panamapd

Totally disagree Motownvoice (good name by the way!).

I have had a Cunard cruise and Anthem booked.  Back in Feb/Mar (?) of this year, they were both cancelled.  I have already received my refund from Cunard.  Anthem refund is pending.

I booked MSC Magnifica in March for May this year, via MSC Germany, fully expecting it to be cancelled.  (Was hoping for onboard spend or smooth transition to replacement Virtuosa)!.  MSC UK customers were told that this cruise would be cancelled.  However, as of today, this cruise is still showing on ALL of my portals - and they expect us to embark in 24 days!!

If there was a problem with the way all of us were logging in, how is it the Cunard and Royal are able to update me in a timely manner but MSC seem to be incapable of this?!

I am a fan of MSC and feel confident of sailing this year.  However, it is with the caveat that no flights are needed!

Stockjock - that is hilarious.  Changing your port of departure to Brazil!!

Don't forget a lot of us with be on multiple sailings.  I already have four booked!  

Hi Beamafar! On other threads they have posted about similar changes to their bookings.  NAR has appeared when they login to MSC.  When I typed in acronyms on a websearch there are 53 options as to what it may mean.  I personally think it means New Access Router!

By the way, I am still booked onto the MSC Magnifica sailing for 14th May 2021.  It was the 2 night sailing, which I booked via Germany.  MSC Germany are still insisting it will be sailing!! Final payment was yesterday but I haven't paid it.  I have just left it to the travel agency to sort it out - eventually!

Just booked Britannia for 29th July 2021!  Thanks for the heads up as I hadn't received an email from P&O.  

Might I add, Royal Caribbean have also started to reduce their prices for Anthem.  However I was so incensed at their initial offering, for a family of 3, that I'm no longer interested!

As an aside, I'm going solo on Scarlet Lady (Virgin Voyages).  I think the price is quite reasonable.  I've paid £479 for a solo inside.  It also includes $100 of onboard spend (sailor loot).

I might now have a look at Britannia!! 

Do you think they will lay on anything especially for solo travellers?!

I have to go it alone as unable to take child so he is staying at home with husband.  No other available companions!!  I must say the solo rate is excellent at only £479!

I feel your frustration with MSC!

We booked the Magnifica on 23 March 2021, via a German travel agency, for 14th May 2021 (2 nights) with the full expectation that it would be cancelled.  We then hoped we would get onboard spend or that it would be moved over to Virutosa.  As of last week, it was still showing up on the cruise planner!!  I sent emails to everyone and also  MSC head office in Switzerland and finally, a couple of days ago, the booking disappeared off my cruise planner.  However, I still haven't had any official notification from MSC.  Up until today, they were insisting that the sailing was still going ahead - from Southampton!!

In the meantime, we booked MSC Virtuosa from Genoa for 2 nights for a bargain price of 738 euros, for 3 people, in the yacht club!! The German travel agency have said we may move our Magnifica booking, so I think we will do that.

As to your enquiry - the Virtuosa (yacht club!) is for 22 September 2021.  (I think they still have a couple of cabins left). Genoa, sea day, then Malaga on Friday 24th September. It is part of a 8 night sailing from Genoa on 22 Sept.  When we disembark Malaga on 24th Sept she goes on to Casablanca,

Sea

Lisbon

Sea

Barcelona

Marseilles (Thursday, 30th September).

Hope that helps. It may be that they move your sailing?

May I add - we did a L&S from October 2020 to 15th August 2021.  There was an itinerary change for 1 week and Royal changed us, with no extra charge to 2 weeks!!  ((Would have been a fab med cruise return to S.Hamp). Total cost 1200 euros for 1 adult and 1 child in a guarantee cabin.  When I looked yesterday, for the same date, 8 nights at £1119 per person.  I didn't even bother looking at a fare for hubby, myself and child!  It is making MSC Virtuosa seem like an absolute bargain and Fred!!

I think it depends when you book.

We will stick with Regal Princess, which we booked some time ago, for £724 (for all 3 of us) for a partially obstructed balcony!! No drinks, tips, etc. This is for October 2021 and 4 nights.

I would just about be able to justify £479 per person, for 3 nights, inside cabin on Silhouette for 2 adults.  However, they want the same for a child!! This is also October. 

Hi Stockjock. What a small world!  We also have this cruise booked.  I was hoping it would automatically transfer to Virtuosa.  I haven't had any information, whatsover, about this sailing.  Am assuming will hear more after the Easter holidays.  

