Offered Chance to Cancel our 15th February Cruise!

I was surprised to receive this email from MSC UK today!

It’s a difficult decision as we love the new itinerary but we are booked on the 15 February cruise which is a half charter with the Holistic Cruise group - meaning lots of venues have been reserved for this group.

We have flights from U.K. booked and could change to the 7 day Seaside but the itinerary is pretty rubbish with too many sea days and short port stops, also we cruise for the Ports not the ship! And we have nice deck 11 aft cabins booked!

Decisions decisions!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

You could also look into other lines that would be sailing out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale that same week and then use your voucher on another MSC offering over the next two years.

You could also look into other lines that would be sailing out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale that same week and then use your voucher on another MSC offering over the next two years.

This isn’t a good option for us re cash flow!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Looks like it comes down to biting the bullet with the half charter cruise going to the ports you want, or sailing on a brand new ship going to ports you don't want.

You don't have the opportunity to sail on a new ship often, so make it a different experience and enjoy everything that the Seaside offers. By mid February many of the kinks should be worked out. Whichever your decision, best of luck.

Looks like it comes down to biting the bullet with the half charter cruise going to the ports you want, or sailing on a brand new ship going to ports you don't want.

 

You don't have the opportunity to sail on a new ship often, so make it a different experience and enjoy everything that the Seaside offers. By mid February many of the kinks should be worked out. Whichever your decision, best of luck.

We are sailing the new NCL Bliss later in the year on a 5 Day Pacific Coastal as part of a California holiday, hence cash flow.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I'm a bit confused....Did MSC reach out to OP?? Seems weird no incentive was given. Unless MSC was just being courteious informing the OP half the ship was chartered and giving them an opportunity to change with no penalties

I'm a bit confused....Did MSC reach out to OP?? Seems weird no incentive was given. Unless MSC was just being courteious informing the OP half the ship was chartered and giving them an opportunity to change with no penalties

We knew about the charter the chance to cancel is because of the itinerary change not the charter.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We knew about the charter the chance to cancel is because of the itinerary change not the charter.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Im slightly confused. If you knew about the charter and that wasnt a an issue for you and you love the new itinerary why the hesitation? Sounds like it would be a great cruise.

We got off Divina a few weeks back that had a Weight Watchers group. I think around 500. Granted, nowhere near half but it didnt impact the cruise at all. Sometimes during the day the black and white lounge was used by them and the theatre. They had the Divina Bar that acted like their customer information area and the back of the buffet was theirs to sit at.

But like i said if you like the sound of the new itinerary and you cruise for the ports. Stick with it and enjoy 😊👍

Im slightly confused. If you knew about the charter and that wasnt a an issue for you and you love the new itinerary why the hesitation? Sounds like it would be a great cruise.

 

 

 

We got off Divina a few weeks back that had a Weight Watchers group. I think around 500. Granted, nowhere near half but it didnt impact the cruise at all. Sometimes during the day the black and white lounge was used by them and the theatre. They had the Divina Bar that acted like their customer information area and the back of the buffet was theirs to sit at.

 

 

 

But like i said if you like the sound of the new itinerary and you cruise for the ports. Stick with it and enjoy [emoji4][emoji106]

When we originally booked we were not aware of the charter this is giving us an opt out clause! But we are traveling from the U.K. with flights booked and accommodation in Miami for a couple of nights pre cruise.

I think we will stick with it as love the Divina, but I was also trying to make other people aware we have been given the option to cancel!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Hi Nikki.......so nice you were given the opportunity to opt out if you wanted to. I'm glad we opted out a month or so ago, and switched to the Seaside, however, like you said, it's only a week cruise and the ports are not great at all. We switched to an inside YC and pictures are now being posted on here and youtube.......the cabin looks very disappointing and small. We wanted to experience the YC but now I'm wishing we didn't make this decision. Can't cancel this cruise as we just paid final payment BEFORE any of these pictures were available. I hope when we get on the ship we are pleasantly surprised.......good luck with whatever decision you make.......

When we originally booked we were not aware of the charter this is giving us an opt out clause! But we are traveling from the U.K. with flights booked and accommodation in Miami for a couple of nights pre cruise.

I think we will stick with it as love the Divina, but I was also trying to make other people aware we have been given the option to cancel!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We are sailing the new NCL Bliss later in the year on a 5 Day Pacific Coastal as part of a California holiday, hence cash flow.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I was wondering what was all going on with the cashflow thing and then you threw in NCL...now it makes sense!

Im slightly confused. If you knew about the charter and that wasnt a an issue for you and you love the new itinerary why the hesitation? Sounds like it would be a great cruise.

 

We got off Divina a few weeks back that had a Weight Watchers group. I think around 500. Granted, nowhere near half but it didnt impact the cruise at all. Sometimes during the day the black and white lounge was used by them and the theatre. They had the Divina Bar that acted like their customer information area and the back of the buffet was theirs to sit at.

 

But like i said if you like the sound of the new itinerary and you cruise for the ports. Stick with it and enjoy 😊👍

Was the buffet pretty empty?

