Msc Opera to home port in Havana, Cuba!!

[AVACTION]

There are two re-positioning cruises available on the Australian website for MSC Opera. First is leaving Genoa on 2 Dec 2015 terminating in Cuba 22 Dec., the second departing Cuba 12 April 2016 terminating Warnemunde (Germany) 7 May 2016.

 

I have been unable to find flights to/from Cuba from Australia at a reasonable price so am waiting for the major American airlines (specifically AA) to open up routes from the US to Cuba before we can consider booking.

 

The only reasonable fare at the moment is with LAN/Copa but it takes nearly 50 hours including layovers!!

Edited July 14, 2015 by AVACTION

[tomvet]

Don't wait for them to offer, instead make a claim against them. When they switched our repo from Sharm El Sheila to the Canaries, people on our roll call that had already booked their flights got OBC to cover their costs of changing flights. With MSc you have to demand and be persistent.

 

How do I make a claim? Submit the information to the TA?

 

What should I claim?

 

Original Dublin Bergamo Flight - €159

Change Flight date - €90

 

Original Tenerife Shannon Flight - €316

Change Route to Bergamo to Dublin - change fee -€183 - did not do

Rebook new flights - €152. Did this instead.

 

 

Now there are 2 ways to look at it!

 

So far I have paid €720 on flights. Being the reasonable person I was happy to spend €480 on the original flights. So should I claim just for the additional €240 that I am out of pocket i.e. the amendment fee and the rebooking fee.

 

One could also look at in from the point of view that if I had booked the replacement cruise originally, my flights would only be €320 so should I claim the €400 i.e. I was forced unnecessarily to pay a higher fare at the outset.

 

Who do I address the claim to?

[Donsyb]

Had an e-mail from my local travel agent today, £999 for flights from the UK to Havana, a weeks stay in a hotel and a weeks cruise on Opera in an inside cabin, £50 more for a window and £100 for a balcony. Real bargain I think :D.

 

)

 

That's an amazing deal! Would you mind messaging me the name of the TA?

 

Thanks :)

[AmoMondo]

How do I make a claim? Submit the information to the TA?

 

What should I claim?

 

Original Dublin Bergamo Flight - €159

Change Flight date - €90

 

Original Tenerife Shannon Flight - €316

Change Route to Bergamo to Dublin - change fee -€183 - did not do

Rebook new flights - €152. Did this instead.

 

 

Now there are 2 ways to look at it!

 

So far I have paid €720 on flights. Being the reasonable person I was happy to spend €480 on the original flights. So should I claim just for the additional €240 that I am out of pocket i.e. the amendment fee and the rebooking fee.

 

One could also look at in from the point of view that if I had booked the replacement cruise originally, my flights would only be €320 so should I claim the €400 i.e. I was forced unnecessarily to pay a higher fare at the outset.

 

Who do I address the claim to?

 

I elieve that the people on my cruise in the same situation as you, just claimed the additional costs compared to the original cost. They'd booked mostly direct. We had a group complaint going on from our roll call with the UK office. Some of us knew the manager who handled complaints so we addressed it to her. I'm assuming you booked through the Irish Office?

 

They got this in addition to an OBC for the inconvenience of the cruis cancellTion. Can't remember the exact terms but it was accept cancellation and full refund of any deposits and other payments made, accept the alternative route plus an OBC. I also asked about swapping to an alternative but the pricing had changed on the Dubai repo which had originally been priced at the same price per night as the Sharm repo. They initially were saying I'd have to pay the extra of the price at the time less the original pricing that I was locked in to on my original cruise. I pointed out that I was only looking at an alternative cruise becUse of their actions and they should be comparing like with like. They eventually agreed I could swap to the Dubai cruise based on its previous price. At the time I booked my actual cruise. In the end I chose to take the new itinerary and stick with our roll call.

 

I'd get your TA to formally submit your complaint and claim. If they won't forward it for you, then ask them for the contact info for making a complaint and do it by email not phone, so you have a record.

[Donsyb]

Has anyone been able to book a balcony cabin yet? My TA is being told they're not 'currently' available.

