Who is booked for MSC Caribbean November/December 2020 Cruises?

[BermudaBound2014]

Those of you electing a refund (as opposed to FCC), can you please report here your experiences? Let us know if your booking was cash or FCC. I'm curious if MSC will allow a FCC canceled trip to now be turned back into cash.  There are rumors NCL is not honoring cash back if using FCC. 

[mamaneedsavacay]

29 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Those of you electing a refund (as opposed to FCC), can you please report here your experiences? Let us know if your booking was cash or FCC. I'm curious if MSC will allow a FCC canceled trip to now be turned back into cash.  There are rumors NCL is not honoring cash back if using FCC. 

 

I've been told by MSC and my TA that my FCC cannot be changed back to a refund. It will just stay an FCC in the same booking number as before, until 12/2021. Would love it if someone gets a different answer. 

 

I'm assuming that means they won't add another 25% on top of the original FCC. If my December cruise is canceled, I'm going to see if I can just lift the booking and place it on a later date rather than use the dollar amount. I won't be able to get the same value again, all the later cruises with the same cabin category are way more expensive now. 😞

[BermudaBound2014]

5 minutes ago, mamaneedsavacay said:

 

I've been told by MSC and my TA that my FCC cannot be changed back to a refund. It will just stay an FCC in the same booking number as before, until 12/2021. Would love it if someone gets a different answer. 

 

I'm assuming that means they won't add another 25% on top of the original FCC. If my December cruise is canceled, I'm going to see if I can just lift the booking and place it on a later date rather than use the dollar amount. I won't be able to get the same value again, all the later cruises with the same cabin category are way more expensive now. 😞

 

The one thing consistent with MSC is inconsistent policy, so it won't surprise me if someone else gets a different answer. Lift and Shift works for RCL and Celebrity, but no one has reported success with that tactic on MSC boards that I have read, so if you have any luck with a LIft-n-shift on MSC let us know :).

[sidari]

1 minute ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

The one thing consistent with MSC is inconsistent policy, so it won't surprise me if someone else gets a different answer. Lift and Shift works for RCL and Celebrity, but no one has reported success with that tactic on MSC boards that I have read, so if you have any luck with a LIft-n-shift on MSC let us know :).

Not sure if this is what you mean but a friend as I understand it had a cruise earlier this year cancelled and took the FCC which was moved to Virtuosa, that was cancelled and the FCC was then moved to Seaview which has now been cancelled. The FCC will now be moved to a cruise in February.

[BermudaBound2014]

8 minutes ago, sidari said:

Not sure if this is what you mean but a friend as I understand it had a cruise earlier this year cancelled and took the FCC which was moved to Virtuosa, that was cancelled and the FCC was then moved to Seaview which has now been cancelled. The FCC will now be moved to a cruise in February.

 

That is different than lift-n-shift offered by RCL holdings.

 

What MamaD and are talking about is different. For example, Let's say your friend took FCC which was moved to Virtuosa and then moved to Seaview. Could they have turned the FCC back into cash instead of booking another cruise in February? That is the question I'm wondering. I believe once you select FCC you are stuck with FCC.

 

Lift and shift is different. Lift and shift guarantees your price. Example, if you booked a YC1 cabin on Seaside for November and that cruise got cancelled, then you could Lift-n-shift your reservation to a year from now (with an 4 week window on each side of the reservation ~you don't have to go the exact same week, but you need to be in the same general timef-rame for the same general itininary) and the price would be protected for a YC1 cabin. In other words, even if the cost of the cruise has risen, you would not pay anything more for similar week, similar cabin, similar itinerary. All your perks are protected also.

 

Reports here indicate MSC is not offering lift-n-shift because people are reporting that the next cruise they book is so much more expensive that it is using the entire 125% plus additional cash to get the equivalent. This is likely a tactic the cruise lines knew they would deploy before offering the bonus FCC.

Edited October 7, 2020 by BermudaBound2014

[sidari]

BB ... I think MSC have tied themselves with to tight of a time period regarding the FCC's by forcing everyone to use before the end of 2021, how many will have to wait until then to apply for their refunds like those in Australia and South Africa which is totally outrageous unless they use their FCC if and when they get them.

[rnjoel]

As I mentioned in my first response I’m a TA and I was truly hoping MSC would be the first to sail based on their success in Italy. We were booked on Meraviglia in the YC...one of our favorite places to be.

