How can MSC call desk not know the name of a port?

[Freya of Asgard]

This is the first time that we are to travel with MSC, and I was astounded to discover that when I rang MSC themselves to find out the name of the port in Hamburg that the Euribia was going to dock at,  the person I spoke to couldn't tell me.

Going on to suggest that only the agency I booked with would know.

I know that everyone is obsessed with data protection and rightly so, but to be unable to name the port is astonishing.

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

I suppose one does not have to memorize every ship and every home port and where every ship is located to get a job at MSC, or perhaps any other cruise line with more than one ship.

Edited November 2, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I suppose one does not have to memorize every ship and every home port and where every ship is located to get a job at MSC

but one could assume that they would be able to look it up.

[morpheusofthesea]

9 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

but one could assume that they would be able to look it up.

Yes, in a more perfect world.

[morpheusofthesea]

I typed into Google 'Name of port in Hamburg where Euribia is' and within seconds got this:

Port of Hamburg | MSC Euribia

Hafen Hamburg

http://www.hafen-hamburg.de › vessels › msc-euribia

Arriving, Date, Time, Terminal. last, 25 Oct 2023, 00:38, Cruise Center Steinwerder. Arrival. Departure. 29 Oct 2023. 29 Oct 2023.

 

Instead someone joins CruiseCritic for the first time to ....

Edited November 2, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[Mark_T]

59 minutes ago, Freya of Asgard said:

...  the person I spoke to couldn't tell me.

Going on to suggest that only the agency I booked with would know.

I know that everyone is obsessed with data protection and rightly so, but to be unable to name the port is astonishing.

They probably expressed themselves poorly, but it you book through a TA then you must direct your questions to that TA, this is why MSC pay them.

[Freya of Asgard]

2 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I typed into Google 'Name of port in Hamburg where Euribia is' and within seconds got this:

Port of Hamburg | MSC Euribia

Hafen Hamburg

http://www.hafen-hamburg.de › vessels › msc-euribia

Arriving, Date, Time, Terminal. last, 25 Oct 2023, 00:38, Cruise Center Steinwerder. Arrival. Departure. 29 Oct 2023. 29 Oct 2023.

 

Instead someone joins CruiseCritic for the first time to ....

Thank you for that.. further to that, "someone joins cruise critic for the first time to..what exactly ?

[morpheusofthesea]

5 minutes ago, Freya of Asgard said:

what exactly ?

That is my question. Please fill in the blank.

[Essiesmom]

The blank can be filled in with ‘to get someone else to do their research’.  It’s very common on forums.  Apparently today no one is taught how to do research.

To the OP, look to the top of the MSC page left side.  You will see Find your MSC roll call.  Just below that is See posts about.. and to the right of that select ship.  Click on Select ship and you get a drop down menu of the MSC ships.  Select your ship and you will get a listing of threads that mention that ship.  There is a post on perhaps page 3 titled Euribia - Hamburg which discusses the docking.  EM

[PTC DAWG]

25 minutes ago, Freya of Asgard said:

Thank you for that.. further to that, "someone joins cruise critic for the first time to..what exactly ?

Complain.

[Freya of Asgard]

Well, thank you for what I can only describe as a nice welcome.

I am very adept when it comes to search engines as well as computer coding.

However, there are times when it behoves a customer to double check, Google isn't always correct, which is exactly what I did, or rather tried to do 

The comments have been enlightening.

I won't bother with this forum again as it's pretty obvious that there are some posters who are less than welcoming.

Thanks but no thanks on the posturing and half finished "witty" sentence.

Enjoy welcoming the next new poster.

[Saab4444]

6 hours ago, Freya of Asgard said:

This is the first time that we are to travel with MSC, and I was astounded to discover that when I rang MSC themselves to find out the name of the port in Hamburg that the Euribia was going to dock at,  the person I spoke to couldn't tell me.

Going on to suggest that only the agency I booked with would know.

I know that everyone is obsessed with data protection and rightly so, but to be unable to name the port is astonishing.

