MSC Lack of Morals and Ethics

[rbpd1176]

Will try not to be too long winded. I have really like MSC. I have Diamond status with them. 

Their terms and conditions of the contract state that if they cancel a package, you have the choice of refund, change to a less expensive package with a refund of the difference, or "booking another Cruise Package of equivalent or superior quality at no extra cost, if available, from the Company’s brochure and/or from the Official Website;"
From social media I am finding that I and many others were booked on a 7 day cruise on the Divina for Oct 24th in Yacht Club. MSC made a business decision to charter the sailing to a Salsa cruise group. As part of the deal apparently, the Salsa group got all of the YC rooms.
So, without notice we got emails on this past Monday morning cancelling our YC package and arbitrarily moving us to inferior packages that are non YC rooms. I got a 8th deck balcony towards the aft.

After numerous phone calls and asking to be moved without an upcharge to another cruise (as per their contract) I was just told that MSC upper management has decided that they will NOT honor their contract. They now what the contract states, they simply do not care. The only 2 decisions that reservations has is to offer a full refund or movement to a less expensive room with a partial refund. 
The person in sales management that I talked to agreed that my reading of the contract was correct, but that they were under orders from above their pay grade to ignore the contract and only give the other 2 options.
As much as I have liked MSC in the past, and supported their sometimes iffy customer service, this total lack of morals and ethics by corporate is a bridge too far and they can say goodbye to me.

[rbpd1176]

If not clear, the Salsa group did not charter the entire sailing. So there will be a mixture of Salsa booked people (through a 3rd agency) and those like me who booked via MSC 

[styles27]

It certainly sounds like they are challenging you to fight it.
 

Have you checked the cost of another week same accommodations? 

[rbpd1176]

After being jacked around for a couple of days (just got official word an hour or so ago) I had settled on a high week (thanksgiving). They are fast enough to forfeit your fare if you need to cancel, per their contract, but they don't like it when their the bug!

[alyssamma]

So, a little confused...is this resolved now? 

[deliver42]

I love the product, but hate the way they do business. They will try, and mostly succeed to screw the passengers. I had a problem with my booking and the Aurea drink package. Was told this is the way it is. Take it or leave it.

[sidari]

Meanwhile the Senior Managers like to continue to lie to the World about how goody two shoes they are!

[rbpd1176]

23 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

So, a little confused...is this resolved now? 

Yeah its resolved. MSC intends to not abide by their own contract. Screw the silly American is perhaps their new "tag line"

[rbpd1176]

25 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

So, a little confused...is this resolved now? 

I was responding to the question of whether I had checked other cruise prices from Styles 27...but no, MSC says cancel or take the room in the bilge and a partial refund. Has not and appears will not be resolved. 
I am done with them. I can accept screw ups, but when you lack morals and ethics we can't do business together any more.

[alyssamma]

3 minutes ago, rbpd1176 said:

Yeah its resolved. MSC intends to not abide by their own contract. Screw the silly American is perhaps their new "tag line"

So did you get what you wanted or you're not happy with the resolution?

 

[alyssamma]

2 minutes ago, rbpd1176 said:

I was responding to the question of whether I had checked other cruise prices from Styles 27...but no, MSC says cancel or take the room in the bilge and a partial refund. Has not and appears will not be resolved. 
I am done with them. I can accept screw ups, but when you lack morals and ethics we can't do business together any more.

Ah, we posted at the same time. So here is what you do:

 

1) Dispute the charge on your CC

2) Send your CC company the T&C you pasted above

 

This is pretty common MSC practice and others here (including myself) have had to do a dispute to get it resolved.

 

Another option is to try and get a different rep. There are some reps (maybe 1 in 5) who can work wonders and do pretty much anything for you.

 

Good luck...

 

[Geobugs]

I had a difficult time reading this post.  What is Styles 27?  Where is the ethics discussion?  Where are the bilge rooms?

Edited September 23, 2021 by Geobugs

[LadySpoilt]

I too am one of the YC people that was booted down to a lowly deck 8 cabin.  Have been looking through the terms and conditions and fail to see where they kick you out of your booked and confirmed cabin to put you in a lower cabin.I know they can change your room but my understanding it was either to a equal room category or better.