I'm a bit confused....Did MSC reach out to OP?? Seems weird no incentive was given. Unless MSC was just being courteious informing the OP half the ship was chartered and giving them an opportunity to change with no penalties

While having a partial charter can be a bit of a problem depending on who it is and how many people I give MSC kudos for reaching out to let people know. NCL regularly has various partial charters with no notification to customers or options to change. Some groups are pretty nasty. NCL only give $50 OBC if they cancel you outright for a full charter.

We switched to an inside YC and pictures are now being posted on here and youtube.......the cabin looks very disappointing and small.

While having a partial charter can be a bit of a problem depending on who it is and how many people I give MSC kudos for reaching out to let people know. NCL regularly has various partial charters with no notification to customers or options to change. Some groups are pretty nasty. NCL only give $50 OBC if they cancel you outright for a full charter.

MSC didn’t let us know and still haven’t! I found out after we had booked by a family member in Florida telling us about a vegan Cruise she was thinking about! I then put a posting on cCruise Critic to let other people know about the charter.

The refund is for an itinerary change!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Hi Nikki.......so nice you were given the opportunity to opt out if you wanted to. I'm glad we opted out a month or so ago, and switched to the Seaside, however, like you said, it's only a week cruise and the ports are not great at all. We switched to an inside YC and pictures are now being posted on here and youtube.......the cabin looks very disappointing and small. We wanted to experience the YC but now I'm wishing we didn't make this decision. Can't cancel this cruise as we just paid final payment BEFORE any of these pictures were available. I hope when we get on the ship we are pleasantly surprised.......good luck with whatever decision you make.......

Was the buffet pretty empty?

There were always tables when i walked through. This time we didnt eat there much at all but used to walk through as our aft balcony on 12 was next to the outside staircase that led right there. I have to say the ship felt quieter anyhow as a lot had cancelled due the hurricane and changed itinerary. I think they said at the Cruise critic meet and greet when we were talking to one of the officers they were sailing at about 80% occupancy.

I would certainly switch if I was on that cruise and they gave me the option but I have flexible options for flights.

I personally can't stand the holistic community and I think that being on a cruise with all those people would lead me to throw one of them overboard.

Thank you Bob!! Thank you so much for letting me know your opinion on the inside YC. From the HC inside YC photos I have seen and videos on youtube, the inside YC just doesn't look like it could possibly be 226 sq. ft. as the website states. Looks like it only has one chair. Not even a small sofa. Granted the rate is a lot lower than a YC balcony which I'm happy for, but it's still high enough to hope for a nice room. Looking forward to hearing from you! When do you sail? We leave on February 17th. Thank you....Laura Here's hoping you have a wonderful cruise!:)

PS Last February we were lucky enough to be in a stern Fantastica cabin (#12287) which was gorgeous and large. That cabin was 192 sq. ft. It had a beautiful sofa, good sized closets. The photos of the inside YC look tiny - can't possible be 226 sq. ft......I'm finding this very interesting.

On our last cruise I realized how little time I spent on the balcony and so decided to try a YC inside. In my upcoming B2B I start in a Fantastica balcony and then switch to a YC inside so I will know for sure when I return. Bob

Hi SNJCruisers........I did not see a regular inside YC cabin on youtube or pictures. We both have seen the same things. In my past experience, HC cabins are even larger than regular cabins in the same category. I'm hoping that the room itself will be larger than the interior HC YC because the HC bathroom is huge......maybe the regular interior YC room won't be as small if the bathroom is made smaller......looking forward to CTBob's report when he returns from his cruise! Are you booked in a interior YC cabin?

Laura

Where have you seen any inside YC pictures? Could you possibly post a link? Have only seen bad HC version video from someone that was from Russia.

looking forward to CTBob's report when he returns from his cruise! Are you booked in a interior YC cabin?

Laura

Looking forward to our cruise but the omission of Ocean Cay and the lack of umbrellas and thus shade in the Yacht Club pool area is going to put a damper on our week. Hopefully the rest of the experience will be more of a positive.

Think we have decided to change to the Seaside for the 17th February! This is after watching some videos on YouTube

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Think we have decided to change to the Seaside for the 17th February! This is after watching some videos on YouTube

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Think we have decided to change to the Seaside for the 17th February! This is after watching some videos on YouTube

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Hi SNJCruisers.......hopefully everything on our cruises will be wonderful!! I do agree about the lack of shade and private island for sure!!! On your January 27th sailing are you still in an interior YC? Would be anxious to hear your thoughts as we don't sail until February! Thanks!! I hope you have a great cruise and come back with fantastic news :)

We were originally booked in an inside YC cabin on the January 13 sailing with CTBob on deck 16, but one up on 18 opened up for the January 27 sailing so we switched. This all happened back in March and April of 2016.

Looking forward to our cruise but the omission of Ocean Cay and the lack of umbrellas and thus shade in the Yacht Club pool area is going to put a damper on our week. Hopefully the rest of the experience will be more of a positive.