Divina Yacht Club pricing less than Bella Balcony~ Book Quick!

[cruiseguyinorl]

The rate everyone was seeing was an Interline rate. It was mistakenly showing both for TA's on MSC's TA web site and some OTA's web sites. Per the rules of Interline rates:

MSC offers interline discounts on select sailings to customers employed by a domestic or international commercial passenger airline, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Worldspan, Sabre, Galileo or Amadeus. Discounted rates are available to all retired or currently employed eligible guest, their spouse, parents, parents-in-law and dependent children.

Qualifying guests must present an I.D. badge

from their respective company at the time of booking.

Per MSC's policy of not honoring pricing mistakes, I am guessing they will be contacting anyone booked under that rate code and asking for proof of employment. And yes, I know that wasn't mentioned anywhere in conjunction with the price. I personally think they should be honored but they don't have a good history of that.

 

As of now, that pricing code has been removed anyway. I would like to hear down the road if anyone booked it and whether it was honored or denied.

 

Bret

[vicocala]

Bret,

 

Thanks for the heads up! How horrible it would of been to lose my aft balcony and find out that the new rate was unenforceable!

 

If that had happened I might of given up cruising period, never mind MSC!

[BermudaBound2014]

Rate is still there and my credit card has been charged, I'll let everyone know if I get a notification :).

[kathiean]

Rate is still there and my credit card has been charged, I'll let everyone know if I get a notification :).

 

Where is the rate?

[vicocala]

Rate is still there and my credit card has been charged, I'll let everyone know if I get a notification :).

 

I hope it works out for you! I appreciate your letting us know about it.

[dodger1964]

..

 

Regarding excluding travel agents, MSC has the the opposite challenge in the U.S.A. I've personally spoken with three top selling agencies (the big multi-million dollar agencies) who REFUSE TO SELL MSC due to their whacked out web site. It's a running joke in the industry...

 

I don't know which ones, but I used what I always call a "large TA" for my first booking with MSC...Have had nothing but great experience so far.

 

I booked and then got status matched to black on MSC, called TA, and they put me on hold...about 5 minutes (at the most) later came back and they had called MSC and got my cruise discount.

 

I'm not sure why a "whacked out web site" would affect the large TA's (again my TA just called them with my issue...they didn't use their website), but wanted to at least put my personal experience with them out there for those that are looking for info.

[BermudaBound2014]

I don't know which ones, but I used what I always call a "large TA" for my first booking with MSC...Have had nothing but great experience so far.

 

.

'

This is wonderful news, especially for those of us who dealt with the MSC website issues for the last 6 months or so. I'm hoping the web page is finally fixed. I am guessing the problem for TA's is the extremely long hold times when the web site was 'whacked'. If you are interested here are a few links to people reporting the website problems which include, among other things, breaches in passport security. That alone should be enough to make any TA hesitant on behalf of their clients.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2337481&highlight=web+site

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2312604&highlight=web+site

 

I'm happy to know that some agents are reporting good experiences when dealing with MSC because I think they do offer a unique product and I'd love to see them become a larger player in the US. After all, I'm willing to sail on them twice in three months so they must be doing something right.

 

Kathien, don't see the rate anymore, sorry :(.

 

I'm not at all worried. I have absolutely no reason to believe MSC won't do the right thing and honor a package already booked. Mistakes do happen, but this isn't an insanely low price. It's not like the time I found RCL offered a cruise for $9.99 instead of $999.00 :eek:. I 'm still paying over $100.00 a night and MSC is earning money at that rate or they wouldn't offer it interline.

 

Time will tell I suppose, and I promise to report the outcome. No matter what I'll be happily sailing somewhere on June 18th and I'm still betting it's on MSC :)

[pamwinn]

The low rates are still out there. If you do a cruise critic search for a cruise, you can find several of those agencies still listing YC for $1029 pp

[BermudaBound2014]

The low rates are still out there. If you do a cruise critic search for a cruise, you can find several of those agencies still listing YC for $1029 pp

 

Well Hot Damn, you're right Pamwinn~~!! I found them too. Ironic thing is that the only sailing NOT pricing with the 'interline' rate is the June 18th sailing. I certainly hope no one who reads Cruise Critic contacted MSC due to my thread (so they only fixed the June 18th sailing). If so, shame on you! I thought this is a forum where consumers are supposed to help other consumers. My heart was in the right place. I can sleep with my karma.

 

I have tons of screen shots from both yesterday and today with multiple agents actually quoting the same rates. I also have a booking confirmation. I'm still betting MSC does the right thing and honors the published price, especially since they are still offering it.

[pamwinn]

Well Hot Damn, you're right Pamwinn~~!! I found them too. Ironic thing is that the only sailing NOT pricing with the 'interline' rate is the June 18th sailing. I certainly hope no one who reads Cruise Critic contacted MSC due to my thread (so they only fixed the June 18th sailing). If so, shame on you! I thought this is a forum where consumers are supposed to help other consumers. My heart was in the right place. I can sleep with my karma.

 

I have tons of screen shots from both yesterday and today with multiple agents actually quoting the same rates. I also have a booking confirmation. I'm still betting MSC does the right thing and honors the published price, especially since they are still offering it.

 

LOL...If I wasn't going again next week, I would book one of those...haha. I hope no one reported it as well. MSC is populating those prices so none of the travel agencies are doing anything underhanded. I think you are fine. Those are interline rates so the few non-interline bookings they get before they pull it (if they are going to) don't effect their bottom dollar.

