Problematic upgrade bid position

[Kev_lyndsey]

First time booking with msc.  Brief history of booking and a couple of problems.  Originally booked an internal cabin for my family of 4.  Me my wife, kids aged 11 and 7.  Fast forward to allocation of cabins and we were given 2 separate cabins rather than 1.  Then we got a new invoice trying to charge us double the price that we originally booked.  A phone call later and all sorted.  Although two cabins better than one for us we are not keen on splitting the family up as my daughter suffers from a form of autism and is anxious travelling and splitting family up may not be good for her.  Therefore eagerly awaiting the email regarding upgrading to a balcony we jumped on it when i received it.  Made a bid and left it at that.  Then we had issues regarding the online check in.  Had to do it on 2 separate accounts as it seems that although i was the lead passenger my wife had been given lead passenger status too because  of the separate cabin.  Sorted that and then wife receives another upgrade email.  I assumed that the upgrade offer bid i made would be for our full family of four.  Apparently not after phoning msc.  They are expecting us to upgrade the other cabin too and pay again.  I explained my original booking was for a family of four with young children so should only need to make an upgrade bid once as it was one booking but no.  They wont budge and im left very bitter about it all.  They explain as we have 2 cabins we need to upgrade both and will still be separated.  Really unsure how to proceed as the complaints procedure is all via email and although ive started the process im not overly confident of any resolution. 

 

Any advice would be great.  As i said first booking with msc and may well be the last. 

[Até]

I doubt that upgrading the second cabin will result in the two being anywhere near each other.

 

Do you know if your upgraded balcony can hold four people?  If so then just use that cabin and leave the other interior cabin empty or just use it during days you want.  As long as you're not upgrading to and expecting Aurea or Yacht Club perks then there's not much MSC can say.  The only problems I see would be MSC doesn't like giving extra cabin cards and you will need to be sure to link the two cabins for dining room seating. 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Até

[Georgia_Peaches]

What a mess!  I would be inclined to cancel the whole thing and start over.  MSC's IT is horrible and their booking process on their website is even worse.  If you cancel and rebook, definitely use a TA and let them handle this headache for you.  There is no way I would pay to upgrade 2 cabins that you didn't even want to begin with.  I say again, what a mess!  If the cabin you originally booked says it can accommodate 4 people, the mistake was theirs in putting you in 2 cabins.

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

What a mess!  I would be inclined to cancel the whole thing and start over.  MSC's IT is horrible and their booking process on their website is even worse.  If you cancel and rebook, definitely use a TA and let them handle this headache for you.  There is no way I would pay to upgrade 2 cabins that you didn't even want to begin with.  I say again, what a mess!  If the cabin you originally booked says it can accommodate 4 people, the mistake was theirs in putting you in 2 cabins.

The OP is in the UK and deposits are not refundable there.  And we don’t know how soon the cruise is.  EM

[Georgia_Peaches]

34 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

The OP is in the UK and deposits are not refundable there.  And we don’t know how soon the cruise is.  EM

Both very good points. However, OP only booked one room so only one deposit at risk. Depending on the amount, I still might be inclined to cancel and start over assuming they are still ahead of final payment. Perhaps OP can escalate up the chain for more satisfactory results. 

Edited June 29, 2023 by Georgia_Peaches

[xcell]

OP did you book the cabin via website or through TA?

[Kev_lyndsey]

6 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

What a mess!  I would be inclined to cancel the whole thing and start over.  MSC's IT is horrible and their booking process on their website is even worse.  If you cancel and rebook, definitely use a TA and let them handle this headache for you.  There is no way I would pay to upgrade 2 cabins that you didn't even want to begin with.  I say again, what a mess!  If the cabin you originally booked says it can accommodate 4 people, the mistake was theirs in putting you in 2 cabins.

Originally booked on the bella cabin internal guarantee.  Therefore over the phone they said they split the booking in two for health and safety!  

 

4 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Both very good points. However, OP only booked one room so only one deposit at risk. Depending on the amount, I still might be inclined to cancel and start over assuming they are still ahead of final payment. Perhaps OP can escalate up the chain for more satisfactory results. 

