MSC a joke !!!!

[RudiRatlos]

3 hours ago, 8420PR said:

In Europe cruise deposits, hotel bookings and flights are typically non-refundable (and often very expensive to change), making things more complicated.

Yes, cruise deposits (as any package tours/holidays) are usually non-refundable in most european countries.

In contrast, ordinary hotel accomodations or flight/train tickets are usually changeable and refundable, provided they were booked at normal price. Of course people travelling for non-business reasons often tend to book the cheaper non-flexible rates...

 

Knowing that itinerary or date changes are always possible with cruises (and have always occured for different reasons, not only since covid-19), I would only book a non-flexible flight or hotel in connection with a cruise if it is really cheap, so the loss won't hurt in case of changes not covered by travel insurance.

Edited July 13, 2022 by RudiRatlos

[awhcruiser]

11 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Possibly non refundable airfare. Or an expensive change fee.

Ok  Thanks for the clarification.

[Toffeeboy]

On 7/8/2022 at 6:26 PM, Hlitner said:

I find the OP's situation interesting since we had a related issue happen to us with an Oceania cruise (disembarkation port was moved 1500 miles only 3 weeks before the cruise).  I do not see it as "business as usual" and it truly sucks.  In the case of the OP's cruise it appears that MSC simply changed several itineraries with very little warning.  The changes do not look to be caused by COVID because they are still visiting most of the same countries.    

 

When Oceania pulled this kind of thing on us we simply cancelled and demanded a full refund.  "O" wanted to only give us a future cruise credit which we would not accept.  In the USA we do have some protection when we use major credit cards (as a general rule a vendor much deliver the product that has been purchased) so we wrote a letter to "O" explaining that we wanted our money back or would file a "credit card charge-back request."  "O" quickly granted our request and did refund our money within days.  As to the airlines, we had booked flights with Delta using miles.  Once Delta understood our situation, they generously offered to refund all of our miles and related fees.

 

I do not know the exact rights the OP has in their country, but have been led to believe that Europe has even stronger consumer laws than here in the USA.  So perhaps the OP might want to cancel and use the system to get a refund.  The bottom line is that the OP is not getting the product that was purchased!  While port cancellations or changes are part of the cruise world, changing dates and embarkation/debarkation ports is not a norm.  Consider if a person booked a cruise in the Med and the cruise line decided to change it to a South America cruise!  Folks would argue that is not the same cruise.  The situation here is similar.

 

Hank

 

 

 

Thanks for your comments Hank and I am glad someone on here understand the mess MSC created I have just spoken to the office in London they inform me they are dealing with so many complaints about this they have not got round to replying to my e mails and they only offered 200 dollars as gesture thanks Kevin.

[Gatordad1967]

On 7/12/2022 at 4:01 PM, deliver42 said:

WOW! MSC is alone in this area, along with Carnival, Royal, Celebrity, Princess and every other cruise line.

bingo!

[Eglesbrech]

On 7/12/2022 at 9:01 PM, deliver42 said:

WOW! MSC is alone in this area, along with Carnival, Royal, Celebrity, Princess and every other cruise line.

Which makes them all wrong and totally lacking in customer service surely or are you an apologist for this kind of passenger treatment?

[alohayall]

On 7/13/2022 at 4:41 AM, BVILady said:

Similar happened to me with Costa, they changed the embarkation port to a city which had been impossible for me to reach and disembarkation also impossible for me to get back to Trieste in time to catch my non-refundable not changeable flight out of Trieste. I cancelled and got refund and actually that is how I ended up with a booking on MSC since they had a similar itinerary of our original dates. So Poster might take the refund and look for a different cruise fitting his dates out of his original port. Good luck - we actually ended up with a bargain.

Nice thinking outside the box.  

[GOLDENBONNY]

On 7/8/2022 at 4:42 AM, Toffeeboy said:

just been informed that a complete date change and and return port to disembark after all flights booked fuming !!!!!!!!!

 

don't worry to much maybe flight will be cancelled as well. welcome  to 2022 travelling 

[Raddo]

On 7/8/2022 at 12:42 PM, johnnylincoln said:

Four years ago I booked a Royal Caribbean cruise from Southampton on the Independence of the Seas...two weeks after booking they decided to pull Indy from Southampton and put Anthem of the Seas there instead and double the prices. My two choices were a refund or pay the increased price. 

 

All cruise lines are as bad as each other. 

I had the opposite effect from RC as I was supposed to be on a Norwegian Fjords cruise on Anthem that was changed to a UK cruise only.  The prices did changed to a higher price but RC informed me that if I accept this change, no additional charges for me.  They have changed two of my ships for next year but the itineries remains and no change for me. 

