Always remember the MSC Golden Rule

[Stockjock]

My #1 MSC tip is, once your reservation looks the way you want it to look, the room is correct and the pricing is correct, try very hard not to call MSC. 

Once the well-meaning agents put their hands on your reservation, that's when the "fun" begins! In many cases, it will take an Act of God, and God apparently lives in Italy for our purposes, to get your reservation right again.  Maybe.  But typically, only after weeks or months of aggravation, if at all.

I call this the MSC Golden Rule.

Edited March 26, 2022 by Stockjock

[cheeseheads4ever]

Amen stockjock!

[wdowns9]

Then you have to battle with their mystery IT system which goes crazy at times. The system was changing from cabin a that I booked specifically to a Gurantee. Luckily I was continually checking that I noticed this. Luckily each time it was corrected quickly.

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by wdowns9

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, Stockjock said:

My #1 MSC tip is, once your reservation looks the way you want it to look, the room is correct and the pricing is correct, try very hard not to call MSC. 

Once the well-meaning agents put their hands on your reservation, that's when the "fun" begins! In many cases, it will take an Act of God, and God apparently lives in Italy for our purposes, to get your reservation right again.  Maybe.  But typically, only after weeks or months of aggravation, if at all.

I call this the MSC Golden Rule.

 

In other words, Leave Well Enough Alone!  

[phissy]

Called MSC-USA to have our original cabin back.

when booking confirmation email  arrived, MSC added additional  deposit for our YC cruise in total due.

TA said it took rep going to supervisor to get it corrected over a few hours. 
Sounds like a mess.

Stockjock is right on.

[mmt44]

1 hour ago, wdowns9 said:

Then you have to battle with their mystery IT system which goes crazy at times. The system was changing from cabin a that I booked specifically to a Gurantee. Luckily I was continually checking that I noticed this. Luckily each time it was corrected quickly.

 

Did you call to correct, or do you mean it autocorrected?  How long did the correction take?

[JohnIreland]

Sorry, this post has somehow caused your cabin to be reassigned to a bella inside.

[wdowns9]

Called when I saw the change and they corrected it without going through a bunch of hoops; luckily the cabin the cabin was still available. The agent didnt have an explantion why and was understanding.

 

[Fly2where]

21 hours ago, Stockjock said:

My #1 MSC tip is, once your reservation looks the way you want it to look, the room is correct and the pricing is correct, try very hard not to call MSC. 

Once the well-meaning agents put their hands on your reservation, that's when the "fun" begins! In many cases, it will take an Act of God, and God apparently lives in Italy for our purposes, to get your reservation right again.  Maybe.  But typically, only after weeks or months of aggravation, if at all.

I call this the MSC Golden Rule.

OMG!!!! that's exactly what happened to me. First hand experience, the agent was well intended, tried to help me by applying 5+15% discount on my fare, we both agreed on the new fare/discount, but then the system didn't catch it, and the confirmation came back HIGHER than my original price. Agent was so apologetic, but nothing she can do, even consulted with her supervisor. Can only wait for for their back office to fix it. Long story short, it has been 4 months now (since Dec 2021), the issue is still not fixed!!! Well, to be clear, they kinda fixed the price, but at the same time, took away my $450 on board credit!!! (which is even worst). 

[Stockjock]

4 hours ago, Fly2where said:

OMG!!!! that's exactly what happened to me. First hand experience, the agent was well intended, tried to help me by applying 5+15% discount on my fare, we both agreed on the new fare/discount, but then the system didn't catch it, and the confirmation came back HIGHER than my original price. Agent was so apologetic, but nothing she can do, even consulted with her supervisor. Can only wait for for their back office to fix it. Long story short, it has been 4 months now (since Dec 2021), the issue is still not fixed!!! Well, to be clear, they kinda fixed the price, but at the same time, took away my $450 on board credit!!! (which is even worst). 

That's a pretty typical "MSC Comedy of Errors" type of story.

The USA agents are well-intentioned.  But in many cases, once they modify a reservation, the pricing changes (goes up), prior discounts are removed, onboard credits often removed, and in your case, and mine previously, cabins may be changed, even when the agents are sure that won't happen.

There are some things they might be able to fix here in the USA, but most issues require adjustment from the parent office in Italy.  In Italy, they seem to very much do things at their own pace, or not at all.

If it's something major, feel free to call with the full understanding that something may very well go wrong and result in considerable frustration for weeks or months.  If it's something minor, leave it alone.

One more tip.  Be sure to save the .pdf booking confirmations.  I've needed these to help them reconstruct the destruction of my reservations.  Sometimes, they don't know or understand what changes have occurred, and obviously they'll need that info to (maybe) reconstruct it.

It's really not a very good system.

[Woody14]

My first thought on reading the title was that MSC has the gold and they make the rules.  🤣

[Markanddonna]

For us, back in November, all it took was trying to log onto my account to check something. My account had evaporated and I was told I had none and had no history. The implication was that something was wrong with ME and that I was mistaken in saying I had ever cruised with them. I am a Diamond member. Five months late, and IT still hasn't fixed it.

[Stockjock]

I've got a bit of a dilemma right now.  I think they're shortchanging my GF $100 OBC.  We were to get $50 for a promotion and another $50 for Voyager's Club.  They show my $100 OBC, but zero for the GF.

I'm afraid that if they touch this reservation again, I'll have to go through hell to get it right again, and I just went through months of this.  So far, I haven't called them about it.