March Refunds Only - is there a "big black hole"

[cellfree]

From reading various posts 'lost' under other topics, I think there are others out there who have not yet received a refund that was requested in March. This is my story, in my case I requested FCC and am waiting for taxes/fees:

March 14 - requested refunds

March 29 - cruise date of requested refunds

April 24 - received FCCs in email

Various dates - called MSC many times and have been told everything was processed April 20, my requests have been escalated, have talked to a supervisor two times, and on and on

July 17 - still no REFUND of taxes/fees

Could it be March refunds are sitting in a "big black hole" somewhere in the Accounting Department which apparently is in Switzerland?

[versuco]

My story is almost the same as yours.  MSC canceled our 3/28 cruise.  We requested the FCC on 3/14.  Received it, but was for the incorrect amount.  TA contacted MSC and they agreed it was for the incorrect amount and the difference would be credited to my credit card along with my taxes and port fees.  We have been "escalated" twice now, first 5 weeks ago, and again last week.  Evidently escalation means nothing.  As of today, still no refund.  We are very frustrated at this point.  Would like to re-book for Dec. 2021 but will not until we receive our promised refund.   

[Roger88]

2 minutes ago, versuco said:

My story is almost the same as yours.  MSC canceled our 3/28 cruise.  We requested the FCC on 3/14.  Received it, but was for the incorrect amount.  TA contacted MSC and they agreed it was for the incorrect amount and the difference would be credited to my credit card along with my taxes and port fees.  We have been "escalated" twice now, first 5 weeks ago, and again last week.  Evidently escalation means nothing.  As of today, still no refund.  We are very frustrated at this point.  Would like to re-book for Dec. 2021 but will not until we receive our promised refund.   

These escalations can keep on going like forever. I wonder how the companies management is dealing with everytime they get news about it. If it was me, I would rather offer an immidiete refund just to close this question at once and not bother anyone anymore. I hate be waiting for things.. 

[versuco]

12 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

These escalations can keep on going like forever. I wonder how the companies management is dealing with everytime they get news about it. If it was me, I would rather offer an immidiete refund just to close this question at once and not bother anyone anymore. I hate be waiting for things.. 

I am a pretty patient person.  I understand the cruise lines had a major hit with Covid and had a financial nightmare with refunds.  What is most frustrating is that people whose cruises were in April, May and June have reported getting their refunds.  It seems they should have started with March cruises.  We really enjoy the MSC product, have sailed on Divina, Seaside, Armonia and Meraviglia, but their customer service is in need of massive improvements.

[electro]

Submitted forms on Mar 29th for 2 cruises in May.

Have not received FCC's. It's been escalated.

Have not received refund for port taxes and fees.

first time TA called they were told refunds of port taxes  were processed on April 18th, when she told MSC that I did not receive the refund they said they would check into and get back to her in 24 hours. Of course they did not get back to her so she called back 2 days later. They said give them another week for the refund. That was 2 weeks ago.

Called today, they again said that it was processed on April 18th.

 

I plan to call my cc today and dispute the charges.

[mamaneedsavacay]

March cruise, port fees refunded, FCC not received yet. Today is the date my TA was given that 90% of FCC's will be completed.

 

Have also seen reported that some have recently received accidental refund of cruise fare instead of FCC, at this point I wouldn't complain about that at all!

 

Hope things happen for all of us today. Good luck!

 

[cathep]

April 4 sail date that they cancelled. Haven't seen FCC or fees refunded. 

[cellfree]

We thoroughly enjoy cruising MSC but I am  also resisting booking anything new until all my past refunds are credited. It does seem strange that requests after March are being processed and received. Right, escalation seems to mean nothing. We too started with Divina and have also been on Seaside and Armonia and Meraviglia. I am thankful we live in Florida and do not have to deal with flights, not sure if I would want to work through all of that. Anyway, I really feel that something has gone array with March refunds and do not know how to get anyone’s attention at MSC. 

[RoddyGateau]

I’m in the same boat, no pun intended! I received the FCC certificates in early April and, optimist that I am, immediately booked a December 2020 cruise. Refunds of payments for Internet, shore excursions and a cabana on Ocean Cay were promptly refunded but, as yet, no sign of the refund for taxes, etc.
My TA was informed that the refund has already been made so we have requested details of date, amount and last four digits of the credit card to which MSC claims to have made the refund. We’ll see what happens next!


