Cancelling my Med summer cruise

[dritan]

Hi

 

Sadly I've made the decision today to take advantage of the stress free booking on MSC to cancel and rebook my summer cruise.  Everything was looking good this time last month but the UK and Italy have effectively swapped places in terms of daily cases and with final payment date looming, we've pulled the plug.

 

Cases per 100 000 seems to be one of the key benchmarks for travel decision making both in the UK and Europe.  ( Costa used this metric - so expecting the UK to go back onto the red restricted list for them, sooner rather than later).

 

As this "appears" to be one of the metrics used by the UK govt as well, then Italy wouldn't have even been on the cards until at least end of July.  Just glad I booked the short Virtuosa cruise - hope that it goes ahead, at this rate. 

[DCGuy64]

I'm sorry to hear that. I have been told that MSC will be making an announcement later this week that will address the issues about who can sail with them this summer (in Europe). Our decision about whether to cancel hinges on that. We may be joining you on the "cancellation" train soon.

[dritan]

Thanks I think I'll wait for the announcement then.  I did get a response back which use the term "we have not cancelled the August cruise yet" - which makes me think only bad news is coming the UK's way for Med cruises this summer.  

[Never too young to cruise]

Well I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I can head from the UK and sail on the Orchestra from Venice on 14 August.

 

I've made the final payment so will be gutted if MSC cancel it to UK passengers.

 

It is my understanding that if MSC cancel it then they will offer me 125% FCC of the money I have paid (which is just shy of £3000). 

 

If I had only paid my deposit of £300 when MSC cancel, would they still give 125% FCC of £3000, or would it only be 125% of the deposit amount of £300 (an extra £75)?

[dritan]

1 hour ago, Never too young to cruise said:

Well I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I can head from the UK and sail on the Orchestra from Venice on 14 August.

 

I've made the final payment so will be gutted if MSC cancel it to UK passengers.

 

It is my understanding that if MSC cancel it then they will offer me 125% FCC of the money I have paid (which is just shy of £3000). 

 

If I had only paid my deposit of £300 when MSC cancel, would they still give 125% FCC of £3000, or would it only be 125% of the deposit amount of £300 (an extra £75)?

It's the latter, as we have only paid £300 and this latest deposit is already re using an older cancelled booking. 

 

Someone here has said there should be an announcement later this week - well their current website says that the current rules are for cruises up to the end of June - so some update is needed.  I'm going to hold fire on what to do next until I see what their decision is.  

[Stockjock]

I have 2 fall sailings booked (can only do one) and we've been thinking about pulling the plug on the whole deal.  But trying to be as patient as we can.  MSC has told me information will be forthcoming, but they keep moving the goal posts out, as time elapses and no information is presented.

We actually have Plan A, Plan B, etc...

1. Plan A. Hope that MSC moves us into another similar cruise at the same price (lift and shift) since it appears the original cruise has been cancelled.

2. Plan B. Booked a back-up cruise that I'd describe as "less for more".  Instead of an assigned balcony, we'd get an Oceanview GUAR and we'd pay about $500-$600 USD for that.  Inferior itinerary too.  Not loving this option and may cancel it, in time.  I don't think it's fair that we should have to pay more for less when we're already significantly inconvenienced.  In my view, MSC should honor the terms of the original booking to the best of their ability.

3. Plan C. I also booked a Costa Cruise to Greece, Croatia and Montenegro that's 7 days, balcony and drink package for about $800 per person, including tax and port.  I have heard horror stories about Costa, but the itinerary is pretty solid.  We'd probably do 4-5 nights in Venice on the backend, but we'd have to travel light to do this, and candidly that has been a problem.  Rick Steves I'm not.

4. Cancel everything and focus on 2022.

Trying to be patient, for now.  Hopefully we'll hear something soon.

Edited June 17, 2021 by Stockjock

[DCGuy64]

2 hours ago, Stockjock said:

I have 2 fall sailings booked (can only do one) and we've been thinking about pulling the plug on the whole deal.  But trying to be as patient as we can.  MSC has told me information will be forthcoming, but they keep moving the goal posts out, as time elapses and no information is presented.

