Delay of Opening of Sales for Cruises on MSC Meraviglia and MSC Divina

[Geobugs]

June 15, 2021
As MSC Cruises works toward getting back to sea, the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit remains our top priority. We are working closely with the local health and government authorities in both Miami and Port Canaveral to ensure that we restart in a safe and responsible way, while providing you and your clients the most up to date health and safety protocol and requirements for sailing.

With this in mind, we have made the decision to delay the opening of sales for the restart Summer 2021 sailings originally planned for Wednesday, June 16th so we can update our website and provide you with the most relevant information required for booking and sailing with us. We will quickly let you know in the coming day(s) when these new Summer 2021 cruises on MSC Meraviglia and MSC Divina will officially open for booking. In the meantime, sailings for Winter 2021 and beyond remain open and available for booking.

[Shippy]

Interesting.......

  The other day I went to check on the occupancy for my September Meraviglia sailing on the Internet site we originally booked on. There had been tons of availability the week before.

 All of a sudden it said there were NO cabins available for this cruise.

 I hope our cruise is not in jeopardy !

[Chrisfromco]

We are on the October 2nd sailing on Meraviglia. My cruise planner shows the new itinerary, which is not very compelling!! Two stops at their private island, Nassau, and Ocho Rios doesn't give much variety. Original itinerary was San Juan, St. Thomas, Nassau, and Private Island. Oh well, we are desperate to get back on the ocean so we will stick with it.

 

Update... Now our cabins only list as guarantees, so we'll see what happens??

Edited June 16, 2021 by Chrisfromco

[jules815]

18 minutes ago, Chrisfromco said:

We are on the October 2nd sailing on Meraviglia. My cruise planner shows the new itinerary, which is not very compelling!! Two stops at their private island, Nassau, and Ocho Rios doesn't give much variety. Original itinerary was San Juan, St. Thomas, Nassau, and Private Island. Oh well, we are desperate to get back on the ocean so we will stick with it.

 

Update... Now our cabins only list as guarantees, so we'll see what happens??

You can call MSC and have the assign your cabin number. Mine was showing as a guarantee too, and we really wanted the one we had originally selected. I called and they took care of it.

[Chrisfromco]

3 minutes ago, jules815 said:

You can call MSC and have the assign your cabin number. Mine was showing as a guarantee too, and we really wanted the one we had originally selected. I called and they took care of it.

Thanks!! I just messaged my TA. She's working on it.

[sidari]

24 minutes ago, Chrisfromco said:

We are on the October 2nd sailing on Meraviglia. My cruise planner shows the new itinerary, which is not very compelling!! Two stops at their private island, Nassau, and Ocho Rios doesn't give much variety. Original itinerary was San Juan, St. Thomas, Nassau, and Private Island. Oh well, we are desperate to get back on the ocean so we will stick with it.

 

Update... Now our cabins only list as guarantees, so we'll see what happens??

They can only go to the places that will low them in sadly.

[optimusprime82]

I'm not upset but going to OC four times, with a stop in Miami, on our previously booked 14 night (now B2B 7 night) isn't super exciting to us. Two days at OC were okay but four is pushing it. The last day is OC so we may just treat it as a sea day and get packed a bit early so we don't have to "stress" about it later in the evening. I'm not even sure the ship is docked late enough for me to try some long exposure astrophotography. I don't think anything is set in stone at the moment, far from it probably, so I'm going to just try and roll with it for now. The goal is to cruise... the goal is to cruise... the goal is to cruise...

[jules815]

What's amazing to me is how everyone's bookings went to guarantee stateroom assignments. I'm looking at an online booking source now that shows real time room availability, and for our week, ALL ROOMS in YC, (except for ours and one other YC1, and for some reason, the 4 sets of connecting rooms), are showing as available, including the 2 Royal Suites. Those are usually the first to book, and I know until this change, they weren't available. Hopefully the people in those suites know about what's going on and won't lose them. If I do a mock booking of our cruise on the MSC website, it's definitely showing the 2 RS as available. 

 

Maybe this is some type of glitch and everyone will be switched back into their original room assignment.