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[bng804]

Similar issues for me too.  I got FCC in April and rebooked for 9/26.  Still no refund of taxes/fees.  I've emailed and called numerous times and received a story about how they attempted to refund the fees back in April and I should have received it then, but I have received nothing.  Phone agents are completely unhelpful.  I've had requests for a supervisor callback 4 different times and never received a callback.  I refused to make the final payment on my 9/26 sailing, since I suspected it would be cancelled and there is no way I was giving MSC any more money when they haven't refunded the nearly 5k they owe me.  Glad I didn't tie up anymore money with them since it looks like the 9/26 sailing is cancelled now as well, with the CDC extending the no sail order.  I now refuse to deal with MSC anymore and I'm on the phone right now with Bank of America disputing the original cruise fare charges.

Edited July 17, 2020 by bng804

[cellfree]

This is so awful, I too was told that my refunds were processed in April. I wondered how a credit card company would handle a dispute if it was not for the entire amount that was charged, so I have not gone that route, and trying to be patient. But if the March refunds are indeed in "a big black hole" somewhere, what can we do? Apparently the Accounting Department is in Switzerland and no one can talk to them. I have had success in talking an agent into transferring me to a supervior but the supervisor did not seem to have any additional information other than being able to tell me what credit card I used. The supervisor did tell me he would send an email to Accounting but that was over two weeks ago with no results yet. 

Edited July 18, 2020 by cellfree
added text

[dexddd]

Most have seen my posts except MSC it appears.

 

Filed March 21 for 22 cruise.  Told 60 days.  Then TA was told 90.  Then TA told 3 more weeks which is Monday. 

 

Have gotten ZERO back from MSC.

 

Only thing noticed is ghost ship under my cruises has disappeared but nothing else.

 

MSC needs to publicly apologize for this poor service and moving timeline.

[cellfree]

From all I have read under other topics such as “how long is your refund taking?” people seem to be getting refunds that were requested in April/May/June/etc. I do not know who to contact anymore. Accounting in Switzerland seems to be unreachable/untouchable. And if March requests are indeed sitting in limbo somewhere, what can the next steps be? 

Edited July 18, 2020 by cellfree

[Bluewake]

Filed March 10th for FCC for March 13th cruise and have not yet received either the FCC or the refund of port fees and taxes to my CC.   I've made multiple calls to the FCC office, the Resolution Center, and regular service reps and have been given three different time frames within which I should expect to receive the FCC and port/tax refund.    I've also been told my case has been "escalated" to supervisors...of course, nothing has been done.

 

 

 

[cellfree]

Bluewake, I too have tried various channels. I actually got a Supervisor who escalated my refunds but that was several weeks ago. Keeps me thinking there is a “big black hole” that March refund requests have fallen into!

Edited July 20, 2020 by cellfree

[Hsmorris]

I had my March 14th MSC cruise cancelled and requested a refund on 3/30.  I've waited until today to call because I was trying to be patient.  I spoke to someone via the Yacht Club line and he reviewed the account.  He said they had brought in a 3rd party company in the beginning of the cruise shutdown and there were a lot of mistakes made.  A large number of March cruise refunds and FCC's were being held by corporate and refunds were supposed to be released to all on July 27th.  I really hope this is true.  While on the call I ended up cancelling my March 2021 Yacht club cruise.  I really love MSC, but the customer service during this time has been very disappointing.

[cellfree]

July 27 - a Sunday - it’s wait and see - still - I wonder what is magical about the 27th - why are our refunds being held by corporate - nothing makes sense. And this is the first time I heard about a “3rd party company.” And on and on we go. 

[Hsmorris]

I’m not betting on a refund on the 27th either.  It is actually a Monday, but really that changes nothing in my confidence that something is going to happen.  I thought the third party comment was interesting too, and I haven’t heard that or seen at on any of the forums up to this point.  

[cellfree]

Ah yes, I just realized the 27th was a Monday. I have also sent two emails, one to "existing reservations" and one to "customer service." I wonder if I will hear from either. 

[mamaneedsavacay]

1 hour ago, Hsmorris said:

I had my March 14th MSC cruise cancelled and requested a refund on 3/30.  I've waited until today to call because I was trying to be patient.  I spoke to someone via the Yacht Club line and he reviewed the account.  He said they had brought in a 3rd party company in the beginning of the cruise shutdown and there were a lot of mistakes made.  A large number of March cruise refunds and FCC's were being held by corporate and refunds were supposed to be released to all on July 27th.  I really hope this is true.  

 

This is really disappointing to hear, because my Travel Agent was previously told that 90% of FCCs were going to be released on July 17. So I guess that didn't happen.. still waiting on my FCC. However, I consider myself fortunate because I did receive my port fees refund already. I'm sorry for those of you who are still waiting on cash refunds.

