High seas drama: Cruise ship bound for Bahamas is diverted to Portland
Photo / Peter Van Allen
The MSC Meraviglia, which had been scheduled for a cruise to the Bahamas, was rerouted to New England by stormy seas. It was in Portland on Dec. 20.
A cruise ship taking cover from a major Atlantic storm is in Portland this week — and some passengers may not be happy about it.
The MSC Meraviglia, which had been scheduled for a cruise to the Bahamas, rerouted its trip to New England.
On Wednesday morning, the ship was tying up in Portland, where the cruise season typically ends by early November. The MSC Meraviglia is 1,037 feet long and has a capacity of up to 5,386 passengers.
The NBC "Today Show" reported that passengers who packed for a Bahamas cruise were not happy with being diverted to chilly New England.
"We thought we were being punked. But it’s just like Bahamas, Boston … it’s a huge difference,” passenger Val Montgomery told NBC.
The ship departed New York City on Dec. 16 and spent the worst days of the storm in port in Boston.
The MSC Meraviglia was scheduled to depart Portland late Wednesday afternoon and head next to Saint John, New Brunswick, in Canada.
Well-documented adventure
Besides "Today," the ship's detour was featured in coverage by ABC, CBS, Fox News, the New York Post and the Boston Globe.
“I did not want to pay $5,000 [for the family] to come to Boston,” one passenger told the Globe. “This was supposed to be our Christmas vacation.”
The MSC Meraviglia already visited Maine during the regular cruise ship season, calling twice on Portland and Bar Harbor. Now the vessel's unexpected return may result in a spurt of holiday business for Old Port retailers.
In any case, the ship is scheduled to visit Portland again in May 2024.
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