 

Have tried to escalate it over the phone but told to email, which i have and awaiting response. 

 

5 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

The OP is in the UK and deposits are not refundable there.  And we don’t know how soon the cruise is.  EM

Yes in the uk and final payment was made before all this too.  The cuise is on the virtuasa departing 26th august.

3 hours ago, xcell said:

OP did you book the cabin via website or through TA?

 

Booked via msc website.

 

Also may i add that i priced cancelling and starting again and the cabin i originally booked was way more than what i paid.  Really took the shine off this now.  Im going to be negatively biased when the cruise comes round which i dont want as like to judge everything for itself but the way they even responded to my needs around my daughter really has got my back up.

[xcell]

I'm a bit confused -- am I right when reading...

 

- you booked this yourself via website  --> maybe it's only on Canadian websites, but I don't have the options to book two cabins at once on the MSC website, I would have to book one room, pay the deposit and then another.   In any case, are you saying you booked an inside room for 4, at the end of the web booking it says one room and then you got another email saying you had two separate rooms?  If that's the case, that's messed up and the rest of my questions are null and voided.

 

- you called in and corrected the problem --> back to one cabin of 4?   From what I am reading, it sounds like you accepted the split earlier on because your wife also received an upgrade bid, after winning your bid?

 

Any ways -- solution one -- stay in your original booking and cancel the bid.  Again, here I am confused because it sounds like you won your bid for one room and then your wife was asked ti bid for hers.  And you assumed if you won for one cabin they would automatically the other cabin (and not sure if you are an avid cruiser on other lines that do the bidding system but that is never the case -- you have to bid for each cabin and if and when you win, unlikely but not impossible, the cabins may not be side by side, even on the same floor, side of ship, etc...)

 

So many assumptions, could you clarify...

 

[Kev_lyndsey]

3 hours ago, xcell said:

I'm a bit confused -- am I right when reading...

 

- you booked this yourself via website  --> maybe it's only on Canadian websites, but I don't have the options to book two cabins at once on the MSC website, I would have to book one room, pay the deposit and then another.   In any case, are you saying you booked an inside room for 4, at the end of the web booking it says one room and then you got another email saying you had two separate rooms?  If that's the case, that's messed up and the rest of my questions are null and voided.

 

- you called in and corrected the problem --> back to one cabin of 4?   From what I am reading, it sounds like you accepted the split earlier on because your wife also received an upgrade bid, after winning your bid?

 

Any ways -- solution one -- stay in your original booking and cancel the bid.  Again, here I am confused because it sounds like you won your bid for one room and then your wife was asked ti bid for hers.  And you assumed if you won for one cabin they would automatically the other cabin (and not sure if you are an avid cruiser on other lines that do the bidding system but that is never the case -- you have to bid for each cabin and if and when you win, unlikely but not impossible, the cabins may not be side by side, even on the same floor, side of ship, etc...)

 

So many assumptions, could you clarify...

 

So yes booked myself via msc website for 2 adults and 2 children in ONE internal cabin.

 

We were only aware of having been out in 2 cabins when the invoice total changed to nearly double what we paid.  Rang to sort and invoice total amended back to original price although still in 2 cabins.

 

All problems have arisen out of being split up in 2 cabins.  Would have ideally stayed in one cabin for 4, then option to bid for a balcony cabin for 4 but as we now have 2 cabins this isnt an option. 

[xcell]

thanks -- well, at least you have two cabins that (hopefully) are side by side -- I have that for my upcoming cruise because my wife would kill me having all of us in the same room...your might be more understanding  😉

[Kev_lyndsey]

13 hours ago, xcell said:

thanks -- well, at least you have two cabins that (hopefully) are side by side -- I have that for my upcoming cruise because my wife would kill me having all of us in the same room...your might be more understanding  😉

Two cabins for us is not really a positive.  My daughter has a form of autism thats already making her anxious about our family being separated.  After explaining this i got absolutely no response about this from msc over the phone, like no sympathy to the situation or even a response on how to possibly remedy it.   

