Were you in MSC Seashore Bookings June 2021?

[HINTIS]

Hi,

 

We were due to travel in the Grandiosa this past June, but due to Covid-19 we had to resched. We were glad to know that next year in June another new boat was doing the same itinerary. The MSC Seashore. Sure the itinerary is important, but most of all we were looking to sail on a new boat.

 

Now we hear The Seashore is delayed and the travel agency was offering a change for thr MSC Fantasia. We don't feel the change (even with the compensation) is worthy, since we wanted to experience the new boat. 

 

Did you decide to accept the change? Or what did you do? Our travel agency is basically telling us to take anything, or we loose our money. Cancellation cost is basically all the 1000e we have paid so far. I just think is so unfair the cruiseliner obligates the customer just take anything, or loose your money! How is this fair???

 

I'd like to hear  if anyone else has managed to cancel or get a voucher for later use.... or is it really so we need to spend our money in a boat we do not want to travel in????

Thanks .

 

[Até]

It would help if you stated in which country you booked.  For most all countries MSC booking terms state they can change the ship at will, with pretty much no recourse.  They can also make minor changes to the itinerary.  But usually not things like embarkation port and date changes which would make you able to cancel or move your booking to another ship/sailing.  Getting a cash refund may be difficult and can become even more complicated when you have a travel agent adding their rules.  If they are allowing you to move your deposit to another sailing of your choice that may be the best option you get, again this depends on where you booked.

Edited September 6, 2020 by Até

[emmas gran]

We are in UK and similar situation.

cruise date changed from 13 th March to 10th April

Ship changed from Seaview to Fantasia 

A couple of Ports changed 

 

we were offered 200 Euros OBC but could not do the revised date so changed to a different cruise. We would have lost deposit  

[sverigecruiser]

3 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

we were offered 200 Euros OBC but could not do the revised date so changed to a different cruise. We would have lost deposit  

 

Would you have lost your deposit if you had just cancelled when they changed the dates almost a month? That doesn't sound fair!

[sverigecruiser]

 

We are (were?) booked on the Seashore in July.  MSC have not given us any information about our cruise but I know that we will not cruise on Seashore on our booked date. We are not interested in  cruising on an older ship if the price is the same as for a brand new ship so we are prepared to loose our deposit, more than $1000, if they won't let us change to another cruise if they are planning to do our cruise with an old ship. €200 OBC is not enough compensation for us.

[emmas gran]

Yes we would forfeit the deposit according to our travel agent

[sverigecruiser]

31 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

Yes we would forfeit the deposit according to our travel agent

 

I hope, and think, that is incorrect. I will see what I can find about it in the fine prints tomorrow but it seems like a too significant change for them to be able to keep your deposit. 

 

Was it easy for you to be able to use the deposit for another cruise? That's what we will try to do with our booking for next summer. 

[emmas gran]

Yes but seemed to take a little time (4 weeks) I don't know if that was the agent or MSC. I friends have just done the same and its 7 days so far

 

Liz

[HINTIS]

17 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

We are (were?) booked on the Seashore in July.  MSC have not given us any information about our cruise but I know that we will not cruise on Seashore on our booked date. We are not interested in  cruising on an older ship if the price is the same as for a brand new ship so we are prepared to loose our deposit, more than $1000, if they won't let us change to another cruise if they are planning to do our cruise with an old ship. €200 OBC is not enough compensation for us.

Same feeling. I told my agency is not fair that we are forced to travel on an old boat or loose the money. If we do change with Seashore, that by the way it is expected to be doing the first trip in August 2021, we need to pay more because prices are higher. Or travel in colder months for cheaper. 

 

 

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, HINTIS said:

Same feeling. I told my agency is not fair that we are forced to travel on an old boat or loose the money. If we do change with Seashore, that by the way it is expected to be doing the first trip in August 2021, we need to pay more because prices are higher. Or travel in colder months for cheaper. 

 

 

 

Maybe it's not fair but it's in the fineprints that they can change the ship so we have to live with that.

[sidari]

6 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Maybe it's not fair but it's in the fineprints that they can change the ship so we have to live with that.

SC ... MSC need to do the right thing during the covid issue and not what it says in their brochure.

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Maybe it's not fair but it's in the fineprints that they can change the ship so we have to live with that.

 

I'm sure that I have seen it before but when I looked in the newest brochure today I couldn't find it. It does say that the customer can cancel and get all money back if there is a "significant change" but what does that mean? For me it's a significant change if a brand new ship is changed to an old ship but I'm not sure that MSC agrees.

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, sidari said:

SC ... MSC need to do the right thing during the covid issue and not what it says in their brochure.

 

What is the right thing? To follow the contract can be the right thing even if we don't like it. We shall not expect them to be extra generous right now.

 

My experience is that MSC are easy to deal with so I think that it might be possible to get what we want when we talk to them. I tried to solve this before the summer but was then told that they first have to deal with everyone booked for this summer and I understand that so I decided to wait.

