The MSC cruise ship MSC Orchestra is still scheduled to arrive in Durban, on the planned roundtrips in the Indian Ocean starting December 2021 until April 2022. The Company still doesn’t react to the news headlines, where the new Omicron variant is getting more frequent recently and also on the travel bans on South Africa.

MSC Orchestra is sailing on the South African Wild Coast, scheduled to arrive in Durban on 2nd of December, and depart on the 6th of December. The announcement of South Africa about the discovery of the new Variant of COVID-19, named Omicron by the World Health Organization had caused dozens of countries worldwide to force direct travel bans on anyone coming from South Africa, or uncompromising quarantine for the residents returning from the affected country. The price that MSC has paid is no good selling of the tickets for MSC Orchestra cruises as normal passenger voyage, and the lack of passengers are exactly the Europeans that can not go back home after those cruises. 

Spreading of the so far not proved information about the Omicron has confused South African industry and left a major question mark over upcoming South African cruise itineraries that either sail from Cape Town, or call at any South African ports.

The possible expectations of cruise experts are that it is likely for the cruise company to be forced to change the itineraries if Mozambique (where two most important ports of call of the vessel are: Pomene and Portuguese Island) urge a ban on tourists from South Africa.

MSC Cruises, in cooperation with South Africa is following strict guidelines for the safety rules to combat the spread of COVID aboard its ships. Across the fleet, passengers are required to be fully vaccinated, and will be screened for COVID-19 before, during and after the cruise. Masks will be required in some indoors spaces and social distancing will be enforced during the cruise, according to the MSC website.