Intergalactic Cruiser

Wow! I'm in the UK. Which UK company are you thinking of? The only one I can think of is Cruise and Maritime. Hopefully they'll be covered by travel insurance, Section 75 on their credit card (and by ABTA if they bought in the UK). 

It seems most claims are settled but waiting is usual. Since no-one's going anywhere at the moment a delay's not too disastrous. I had a couple of claims with MSC and P and O finding Section 75 quickest. Normally they'd have to claim first off the cruise company or agents but whatever works - they won't get something off each! 

C&M good offers 2 4 1's but line erm debatable, old ships, few balconies etc but some friends (were) very happy to sail with them. Fingers crossed! 

7 hours ago, GatorMomInNC said:

Holy Cow!  Finally!!! I called my TA today (3rd time in 3 weeks).  She said she remembered me as the one I talked to 3 weeks ago and she would "escalate" it.  Just logged onto my Chase account and all my sweet beautiful points and my $400 deposit are back!!  Yeah!

 

4 months and 2 weeks from when I requested my refund!

 

Now I can book a new cruise for next year (but not MSC after this fiasco...)

 

Editing to say, my $400  is NOT actually credited to my account, but my points, worth about $4k, are credited..

Fairly common comment about booking again with MSC. With my refunds we have now booked Princess and P&O cruises plus a river cruise for next summer - all with very low deposits. MSC have lessons to learn!

TBH we won't be going on any cruise/holiday if wearing face masks is obligatory. What is the point if you can't enjoy the trips. Of course we'll comply in our new norm lives where necessary.

Hoorah!

Patience is a virtue but admit I was losing mine 4 mths ago with £4,400 refund promised then but has now just arrived. £3,700 ten days ago and the £750 deposit that we paid 18 mths ago received last night. Pleased to have that off my list of worries.

Am I happy with the broken promises, the lack of info and the delay - NO! Would I sail with MSC again - YES. However this won't be in 2021 as there isn't a no fly from the UK that attracts us. There never was, which was a consideration in not accepting FFCs. It's better to have our cash back than live with the worry that a FCC would not be retrieved and eventually not honoured by the travel industry insurers. The 25% bonus would have been worthless in rising prices or insolvency and would last past 2021 anyway. Not supposed to be a lottery

Thanks to all who have provided encouragement and advice along the way.

Cheerio and I hope you're eventually satisfactorily recompensed and can move on with your lives

15 minutes ago, sidari said:

IC ... open the link and scroll down to the Grey coloured bar - Northern Europe. The fact that you are being told it is not recommended to book is a clue that it is cancelled.

 

 

https://mscfans.blog/2020/03/12/msc-updates-ships-itineraries/?fbclid=IwAR1LSSF6MfcOmn-ndKvUW7xRoAFPITJsWsGaB1dLN6k0FFQUohe_omL62Bo

Thanks for sending that. It was a new policy updated yesterday the 6th of July and clearly cancels our September cruise. The MSC staff member I spoke with this morning obviously wasn't up to date. How typical. And to think he told us we could still book a cabin on that cruise

Will now hunt down refund of deposit even though we cancelled by default before MSC did. 

10 minutes ago, harz99 said:

Thanks, I just read some of the posts. My situation is I have a November 7 day ex Miami booked through a UK travel agent, I found from another site that MSC were redeploying ships in the Caribbean, sure enough ship changed, cabin changed and extra OBC given, no word from MSC to me or the agent about the changes. My return flight with Norwegian was cancelled and just refunded, and the deposit for my Celebrity Apex cruise prior to my MSC cruise has had the deposit moved to 2021. Final payment for the MSC cruise is first week in August, I'm not going and will not make final payment but would rather get a refund or credit than just give the money to MSC. Hence my question.

This is typical MSC misinfo if what sidari says is true. I have been told by MSC twice and Cruise1st that the September Southampton to Genoa has NOT been cancelled and if I want to book I can though they are not recommending people to do so. There is no mention of cancellations past July on the MSC website in Europe. It is different for the USA as ports won't accept cruise ships. In Europe the position is still unclear with Spanish ports closed. MSC clearly hoping the ports will be open before they have to make their arrangements to return to their home port. 