 

I’ll be asking for a refund simply because our travel agency income has been decimated this year. I’ve booked an all inclusive in Riviera Maya instead and the pricing is pretty much equal.

 

I’m also a retired RN and encourage all to wear masks, social distance and wash hands often so we can just get past this!

 

Happy and safe travels...

 

Joel & Ron

[CruisingFox27]

25 minutes ago, sidari said:

BB ... I think MSC have tied themselves with to tight of a time period regarding the FCC's by forcing everyone to use before the end of 2021, how many will have to wait until then to apply for their refunds like those in Australia and South Africa which is totally outrageous unless they use their FCC if and when they get them.

 

It probably seemed reasonable in March to June that FCC could be used by Dec 2021 but as we've experienced the cancellation dates are moving much further forward. I know some people have requested refunds but they'll be 2 years worth of passengers trying to book for 2021. Even when we're all allowed to sail, it's reduced capacity so surely they need to extend the FCC date sometime soon?

[mamaneedsavacay]

1 hour ago, sidari said:

BB ... I think MSC have tied themselves with to tight of a time period regarding the FCC's by forcing everyone to use before the end of 2021, how many will have to wait until then to apply for their refunds like those in Australia and South Africa which is totally outrageous unless they use their FCC if and when they get them.

 

Agree. I wish I could have it both ways... if there was a cruise I wanted to take in 2022 then it would be nice to extend the date as an OPTION each time an FCC cruise is canceled, and keep that bonus 25% if we really are going to sail again. But I also don't want to NEVER get my refund that is supposed to come if I don't use by Dec 2021. If they cancel this Dec cruise, I'd like to lift & shift (like BB describes above) to same cruise 2021, which would be on the Seashore, rather than Seaside. If they won't let me do that, then I will likely be running out the clock to get my refund Dec 2021. And that month will likely be another "black hole" like March 2020 -or worse- because everyone will be due their refund at the same time. 

 

 

1 hour ago, rnjoel said:

As I mentioned in my first response I’m a TA and I was truly hoping MSC would be the first to sail based on their success in Italy. We were booked on Meraviglia in the YC...one of our favorite places to be.

 

I’ll be asking for a refund simply because our travel agency income has been decimated this year. I’ve booked an all inclusive in Riviera Maya instead and the pricing is pretty much equal.

 

I’m also a retired RN and encourage all to wear masks, social distance and wash hands often so we can just get past this!

 

Happy and safe travels...

 

Joel & Ron

 

Yep! If I could get a refund, I would take it immediately  & book an AI on the Riviera Maya, exactly!! We really like the Barcelo Maya Palace and I want to try the Xcaret Hotel & parks. Hopeful for all over there that they weather these storms okay.

 

I agree with you, I still think MSC will be the first to sail. Hopefully it will just be in December now instead of November. 🙂 

 

50 minutes ago, CruisingFox27 said:

 

It probably seemed reasonable in March to June that FCC could be used by Dec 2021 but as we've experienced the cancellation dates are moving much further forward. I know some people have requested refunds but they'll be 2 years worth of passengers trying to book for 2021. Even when we're all allowed to sail, it's reduced capacity so surely they need to extend the FCC date sometime soon?

 

The only reason I took FCC was because I thought we'd use it this summer! (2020)

I'm sure they wish they could change their mind now - if all their 2021 bookings are on FCCs, where will they get the cash flow to refund what they've agreed to? This is going to hurt us in terms of raised fares for sure. The only thing they could do is change the date for November 2020 sailings, because they've already promised the rest of us an automatic refund if not used by the previous deadline. (Although how automatic does anybody really believe that will be?)

 

I think they have enough financial incentive to really push ahead on making the December USA cruises happen. Through lobbying or whatever other means necessary.

[TuJaro]

I paid full , and this was the best deal ever , family of 4 , I had balcony with drink package and drink for kids perfect flight from chicago to Miami,  on board credit of $250 , for under $2K I will never get the same deal, but I spoked to MSC on phone today October 7th and to get full refund no FCC I have to wait till November 19th.

i have to call back on November 19th and request full refund to my credit card,  now to ALL , DO NOT WEAR MASK, DO NOT SOCIAL DISTANCE , DO NOT USE HAND SANITIZED (really bad for you), this virus has to go through population (people will die i know sad) all those PRECAUTIONS and  you extending the suffering of all people. THIS WILL GO THROUGH ALL THE POPULATION IN THE WORLD , CLOSING COUNTRY JUST EXTENDS WHAT WILL HAPPEN ANY WAY .  

