This is COMPLETELY unacceptable MSC Meraviglia!!!

[EMc&DrS]

I like how all the people who aren't actually affected by these last minute changes are lecturing those who are that they need to calm down and be happy to be on a cruise.  When you are spending $4000 for a week's vacation, you hopefully plan carefully and make your decision on how to spend your hard earned money based on the ship and the itinerary that works for you.  We had our trip narrowed down to three cruises on two different lines, but chose MSC because of the stop at Ocean Cay.  Yes, we are disappointed that we have planned and saved money and looked forward to this stop as the culmination of our Thanksgiving/Anniversary cruise on Meraviglia.  What's really bothering me, however, is that we still haven't been officially notified, and the current sailing which is the same itinerary we signed up for, has been altered greatly to accommodate the "substitute" port of Cozumel.  Two of the three other stops on the current sailing were switched to different days at the last minute. Why was this ever considered a good idea???  I find this to be completely unnecessary and inconsiderate to all of the passengers who planned private excursions.  If they couldn't find a substitution for OC on the same day or on one of the sea days without impacting the rest of the itinerary as planned, then they should have just added another day at sea.  I can forgive the cancellation of OC, but I'm not happy at the prospect of losing everything else I've planned because MSC won't tell us until we're on the ship what the real itinerary is going to be for our sailing.  

[marco]

OP:  Just wondering...what do you think equitable compensation would be?

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, EMc&DrS said:

I like how all the people who aren't actually affected by these last minute changes are lecturing those who are that they need to calm down and be happy to be on a cruise.  When you are spending $4000 for a week's vacation, you hopefully plan carefully and make your decision on how to spend your hard earned money based on the ship and the itinerary that works for you.  We had our trip narrowed down to three cruises on two different lines, but chose MSC because of the stop at Ocean Cay.  Yes, we are disappointed that we have planned and saved money and looked forward to this stop as the culmination of our Thanksgiving/Anniversary cruise on Meraviglia.  What's really bothering me, however, is that we still haven't been officially notified, and the current sailing which is the same itinerary we signed up for, has been altered greatly to accommodate the "substitute" port of Cozumel.  Two of the three other stops on the current sailing were switched to different days at the last minute. Why was this ever considered a good idea???  I find this to be completely unnecessary and inconsiderate to all of the passengers who planned private excursions.  If they couldn't find a substitution for OC on the same day or on one of the sea days without impacting the rest of the itinerary as planned, then they should have just added another day at sea.  I can forgive the cancellation of OC, but I'm not happy at the prospect of losing everything else I've planned because MSC won't tell us until we're on the ship what the real itinerary is going to be for our sailing.  

 

I was on Seaview at the end of September on an itinerary that I chose because it featured Ajaccio, Corsica.  Seaview had been going to that port all summer long, every 7 days.  But for 'operational reasons' my particular cruise couldn't go there.  I only found out because @WonderMan3 got the notice while he was on the prior sailing.  We went to Toulon instead – which a French couple we met on board was very distressed about, because they consider Toulon the least interesting port in the Med.  And MSC never updated the map or website for that sailing.  BUT I didn't come here to ***** and moan about it – I made lemonade by paying (a lot) for a taxi to take us to Aix-en-Provence.  We had a lovely day, and it didn't ruin our cruise.

 

[Note:  the PC filter can't distinguish between the various meanings of a word that sometimes refers to a female dog but other times – at least to children of the '60s – means griping.  Feel free to be triggered...]

[Tapi]

3 hours ago, EMc&DrS said:

I like how all the people who aren't actually affected by these last minute changes are lecturing those who are that they need to calm down and be happy to be on a cruise.  When you are spending $4000 for a week's vacation, you hopefully plan carefully and make your decision on how to spend your hard earned money based on the ship and the itinerary that works for you 

Many of us who are saying “be happy” may not be on the current cruise affected by this port cancelation, but we’ve cruised enough over the decades, and have experienced enough cancellations or itinerary changes to know that this does happen plenty of times. Sometimes you find out in advance, sometimes you find out while you’re standing in line on embarkation day and a letter is circulated, and sometimes you find out when the ship simply cancels the stop at the last minute. 
 

We’ve all plunked down several thousand dollars thinking that we are going somewhere and end up somewhere else, so yes we understand your disappointment at having to change plans at the last minute. Sorry if  “be happy” may not be what you want to hear, but after 38 years of cruising, it’s truly the most sensible piece of advice that I can give. 

[DCGuy64]

14 hours ago, EMc&DrS said:

I like how all the people who aren't actually affected by these last minute changes are lecturing those who are that they need to calm down and be happy to be on a cruise.  When you are spending $4000 for a week's vacation, you hopefully plan carefully and make your decision on how to spend your hard earned money based on the ship and the itinerary that works for you.  We had our trip narrowed down to three cruises on two different lines, but chose MSC because of the stop at Ocean Cay.  Yes, we are disappointed that we have planned and saved money and looked forward to this stop as the culmination of our Thanksgiving/Anniversary cruise on Meraviglia.  What's really bothering me, however, is that we still haven't been officially notified, and the current sailing which is the same itinerary we signed up for, has been altered greatly to accommodate the "substitute" port of Cozumel.  Two of the three other stops on the current sailing were switched to different days at the last minute. Why was this ever considered a good idea???  I find this to be completely unnecessary and inconsiderate to all of the passengers who planned private excursions.  If they couldn't find a substitution for OC on the same day or on one of the sea days without impacting the rest of the itinerary as planned, then they should have just added another day at sea.  I can forgive the cancellation of OC, but I'm not happy at the prospect of losing everything else I've planned because MSC won't tell us until we're on the ship what the real itinerary is going to be for our sailing.  

Hi, there.

