Storms And Strikes Cause More Southampton Cruise Disruption

P&O Cruises and MSC Cruises have both been forced to make significant changes to sailings from Southampton, with severe weather and industrial action in France causing delayed departures, cancelled ports and shortened holidays.

Ventura arrived back in Southampton 24 hours later than planned on Sunday 25th October 2026, forcing P&O Cruises to reduce its next sailing from seven nights to six.

Meanwhile, MSC Virtuosa remained alongside in Southampton overnight rather than departing on Saturday evening, with two French ports removed from its itinerary and a replacement stop added in Spain.

Both ships have been affected by Storm Austen, while P&O Cruises has also cited Storm Boelo in its decision to delay Ventura’s return. Separate disruption in France has added further complications to the two itineraries.

The changes affect passengers travelling on week-long cruises to destinations in France, Spain and Portugal, although the impact on the holidays differs considerably between the two ships.

P&O Ventura Passengers Lose A Day Of Their Cruise

Ventura had been due to return to Southampton on Saturday 24th October following a seven-night voyage. However, deteriorating weather conditions prevented the ship from arriving on schedule.

According to the Associated British Ports cruise schedule, the ship eventually reached Southampton at 6.07am on Sunday 25th October.

Passengers booked on the following sailing were informed of the disruption on Friday 23rd October, giving them approximately two days’ notice that their embarkation would be delayed.

In its communication to affected guests, P&O Cruises explained:

“Due to the impact of Storm Austen and Storm Boelo our Southampton operations team and the Port Authority have delayed Ventura’s arrival into Southampton by 24 hours,”

Passengers were instructed to arrive at their previously allocated check-in times, but on Sunday rather than Saturday.

The delayed departure means that Ventura’s scheduled seven-night voyage to France, Spain and Portugal has been reduced to six nights.

Cherbourg, which was originally due to be the first port of call on Sunday 25th October, has been removed from the itinerary.

Although the delayed embarkation would have made the visit impossible, P&O Cruises also identified disruption in France as a reason for cancelling the stop.

The company told passengers:

“Following recent protests and civil unrest in France, we have also taken the decision to cancel the planned call to Cherbourg on Sunday 25 October,”

The remaining ports are currently unchanged, with Ventura scheduled to visit Porto on Tuesday 27th October, Lisbon on Wednesday 28th October and Vigo on Thursday 29th October.

The ship is expected to return to Southampton on Saturday 31st October, preserving its original disembarkation date.

Compensation Prompts Passenger Complaints

P&O Cruises has offered passengers a future cruise credit equivalent to one day’s proportionate value of their holiday.

However, the decision to provide credit towards another booking rather than a cash refund has attracted criticism from some affected passengers.

One guest questioned why they would have to book another cruise to recover the value of the day they had lost.

“The refund should be in cash, not a future cruise credit. I know it’s not their fault, but we’re not getting the 7-night cruise we paid for,”

Another passenger expressed frustration that the compensation would only be useful if they intended to sail with P&O Cruises again.

“I haven’t got a future cruise planned with P&O and don’t intend to either,”

Questions have also been raised about prepaid extras, including drinks packages and internet access, which passengers may now be able to use for one fewer day.

The initial communication did not specify whether separate refunds would be provided for these purchases.

MSC Virtuosa Faces A Different Set Of Disruptions

While Ventura’s passengers have lost an entire day of their holiday, guests boarding MSC Virtuosa on Saturday 24th October were able to embark as planned.

However, their ship was required to remain in Southampton until Sunday evening because of the weather.

MSC Virtuosa had originally been scheduled to depart at 8pm on Saturday, but the revised sailing time was set for 7pm on Sunday 25th October.

Passengers were informed of the changes after boarding, with a letter delivered to their cabins outlining both the weather-related delay and the wider itinerary adjustments.

MSC Cruises explained that its decision followed an assessment of the conditions expected in the English Channel and Bay of Biscay, alongside industrial action affecting ports in France.

The revised itinerary removes two French destinations, La Rochelle and Le Havre, while introducing an additional Spanish port.

La Rochelle, originally scheduled for Monday 26th October, has been cancelled because of forecasts indicating that sea conditions could make entering the port unsafe.

The ship will instead spend Monday at sea before continuing to Bilbao on Tuesday 27th October and A Coruña on Wednesday 28th October, both of which remain on the itinerary.

A previously scheduled sea day on Thursday 29th October will now include a call at Vigo, Spain, between 8am and 6pm.

The second cancelled French stop is Le Havre, originally due on Friday 30th October.

MSC Cruises has attributed that cancellation to planned strike action which is expected to prevent the port from operating normally.

Friday will therefore become a sea day, allowing the ship to return to Southampton on Saturday 31st October as originally planned.

Passengers who purchased MSC Cruises shore excursions for either cancelled French port will receive automatic refunds to their onboard accounts.

Excursions for the newly added visit to Vigo are being made available through the MSC for Me app.

Unlike Ventura’s sailing, MSC Virtuosa’s cruise remains scheduled to last seven nights, although its departure has been delayed and the number of planned port visits has been reduced.

Passengers Warned About Rough Conditions

MSC Cruises has also advised guests to take precautions because of the possibility of continued rough seas after the ship leaves Southampton.

Its letter warned:

“While MSC Virtuosa is designed to operate safely in these conditions, some movement of the ship may still be experienced,”

Passengers were advised to avoid exposed outdoor areas and balconies during difficult conditions, use handrails when moving around the ship and prepare for the possibility that outdoor facilities could be temporarily closed.

Wind speeds in parts of the English Channel were reported at approximately 40mph on Saturday evening, around the time MSC Virtuosa had originally been due to depart.

Although conditions were forecast to improve during Sunday, strong winds were still expected in some areas of the Channel.

The ship’s prolonged stay in Southampton follows an earlier weather-related adjustment on its previous cruise.

MSC Virtuosa had arrived in Southampton on Thursday 22nd October, considerably earlier than its originally planned Saturday return, allowing it to avoid worsening conditions at sea.

Other vessels have also experienced disruption linked to Storm Austen, including MSC Preziosa, P&O Cruises’ Arvia and Iona, and Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition.

The latest changes demonstrate how the combination of severe weather and disruption ashore can affect cruise itineraries in different ways.

For Ventura’s passengers, the immediate consequence is a shorter holiday and compensation that must be used towards another cruise. For guests on MSC Virtuosa, the length of the sailing remains unchanged, but the itinerary now includes additional time at sea and the loss of both planned French destinations.

Both ships are currently scheduled to complete their voyages in Southampton on 31st October.