MSC Booking Office. Terrible Service...

[jspqld]

Very disappointed with MSC Customer Service from their Booking Office in Australia.

I have only done one MSC cruise in the past in the MED and it was fantastic. In recent times we have cruised with other lines as their cruises have been more convenient for us, re: price, itinerary, etc. Recently we have been thinking about a particular 11 day cruise with MSC for next year but cost has been an issue for us. Travelling from Oz, we have expensive flights to contend with & so on. On top of that I have been battling Cancer for the past year & not been able to work. So now I'm starting to feel better enough to think about a big Europe holiday for next year. We had to cancel one for this year as I needed surgery.

Anyway, last week I received an email with info about the new revamped Voyagers Club along with info about new specials available 5% + an extra 15% off selected cruises. To our delight the cruise we had our eye on was one of these cruises with the total of 20% off at the moment. You will only see the 20% come off the price if you are logged into the site & go to the 5% +15% off link.

So to our delight we decided to take advantage of the current advertised special & I proceeded to make the booking online. It gave me the total price due & I put in my particulars along with my credit card details. Suddenly, after I accepted the Booking, the system gave me a booking number, but for whatever reason added more than $200 to my total bill. I got a message flash up on the screen warning me of a ''rate change" & to call MSC for help, which I did. I wasn't rude to anyone on the phone in discussing this problem with them & they could not understand why this happened & told me there must be a glitch in their system. They even tried booking from their end & got the same price as me & the same problem. They said they will work it out & get back to me. Fair enough I thought.

Apparently I was wrong, I got a call back from them saying that yes there was a serious glitch in Their system that needed fixing, however they still expected & wanted me to pay for half of the allocated extra amount.

Of course I said No, that is not good enough. You can't just advertise one price & then charge me more just because there is a problem with your system. How is that my fault I asked?

I then had a senior manager call me & they still could not see the error of their ways & insist that if I wanted to keep my booking worth in the thousands, that I would need to pay a minimum extra $100 of the original $200 extra the system wanted to charge me, even though they (MSC) had absolutely no idea as to what or why the system was charging this extra amount in the first place. Once I again I wasn't rude, in fact I don't know how I kept my cool in fact, but I gave them plenty of options to go back & look at this & either remove the unknown extra amount or give it back to me in OBC or something but, No they made it clear that their decision was final. So I told them that on principal alone they would force me to cancel the cruise, & I did.

I've worked in customer service most of my life, for myself & for others. I understand that the customer is not always right, but you do your best to make things Right by the Customer, especially when the problem is Not their fault!

Shame on you MSC, I once spoke highly of you. Now Your silly decisions today have left a bitter taste & may have lost you a customer or two.

So please beware if booking online, maybe check the Total price with them by phone first!

[GOLDENBONNY]

5% OFF +15% off dose not make 20% off in total .Maybe that what is wrong in your calculation?

[joseph123]

I had a similar problem with the cruise I booked using the same 5-15% link. For me, the total that I was supposed to pay online came up $2,111.00, when I actually got the receipt of the transaction, they billed me $2,225.00 with no explanation as to why. The price on my total amount due has since fluctuated 3 times with no explanation as to why, so just a work of warning, don't presume that the amount you think you owe cannot change. There seems to be some glitch in their system that I am still trying to get resolved.

[AmoMondo]

5% OFF +15% off dose not make 20% off in total .Maybe that what is wrong in your calculation?

 

Sorry don't follow what you mean. Voyagers Vlub members get 5% off regardless of status. Some have an additional 15% discount and to me that means a total of 20%. MSC UK see it that way too as when I was whinging on their FB site, at losing my 20% discount on ALL cruises, they were quick to pint out that I would still get up to that on some cruises via the 5 + 15% specially selected (by them not me) cruises.

[jspqld]

In the initial email I got telling me about the new Voyagers cards, which unfortunately I deleted, I remember it mentioned I could get 20% off selected cruises by using the 5+15 link. Throughout the booking process & at the end of it, it gave me a Total figure due of which I accepted. It was after I paid for it that it changed the price. That is not right.