[Shippy]

6 minutes ago, jules815 said:

What's amazing to me is how everyone's bookings went to guarantee stateroom assignments. I'm looking at an online booking source now that shows real time room availability, and for our week, ALL ROOMS in YC, (except for ours and one other YC1, and for some reason, the 4 sets of connecting rooms), are showing as available, including the 2 Royal Suites. Those are usually the first to book, and I know until this change, they weren't available. Hopefully the people in those suites know about what's going on and won't lose them. If I do a mock booking of our cruise on the MSC website, it's definitely showing the 2 RS as available. 

 

Maybe this is some type of glitch and everyone will be switched back into their original room assignment.

     I TOTALLY agree with you on the YC3 (Royal Suites). They are never available. We searched almost a year ago to snag one on the 9/25 sailing. Luckily that cruise no longer shows where someone might have a chance to grab it from under us. I DO think this will sail. Shows everything OK for us on the MSC website except change in itinerary.

[lovemycruisetoo]

23 minutes ago, jules815 said:

What's amazing to me is how everyone's bookings went to guarantee stateroom assignments. I'm looking at an online booking source now that shows real time room availability, and for our week, ALL ROOMS in YC, (except for ours and one other YC1, and for some reason, the 4 sets of connecting rooms), are showing as available, including the 2 Royal Suites. Those are usually the first to book, and I know until this change, they weren't available. Hopefully the people in those suites know about what's going on and won't lose them. If I do a mock booking of our cruise on the MSC website, it's definitely showing the 2 RS as available. 

 

Maybe this is some type of glitch and everyone will be switched back into their original room assignment.

Our friends have one of the RS and I was able to get my original room back thankfully.  This is on 10/2 sailing. 

[Geobugs]

 

MSC traded Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas, BVI for Ocho Rios and Nassau.  How is that an even trade?

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by Geobugs

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, Shippy said:

 I TOTALLY agree with you on the YC3 (Royal Suites). They are never available. We searched almost a year ago to snag one on the 9/25 sailing.

 

As a side note, I've found that searching for just the Royal Suite on the search engine will make things easier BUT the results might give you a higher price. For some strange reason, the price was about $600 higher total vs. not checking the Royal Suite box. 

[kidless]

37 minutes ago, Geobugs said:

 

MSC traded Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas, BVI for Ocho Rios and Nassau.  How is that an even trade?

 

Well look at it as it not being about the destination but being about the journey! 
 

I was all set to book a 3 day September cruise this morning until heard the new announcement. Hopefully our October & November cruises are still good. 

[DCGuy64]

40 minutes ago, Geobugs said:

 

MSC traded Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas, BVI for Ocho Rios and Nassau.  How is that an even trade?

 

Given what's going on right now, I wouldn't be surprised to see lots of changes and adjustments to itineraries. For now, I'll be grateful just to get on the ship at all, let alone see the ports I'd planned to. Best of luck!

[shipgeeks]

Any insider information on Armonia for the Fall?

[phissy]

3 hours ago, jules815 said:

What's amazing to me is how everyone's bookings went to guarantee stateroom assignments. I'm looking at an online booking source now that shows real time room availability, and for our week, ALL ROOMS in YC, (except for ours and one other YC1, and for some reason, the 4 sets of connecting rooms), are showing as available, including the 2 Royal Suites. Those are usually the first to book, and I know until this change, they weren't available. Hopefully the people in those suites know about what's going on and won't lose them. If I do a mock booking of our cruise on the MSC website, it's definitely showing the 2 RS as available. 

 

Maybe this is some type of glitch and everyone will be switched back into their original room assignment.

Thank you for the heads up on the stateroom assignments disappearing. 

We did call this morning to have ours reinstated. At first agent claimed we went to guarantee because it was a YC cabin for 4 and we were only 2... Ahhhhh. NO, we already had that cabin before

It was fixed and Yes, ours was showing available for booking and I did notice what you described above.

Next few weeks will be interesting.....patience?

[quattrohead]

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

Any insider information on Armonia for the Fall?

I don't have any but decided to book the November 5th week as it seemed as safe as any other option.

[jules815]

4 hours ago, phissy said:

Thank you for the heads up on the stateroom assignments disappearing. 