 

 

Maybe your question does not make sense. The port in Hamburg is called Port of Hamburg and nothing else, The dock is called Steinwerder but why should travel agents know this for all ports? 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Saab4444

[Hlitner]

47 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

Maybe your question does not make sense. The port in Hamburg is called Port of Hamburg and nothing else, The dock is called Steinwerder but why should travel agents know this for all ports? 

The last time we were in Hamburg we noted that there were actually 3 different port facilities and that does not include the Altona pier which is sometimes used by cruise ships.

 

But we agree with you that travel/cruise agents would not have a clue nor would the telephone reservation/customer service folks who answer the phone at the MSC number.  Those phone folks would only know what is on their computer "scripts" which would not generally show the exact docking location.

 

As an aside, we recently were involved in a similar situation with the new Explora 1 (Explora Journeys) which came to NYC in September,  There was confusion, online, about where the ship would dock (Manhattan or Port Liberty).  Folks onboard (on the way to NYC) asked the question and even the onboard staff did not have the answer!  Go figure.  Obviously, the Captain knew where he was going, but apparently did not share that info with the entire crew.  I mention this since Explora Journeys is owned by MSC.

 

Hank

[RD64]

So the OP is upset because they were told Hamburg and not Hamburghafen? 
 

From prior experience (with other cruise lines) it is your cruise docs that will specify the actual part of the port / pier for embarkation / debarkation. 
 

To the OP do you actually expect a customer service agent who is working from home somewhere in middle America, or somewhere in another hemisphere to have access to that information?

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, RD64 said:

From prior experience (with other cruise lines) it is your cruise docs that will specify the actual part of the port / pier for embarkation / debarkation. 

Until the time when Terminals AA/AAA are complete, even MSC does not know which terminal they will be docking until the night before the ship arrives at the Port of Miami. It is printed on page 13: 08. MAIN STEPS FOR EMBARKATION in ones cruise documents which terminal they hope it might be. We had terminal F, when we got to POM it was Terminal C. Asked on board at Guest Relations if we would be returning to C (parked our car at Garage C) and was told they will know when the ship receives an email the night before docking.

Edited November 3, 2023 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

5 hours ago, Freya of Asgard said:

I won't bother with this forum again as it's pretty obvious that there are some posters who are less than welcoming.

Thanks but no thanks on the posturing and half finished "witty" sentence.

Now this statement cannot be from a Queen of Asgard. No mere maiden tasked with gathering those worthy for Odin to Valhalla could bruise so easily by "witty posturing". Stand your ground.

[Saab4444]

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The last time we were in Hamburg we noted that there were actually 3 different port facilities and that does not include the Altona pier which is sometimes used by cruise ships.

 

But we agree with you that travel/cruise agents would not have a clue nor would the telephone reservation/customer service folks who answer the phone at the MSC number.  Those phone folks would only know what is on their computer "scripts" which would not generally show the exact docking location.

 

As an aside, we recently were involved in a similar situation with the new Explora 1 (Explora Journeys) which came to NYC in September,  There was confusion, online, about where the ship would dock (Manhattan or Port Liberty).  Folks onboard (on the way to NYC) asked the question and even the onboard staff did not have the answer!  Go figure.  Obviously, the Captain knew where he was going, but apparently did not share that info with the entire crew.  I mention this since Explora Journeys is owned by MSC.

 

Hank

Currently there is indeed only one Terminal in Hamburg that can accommodate ships over 300m length and that is Steinwerder so Euribia will always be there. However, it is not such a big area as in New York and all terminals including the City Center are all just 15 min driving apart. 

[morpheusofthesea]

Cruise docs

[Heartgrove]

Just a poorly worded question to the MSC representative by the OP, if what was written in the posting as the actual question. Then to flame MSC with the posting title.

[cublet]

Hello,

 

So I was on a P&O something. I was at the excursions desk making bookings and I said to the girl behind the desk "I'm surprised that you aren't offering excursions to Granada". Girls says "Why do you think we are going to Grenada, Grenada is in the Caribbean?" "I know, I never said Grenada", I said, "I said G.r.a.n.a.d.a - all letter 'A's. "Where's that?" the girl asks, "Just north west of here" I reply - we were in Malaga at the time.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet