No refund for covid cancellation, terrible customer service

[KimPossible1]

My sister and I were supposed to sail on Feb. 11 on the Seashore out of Port Canaveral.  She did not feel well and tested positive for Covid that morning at home and we rushed to an urgent care and have a letter from a doctor saying she wasn't fit to sail.  We called MSC three times that morning and were told  they their system didn't allow for them to cancel us at that time.  Their booking conditions on page 6 clearly outline the process to follow if you need to cancel due to covid, which included calling before 12 noon and providing proof.  I have done all that, and I have spent the last month calling repeatedly to be told a supervisor will get in touch.  I eventually was given the email address and submitted all the paperwork to be told that we were technically "no shows" and too bad, no refund or FCC.  This is very upsetting, because we clearly followed the rules and I have exhausted all avenues.  I just wanted a FCC so I could rebook.  I finally submitted a claim to my travel insurance company yesterday.  I will never sail on MSC again, which is sad because we had a nice time.  I can't understand such poor customer service that would tell me that we should have gone to the terminal and been denied boarding otherwise you are entitled to nothing.  I spent over an hour on the phone today going around in circles with an irritated customer service person.  He kept stating the wrong information and was reading the booking conditions wrong.  It states that is you test positive within 5 days and call before noon on the day of embarkation you are entitled to a refund or FCC.  He kept insisting that I had to call 5 days before and he was not understanding the english and semantics of "within 5 days".   I'm very sad right now and have wasted so much time and money trying to get this resolved, but it boils down to the fact that MSC didn't care that my sister had covid and didn't want to issue a FCC or refund.  It now joins the long list of companies that are only concerned about profit and not their customers.  They have my $1600 so they don't care ☹️

[showingdiva]

You need to claim through your own insurance, not MSC.   This has been in effect for some time now.

[GPPhilly]

Did you have trip insurance?  

[KimPossible1]

1 minute ago, showingdiva said:

You need to claim through your own insurance, not MSC.   This has been in effect for some time now.

This is page 6 of their booking conditions:

If you test positive for COVID-19 within five (5) days prior to embarkation, you may elect to cancel your Booking. In that event, you, and anyone else in your travelling party who cancels their Booking due to your positive COVID-19 test result, will be entitled to a refund or future cruise credit equal in value to the amount Passenger paid to the Carrier. To qualify for the future cruise credit or refund, you must notify the Company via telephone at 877-665-4655 within twenty-four (24) hours of receiving the test result and no later than noon on the date of embarkation and provide verification satisfactory to the Company of test results administered by providers other than those retained by the Carrier. Under no circumstances shall the Carrier be liable to any such Passenger for any costs, damages or expenses whatsoever incurred by any Passenger.

[KimPossible1]

Yes I had trip insurance (as I stated in the original post), but that isn't the issue.  Their booking terms and conditions clearly state a refund or FCC if you meet the guidelines. We fulfilled our obligations and just wanted to rebook the cruise.  

Edited March 12 by KimPossible1

[DCGuy64]

14 minutes ago, KimPossible1 said:

Yes I had trip insurance (as I stated in the original post), but that isn't the issue.  Their booking terms and conditions clearly state a refund or FCC if you meet the guidelines. We fulfilled our obligations and just wanted to rebook the cruise.  

I am sorry to hear you are leaving MSC over this. But I hope at least that your sister is feeling better!

[KforKitty]

Sorry you had to cancel.

 

From looking at the T&Cs, it looks as though you fulfilled the requirements for a refund.  Did you send evidence you phoned prior to 12 noon?  

 

Catherine

[Até]

If word gets out about MSC not honoring their own Covid cancellation policy it's possibly going to cause sick people to not notify them and just sail anyway.

[KimPossible1]

5 minutes ago, KforKitty said:

Sorry you had to cancel.

 

From looking at the T&Cs, it looks as though you fulfilled the requirements for a refund.  Did you send evidence you phoned prior to 12 noon?  

 

Catherine

Yes, we called three times that day and they have it documented ☹️  Thanks for saying you think we met the requirements.  Everyone is always ready to blame the person who posts and makes it their fault, but I have worked on this for a month and spent over an hour on the phone today again, only to be told that a supervisor would call back.  I've been told that numerous times and never received a call.  I am upset that they couldn't care, don't follow their own booking conditions and can't do the right thing. 

[KimPossible1]

1 minute ago, Até said:

If word gets out about MSC not honoring their own Covid cancellation policy it's possibly going to cause sick people to not notify them and just sail anyway.

No kidding!  We called before noon, had a "not fit to sail" paper from a doctor and they still won't budge.  I just wanted a FCC to rebook.  Were we supposed to go to the terminal and show the positive test so then they could deny us boarding??  So dumb!!! 

[Até]

10 minutes ago, KimPossible1 said:

Were we supposed to go to the terminal and show the positive test so then they could deny us boarding??  So dumb!!! 

The Terms, as you quoted, specifically state you don't need to show up at boarding.   You only need to notify MSC at the provided phone number between five days and noon before embarkation day, providing the test documents.  Did you notify them within 24 hours of getting the positive test?

Edited March 12 by Até

[JamieLogical]

Huh, I am surprised to see that MSC still has a COVID cancellation policy in writing at least. As far as I know, none of the other cruise lines are offering any refund/FCC for COVID cancellations and it is up to the passenger to take it up with their travel insurance provider. If what you quoted is their current Terms, then it seems to me that you met the requirements.

[DCGuy64]

17 minutes ago, KimPossible1 said:

Thanks for saying you think we met the requirements. 