Good news for us and hopefully encouragement for others in the UK. Cruise from Dubai booked for 4th April cancelled and claim for refund made 17th March. Various promises broken but our refund from MSC - not Section 75 - has arrived on our credit card account today! Whoopee

We had to cancel our planned Preziosa cruise 2nd September from Southampton as we weren't prepared to pay the balance a month ago whilst they owed us so much money - £4,400. Just out of interest I asked them if they would reinstate the booking. They said the cruise would be sailing (at the moment) but they weren't encouraging anyone to book it as the capacity would be reduced for distancing. However if we insisted on going they wouldn't stop us...... We won't be going and in any case the price has gone up by £1,000 for the two of us!

Bye Bye MSC may see you again but not this or next year

Hope things work out for all you other sufferers 

12 hours ago, aprilF said:

 

Its very common to call the "hashtag" symbol the pound sign for US phone menus.  Its a common way to abbreviate pounds when referencing weight like in recipes if something calls for a pound of butter it would likely be written as 1# butter.  If you were calling the UK line then they should have used local dialect.

Thanks for the explanation. Didn't know that.

Yes realised that, thanks, as we do use the 'hash' key word here in the UK. No-one apart from MSC, apparently, would ever call it a 'pound' key (or in the States 'dollar' key). Was a trivial point I made but just indicated the communication skills of MSC🙂

3 minutes ago, harz99 said:

 

Well something needs to happen soon, about a week ago the big boss of MSC Cruises announced itinerary changed for 2021, since then the US site has carried a news item about this but the changes are still not showing and the old cruises are showing available to book. MSC are also well behind other cruise lines in their dates for which you can rebook, most are allowing up to end 2020 or line to "lift n shift".

 

They're pretty useless at communication. The recorded phone messages include an instruction to enter your membership number and then press the £ (pound) key.  Which phone keyboards have such a key! Told them about it months ago, given up, who cares, they don't. 🤑

5 hours ago, RobertoF said:

Here's another data point.  Got the refund for my cancelled March 18 cruise on MSC Seaside.  I filled out the cancellation form on March 16.  I received an e-mail saying the refund would be processed in 60 days.  Of course that did not happen but I received the refund to my credit card last week.  No notification or anything from MSC but I am happy to have my money back!  Good luck to those still waiting on refunds.

Congrats so that's two REPORTED  so far - one in the States and one in Norway. Nothing yet REPORTED from the UK where I have now been promised in writing that my March claim will be refunded by 9th July. I was told on Wednesday there would be a big announcement from MSC yesterday, Wednesday, but it didn't come. Whisper was that no further bookings are being taken for this year and the website is only showing 2021 cruises. This logically would mean that those who have cancelled their 2020 cruises will not be able to rebook for this year. That would leave ships less than full which might help with onboard distancing but IMHO more likely is that with Portugal, Spain and and others not welcoming cruise ships the Europe, at least, 2020 programme will all be cancelled. Pessimistic yes 'fraid so. Hope I'm wrong has been known!

10 minutes ago, harz99 said:

Yes I do mean Anthem, doh!!! I was tossing up between that and Harmony out of Barcelona, so had a senior moment there. I think the European Cities itinerary is repeated a few times from early May, we're on the first one.

It'll be the late August one for us but don't want to pay the £300 deposit so will defer for today.

Won't write again on this as want to keep on MSC topic as far as poss. Tata🛳️

1 hour ago, harz99 said:

Another UK customer here, slightly different situation in that we have a Caribbean cruise booked for this November that I want to move back a year, wouldn't be a problem for pretty much every other cruise line going on the current climate because it will cost them nothing and keeps the money in their coffers. MSC however will only allow this penalty free up to end October, after that it's £100 each to change for 2 of us or lose deposit of £200, so same thing. Final payment looms late next month at which point we shall have to cancel if they're stance doesn't change, if that happens, despite us being top loyalty level we'll be done with them cos it's not the first time they've been unhelpful to us. We're a couple of years younger than you, but being cautious we've cancelled or rebooked every holiday or weekend away up next April, with a roundtrip ex Southampton on Harmony of the Seas in May being our next planned break. Stay safe.

