Enough is Enough

[Beamafar]

2 minutes ago, JAGR said:

If you are referencing the 5 March cruise, we are on that one as the second week of a B2B.  We did get our original room re-assigned to us, so good things are at least possible! 

You’re one of very few, J.  Most are reporting their cabins were changed out. 

[ready2cruzagain]

2 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

You’re one of very few, J.  Most are reporting their cabins were changed out. 

And some of us are still in a Guarantee!😡

[Beamafar]

Just now, ready2cruzagain said:

And some of us are still in a Guarantee!😡

Unbelievable!   We’re still showing as Guarantee on the app but the cabin number is indicated on our booking.   The shocking thing is MSC has never notified us of this change.  How many are out there, not on CC, or any social media, totally unaware that this has happened? 

[ready2cruzagain]

4 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Unbelievable!   We’re still showing as Guarantee on the app but the cabin number is indicated on our booking.   The shocking thing is MSC has never notified us of this change.  How many are out there, not on CC, or any social media, totally unaware that this has happened? 

Ours still show Guarantee everywhere and I even called again this past week.  MSC never notified me either and I only found out through CC. I am sure there are a ton of people that will be shocked when they go to print their documents and see they are in a different cabin.

Edited November 27, 2021 by ready2cruzagain

[Fred&Lily]

Posted 6 hours ago (edited)

It seems the way to deal with MSC and their frustrating “before cruise” customer service is to book last minute (if you can) 

I absolutely agree with this comment. Last minute is the way to book. Same with airfare which is pretty awful when you're in Canada. Fortunately I'm able to drive a few hours to Detroit and can usually get a deal on a Spirit 6:00 am flight to FLL. When you really go down to the wire on last-minute there is no sense in getting any travel insurance but ALWAYS travel a day or two ahead of the cruise. Final plus is that DW Lily doesn't have time to fuss about clothes and shoes to pack.

[panamapd]

Hi Bea - can't believe you have had it with MSC. We have been there more or less than the start! Actually I can believe it. MSC has changed too far off for us now. Usually we would have had a few cruises booked up for next year and beyond. However we are now booked with other lines. We have a couple of Magnificas booked for next year but it really won't take much for us to cancel those!!!

 

The good deals and good times we had Celebrity, P&O, Royal, Cunard and VIrgin(spectacular) really put a dim light on Msc. We really have no interest in their newer ships now. The non yacht experience now is too below par for us. As our son is now older, good deals are getting harder to come by. Frankly we would rather just pay the extra and sail with another line.

 

Hope you get the cabin you want! 

[Fighterone]

1 hour ago, JAGR said:

If you are referencing the 5 March cruise, we are on that one as the second week of a B2B.  We did get our original room re-assigned to us, so good things are at least possible! 

In the worst case scenario at Ocean Cay, at least are only one floor away from the One Deck, which should afford fantastic views of the island.

You were very fortunate. 

 

[mscdivina2016]

8 hours ago, Fighterone said:

We selected 19002 on  MSC Seashore for the March sailing  20 months ago but MSC's incompetent staff moved us to 19003 which is port side and with no view of Ocean Cay at all unless they dock backwards. This cabin, 19002,  is between 2 grand suites and cannot be subject to be a  part of a block of cabins to quarantine anyone. 

 

When they decided to move everyone to GUAs when they reformulated their cabin design on November 15th, they showed a total lack of care for customers by reassigning cabins without even checking which ones had previously been selected by their loyal customers. There are 4 of us (8 couples and 2 kids) on this sailing that I know of who have been moved. 

 

We understand it's their right to do this but their customer service, their website, their phone wait times have finally done us in despite the wonderful experience in YC. Customers have their limits. 

 

Pure incompetence and lack of care for their customers!

 

It's the third time (2 pre-pandemic) out of 7 sailings MSC switches our cabin and the only cruise line out of 15 cruise lines we have sailed on to EVER have done this.

 

Welcome to MSC

 

I have had my share of issues and I will attempt to rectify from YC in a week from now.  Hard to ignore me when I am on your ship for not one week but 2.

[Beamafar]

21 minutes ago, panamapd said:

Hi Bea - can't believe you have had it with MSC. We have been there more or less than the start! Actually I can believe it. MSC has changed too far off for us now.

Hi P.  We feel the very same way.  So much has been eroded, especially since the dumbing down of the VC perks - which was the beginning of MSC going downhill.  It’s been rapidly declining ever since.

 

With the prices going the way they are, it’s no longer the value product it once was.  We’re prepared to sail less and pay more to cruise with other lines.  We feel we’ve been treated extremely unfairly by MSC and are putting our money where our mouth is.

 

On the subject of our cabin: we had nabbed a YIN H cabin at booking, but they’ve moved us to a regular YIN despite there still being Hs available.  That’s a bit of a downer.

 

But, the bigger kick is that they’re denying us the $100 OBC compensation for a change of itinerary that everyone else is getting, as we used an FCC from a cancelled cruise as a deposit and MSC feels we’ve been compensated enough!   It’s a petty and asinine move on their part but we won’t be cruising with them 3 times a year as a result!  

[Fighterone]

9 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Welcome to MSC

 

I have had my share of issues and I will attempt to rectify from YC in a week from now.  Hard to ignore me when I am on your ship for not one week but 2.

I did the same thing for a future cruise while on Divina in 2016 since it was impossible to get anyone to rectify my age, and they had me married to a Dutchman with an internet address in the Netherlands. What a joke it was? It took the future cruise consultant on board only  a few minutes to rectify the situation. After that, due to the absolute mess their website is and due to the long phone waits, we hired a T.A. to endure the headaches for us. Good luck! 

[Fighterone]

8 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Hi P.  We feel the very same way.  So much has been eroded, especially since the dumbing down of the VC perks - which was the beginning of MSC going downhill.  It’s been rapidly declining ever since.

 

With the prices going the way they are, it’s no longer the value product it once was.  We’re prepared to sail less and pay more to cruise with other lines.  We feel we’ve been treated extremely unfairly by MSC and are putting our money where our mouth is.

 

On the subject of our cabin: we had nabbed a YIN H cabin at booking, but they’ve moved us to a regular YIN despite there still being Hs available.  That’s a bit of a downer.

 

But, the bigger kick is that they’re denying us the $100 OBC compensation for a change of itinerary that everyone else is getting, as we used an FCC from a cancelled cruise as a deposit and MSC feels we’ve been compensated enough!   It’s a petty and asinine move on their part but we won’t be cruising with them 3 times a year as a result!  

I'd say you have every reason to be upset with not only the denying of the OBC, the switch in cabins but also the fact that you have been loyal to MSC with over 18 cruises with them as noted in  your signature. 

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, Fighterone said:

I'd say you have every reason to be upset with not only the denying of the OBC, the switch in cabins but also the fact that you have been loyal to MSC with over 18 cruises with them as noted in  your signature. 

It’s 24 now (25 if you count one where MSC insisted we were on a B2B, despite having only one booking number).  Our average was 3 a year til Covid adjusted that!  Some were 28 nighters and we’ve done a few other, long repo ones, so a lot of nights spent on their ships over the years.  

[awhcruiser]

9 hours ago, Beamafar said:

As there are on many other subjects.

 

Do you have any idea of the number of times I’ve answered the same questions posed over and over again on this forum?   Never once have I said that the answers were contained in numerous other threads!

Too bad the search function doesn't work.  

 

[awhcruiser]

 

[bigblue1952]

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

Bea, we were also switched on our April 9 and 16th cruises.  We booked the same cabin for both cruises and were switched on the second week with no compensation.  We also are very disappointed.

Forrest

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

Hi P.  We feel the very same way.  So much has been eroded, especially since the dumbing down of the VC perks - which was the beginning of MSC going downhill.  It’s been rapidly declining ever since.

 

With the prices going the way they are, it’s no longer the value product it once was.  We’re prepared to sail less and pay more to cruise with other lines.  We feel we’ve been treated extremely unfairly by MSC and are putting our money where our mouth is.

 

On the subject of our cabin: we had nabbed a YIN H cabin at booking, but they’ve moved us to a regular YIN despite there still being Hs available.  That’s a bit of a downer.

 

But, the bigger kick is that they’re denying us the $100 OBC compensation for a change of itinerary that everyone else is getting, as we used an FCC from a cancelled cruise as a deposit and MSC feels we’ve been compensated enough!   It’s a petty and asinine move on their part but we won’t be cruising with them 3 times a year as a result!  

 

[deliver42]

It boggles the mind of how little they care about anything, other than making money. I guess they feel that for every person they lose due to their service, there will be ten to take their place. Since they aren't traded on the stock market, they have no one to answer to. Eventually this will bite them where the sun don't shine, but i have no idea when.  I have the Seashore booked in May, and this will probably be our last MSC cruise. When I was in the YC on the Divina, the price was about the same as the inside cabin YC now. All that and you get less.

[sidari]

9 hours ago, deliver42 said:

It boggles the mind of how little they care about anything, other than making money. I guess they feel that for every person they lose due to their service, there will be ten to take their place. Since they aren't traded on the stock market, they have no one to answer to. Eventually this will bite them where the sun don't shine, but i have no idea when.  I have the Seashore booked in May, and this will probably be our last MSC cruise. When I was in the YC on the Divina, the price was about the same as the inside cabin YC now. All that and you get less.

MSC have still not learned to stop treating their passengers like Cargo on their merchant ships! You have to wonder just how long they can continue sailing with just 500 passengers on ships like Divina.

while it may have been true some time ago about losing one to gain others but I think those days for MSC are over as people become more and more aware of the disgraceful treatment they are being given.

[Fla Mike]

To the OP...

 

Just a thought, have you considered getting in touch with Christopher Elliott and his team at Elliot Advocacy?

 

They are a legitimate non profit group and have helped others in the past.

He has a whole section on his site entitled "Cruise Fiascos".

 

He may be just what you are looking for.

 

In further review on the Elliot site I found this list of contacts at MSC

 

Edited November 28, 2021 by Fla Mike
Add link to MSC Contacts

[ready2cruzagain]

11 hours ago, awhcruiser said:

 

Personally when having issues right now I tend not to drag up a 4 year old thread. I would never tag that thread and start a discussion 4 years later than when it started and I am glad the OP did not tag that thread. 