We actually have Plan A, Plan B, etc...

1. Plan A. Hope that MSC moves us into another similar cruise at the same price (lift and shift) since it appears the original cruise has been cancelled.

2. Plan B. Booked a back-up cruise that I'd describe as "less for more".  Instead of an assigned balcony, we'd get an Oceanview GUAR and we'd pay about $500-$600 USD for that.  Inferior itinerary too.  Not loving this option and may cancel it, in time.  I don't think it's fair that we should have to pay more for less when we're already significantly inconvenienced.  In my view, MSC should honor the terms of the original booking to the best of their ability.

3. Plan C. I also booked a Costa Cruise to Greece, Croatia and Montenegro that's 7 days, balcony and drink package for about $800 per person, including tax and port.  I have heard horror stories about Costa, but the itinerary is pretty solid.  We'd probably do 4-5 nights in Venice on the backend, but we'd have to travel light to do this, and candidly that has been a problem.  Rick Steves I'm not.

4. Cancel everything and focus on 2022.

Trying to be patient, for now.  Hopefully we'll hear something soon.

We may doing your Plan C, as well. By chance is that the Deliziosa? It’s still not clear to me whether Costa is allowing US residents to sail yet, although that may not apply to you. 

[Stockjock]

56 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

We may doing your Plan C, as well. By chance is that the Deliziosa? It’s still not clear to me whether Costa is allowing US residents to sail yet, although that may not apply to you. 

Yes Deliziosa.  Good price, but Costa seems a bit sketchy.  We are U.S. residents, both fully vaccinated.   My best guess is that by late this year, we'd be good to go.

[dritan]

With the news tonight that Italy is putting in place a 5 day mandatory quarantine for all UK travellers due to the Delta Variant - I feel like the hope has all been drained out of me.

Sadly all govts are so focused on case numbers and not on vaccinated  travellers and the low hospitalisation/death figures.

I'm quite the data geek and all those areas in England where delta variant figures rose about a month ago are now in decline - but it's slow.  With more areas only starting their rise, the UK has at least another month before case figures start to significantly drop.  So alas the end of August cruise is looking highly unlikely now.  

Yet again the UK is on a diametrically opposed journey from everyone else - when our figures are low, theirs are high and vice versa.  By August our figures will be low again whilst US and Eu will be high.  Not conducive to foreign travel at all for us ;-(

[sugcarol]

I am always sad when these cruises get canceled for any reason. You are looking forward to something you love and the rug gets pulled out from under you. I am the same with my cruise, I have alternate plans should that happen to me. Chin up, in a month things could be different. I HATE COVID!!!

[drsel]

On 6/16/2021 at 11:44 PM, Never too young to cruise said:

It is my understanding that if MSC cancel it then they will offer me 125% FCC of the money I have paid (which is just shy of £3000). 

 

If I had only paid my deposit of £300 when MSC cancel, would they still give 125% FCC of £3000, or would it only be 125% of the deposit amount of £300 (an extra £75)?

if only the deposit is paid you will get 100% FCC (only on the deposit amount) + £200 OBC.

 

But as Stockjock mentioned in another thread, it may be a good idea to pay off the Cruise in full and hope to get 125% FCC on the entire amount.

Edited June 20, 2021 by drsel

[Never too young to cruise]

On 6/16/2021 at 5:35 PM, dritan said:

Thanks I think I'll wait for the announcement then.  I did get a response back which use the term "we have not cancelled the August cruise yet" - which makes me think only bad news is coming the UK's way for Med cruises this summer.  

 

I crumbled and cancelled my Med cruise a couple of days ago, and swapped it for the Virtuoso sailing out of Southampton instead.

 

Not all bad though - I only got 10% NHS discount on the Orchestra, but MSC were offering 30% NHS discount on the Virtuoso - I'm about £700 up!