Crazy cabin upgrade prices!

[caffeine_demon]

So - having seen that ocean view cabins are now the same price as I paid for my inside cabin, and balconies are only 70 pounds more, I thought i'd be able to get maybe a free upgrade to ocean view, or a cheap upgrade to a balcony.

 

Nope - £1,030 for ocean view, and she said that was in addition to the 650 already paid - didn't even ask about balconies - How can an upgrade cost more than a new booking? Might be worth an email to confirm!

[Até]

MSC has always held me to the prices that were in effect at the time I booked, so effectively eliminating taking advantage of a price drop.  Even in cases where I could cancel and rebook without penalty they found a way to deter it - like refusing to honor discounts that were still in effect for new bookings.  Just wait until the bidding system opens and you will be insulted again.

[caffeine_demon]

"Just wait until the bidding system opens and you will be insulted again. "

 

 

Insulted or consulted?

 

Anyway - is there always a bidding system for all cruises - only info I can see is on the US site?

 

 

[Até]

Insulted.  After being refused to upgrade at the current prices I was later offered to make bids where even the minimum bid would put my total cost at way more than the cabin's current price due to the price drops after I had booked.  The only exception was bids for Yacht Club cabins, where MSC increases the price as the cruise date approaches.  For those the initial cost plus bid total appeared to be less than the current price.  But in actuality the total price with the bid was more than what I could have paid for the YC cabin when the cruise was first offered.

 

I don't know if the bidding system was ever offered to bookings made outside of the US.

[40yearcruiser]

I don't know if you in the UK are treated differently, but last year I had no trouble cancelling a booking and then rebooking to take advantage of a promotion. Of course, the cruise was eventually canceled (it was for New Years) so I lost the advantage of the promotion anyway. We have rebooked on the Meraviglia for Christmas this year so have fingers crossed that this time it will go, even though the price was higher and much less advantageous promotion than last year. Are you within the final payment period? That could affect their willingness to make a fare adjustment. If not, I'd try again to cancel and rebook unless you can get an adjustment in your fare. Hopefully you will eventually get someone to listen to you and either adjust your fare or rebook. OR you could always cancel and take your business to another cruiseline that's more cooperative.

Edited May 8, 2021 by 40yearcruiser

[Huntingdon1701]

^Yes, we are treated differently. We lose the deposit if we cancel, although we get some other protections instead. 

[JAGR]

I just wanted to report I had a positive experience with MSC reservations personnel.  At least after the first experience!  We had a two separate reservations of March on Seashore, and I noticed yesterday that the price dropped 15% on both weeks.  Called Reservations, and the first person quoted a different rate (she didn't include Voyager's Club discount, and said she couldn't guarantee I could keep the same room. Then she suggested I go online and make the bookings myself and then call back in to cancel the two I had.  With YC, that would have meant losing the deposit.  I waited two minutes and called back in.  Got a different (and more experienced) agent.  I told her I wanted to get the discounted rate. Within a few minutes, I get an email from MSC for one week with the discount and the same room.  Within a few more minutes, she had done the same with the other week!  She was pleasant the whole time, apologized for the delay (there wasn't!), and thanked me for her patience.  I thanked her for her patience and effort on my behalf  Took two calls, but if you get the right agent, it all works out.

[pappahbuttz]

Glad to heat it worked out Jagr, but I think it’s kind of sad that it is hit or miss when it comes to getting satisfaction or answers! I have always found that MSC’s website and phone services leave a lot of room for improvement.

 

 

[Até]

On 5/11/2021 at 10:04 AM, JAGR said:

I told her I wanted to get the discounted rate. Within a few minutes, I get an email from MSC for one week with the discount and the same room.

Did you take advantage of a discount, like adding Voyages Selection, or change to a different booking rate, like from Sail Away to All In?  Or was it just a price drop?  Im my experience MSC handles each of these very differently. 

[MotownVoice]

This is a shame.

On our last cruise, a Princess British Isles, I saw a huge price drop in Deluxe Balconies and Mini Suites.  I called customer service, and in 10 minutes she upgraded me from balcony, found a couple of other perks I was now entitled to that I wasn't originally, AND saw a little over a thousand in cash deposited to my OBA that was the difference in what I had already paid.

Good times.
 

[JAGR]

On 5/12/2021 at 3:26 PM, Até said:

Did you take advantage of a discount, like adding Voyages Selection, or change to a different booking rate, like from Sail Away to All In?  Or was it just a price drop?  Im my experience MSC handles each of these very differently. 

As I noted, it was just a price drop, pure and simple.  MSC used to fight that, and still do if you get the wrong agent, but with their current "Flexible Changes" programme, it's hard for them not to honour a request for a reduction in fare.