 

Edited November 28, 2021 by ready2cruzagain

[Roger88]

10 hours ago, deliver42 said:

It boggles the mind of how little they care about anything, other than making money. I guess they feel that for every person they lose due to their service, there will be ten to take their place. Since they aren't traded on the stock market, they have no one to answer to. Eventually this will bite them where the sun don't shine, but i have no idea when.  I have the Seashore booked in May, and this will probably be our last MSC cruise. When I was in the YC on the Divina, the price was about the same as the inside cabin YC now. All that and you get less.

Its capitalism my friend, I never get angry when such things occur. I mean, afterall we do the same thing working our jobs - making cash to pay our rent to have water and electricity. Its all interconnected, its the model of the world that works and that we have to perserve 

[Fighterone]

1 hour ago, sidari said:

MSC have still not learned to stop treating their passengers like Cargo on their merchant ships! You have to wonder just how long they can continue sailing with just 500 passengers on ships like Divina.

while it may have been true some time ago about losing one to gain others but I think those days for MSC are over as people become more and more aware of the disgraceful treatment they are being given.

I couldn't agree more with you! 

[styles27]

8 hours ago, sidari said:

MSC have still not learned to stop treating their passengers like Cargo on their merchant ships! You have to wonder just how long they can continue sailing with just 500 passengers on ships like Divina.

while it may have been true some time ago about losing one to gain others but I think those days for MSC are over as people become more and more aware of the disgraceful treatment they are being given.

But aren’t we assuming that the majority of customers are treated “like cargo”?  
 

We need to remember the majority of people are not members of Cruise Critic who are posting about such issues on a daily basis. 
We’re only hearing about a minuscule number of cases when you look at the entire picture. 
 

I personally have not had one problem with my bookings with MSC (although I probably just jinxed myself 🙈) I’ve called and received price adjustments without issue and was even upgraded to YC for free on our first ever MSC cruise in 2019. 

 

Maybe I’m in the minority here on Cruise Critic but I’d venture to bet that I’m not in the minority overall. 
 

I know it’s hard to imagine but most people have not heard about the problems with MSC posted here on Cruise Critic. 
 

 

[ready2cruzagain]

26 minutes ago, styles27 said:

But aren’t we assuming that the majority of customers are treated “like cargo”?  
 

We need to remember the majority of people are not members of Cruise Critic who are posting about such issues on a daily basis. 
We’re only hearing about a minuscule number of cases when you look at the entire picture. 
 

I personally have not had one problem with my bookings with MSC (although I probably just jinxed myself 🙈) I’ve called and received price adjustments without issue and was even upgraded to YC for free on our first ever MSC cruise in 2019. 

 

Maybe I’m in the minority here on Cruise Critic but I’d venture to bet that I’m not in the minority overall. 
 

I know it’s hard to imagine but most people have not heard about the problems with MSC posted here on Cruise Critic. 
 

 

 

I have not had too many problems with MSC except for a couple of times, once they refused to honor the price I had booked at during a promo, said it was not booked right, so I got mad and cancelled.  Then this time where we picked a specific cabin and like everyone else on our cruise, have been placed into a Guarantee.  Not happy with that but went ahead and made final payment today.  I am hoping to get a cabin like we had or a better one.

 

Unlike others, I have never been on hold when I call.  This morning, I did not wait even 30 seconds before CS picked up. The most I usually wait is around 2 minutes.  Like you though, I probably just jinxed myself😂

 

 

[styles27]

1 minute ago, ready2cruzagain said:

 

I have not had too many problems with MSC except for a couple of times, once they refused to honor the price I had booked at during a promo, said it was not booked right, so I got mad and cancelled.  Then this time where we picked a specific cabin and like everyone else on our cruise, have been placed into a Guarantee.  Not happy with that but went ahead and made final payment today.  I am hoping to get a cabin like we had or a better one.

 

Unlike others, I have never been on hold when I call.  This morning, I did not wait even 30 seconds before CS picked up. The most I usually wait is around 2 minutes.  Like you though, I probably just jinxed myself😂

 

 

We’ll I hope we didn’t just jinx ourselves! lol

 

I’m not on FB anymore but my husband shows me the complaints posted on there about RCCL, NCL, HAL, Princess and Carnival that are right on par with what we read here about MSC. We’ve cruised on all of them and haven’t had a problem. (Again 🤞 that I didn’t just jinx myself)

 

 Most folks won’t post unless it’s a complaint so of course that’s what we’re seeing here and on FB but it isn’t exclusive to MSC. It’s every cruise line. 

 

[jelly.roll]

I have had problems with other Lines but they would work to remedy them, unlike MSC. I tried to reserve a 3 day balcony with my cruise credit for a cancelled 7 day interitor. For some reason, they would only book me an interior. They assured me it would be changed. After several calls and several days, I asked for the cruise to be changed or cancelled. They charged me the $200 cancellation fee. I will not  go through the aggravation of dealing with them again.