"""with a roundtrip ex Southampton on Harmony of the Seas in May""" I think you mean Anthem and if so there is a 7 nt cruise we could be interested in. Will investigate, thanks for the nod

6 minutes ago, harz99 said:

Another UK customer here, slightly different situation in that we have a Caribbean cruise booked for this November that I want to move back a year, wouldn't be a problem for pretty much every other cruise line going on the current climate because it will cost them nothing and keeps the money in their coffers. MSC however will only allow this penalty free up to end October, after that it's £100 each to change for 2 of us or lose deposit of £200, so same thing. Final payment looms late next month at which point we shall have to cancel if they're stance doesn't change, if that happens, despite us being top loyalty level we'll be done with them cos it's not the first time they've been unhelpful to us. We're a couple of years younger than you, but being cautious we've cancelled or rebooked every holiday or weekend away up next April, with a roundtrip ex Southampton on Harmony of the Seas in May being our next planned break. Stay safe.

I suppose we shouldn't complain having cruised many times from Southampton but there are not many cruises of interest to us May through to September next year. A repeat Princess cruise a possibility since they offer £50 deposits and we'd be happy enough given the circumstances to walk away from those. Otherwise it's re-booking our cancelled short breaks in the UK and maybe a Rhone river cruise.  

Trying to stay safe, it's everyone else😉

Hi from the UK

Cancelled P and O 14th March for 31st May cruise for £4,800 ($6,000). Cheque refund received in full 10th June, didn't like wait but they kept me well informed. Pleased with their customer relations. Section 75 of credit card claimed but matter resolved by P and O. Only issue is a planned identical cruise with them for next summer has been priced at £3,436 when our cancelled 31st May cruise this year was £2,412 an increase of 42%. Maybe to balance out the extra 25% FCC offered (but not taken). Won't be taking the cruise at that price. Sign of things to come.

MSC UK disgraceful AND dishonest. Cancelled 12th March for 4th April cruise. Similar cost to P and O cruise and broken promises after broken promises. Easy to speak with very pleasant staff but always the same result from different stories - 'refund is being processed'! Have to wait until at least middle of July now. Loyal past customers but will not be booking with them again. Section 75 claimed which may or may not arrive in the next 10 working days but before the MSC. 

Won't be cruising before at least mid 2021 as 74 soon, still very cautious and have yet to hear about changes to onboard life and facilities.

Saga UK travel insurers will now insure Covid risks apparently. Hope ours, and others, will follow

Haven't seen any posting on here from UK customers receiving any refunds

Wife and I have enjoyed our 10 week no fly/cruise /drive walking holiday from our house keeping positive and safe despite the revolting morons on the other city streets 

1 hour ago, yorkshirephil said:

I think they are all playing the same games, making everything as awkward as possible so people give up, I was told by my bank to contact the insurance company or ATOL/ABTA, in fact anybody but them, in fairness I understand, why should the bank bail out travel agents and cruise lines. It is difficult for us all. I have now decided to just wait and hope, I would be happy to take a credit as that would suit our needs. If the cruise lines jack up the prices I will wait for the refund as I don't think it is worth the hassle to continually chase the money as it is currently not the most important thing in our lives.

 

Thinks your actually spot on with that although FCCs will be difficult if nigh impossible for us to use being vulnerable, cruisewise possibly even as far as January 2021. 

MSC could just alter the Ts and Cs ad infinitum as no one or company or institution seems to want to get involved - even the legal profession unless of course you're minted.

In regard to price, you're again spot on. In that connection I've had an offer for a refund or FCCs from another cruise company, for a cancelled cruise.  However I wrote to them as follows and await a response.....

