The cruise liner said customers who had already paid for their cruises would receive a voucher for the value of their current 2019/2020 cruise package, which they can redeem in the upcoming local cruise season in 2020/2021.
Additionally, they will receive shipboard credit of $50 (about R826) per cabin to be used on a cruise in the next season.
"For any other expenses they may have incurred, such as flights, hotels amd transport, they will need to contact their travel insurance company or supplier directly," MSC said.
Ross Volk, managing director MSC Cruises South Africa, said: “This is not a decision we took lightly, but in the circumstances, the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities ashore – including our employees and their families – must come first. As a family company with more than 300 years of maritime tradition, we felt this was the right decision to make".
South Africa has 62 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Gauteng, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.