 

I don’t think I was lecturing anyone. But consider a couple of things: 1. If a person chooses to post an opinion on a forum like CC with hundreds of users, that person should not assume all other posters will agree with that opinion. Take it from someone who’s learned the hard way. 2. Many people on Cruise Critic have been in similar situations, and may draw different lessons from those situations.

I’ve been on a cruise that had to cancel a tender port due to poor weather and dangerously rough seas, and we didn’t like it one bit. We only take one cruise a year due to other vacation plans and family obligations, so we had to wait another year for our next cruise. Were we happy? Well yes, because we were still on vacation and still surrounded by great staff who pampered us and we had wonderful food and drink despite missing that one port. Take comfort in the fact that others have been in your shoes and have found ways of salvaging their cruises, despite the change in itinerary.

[EMc&DrS]

18 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Hi, there.

 

I don’t think I was lecturing anyone. But consider a couple of things: 1. If a person chooses to post an opinion on a forum like CC with hundreds of users, that person should not assume all other posters will agree with that opinion. Take it from someone who’s learned the hard way. 2. Many people on Cruise Critic have been in similar situations, and may draw different lessons from those situations.

I’ve been on a cruise that had to cancel a tender port due to poor weather and dangerously rough seas, and we didn’t like it one bit. We only take one cruise a year due to other vacation plans and family obligations, so we had to wait another year for our next cruise. Were we happy? Well yes, because we were still on vacation and still surrounded by great staff who pampered us and we had wonderful food and drink despite missing that one port. Take comfort in the fact that others have been in your shoes and have found ways of salvaging their cruises, despite the change in itinerary.

I get it.  We've cruise many times as well.  As a matter of fact, we will mark our 100 night at sea during this upcoming cruise.  For the most part, we've been very lucky on cruises with few changes or disappointments.  Our first cruise ever followed a Cat-4 hurricane around the WC, so every stop we visited had just been hit a day or two before.  We still had a great time--we had nothing to compare it to.

 

We will still have a great time on this cruise, and we always enjoy the YC.  As many others have stated, I do feel, however, that MSC had to know that this island wasn't going to be ready, but they've continued to promote it and use it as a selling point.  That does make this situation sting a bit more, and is somewhat different from missing ports due to bad weather.  I still don't understand how they can justify altering the rest of the itinerary to add a substitute port, and that they won't inform us in advance so that we can plan accordingly. That's all.  If they will leave the rest of our trip as planned, I'm all ready over the fact that we are missing OC.  Meanwhile, let the packing begin!

[thetaro]

Yeah, let's all blame the victim who falls for false advertising. How many times did MSC delay OC while featuring OC to sell rooms? Fool me thrice?

[perakcruiser]

12 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I was on Seaview at the end of September on an itinerary that I chose because it featured Ajaccio, Corsica.  Seaview had been going to that port all summer long, every 7 days.  But for 'operational reasons' my particular cruise couldn't go there.  I only found out because @WonderMan3 got the notice while he was on the prior sailing.  We went to Toulon instead – which a French couple we met on board was very distressed about, because they consider Toulon the least interesting port in the Med.  And MSC never updated the map or website for that sailing.  BUT I didn't come here to ***** and moan about it – I made lemonade by paying (a lot) for a taxi to take us to Aix-en-Provence.  We had a lovely day, and it didn't ruin our cruise.

 

I was on this cruise two weeks later, like many of the people now in the Carribean with OC, we booked this cruise mainly because of Ajaccio. Actually most ports we stayed on board. I would have cried many tears if they would have cancelled Ajaccio and can absolutely understand that people go mad for being shipped to Toulon. MSC should have given them a very, very, very good reason at least. 

 

That is a little bit different than the OC case. You have to expect that MSC cannot hold the opening date, but you cannot expect that they are not able to sail to Ajaccia after they did this all the months before. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

I was on this cruise two weeks later, like many of the people now in the Carribean with OC, we booked this cruise mainly because of Ajaccio. Actually most ports we stayed on board. I would have cried many tears if they would have cancelled Ajaccio and can absolutely understand that people go mad for being shipped to Toulon. MSC should have given them a very, very, very good reason at least. 

 

That is a little bit different than the OC case. You have to expect that MSC cannot hold the opening date, but you cannot expect that they are not able to sail to Ajaccia after they did this all the months before. 

 

It doesn't seem so obvious to me.  They don't own Ajaccio or run the port.  If the port master tells them there are no berths available, they can't go there.  They didn't give us any explanation, but because the last minute change cost MSC a lot of money and staff time [they had to cancel all their Ajaccio shore excursions for that day, and find new ones at Toulon] it seems more likely to me that there really were 'operational reasons' – which may not have been explained to MSC either – rather than some whim on their part.  

 

So I see the two situations as similar on the most basic level:  if the port can't take the ship, the ship can't go there.  And since everybody in construction always swears the project is on schedule right until the point that it misses a big deadline, MSC was probably hoping that Ocean Cay would be ready until is wasn't.

[Captain-John]

I absolutely cannot stand 'operational reasons' as a reason given by either an airline or cruise line when something changes. It's patronising. 'Oh you simple people couldn't possibly understand the complex issues that underlie the decision' etc.

 

I fell out with the very rude staff at an airline desk after we discovered our baggage had been offloaded due to 'operational reasons.' After about half an hour, they made some reference to it being a 'Mass & balance' issue, which is not a concept I struggle to understand, so why not just say so in the first instance?

 

I will not be fobbed off by 'operational reasons.' I require a more detailed explanation, which may help with my understanding and subsequently may lessen my disappointment. Just being told 'no' with nothing to back it up with may work with a small child but beyond that, it's a disgraceful practice. Give us detail and don't treat us like children.