MSC refund policy coronavirus

[NameThatFunnel]

7 minutes ago, niko40 said:

Most ofthe major cruise lines announced over a week ago and my experience has been very disappointing 

Only certain cruises in affected areas were included at that time. Just starting this past Friday, any person that wants to postpone their cruise to any destination over the next several months for any reason will get a FCC.

[niko40]

13 minutes ago, NameThatFunnel said:

Only certain cruises in affected areas were included at that time. Just starting this past Friday, any person that wants to postpone their cruise to any destination over the next several months for any reason will get a FCC.

Well MSC haven't stated this anywhere and i dont want a FCC for a  cruise next year with increased prices which we will have ro payvthe difference.  I want the security of knowing if i get denied boarding at embarkation due to their checking i will get a full refund. I dont want the hassle of having to get them to issue me wirh a doctors note for my insurance,which i have doubts they will do anyway.

The big cruise lines are offering full refunds if you are denied at embarkation not MSC.

They seem to be very underhanded 

But lets see what they publish tomorrow 

[BermudaBound2014]

36 minutes ago, NameThatFunnel said:

I would advise to stand down on the pitchforks and torches for MSC until tomorrow (Monday). The major cruise lines only announced their revised polices on Friday. We all know MSC operates differently, but my experience has been quite good with them offering fair compensation when needed and even going over and beyond. I would be very surprised if they do not come out with a reasonable update to their booking and cancellation polices at some point tomorrow.

 

Like NametheFunnel, I'm going to stay positive until tomorrow. MSC simply takes longer to do things. They often screw up and then back track on policy. They are terrible with communication given how many countries they communicate with. They have offered contradictory information on multiple occasions for multiple subjects...... BUT........... they usually come through eventually and what they come through with is often very fair. I'm hoping the new cancellation policy is even more consumer friendly than the competition. MSC really would benefit by tossing the consumer a friendly bone.

[NameThatFunnel]

4 minutes ago, niko40 said:

Well MSC haven't stated this anywhere and i dont want a FCC for a  cruise next year with increased prices which we will have ro payvthe difference.  I want the security of knowing if i get denied boarding at embarkation due to their checking i will get a full refund. I dont want the hassle of having to get them to issue me wirh a doctors note for my insurance,which i have doubts they will do anyway.

The big cruise lines are offering full refunds if you are denied at embarkation not MSC.

They seem to be very underhanded 

But lets see what they publish tomorrow 

I would not accept a FCC for being denied boarding either. Have there been actual reported cases of people not getting refunds for being denied?

[niko40]

2 minutes ago, NameThatFunnel said:

I would not accept a FCC for being denied boarding either. Have there been actual reported cases of people not getting refunds for being denied?

Read my email i received from MSC on the first post they told me no refunds will be offered i have spiken to them on phone twice since then and they will not be offering refunds. Only through  ypur insurance 

[aprilF]

 

1 hour ago, niko40 said:

Read my email i received from MSC on the first post they told me no refunds will be offered i have spiken to them on phone twice since then and they will not be offering refunds. Only through  ypur insurance 

Ive read your posts.  MSC (or lots of businesses) dont actually always do what they say.   I would still like to know if anyone denied boarding was not given either a refund or credit.  And if so I would like to know the reason they were denied. 

 

So far Ive only heard of a group of Italians (non affected region) that were denied.  They were issued refunds and some help with travel expenses.  I suspect MSC was extra generous since at the time the passengers that were denied werent on the restricted list and they denied only in hopes that Jamaica and GC would allow them entry if they carried no Italian passengers. 

 

Id still like to hear from someone that was denied based on MSC policy and what happened.  Even though that's no guarantee that's what would happen to someone else it is a data point.

[niko40]

Well im assuming as they haven't offerd a refund they wont be to anyone i dont think you need proof they have stated via email that no refunds.

[aprilF]

2 minutes ago, niko40 said:

Well im assuming as they haven't offerd a refund they wont be to anyone i dont think you need proof they have stated via email that no refunds.

What I gather from this is that you believe that they will not offer refunds because that is what was stated to you by MSC.  I would like to see what is actually happening in practice though because what some rep tell some customer isnt always what happens IRL.  It's not that I think you didnt make the right call, I would have done the same.  I just havent heard one way or the other from people denied at port, except for that one group of Italians that should not have been denied so their experience isnt relevant.

 

If I have misunderstood what you are trying to say, please clarify.

[niko40]

Well as it was direct from MSC that said they would not refund my MSC cruise i can only believe  that MSC will not refund my MSC cruise. Not sure where your not getting this.

[rikitikitavii]

We are boarding Divina on Tuesday, if for some reason we are not allowed on, I will let you know what MSC tells me.  Currently have no listed symptoms, so expect no issue.

