anyone have problem with MSC changing confirmed cabin/deposit made Nov 2020/reassigning same cabin to new passengers

[robenv]

hello

has anyone else experienced this...deposit and confirmed for cabin on Nov 2020 for departure aboard Meraviglia for Oct 2, 2021. recently saw on our reservations that our cabin was now listed as a GUARANTEE, which is NOT what we had confirmed. Yesterday, we find out they changed our cabin ( to one not suitable since no longer near elevator, on opposite side of ship, balcony has tenders beneath us etc) and they claim this was an UPGRADE...well not to us. and We NEVER booked a GUARANTEE; we booked and have a confirm for a specific cabin.  Our travel agent has informed us that our cabin has been reassigned to new passengers and that if we want to be placed bacak NEAR where our cabin was originally booked, it will cost us an additional $300.  This I find to be outrageous!!! and my travel agent claims there is nothing he can do about this other than make a cancellation.  We made our reservation and confirmation in November 2020 because we had such a GREAT price with shipboard credit which cannot be matched today....but does this give MSC the right to throw us out of our cabin and reassign to someone else.  I have checked their Condition of Carriage and I do not find this to be covered or to be acceptable.   

I know all cruise lines can change itineraries, which MSC has also done with this cruise departing October 2 on Meraviglia but I realize that this is their right to do so and I accept this BUT to change someone's cabin without their consent and reassigning that cabin to a NEW passenger, who may be paying more than we were, is totally unacceptable to me...and to ask us to pay another $300---this sure does smell of BAIT AND SWITCH to me.

 

Does anyone from the Cruise Critic boards know of this happening before to anyone? Who can I contact?

Final payment due within a couple of days...do not want to cancel and get money back since we would not be able to match this price; obviously this is why MSC wants another $300 from us. OUTRAGEOUS...and if indeed this is permissible, then why would anyone EVER TRUST and SAIL with MSC again???

Any suggestions? Looking for help...and some travel agent knowledge...

 

[MarkusToe]

We had the same, the explanation was: we made a quarantine station out of our suite(2BR), for Shure, highest priced stateroom,beside yc, MSC set to 0 income.....NO COMMENT..., 

 

I've spoken to my lawyer, he said, MSC is allowed to move you but only within the booked category or higher...

[drsel]

Our midship chosen cabin was also changed (without our knowledge or permission ) to a cabin right in the front of the ship, which I cannot tolerate,  because I have sea sickness.

 

When I phoned MSC to reinstate our confirmed booked cabin, she said that there are no more cabins available and we can only shift you to a guarantee.

Or pay more for an upgrade

Edited June 26, 2021 by drsel

[robenv]

4 hours ago, drsel said:

Our midship chosen cabin was also changed (without our knowledge or permission ) to a cabin right in the front of the ship, which I cannot tolerate,  because I have sea sickness.

 

When I phoned MSC to reinstate our confirmed booked cabin, she said that there are no more cabins available and we can only shift you to a guarantee.

Or pay more for an upgrade

 

[robenv]

Just now, robenv said:

 

drsel...We too had our cabin changed. MSC stated it was an upgrade...perhaps to THEM but to us it was a downgrade to balcony near rear not near a lift which is ESSENTIAL to us, on opposite side of ship, directly over tender which limit your balcony view and CLEARLY not what we had booked with our original cabin assignment.  We booked through a travel agent (TA) who has been working on this for us. MSC states our original cabin has been sold to other passengers who obviously must have paid a higher price. Another cruise critic member suggested calling MSC again for you to have this corrected PROPERLY; I was told that the first rep from MSC stated all rooms were taken yet when WITH ANOTHER phone call, a different rep was contacted and she was able to make a suitable correction for this other cruise critic member.

My suggestion, try again with MSC and speak to different rep.

It is of my opinion, that when you have made a reservation, given cabin assignment, paid your money (deposit) your cabin should not be changed unless health reasons pertaining to Covid and certain cabins need to remain vacant  AT WHICH POINT, MSC should relocate you to a similar cabin as given in original reservation and NOT a cabin in which MSC CHOOSES to locate you....this is NOT what you paid for and should not be tolerated. Read MSC Conditions of Carriage---I may be incorrect, but I do NOT find they are able to do this when they have given your preassigned cabin to some other passenger (because MSC has received more revenue???)... simply UNACCEPTABLE manner in doing business !!!

[drsel]

I just checked and they have only two other cabins free in my category but they are inferior to what I have

if I want a better location I have to pay more to upgrade which I do not want to do

[phissy]

MSC can be very difficult to deal with.

 That is why this forum is so helpful.

We had 15 day Meraviglia cruise booked for Nov 13. 

They changed us to Seashore departing Nov 20 , and cabin was guarantee. Also, they shortened the length of the cruise.

No email. Mentioned here and when I looked it up....yup.

One week later, MSC had "new" cruise on Meraviglia for 15 day -Nov 13 on site.

 

. When I tried to get our cruise moved back to original booking, they wanted $2,000 more. (YC)

Cancelled that booking.