"Regarding our cancelled we were a bit surprised to find that the nearly identical cruise for next summer is now priced at an increase of 42%. We presume this is to use up any passenger's 125% FCCs which is a tad obvious. I could have sworn a few days ago that the 2021 price was almost the same as the 2020 one. Correct me if I'm mistaken. We were seriously considering booking and risking just the small deposit but not so sure now with or without FCCs"

Incidentally they were far more honest with their customers and the timescale for full resolution is 6 mths sooner

Throwing all the brochures in the bin or unsubscribing as there's little point in time wasting and futile browsing  

Don't bank on visiting the West Country, as soon as we are released from restrictions, instead as we'll be locked solid! 

1 minute ago, KennyFla said:

They need a lawyer to check if money you already paid for something they are now not going to provide can be given back to you?

They way we pay for cruises way in advance, it looks like the cruise industry was running a giant ponzi scheme and now the bill has come due.

Crossed my mind recently too and after all Ponzi was Italian! 

14 minutes ago, sidari said:

Prior to the 4 day shut down over Easter MSC updated their UK page, the FCC can be used for any cruise and those wanting a refund can apply at the end of July. It will take around 60 days for refunds to be processed.

Yes, by which time I will have waited around 150 days since they told me mine was 'being processed' ( and MSC  will have had my money for over 200 days) Were there not to be any further delays or changes of Ts and Cs that would be of some comfort but I've not noticed anyone complimenting them too much on their  customer relations. Patience is a virtue blah blah blah.😁

35 minutes ago, Seanocelt said:

People have a habit of stopping posting when their situation is resolved, on other forums ive used   It would be nice i we can post on this thread any outcomes of credit/refunds received please? Thanks.

I'm FROM THE UK and wrote several times a while ago but suffered some abuse so didn't write again. My position remains the same as on the 12th March when I was told a refund was being processed. Being 73, and with underlying conditions, I had written to ask for this before I received notification that my 7 nt cruise from Dubai, due to sail on 4th April, had been cancelled. We had booked direct with MSC. A subsequent notice online said the new Ts and Cs offered FCCs only but my agreement superceded those revisions. I have emailed a few times to keep the pot boiling understanding that they are overworked and will wait a bit longer. I booked over 12 mths ago and paid in full 90 days before the cruise as is normal in the UK. I have no idea where that places me in any queue devised by MSC. My travel insurers aren't interested because MSC cancelled the cruise leaving me to dispute it with them. I have since alerted my Mastercard credit card providers of the position under Section 75 but am reasonably content to wait a little longer to maybe reach the 60 days since the cruise date pass.

Despite not writing for ages I read all the contributions and haven't yet actually read of anyone IN THE UK having received a refund so guess, for the moment, we are all in the same boat unless someone knows different

I live in hopes

I've also had a confirmation from P and O that they will be refunding my full payment within 60 days and counting so will wait for that too. It's worth noting(?) that they also changed their Ts and Cs to remove the refund offer and replace with a good FCC offer. They do allow a longer period in which to use their FCCs than MSC and don't restrict the area in which you can spend them

FCCs are probably going to be no good to me and many others because there is doubt cruising will be possible, or desirable, for us in the future especially if travel insurance is unobtainable.

Despite the refunds at stake being in the order of £10,000 we are more concerned about staying alive to benefit.....

MSC Cruises UK

"We are pausing our monetary refunds for the time being while we await further guidance from the Government"  

14 hours ago, kalkancruiser said:

MSC are not refunding UK passengers all. Apparently they have changed their policy.

 

Please let me know if anybody else finds themselves in this position.

 

I've not seen any UK px actually get a refund yet but some, like my family, live in hopes owing to very early application. They have changed policies but they appear to be all time sensitive and the dust hasn't settled yet.

Keep Safe!

8 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Very sorry to read this, especially the part about being belligerent. Wow! That’s completely unacceptable.