GOD BLESS

[Toofarfromthesea]

18 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Those of you electing a refund (as opposed to FCC), can you please report here your experiences? Let us know if your booking was cash or FCC. I'm curious if MSC will allow a FCC canceled trip to now be turned back into cash.  There are rumors NCL is not honoring cash back if using FCC. 

 

I got the email yesterday from my TA that my 11/7 cruise has been cancelled.  I got the standard choice, full refund or 125% FCC.  It said that if I chose the refund (which I did) they would put the refund request in on Nov 16th, the earliest date MSC is taking refund requests, and it would then take 60 days for the credit to show up on the card I used to pay for the trip.  So I should get my refund in mid-January.  We'll see.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Lucky those of you who have good TAs and have heard from them.  I sent mine an e-mail immediately stating that I want a refund to my credit card.  No response.  Looks as if I'm in for a fight.

[jansarts]

MSC has not notified me at all about the cancellation, but when I spoke to MSC yesterday, the agent told me after Nov 17th(?) I could choose either full refund  or the 125% FCC, same as the last cancellation. cruise date was 11/8, I don't know why the Nov 17th date. We'll see, last time I received my refund exactly 60 days from original sail date.

[BermudaBound2014]

20 hours ago, mamaneedsavacay said:

Yep! If I could get a refund, I would take it immediately  & book an AI on the Riviera Maya, exactly!! We really like the Barcelo Maya Palace and I want to try the Xcaret Hotel & parks. Hopeful for all over there that they weather these storms okay.

 

I agree with you, I still think MSC will be the first to sail. Hopefully it will just be in December now instead of November. 🙂 

 

I think they have enough financial incentive to really push ahead on making the December USA cruises happen. Through lobbying or whatever other means necessary.

 

 

1. We really like Barcelo as a family destination. If you like Barcelo, take a look at Palladium too and take whichever one you can get the best price. Xcaret doesn't have a good beach, but they have all the other goodies.

 

2. I don't think MSC will be the first to sail. They just don't have the market share here in the USA that some of the bigger companies have. I posted this graph awhile ago, but I think you may find it interesting as it shows the distribution of the global market. I think CCL will be the first out of the gate, just because they are the biggest fish in the USA pond by a huge margin. Time will tell though. If we ever meet in person I'll buy the first round if you are right :). And if you separate the data further, I believe that  MSC holds only about 2% of the USA market. But they are gaining USA market share, no doubt about that! 

 

 

 

3. I absolutely agree with you here. The holiday market is the most profitable period of time for cruise lines. I find it very concerning to think that the cruise lines will sit idle during this time-frame and suspect they are pulling out all the stops to sail during holidays. Of course, so much is out of their hands with the CDC, but if it is at all possible to sail  over Christmas and New Year, I have to believe this is the time they will sail.

 

 

 

 

[mamaneedsavacay]

11 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

 

1. We really like Barcelo as a family destination. If you like Barcelo, take a look at Palladium too and take whichever one you can get the best price. Xcaret doesn't have a good beach, but they have all the other goodies.

 

2. I don't think MSC will be the first to sail. They just don't have the market share here in the USA that some of the bigger companies have. I posted this graph awhile ago, but I think you may find it interesting as it shows the distribution of the global market. I think CCL will be the first out of the gate, just because they are the biggest fish in the USA pond by a huge margin. Time will tell though. If we ever meet in person I'll buy the first round if you are right :). And if you separate the data further, I believe that  MSC holds only about 2% of the USA market. But they are gaining USA market share, no doubt about that! 

 

3. I absolutely agree with you here. The holiday market is the most profitable period of time for cruise lines. I find it very concerning to think that the cruise lines will sit idle during this time-frame and suspect they are pulling out all the stops to sail during holidays. Of course, so much is out of their hands with the CDC, but if it is at all possible to sail  over Christmas and New Year, I have to believe this is the time they will sail.

 

Thanks for the tip on the Palladium and noting that Xcaret doesn't have a good beach. We've only got a few more years before we are empty nesters, so it's all family vacations for now. My kids really want to go to the new Xenses park (we saw it come up as a Coz excursion) and that's why I started looking at Xcaret. But maybe we'd just do that as a day trip from a different resort, because the beach is a big draw for us.