I think you did, too. Your description of events seems like a textbook case of following the rules. Did you happen to book with a travel agent? This is the kind of issue I would take up with our TA. Agents often have special phone numbers they can call or specific departments that would handle cases like yours. Best of luck and I hope they get back with you soon!

[JamieLogical]

I looked at the current Terms & Conditions linked from the US website and, as the OP claims, it is right there on Page 6 that they are entitled to a refund or FCC. I really don't think MSC has a leg to stand on with this one.

[KimPossible1]

17 minutes ago, Até said:

The Terms, as you quoted, specifically state you don't need to show up at boarding.   You only need to notify MSC at the provided phone number between five days and noon before embarkation day, providing the test documents.  Did you notify them within 24 hours of getting the positive test?

Yes we called around 9:30 and then around 11:30 to confirm her test was positive at urgent care 

[KimPossible1]

10 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I think you did, too. Your description of events seems like a textbook case of following the rules. Did you happen to book with a travel agent? This is the kind of issue I would take up with our TA. Agents often have special phone numbers they can call or specific departments that would handle cases like yours. Best of luck and I hope they get back with you soon!

Thanks for the support and no I never book with a travel agent.  I’d rather spend the agonizingly long hours trying to get things fixed myself 😉🤣🤣 I sent one more email today asking them to please make it right so 🤞🏻

[Até]

5 minutes ago, KimPossible1 said:

Yes we called around 9:30 and then around 11:30 to confirm her test was positive at urgent care 

Did you notify MSC within 24 hours of getting the positive test results?  Or days later?

 

What I mean is if you got the test results four days before sailing and waited more than 24 hours to notify MSC it violates the Terms.

Edited March 12 by Até

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, KimPossible1 said:

Thanks for the support and no I never book with a travel agent.  I’d rather spend the agonizingly long hours trying to get things fixed myself 😉🤣🤣 I sent one more email today asking them to please make it right so 🤞🏻

Well, as much as I love wasting time on the phone with clueless reps who don't even understand their own company's policies 🤣, I might be willing to have a TA do the legwork next time. FWIW, I have read plenty of bad stories regarding MSC's customer service line. Personally, I've never had to wait too long to speak to someone and they've been great. But we always use a travel agent for our cruise bookings. We really love MSC and can't complain, but I am disheartened to read of your experience. It seems like you did everything right and I hope the best for you!

[Lupush]

1 hour ago, KimPossible1 said:

My sister and I were supposed to sail on Feb. 11 on the Seashore out of Port Canaveral.  She did not feel well and tested positive for Covid that morning at home and we rushed to an urgent care and have a letter from a doctor saying she wasn't fit to sail.  We called MSC three times that morning and were told  they their system didn't allow for them to cancel us at that time.  Their booking conditions on page 6 clearly outline the process to follow if you need to cancel due to covid, which included calling before 12 noon and providing proof.  I have done all that, and I have spent the last month calling repeatedly to be told a supervisor will get in touch.  I eventually was given the email address and submitted all the paperwork to be told that we were technically "no shows" and too bad, no refund or FCC.  This is very upsetting, because we clearly followed the rules and I have exhausted all avenues.  I just wanted a FCC so I could rebook.  I finally submitted a claim to my travel insurance company yesterday.  I will never sail on MSC again, which is sad because we had a nice time.  I can't understand such poor customer service that would tell me that we should have gone to the terminal and been denied boarding otherwise you are entitled to nothing.  I spent over an hour on the phone today going around in circles with an irritated customer service person.  He kept stating the wrong information and was reading the booking conditions wrong.  It states that is you test positive within 5 days and call before noon on the day of embarkation you are entitled to a refund or FCC.  He kept insisting that I had to call 5 days before and he was not understanding the english and semantics of "within 5 days".   I'm very sad right now and have wasted so much time and money trying to get this resolved, but it boils down to the fact that MSC didn't care that my sister had covid and didn't want to issue a FCC or refund.  It now joins the long list of companies that are only concerned about profit and not their customers.  They have my $1600 so they don't care ☹️

Did she test positive on the morning of the cruise?  Or at least 5 days in advance as noted in the T&C's?

[KimPossible1]

10 minutes ago, Até said:

Did you notify MSC within 24 hours of getting the positive test results?  Or days later?

 

What I mean is if you got the test results four days before sailing and waited more than 24 hours to notify MSC it violates the Terms.

She tested positive the morning we were supposed to sail.  We called at 9:30 to tell them of the positive home test and we wouldn’t be coming and then right around 11:30 after leaving the urgent care on the same day as embarkation.  We only live about an hour and 15 minutes from PC.  So yes we notified them right away. 

[sidari]

Kim,

 

The legal rout may be worth looking at due to MSC failing to follow their own written down conditions of carriage.

[KimPossible1]

1 minute ago, Lupush said:

Did she test positive on the morning of the cruise?  Or at least 5 days in advance as noted in the T&C's?

The morning of the cruise and the T&C states within 5 days and notification no later than noon on day of embarkation which is what we did👍🏻

[KimPossible1]

1 minute ago, sidari said:

Kim,

 

The legal rout may be worth looking at due to MSC failing to follow their own written down conditions of carriage.

I agree but that is very overwhelming ☹️

[sidari]

1 minute ago, KimPossible1 said:

I agree but that is very overwhelming ☹️

But at least it would hold MSC to account for their terms and conditions.

[Selion]

Did you pay with your credit card?  You can always file a dispute with the credit card company if MSC is playing hardball.  The T&Cs are on your side and I don't see how you will not be getting the full amount back.