BEWARE MSC Credit Hold

[fdpevey]

My husband and I sailed the Seaside in February, during which MSC charged $250 to our credit card of record. When we checked with the Yacht Club Concierge, we were assured this charge was a hold to ensure we would cover any expenses and would be removed immediately.

 

I checked the week we returned from the cruise. It had not been removed. Called. Waited on hold for the customary MSC hour and then person I spoke to said the charge was in the que to be reversed.

 

It's now time to pay the February bill and, you guessed it, the charge is still there. Called and, again, waited for the MSC hour+ for someone to answer. Just go off the phone with a representative who first tried to tell me they don't actually put through these charges, then put me on hold a further hold to pull up my onb0ard account - and find no record of this charge!

 

1. If you have this happen, be sure you get THEM to print it out on board so you have THEIR record.

2. If you have this happen - and I'm guessing I am not the only one - CHECK you credit card.

 

The representative has asked me to email my statement to MSCCruisesUSA. Any bets on if they will get back to me?

 

I enjoy the Yacht Club so, but there has not been a SINGLE cruise we've taken with MSC where something like this hasn't happened.

[Illbcruzn4life]

personally I'd just dispute the charge with my credit card and let them hash it out.

[insidecabin]

 Is this not common knowledge?

 

 

Basic research like a few YouTube vids or reading T&Cs

[travelberlin]

13 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

 Is this not common knowledge?

 

 

Basic research like a few YouTube vids or reading T&Cs

What shall be common knowledge? That MSC charges you and not refunds? I have never heard about it.

Ivi

[fdpevey]

37 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

personally I'd just dispute the charge with my credit card and let them hash it out.

 Why didn’t I think of that? Duh. On the way to call Chase now … thanks!

[fdpevey]

25 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

 Is this not common knowledge?

 

 

Basic research like a few YouTube vids or reading T&Cs

I guess I don’t research for a company to makes errors like this. I am aware that MSC is notoriously awful in customer service, which is why I expect to be on the phone for at least an hour anytime I call. But, in the past, the representatives, once I reach them, have been able to resolve things.

[SirWolf]

Were the $250 the initial deposit/hold for the entire cruise ?

How was the Daily Service Charge DSC billed ?

MSC usually charges DSC to the board account against the $250 deposit.

[insidecabin]

31 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

What shall be common knowledge? That MSC charges you and not refunds? I have never heard about it.

Ivi

 

Are holds not a just a block on your credit limit not a real charge to be paid?

 

AIUI the release is by the CC company, maybe if there is no final charge the CC does not know to release the hold.

 

[jame_g]

Businesses commonly put holds on credit and debit cards. The bank (not the business) should release the hold when the corresponding charge comes through or within a certain number of days. A hold will typically show as "pending" and does not affect your actual credit card balance, but might reduce the amount of available credit you have. Where people typically have issues is using a debit card for things like hotel stay room charges and onboard cruise accounts. Since the charge is unlikely to match, the bank tends to keep the hold there the maximum amount of time until it is released. This usually isn't an issue for credit cards unless you're near your limit, but can be a huge issue for debit cards because actual funds end up being unavailable until the hold is released. In the meantime you've also likely been charged for the actual fees incurred that didn't match the hold. This can cause big issues for cruisers on nearly all lines using debit cards and why you should avoid doing so.

 

If it was an actual charge, that's a totally different issue. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by jame_g

[ready2cruzagain]

Is it an actual charge maybe for your gratuities?? If it is a hold then you need to call your CC company and tell them to release it. Sounds like gratuities to me.

[fdpevey]

1 hour ago, SirWolf said:

Were the $250 the initial deposit/hold for the entire cruise ?

How was the Daily Service Charge DSC billed ?

MSC usually charges DSC to the board account against the $250 deposit.

I was told, when I questioned the charge on the cruise, that it was to assure MSC that my credit card was valid for any charges we might owe on the cruise. The DSC was billed, but we had so much OBC it covered the DSC. MSC actually owed us a little from our OBC at the end of the cruise.

[fdpevey]

1 minute ago, ready2cruzagain said:

Is it an actual charge maybe for your gratuities?? If it is a hold then you need to call your CC company and tell them to release it. Sounds like gratuities to me.

Gratuities were covered by our OBC. It was a hold, according to the concierge, just to ensure that our credit card is valid for any on board charges.

[fdpevey]

1 hour ago, jame_g said:

Businesses commonly put holds on credit and debit cards. The bank (not the business) should release the hold when the corresponding charge comes through or within a certain number of days. A hold will typically show as "pending" and does not affect your actual credit card balance, but might reduce the amount of available credit you have. Where people typically have issues is using a debit card for things like hotel stay room charges and onboard cruise accounts. Since the charge is unlikely to match, the bank tends to keep the hold there the maximum amount of time until it is released. This usually isn't an issue for credit cards unless you're near your limit, but can be a huge issue for debit cards because actual funds end up being unavailable until the hold is released. In the meantime you've also likely been charged for the actual fees incurred that didn't match the hold. This can cause big issues for cruisers on nearly all lines using debit cards and why you should avoid doing so.

