Bait and Switch.

[steveyulia1]

Failure to refund full payment after company cancelled trip I booked a cruise with MSC Booking Number 36981163 on Thurs 06/18/20 for a departure date of Sept 05, 2020. MSC cancelled the cruise on Mon. 06/22/20. When attempting to apply for my full refund, the web site would not allow application for refund of any cruise scheduled to depart after July 10th, 2020. I called customer service and was told by MSC that I cannot apply for a full refund until July 1, 2020 and then i will have to wait an additional 60 days to receive my refund of $2,457.00. This is not appropriate. If the cruise line cancels the trip, a customer should expect their money be refunded promptly. The customer service agent did advise that she could cancel the trip on my behalf which will cost me $300.00 to do. This feels like a bait and switch and now i am without funds that we saved to take a long overdue vacation until MSC sees fit to refund. I am demanding a full refund of the amount spent to book this cruise only to have it cancelled by the cruise line and they are withholding the refund. 

[Cruisergal1208]

Join the club of those of us waiting for refunds of cancelled cruises.  Patience has paid off for some of us and are receiving refunds very slowly.  Can you imagine having a business and then thousands and thousands of clients demanding refunds for non receipt of goods purchased?  That is what is happening.  I have had 9 weeks of cruises cancelled for 2020 and will most likely loose over $6K  due to last minute canceling on our part.  This was done at the very beginning of the halt of cruises.  I'm still working on getting some sort of compensation for those 2 cruises but don't hold out much luck on it. 

[steveyulia1]

My complaint is this. I booked and paid in full on the 18th of June, the Cruise was cancelled 3 days later and now I have to wait up to 90 days to get my money back. I can’t even “apply” for the refund until July 13. Thus the tag. MSC is nothing but a bait and switch company. 

[sfaaa]

No cruise line does prompt refund these days. Just sayin'

[glittergal1]

1 hour ago, steveyulia1 said:

Failure to refund full payment after company cancelled trip I booked a cruise with MSC Booking Number 36981163 on Thurs 06/18/20 for a departure date of Sept 05, 2020. MSC cancelled the cruise on Mon. 06/22/20. When attempting to apply for my full refund, the web site would not allow application for refund of any cruise scheduled to depart after July 10th, 2020. I called customer service and was told by MSC that I cannot apply for a full refund until July 1, 2020 and then i will have to wait an additional 60 days to receive my refund of $2,457.00. This is not appropriate. If the cruise line cancels the trip, a customer should expect their money be refunded promptly. The customer service agent did advise that she could cancel the trip on my behalf which will cost me $300.00 to do. This feels like a bait and switch and now i am without funds that we saved to take a long overdue vacation until MSC sees fit to refund. I am demanding a full refund of the amount spent to book this cruise only to have it cancelled by the cruise line and they are withholding the refund. 

Am I understanding this correct in the middle of a pandemic  , in June this year you booked a cruise to sail a few months later?? 

[steveyulia1]

WHy wouldnt i. It was available to book. The cruise line opt to volunteer to extend their no sail date 3 days after I booked. 

[kidless]

I’m totally confused as to why during all the upheaval of coronavirus MSC would voluntarily decided to disrupt things more by moving around ships. We have had two cruises effected and when I called because they moved our 11 day to a 7 day they also told me to wait till July 1.... which I did. On July 1 I was told to wait a week or till I got an email because they are still working on fixing them. I’m still waiting. 

[deliver42]

I can't believe someone would even book a cruise in the middle of a pandemic.

[abe3]

53 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

I can't believe someone would even book a cruise in the middle of a pandemic.

People trying to take advantage of the situation and get offers from the cruise line for a cancel, because most people know they won’t be sailing that soon. It’s a smart move to take advantage of it, but need to understand that your money could be tied up for a long time.  

[neptuno]

It has been said before, your best option is to dispute the credit card charge.

[emmas gran]

Friends were told allow 120 days for refund when their cruise 17th March 2020 was cancelled on 13th March

I do wonder about the OP when this is the first time posting!!!

Edited July 8, 2020 by emmas gran

[Dgshooter]

The main problem with cruise lines issuing refunds is their cashflow. They don't put your cruise fare into an account and not touch it until you sail. It is used to pay debt on ships, salaries of staff and other fixed costs.

 

They are refunding (or providing future cruise credits) as cashflow allows. You'll get your money, just be patient.

 

Time for my rant: Can we put all these "where's my refund posts" into one post? Or maybe just combine them from all the forums into a separate place altogether? I'm tired of looking at them.

[sfaaa]

7 hours ago, Dgshooter said:

 

Time for my rant: Can we put all these "where's my refund posts" into one post? Or maybe just combine them from all the forums into a separate place altogether? I'm tired of looking at them.

Bad idea. The thread would hit 100 pages in no time.

[BermudaBound2014]

23 hours ago, Dgshooter said:

You'll get your money, just be patient.

 

Whoa! Bold statement. You sure about that? This is a MSC board, and I do believe that MSC is postured to survive, but odds are very likely not all major cruise lines will. I foresee bankruptcy filings from one or two of the major US players. That doesn't mean the cruise line will go away, it just means that us 'regular folks' will be left high and dry...... without our money.

[Toofarfromthesea]

3 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Whoa! Bold statement. You sure about that? This is a MSC board, and I do believe that MSC is postured to survive, but odds are very likely not all major cruise lines will. I foresee bankruptcy filings from one or two of the major US players. That doesn't mean the cruise line will go away, it just means that us 'regular folks' will be left high and dry...... without our money.

 

Unless you booked with a credit card, in which event you should (eventually) be made whole.

[BermudaBound2014]

3 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

Unless you booked with a credit card, in which event you should (eventually) be made whole.

Not necessarily:(. Unfortunately, it looks like USA credit cards are preparing for wide spread travel industry bankruptcies as some Cc companies have already removed  the language which protects consumers from travel agency, tour operator, and travel supplier insolvency . Notice red line below- consumers used to be covered- this is a covid inspired change  :(.  
 

This is the reason I elected cash back Over fcc. I will not be making any travel deposits either  (without being prepared to lose 100%.) IMO- The possibility of cruise line insolvency is very real and consumers should be aware. 

[wnybenefits]

On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2020 at 7:50 PM, deliver42 said:

I can't believe someone would even book a cruise in the middle of a pandemic.

Why would you vilify a consumer who booked a cruise with a company that CHOSE to make the booking available.

 

The responsibility lies with the vendor, not the consumer.  Don't shame people for acting on good faith.

[deliver42]

I'm not shaming anybody, just making a statement.

[Toofarfromthesea]

I'm still trying to figure out in what sense this is a "bait and switch".

[JAGR]

6 hours ago, emmas gran said:

 

To be honest the OP  shouldn't have posted if he didn't want comments and I think your comment is uncalled for 

Some civility is needed all around, I suggest.  There is a question here about the relevancy of comments sought.  The OP was making a statement about a booking issue that occurred to them.  I didn't read anything in the post that asked about the timing of the booking.  In all honesty, I must admit, 'deliver42' may well want to comment on my decision making.  I, too, recently booked a cruise in the middle of a pandemic, and like the OP, MSC accept the booking.  As a matter, of fact, I booked a B2B, although I admit it was for March 2022, so 'deliver42' can double the criticism of my action.  As for 'Bgwest,' the first part of the statement was correct: the OP did not as for any qualitative feedback on the decision, only the subsequent actions on the part of MSC.  The second part of the statement is, at best, subjective.  Snotty observation to one person may be thought of as keen insight to another, I suppose.  As for your statement, I must ask what your motivation is.  Is your intent to add flames to a dying ember?  Is it to simply build a meaningful and helpful dialogue? I suspect it is not the latter.  We should use the forum to build bridges, not vilify.

[BermudaBound2014]

21 minutes ago, JAGR said:

Some civility is needed all around, I suggest.  There is a question here about the relevancy of comments sought.  The OP was making a statement about a booking issue that occurred to them.  I didn't read anything in the post that asked about the timing of the booking.  In all honesty, I must admit, 'deliver42' may well want to comment on my decision making.  I, too, recently booked a cruise in the middle of a pandemic, and like the OP, MSC accept the booking.  As a matter, of fact, I booked a B2B, although I admit it was for March 2022, so 'deliver42' can double the criticism of my action.  As for 'Bgwest,' the first part of the statement was correct: the OP did not as for any qualitative feedback on the decision, only the subsequent actions on the part of MSC.  The second part of the statement is, at best, subjective.  Snotty observation to one person may be thought of as keen insight to another, I suppose.  As for your statement, I must ask what your motivation is.  Is your intent to add flames to a dying ember?  Is it to simply build a meaningful and helpful dialogue? I suspect it is not the latter.  We should use the forum to build bridges, not vilify.

 

[RealNorwegianCruiser]

On 7/8/2020 at 3:25 PM, Dgshooter said:

T

 

Time for my rant: Can we put all these "where's my refund posts" into one post? Or maybe just combine them from all the forums into a separate place altogether? I'm tired of looking at them.

 

THIS!

 

Please, pretty please!

[Bgwest]

12 hours ago, emmas gran said:

 

To be honest the OP  shouldn't have posted if he didn't want comments and I think your comment is uncalled for 

There you’ve gone and hurt my feelings with your uncalled for comment. My day is ruined!! 😭

[Cullyman15]

On 7/7/2020 at 9:46 PM, abe3 said:

People trying to take advantage of the situation and get offers from the cruise line for a cancel, because most people know they won’t be sailing that soon. It’s a smart move to take advantage of it, but need to understand that your money could be tied up for a long time.  

Anyone trying "to take advantage of the situation" the cruise industry is in also stands to lose all of there money. Many of these cruise lines are hanging on by a thread right now and are very close to insolvency. I wouldn't book a cruise now with 75% discount.

[steveyulia1]

Bait - offering a great deal to get ppl to pay for the service. 

Switch - cancel said deal cpl days after taking the money. 

The little extra insult is to make the consumer wait in excess of 90 days to get their money returned.