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12 hours ago, Intergalactic Cruiser said:

 

14 hours ago, Pauliepaul said:

We are also based in the UK. After they finally cancelled the Fantasia sailing on the 4th April we had yet another phone conversation with them. Interestingly today (after numerous phone calls over the last week) they are saying they have permission to retrospectively change their conditions due to the circumstances and this is being back by ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents). They literally reeled off a statement. We checked ABTA out and they confirmed. https://www.abta.com/news/coronavirus-outbreak. 😞

No cash refunds, only FCC. We will still continue to dispute this as we fairly signed up to the original T&Cs so they should be honoured. We totally get their position, but equally we are all in difficult positions now too. Their beligerance over the last couple of weeks, especially in comparison to other cruise lines we have dealt with in last few weeks, has just been stress-inducing. We love MSC ships but their head office is shocking. 

We are also exploring a Section 75 claim through our credit card to see whether that expedites anything...but we doubt it. Travel insurance not interested as some form of refund is being offered--even though it isn't actually a refund!

I have found the front line staff at MSC UK extremely pleasant and understanding, not in any way belligerent. They are doing a tough job at the moment. They don't make policies just have to take the flak when they don't meet px expectations. Maybe you caught them at a bad moment - we all have those.

Just now, Intergalactic Cruiser said:

 

The ABTA site you linked to says that if passengers have been offered a refund they must just be patient (in view of work overload) so there is a glimmer of hope for my booking.

Sorry but I can't see any mention of holiday companies being able to retrospectively change their T's and C's with or without the current coronavirus outbreak so don't know where MSC got the licence to do that.

ATOL only appears to cover flights and if you bought an MSC package including flights then you are back to dealing with MSC. 

My package included Emirates flights and when I spoke to them last week, to book seats and Assistance, before the cruise was cancelled they said MSC in the event of a cancelled cruise would refund the flight costs. 

Don't forget refundable passenger tax whatever the other considerations

When I previously looked at the ABTA website it was clear they only supported passengers whose travel arrangements had been affected by Company Failure. That isn't the case with MSC - yet

What a mess but a whole new experience for all concerned. 

In some ways it is churlish for me to be worried about a life luxury when so many will be challenged in so many ways. However I have no chance to recover my savings whilst unable to work. 

Stay Safe! 

2 hours ago, Pauliepaul said:

We are also based in the UK. After they finally cancelled the Fantasia sailing on the 4th April we had yet another phone conversation with them. Interestingly today (after numerous phone calls over the last week) they are saying they have permission to retrospectively change their conditions due to the circumstances and this is being back by ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents). They literally reeled off a statement. We checked ABTA out and they confirmed. https://www.abta.com/news/coronavirus-outbreak. 😞

No cash refunds, only FCC. We will still continue to dispute this as we fairly signed up to the original T&Cs so they should be honoured. We totally get their position, but equally we are all in difficult positions now too. Their beligerance over the last couple of weeks, especially in comparison to other cruise lines we have dealt with in last few weeks, has just been stress-inducing. We love MSC ships but their head office is shocking. 

We are also exploring a Section 75 claim through our credit card to see whether that expedites anything...but we doubt it. Travel insurance not interested as some form of refund is being offered--even though it isn't actually a refund!

16 minutes ago, mickey89 said:

 

I just phoned MSC Customer Sdervices and they confirmed that NO CASH REFUND would be given for cruises that MSC CANCEL. When I mention their T&C she said it was an extraordinary situation.  On a well known social media site people are getting together to issue a Class Action legal claim against MSC.  People who are directly concern would be advised to check it out.  

MSC can't be allowed to run roughshod against the T&C of their contract.

IMHO they DO have that option under 15.2. I felt that para was ambiguous and could be interpreted in two ways. Thus I sought and got written confirmation I would be getting a cash refund. Whether they will honour that we'll see. Fast moving scenarios

1 hour ago, mickey89 said:

 

Remember Credit Card Section 75 support is only available if your purchase was with the End Supplier.  

If you booked via a TA you're on your own

Thanks, in both cases booked direct with MSC and P&O