[nburton78]

Was supposed to cruise with MSC on May 15, cruise was cancelled obviously.  On March 31, I requested FCC I was told 60 days which would be June 1st.  June 10th still nothing, so I called.  I was told it should be sent out in the next 2 weeks, but customer service said I don't need it just use my booking number.  OK so I wait and still no email, but decide to call and rebook.  I call June 25 and I'm told that they cannot book any cruises due to changes in itineraries , I need to call back after July 1st.  So I wait, still no FCC.  I call back July 6, I talk to customer service, they try to rebook and are having all sorts of issues.  After 23 minutes on the phone with customer service my call is disconnected.  So I call back, same thing except this time its after 18 minutes.  I was very frustrated at this point and figure I will call back the next day from a land line since i was using my cell phone.  I call back on July 7 from a land line.  This time customer service tells me that my FCC has not been issued and I cannot rebook until I get the email.  I ask why no one else told me that and she said "you didn't talk to me" and when I tell her that I've been waiting since March she tells me that "a lot of people have been waiting since March".  She tells me that I can put down more money as a deposit to book another cruise, and I told her that I'm not paying another dime to this company.  Its now July 21 and still no FCC.  I'm so frustrated I could scream! I had another cruise cancelled with Royal Caribbean and I already received my refund! What is going on and what can I do? No refunds no FCC and no help from Customer service

[cellfree]

I still maintain there is a glitch in the refunds requested in March that is holding them up. They are sitting somewhere and there is no one in authority/no one in accounting we can address. I did call again today, all of the notes from my calls are documented. I tried my best to emphasize the need to look at the processing from March. But it seems not only us cruisers but also MSC agents/supervisors who cannot address accounting directly. Today I was told my refund requests were “being tracked,” whatever that means. I suggest that the agents have their hands tied and are taking the brunt of everyone’s “anger.”  It is ACCOUNTING in Switzerland someone needs to break through to. 

[dexddd]

On 7/20/2020 at 11:20 AM, Hsmorris said:

I had my March 14th MSC cruise cancelled and requested a refund on 3/30.  I've waited until today to call because I was trying to be patient.  I spoke to someone via the Yacht Club line and he reviewed the account.  He said they had brought in a 3rd party company in the beginning of the cruise shutdown and there were a lot of mistakes made.  A large number of March cruise refunds and FCC's were being held by corporate and refunds were supposed to be released to all on July 27th.  I really hope this is true.  While on the call I ended up cancelling my March 2021 Yacht club cruise.  I really love MSC, but the customer service during this time has been very disappointing.

Welcome to CC. First I've heard of any YC line.

 

They've constantly moved the date three times for us.

[dexddd]

2 hours ago, nburton78 said:

Was supposed to cruise with MSC on May 15, cruise was cancelled obviously.  On March 31, I requested FCC I was told 60 days which would be June 1st.  June 10th still nothing, so I called.  I was told it should be sent out in the next 2 weeks, but customer service said I don't need it just use my booking number.  OK so I wait and still no email, but decide to call and rebook.  I call June 25 and I'm told that they cannot book any cruises due to changes in itineraries , I need to call back after July 1st.  So I wait, still no FCC.  I call back July 6, I talk to customer service, they try to rebook and are having all sorts of issues.  After 23 minutes on the phone with customer service my call is disconnected.  So I call back, same thing except this time its after 18 minutes.  I was very frustrated at this point and figure I will call back the next day from a land line since i was using my cell phone.  I call back on July 7 from a land line.  This time customer service tells me that my FCC has not been issued and I cannot rebook until I get the email.  I ask why no one else told me that and she said "you didn't talk to me" and when I tell her that I've been waiting since March she tells me that "a lot of people have been waiting since March".  She tells me that I can put down more money as a deposit to book another cruise, and I told her that I'm not paying another dime to this company.  Its now July 21 and still no FCC.  I'm so frustrated I could scream! I had another cruise cancelled with Royal Caribbean and I already received my refund! What is going on and what can I do? No refunds no FCC and no help from Customer service

 

Totally PATHETIC MSC.

[dexddd]

12 minutes ago, cellfree said:

I still maintain there is a glitch in the refunds requested in March that is holding them up. They are sitting somewhere and there is no one in authority/no one in accounting we can address. I did call again today, all of the notes from my calls are documented. I tried my best to emphasize the need to look at the processing from March. But it seems not only us cruisers but also MSC agents/supervisors who cannot address accounting directly. Today I was told my refund requests were “being tracked,” whatever that means. I suggest that the agents have their hands tied and are taking the brunt of everyone’s “anger.”  It is ACCOUNTING in Switzerland someone needs to break through to. 

You might be right.  However, this is totally unacceptable.  They've screwed the pooch on this.

 

And to be so quick to challenge the PP who has waited so long, that tells a lot.