Key Aspects:
- Protesting sailors prevented MSC Cruises’ MSC Orchestra from docking in Marseille on February 2.
- This meant that the planned embarkation and debarkation could not go ahead as planned.
- Guests who were left behind in Marseille will be able to join the ship in Genoa, Italy, on February 3.
MSC Orchestra was blocked from docking in Marseille, France, on February 2, 2026, by protesting sailors.
Per local outlet Ouest-France, the demonstration blocked the north access to the cruise port, which prevented the 3,223-guest ship from docking.
Despite waiting for several hours, the Musica-class ship was eventually forced to give up on calling at the popular port, which is part of the French Riviera.
This is problematic, as Marselle is one of the homeports for the 7-night Mediterranean sailings that the MSC ship simultaneously operates – meaning the disembarkation and embarkation process could not happen as planned.
The other homeports include Barcelona and Valencia in Spain and Genoa, Livorno, and Civitavecchia (Rome) in Italy.
Impact on Passengers
A good chunk of current guests were supposed to disembark from the 92,409-gross ton ship in Marseille and a new round of passengers was supposed to take their place.
Obviously, this did not happen, negatively impacting hundreds (if not thousands) of guests.
“I’m at the dock in Marseille and the boat left embarrassingly without us. We’ve been stranded since 11 am this morning,” one of the impacted passengers shared on social media.
“The boat just left in the direction of Genoa. It was waiting for negotiations that did not come until 20h. We had the boat in view till 8pm,” another stranded guest chimed in.
This has been verified by cruise tracking data, which shows the ship sailing toward Genoa on the night of February 2 at speeds of 18 knots. It is scheduled to arrive at 8 a.m. on February 3.
Per guests who were left behind in Marseille, MSC Cruises has put them up in a hotel and will shuttle them to Genoa to join the ship there. The ports are approximately 244 miles apart, which is a distance that takes around two and a half hours to drive.
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“They transferred us to hotels and tomorrow we’re heading to Genoa by bus,” one of the impacted cruisers confirmed.
It’s not clear if additional compensation will be provided for the missed cruise day or how the cruise line is assisting guests who missed their disembarkation, though a similar transfer option will likely be available.
Why Were the Sailors Protesting?
It’s not the first time that cruise ships have been blocked by protestors in Marseille, but the circumstances on this occasion are different.
In the past, the protests were orchestrated by environmental activism groups like Extinction Rebellion and Stop Croisières. This time, striking sailors are to blame.
Sailors in the Fédération Nationale des Syndicats Maritimes Union (FNSM-CGT) filed a 48 renewable strike notice to take place on February 2 and 3, which conflicted with MSC Orchestra’s planned visit.
The main purpose of the strike is to secure more jobs, higher pay, and better working conditions for French seamen.
Thankfully, no other cruise ships should be impacted by the demonstration, assuming the strike is not renewed. MSC Orchestra was the only ship present on February 2.
The next planned call is on February 6, which is when Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Vesta is scheduled to arrive.
