One person out of the booking can be a no show

[Rex2000]

Hi, 

 

we booked a 7 night YC cruise out of Marseille this December. We have 2 people in our booking. For some reasons, one of our family member cannot show up. We do not seek for refund or anything. Just want to know if it will affect my embarkation or not.

 

[Morgsmom]

It *might* is  your best answer. Did you use a travel agent?  If so, I'd ask them to help. 

[Até]

The specific terms are dependent upon which country's MSC site you, or your travel agent, booked with.   But in general you can replace one of the two primary people on a booking, replacing two is considered a cancellation. 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I've been on two MSC cruises this year where the second person in my booking could not attend. If you're beyond the cancellation window, my recommendation is do NOT call in advance and just show up at the pier and inform them the second person got sick and can't attend. (In my case, one was illness and the second was hurricane damage that prevented leaving.) In both cases the second passenger was removed from the booking. Once I got on board I verified at Reception that there was only myself showing in the booking to assure I'd only get billed for the gratuities x 1 passenger.

[Rex2000]

On 11/4/2023 at 6:49 PM, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

I've been on two MSC cruises this year where the second person in my booking could not attend. If you're beyond the cancellation window, my recommendation is do NOT call in advance and just show up at the pier and inform them the second person got sick and can't attend. (In my case, one was illness and the second was hurricane damage that prevented leaving.) In both cases the second passenger was removed from the booking. Once I got on board I verified at Reception that there was only myself showing in the booking to assure I'd only get billed for the gratuities x 1 passenger.

Hi, so you just head to port and tell them that?

 

I called MSC Canada, and they said the same.

[Rex2000]

On 11/4/2023 at 10:28 AM, Morgsmom said:

It *might* is  your best answer. Did you use a travel agent?  If so, I'd ask them to help. 

No travel agent. Book through MSC Canada, they told me that just head to the port and declare a no show there.

[Rex2000]

On 11/4/2023 at 10:49 AM, Até said:

The specific terms are dependent upon which country's MSC site you, or your travel agent, booked with.   But in general you can replace one of the two primary people on a booking, replacing two is considered a cancellation. 

Book through MSC Canada, not sure if you have some insights. I am still going. 

[Até]

The Canadian Terms & Conditions allow MSC to assess the remaining single passenger a 100% solo supplement if passenger number two cancels. The amount of cruise fare refunded to the canceled passenger varies according to the cancelation fee schedule.  So if you're past final payment it's better not to cancel anyone and just let them be a no-show.   I've only seen rare references to anyone ever being charged extra at the terminal due to a no-show. 

 

See section 12 of the attached Terms:

 

CAN_BTC master_12072023.pdf

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 11/12/2023 at 12:56 PM, Até said:

The Canadian Terms & Conditions allow MSC to assess the remaining single passenger a 100% solo supplement if passenger number two cancels. The amount of cruise fare refunded to the canceled passenger varies according to the cancelation fee schedule.  So if you're past final payment it's better not to cancel anyone and just let them be a no-show.   I've only seen rare references to anyone ever being charged extra at the terminal due to a no-show. 

 

See section 12 of the attached Terms:

 

CAN_BTC master_12072023.pdf 301.99 kB · 2 downloads

is it the same for US?

[Até]

The US Terms are slightly different but there is the paragraph about charging the remaining passenger a 100% supplement.  It's section 13 in the US Terms.

 

booking-terms and-conditions-230926.pdf

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

My recommendation is to NOT call MSC in advance. If you do the MSC employee on the phone has little choice but to invoke their rules which may be to demand additional payment right then and there. When you do this at the pier, most employees there are employed by the port and not by MSC and will likely do when they did for me, delete the missing passenger and issue boarding docs for the person that is there. While this could be different for you, this is what seems to work now.

[Rex2000]

17 hours ago, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

My recommendation is to NOT call MSC in advance. If you do the MSC employee on the phone has little choice but to invoke their rules which may be to demand additional payment right then and there. When you do this at the pier, most employees there are employed by the port and not by MSC and will likely do when they did for me, delete the missing passenger and issue boarding docs for the person that is there. While this could be different for you, this is what seems to work now.

 I already called that they told me that just declare no show at pier through the phone. Double checked with them that they say they will not charge extra 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Rex2000

[HLR]

On 11/12/2023 at 12:56 PM, Até said:

 I've only seen rare references to anyone ever being charged extra at the terminal due to a no-show. 

 

See section 12 of the attached Terms:

 

CAN_BTC master_12072023.pdf 301.99 kB · 3 downloads

 

Why would they charge the passenger at the terminal more? They are not refunding the passenger who did not show up? I don't get that reasoning?

Edited November 15, 2023 by HLR

[Mark_T]

5 hours ago, HLR said:

 

Why would they charge the passenger at the terminal more? They are not refunding the passenger who did not show up? I don't get that reasoning?

There have been times when the price for a solo traveler is more than the price for two in a cabin, this takes account of the missing revenue from onboard spend. Not just on MSC but on many other lines as well.

 

It then becomes tempting for solo travelers to make a 'ghost' booking for a 2nd guest with no intention of that guest ever tuning up.

 

This is why the option to add and additional charge was added to the T&Cs.

Edited November 15, 2023 by Mark_T

[Homosassa]

Mark_T has the correct reasoning.

 

MSC caught onto the fare cheaters for solo passengers that routinely booked a ghost second passenger.

 

There was a poster on this forum whose name I do not remember. She use to boast that she got around the solo fare by routinely booking her niece with her in the cabin with no intention of the niece cruising.

 

Because of passengers like her who thought they were being slick with repeated "No Show,"  the additional fee was added in the T&C and also has language in the "Conditions of Carriage" as follows:

 

3. OCCUPATION OF BERTHS AND CABINS 3. A Passenger shall not have the right to exclusive occupancy of a cabin with two (2) or more berths unless he has paid supplement for exclusive occupation. The Carrier reserves the right to transfer the Passenger from one cabin to another and may adjust the fare accordingly. The Master or the Carrier may, if it becomes advisable or necessary, at any time transfer a Passenger from one berth to another.

 

For HLR who is confused about the additional charge, MSC makes clear in the T&C that the "No Show" on the day of embarkation is considered a cancellation with an 100% penalty fee for that passenger's fare. The remaining passenger than may be responsible for the payment of that part of the fare and also be assessed the additional monies for the expected loss of on board revenue for the second passenger.

 

So for anyone who does not have a "No Show" history, MSC may let the additional fees slide, however, a passenger with a repeat history of booking games may find themselves with additional money being owned (and keep in mind, MSC does have your credit/debit card information to make the charge or has a way of obtaining the cash for those who decide to have a cash on board account.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

6 hours ago, Homosassa said:

MSC makes clear in the T&C that the "No Show" on the day of embarkation is considered a cancellation with an 100% penalty fee for that passenger's fare. The remaining passenger than may be responsible for the payment of that part of the fare

but the second passenger already paid their part of the fare? MSC already got the money.

[Homosassa]

20 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

but the second passenger already paid their part of the fare? MSC already got the money.

Yes, that part of the fare is assessed a100% cancellation penalty fee leaving the rest of the fare for the cabin being owed by the remaining passenger plus the additional money charged for a solo passenger to make up the loss of on board revenue by the second passenger.

 

MSC has the option to collected the additional fare if it wishes.

[Rex2000]

Just now, Homosassa said:

Yes, that part of the fare is assessed a100% cancellation penalty fee leaving the rest of the fare for the cabin being owed by the remaining passenger plus the additional money charged for a solo passenger to make up the loss of on board revenue by the second passenger.

 

MSC has the option to collected the additional fare if it wishes.

Just curious how often does this happen?

[Homosassa]

2 hours ago, Rex2000 said:

Just curious how often does this happen?

No idea.

 

There have been some posts stating it has happed here on this forum.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

5 hours ago, Homosassa said:

There have been some posts stating it has happened here on this forum.

We hear mention of it having happened to someone in the past, but not any actual person mentioning that it happened to them. But I still fall back on my advice. Don't call MSC ahead of time to inform them since Conditions of Carriage could more likely be invoked. Just show up at the pier and inform your check-in agent.

[Rex2000]

Just now, KINGBOBOFTHENORTH said:

We hear mention of it having happened to someone in the past, but not any actual person mentioning that it happened to them. But I still fall back on my advice. Don't call MSC ahead of time to inform them since Conditions of Carriage could more likely be invoked. Just show up at the pier and inform your check-in agent.

Thanks. I called MSC earlier, but nothing was told except tell me to no show. But will not call MSC again.

[Homosassa]

12 hours ago, Rex2000 said:

Thanks. I called MSC earlier, but nothing was told except tell me to no show. But will not call MSC again.

You probably will not have a problem as it appears that this will be a one off for you on MSC.

 

I would be more worried if there is a record of this being a repeat action.

 

However, if MSC does decided to followed their published Terms and Conditions, it won't be something that is a surprise.

[Rex2000]

19 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

You probably will not have a problem as it appears that this will be a one off for you on MSC.

 

I would be more worried if there is a record of this being a repeat action.

 

However, if MSC does decided to followed their published Terms and Conditions, it won't be something that is a surprise.

Thanks.

 

I think I won’t worry about it any more.

 

 

[CruisingWalter]

On 11/15/2023 at 9:10 AM, Homosassa said:

MSC caught onto the fare cheaters for solo passengers that routinely booked a ghost second passenger.

 

But in the case of a "No Show" that second fare is not refunded. Only the port fees and taxes for that second person.  Or did MSC used to actually refund the second fare?  I've honestly never heard of that from any cruise line. It's always just the port fees and taxes that are refunded, not the fare for the second guest. 

[Homosassa]

 MSC has solo fares that is based on the price of a double occupancy of the cabin plus an additional amount  to make up for the loss of expected on board  revenue of the second passenger in the cabin.

 

People booked ghost cabinmates  for "no show" to avoid the additional fare on top of the double occupancy fare.

 

Now the written policy in the T&C is that a "No Show" is considered a cancellation with a 100% penalty fee of that passenger's fare (half the cabin cost) and the remaining passengers will be assed the additional fare for half the cabin plus the solo passenger surcharge.

 

MSC is very good at having rules and procedures that help them maintain the ability to have reasonable cruise fares or other onboard sources of revenue.