Ocean Cay closure 04/2024-05/2024?

[sidari]

Hello all,

Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will be temporarily closed from April 7 through May 22, 2024 in order to make necessary guest experience enhancements and support the island’s future growth plans. Most Caribbean sailings are substituting the port with a different port of call in the Bahamas (Nassau/Freeport). However, some itineraries were extended, while other sailings were rescheduled or canceled. The impacted ships include: MSC Divina, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Seascape, and MSC Seashore. All impacted guests and travel partners will be notified of the change, which will be reflected in DTS by 7/5/2023 NOTE: while the reservations are being modified to display their new itinerary, they will be closed (locked) in DTS for any other changes MSC is offering the following options to Guests/TP (see attached sample TRADE letters being sent tonight – please ignore the formatting it is a platform hiccup but we tested and it is sending correctly): Cruise Move for free to any other Caribbean Summer 2024 sailing (April 1 to October 31, 2024) of same length and accommodation as the original one and MSC will honor the best price (original vs new). Cruise Move for free to any other sailing (prevailing rates will apply) Stay on current reservation with the modified itinerary (no action needed) Cancel for a full refund

Edited June 28, 2023 by sidari

[MsTabbyKats]

I'm going to Canada in May????  I don't think so.

I called MSC to see if I could change the 5/4 date to 4/18...and what the new price would be.

Lo and behold (although I have the letter saying I could change without a problem) the rep started reading me the "30 day policy".

I politely told him "apples and oranges" and hung up.

 

The whole point of this trip was to repeat last month's...sitting at the pool deck, having freshly grilled fish....NOT bundled up in an overcoat walking around Canada

[Cathy in Boston]

So....maybe I'm blind but I didn't see my cruise out of Miami on Divina on April 7?

Edited June 28, 2023 by Cathy in Boston
Oh, not blind, just saw the list was for Seashore...Duh!

[freeon]

Well that's disappointing. Never been there but was the stop I was more looking forward to on our cruise next year. The one good thing I supposed is that were on an 11 day cruise and were supposed to do 2 overnights. The first one is April 1st and 2nd so looks like we should still do that one. Second stop is schedule to be April 8th and 9th. Hopefully they postpone the closer for a few days.

[mmbcater]

14 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

I'm going to Canada in May????  I don't think so.

I called MSC to see if I could change the 5/4 date to 4/18...and what the new price would be.

Lo and behold (although I have the letter saying I could change without a problem) the rep started reading me the "30 day policy".

I politely told him "apples and oranges" and hung up.

 

The whole point of this trip was to repeat last month's...sitting at the pool deck, having freshly grilled fish....NOT bundled up in an overcoat walking around Canada

It’s actually 90 days from your cruise date is when you can change your cruise. Not moving it backwards from when you schedule it but it always has to move forward.

[MsTabbyKats]

I received a list showing all the changes to the Meraviglia.  Because their IT dept is so "up to date"....nothing is reflected on their website yet.

One cruise...a 7 day...was switched to a 10 day...departing a few days earlier.  Of course the website still has the 7 day cruise available for booking.  According to their letter, if you are booked on the 7 day, you get the 10 day at no additional cost.

I'm wondering what would happen if I booked the 7 day (well, it's there and available).  Would they honor the price.....

[Bead Pirate]

We got the notice on 6/28 that the Island would be closed, the various cruise changes (some cancelled, some extended) and how our cruise would be impacted (woohoo 4 more nights in yacht club). They asked us to confirm, which we did at once.

 

Got confirmation e-mail with new dates (extended) today (6/29).

 

Very happy with the change!!!

[MsTabbyKats]

29 minutes ago, Bead Pirate said:

We got the notice on 6/28 that the Island would be closed, the various cruise changes (some cancelled, some extended) and how our cruise would be impacted (woohoo 4 more nights in yacht club). They asked us to confirm, which we did at once.

 

Got confirmation e-mail with new dates (extended) today (6/29).

 

Very happy with the change!!!

 

Sounds like you  won and I got a booby prize (rerouted to Canada).

They are still booking the 4/21 as a 7 day cruise; but now it's been changed to a 4/18 10 day trip.  The rep at MSC saw the 4/21 and could book; the 4/21 isn't there yet.

I just e-mailed my TA about booking the "actually non-existant yet bookable" 4/21.

So disappointed.........

[bostoncruisegal]

1 hour ago, MsTabbyKats said:

I received a list showing all the changes to the Meraviglia.  Because their IT dept is so "up to date"....nothing is reflected on their website yet.

One cruise...a 7 day...was switched to a 10 day...departing a few days earlier.  Of course the website still has the 7 day cruise available for booking.  According to their letter, if you are booked on the 7 day, you get the 10 day at no additional cost.

I'm wondering what would happen if I booked the 7 day (well, it's there and available).  Would they honor the price.....

 Is there still a 4/14 cruise on the Meraviglia?  We were on that but it sounds like from your post it’s getting shortened.

[MsTabbyKats]

9 minutes ago, bostoncruisegal said:

 Is there still a 4/14 cruise on the Meraviglia?  We were on that but it sounds like from your post it’s getting shortened.

You won the jackpot too...4/14 is now 11 nights...departing on 4/7!  It's going to the Caribbean.  

[atricks]

That area in the middle (left of the dock and lunch area) could have a large pool or splash pad like Coco Cay has, but not a waterpark, but they could build that without closing the island.

