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MSC Booted Me From The Room I had Booked


MrDVC
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I've had a room booked for a while now for my 5th wedding anniversary cruise and it would also be our first on MSC. My wife and I really liked what we have read about the Yacht Club and the Seaside, so we took the plunge and booked our cruise for Nov 24, 2018. Actually thought that far out that we might just get lucky and be able to book the Royal Suite (YC3). Of course, it sells fast and was unavailable. So we ended up booking a Deluxe Suite (YC1). This was earlier this year in April. In July, my wife had a gut feeling I should check again on the Royal Suite and to our amazement it was there. We were so elated. We booked it!!!!

 

Fast forward to today, 3 months later. I received a phone call from MSC saying they overbooked the Royal Suite and the other party has paid in full so we were downgraded to a YC1 room. As you can imagine, we are not too happy about this. The lady who called informed me that to accommodate this inconvenience, we were given on board credit. Turns out that amount is only $150. I was so mad and furious, I immediately told her to cancel the cruise. $150 bucks? Are you kidding me?

 

As of 4 hours after that phone call, my reservation still shows to be active online (maybe it updates overnight). And to further make things worse, the booking is now at a higher rate than what I had originally booked the YC1. So, you're gonna downgrade my room, give me only $150 and charge me more for that same room category than I originally booked? I don't think so!!

 

So done with MSC before we ever got started. Will likely never sail on their line due to this poor taste in my mouth.

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I've had a room booked for a while now for my 5th wedding anniversary cruise and it would also be our first on MSC. My wife and I really liked what we have read about the Yacht Club and the Seaside, so we took the plunge and booked our cruise for Nov 24, 2018. Actually thought that far out that we might just get lucky and be able to book the Royal Suite (YC3). Of course, it sells fast and was unavailable. So we ended up booking a Deluxe Suite (YC1). This was earlier this year in April. In July, my wife had a gut feeling I should check again on the Royal Suite and to our amazement it was there. We were so elated. We booked it!!!!

 

 

 

Fast forward to today, 3 months later. I received a phone call from MSC saying they overbooked the Royal Suite and the other party has paid in full so we were downgraded to a YC1 room. As you can imagine, we are not too happy about this. The lady who called informed me that to accommodate this inconvenience, we were given on board credit. Turns out that amount is only $150. I was so mad and furious, I immediately told her to cancel the cruise. $150 bucks? Are you kidding me?

 

 

 

As of 4 hours after that phone call, my reservation still shows to be active online (maybe it updates overnight). And to further make things worse, the booking is now at a higher rate than what I had originally booked the YC1. So, you're gonna downgrade my room, give me only $150 and charge me more for that same room category than I originally booked? I don't think so!!

 

 

 

So done with MSC before we ever got started. Will likely never sail on their line due to this poor taste in my mouth.

 

 

 

Here is what I am guessing happened because it happened to me recently. MSC released someone’s Royal Suite back to being available. You and your wife picked it up by sheer luck. Those poor people checked their booking and found their room gone. They promptly called MSC, went back and forth on it and said they would cancel. MSC gave them their room back and now moved on down the line to deal with a different set of unhappy people. I was checking my booking on a regular basis because of hearing this and all of a sudden my 2-bedroom Aurea Grand Suite was gone. My TA called multiple times over almost 2 weeks and finally got a Supervisor to give it back only after I decided to cancel. We are going since they got my room back but if MSC keeps pulling stuff like this in regards to rooms, it will likely be our only and I don’t think they will do well expanding in North America. I’m sorry to hear your trip got ruined by them. I’m worried ours will disappear again between now and January when we go.

