On Thursday, February 5, 2026, MSC Seaside broke free from its moorings and drifted away from the pier in The Bahamas.
The incident happened at MSC Cruises' private island, MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, while guests were waiting to return to the ship.
According to a video shared on social media, the front mooring lines securing the bow snapped and sent the front of the ship drifting from the pier as strong winds swept through the area. Thankfully, the aft lines remained intact.
"We are very grateful to all the hardworking crews of MSC Seaside for keeping us safe yesterday during the expected weather," @jelly.mae.aaron captioned the minute-long TikTok.
In the short video clip, several crew members wearing bright orange hard hats are seen dragging a heavy mooring line along the gangway.
The incident caused passengers to remain stranded on the island while crew members worked to secure the vessel and bring it back alongside the pier.
Based on available passenger accounts and video footage, no damage or injuries were reported.
MSC Seaside was on the final day of a 4-night cruise that previously called at Nassau. The 153,516 gross-ton ship departed MSC Ocean Cay and returned to Miami, Florida, as scheduled on Friday, Feb. 6.
The Seaside Class cruise ship will homeport in Miami through at least April 2028, offering a rotating series of 3- and 4-night voyages to The Bahamas — though occasional weeklong Caribbean cruises are also available.
Read more: 10 Things I learned on my first MSC cruise
MSC Seascape broke loose from the pier at Ocean Cay last summer
In June 2025, MSC Seascape's mooring lines broke after a sudden squall with high winds ravaged the island.
In a TikTok posted by @cruising.is.life, the vessel can be seen drifting from the dock, with the startling sound of the mooring lines snapping in the background.
Many guests were stuck ashore as the gangway collapsed into the water. Unfortunately, one passenger was injured, but the crew's immediate response helped minimize serious consequences.
Read more: Strong winds disrupt thousands as multiple cruise ships break free from docks
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