 

 Booked new cruise as  B2B for those 15 days. ( 7+8 nts) 

 Better OBC for each week, so double benefits.

Recently, MSC changed itineraries for Meraviglia this fall. 

 it seems they cancelled out cabin assignments.

CC poster reported new itineraries for Caribbean cruises this fall and their cabin assign went away.

I looked up our bookings and week one had cabin listed as guarantee. On MSC site, all cabins were available for sale.  Called right away as we needed to keep same cabin for B2B .

Was told we could not book it as it was for 4 people and we were only 2.  Pressed agent to assign cabin back to us as most YC cabins usually have 2 passengers, and this was week 1 of cruise and we have that cabin for week 2. (only week one was affected by change-Nov 13)

Finally, she relented and we got our cabin assignment back.

 

I want to thank all posters who gave us a "heads up" when this happened and we were able to retrieve our cabin assignment.

ADVISE for dealing with MSC.....HUCA if you do not get satisfactory response.

Edited June 26, 2021 by phissy

[drsel]

That is very sound advice!

Hang up and call again until you get a call centre rep who will follow your instructions properly

Edited June 26, 2021 by drsel

[phissy]

17 minutes ago, drsel said:

That is very sound advice!

Hang up and call again until you get a call centre rep who will follow your instructions properly

Thanks for catching my error ....was not able to edit.

ADVICE is correct, not ADVISE.

 

And yes, I stay calm, quickly thank agent and HUCA.   

[robenv]

2 hours ago, phissy said:

Thanks for catching my error ....was not able to edit.

ADVICE is correct, not ADVISE.

 

And yes, I stay calm, quickly thank agent and HUCA.   

phissy...thanks for your info.

this has been soooo disturbing. My TA still working on this; has contacted some department within MSC BUT they are not available during weekend so as of yet this is NOT resolved. I believe they have saved and put us in an acceptable cabin close to our original assigned cabin BUT they want to charge $300. For the life of me, I can NOT understand what gives them the right to do this and assign my cabin to a different passenger? Give me what I paid for...and if need be, change the passengers who are now in the cabin I was confirmed in SEVEN (7) months ago. NO other cruise line does business like this...mistakes can always be made BUT cruise lines will correct and will give new cabin assignment which is acceptable to passenger and often will either upgrade or offer shipboard credit as good will and hoping for repeat business...that makes business sense to me. But MSC trying to get another $300 is unheard of...and seems like a BAIT and SWITCH scam to me. utterly disgusted. I fear calling MSC directly since TA is also working on this so I do not want to cause additional problems.

Thanks again  PHISSY for your valuable insight...I want and NEED to get this settled before final payment due in a couple of days.

[broberts]

1 minute ago, robenv said:

NO other cruise line does business like this...

 

Actually, (if you can get the search function to cooperate), you'll find a few posts about other lines doing the same thing.

 

One common error is thinking that an upgrade means the same thing to cruise lines and passengers. If one has particular cabin requirements it's always a good idea to make sure upgrade preferences are turned off.

[Stockjock]

1 hour ago, broberts said:

 

Actually, (if you can get the search function to cooperate), you'll find a few posts about other lines doing the same thing.

 

One common error is thinking that an upgrade means the same thing to cruise lines and passengers. If one has particular cabin requirements it's always a good idea to make sure upgrade preferences are turned off.

True.  If you have a great mid-ship cabin and they move you to a cabin 2 decks up in a poor location, such as at the bow, many cruise lines will consider that an "upgrade".

[MarkusToe]

Easy task, in the meantime i  do not talk with them anymore... 

All conversation goes by lawer...., to have All the strange answers and excuses secured in the correct Form, if ive to go to court... 

[robenv]

22 hours ago, broberts said:

 

Actually, (if you can get the search function to cooperate), you'll find a few posts about other lines doing the same thing.

 

One common error is thinking that an upgrade means the same thing to cruise lines and passengers. If one has particular cabin requirements it's always a good idea to make sure upgrade preferences are turned off.

broberts...suggestion about turning off upgrade preferences is a great idea and other cruise lines offer this. Please advise as to WHERE this option may be located within MSC reservations; I cannot locate anywhere.

btw, MSC had removed my cabin number and substituted-GUARANTEE- which was not how I booked this reservation. It was then switched from the Guarantee to THEIR upgrade (which I entirely agree with you as to not necessarily meaning the same for a passenger as cruise line).

Again, pls help me out here. How can I "turn off" the capability of MSC to upgrade my cabin reservation? 

Thanks

[broberts]

16 minutes ago, robenv said:

broberts...suggestion about turning off upgrade preferences is a great idea and other cruise lines offer this. Please advise as to WHERE this option may be located within MSC reservations; I cannot locate anywhere.

btw, MSC had removed my cabin number and substituted-GUARANTEE- which was not how I booked this reservation. It was then switched from the Guarantee to THEIR upgrade (which I entirely agree with you as to not necessarily meaning the same for a passenger as cruise line).

