MSC Opera cancels remainder of current cruise after crash
MSC Cruises has been forced to cancel the remainder of the current itinerary onboard its ship Opera, following damage to the vessel’s hull at the weekend.
Investigations are underway and repairs are being carried out after Opera collided with a dock and a Uniworld river boat in Venice on Sunday.
In a letter to passengers, MSC said authorities are investigating the cause of the incident and the ship has not been allowed to leave Venice, meaning guests will not be able to complete their original itinerary.
The ship was on a seven-day roundtrip itinerary from Bari, from where it had set sail on June 1.
"As we are not in a position to foresee when the ship will be permitted to sail, MSC Cruises has decided to reimburse each guest the full cost of the cruise ticket," the letter said.
"The ship will however remain available to all those guests who wish to stay onboard and all services and amusements will continue to fully operate. In addition, a free shuttle boat to and from Piazza San Marco in Venice will be made available to all passengers.
"For those guests who prefer leaving the ship and going back home, MSC Cruises is ready to provide all necessary assistance for the transportation and to take charge of the costs."
The letter added MSC was hoping to get authorisation to leave Venice by Friday June 7, so it can arrive at Bari on Saturday, where many guests are due to disembark.
"In case this is not possible, we will provide all assistance needed and take charge of the cost for bringing them to Bari," it added.
Meanwhile, Uniworld has cancelled the next six sailings of the River Countess, the boat that was hit in the incident.
It is due to return to service on July 21 when it will sail from Venice as part of a cruise starting in Milan on June 19.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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