One free change

[bones774]

Does MSC have any gotchas with this deal? Can you change after final payment? Different intinerary or ship?

[Selion]

IIRC the "Gotcha" is the new cruise needs to be within 90 days of the original sailing date.  It could be any itinerary on any MSC ship.

[Two Wheels Only]

The free cruise change is applicable either on the cruise dates or on the destination. Such change needs to be performed up to 30 calendar days before departure, for a new cruise to sail within 90 calendar days from the original departure. Any cruise change shall be requested through MSC Book or our contact centers.

[Até]

The new sailing needs to be equal to or more than the old sailing,  if it's less you will lose the difference.  Also, if you book Bella experience there's a $50 per person fee.

[bones774]

53 minutes ago, Até said:

The new sailing needs to be equal to or more than the old sailing,  if it's less you will lose the difference.  Also, if you book Bella experience there's a $50 per person fee.

That's a gotcha!

[bones774]

1 hour ago, Até said:

The new sailing needs to be equal to or more than the old sailing,  if it's less you will lose the difference.  Also, if you book Bella experience there's a $50 per person fee.

That's a gotcha!                               If I booked a cheaper cruise could I add extras, drink package, excursions to bring up the price equal to the one I'm cancelling?  Or even book two cruises to equal the one I'm cancelling.

Edited July 18, 2023 by bones774

[Até]

59 minutes ago, bones774 said:

If I booked a cheaper cruise could I add extras, drink package, excursions to bring up the price equal to the one I'm cancelling?  Or even book two cruises to equal the one I'm cancelling.

I'd talk to MSC.  My guess is that drinks/internet could be included as an all inclusive booking rate but doubtful they would give a credit for add ons like excursions.  I've seen this mentioned but unsure if there's a set answer.

 

Very unlikely you could split it into two cruises. 

[sbcs5390]

Call center reps frequently say MSC’s definition of “within 90 days” is actually “within 90 days in the future.” That’s a gotcha - you can go 11 weeks out but not the week earlier. You’d think they would be happy to get money sooner. 

[Morgsmom]

23 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

The free cruise change is applicable either on the cruise dates or on the destination. Such change needs to be performed up to 30 calendar days before departure, for a new cruise to sail within 90 calendar days from the original departure. Any cruise change shall be requested through MSC Book or our contact centers.

but it is 90 days FORWARD, not backwards. So if you originally were sailing on 12/15 you could change to 12/16 but NOT 12/14

[Two Wheels Only]

8 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

but it is 90 days FORWARD, not backwards. So if you originally were sailing on 12/15 you could change to 12/16 but NOT 12/14

 

They could change "from" to "after", I guess. 😁

 

With MSC, we should just be happy if it is actually 90 days instead of 84.

[Bonnie1222]

On 7/18/2023 at 5:05 PM, Até said:

The new sailing needs to be equal to or more than the old sailing,  if it's less you will lose the difference.  Also, if you book Bella experience there's a $50 per person fee.

Thank you for this - I have been looking for that information.  I was wondering what the cost would be if they charg $40 PP to get a free change and breakfast.  The breakfast in the room is not of interest to us so basically it would be a $20 gamble - I can pay the $80, not change the cruise and basically waste the money, or take the gamble, and if I need to change, spend $100.  

[Slyfox16]

Does the free change mean you can cancel the trip and get a full refund, if you made final payment, without booking another cruise?

[Mark_T]

3 hours ago, Slyfox16 said:

Does the free change mean you can cancel the trip and get a full refund, if you made final payment, without booking another cruise?

No, that would be a cancellation, not a change...

[bones774]

OP here, just FYI, I called MSC to cancel my trip at day 91 out, they cancelled my trip no questions asked. I was a bit surprised. Now just waiting to see refund on CC to be sure.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

On 7/18/2023 at 11:31 AM, Two Wheels Only said:

The free cruise change is applicable either on the cruise dates or on the destination. Such change needs to be performed up to 30 calendar days before departure, for a new cruise to sail within 90 calendar days from the original departure. Any cruise change shall be requested through MSC Book or our contact centers.

The 90 days will be an issue for us. We wanted to move it out 9-12 months since we decided to keep our Celebrity/NCL combo instead of NCL/MSC. Is there anymore flexibility for YC?  Spending over a month in Europe next summer will blow our budget for any extra travel next year. 

 

On 7/18/2023 at 5:05 PM, Até said:

The new sailing needs to be equal to or more than the old sailing,  if it's less you will lose the difference.  Also, if you book Bella experience there's a $50 per person fee.

What do you mean, if we go from a 7 nights sailing to a 3 they would still charge us the price difference?

 

1 hour ago, bones774 said:

OP here, just FYI, I called MSC to cancel my trip at day 91 out, they cancelled my trip no questions asked. I was a bit surprised. Now just waiting to see refund on CC to be sure.

