MSC Cruises has cancelled three repositioning voyages in April from South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Europe because of the risk to shipping in the Red Sea

Ongoing attacks on merchant vessels in the region has forced the company to cancel a 24-night cruise on board MSC Splendida from Durban, South Africa to Genoa, Italy; a 21-night sailing on MSC Opera from Dubai, UAE to Genoa; and a 23-night voyage on MSC Virtuosa from Dubai to Southampton.

A spokesperson for the line said: “The safety of passengers and crew is the number one priority and as there was no viable alternative itinerary, the company has regrettably had to cancel the voyages.

“The three ships will transfer directly to Europe without any passengers on board and avoid transiting through the Red Sea. Instead, they will sail around the west coast of Africa with no ports of call on their journeys to their respective European homeports for the summer 2024 season. None of the company’s other ships in its fleet are affected.”

MSC Cruises to contact agents regarding booking transfers

MSC said all passengers booked on the three repositioning cruises have been, or are in the process of being, contacted directly or through their travel agent and can transfer their booking to a future Grand Voyage of a similar duration for free.

Alternatively, affected passengers have been advised they can rebook to any other cruise in the company’s global network, with either a partial refund or additional payment for the difference in price of the original booking, or receive a full refund with no cancellation fee.

Last year, the line repositioned MSC Orchestra away from the Red Sea due to the proximity of some ports of call to Israel and the restrictions in place in some bordering countries.