Regardless, my gripe with MSC which they could clearly see for themselves was that the Total price should not alter upwards for any unexplained reason within seconds of confirming your booking by payment. The extra cost of more than $200 was not for any hidden taxes or tips or fuel levies, etc. Nothing, & once again MSC had no explanation for this & admitted there was a problem. Yet all they offered was to knock off a $100. In my opinion they should have knocked off the entire extra amount or replaced with obc, etc. They could see there mistake, but still only wanted to fix half of it & expected me to pay for the rest of their mistake. I didn't cancel for the $100, but the for the sheer lack in professional judgement made by their managers in trying to resolve this issue. Between the cost of the cruise, along with all the extra's we would have purchased pre-cruise including drink packages, some excursions, spa visits, etc, this would have been a AUD$5000+ booking. That's a lot of money for us before flights & the rest.

Imagine you went into the supermarket to buy your groceries & at the end the total on the receipt/ docket said $250.00 but a glitch in the system read $300 on the cash register screen. The supermarket then turned to you and said "hey the total due is really $250 but seeing our register is showing $300, why don't you meet us half way in the middle and pay us $275". I don't anyone that would like to pay this extra unexplained $25 & that is exactly how I feel.

[riclop]

They are the worst of any cruise line.

[AmoMondo]

Sorry don't follow what you mean. Voyagers Vlub members get 5% off regardless of status. Some have an additional 15% discount and to me that means a total of 20%. MSC UK see it that way too as when I was whinging on their FB site, at losing my 20% discount on ALL cruises, they were quick to pint out that I would still get up to that on some cruises via the 5 + 15% specially selected (by them not me) cruises.

 

Sorry Goldenbonny, I get it now. They first apply 5%, then apply the 15% to the 95%.

 

Just tried a mock booking on a voyagers selection cruise. 9 Jan Musica £718 for an inside solo (supplement 100%). 20% off would take it down to £554.60 but it comes out at £579.79.

 

A website glitch? No I don't think so, more smoke and mirrors, manipulation and trying to deceive.

 

OP I completely agree with your view. This is typical customer service with them.

[Jay Sam]

They are the worst of any cruise line.

 

Thinking of trying MSC Divina in Dec. The price is great, but the more I hear the more I am hesitant.

 

Even one of the cruise books I read said "once they get their service in order they will be good to go".

[AmoMondo]

Thinking of trying MSC Divina in Dec. The price is great, but the more I hear the more I am hesitant.

 

Even one of the cruise books I read said "once they get their service in order they will be good to go".

 

I have no quibbles with the onboard service and experience.

 

It's the website and admin shoreside that let's them down along with some inconsistent policies that they struggle to explain.

[dub237]

They are the worst of any cruise line.

 

 

100 per cent agrée , even costa is mutch better , i dont think they will see me again ...

[jspqld]

I don't really mean to put anyone off cruising with MSC. My point is more just to make people aware & to double, even triple check their booking process with them, preferably by phone, so you don't get caught being ripped off like I was & end up paying much more for something than what you agreed too.

My one cruise with them a few years ago was great. It's just that as mentioned above their shoreside customer service is terrible & as a result I felt like I was getting ripped off. Msc could clearly see their mistake in my booking & yet chose to do nothing about it. Rather than thank me for bringing this problem to their attention, they decided to not refund the difference & didn't care less about trying to make things right by me. As a result it's left a sour taste with me & I personally may not ever cruise with them again, unless I come across some sort of deal in the far off future that is just too good to refuse! & even then I'll be booking via phone to save any stuff ups!

Anyhow, I've had my little rant & done my best to warn others. It's just a silly first world problem & is nothing in comparison to what I have been dealing with in fighting cancer over the last year or so. There are plenty of other Cruiselines & I'll take my business elsewhere.

[tomvet]

They are the worst of any cruise line.

 

Totally agree!

 

They just don't get it! or is it that I don't get them.