[niko40]

Fingers crossed all goes well for you

[aprilF]

14 minutes ago, niko40 said:

Well as it was direct from MSC that said they would not refund my MSC cruise i can only believe  that MSC will not refund my MSC cruise. Not sure where your not getting this.

What I am getting at is what I have stated clearly several times now.  Customer service representatives or corp policy will often say one thing but what actually happens is another.  I have heard of no one being denied due to MSC's posted policy therefore we havent heard what they are actually doing even though we know what's been said to you.

 

 

7 minutes ago, rikitikitavii said:

We are boarding Divina on Tuesday, if for some reason we are not allowed on, I will let you know what MSC tells me.  Currently have no listed symptoms, so expect no issue.

I hope you will have nothing to tell us and that your cruise goes wonderfully.

[BoundForSea]

3 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Like NametheFunnel, I'm going to stay positive until tomorrow. MSC simply takes longer to do things. They often screw up and then back track on policy. They are terrible with communication given how many countries they communicate with. They have offered contradictory information on multiple occasions for multiple subjects...... BUT........... they usually come through eventually and what they come through with is often very fair. I'm hoping the new cancellation policy is even more consumer friendly than the competition. MSC really would benefit by tossing the consumer a friendly bone.

 

Indeed, well put.  When this does hopefully happen tomorrow, I'm just giving those of you who have not had the pleasure of dealing with MSC Reservations, Accounting, Cost Servicde much a heads up... It's going to be a painful process.  They're gonna get it wrong, its gonna be hours on hold, it's gonna be multiple calls and emails to get it right or get it at all.,  My experiences have been painful in the past but as my friend BB has said, they EVENTUALLY get it right.  

Tomorrow will be a big day.  Tomorrow the Panorama, the Grand P, and the Royal P will all have news, what that news is will dictate, in my view, a set of events and information.  I've been hearing murmuring and talk of shutting down areas as in Italy and China, and modes of transportation deemed risky by the CDC and Fed.  I would bet my paycheck that yesterday's meeting involved discussions of that potential, and as I'm sure it didn't go over well, I am positive it was put out there that it is a tool in the Federal toolbox.  Also, a formal declaration of risk to travel on cruise ships from the US is made, that is also as you know very impactful for us the passengers in terms of insurance, etc.  

 

So let's see what says MSC tomorrow, in my case I've got a May sailing in Miami to contend with, so I'll be watching closely as I have.

 

I've also been watching prices, and they really haven't moved as a result of this, just the Balcony upgrade incentive.

 

Oh, and I have reached out to two very prominent YouTube cruise content creators/influencers and have not gotten any response (I have communicated with both of them in the past).  With the abundance of happenings, this just may not rise to the level of airtime for them whereas under normal conditions it most likely would be a bg deal.  I'll keep pinging these folks and a couple others tomorrow depending on the news that MSC releases.

 

Have a great Sunday, and to those really in a bad place with trips this week and next week, and travel plan nightmares, I feel for you and send you strength, however if you or your loved ones don't feel safe, please don't travel because of money, it's just not worth it (I know easy for me to say).  Unfortunately by MSC delaying policy, l they are also causing very harmful risk to us the passenger, by creating a situation where some may travel when they truly shouldn't due to the threat of monetary loss.  They are in effect, raising the risk for their passengers and it just isn't right.  

 

 

[blueslily]

On 3/5/2020 at 2:24 PM, niko40 said:

Well after my conversation wit MSC today i think we will be cancelling our cruise. We have our eye on a 14 night cruise with Royal that leaves 4 days after the msc cruise and now with the price drops will probably book it this week our ta will let us move the deposit to the new cruise and at least we will have the guarantee of a refund should we need it.

 

Its nice that you have that transfer option with your TA. Sounds like you have a good option so you wont have to keep worrying about whatever MSC is doing. 

 

How did it go cancelling your MSC cruise and booking the Royal Caribbean sailing? When are you heading out for your vacation? 😊

 

[niko40]

2 minutes ago, blueslily said:

 

Its nice that you have that transfer option with your TA. Sounds like you have a good option so you wont have to keep worrying about whatever MSC is doing. 

 

How did it go cancelling your MSC cruise and booking the Royal Caribbean sailing? When are you heading out for your vacation? 😊

 

We have booked with Royal for 4 days later still got both booked at moment but looking like We will cancel the msc cruise unless tomorrows announcement offers a full refund. Ta has said we can switch to royal with no issues

[blueslily]

1 minute ago, niko40 said:

We have booked with Royal for 4 days later still got both booked at moment but looking like We will cancel the msc cruise unless tomorrows announcement offers a full refund. Ta has said we can switch to royal with no issues

 

Ok. Sounds like you might be preferring the MSC sailing over the Royal? Better itinerary? When is the cruise? Hopefully youre going somewhere with good weather. The back and forth of cold and warm where I am is annoying people, hahaha. We are certainly ready for the warmer days and less rain. 

