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Should I be mad?

jimmymed3

By jimmymed3,
in MSC Cruises

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jimmymed3

jimmymed3

Posted
Posted

Ok, sorry for the rant, I'm a fairly new cruiser. We are going on the October 22 sailing of the Divina. We got what we thought was a decent rate for a fantastica balcony and we paid in full before the due date. Yesterday, I saw on Travelzoo the same cabin for $200 cheaper.

I called MSC yesterday to get the difference back. The agent looked at my reservation and said someone called earlier about the same thing and shouldn't be a problem. However, I would have to talk with my agent who would be in the next day(today).

Called the agent. He basically told me to pound sand because I paid in full. I've heard of other people on here getting a partial refund after finding out the fare lowered. Am I being silly wanting them to give me the difference back? Thanks for the help everyone.

 

 

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GOLDENBONNY

GOLDENBONNY

Posted
Posted
Ok, sorry for the rant, I'm a fairly new cruiser. We are going on the October 22 sailing of the Divina. We got what we thought was a decent rate for a fantastica balcony and we paid in full before the due date. Yesterday, I saw on Travelzoo the same cabin for $200 cheaper.

I called MSC yesterday to get the difference back. The agent looked at my reservation and said someone called earlier about the same thing and shouldn't be a problem. However, I would have to talk with my agent who would be in the next day(today).

Called the agent. He basically told me to pound sand because I paid in full. I've heard of other people on here getting a partial refund after finding out the fare lowered. Am I being silly wanting them to give me the difference back? Thanks for the help everyone.

 

 

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No, no reason to be mad. nothing can be done after final payment. that is how cruise industry works.

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ggTexasGal

ggTexasGal

Posted
Posted
I booked through MSC directly.

 

 

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Many cruisers understand your frustration!

However, you did, in fact, accept a "contractual" price... especially, when you made final payment!

 

It is best to accept that you booked what you wanted and enjoy your cruise!

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Arctic Ace

Arctic Ace

Posted
Posted (edited)

Sorry to hear this. You should not be mad because this is the way how travel and cruise industry work, prices goes up and down by supply and demand, and that's has to be accepted if you like to travel. Same goes with hotels, airline etc.

Edited by Arctic Ace
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Squidward Q Tentacles

Squidward Q Tentacles

Posted
Posted

You paid in full before the due date, is that correct? Are you still in the window where you can cancel and rebook it for a cheaper price? You would end up with a different cabin and and maybe any perks you got originally.

 

I would probably just keep everything the same and enjoy your cruise.

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SnorkelBoy

SnorkelBoy

Posted
Posted

Your particular cruise is not selling well so the price has dropped to try to fill cabins last minute. My cruise two weeks earlier is nearly sold out and the prices rose and never came back down.

 

That's how it is, if you are within driving distance to the port and have complete flexibility you can get some amazing deals but most of us have to pick a date and try to book the best deal for cruise and airfare and then live with it unless fares drop before final payment date (not be be confused with your final payment if made before the final payment is actually due).

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Dave

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riclop

riclop

Posted
Posted
Ok, sorry for the rant, I'm a fairly new cruiser. We are going on the October 22 sailing of the Divina. We got what we thought was a decent rate for a fantastica balcony and we paid in full before the due date. Yesterday, I saw on Travelzoo the same cabin for $200 cheaper.

I called MSC yesterday to get the difference back. The agent looked at my reservation and said someone called earlier about the same thing and shouldn't be a problem. However, I would have to talk with my agent who would be in the next day(today).

Called the agent. He basically told me to pound sand because I paid in full. I've heard of other people on here getting a partial refund after finding out the fare lowered. Am I being silly wanting them to give me the difference back? Thanks for the help everyone.

 

You can only be mad at yourself for paying early.

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You can only be mad at yourself for paying early.

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nikkiw60 "Live from...." Rare

nikkiw60

Posted
Posted

Why should you expect a refund or an upgrade? You have paid a price for the cruise that you were happy with! As I have Said already, in the UK you pay your price and that is it! Tough s**t basically if the price goes down. Why should it be any different for any other nationality? I am the worst for buying / paying for something and then checking the price at a later date and it does make you mad but there is nothing you can do apart from being mad for a few minutes then it's just a case of having to accept it!

 

 

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Colin B

Colin B

Posted
Posted

Nope, you have no reason to get mad.

 

A price was set, agreed upon and paid and the deal was done at that point. It was worth trying your luck for a refund or upgrade but hardly surprising that they knocked you back.

 

We did a similar thing on our May voyage: Because the Aussie dollar was looking shaky I pre-paid as much as I could as early as I could and loaded up my travel card to lock in the current exchange rate. Blow me if the rate didn't actually improve slightly before the sailing and, of course, I had foregone 4 months worth of earnings on that money.

 

I must get new batteries for that crystal ball.

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Homosassa

Homosassa

Posted
Posted

When I booked my first Divina cruise, my travel agent told me that MSC did not honor price drops after booking and paying a deposit The price I paid at booking was my price.

 

As I book a cruise at a price that I am happy to pay, I don't play the price drop game that some many seem to enjoy.

 

I was actually happy to hear that this was MSC's policy and let me try to explain my reasoning. When someone sells a product, they want to make a profit on the product.

 

For a cruise line, there must be a budget for each sailings expenses (labor, fuel, food,etc) and there must be an expected average income from the customers vs their expenses going out. (I am keeping this basic and not trying to factor in that the same cabins can sell for different prices on the same cruise or different times of the year).

 

The quality of the on board experience offered by the line (food, entertainment, etc) will be based on that expected income.

 

A cruise line that knows that it can expect to lose dollars from the time of initial booking through sailings due to honoring price drops (refunds, onboard credits, upgrades to a more expensive cabin) will of course factor this projected gross income against the outgoing money available for operating the cruise. And ultimately, the passenger "gets what they paid for."

 

There is definitely a huge quality difference in what MSC offers in regards to the food (I know that some cruisers are not use to the type of food offered by MSC and therefore declare it inedible) and entertainment compared to what some price playing cruiselines offer. It is higher. It also shows up in other ways like in the price on an onboard drink or drink package. It is lower on MSC than Carnival, RCCL or NCL as the lose in booking revenue does not need t be made up on board by alcohol prices.

 

By the way, does that Travelzoo price include the taxes and port fees? This might explain what you think is a lower price when it might be the same or higher than what you paid.

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jimmymed3

jimmymed3

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I like your reasoning, however, I feel they could at least offer me something as a sorry gift(couple of drink coupons). Or offer to upgrade me at a discounted price. I just checked. The total on MSC site went down over $200 again.

 

 

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mafig

mafig

Posted
Posted

I understand what you are all saying. However, when it happens to you it really hurts.:p

 

We were on a Costa cruise which I booked for the itinerary. I thought it was overpriced, but I booked it (and got the aft balcony I wanted).

 

ONE DAY after final payment the price dropped by $400 p/p, so $800 total. That stung. I know I got the balcony I wanted, but we were annoyed. I felt Costa was just waiting for final to lower the price.

 

It ended up that my TA got us a $500 obc. Bless her. :)

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TomNPB

TomNPB

Posted
Posted
I like your reasoning, however, I feel they could at least offer me something as a sorry gift(couple of drink coupons). Or offer to upgrade me at a discounted price. I just checked. The total on MSC site went down over $200 again.

 

 

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Don't worry about it.. I'll buy you guys your first drink .😀 Tom 12239

 

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