 

If it was an actual charge, that's a totally different issue. 

That’s the problem. It was an actual charge, not a hold.

[fdpevey]

4 hours ago, insidecabin said:

 

Are holds not a just a block on your credit limit not a real charge to be paid?

 

AIUI the release is by the CC company, maybe if there is no final charge the CC does not know to release the hold.

 

It was termed a Hold, but it was charged … and we are now expected to pay the bill.

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

I think last year I had the £250 taken, and despite me getting in touch Chase bank let it run their maximum of 30 days before it dropped off.

[mmbcater]

Was it by chance a debit card versus a credit card? Debit cards will have a longer hold and they warn you about that! 

[fdpevey]

6 hours ago, mmbcater said:

Was it by chance a debit card versus a credit card? Debit cards will have a longer hold and they warn you about that! 

Good thought, but no. Credit card.

[TampaGambler]

Honestly, get over it and handle it…

 

The vast majority have had their “holds” released; perhaps they made a mistake. Maybe they made a mistake, so have them fix it. 
 

You posting on here saying “watch the holds” is overkill. They don’t need you to tell them to watch their charges on their credit cards and you “loving and dying” by every post seems suspicious. 
 

instead of asking, has this happened to anyone else, you shoot out the gate with x,y,z.. 

[fdpevey]

23 hours ago, TampaGambler said:

Honestly, get over it and handle it…

 

The vast majority have had their “holds” released; perhaps they made a mistake. Maybe they made a mistake, so have them fix it. 
 

You posting on here saying “watch the holds” is overkill. They don’t need you to tell them to watch their charges on their credit cards and you “loving and dying” by every post seems suspicious. 
 

instead of asking, has this happened to anyone else, you shoot out the gate with x,y,z.. 

Not sure what you mean by “loving and dying”, unless it’s responding to questions asked, but I hope expressing your perspective was good for you.

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

I could understand you being a little upset with the procedure if it was the first time, but you stated "there has not been a SINGLE cruise we've taken with MSC where something like this hasn't happened." so I'm a bit confused why you are not familiar with how it's working for you and your particular payment method(s) by now. 

 

I'd suggest our first cruises on Royal Caribbean were worse for us, where a hold went against every transaction (i.e. drink) and I essentially had to double up the balance (debit card) on what I expected to spend - I suppose it depends on what you're going to spend as to what method works best. 

 

Just revisited ours, so they put a hold of £250 on 1st October, took £173 for actual spend on 16th October, the day after the cruise finished, and the hold dropped off at the end of October (unfortunately 30 days, but Chase's policy). 

[KennyFla]

On 3/24/2023 at 9:45 PM, fdpevey said:

It was termed a Hold, but it was charged … and we are now expected to pay the bill.

If you dispute it, the credit card company should not require it to be paid.  By the time the next billing cycle comes around, it will hopefully be resolved.  There may be a small interest charge.

[TampaGambler]

You are just trying to fan the flames, ergo attempting to turn this a bigger ordeal than it really is. Hence, you comment on each and every post made in the thread, even on rhetorical questions where you’ve already provided the information. 
 

However, I’ll ask a question…Do you believe the people on cruise critic do not review their credit cards before paying the bill?

Edited March 27, 2023 by TampaGambler

[fdpevey]

3 hours ago, KennyFla said:

If you dispute it, the credit card company should not require it to be paid.  By the time the next billing cycle comes around, it will hopefully be resolved.  There may be a small interest charge.

I took that advice from a poster above - thanks.

[fdpevey]

2 hours ago, TampaGambler said:

You are just trying to fan the flames, ergo attempting to turn this a bigger ordeal than it really is. Hence, you comment on each and every post made in the thread, even on rhetorical questions where you’ve already provided the information. 
 

However, I’ll ask a question…Do you believe the people on cruise critic do not review their credit cards before paying the bill?

I do expect they review their bills since most are helpful folks I've enjoyed reading and interacting with, and I offered my experience to remind to check carefully. (Although I did consider not replying to your question since I appear to have annoyed you with my replies, and that is never my intent.)

Edited March 27, 2023 by fdpevey

[MandyMooToo]

We have started to just place cash on our accounts to avoid any prolonged holds.  All in all a hold is not a huge issue if you use a credit card and not a debit card but I hate to have to remember to check for it to drop off.  Last cruise with RCCL there were multiple holds and they did not fall off for 30 days.  We booked our first MSC cruise for January 2024 and plan to just bring cash for the account there also.