 

Channel dredging for larger ships, or extending the docks to allow 2 or more ships to dock at the same time would be more likely and force a closure.   Ocean Cay even with the big ships seems like it has a lot of currently sparse areas that could support more than one big ship.  Although they definitely would need to add another lunch location.

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by atricks

[morpheusofthesea]

Construction takes longer than a few weeks ? more likely :

"DREDGING FACT 2

After the initial excavation needed to establish a channel, dredging must be done periodically to keep it clear and safe for navigation. This is called maintenance dredging."

If Ocean House beach erosion is any indication, this might be an on going event in future years. photo on top has soft sand to the right of seaweed. photo on bottom one month later is all washed away.

Edited June 29, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[bostoncruisegal]

43 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

You won the jackpot too...4/14 is now 11 nights...departing on 4/7!  It's going to the Caribbean.  

Not a jackpot for us 😞. The week of 4/14 is our spring break from school so we just had that week.

 

I guess I will wait for the letter to see what our options are.

 

thank you!

[MsTabbyKats]

@bostoncruisegal

 

This is the e-mail I got from my TA:

 

If you will sail aboard MSC Meraviglia with the revised itinerary,  no further action is required on your part. 

If you prefer to reschedule your cruise vacation, you can select from the following three options.  If you wish to select one of the below options, please respond to this email before July 31, 2023. 

1. You can reschedule your cruise to an alternative Caribbean Summer 2024 Sailing with a departure date between April 1st, 2024 through October 31st, 2024. No change fees will apply and MSC will honor the best rate as long as the new cruise is of the same length and accommodation as the original sailing. Any payments already made towards the original cruise will be transferred to the new cruise. 
   
2. You may reschedule your cruise vacation to any alternative ship or sail date. No change fees will apply, and any payments already made towards the original cruise will be transferred to the new cruise. Please note, the prevailing rate of the new cruise will apply.
   
3. Alternatively, you can choose to cancel your reservation and request a refund in the amount paid to MSC.
   
    

If you purchased pre-paid shore excursions through My MSC for any port affected by these changes, you will be automatically refunded. The refund will be processed within two billing cycles.
 

We thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to welcoming you aboard MSC Cruises! 

[sbcs5390]

Quite tricky if booked on the 8 night sailing as there’s only one other option and in the middle of summer school season - not a good time for many of us to be sailing. Will also be dicey to see how two cruises get combined into one - is there enough inventory or will some people get bumped/upgraded? What a headache!

[exm]

Our 4/21 7 day sailing out of NYC is now a 10 day sailing. Wow! I assume current bookings are honored as far as pricing is concerned? The original booking overlapped with spring break here locally, but I gladly pull the kids out of school for 2 days for this!

 

4/21/2024

7 Nights

New York, Port Canaveral, Nassau, Ocean Cay, New York

4/18/2024

10 Nights

New York, Puerto Plata, San Juan, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, New York

[MsTabbyKats]

My cruise concierge just called me.  According to him....if I book "the still bookable" 7 day cruise....I would be grandfathered into the extended 10 day cruise....

 

One of the perks of retirement....my time is my own!

[sbcs5390]

1 minute ago, MsTabbyKats said:

My cruise concierge just called me.  According to him....if I book "the still bookable" 7 day cruise....I would be grandfathered into the extended 10 day cruise....

 

One of the perks of retirement....my time is my own!

Or the 11 for another free day! Or both, haha. 

[freeon]

On 6/28/2023 at 10:59 AM, sidari said:

Below is a list of MSC Seashore sailings which are affected and updates. Current Sail Date Current Nights Current Itinerary New Sail Date New Nights New Itinerary 3/31/2024 11 Nights Port Canaveral,Ocean Cay,Costa Maya,Cozumel,Port Canaveral,Ocean Cay,Nassau,Port Canaveral 3/31/2024 14 Nights Port Canaveral,Ocean Cay,Costa Maya,Cozumel,Port Canaveral,Nassau,Ocho Rios,George Town,Cozumel,Port Canaveral

The post mentions affected and UPDATED. Does this mean the 11 night leaving 3/31/2024 is now an 14 night with ports listed? Were booked on that 11 night. Disappointed not to have 2 stops at Ocean Cay but if we get 3 extra night I think I'd be OK with that. Especially if there is no other additional cost.

[Cathy in Boston]

Our 11 day trip on the Divina is basically the same.  Some of the times at the ports have actually gotten longer by an hour for some reason.  We get 8 hours in Roatan, so while we are disappointed, we are looking forward to seeing Roatan.

[jame_g]

Guess we got lucky? Our cruise goes to Ocean Cay on 4/5/24.

[exm]

10 minutes ago, jame_g said:

Guess we got lucky? Our cruise goes to Ocean Cay on 4/5/24.

depends on your perspective. I am getting 3 extra days (10 instead of 7!).

[frankhi]

My 5/5/2024 (4nt Seashore from Port Canaveral) was changed to 6/10/2024 which doesn't work for me so I requested cancellation.

[sbcs5390]

2 hours ago, frankhi said:

My 5/5/2024 (4nt Seashore from Port Canaveral) was changed to 6/10/2024 which doesn't work for me so I requested cancellation.

I think you can choose another sailing of the same length though, right? I don’t think you have to take their suggestion. 

[frankhi]

Right, but you would cancel the one you have and rebook. MSC actually rebooked this one for, and it is showing in my MSC account.

Edited June 30, 2023 by frankhi