MSC Pulls Out of NYC Market for 2026/27

August 5, 2025 Randy Young

For the 2026/2027 winter cruise season, MSC Cruises is making a major shift in its deployment strategy. In a letter to impacted guests, MSC has stated that the MSC Meraviglia will move to sail exclusively from Miami, Florida, effectively ending its winter sailings from New York City.

A Short-Lived Presence in the Big Apple

MSC Cruises only recently started sailing year-round from New York. In 2023, the MSC Meraviglia began offering a full schedule of sailings from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. The move marked a notable expansion for the line, which had previously focused its U.S. operations almost entirely out of Florida.

Sailings from New York gave MSC Cruises a foothold in the Northeast market, attracting cruisers who preferred to drive to port rather than fly. It also gave them a unique position among major cruise lines, since few offer year-round cruises from New York to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

However, this New York experiment appears to be coming to an end.

Winter 2026/2027 Sailings from NY Cancelled

Starting in winter 2026, MSC Meraviglia will reposition to Miami and no longer sail from New York. The line will instead focus on 6- and 8-night itineraries to the Bahamas and Caribbean, visiting ports like Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Grand Turk, St. Maarten, and St. Kitts.

Cruisers booked on 2026 and 2027 sailings from New York recently received cancellation letters explaining the change.

Options for Booked Guests

MSC Cruises is offering impacted passengers a variety of rebooking options and incentives:

Option 1: Move to an 8-night Miami sailing

Guests can switch to an 8-night MSC Meraviglia sailing from Miami within the same month of their original departure. The cruise fare will match the most convenient rate available, and an additional night is included at no extra charge. A $50 per person onboard credit (up to $100 per cabin) will also be added. Holiday sailings are only available if the original booking included those dates.

Option 2: Move to a 6-night Miami sailing

Guests may opt for a 6-night Miami sailing on MSC Meraviglia, again within the same month. A $100 per person onboard credit (up to $200 per cabin) will be provided. No fees will apply, and the cruise fare will reflect the best available rate.

Option 3: Choose a 7-night cruise from any U.S. port

Guests can transfer to any 7-night MSC Cruises itinerary departing from Miami, Port Canaveral, or Galveston within the same month. The line will honor the most convenient fare available. No onboard credit is offered under this option.

Option 4: Receive a Future Cruise Credit

A full credit equal to the amount already paid can be issued, valid for booking a future MSC cruise within one year. The future sailing can depart at any time, even beyond the one-year window.

Option 5: Cancel for a full refund

Guests who do not wish to rebook may cancel their cruise and receive a full refund to their original form of payment. If no action is taken by September 30, 2025, MSC Cruises will automatically begin refund processing.

Guests should contact their travel advisor or MSC Cruises directly beginning August 6, 2025, to rebook or cancel. The deadline to act is September 30, 2025.

What This Means for NYC Cruisers

This move leaves MSC Cruises with no announced plans to sail from New York once the Merviglia leaves. The letter simply states, “With the ship’s move to Miami, we will no longer offer sailings from New York.” It’s unclear whether the line will return to the region in future years or stick to its Florida base moving forward.

Travelers who enjoyed sailing from Brooklyn will now need to travel to Miami to experience the MSC Meraviglia and the line’s signature private island offerings. For Northeast cruisers, it’s disappointing, as the choices were already pretty limited.