Financially penalised for booking and paying early! MSC Opera Cuba 2 Sep

Since you asked for info about North America policies there is only one cruise line that lets you get price drops after final payment and that is Carnival. And it isn't even price drops that you get refunded, the amount is put as OBC after final payment is due, before that the cost is taken off your price.

The rules are strict though, it has to be the exact same cabin (4a to 4a, not a 4a to 4c) so your cabin class has to still be open. You also have to book more than 6 months out on a 7 day cruise. If you do cancel, the deposit is what I will say is a "modified" refundable one. You loose $50pp, and the rest goes as a Carnival credit you have to use within I believe 12 or 24 months. This credit can NOT be used for a deposit and only as a payment on the full fare of the cruise.

In 3 Carnival cruises, we have had 1 price drop. The majority of time, our cabin class sold out, or the price went up. For NCL, we were trilled we booked do early! If we would have booked 17 months out instead of 18 months, we would have paid about $2000 more for 3 of us...

So far it seems to me at least for our MSC cruise price is very steady. For 2 days, the price dropped for no reason I can understand. Called our TA who got the cruise re-priced for us and $500 taken off our final payment for the $100 extra deposit since it wasn't on sale like when I originally booked.

Like was said, best bet in cruising is when you pay it off, never look back unless you are looking to upgrade!! Take this into account though, since your inside room dropped $200pp, look at the next cabin up, or even say an OV or Balcony cabin. If all the prices dropped that much, sure you might not save money... but say for $100pp more, you could have a much better room!

1st cruise and 1st lesson learned.

Hi All

 

Just wanted to post a note of warning (yes, this is my first post on this forum as I'm new to cruising but I'm certainly not new to hotel and experience reviews as I pick up a lot of info from tripadvisor).

I booked a week-long cruise for two with MSC sailing from Havana (booking made in early May, sail on 2 September). We chose the cheapest cabin available - not quite the most basic option, but one up from basic, and paid £600 per person. I then paid the balance due 63 days before sailing.

 

The week after that magic 63 day period, the prices suddenly dropped, so much that I did a dummy booking and could book the cabin right beside ours for £200 less PER PERSON. That's a saving of 33% on what we paid. Because we were within that period, if we cancelled we'd lose £150 per person. So we would still be £100 better off for cancelling.

 

As you can imagine, I immediately contacted customer service. Hung on the phone for over half an hour, gave up, and tried again. I eventually spoke to someone who said there was nothing they would do for me. I proceeded to email customer service - same response. I emailed again asking for some sort of goodwill gesture that would make me feel a bit happier - again, they would do nothing.

 

I don't doubt that they are legally covered for that, but it really leaves such a sour taste in my mouth to know that the person staying beside me will have paid so much less than me. I feel that I was penalised for booking early. Perhaps I'm very naïve on booking, but I expect, like most things, that you get the best price when you book early, or else the company will match it (many hotels and airlines will do this). This is absolutely awful service from a huge cruise line, so I would urge you all to beware.

 

Oh - I have now twice asked for details on how to cancel but I wasn't sent any. I will continue to seek to do it.

 

Rant over - I'm sad this is my first experience of cruising. If I can help one other person booking to avoid my experience, then the rant will be worth it.

Hi , I think we may be on the same cruise as you. I understand your frustration, (been there done that, many years ago) but as many posts have suggested,... don't let it spoil your trip. We too are "bargain hunters" and will enjoy a cruise more if the price was "right". It burns a bit when you are onboard and you hear that someone near your cabin has paid WAY less then you . However as time progresses you may, one day be those people who paid way less than others?!...We say NOTHING and that way we don't get annoyed and we also don't hurt other peoples feelings . A cruise is a holiday to be enjoyed by all. Enjoy the fun, relaxation, new places and new friendships. I hope you will be happy on the cruise. Maybe we can meet up with you on Opera. We are from Australia (Melbourne) . Where are you from?. I hope you are feeling better now and that maybe you get an upgrade, but either way ...have fun, life is too short!. Regards from Oz. Jean & Gert

The biggest mistake most people do is "reprice" their cruise after final payment. Once you make your final payment...I'm afraid it's final. But I think there is some sort of misunderstanding that if you book early you are somehow getting some sort of special or great deal. Well yes or no. If you book early you may find some good deals or special offered by the cruise line and by booking early you lock in your cabin and dining assignment and assured space. It is even highly possible a cruise might become sold out or even oversold and if you wait you would not be going. But, it's also possible if there are a lot of cancellations or the sailing is not selling well they will heavy discount the cruise after final payment to fill up the ship. For those that booked early unfortunately you are out of luck on these deep discounts. It's must the risk you take by booking early. You just have to understanding for the stand point of the cruise line if they discounted everyone's fare even for those that booked early; it would be a losing deal for the cruise line and their shareholders.

 

I'm an accountant, continually chasing numbers and %s and value for money.!

Cost principle says your cruise price should be at historical cost, not current value. Sorry.

When did booking in May for September become an early booking? That seems to me to be the likely range that most "regular" vacationers book. Early is booking the day the itinerary becomes available.

If you really book early you'll usually get a better deal than anything except the most exceptional last minute.

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The assumption is you should be given an exception to your booking terms. Why is that? You had your cabin and booking in place when you decided to go. Were you willing to hold out and pick up something at the last minute? That is the ONLY option- if you think you are entitled to the lowest price. And with that- you'd have to be accepting of not going. Would this have been ok for you?

Lowest prices isn't going to be known except in hindsight. It is naive to think you are going to get that price with your bookings. You have also made some massive generalizations with your claim that "airlines and hotels" give the lowest price refunds- sorry but there are plenty of nonrefundable bookings made. There are cancellation fees involved with a LOT of airlines.

You might want to move on from this, otherwise you are talking yourself into a miserable cruise.

I have booked MSC on the Operia for the 4 November. When I first looked at the prices about 10 days before booking it was £1500 with flights, when I booked it was £1750 and increase of £250 and only a few cabin to choose from. Cruise now sold out. You should be happy with the price you pay.

Welcome to the mysterious (and frustrating) world of cruise pricing. Since you are in the UK....you have different "rules" then we have here in North America....partially because of certain "consumer laws" of your wonderful European Union :).

 

 

 

They don't call it "rip off Britain" for nothing. The consumer laws reason rumour was started by the cruise industry. Fact is we pay deposits or miss out. It's business sense not to charge deposits in the US or the companies will miss out - although some companies have just started to and this site was in uproar.

Wonder what the excuse will be post brexit?