Just off 3 Day Meraviglia on 8/20-8/23.  Was told 862 passengers.  It was very quiet.  

[Geobugs]

3 hours ago, kilkoyne said:

Sailings have only been 3 and 4 nights. For myself it's not worth the travel time to go on a cruise that's less than 7 nights. Maybe that has something to do with it too?

My son sailed for 7 nights, 3 with his friends and 4 with his father.  It was worth.

[stevenq99]

I believe the other part of the low bookings is that traditionally MSC has a large number of guests from Europe.  I don't believe travel has been opened up yet from Europe to the US. 

[jules815]

On 8/25/2021 at 10:48 AM, HappyInVan said:

 

I can think of two reasons why cruisers are cancelling. One, those who live out-of-state might not want to linger to visit the attractions in Florida. So, makes a cruise out of FL less attractive. Second, FL hospitals are full. In the event of a non-covid emergency. Who knows where the patient might end up?

 

IMHO, the cruise lines should consider sailing out of safer ports. That will fill up the ships. I doubt that MSC will continue to sail at 30% capacity indefinitely?

 

Very true. The thing we're more worried about now are the 2 days in Miami pre-cruise. I know the hospital situation down there isn't good. A friend's 30-something brother just spent 3 days in the hallway at a hospital in Plantation for a non-COVID related illness.