Msc scam

[luckynumber6]

I hope someone can give me some insight on this.... I recently got an email from MSC stating free air for European cruises. I instantly started researching this. I have never been on MSC, but was willing to try it with the free air fare deal. WELLL...... I have made numerous phone calls, numerous emails, even to travel agents - which I never do - I always book myself...and IT IS NOT FREE AIR!!! They are advertising free air and it is not. They add the air to your base cruise price. I am telling you I have read the small print, searched multiple websites and nothing says this. When I tried to go through a travel agent - their recommended company by the way! - they were even frustrated telling me that MSC isn't really offering free air just giving you some off - they even thought it was worng. If you got this add through email and it definately was from MSC, did you get the impression that air was free? Also, is there anyone else out there who has tried to book this and can not. I have been trying now for almost 24 hours. I just think this advertisement was a bait and switch and MSC should be accountable. There is nothing in their promotion fine print that says it is a discount on air - it clearly says FREE air and list certain cities. Thoughts?

[Thecat123]

My TA went through the prices for another customer and he reckoned it was free air. We looked at it but thought it wasn't a good deal for 7 days. I think it was something to do with trying to get people into the "Yacht Club" MSC bought out a back to back cruise for 14 days of which we have booked. The long flight from here makes a 14 day cruise look better even though we are now paying the airfares

[monicajay]

I did get the e-mail but because there was no pricing attached and MSC doesn't have a workable website for pricing. I just ignored it. I am looking forward to see if anybody actually gets the 'free' airfare deal.

[Thecat123]

This is the one we were looking at. I am not sure if I am allowed to mention this so someone can delete if not suitable

 

http://www.msccruises.com.au/media/flyers/NZD%20Yacht%20Club%20Fly%20Free%20Low%20Res%20with%20Agent%20Box.pdf

[luckynumber6]

I think I have found out how they are getting around the FREE AIR... they are saying it cannot be with any other promotions in small print... BUT underneatht the promotion for free air they advertise prices for these free air cruises - let's say about $1300 for 7 day from Venice... when you call or your travel agent calls if they price out just the cruise - your toal cost is about $2600 for 2 people... should be the same for free air right??? NO! WHat I think they are doing after many many calls is not honoring that price that they list and are saying it is a special.....they are saying the real cruise price is about $2500 for a 7 night from Venice with all taxes and fees are ( Are they serious?? - maybe on a different upper end line, but not MSC!).... so they tell you with the free air you will have to pay roughly $5000 for 2 people....as that is the room price with no "discounts"... They (MSC) said people were booking all day! Wow! I can fly from PIttsburgh ( my home) to Venice for roughly $800... if I did that seperately and did the room at the lower rate - my total cost for 2 is roughly $4200.... When I questioned them about that - they told me they are giving free transportation to the ship from airport - ... so for about $800 more.... to book the free air deal - you get free transportation to ship.... I am sorry, but this is total marketing scam. I am really upset about this. I was going to try MSC - now I don't think I ever will...

[bob&france]

It mentions it will fly you free from Aukland or Christchurch...both are locations in New Zealand....it doesn't seem to mention it will fly you free from anywhere else...Marketing 101.

 

Bob

[Thecat123]

I think the other people my TA was dealing with took the cruise. I was told the husband counts every cent thats why the TA had to work out the prices to see how "free" the flights were. On that page I posted Australia was mentioned as well. I think it was advertised on the UK site as well. The Yacht Club seemed to be a bit over the top for us even though it would probually nice

[AmoMondo]

I've sailed many times with MSc and sometimes I take their flights and sometimes not. Sometimes if there is a "deal" on the air, you dont get the early booking "prima price" or cant get my full MSC Club discount and am cheaper arranging my own flights and paying for a taxi to/from the airport, other times taking their flights is an unbeatable deal, plus they have to get you back and forth to the ship and if there are delays to flights or the ship that results in missed connections or whatever, then they have the headache and the expense of resolving it. From some of the promotions that I've read, the free air to Europe is definitely aimed at yacht club. These cabins are so much more expensive that non Yacht Club and I think you could easily be cheaper going for a ordinary balcony cabin and paying your own air fare. That said we did effectively get "freee flights" from Edinburgh to Genoa with our last booking as it was a great deal on a late booking. The deal;s they seem to get with their main carrier BA seem to be very cheap

[AmoMondo]

I've sailed many times with MSc and sometimes I take their flights and sometimes not. Sometimes if there is a "deal" on the air, you dont get the early booking "prima price" or cant get my full MSC Club discount and am cheaper arranging my own flights and paying for a taxi to/from the airport, other times taking their flights is an unbeatable deal, plus they have to get you back and forth to the ship and if there are delays to flights or the ship that results in missed connections or whatever, then they have the headache and the expense of resolving it. From some of the promotions that I've read, the free air to Europe is definitely aimed at yacht club. These cabins are so much more expensive that non Yacht Club and I think you could easily be cheaper going for a ordinary balcony cabin and paying your own air fare. That said we did effectively get "freee flights" from Edinburgh to Genoa with our last booking as it was a great deal on a late booking. The deal;s they seem to get with their main carrier BA seem to be very cheap

[sea-explorer]

I don't think it is a scam at all.

