J13C85

We have had great luck using Hotwire. I just did a search using your dates. I started w/ a filter of 4 stars or higher and found rates as low as $209. When I broadened the search to 3 stars I saw rates as low as $140. We are using Hotwire for our May cruise out of Galveston.

For me there are two issues with this. First, it's the restrictions on the highest fare class that got me. If MSC is going to make YC non refundable, they should do that across all categories. Second, if they pushed out that non refundable to something like 240 days it would be much more palatable. I book a long way out (usually well over a year). Hard to choose YC as $500 is a lot of money to just throw away if life gets in the way. We wound up booking Celebrity for Nov 23 (Sky Suite) and we chose a higher fare to keep the deposit refundable. We will see what 2024 brings.

I saw in the T&Cs that YC deposits are non refundable (regardless as to how far out a trip is) yet all other categories are fully refundable up to 120 days before departure (isn't that like telling a first class airline ticket is fully restricted but coach tickets are not?). Is this restriction new? My YC experience was Oct of 19 and I dont remember that being non refundable.

I too had refund issues with MSC. Like OP, I was also on Meraviglia in 2019 (YC 10 days to NE/Can). Had an amazing time (despite breaking three ribs and my shoulder the day before we boarded). Anyway, we booked a YC cruise for Oct of 23 in April. One of the ports was Genoa and my wife and I were going to renew our vows. Tried to log into my cruise and could not access it. Tried to search for the cruise on their website and it was gone. Called MSC and they told me my cruise was cancelled. I asked about getting a refund for and was placed on hold for an HOUR. Hung up, called back, and a different agent told me the cruise was still in place but it was hidden. I did not believe her and told her to cancel my cruise. She did but said because it was yacht club, it was non refundable. I told her there was no way they were keeping my deposit for a cruise over 600 days out when they told me it was cancelled. She promised me a callback from a manager (I never recd). Wound up disputing it with credit card company and got my money returned that way. Personally while the YC experience was amazing, I need the flexibility of getting a refund if I am booking this far out. Wound up booking a suite on Celebrity for Nov of 2023 (fully refundable deposit) Lastly, the cruise I booked on MSC is still not on their web page (I searched right before I started typing this novel lol).

We are arriving TG day around 14:00 and staying at W Fort Lauderdale for 2 nights prior to our cruise. Any thoughts on if we will be able to find a good meal in that area on Thanksgiving. Have heard "The Floridian" on Las Olas is 24/7 and pretty good. Any comments, suggestions or advice is appreciated.

Called Celebrity today and re my 2024 Cruise (Apex- Sky Suite) and they rebooked me, saved nearly $1000.00)