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, Kev_lyndsey said:

Two cabins for us is not really a positive.  My daughter has a form of autism thats already making her anxious about our family being separated.  After explaining this i got absolutely no response about this from msc over the phone, like no sympathy to the situation or even a response on how to possibly remedy it.   

 

Do you know if it's possible to sleep four in any of the two cabins you are assigned? If yes, they will probably let all of you sleep in one of the cabins and you can use the second cabin for luggage and an extra bathroom.

 

Which ship is it?

Edited June 30, 2023 by sverigecruiser

[Kev_lyndsey]

2 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Do you know if it's possible to sleep four in any of the two cabins you are assigned? If yes, they will probably let all of you sleep in one of the cabins and you can use the second cabin for luggage and an extra bathroom.

 

Which ship is it?

Its the msc virtuosa.  Checked the deck plan and i believe the cabins are both doubles.

 

It might be that things will be fine when we get there but the doubt around it is spoiling the anticipation and build up.

[insidecabin]

As you booked Bella do you have cabin allocation yet?

 

How close are they?

 

4 in an inside is tight.

 

The best option is to ask/try  for the large OV with permanent bunks much better options for 4 people.

 

Could be your original booking of Bella when they came to allocate all the 4 berth insides had gone(or were at lifeboat capacity being a holiday cruise packed with kids)

 

Might have been better to go fantastica and picked a 4 berth.

 

(There are no real Bella inside cabins you just get allocated from the fantastica ones)

 

[Kev_lyndsey]

30 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

As you booked Bella do you have cabin allocation yet?

 

How close are they?

 

4 in an inside is tight.

 

The best option is to ask/try  for the large OV with permanent bunks much better options for 4 people.

 

Could be your original booking of Bella when they came to allocate all the 4 berth insides had gone(or were at lifeboat capacity being a holiday cruise packed with kids)

 

Might have been better to go fantastica and picked a 4 berth.

 

(There are no real Bella inside cabins you just get allocated from the fantastica ones)

 

We are new to msc and just assumed we would be allocated an internal cabin for 4.  Looking at the booking process again it does state we could be split but honestly didnt see that while booking.  

 

I have cancelled the upgrade bid now as it still would have us split if we were allocated a double balcony cabin.  

 

Also still awaiting a response from msc regarding the whole position we are in.  

 

Only response to remedy was to upgrade over the phone at a silly extra cost.  This was a last minute booking that came up at a good price as we were looking at hotel/pool hols and this came up cheaper.  

 

Im also not happy with how my daughters autism was just ignored over the phone.  We have cruised with royal caribbean in past and they are quite good at catering for children with these needs.  Even though my daughters condition lets her get by more or less normally 80% of the time i feel for other parents who have more problems than us if the companies policy doesnt even look at accepting their needs.  Anyway rant over.  We will no doubt have a great time and get by with what we have.

[insidecabin]

1 hour ago, Kev_lyndsey said:

We are new to msc and just assumed we would be allocated an internal cabin for 4.  Looking at the booking process again it does state we could be split but honestly didnt see that while booking.  

 

I have cancelled the upgrade bid now as it still would have us split if we were allocated a double balcony cabin.  

 

Also still awaiting a response from msc regarding the whole position we are in.  

 

Only response to remedy was to upgrade over the phone at a silly extra cost.  This was a last minute booking that came up at a good price as we were looking at hotel/pool hols and this came up cheaper.  

 

Im also not happy with how my daughters autism was just ignored over the phone.  We have cruised with royal caribbean in past and they are quite good at catering for children with these needs.  Even though my daughters condition lets her get by more or less normally 80% of the time i feel for other parents who have more problems than us if the companies policy doesnt even look at accepting their needs.  Anyway rant over.  We will no doubt have a great time and get by with what we have.

Late cruise bookings school holidays often have a shortage of family cabins.

MSC like to fill Virtuosa over 6000 passengers can have 1500-2000 kids very busy.

 

I would look to see what 4 berth cabins you can find with a trial booking.

 

There may be little they can do if there are no low end 4 berth cabins left.