Again, pls help me out here. How can I "turn off" the capability of MSC to upgrade my cabin reservation? 

Thanks

 

I don't have an MSc booking and unlike some other lines the preference cannot be set in my account profile.

[robenv]

Just now, broberts said:

 

I don't have an MSc booking and unlike some other lines the preference cannot be set in my account profile.

Hi again...thanks for responding soooo quickly.

I REALLY appreciate your help/assistance!

Yes, I do realize that your upgrade preference can be adjusted/changed on other cruise lines (Royal Caribbean etc) BUT  I do NOT find this option anywhere with MSC...and is this was done, there should be notations somewhere within reservation or general website. 

I am very discouraged with MSC and how this is handled...when customer addresses with an MSC Rep the changing of cabin assignment and selling our cabin which was confirmed and deposit made over 7 months ago to new passengers (who are now probably paying much more than we have), and then Rep says it will cost you another $300, something sounds and feels terribly "wrong".

[drsel]

16 hours ago, broberts said:

 

I don't have an MSc booking and unlike some other lines the preference cannot be set in my account profile.

When you log in to your account, I don't think there is any option to avoid upgrades or even downgrades for that matter.

 

My cabin was downgraded to a bad location and there is nothing much I can do about it. Because in my cabin category, there are only two cabins available now, which are even worse than what I have right now.
 

Edited June 28, 2021 by drsel

[travelcruisepro]

I Booked on the 2021 December sailing on MSC Divina,  before paying the final balance, I confirmed with the MSC rep that the stateroom I booked has not changed, after paying  I received an email stating my assigned cabin has been changed to a guaranteed cabin. I paid for an assigned cabin Bella class, when I contacted the MSC rep, she was clueless and just played dumb, claiming it was a Corporate decision and they have no control and my stateroom is not available despite the MSC website says otherwise.

 

Finally after numerous attempts, I finally got a competent rep who reassigned my stateroom back.'

What an absolute hassle, this is my first time on MSC and based on their deceptive booking practice, may be the last.  

[Stockjock]

32 minutes ago, travelcruisepro said:

I Booked on the 2021 December sailing on MSC Divina,  before paying the final balance, I confirmed with the MSC rep that the stateroom I booked has not changed, after paying  I received an email stating my assigned cabin has been changed to a guaranteed cabin. I paid for an assigned cabin Bella class, when I contacted the MSC rep, she was clueless and just played dumb, claiming it was a Corporate decision and they have no control and my stateroom is not available despite the MSC website says otherwise.

 

Finally after numerous attempts, I finally got a competent rep who reassigned my stateroom back.'

What an absolute hassle, this is my first time on MSC and based on their deceptive booking practice, may be the last.  

In defense of the first agent, there is often a major disconnect between what is going in at Corporate in Italy and those domestically with their "boots on the ground".  If they sound clueless, it's because they often are, not because they don't mean well, but mostly because a lot of things are out of their control and in my view, they are often kept ill-informed or uninformed by Italy.  I do agree that some agents are better than others, but it's hard to do their job right without good information from corporate as to what is going on.

The Italians often have their own "special" way of dealing with issues and very much go at their own speed and pace.  Some issues may be handled promptly.  Other issues handled very slowly.  Some issues may be ignored completely even when it is necessary to address them.  With all due respect, this seems to be the Italian way of doing things.

Speaking of Italians, now at 90 days without a deposit refund on Costa.  Fortunately, I disputed the charge and Amex has found in my favor.

Edited September 29, 2021 by Stockjock

[travelcruisepro]

I would have agreed with you except the first agent had a "I could care less attitude" and just made up excuses compared to other agents that offered a solution, so its actually more a matter of calling until you get the right competent agent that actually cares and offers a solution.  MSC shouldn't be changing assigned staterooms in the first place only to find its made available for someone else to book.

[Stockjock]

Just now, travelcruisepro said:

I would have agreed with you except the first agent had a "I could care less attitude" and just made up excuses compared to other agents that offered a solution, so its actually more a matter of calling until you get the right competent agent that actually cares and offers a solution.  MSC shouldn't be changing assigned staterooms in the first place only to find its made available for someone else to book.

There is something to be said for that as well.  As mentioned, I've found certain agents to be better than others for sure.

[intr3pid]

One way to check if the room you want is available is by starting a new booking online and proceeding to the steps of choosing a room.  Call the bluff when you get someone on the phone!

[travelcruisepro]

That is exactly what I did when I found my assigned cabin up for grabs on the MSC website! they had no option but to reassign my own cabin back, since I paid extra for my assigned cabin why should I downgrade to a lower guaranteed cabin rate? This is not my first sailing. 

[travelcruisepro]

They did it again, kicked us out of our assigned cabin, I am really having my doubts about MSC even before sailing!

[styles27]

4 hours ago, travelcruisepro said:

They did it again, kicked us out of our assigned cabin, I am really having my doubts about MSC even before sailing!

So odd. The only thing I can think of is they are keeping certain blocks of rooms open in case they need to isolate/quarantine people.  
Is the new assignment a downgrade again?