Initially, a sense of calm prevailed aboard the MSC World Europa. Many of the cruise passengers, still unaware of the mechanical failure, relaxed by the pool or sunbathed. However, agitation soon grew, not only among the over 8,000 people on board (6,496 passengers and 2,089 crew members) but especially among those waiting to embark on the ship, which had set sail from Genoa on Sunday.
The vessel’s next scheduled stop was to be Sicily before continuing to other holiday destinations in the western Mediterranean. “We have been dreaming of this vacation for a year and we will do it at all costs,” said two women waiting at the port of Naples in the early afternoon, by which time news of the breakdown near the island of Ponza had spread.
The first testimony from the recently departed cruise arrived around 2 p.m., a couple of hours after the news began circulating in the media. “We are at a standstill with the propellers off, with the island of Ponza behind us, and now the coast guard is here,” said a tourist on board. “The services are operational, but the engines have been off since 5:30 this morning. Logistically, the ship is operational, but in terms of autonomy, everything is stopped; the engines are still blocked.”
On the ship, a veritable sea giant over 333 meters long with 20 decks and over 2,600 cabins, the situation appeared tranquil: some sunbathed, others swam, and some stopped at the bar for a coffee. The scene changed shortly after, however, as a lack of information began to worry the cruisers. “We found out from the TV news,” complained one passenger. “We were without water and without power last night,” said another in a video testimony.
Even when the ship restarted around 4 p.m., complaints about the inconveniences continued. “We were told we are setting off again, but only one engine is working,” said a woman in another video. The ship was originally scheduled to depart from the port of Naples at 2:30 p.m.
The prospect of a vacation—if not ruined, certainly not as expected—now looms for those waiting ticket-in-hand at the Neapolitan port. Several hundred tourists, their eyes glued to their smartphones, followed the evolving situation online. In the maritime station hall, there was a constant coming and going of people seeking updates on the resumption of the voyage. “We are waiting here to board,” wrote Maurizio Bondi. “I hope everything goes well and that it all gets resolved, for our sake too, as we are yet to depart.”