 

 

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Here is what I am guessing happened because it happened to me recently. MSC released someone’s Royal Suite back to being available. You and your wife picked it up by sheer luck. Those poor people checked their booking and found their room gone. They promptly called MSC' date=' went back and forth on it and said they would cancel. MSC gave them their room back and now moved on down the line to deal with a different set of unhappy people. I was checking my booking on a regular basis because of hearing this and all of a sudden my 2-bedroom Aurea Grand Suite was gone. My TA called multiple times over almost 2 weeks and finally got a Supervisor to give it back only after I decided to cancel. We are going since they got my room back but if MSC keeps pulling stuff like this in regards to rooms, it will likely be our only and I don’t think they will do well expanding in North America. I’m sorry to hear your trip got ruined by them. I’m worried ours will disappear again between now and January when we go.

 

 

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Actually, this is not what happened with their Royal Suite - i am booked on the Dec 8th and Dec 15th, 2018 seaside Royal Suite - about a month ago now, i got this call from MSC explain that they had double booked our Royal Suite - it was a computer error - i explained that i was on a back-to-back and Black Card Member - they allowed me to keep my reservation as they also saw that i was the first to make the reservation in our Royal Suite -

 

So what i am saying is that i think each and every week, these Royal Suites were double booked as i read online about someone else on a different week had the same issue - i think it all happened when the new extended dates were available for booking....

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IMO, whoever booked it first should keep it without exceptions (assuming that final payment is made before the due date).

 

I know the day that I booked and it was so far in advance, both Royal Suites were available. I still check regularly just in case.

 

I don't believe these "...it accidentally went back into inventory.." lies from the cruiseline. I can understand (but not accept) if 2 people book on the same day and the system doesn't update quickly enough but if someone books in Jan. and someone else books in Mar., there's no excuse for the Mar. person to book the same stateroom.

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It's not just the Royal Suites in question. MSC changing inventory has been a company wide issue since I started following this cruise line several years ago. MSC isn't known to assign refunds in the most timely manner either, so I wish you well with that task. Sorry this happened to those effected :(

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Wow....this is terrible. Is this happening on all ships fleet wide, and all sailings?? I’m a first time MSC customer and I’m getting nervous reading these horror stories about bookings. Is there anything one can do proactively to avoid this happening??

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I don’t believe the double booking thing. MSC has terrible systems and I’ve heard the Inventory Management group will move people out and around if their group is less than the max capacity of that room. My booking showed my Aurea Suite from Feb 2017 when I booked until Sept 29th when they changed it to a Guarantee. They first tried to tell me I changed it, then said it was my TA and then finally admitted they were “updating itineraries” and it was an error. Ok fine an error then give me my room back. They said no. It took 2 weeks and me deciding to cancel to get it back. I’m sorry but I think there is more at play than just “errors” and double booking.

 

 

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That worries me, as they don't refund deposits for Irish customers who cancel. So if I book a room, then they remove it and I demand it back and they say no, do I have a right to cancel since I booked a specific room, not a gty?

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That worries me, as they don't refund deposits for Irish customers who cancel. So if I book a room, then they remove it and I demand it back and they say no, do I have a right to cancel since I booked a specific room, not a gty?

 

Afraid not. You need to read the T&Cs where MSC have it covered.

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I don’t know why that’s the line they chose to use, but it’s what they said. (Other guest paid in full).

 

What’s most troubling to me about the ordeal is that they didn’t tell me until 3 months later. I’ve had the room booked for 3 months.

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It is possible that two travel agents book a given cabin on the same day and that the system is either currently or incapable of recognising that fact due to poor programming from the outset.

MSC seem to want to appear all sparkly on the outside but under the surface are a complete bag of spanners where the website is concerned, it also seems that with the senior management that the lift does not go all the way to the top floor!

 

Running a 2017 business with 1930's mentality will never see it improve, it seems that is the Italian way.

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It is possible that two travel agents book a given cabin on the same day and that the system is either currently or incapable of recognising that fact due to poor programming from the outset.

MSC seem to want to appear all sparkly on the outside but under the surface are a complete bag of spanners where the website is concerned, it also seems that with the senior management that the lift does not go all the way to the top floor!

 

Running a 2017 business with 1930's mentality will never see it improve, it seems that is the Italian way.

 

I understand that it could be possible that two reservations are going on at the same time, but it had been THREE months since I had booked that suite.

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