MSC Cruises has yet to comment on the potential quarantine of the MSC Orchestra, which is due to return to Durban on March 20. eTNW contacted md of MSC Cruises SA, Ross Volk, who said there would be meetings held today to discuss the fate of the 2 800 passengers.
The ship set sail for Mozambique from the port of Durban on March 16 and is to be the last cruise of the season as MSC has cancelled remaining local cruises for the 2019/2020 cruise season (ending in April).
The MSC Orchestra is to be isolated on return to Durban and treated as a quarantine vessel, according to Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula. Fikile highlighted that the ship had left after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced measures to be taken to stop the spread of COVID-19, and that it needed to be dealt with under the new regulations.