The idiots at MSC really think a deck 8 balcony cabin is somehow better than a YC Grand Deluxe Suite???  Bear in mind that I paid for the YC Grand Deluxe Suite.  This isn't going to fly.  As of now I have the week before in the same cabin in the YC.  Gonna get a little testy when I refuse to move and show them my booked and paid for confirmation page.  An even stupider on their part is assuming that " you still have YC privileges" (yes that was actually said to me.). Let's see how they plan for that to work out??  I assume they plan on placing a butler right outside my deck 8 (and on the complete other end of the ship) room.  Let's see how the WORKS out for the butler.  And the key card to even enter the YC, that should be another fun thing to have to explain as I stand outside the door and bang on it severals time a day.

[mscdivina2016]

1 hour ago, rbpd1176 said:

I was just told that MSC upper management has decided that they will NOT honor their contract. They now what the contract states, they simply do not care. The only 2 decisions that reservations has is to offer a full refund or movement to a less expensive room with a partial refund. 
 

I had the contract looked at. They cannot ignore it, its fully enforceable. 

Scare tactic.

I am on that sailing and I have a Yacht club.

STeve

[mscdivina2016]

1 hour ago, rbpd1176 said:

If not clear, the Salsa group did not charter the entire sailing. So there will be a mixture of Salsa booked people (through a 3rd agency) and those like me who booked via MSC 

Salsa states they have the whole ship.  If its a mixed cruise, then there will not be a deck party till 5am everyday as they state?

Steve

[Heartgrove]

Ready to book for February 2022. I am going to wait to see how this plays out.

[cobber1967]

I find it amazing the amount of crap that MSC customers will put up in order to save a few bucks.  Good luck to us all in dealing with such a terrible company.

[racephoto]

Those who booked those balcony cabins are not really appreciative of seeing them described as “lowly” “bilge cabins“. 

[zekekelso]

2 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Dispute the charge on your CC

 

No need, as MSC had offered a refund. 

[Geobugs]

I am surprised that Cruise critics tolerate this blatant form of Class discrimination.  Can we have a sit in blocking the entrance to the Yacht club?  Inside and Bilge class cabin passenger matters.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Geobugs

[alyssamma]

5 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

No need, as MSC had offered a refund. 

I was very confused by this. It seemed MSC was not offering this, but if they did, then all good.

[LadySpoilt]

5 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

I was very confused by this. It seemed MSC was not offering this, but if they did, then all good.

No, not all good.  Just to change it I am out over 60000 frequent flyer miles.. Thats what it will cost me to just change the dates.

 

Beside I wonder just how long the "refunds" take?  In reading the boards it appears MSC is as crappy in refunding their customers as they are in trying to keep them.

[alyssamma]

7 minutes ago, LadySpoilt said:

No, not all good.  Just to change it I am out over 60000 frequent flyer miles.. Thats what it will cost me to just change the dates.

 

Beside I wonder just how long the "refunds" take?  In reading the boards it appears MSC is as crappy in refunding their customers as they are in trying to keep them.

All good in terms of getting a refund. Obviously changing travel plans is complicated.

 

Did you get trip insurance? If so, it may help with some of that.

 

And most airlines will refund FF miles free of charge or for a very minimal fee. What airline did you book with?

 

Lastly, refunds were horrible during the height of covid. They are much better now. I had 2 cruises I cancelled and got a refund on one in 30 days and the other in 21 days. (these were cancelled last month)

[rbpd1176]

3 hours ago, Geobugs said:

I had a difficult time reading this post.  What is Styles 27?  Where is the ethics discussion?  Where are the bilge rooms?

You came into the conversation late it appears. Read the initial post.
Styles27 was someone who I responded to, making that clear to someone who did not realise that.
Bilge is deck 8 aft...from a YC room

[rbpd1176]

2 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

I had the contract looked at. They cannot ignore it, its fully enforceable. 

Scare tactic.

I am on that sailing and I have a Yacht club.

STeve

Well, I am thinking you are not still in YC...maybe you are though...I was told that the salsa group demanded and got all the YC. Maybe you got a left over one, no idea, but I would double check online and see what your booking states now.
Not sure what you can enforce. They did credit the cabin price difference, so no financial loss. 
Just posting to warn/educate those that MSC lacks morals and ethics. I sure was wrong, I touted them for years, am Diamond, only to get screwed for a Salsa group.