 

I hadn't thought of it in terms of market share, but it makes sense that if there are limited numbers of ships in ports the big players would get first dibs. I don't really care who goes first if we can all go in December. 🙂  I am a holiday cruiser in the sense that we only cruise on school breaks. If we can't go in December, it would be March break or summer before we could go again. I miss the off-season prices we could get when the kids were young and didn't mind missing school! Now it's too much work to get caught up.

 

My TA was supposed to go on a Thanksgiving cruise with her family. In Texas, the kids get the full week of Thanksgiving off and many people travel. I know that colleges in the South are ending their first semester with Thanksgiving break and not starting again until mid-January to encourage people to travel then quarantine before returning to school. I don't know how many college students/families with college students would cruise, but losing that week would seem to be a big revenue hit as well. (Of course I'm just looking at it from my small corner of the world.)

 

Here's to December 2020... may the CDC be ever in our favor 😉

[Toofarfromthesea]

10 hours ago, jansarts said:

MSC has not notified me at all about the cancellation, but when I spoke to MSC yesterday, the agent told me after Nov 17th(?) I could choose either full refund  or the 125% FCC, same as the last cancellation. cruise date was 11/8, I don't know why the Nov 17th date. We'll see, last time I received my refund exactly 60 days from original sail date.

 

That is the same thing both my TA and MSC indicated in their respective emails.

[mamaneedsavacay]

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5655

MSC CEO says North American cruising "not far off."

 

[slei15]

So MSC IT seems to be at it again....It looks like they rolled back the cancellation pages on both the consumer and TA sites to be back to only through October 31...Very confusing! Yesterday it was showing all the north american cancellations through 11/30....Now it is back to only showing through 10/31! Are they changing their mind, or did their IT team roll back to an old view of the website for some reason!!

[KennyFla]

23 minutes ago, slei15 said:

So MSC IT seems to be at it again....It looks like they rolled back the cancellation pages on both the consumer and TA sites to be back to only through October 31...Very confusing! Yesterday it was showing all the north american cancellations through 11/30....Now it is back to only showing through 10/31! Are they changing their mind, or did their IT team roll back to an old view of the website for some reason!!

 

This is interesting.  Carnival's CEO just said he strongly believes they will sail before year end.  I wonder if something is going on behind the scenes (hoping)?

[BermudaBound2014]

22 minutes ago, KennyFla said:

 

This is interesting.  Carnival's CEO just said he strongly believes they will sail before year end.  I wonder if something is going on behind the scenes (hoping)?

 

The meeting with Pence is happening today:

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23650-pence-to-host-friday-conference-call-with-cruise-lines.html

[sidari]

21 minutes ago, KennyFla said:

 

This is interesting.  Carnival's CEO just said he strongly believes they will sail before year end.  I wonder if something is going on behind the scenes (hoping)?

Heard that Pence will be holding a Conference call with the cruise lines at 2pm today, maybe that is why they removed the cancellations.

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, mamaneedsavacay said:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5655

MSC CEO says North American cruising "not far off."

 

 

RCL and CCL executives also came out with optimistic views this week: 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23642-carnival-optimistic-for-restart-in-u-s-by-year-s-end.html

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23617-fain-optimism-level-is-very-high-to-sail-in-2020.html

 

And as I posted above, there is a meeting with Pence today.......... 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2020 by BermudaBound2014

[sidari]

Will they all use the MSC system that is working so well or will they water it down to appease people and risk closing down the industry again.

[shipgeeks]

37 minutes ago, sidari said:

Will they all use the MSC system that is working so well or will they water it down to appease people and risk closing down the industry again.

That's a good question.  We are much more inclined to sail next on MSC for this very reason, except that we will have to fly to get to Florida, as opposed to driving to Baltimore, for Royal Caribbean.  But we expect to wait and see if RC and others actually enforce their rules as well as MSC is doing.

[Roger88]

2 hours ago, KennyFla said:

 

This is interesting.  Carnival's CEO just said he strongly believes they will sail before year end.  I wonder if something is going on behind the scenes (hoping)?

I think he meant to  say that they will be able to sail after Christmas. If there is no sailing right now, I doubt there will be any until Christmas. My best guess would be the very New Year. A cruise without stops, just a sea view experience with some animation on board