MSC Meraviglia Guests Disembark in Cozumel After Okay from Officials

Guests aboard MSC Cruise’ Meravigilia are being allowed to disembark in Cozumel today, after the ship was given a “clean bill of health” by Mexican health officials.

The ship had been blocked from making scheduled calls in Ocho Rios and George Town earlier this week because of concerns that a crew member onboard who was unwell had been infected with coronavirus, but tests from the Mexican Health Ministry determined that neither the crew member, nor a guest who was also unwell, had been infected with the virus.

Instead, according to MSC, after samples were tested at a Mexican Ministry of Public Health laboratory in the city of Chetumal, both the crew member and the guest were determined to have common flu.

In a statement, MSC’s executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago thanked Mexican authorities for their work in helping clear the crew member and guests and allowing the ship’s guests to disembark and said the decisions by both Jamaica and Grand Cayman to block the ship earlier in the week was “disappointing.”  

“The disappointing decisions by Jamaica and Grand Cayman to bar our ship to allow our passengers to disembark and enjoy their islands was born out of fear, not best medical practice,” Vago said.  

“This led to unnecessary and unjustifiable anxiety, not only for our passengers and crew on board, but right across the Caribbean’s tourism sector, and possibly even further beyond.”

The guests will be able to spend a full day in Cozumel on Friday before departing later on Friday night to return to Miami by Sunday. All of the 4,580 guests onboard will receive a full refund of their cruise fare “due to the disruptive nature of their holiday,” MSC said.