Virtuosa

[bearette]

So the news says it won't be ready until Spring of 2021, but they are still selling Virtuosa and it will likely be cancelled after final payment is my guess.  Does anyone know what they typically will do as this was to be our first MSC cruise? As my vacations time is set (teacher) and my air is bought and currently nonrefundable, we can just make it a land vacation, but I wanted to see what they usually do.  I assume the 125 FCC like they have been using for civic cancellations, but I understand they limit how you use them, but I doubt we will pay in full if they don't announce something before final payment.   Mostly I am just putting this out there to see if there is any new news.

[Preziosa]

You Can change to another MSC cruiseship from the town where you should have been sailing. There are many fantastic ships, They are all Very beautyful.

[sidari]

As long as MSC stick to the ship is "delayed" tactic there will not be any cancellations, many people believe it is wrong to continue to sell a product when the company know full well that it is not available, somewhat like a travel agent continuing to trade despite knowing they are going into liquidation the same day. Selling under false pretence.

[medic143]

I am booked aboard the Virtuosa on Dec 11, through the MSC UK website. I have asked them to confirm the sailing was taking place as I wanted to book flights. I got this reply.

"Hi Eric. Under the current circumstances, it is very likely that there will be delays in the delivery of newbuilds in connection with the temporary halt of works at all shipyards where we have placed orders for new ships. If there are any changes to your planned cruise you will be notified in due course and all details of your options will be shared with you."

 

A canadian who booked through the US web site is reporting the following.

"Six days ago MSC started sending out cancellation letters to Canadian customers for Virtuosa cruises for 2020. For those who have been told it is still a go, follow this... So we booked with Vituosa before they had a Canadian booking site. It just started in 2019. So we'd booked via the US site. Today we called the US number but the it transferred us to the Canadian booking office due to our number being from Canada. We asked about the status of our December VIrtuosa cruise and the MSC agent asked if we had gotten ourletter yet. When we asked what letter, she said letters to all Canadian clients were mailed out six days ago telling them the ship will not be sailing in 2020 and giving options they had going forward. 125% cruise credit. We mentioned we might not have gotten it because we booked on the US site. She checked and saw that our reservation was listed in the US system. We asked if the cancellation was just for Canadian customers and she said no, "the ship won't sail in 2020 according to head office." She also said moving us to a new ship was not an option but then said we should talk to the US agents. She put us through to the US office. The agent there said the cruise was still a go. We mentioned the ship yard said it won't be ready for 2020. The agent said she had no information on that. We asked her why Canadian customers were being told by MSC letter that there would be no cruise on the Virtuosa in 2020. She put us on hold then came back and literally said, "I'm not allowed to comment on that." This, coupled with the ship builders own admission that the ship won't be ready in 2020, clearly shows some MSC regional agents are lying about the status of the cruise. Either the Canadian agents are lying about it being cancelled or others are lying about it being a go. either way, they are all MSC official agents therefore MSC is lying to customers."

 

There are rumours that MSC are considering using the Grandiosa to cover the Virtuosa if she is delayed. This might make operational sense as G is due to transfer to the South American market at the same time V is supposed to sail, however if true it would not make sense to cancel Canadian cruisers. I am not asserting that this story is true, but I really want it to be.