[HINTIS]

2 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I'm sure that I have seen it before but when I looked in the newest brochure today I couldn't find it. It does say that the customer can cancel and get all money back if there is a "significant change" but what does that mean? For me it's a significant change if a brand new ship is changed to an old ship but I'm not sure that MSC agrees.

I have read that clause as well in our country's webpage. I could not find anything about boat change, but only that one. Based on that I have asked my agency to clear it out with the cruiseliner, but I am not keeping my hopes up!

[sverigecruiser]

7 minutes ago, HINTIS said:

I have read that clause as well in our country's webpage. I could not find anything about boat change, but only that one. Based on that I have asked my agency to clear it out with the cruiseliner, but I am not keeping my hopes up!

 

It may also differ depending on the customers history and how the cruise is booked. Someone contacting MSC about a cruise and want to book a cruise without knowing anything about the ships and just follow MSCs recommendations may have to accept another ship.

 

Someone who knows exactly what they want and have a history with earlier MSC cruises may be able to claim that another ship than what they have booked is a significant change.  

[Até]

Substitution of ship can still be seen under the "Conditions of Carriage".  Definition of a "similar ship" may vary between MSC and the passengers.

 

6.6

If the Vessel shall be prevented or hindered by any cause whatsoever from sailing or proceeding in the ordinary course, the Carrier shall be entitled to transfer the Passenger either to any other similar Vessel or with the consent of the Passenger to any other means of transportation bound for the Passenger’s place of destination.

[8420PR]

Why wouldn't your trips be covered by MSC's COVID-19 policy?   For UK bookings that means you can cancel and change the booking up to 15 days or 48 hours before sailing (depending on when you booked), without any fees?   

[emmas gran]

31 minutes ago, 8420PR said:

Why wouldn't your trips be covered by MSC's COVID-19 policy?   For UK bookings that means you can cancel and change the booking up to 15 days or 48 hours before sailing (depending on when you booked), without any fees?   

 

Exactly depending on when you book!! Believe me we have explored every avenue as we had 3 holidays cancelled due to Covid

Edited September 8, 2020 by emmas gran

[Até]

5 hours ago, 8420PR said:

Why wouldn't your trips be covered by MSC's COVID-19 policy?   For UK bookings that means you can cancel and change the booking up to 15 days or 48 hours before sailing (depending on when you booked), without any fees?   

Only people who booked after August 5th, 2020 are covered. The old Cruise Assurance plan is gone. 

[sverigecruiser]

 

MSC have still not contacted us but I contacted them and just as I expected they were very easy to deal with.

 

They gave me three options:

 

1. Keep the cruise and cruise with Fantasia and get €200 onboard credit.

 

2. Book something else and transfer all paid money to that booking.

 

3. Cancel and get all money back.

 

For us it was an easy choice to book something else. We are now booked on Grandiosa July 10 instead of Seashore July 9. We also got a better price so we are very happy!!!

 

 

[HINTIS]

32 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

MSC have still not contacted us but I contacted them and just as I expected they were very easy to deal with.

 

They gave me three options:

 

1. Keep the cruise and cruise with Fantasia and get €200 onboard credit.

 

2. Book something else and transfer all paid money to that booking.

 

3. Cancel and get all money back.

 

For us it was an easy choice to book something else. We are now booked on Grandiosa July 10 instead of Seashore July 9. We also got a better price so we are very happy!!!

 

 

That how it should be! Good you managed to get a cruise that suit you! 

Had you booked directly with MSC or though an agency?

I'm thinking is it different if it was book through an agency...

[sverigecruiser]

17 minutes ago, HINTIS said:

That how it should be! Good you managed to get a cruise that suit you! 

Had you booked directly with MSC or though an agency?

I'm thinking is it different if it was book through an agency...

 

I booked directly with MSC so their customer service in Sweden has helped me.

[HINTIS]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I booked directly with MSC so their customer service in Sweden has helped me.

Ok. That might make a difference. I booked through an agency, and gets lore complicated, so lets see do I have the same luck. 

We now have MSC Finland too and booking directly is possible, I would not use agency in the future thats for sure!!!

[sverigecruiser]

16 minutes ago, HINTIS said:

Ok. That might make a difference. I booked through an agency, and gets lore complicated, so lets see do I have the same luck. 

We now have MSC Finland too and booking directly is possible, I would not use agency in the future thats for sure!!!

 

It shouldn't make a difference but I understand that it might.

[CruisingFox27]

On 9/6/2020 at 4:05 PM, Até said:

It would help if you stated in which country you booked.  For most all countries MSC booking terms state they can change the ship at will, with pretty much no recourse.  They can also make minor changes to the itinerary.  But usually not things like embarkation port and date changes which would make you able to cancel or move your booking to another ship/sailing.  Getting a cash refund may be difficult and can become even more complicated when you have a travel agent adding their rules.  If they are allowing you to move your deposit to another sailing of your choice that may be the best option you get, again this depends on where you booked.

 

Our embarkation port was changed to a different country but we weren't offered the option to cancel or change the booking.  Our itinerary was amended too, 4 ports/countries replaced by different countries. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by CruisingFox27