Like you suggested, will keep an eye out but on Cruise Critic, as I tend to find out first what is happening that way!

How spooky - Little Britain, we have booked cabin 13007 for 31st July.

Keep it tidy for us!

I hope Virtuosa joins Magnifica or the new UK sailings!

We have booked Fred at £917 (ic) for 3 nights in August with £100 onboard spend per cabin.  We would love to sail with Princess before the October cruise we have.  We just feel that they will want all passengers to be vaccinated, similar to P&O.  That rules us out as we have an 11yr old!

I totally sympathise with those who do not wish to pay their final balance when they know the cruise is not going ahead.  Final payment dates sees to differ all over the world.

For instance, I had an MSC cruise booked via a UK travel agency for end of May 2021.  Final payment was due on 12th February 2021!!  Luckily, I was able to transfer this to next year or else I would have had to pay the final balance and then wait an age for a full refund.  If I had booked, as I usually do via a travel agency based in Germany, I could have held on to end of April 2021.  That is when the final payment would have been due.

With regards to Royal.  I have Anthem of the Seas booked for 15th August 2021.  The final payment is due for 15 July 2021.  I now rest so easy knowing I have a greater window for final payment.  If I had booked any other way, I know I would be in the same position as the other posters.  Solution - book via the German website if you can!

Hi all.  Just received this newsletter from Costa (German edition)!  Interestingly, I couldn't see Costa Firenze anywhere.

Costa Kreuzfahrten April 2020 – April 2022 (d2u1z9itwych95.cloudfront.net)

Hi there - I reckon it will be delayed.  We are booked onto the Seaside for 16th April 2021 and that has just been cancelled, by email, direct from MSC.  Considering this ship is up and running, I fear for the Virtuosa!  We are booked on her for 2th May 2021Lisbon to Southampton.  I haven't even bothered to book flights from the UK to Lisbon as am just waiting for a similar cancellation email!

Sorry - paragraphs mixed up!

Hi Speedbird01 - re refit back in September 2019 " MSC Magnifica will undergo a significant $140 million USD refurbishment which includes cutting the ship in two and adding an additional 23 metre (75 feet) section." 

We are booked onto the May 2021 and October 2021 sailings and were looking forward to it.  To make up for the disappointment they have offered us £50 per cabin obc for May and £100 for October - not bad!!

However, due to the pandemic this is no longer going ahead.

Add to that AIDA and Mein Schiff!  They have ships sailing to the Canaries.  

MSC and Costa have put a short pause on their sailings.  Hoping to re-sail again in January.

As I say, it will be interesting to see how they do it!

When I go onto aida.de the Aida Perla is available to book for 12 December 2020 for one week.  ( I only went as far as the booking page.  I don't know what would have happened if I stated I'm from the UK).  Gran Canaria. 12.12.20

Sea day

14.12.20 La Palma

15.12.20 Tenerife

16.12.20 Tenerife

17.12.20 Fueventura

18.12.20 Lanzarote

19.12.20 Gran Canaria

Hi - I pop onto this board now and again (awaiting Iona in December 2021 now).

I read somewhere that "AIDA Cruises today announced that it will offer Canary Island cruises starting from December 5, 2020.

On December 5, 2020, AIDA Cruises will open its cruise season around the Canary Islands with AIDAperla, followed by AIDAmar, which will start its winter season with the Christmas voyage on December 20, 2020"

Be interesting to see how this progresses but it doesn't state which islands.

Freephone number - 0800 052 3841 

Booked the 3 day!!  Am happy with the restrictions on board as its no different to land at present. School, work, leisure - all changed.  I actually feel more reassured that there will be protocols for all passengers and crew before embarking.  (Thanks again to Little Britain.  I now only book via a US travel agent and saved £120 compared to the UK site.  Plus we got $50 onboard spend, which is not even offered by the UK!!).

on today's news - "Passengers on board the MSC Grandiosa have not been allowed to disembark in Malta over a suspected case of Covid-19 on board, The Malta Independent is informed.  The ship, which docked in Malta on Friday morning, was not allowed by health authorities to disembark its passengers in Valletta after the ship’s captain notified Maltese authorities that they had a suspected Covid-19 case on board."

Hope this turns out to be nothing.  (Just posted on the Costa website that 7 passengers (chartered cruise) had also tested positive for covid).  Also hope that that turns out to be nothing serious for the passengers/crew.

According to Italian news 7 guests tested positive after disembarking the ship.