What refund?  You haven’t paid for the cruise yet, have you?

[bones774]

2 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

What refund?  You haven’t paid for the cruise yet, have you?

Deposit

[Até]

8 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

The 90 days will be an issue for us. We wanted to move it out 9-12 months since we decided to keep our Celebrity/NCL combo instead of NCL/MSC. Is there anymore flexibility for YC?

What do you mean, if we go from a 7 nights sailing to a 3 they would still charge us the price difference?

Read section 13 of the Terms & Conditions, current version attached.  YC bookings have the same change rules but actually less flexibility in that the deposit is non-refundable from the booking date and the penalty periods begin sooner.

 

Booking Terms and Conditions 230713.pdf

In addition to the administration fees mentioned above, if the price of the new Cruise Package is higher than that of the original Cruise Package, the difference in price and any insurance premium will be borne exclusively by the Passenger. If the price of the new Cruise Package is lower than that of the original Cruise Package, no refund will be due to the Passenger.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

14 minutes ago, bones774 said:

Deposit

I thought you lost your deposit if you canceled. 

[NCteacherlovescruising]

1 minute ago, Até said:

Read section 13 of the Terms & Conditions, current version attached.  YC bookings have the same change rules but actually less flexibility in that the deposit is non-refundable from the booking date and the penalty periods begin sooner.

 

Booking Terms and Conditions 230713.pdf 369.02 kB · 0 downloads

In addition to the administration fees mentioned above, if the price of the new Cruise Package is higher than that of the original Cruise Package, the difference in price and any insurance premium will be borne exclusively by the Passenger. If the price of the new Cruise Package is lower than that of the original Cruise Package, no refund will be due to the Passenger.

Ok, I knew it was a non-refundable deposit. I didn’t realize that wasn’t the case outside of the YC. We may just lose our deposit, rather than spend another 6,000+, when we’ve already exceeded our vacation budget for 2024. We thought we had a year from the date of the booked cruise to reschedule. Lesson learned. 

[bones774]

7 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

I thought you lost your deposit if you canceled. 

Not if you're more than 90 days out

[NCteacherlovescruising]

1 minute ago, bones774 said:

Not if you're more than 90 days out

We booked YC, apparently that’s why. 

[Até]

3 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

We thought we had a year from the date of the booked cruise to reschedule. Lesson learned. 

If you haven't made final payment,  just the deposit, you should try calling MSC.  It might take several attempts to get a sympathetic rep but MSC has been known to make exceptions to T&C's.  People have been able to move YC deposits to new bookings, it's just not officially allowed.  But in the MSC world they make exceptions when they feel like it. 

[Morgsmom]

9 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Ok, I knew it was a non-refundable deposit. I didn’t realize that wasn’t the case outside of the YC. We may just lose our deposit, rather than spend another 6,000+, when we’ve already exceeded our vacation budget for 2024. We thought we had a year from the date of the booked cruise to reschedule. Lesson learned. 

@NCteacherlovescruising  I remember you saying that you booked onboard.  When you did that you MAY have 1 year of flexibility because you booked YC while onboard the YC.  Check the terms of your specific booking since I believe it was made while sailing.  I *think* there's more flexibility from the literature I've seen/read. Good luck!

[NCteacherlovescruising]

11 minutes ago, Até said:

If you haven't made final payment,  just the deposit, you should try calling MSC.  It might take several attempts to get a sympathetic rep but MSC has been known to make exceptions to T&C's.  People have been able to move YC deposits to new bookings, it's just not officially allowed.  But in the MSC world they make exceptions when they feel like it. 

We have a TA. When we decide what we’d like to change it to I’ll contact her to see what she can do. 
 

9 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

@NCteacherlovescruising  I remember you saying that you booked onboard.  When you did that you MAY have 1 year of flexibility because you booked YC while onboard the YC.  Check the terms of your specific booking since I believe it was made while sailing.  I *think* there's more flexibility from the literature I've seen/read. Good luck!

I read the T&C. The wording is a bit confusing but it looks like we may have a year. I thought that was what the lady said when we purchased.  We asked because we had two other cruises booked in the Mediterranean next summer. We may have kept it, but with the nasty heatwave this July, we decided to keep the X cruise which is a full month earlier, and the NCL cruise at the beginning of July with our friends.  Besides, the itinerary on Celebrity is amazing!  I’d love to transfer it to spring break or summer 2025 because we did absolutely love the YC and want to do it again an and again!!  🙂 Celebrity’s retreat prices are getting way to expensive. 

[Mark_T]

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 🙂 Celebrity’s retreat prices are getting way to expensive. 

... and they have just removed the Butlers from the Sky suites it seems so the value is not getting any better either...