[gerimay1964]

Hi TomVet

 

We had also booked a canaries cruise on the Opera leaving Tenerife on 1st January 2016, we had been away for almost 2 weeks so just saw their email last night, i must say I was devastated. Anyway emailed back telling them I just want a refund and hopefully a refund for flights that I booked myself. I was just wondering how long it took Operations at MSC to reply to your email. By any chance to you have a contact number for operations at MSC because it appears that is who is dealing with it, as when I rang MSC this morning they could not help me, just to notify Operations in writing via email. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

Geraldine

[tomvet]

Hi TomVet

 

We had also booked a canaries cruise on the Opera leaving Tenerife on 1st January 2016, we had been away for almost 2 weeks so just saw their email last night, i must say I was devastated. Anyway emailed back telling them I just want a refund and hopefully a refund for flights that I booked myself. I was just wondering how long it took Operations at MSC to reply to your email. By any chance to you have a contact number for operations at MSC because it appears that is who is dealing with it, as when I rang MSC this morning they could not help me, just to notify Operations in writing via email. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

Geraldine

 

Hi Geraldine

 

I booked with **********.com and therefore my booking is through the German office. I was offered an alternative cruise departing on 20th November - it is a 12 nighter and broadly similar to the repo that I was booked on. They have made no commitment to refunding me the additional flight costs which were €240. I have **********.com making my case for me - although I think they are weak and not putting enough pressure on (I think they don't want to burn their free cruise bridges!). I only heard that I was confirmed on the replacement cruise just today - over 3 weeks since the cancellation was made.

 

I suggest you contact them via Facebook - they are quite arrogant but keep persisting!

 

IE and UK passengers were being offered alternative Med cruises or transfer to the Cuban cruise but flights to Cuba are expensive and may not be within everyone's budget.

 

I wish there was a CruiseCritic 'roll call' where we could all club together and demand our refunds en masse!

 

Key is to expose MSC on public! How can Irish folk (as they do not sell cruise only on most of their cruises to Irish passengers) ever book cruise only again, if they risk losing flight costs should MSC do a runner!

 

Stay in touch!

 

Tom

[gerimay1964]

Tom thanks for reply . I didn't see their email regarding change in itinerary until last Wednesday as I was on holiday but replied straight away but have heard nothing from them yet.. Did ring MSC UK today but they said they can't even speak to the operations dept by telephone as they don't answer so they sent an email on my behalf. It will be interesting to see if they get back to me.. If they haven't by Wednesday I will contact them via Facebook.

 

I am so disappointed as really looking forward to canaries cruise after Christmas. None of their other cruises seems to suit as dates do not tie in with husband holidays over Xmas so I have requested a full refund plus reimbursement of flights which in their itinerary change email they say "should the above itineraries not be suitable for you, we will be happy to offer a full refund and a £50 future cruise credit with MSC Cruises. Any non refundable out of pocket expenses you have incurred for travel arrangements made to join your cruise can also be claimed, our team will be happy to give you full advice on how to claim back these costs" ... I'm hoping this means flights maybe I'm wrong.

 

It's getting them to email me back in the first place[emoji19] but I will let you know how I get on.

 

Geraldine

[gerimay1964]

Tom

 

By the way you are right it's a pity there is not a roll call so we could all get together and demand our refunds plus compensation.. What good is the £50 of another's cruise.. I think I will be demanding more.

Geraldine

[tomvet]

Tom thanks for reply . I didn't see their email regarding change in itinerary until last Wednesday as I was on holiday but replied straight away but have heard nothing from them yet.. Did ring MSC UK today but they said they can't even speak to the operations dept by telephone as they don't answer so they sent an email on my behalf. It will be interesting to see if they get back to me.. If they haven't by Wednesday I will contact them via Facebook.

 

I am so disappointed as really looking forward to canaries cruise after Christmas. None of their other cruises seems to suit as dates do not tie in with husband holidays over Xmas so I have requested a full refund plus reimbursement of flights which in their itinerary change email they say "should the above itineraries not be suitable for you, we will be happy to offer a full refund and a £50 future cruise credit with MSC Cruises. Any non refundable out of pocket expenses you have incurred for travel arrangements made to join your cruise can also be claimed, our team will be happy to give you full advice on how to claim back these costs" ... I'm hoping this means flights maybe I'm wrong.

 

It's getting them to email me back in the first place[emoji19] but I will let you know how I get on.

 

Geraldine

 

I think it does mean flights. Would you mind sending me the email you received as I received nothing in writing via $€a$cann€r dot com. I cannot seem to send a PM via this forum.

 

£50 future cruise credit is paltry. We have been offered the Opera sailing of Nov 20th and accepted it! It is a 12 night cruise instead of 9. We were to sail from Genoa to Marseille, Gibraltar, Cartegena, Cadiz, Funchal, La Palma and Tenerife over 9 nts. We are now doing Genoa, Gibraltar, Arrecife, Tenerife, Funchal, Malaga, Palma, Rome, Genoa over 12. We are also in 2 Fantastica Balconies rather than a Fantastic Outside and a Bella inside - so nice upgrades. ********** have give us €100 OBC.

 

It cost us €240 to amend our flights - so we are in effect out of pocket by €140. Very tempting to remove the grats - but that only hits the folk that didn't make the awful decision.

