New booking-mandatory Service Charge

[Magnelasagne]

Today I cancelled my original booking with MSC, a Bellissima med oct this year, and rebooked with a local TA in Norway. 

I saved more than 200€ on my inside studio included lost deposit(50€) 

this is a fairly large TA with a tight cooperation with MSC, and I was told my service charge have to be pre-paid as new conditions say from march 1th(?) 

for me this is just fine, but it is different from what the Norwegian MSC-site say.  

 

 

[Epos Man]

you don't have to prepay but it now seems as though you won't be able to have it removed if you don't get the service you expected I would print off the part on the msc site that says you could remove them and show it to customer services on board.

 

So as before if you register your credit card on board then the charges will be taken at the end of the cruise

[Magnelasagne]

I’m happy with the prepay as I would pay it anyway. And I was told they had received mail from MSC telling it had to be included in the price. 

Will gladly pay it and think it’s the absolute best solution for all parts

[sidari]

This is the current wording on the UK website, confirmed by a senior supervisor by email, however on a UK Facebook page there has been mention of the DSC being Mandatory from July.

[Beamafar]

If you've booked with a Norwegian TA, you'll be covered by the T&Cs of the Norwegian MSC office, so, if the Norwegian website is saying other than it's mandatory, then it should still be a discretionary charge for you.

 

We're booked thru' a German TA for our upcoming cruise;  we've been assured that the DSC can be removed if we choose to do so.

[Magnelasagne]

I’m sure I could have made an issue about it, and probably would have had a strong case, but I prefer to prepay it along with other things like drink package, wifi, CdS etc.  So I just said all good. 

 

Just wanted to inform what was said to me, and what will probably be the policy in near future(at least in most countries)  

 

 

[sidari]

The problem is that there is far too much misinformation coming from not just MSC but travel agents also, you had the CEO of the UK office making an announcement at the Bellissima christening that the DSC would be included in the price for UK customers, then the very same UK site says Mandatory.

The above clearly says a person may remove it, but do a dummy booking and it says Mandatory! It's like watching the Keystone Cops or the Chuckle brothers in the UK ... To you, To Me!

Maybe MSC should become Keystone cruising.

[cruiser man 60]

It's being reported on MSC passenger  group Facebook pages that customers who wish to remove service charges are having a lot of difficulty and in some cases the requests have been flatly refused as they are now mandatory! So confusion still reigns

[Fogfog]

Just now looking at trying out MSC for 2020...

 

and this week saw that the charges here for US based website. I don't See "mandatory" in this --- however maybe somewhere else in the US site/contract? ?   In fact it said that IF we wanted to "include" the service charges in the booking/cruise price quote that we could... 

 

We are new to MSC so just investigating (we normally sail Celebrity)

I was surprised at another place on the website that it said TIPS to a specific crew member are Discouraged... as we always leave the grats on the bill since so many make the whole ship run...and we tip out additional in CASH to specific crew members that made out trip special.

 

Can someone specify-- IF we sail YC --bev are inclusive--so I am assuming that  means grats too? Right? We aren't going to get surprised with 15% on evry beverage we ordered while onboard? Correct?

 

WHAT ARE THE SERVICE CHARGES?

The service charge, which is calculated on a daily basis according to the length of the cruise, the destination and the ship, is charged by MSC Cruises at the end of the cruise. This service charge is divided among the staff who provide the hotel services on board. For this reason, no tips are required or payable. 

Bar Service Charge 
A 15% Bar Service Charge is automatically added to all purchases bar charges on board. 

Spa Service Charge 
A 15% service charge will be added on all spa services purchased on board and paid at the end of the cruise on your final bill.

Edited May 25, 2019 by Fogfog

[Epos Man]

 you will still pay the Daily service charge even in YC

[Beamafar]

33 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

 

 

Can someone specify-- IF we sail YC --bev are inclusive--so I am assuming that  means grats too? Right? We aren't going to get surprised with 15% on evry beverage we ordered while onboard? Correct?

 

 

You're correct - no additional charges added when ordering drinks.  The only time you'll pay a 15% charge will be on drinks that aren't included for YC.  These are listed on the Connoisseurs' Selection of the menus in the bars/lounges outside of YC and also anything on the YC menus with a price next to it.

[Fogfog]

1 hour ago, Epos Man said:

 you will still pay the Daily service charge even in YC

Yes of course...

My point is the Daily Charge (or Grats on other lines) IS part of the sailing...

and is distributed among many. 

We are used to giving extra cash above and beyond to crew members that do a great job BUT MSC specifies to NOT do this.

 

I noted on the US site that you can "request" that your cruise price INCLUDE the DSC (in which case you'd pay up front) as opposed to having it charged on the ship

I don't see "mandatory" in the language.

 

Really wonder WHY they don't just include the DSC/grats IN the cruise fee as opposed to separating it out. Is it cheaper for the cruise lines to not bundle it? Taxed differently? 

 

[Epos Man]

you can pay up front if you wish on MSC as well MSC may specify not to do it but it happens I've done it myself if i felt the service i got was above what was expected.

 

There was talk from the head of MSC europe that the cruise fare would include the DSC but in MSC's way it seems not to have been implemented yet

 

Edited May 25, 2019 by Epos Man

[sidari]

5 hours ago, cruiser man 60 said:

It's being reported on MSC passenger  group Facebook pages that customers who wish to remove service charges are having a lot of difficulty and in some cases the requests have been flatly refused as they are now mandatory! So confusion still reigns

The current word is that July is the go live date for mandatory DSC or possibly inclusive DSC. The CEO of MSC can tell you what they will be doing with their as yet unbuilt ships but cannot tell you what the game is with the DSC ! ... 🤔

[ssmea03]

The problem with all these discussions is there are too many correct/incorrect answers. Each market has its own policy now regarding the service charge, and finding out what the policy is outside your home market is generally completely unhelpful. 

[stoneman56]

Well this is what it says on my booking and I'll be taking this with me when we sail in December

Edited May 27, 2019 by stoneman56

[cruiser man 60]

Does this mean you have already paid it or that you don't expect the DSC to be added to your onboard  account ?

there seems to be a mixture at present of those who have removed DSC and those who have had such requests refused.