Booking confirmation & swapping cabins

[doones2]

I am new to MSC.  How long does it usually take to get an email with my booking # confirmed.  In the past it was usually within a few hours but I have received nothing. Also my grandson and his friend want to switch cabins with me after I get my booking #.  How difficult is that to do?

[jcathers1]

I've always gotten my booking confirmation email almost instantaneously, but others may have different experiences.

 

As far as switching cabins, do you mean formally switch them? If so, why? I only ask because there are some nighmarish stories on here of folks losing cabins, bookings, OBC, etc. when changing details of a booking. I'm guessing the crowd would advise against it. 

[deliver42]

Do not call to change cabins. It will cost you somehow. That I'm sure of by experience. As far as conformation, I've always gotten them within a few minutes.

[Two Wheels Only]

With MSC, it's entirely possible that both staterooms will get switched to random locations even if you don't call. 😁

[dexddd]

Switch rooms even if all booked and board ship, not going to happen.  You'll have to swap cards.

[perakcruiser]

23 hours ago, doones2 said:

Also my grandson and his friend want to switch cabins with me after I get my booking #.  How difficult is that to do?

Very easy, you hand them over your cards, they give you theirs 🙂 

 

If you want to do this before the cruise, make sure all have exactly the same Voyagers Club status, otherwise chaos is guaranteed. But even if all have, follow the common advice and dont touch the bookings. 

[JAGR]

1 hour ago, perakcruiser said:

Very easy, you hand them over your cards, they give you theirs 🙂 

 

If you want to do this before the cruise, make sure all have exactly the same Voyagers Club status, otherwise chaos is guaranteed. But even if all have, follow the common advice and dont touch the bookings. 

That wouldn't work very well if the OP or the others drank or tried to purchase something.  The picture on the server's screen would not match the person tendering the card.  Also, a lot of double switches getting on and off in port.

[doones2]

Finally got my booking#.  They had the incorrect email. We turned in our cabins and then rebooked the cabins we wanted.  It was really quite easy.  Booking # stayed the same. Also found out the cabins that are available on line are not the only ones.  Many more cabins.  Don’t know why but I decided to ask for a cabin that wasn’t listed on line and it was available.

[dexddd]

19 hours ago, doones2 said:

Finally got my booking#.  They had the incorrect email. We turned in our cabins and then rebooked the cabins we wanted.  It was really quite easy.  Booking # stayed the same. Also found out the cabins that are available on line are not the only ones.  Many more cabins.  Don’t know why but I decided to ask for a cabin that wasn’t listed on line and it was available.

MSC covets thy cabins.  Not unusual for cabins to not show or not show if you don't hit occupancy - like if you have four in booking, a room for five won't show and even using a TA, MSC won't let you book it.

[perakcruiser]

22 hours ago, JAGR said:

That wouldn't work very well if the OP or the others drank or tried to purchase something.  The picture on the server's screen would not match the person tendering the card.  Also, a lot of double switches getting on and off in port.

All true. I not really thought about this as we were a family and basically most of the time together and I paid everything 😄

 

Actual we had to swap the cabin cards because on that family cruise only my wife and I had Voyager Club status and so we had to book us in different cabins to get the discount for both cabins.

[Woody14]

Usually if things are family (or the bookings are linked) guest services on board can issue a key to the other room no problem.   You then have your card plus an additional one(s) for the other room(s).

[Essiesmom]

5 hours ago, Woody14 said:

Usually if things are family (or the bookings are linked) guest services on board can issue a key to the other room no problem.   You then have your card plus an additional one(s) for the other room(s).

It has been reported that MSC does not issue extra keys.  EM

[Woody14]

4 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

It has been reported that MSC does not issue extra keys.  EM

We had no issues with them giving us an extra key.   Now that was before covid, (way back in 2019) so maybe this has changed. 

[hamrag]

On 4/24/2022 at 4:14 PM, doones2 said:

I am new to MSC.  How long does it usually take to get an email with my booking # confirmed.  In the past it was usually within a few hours but I have received nothing. Also my grandson and his friend want to switch cabins with me after I get my booking #.  How difficult is that to do?

It's simple to change cabins, and occupants, within the Yacht Club once you board. We did that in April, booked the cabins to maximise various discounts and 'free child' prices, although there were 7 adults, 2 children across 4 cabins. It took only 10 minutes with the concierge.

 

Outwith Yacht Club, I have no idea whether that would be possible.