 

Would you consider pushing for the Cuba cruise on the same dates and instead of the flight reimbursement - they fly you gratis! Worth a punt!

Edited July 29, 2015 by tomvet

[gerimay1964]

Tom

 

If you send me your email address I will forward email they sent me and I now have a few names that are dealing with my claim so can forward them as well.

 

I would love to go on the Cuba cruise but as it leaves 4 days later doesn't suit hubby. MSC got back to me today saying their refunding cruise money, they sent a transaction where they refunded it to my card I used for payment and their ticketing dept have said to email invoice for flights so they can process refund for that.. Will keep my fingers crossed for that lol

 

Also they wanted me to sign an act of release to say that I accept refund plus £50 credit to use before June next year.. I informed them I wasn't doing this until my flight money is reimbursed as that wasn't mentioned on Act of Release. I don't think £50 is enough but not sure how much to ask for.. Any idea to how much I should look of them?

 

Geraldine

[gerimay1964]

Tom

Just to let you know I got my refund for cruise and reimbursed for flights.. I'm maybe being a bit cheeky but I have now emailed looking for an upgrade if I book another cruise instead of the £50 credit off a cruise they have offered.

[tomvet]

Tom

Just to let you know I got my refund for cruise and reimbursed for flights.. I'm maybe being a bit cheeky but I have now emailed looking for an upgrade if I book another cruise instead of the £50 credit off a cruise they have offered.

 

Hi Geraldine

 

my email is

 

tomvet at eircom dot net

 

thanks

 

T

[rusky123]

Donsyb so sorry for my late reply been really busy with work and the grandkiddies. I had that offer through cruisenation.com, we use them a lot because they can usually find us the cabins we want at a good price. I have signed up for their newsletter. Cruise.com had the same offer for nearly a thousand pounds more. Cruisenation are a local company for me, used them a few times before I realised they were down the road, they also do not 'buy' cabins before hand, you can ask for whatever type of cabin you want.

 

I was so disappointed I could not fit this cruise in to next years holidays because of other commitments, but just seen the repositioning one to Europe and hoping I may just sneak in enough time;).

[Bollinge]

We were booked on Canaries cruise on Opera. We had booked hotels and flights there and back.

 

They offered us two alternative repositioning voyages and a full refund of our out of pocket expenses. Our TA told them right away the alternatives were unacceptable, and MSC then said we could book any cruise out of their 2016 brochure for the same money.

 

We have now supplied our receipts and are awaiting reimbursement, and have chosen another cruise, but they have now stated the alternative cruise offer was only valid for eight weeks and is now finished.

 

I don't recall anything about a time-limited offer, and neither does the agent. Do any of you?

Edited October 5, 2015 by Bollinge

[RoisinO]

We have reserved the Dec 4 dep from Barcelona to Cuba but are unable to go, is there anyone interested in an inside cabin for 2 adults 2 child one way cruise to Havana. Arrives Dec 22 Costs under €1800 for 18 day cruise.

This is my first post so sorry if it is in the wrong section any advice on how to post this is appreciated.

Ro

[Bollinge]

Suggest you post it as a fresh subject on the MSC page here, rather than on a page dealing with a cancelled cruise.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Bollinge

[AmoMondo]

We have reserved the Dec 4 dep from Barcelona to Cuba but are unable to go, is there anyone interested in an inside cabin for 2 adults 2 child one way cruise to Havana. Arrives Dec 22 Costs under €1800 for 18 day cruise.

This is my first post so sorry if it is in the wrong section any advice on how to post this is appreciated.

Ro

 

Are you sure this is allowed under the terms and conditions? mdc may not allow a complete change of passenger details like this.

[Crzyfrk62]

They may just have to pay for a name change. ...... that's how it was done years ago, don't know about now

[tomvet]

Are you sure this is allowed under the terms and conditions? mdc may not allow a complete change of passenger details like this.

 

I may be wrong but I think with Fantastica bookings name changes are free.

 

From MSC.co.ul

 

Savour the Mediterranean way of life with a cruise dedicated to comfort and flexibility. Our ‘Fantastica’fares offer all the benefits of ‘Bella’ plus a variety of extra privileges too. Choose from prestigious cabins (including SuperFamily cabins where available) located on the upper decks, with rapid access to lifts and lounges. Make use of the freedom to change your booking details if necessary, including passenger names and departure dates: even cancellation is flexible. Enjoy 24-hour-a-day room service with free delivery and priority choice of dining times in our gourmet restaurants. Have fun with dedicated activities for children, like foreign language games and Master Chef cooking sessions with our staff. And, naturally, earn MSC Club points!

 

Why not change to a date that does suit or opt for the flexible cancellation?