MSC is not customer friendly, purposedly delay refunds

[igorjrr]

Cancelled over a month ago. Deposit still not refunded which means they are just earning interest over it.

 

This is really intentionally poor service (but financially beneficial).

 

You just keep calling to convince them they need to refund? I don't want to start putting disputes (I have two deposits pending refund for over a month).

[nyc12345]

It's hit and miss.  I have gotten refunds without needing to chase them and I have also had to call them to get a refund.

[JamieLogical]

I wonder if it is dependent on payment method. I have canceled two cruises at different times and both times, the deposit was refunded to my Chase Sapphire Reserve card within 48 hours. Perhaps transmitting refunds to other payment methods just takes longer?

[igorjrr]

4 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

I wonder if it is dependent on payment method. I have canceled two cruises at different times and both times, the deposit was refunded to my Chase Sapphire Reserve card within 48 hours. Perhaps transmitting refunds to other payment methods just takes longer?

 

No. Two different cards, different banks. I called MSC and they have not issued the refund yet.

First they said 1 month, and now they said 2 months to receive the refund.

 

It's not my bank delaying the refund. It's MSC holding the money to accrue interest.

 

Unfortunately, I decided to open a dispute. This will be probably my last sailing with them (I have one booking confirmed). They are really horrendous in customer service.

[JamieLogical]

1 minute ago, igorjrr said:

 

No. Two different cards, different banks. I called MSC and they have not issued the refund yet.

First they said 1 month, and now they said 2 months to receive the refund.

 

It's not my bank delaying the refund. It's MSC holding the money to accrue interest.

 

Unfortunately, I decided to open a dispute. This will be probably my last sailing with them (I have one booking confirmed). They are really horrendous in customer service.

 

Hmm, I wonder what caused the difference between your experience and mine. Both times I canceled, I did so by just calling the general customer service number at the top of the website. How did you initiate your cancelation?

[igorjrr]

2 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Hmm, I wonder what caused the difference between your experience and mine. Both times I canceled, I did so by just calling the general customer service number at the top of the website. How did you initiate your cancelation?

 

Same way. Maybe they process refunds once a month, again to collect interest. Depending on the day you cancel, you may be scheduled for next month's batch. However this is unfair, they should refund promptly.

 

No wonder the owners are among the richest in the world.

 

Regulators are just sleeping watching all that. It is really incredible the lack of customer protection.

Edited August 17, 2023 by igorjrr

[Morgsmom]

It's very common with MSC; normally it takes 2 months for a refund. Yes, that's why they have lots of $$$$$$

 

[Two Wheels Only]

My best time for a refund - 11 days.

My worst time for a refund - 5 months.

 

It happens.

 

The standard response from MSC is "...2 billing cycles..." but it can vary, obviously.

[igorjrr]

Just now, Two Wheels Only said:

My best time for a refund - 11 days.

My worst time for a refund - 5 months.

 

It happens.

 

The standard response from MSC is "...2 billing cycles..." but it can vary, obviously.

 

5 months!!!

[JamieLogical]

Holy cow! I am glad I have been so lucky! I just went back and looked up a post I had made back when doing my first cancellation in March. The refund showed up on my credit card web site as "pending" within 48 hours. I am afraid I don't have any documentation for my second cancelation, but I recall having a similar experience.

 

[PTC DAWG]

How much interest are they making on your refund?  It can't be much....

[igorjrr]

4 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

How much interest are they making on your refund?  It can't be much....

 

Just one ship can have more than 4,000 cabins. That multiplied by multiple ships. The same cabin can be cancelled by multiple customers (A cancels, B books and cancels, C books and travel).

 

Yes, it is a lot of money.

[JamieLogical]

I am just happy MSC has refundable deposits. On Celebrity, you have to pay hundreds of extra dollars on your total fare to make your deposit refundable at all.

[Eglesbrech]

Perhaps it is because MSC is a European company and they dont refund deposits in Europe. If you cancel the cruise you lose the deposit.

 

Their IT systems could be set up for the European market. I’m not saying that it acceptable but it may explain the delays?

[Mark_T]

Poor process is always going to be more likely than intentional delay, it just isn't worth the hassle of dealing with CC charge-backs to do this with deliberate intent. 

[morpheusofthesea]

8 hours ago, igorjrr said:

Cancelled over a month ago. Deposit still not refunded which means they are just earning interest over it.

At least you have a chance to get a refund. We waited for the two billing cycles and got a refund. We tried to cancel a booking with NCL 100 days out from a sailing, they said it was 99 days and kept our $1800 deposit, because we would rather cruise on MSC Yacht Club, which had an unexpected opening of a Royal Suite. I think that NCL's practice of not refunding one $1800 is more than the interest on one $100 deposit at 4% interest = .33 per month x 4000= $1320 per month accrued interest on all 4000 deposits. We feel the same way about NCL and will look to them as a last resort in all future bookings. This is considering they can even get that kind of interest bearing business account.

Edited August 18, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[shoptom]

Think of your interest lost as a small fee to pay for wasting their time pretending to go on a cruise.

[PTC DAWG]

20 hours ago, igorjrr said:

 

Just one ship can have more than 4,000 cabins. That multiplied by multiple ships. The same cabin can be cancelled by multiple customers (A cancels, B books and cancels, C books and travel).

 

Yes, it is a lot of money.

But that didn’t answer my question.  I did not ask about the whole ship. Also not sure which MSC ship has 4000 cabins? I see your point,  but it also takes paid workers to handle your cancellation..so it’s more than likely a wash at best. 
 

BTW, I cancelled an excursion on my Sept MSC cruise yesterday, will be interesting to see how quickly they rebate the $160 to my card.  2% yearly on that amount would be around 25 cents a month. 

Edited August 18, 2023 by PTC DAWG

[PTC DAWG]

20 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

I am just happy MSC has refundable deposits. On Celebrity, you have to pay hundreds of extra dollars on your total fare to make your deposit refundable at all.

If I book a cruise, I’m going. 🙂

[lindyf]

Still waiting for a refund for something that was put on our account in error. It was requested in late June. 

[igorjrr]

2 hours ago, lindyf said:

Still waiting for a refund for something that was put on our account in error. It was requested in late June. 

 

You guys are so patient with that company. I gave them one month to refund, and placed disputes. Of course, won and already got all my money back.

The owners are among the richest in the world. You certainly do not need to wait that long for a refund. If it's June, very soon your card won't accept a dispute anymore. Act, or you might not see this money.

 

It's clear to me this is done on purpose, part of the business. Minimum they get is interest, if not the whole amount. Maybe you are also very rich and don't care about that amount very much.

[Beaver1975]

50 minutes ago, igorjrr said:

 

You guys are so patient with that company. I gave them one month to refund, and placed disputes. Of course, won and already got all my money back.

The owners are among the richest in the world. You certainly do not need to wait that long for a refund. If it's June, very soon your card won't accept a dispute anymore. Act, or you might not see this money.

 

It's clear to me this is done on purpose, part of the business. Minimum they get is interest, if not the whole amount. Maybe you are also very rich and don't care about that amount very much.

Yep, the interest on the few thousand dollars you are owed is going make such a huge impact on their balance sheet

[GOLDENBONNY]

4 hours ago, Beaver1975 said:

few thousand dollars

Deposits are 199 pp on MSC not thousands lol

[Arantxa]

Having the same issue with a refund, just curious the dispute you guys did is directly with the bank? 
 

thanks in advance. 

[igorjrr]

11 hours ago, Arantxa said:

Having the same issue with a refund, just curious the dispute you guys did is directly with the bank? 
 

thanks in advance. 

 

Yes, directly with the bank.