Winds keep ship in Cape Town Harbor for days

Gale-force winds trapped MSC Cruises' Sinfonia and its nearly 1,300 passengers in Cape Town harbor from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2.

The Cape Town-based ship, which serves primarily South African customers, was supposed to leave Nov. 28 for a five-night cruise, visiting the country's Western Cape. It eventually left on Dec. 2 at 4 a.m. on a two-day cruise to nowhere. It was the ship's first cruise of the season from Cape Town.

"The comfort and safety of passengers is and will always remain the top priority for MSC," the company explained on its Facebook page.

Gusts reached up to 75 mph at times, closing the harbor and blowing pedestrians to the ground in the city, reported local site News24. The region, at the southern tip of the continent, is notorious for strong, billowing winds.

Although the 1,273 passengers remained in port, they were not allowed to leave the ship, and shops and the casino remained closed due to local regulations. Passengers received free drinks at times in addition to a 30% discount on bar purchases, the cruise line said. They were also given the opportunity to remain on the ship for a four-night sailing leaving the next day for an additional $170 charge. In addition, all passengers received a voucher for a 50% discount on another cruise on Sinfonia or Opera.

This item was written by Larry Bleiberg, former Travel Editor of The Dallas Morning News and Coastal Living magazine. Bleiberg is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.