MSC Cruises have abruptly pulled a popular summer 2026 trip after announcing a major itinerary change, according to reports.
The cancellation has shifted plans for those planning to board the MSC Magnifica next year but there is good news for fans of the vessel.
A summer 2026 cruise trip on board MSC Magnifica has been cancelled[/caption]
MSC Cruises has cancelled a Baltic cruise portion of its global tour originally set for May 16, 2026 onboard the MSC Magnifica[/caption]
A look on the huge top deck of the vessel[/caption]
MSC Cruises has cancelled a Baltic cruise portion of its global tour originally set for May 16, 2026 on board the MSC Magnifica.
The reason for the change in schedule is due to changes to the vessel’s world cruise route which has now extended its schedule.
The huge cruise liner is scheduled to sail roundtrip from the German port of Warnemünde for a ten-night cruise of Northern Europe.
The itinerary includes stops in Sweden, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, and Denmark.
Guests will be able to visit some of the best cities each country has to offer including Ronne, Visby, Klaipeda, Tallinn, Kotka, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Karlskrona.
It was then scheduled to arrive in Italy to depart for the Baltic tour.
But an extension to the Northern Europe route means the ship won’t return to Italy until May 16 – the same day it was due to depart again.
An extra 12 days will be added to the ship’s journey after the 2026 world cruise faced security issues in the Middle East and Red Sea.
The Red Sea borders Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, which has been embattled in conflict with Iran and Hamas.
This meant that the ship couldn’t safely travel through the Suez Canal and had to take a longer route around South Africa and the Atlantic.
According to a statement issued by MSC, guests booked on the world cruise were even offered the opportunity to remain onboard for 12 additional days at no extra cost.
Passengers who have had their travel plans disrupted on the Baltic cruise were also given two options.
These include rebooking on subsequent days or cancelling their bookings completely for a full refund.
All affected guests are currently being informed by the company, according to a report by Schiff und Kreuzfahrten.
The changes to the MSC Magnifica’s schedule are also expected to impact on another voyage to Northern Europe.
Scheduled to depart from Genoa on May 3, 2026, the cruise is likely to have to halt its start date.
Sailing from Italy to Warnemünde, the 13-night cruise was set to visit destinations in France, Spain, Morocco and Denmark next year.
It follows another set of MSC cancellations announced last month.
MSC Cruises cancelled every trip planned aboard its Meraviglia ship between November 8, 2026, and April 11, 2027.
That’s because the ship, which is docked in New York City, is being moved to join the rest of the brand’s fleet in Miami, Florida.
After making the sudden business decision, the company told passengers that their trips had been cancelled.
In an email, they wrote, “MSC Meraviglia will now sail from Miami, Florida, during the Winter 2026/2027 season, offering 6- and 8-night cruises to the Caribbean and The Bahamas,” Cruise Hive reported.
MSC Cruises said that the move was a “response to the demand we are seeing,” according to USA Today.
The MSC Magnifica cruise ship is seen leaving Venice[/caption]
