In Barcelona, the MSC Armonia cruise ship was docked due to a visa dispute involving 69 Bolivian passengers. The Spanish authorities suspected that the visas of these passengers were fake and are currently holding them on another boat while an investigation is ongoing.
The MSC Armonia had set off from Brazil and was scheduled to continue through the Mediterranean before some passengers were meant to switch over in Barcelona. However, the delay caused by the visa issues resulted in planned stops in France, Greece, and Croatia being canceled, leading some passengers to leave the boat early.
Originally, Barcelona was supposed to be the final destination for the Bolivian passengers, but the ship had to stay in port until the situation was resolved. MSC Cruises confirmed that the cruise would resume sailing on Thursday after working with Spanish authorities to disembark the Bolivian guests who would follow the immigration process as required by law.
The visas of the Bolivian passengers were found not to be valid for entry into Spain, and authorities are currently investigating how they obtained them. The diplomat of Bolivia in Barcelona stated that some of the passengers may have been tricked into obtaining fake visas.
MSC Cruises is known for offering luxury cruises lasting months at a time, and their new four-month-long world cruise set for 2026 is expected to cost between $15,800 and $38,210 per person depending on cabin choice.
