Passengers looking forward to basking in the warm Bahamian sun were dealt a chilly surprise when their holiday cruise was rerouted to the brisk winds of Boston and Canada. The MSC Meraviglia, which was set to depart from New York to the Bahamas, had to change course due to "unseasonable and rapidly worsening weather," as reported by Boston 25 News. Instead of a tropical getaway, passengers found themselves docked for three days in Boston before heading to Portland, Maine.
With over 5,000 passengers and 1,600 crew members, the MSC Meraviglia had no choice but to sail north to avoid the same violent storm system blamed for flooding and fatalities along the East Coast. Field Sutton, director of communications for MSC Cruises USA, defended the decision, asserting to the TODAY show, "The only alternative would have been to take the more extreme step of canceling the cruise -- and thousands of people's vacations -- outright."
While MCS offered passengers the option to use the full amount paid toward a future trip, many, like Lakeya Allen and Val Montgomery from Chicago, were left reeling from the sudden change. Disappointed by the swap from the promised Bahamas to the frosty Northeast, Montgomery told Boston 25 News, "When they first sent out that message, I wish they would have given us options right in that message and we could at least have a choice. We didn't have a choice at all."
Regardless of the disappointing detour, Allen and Montgomery attempted to remain upbeat amidst a "mad dash" to swap summer clothes for winter gear. "It's beautiful. I just wish we were in bathing suit attire," Allen said in an interview with the TODAY show. As if reflecting on the turn of events, they reconciled the stark contrast: "It's a big difference," Allen remarked, to which Montgomery added, "It's a huge difference."
Traditionally, the MSC Meraviglia would sail from New York to Port Canaveral, Florida, followed by Nassau, Bahamas, and visit Ocean Cay, the company’s private island. However, faced with the untimely tempest, the ship was redirected, currently in Portland, Maine, and scheduled to head to St. John's, Canada, before returning to New York.