 

In fairness to Costa, they will talk to you but MSC it is like talking to a brick wall! Their default position is always the negative.

 

I don't know what it is - is it a top down management style or what - common sense never seems to prevail, attention to detail is lacking.

 

I have a booking confirmation from our TA that we are in 2 balcony cabins on our next cruise when I know the particular cabin is an inside. I/m not making a fuss now as with kids an inside is safer than the balcony. But I know when I am on board and are surprised to have an inside when I have a balcony confirmed - all MSC will do is shrug and say the TA made the mistake! They never take responsibility or try to correct anything!

 

I for one would happily join a campaign that would expose MSC's customer service for what it is!

 

I was tempted by a reasonable itinerary at a great price but what a mistake that was! Never again MSC!

Edited August 7, 2015 by tomvet

[tomvet]

I don't really mean to put anyone off cruising with MSC.

 

I certainly would - they are a despicable company! I am stumped as to why they are so successful!

[The_Big_M]

I certainly would - they are a despicable company! I am stumped as to why they are so successful!

 

That one's easy - price!

[DutchBunny]

I am sorry to spoil this topic but the Dutch MSC office is very good. They reply to your e-mails, they pick up the phone and all is very well. So not all offices are bad on not responsive!!

[Mikesa1721]

I am sorry to spoil this topic but the Dutch MSC office is very good. They reply to your e-mails, they pick up the phone and all is very well. So not all offices are bad on not responsive!!

 

I have to agree Dutch!!! We have no issues at all with the MSC offices here in the United States. Any calls are always returned, any private messages via Facebook are always answered so perhaps the issue is not with MSC but with the regional offices themselves.

[GOLDENBONNY]

Totally agree!

 

They just don't get it! or is it that I don't get them.

 

In fairness to Costa, they will talk to you but MSC it is like talking to a brick wall! Their default position is always the negative.

 

I don't know what it is - is it a top down management style or what - common sense never seems to prevail, attention to detail is lacking.

 

I have a booking confirmation from our TA that we are in 2 balcony cabins on our next cruise when I know the particular cabin is an inside. I/m not making a fuss now as with kids an inside is safer than the balcony. But I know when I am on board and are surprised to have an inside when I have a balcony confirmed - all MSC will do is shrug and say the TA made the mistake! They never take responsibility or try to correct anything!

 

I for one would happily join a campaign that would expose MSC's customer service for what it is!

 

I was tempted by a reasonable itinerary at a great price but what a mistake that was! Never again MSC!

 

 

 

You book from your TA so how is MSC made a mistake?:rolleyes:

[GOLDENBONNY]

That one's easy - price!

 

Even free cruise will not make me to take NCL cruise again , and with same price from Celebrity and MSC I will choose MSC .

[jspqld]

I have to agree Dutch!!! We have no issues at all with the MSC offices here in the United States. Any calls are always returned, any private messages via Facebook are always answered so perhaps the issue is not with MSC but with the regional offices themselves.

My issue was not the problem of contacting MSC. That was the easy part & in the process of trying to get the problem fixed they even contacted me. The issue was that they had a problem with their online Booking portal that added an extra amount after I booked & paid for it & rather than fix it for me, they only offered to refund part of this extra amount. They agreed that I should not be charged the extra amount in the first place, but their CFO decided that I should wear most of this extra cost & not them. I disagreed & didn't think their problem should become mine.

[The_Big_M]

I am sorry to spoil this topic but the Dutch MSC office is very good. They reply to your e-mails, they pick up the phone and all is very well. So not all offices are bad on not responsive!!

 

I don't believe the issue is that they are not responsive.

 

More that they respond but their idea of customer service is along the lines of 'too bad, so sad' to things that other lines would agree is unreasonable. e.g overcharging.

[tomvet]

You book from your TA so how is MSC made a mistake?:rolleyes:

 

Because it is MSC that issue 2 different post Renaissance deck plans! I have twice sailed with them and they are despicable and take no accountability for anything!