[NewbieCruiser2015]

Just booked my first cruise today.  And I have to say- this thread is scaring the crap outta me.   I  Specifically chose the cruise we did as it coincided with our son’s college break.  I have no room for error.   Yikes   Now I’m terrified 

[MaisonRose]

On 7/12/2022 at 6:45 PM, Toffeeboy said:

I will explain more about this change it is not Covid related purely operational reasons they changed the departure date from the 21st November to the 27th November and with a completely different Itinerary the original cruise was 11 nights now 7 and a totally different final port for the trolls on here who say life sucks after you have booked all your flights I hope it happens to you all !!!!!🐷

 

On 7/13/2022 at 4:05 PM, GonzoWCS said:

Thanks for the specifics and sorry this happened to you and yours.

 

Cheers

I wonder if this has anything to do with 3 MSC ships serving as hotels during the upcoming WORLD CUP?

susan

[MaisonRose]

4 minutes ago, MaisonRose said:

 

I wonder if this has anything to do with 3 MSC ships serving as hotels during the upcoming WORLD CUP?

  https://maritime-executive.com/article/qatar-s-world-cup-brings-in-three-cruise-ships-for-hotel-space

 

[mscdivina2016]

2 hours ago, NewbieCruiser2015 said:

Just booked my first cruise today.  And I have to say- this thread is scaring the crap outta me.   I  Specifically chose the cruise we did as it coincided with our son’s college break.  I have no room for error.   Yikes   Now I’m terrified 

Hoped you used a TA.

 

Keep an eye on your booking and never call them .

[HikingPete]

16 hours ago, NewbieCruiser2015 said:

Just booked my first cruise today.  And I have to say- this thread is scaring the crap outta me.   I  Specifically chose the cruise we did as it coincided with our son’s college break.  I have no room for error.   Yikes   Now I’m terrified 

 

You'll most likely be fine, but... this kind of why insurance and travel agents exist.

 

Let the travel agents run around trying to resolve issues for you, and let the insurance pick up the pieces when it all goes completely to pot.

[asalligo]

Changing a cruise port is one thing, but changing an embarkation port is not something that just happens with cruise lines. I would demand a full refund or make myself their new worst enemy. 

[travelberlin]

16 minutes ago, asalligo said:

Changing a cruise port is one thing, but changing an embarkation port is not something that just happens with cruise lines. I would demand a full refund or make myself their new worst enemy. 

Unfortunately it happens with other cruise lines also. For example the extinct Crystal and also with Azamara.

Ivi

[mscdivina2016]

4 hours ago, HikingPete said:

 

You'll most likely be fine, but... this kind of why insurance and travel agents exist.

 

Let the travel agents run around trying to resolve issues for you, and let the insurance pick up the pieces when it all goes completely to pot.

Great advice but the travel insurance company is not the greatest friend.

 

If they changed  embarkation, they only cover the change fee, so you need to buy tickets that offer that option. Non refundable are not covered by insurance.

 You are responsible for any fare increase.

Also, funny thing I ran across. I had an embarkation port changed by MSC and airline charged me $200 for a cruise next year to change tickets.  I cannot get reimbursed till after the cruise ends.

[mscdivina2016]

29 minutes ago, asalligo said:

Changing a cruise port is one thing, but changing an embarkation port is not something that just happens with cruise lines. I would demand a full refund or make myself their new worst enemy. 

I am a thorn in their side and continue to be. I am surprised it's taken this amount of time and many past issues are not resolved as well as upcoming cruise issues.

Amazing they can stay in business like this.

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, asalligo said:

"...changing an embarkation port is not something that just happens with cruise lines."

As @travelberlin said, it happens.

 

Regent changed an embarkation port on us, switching from Miami, out to Barbados.

 

We canceled and put the money into our first YC booking.

[shipgeeks]

2 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

I am a thorn in their side and continue to be. I am surprised it's taken this amount of time and many past issues are not resolved as well as upcoming cruise issues.

Amazing they can stay in business like this.

Maybe they stay in business because so many of us never have any problems, and continue to book more cruises with them.

[deliver42]

If you book on line, or use a TA, if you don't make any changes by calling, then you probably won't have any problems. The problems seem to arise if you call customer service to make even a slight change.

[mscdivina2016]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

Maybe they stay in business because so many of us never have any problems, and continue to book more cruises with them.

I have 5 booked plus a family cruise of 12 cabins. All in yacht club.😁

[deliver42]

My wife and I are booked for our 4th MSC cruise, and absolutely love the product. Thank goodness, experience on the ships are completely different from calling stateside.

[mscdivina2016]

2 hours ago, deliver42 said:

 Thank goodness, experience on the ships are completely different from calling stateside.

😂

[FireEater]

4 hours ago, deliver42 said:

If you book on line, or use a TA, if you don't make any changes by calling, then you probably won't have any problems. The problems seem to arise if you call customer service to make even a slight change.

I recently changed my booking by calling customer service.

 

Upgraded a YC cabin and added 1 person.  Customer Service was quick and professional.

 

No issues.  I got what I requested.

 

I am one of the lucky ones though.  Have read a lot of issues with MSC customer service, but luckily I have not had an issue.

[hamrag]

15 hours ago, asalligo said:

...... I would demand a full refund or make myself their new worst enemy. 

Don't tell divina2016, he wouldn't like to lose that status! 😉