 

 

[niko40]

47 minutes ago, blueslily said:

 

Ok. Sounds like you might be preferring the MSC sailing over the Royal? Better itinerary? When is the cruise? Hopefully youre going somewhere with good weather. The back and forth of cold and warm where I am is annoying people, hahaha. We are certainly ready for the warmer days and less rain. 

 

 

The MSC is our prefered a few new ports for us and Royal is on Anthem which is not my favourite ship and rthe he caneries which we have been to a few times

[blueslily]

2 minutes ago, niko40 said:

The MSC is our prefered a few new ports for us and Royal is on Anthem which is not my favourite ship and rthe he caneries which we have been to a few times

 

Ok. Good luck finding another sailing with Royal that you like better. Glad you have options! 

[lisaleopard]

I called Msc Uk today as we have a short cruise Barcelona to Genoa in April they said In light of today’s new restrictions  they may pull out of Italian ports

 

we were told we can if March and April sailing , change pospone free of charge but they will announce changes as soon as poss 

they were I have to say extremity understanding and helpful but as was so soon they hadn’t had plans or decisions from Head office 

we don’t want to risk getting off in Genoa really 

 

lisa 

[lisaleopard]

11 hours ago, Hampshirejudy said:

We are on MSC on 26th March. The itinerary includes three Italian ports, what’s the point. Italy is now on total lockdown. I was expecting them to reroute the ship, but so far nothing. If we cancel, no refund, can move to a later date. The FCO haven’t put up a full restriction to Italy, so no refund from insurance company. Our cruise starts in Barcelona, so airlines aren’t interested in changing tickets. All a bit of a mess really. Anyway main thing is we stay safe, but would like money back. 

Similar situation in April but told can move. I’m holding on to see what they do 

[EngIceDave]

Travel - State Dept

 

@TravelGov

 

U.S. citizens, especially with underlying conditions, should not travel by cruise ship. #CDC notes increased risk of #COVID19 on cruises. Many countries have implemented screening procedures, denied port entry rights to ships and prevented disembarking.

 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/cruise-ship-passengers.html?fbclid=IwAR23mRlu4-382HLuSM8i0KWQBSaZ4heDniggmxR3kBR6e2EgWiKr6B0EseM

[BermudaBound2014]

14 minutes ago, EngIceDave said:

Travel - State Dept

 

@TravelGov

 

U.S. citizens, especially with underlying conditions, should not travel by cruise ship. #CDC notes increased risk of #COVID19 on cruises. Many countries have implemented screening procedures, denied port entry rights to ships and prevented disembarking.

 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/cruise-ship-passengers.html?fbclid=IwAR23mRlu4-382HLuSM8i0KWQBSaZ4heDniggmxR3kBR6e2EgWiKr6B0EseM

 

 

There it is :(.

Time to check your trip insurance.

[Ausbrit]

Anyone sailing from Dubai to Venice on the 18/04 getting any information from MSC or their TA? 12 months is not enough time for a credit if you want to book the same cruise. MSC really needs to step up or they are going to get slaughtered online later. I may have even considered still taking the cruise if they had been more forthcoming with information.  They already changed many passengers rooms onboard (even though they had been confirmed in writing) to crappy rooms. And they have been swopping crew from ship to ship like chess pieces. God only knows how they would handle a quarantine.
[TO MSC:- THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HOLIDAY NOT A PUNISHMENT. MANY OF US HAVE IGNORED YOUR SHOCKING RATINGS ONLINE AND PUT OUR TRUST IN YOU. IT IS TIME YOU SHOWED A DUTY OF CARE TO YOUR PASSENGERS AND ALLOWED AT RISK TRAVELLERS TO AMEND OR CANCEL THEIR BOOKINGS. 
We will continue to support a company who cares for more than their bottom line. You have the ability to contact me directly with excursion offers therefore it should be simple to keep us all up to date, especially those who are in other countries and can’t sit on the phone for hours waiting to speak to representatives.]

If anyone has any updates on this particular cruise, who have rebooked or cancelled, could you please advice your outcomes.

Thankyou Stay safe.

[lasnev]

Is it known at what time this announcement is supposed to be made tomorrow? It basically is pay or cancel day for us...

[BrooklynCruiser]

We are scheduled to sail on MSC Fantasia from Civitavecchia on April 5th.  MSC hasn't announced any changes to the cruise.  How would they then reconcile this sailing with last week's updated announcement that "Anyone who has traveled to, from or through . . . Italy (or transited via airports) in the past 14 days, or visited, will be denied access to the ship." I understand that this is an open loop cruise, but still....