 

In line with most businesses, more than one promotion cannot be applied at the same time. So, for example, if you are using a promotion, this will be more than likely be applied to the full brochure price, not the cheaper Prima price.

 

From everything I've received, the free flights are linked to the Yacht Club suites. If you were to book one of these I'm sure you would be able to obtain free flights. Also, in all their promotions, their offers seem to be linked to selected sailings which are shown on their website. They don't always apply to all sailings.

 

If MSC were to offer free flights to Europe from the US on all sailings and all cabin types they would soon be out of business. I cannot imagine two adults booking the cheapest inside cabin, adding two free children and four free flights from the US being at all realistic, can you?

 

There are always conditions to these offers which are always given in the small print...again in line with other businesses. I booked my cruise in October simply because I was tempted by a promotion, which was honoured, but of course I had to comply with the terms and conditions, which in our case was to pay the full brochure price for the first adult. Still a good deal for us in the long run.

[noblepa]

I don't think it is a scam at all.

 

In line with most businesses, more than one promotion cannot be applied at the same time. So, for example, if you are using a promotion, this will be more than likely be applied to the full brochure price, not the cheaper Prima price.

 

From everything I've received, the free flights are linked to the Yacht Club suites. If you were to book one of these I'm sure you would be able to obtain free flights. Also, in all their promotions, their offers seem to be linked to selected sailings which are shown on their website. They don't always apply to all sailings.

 

If MSC were to offer free flights to Europe from the US on all sailings and all cabin types they would soon be out of business. I cannot imagine two adults booking the cheapest inside cabin, adding two free children and four free flights from the US being at all realistic, can you?

 

There are always conditions to these offers which are always given in the small print...again in line with other businesses. I booked my cruise in October simply because I was tempted by a promotion, which was honoured, but of course I had to comply with the terms and conditions, which in our case was to pay the full brochure price for the first adult. Still a good deal for us in the long run.

 

I agree. Just look at your Sunday paper, at the auto dealer ads. Many are advertising zero percent interest loans AND factory and dealer cashback options. Read the fine print and you will find that you can't get BOTH 0% AND cashback. Its one or the other.

 

Does anyone really think that a cruise line is going to give their rock-bottom fare AND throw in a couple of thousand dollars (or more) in airfare? When booking any cruise, you must look at the ENTIRE cost, out-of-pocket, including airfare, hotel stays, cruise fare and onboard/onshore spending. Then decide if the package is a good deal or not. Sometimes having the cruise line arrange air travel is a good deal, and more convenient than doing it yourself. Some times it is not.

 

This is something that most people learn before they're out of high school. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

 

I see cruises advertised here in the US all the time, that include air travel to Europe. Of course, the fare is always higher than the cruise alone. In addition, the prices are often for flights from New York or some other east coast city. Travelers in other cities must either pay extra or book a seperate flight to NY.

 

Almost all advertising is, to some degree, deceptive. At the very least, an advertiser is trying to show their product or service in its best light. They don't show you the negatives. The only exception seems to be the drug ads on TV, with the fast-talking narrator who describes all the horrible side-effects of the drug.

 

Paul

[StormingtheCastle]

For some sailings the Free Airfare deal is available for most cabin catagories, not just the Yacht Club. As others have said, with most all "deals" you can't have it all. Pick one special promotion or another. So you have to price it (have your TA price it in this case) and see if the Free Air is the best deal, or another promotional price. That is the way it works.

 

And if you did decide to go with the Free Air, the 2 kids SAIL Free, they do not FLY free. So even with the scenario described above for an inside cabin, 2 adults and 2 kids, you would be paying the airfare cost for the 2 kids.

 

MSC is dedicated to supporting the Travel Agents that book them. Of course it also saves them the money of hiring booking agents ;) Contact your TA and let them do their job--- find you the best possible price for the trip you want to take.

 

ETA: Also realize the free air is only out of certain "gateway cities" so you also are responsible for the cost of getting to those cities.