Edited May 12, 2016 by pamwinn

[Mikesa1721]

Well Hot Damn, you're right Pamwinn~~!! I found them too. Ironic thing is that the only sailing NOT pricing with the 'interline' rate is the June 18th sailing. I certainly hope no one who reads Cruise Critic contacted MSC due to my thread (so they only fixed the June 18th sailing). If so, shame on you! I thought this is a forum where consumers are supposed to help other consumers. My heart was in the right place. I can sleep with my karma.

 

I have tons of screen shots from both yesterday and today with multiple agents actually quoting the same rates. I also have a booking confirmation. I'm still betting MSC does the right thing and honors the published price, especially since they are still offering it.

 

Bermuda,,MSc does have a representative who is a CC member. I haven't seen them post here in a while,,but that doesn't mean they don't lurk these boards from time to time,,,

 

[cruiseguyinorl]

I certainly hope no one who reads Cruise Critic contacted MSC due to my thread (so they only fixed the June 18th sailing). If so, shame on you!

 

Uh oh, now they know there are other dates. Yes, they have a person assigned to monitor the board and yes, she caught the post about the 18th. Now she'll be looking for the other dates. :eek: I found another date for a client as well. We'll see how that goes.

 

Sarah, if you're reading this, we'll send gifts if you don't tell Revenue. ;)

 

Bret

[BermudaBound2014]

I'm certainly OK with MSC (Sarah) finding the post and fixing the error, since that would be smart business practices. I travel agent tattle-telling would be another karma matter entirely :).

 

I'm also very grateful that MSC has agreed to honor their published price :). I knew they would do the right thing. Most businesses will honor pricing mistakes online as long as they aren't ridiculously low. Crazy as it sounds, Delta airline once accepted a 29.00 airfare that should have been 299.00. I didn't jump on that deal fast enough, but my sister did and the 29.00 airfare was honored.

 

Now I get to start planning a yacht club experience!!! I'm Liking MSC more and more everyday :).

Edited May 13, 2016 by BermudaBound2014

[rtn]

I'm certainly OK with MSC (Sarah) finding the post and fixing the error, since that would be smart business practices. I travel agent tattle-telling would be another karma matter entirely :).

 

I'm also very grateful that MSC has agreed to honor their published price :). I knew they would do the right thing. Most businesses will honor pricing mistakes online as long as they aren't ridiculously low. Crazy as it sounds, Delta airline once accepted a 29.00 airfare that should have been 299.00. I didn't jump on that deal fast enough, but my sister did and the 29.00 airfare was honored.

 

Now I get to start planning a yacht club experience!!! I'm Liking MSC more and more everyday :).

 

Good morning BermudaBound...happy to hear that MSC is honoring their published rate. Did you receive confirmation from your TA/MSC about this? We also booked this rate and have our air res. We booked knowing that MSC has had some amazing fares and wanted to try a new line. Don't want to show up and have problems...want to enjoy our first cruise with MSC!

[BermudaBound2014]

Good morning BermudaBound...happy to hear that MSC is honoring their published rate. Did you receive confirmation from your TA/MSC about this? We also booked this rate and have our air res. We booked knowing that MSC has had some amazing fares and wanted to try a new line. Don't want to show up and have problems...want to enjoy our first cruise with MSC!

 

Not only do I have confirmation from both my Travel agent and MSC, I also logged into my MSC account and purchased a laundry package. My birthday was incorrect, so I know I"m in the right spot :). No worries RTN, you won't show up and have problems. With the interline rate you need to show id at booking not at the pier. I'm confident MSC is honoring the price as there are still dates showing the reduced rate. WAY TO GO MSC!!! I'm becoming more of a fan daily. .

[vicocala]

Not only do I have confirmation from both my Travel agent and MSC, I also logged into my MSC account and purchased a laundry package. My birthday was incorrect, so I know I"m in the right spot :). No worries RTN, you won't show up and have problems. With the interline rate you need to show id at booking not at the pier. I'm confident MSC is honoring the price as there are still dates showing the reduced rate. WAY TO GO MSC!!! I'm becoming more of a fan daily. .

 

Good for you! :) I just hope you didn't kill my chance for an upgrade. :D:eek::rolleyes: Anyone know how far out they usually start making offers? Has anyone ever received an opportunity to upgrade both segments of a B2B?

[BermudaBound2014]

Good for you! :) I just hope you didn't kill my chance for an upgrade. :D:eek::rolleyes: Anyone know how far out they usually start making offers? Has anyone ever received an opportunity to upgrade both segments of a B2B?

 

Not a chance, about 50% of YC1 cabins are still available :). I'm routing for an upgrade for you!!

 

But in retrospect, I'm never going to post deals anymore because I genuinely feel badly for those that didn't snag it. I was honestly just trying to help the CC members :(.

 

Or Maybe I'll post when I find good pricing on sailings I'm not planning on going on, then I won't feel bad. I find pricing like this quite often on other lines also.

[vicocala]

I think it is a nice public service. One of the perks of CC is finding out these type of deals for those of us who have been on cruises and know what to likely expect. I hope you continue to share.

[pamwinn]

Please continue to post the good deals Bermuda. People appreciate it. Do you know for sure that it was a mistake? I thought maybe the preferred Travel Partners were given that rate. That is not uncommon.:)

[BermudaBound2014]

Pamwinn, I don't know for certain it was a mistake. Your theory makes perfect sense, especially since the rate is still available. All I know is that I'm pleased with MSC and looking forward to comparing the yacht experience with the aft fantasia experience ;).

 

Viccola: I'm still cheering for you!!!! See you onboard :)

Edited May 13, 2016 by BermudaBound2014