We did call this morning to have ours reinstated. At first agent claimed we went to guarantee because it was a YC cabin for 4 and we were only 2... Ahhhhh. NO, we already had that cabin before

It was fixed and Yes, ours was showing available for booking and I did notice what you described above.

Next few weeks will be interesting.....patience?

 

Glad you were able to get your stateroom reinstated.

 

Next few weeks should be interesting. Wouldn't be surprised if we see another itinerary change, but honestly don't care anymore where we sail to. Bummed we lost San Juan and St. Thomas to Ocho Rios 🙄, but these are different times so we'll just go with the flow and are happy to be on a cruise ship again.

 

[phissy]

I’m with you, just happy to be onboard and enjoying our time at sea. 
Our  cruise will be less about ports but just relaxing and spending time together.

Since we also have YC booking, looking forward to a lovely time on a beautiful ship.

[geoatl]

10 hours ago, Chrisfromco said:

Update... Now our cabins only list as guarantees, so we'll see what happens??

 

I'm on the Sep 18 Meraviglia sailing. My room also lists as a guarantee. I thought maybe it was because I had only paid the deposit and not the full amount. But reading these comments, I'm also solo in a double occupancy room. Learned too late to call them today. Will call them first thing tomorrow. Yikes. And that message above... can't tell if they're going to cancel our sailing as well (if so, why change the itinerary?) or if they are going to go full mandatory with vaccinations. Frankly at this point, just take me to the Caribbean and float me around for 7 days. Just get me on the boat. lol. 

[jr84civic]

Booked on Divina Sept 16 sailing prior to the restart announcement. New MSC email received this morning for 'confirmed booking', cabin assignment to GTY. After calling, agent told me these sailings are 'canceled' and will be issuing FCC for amount paid, at which point we can go back in and rebook the same sailing at the current (higher) rate. Ah, the reasons why MSC is not popular in the US...

[geoatl]

(Sep 18 MSC Meraviglia) I'm on hold with MSC waiting to talk with someone. The on hold message referenced at the top of this thread has been changed to "we're open for sales" and it mentions that they updated their health protocols on the MSCCruisesUSA website. I was worried the web update was going to be more cancellations. Looks like Sep 18 will still happen. Now I just have to get my room "guarantee" switched back to the cabin I selected.  

[jules815]

2 minutes ago, geoatl said:

(Sep 18 MSC Meraviglia) I'm on hold with MSC waiting to talk with someone. The on hold message referenced at the top of this thread has been changed to "we're open for sales" and it mentions that they updated their health protocols on the MSCCruisesUSA website. I was worried the web update was going to be more cancellations. Looks like Sep 18 will still happen. Now I just have to get my room "guarantee" switched back to the cabin I selected.  

Just read their Health and Safety Protocols. Masks for everyone!!

[optimusprime82]

Got an email this morning from MSC notifying me that a cabin had been assigned to me for the 10/23/21 - 10/30/21 portion of our Meraviglia sailing. We were originally in 13001 for fourteen nights, now we're scheduled in 14008 for the first week and 13001 for the second week. This is a YC cabin but it still lists our experience as Aurea. I still haven't received an email response from the Existing Reservations department so I'm hopeful this will get sorted out soon.

 

We wouldn't really mind an upgrade to YC on this cruise since there's not a lot destinations (right now at least) that we're excited about plus we have four days scheduled in OC. With a lot more time spent on the ship or at OC an upgrade to YC would be pretty nice even if we did lose the two room suite with whirlpool that we were originally booked in. My concern is that it appears that we're currently only booked in a YC room but we're not actually going to get the YC amenities (special areas, YC drink package). If the "upgrade" is cabin only I don't think it's worth it and I'd rather have my old cabin booking for all fourteen nights.

[kilkoyne]

I had b2b cruises reserved. 9/25 is showing my cabin but 10/2 is now saying stateroom is not assigned.

 

I called MSC this morning. The receptionist said the only way I could get my room back was to repurchase the 10/2 cruise. She said she "thinks" I would get it for the same price but wouldn't be sure until I cancelled and rebooked. Since I travel light I didn't bother repurchasing. Not a good way to keep customers coming back IMO.

Edited June 17, 2021 by kilkoyne