No refund for covid cancellation, terrible customer service

[KimPossible1]

2 minutes ago, Selion said:

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.

Yes I did use a credit card so that is good.  I didn’t get the “no sail” letter till yesterday to prove that we didn’t sail.  So now it’s a matter of submitting paperwork.  It shouldn’t have taken a month to get that letter either 🙄 the whole thing is a big pain in the butt!! 

[Best Cat Mom]

13 minutes ago, KimPossible1 said:

T&C states within 5 days and notification no later than noon on day of embarkation which is what we did

You should check with your attorney. Even if this is not their field of expertise, they should be able to offer you guidance. 

[Mark_T]

2 hours ago, KimPossible1 said:

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.

Hopefully not an issue, but did the doctor administer their own test before issuing the letter, or was it issued on the basis of the 'home test'?

[KimPossible1]

13 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

Hopefully not an issue, but did the doctor administer their own test before issuing the letter, or was it issued on the basis of the 'home test'?

We went to an urgent care around 10am day of embarkation and she was given a test there and a letter.  No doctor would provide a letter based on a home test.  I’ve been a nurse for 30 years and knew we had to immediately go to urgent care for a formal diagnosis and proof of Covid positive 

[Beamafar]

Crazy thing is that they wanted you to turn up so you could be denied boarding (and risk the health of embarking passengers) 🙄

[Homosassa]

17 minutes ago, KimPossible1 said:

We went to an urgent care around 10am day of embarkation and she was given a test there and a letter.  No doctor would provide a letter based on a home test.  I’ve been a nurse for 30 years and knew we had to immediately go to urgent care for a formal diagnosis and proof of Covid positive 

According to the T&C that everyone is quoting, there is a second condition to the notification process:

 

"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"

 

Besides the notification (your phone calls), did you also provide verification (documentation) of the test results from the doctor?

 

If you did not provide the acceptable verification of the test results before noon of embarkation, you did not meet all the conditions necessary to be given a FCC or refund.

 

 

[KimPossible1]

8 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

According to the T&C that everyone is quoting, there is a second condition to the notification process:

 

"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"

 

Besides the notification (your phone calls), did you also provide verification (documentation) of the test results from the doctor?

 

If you did not provide the acceptable verification of the test results before noon of embarkation, you did not meet all the conditions necessary to be given a FCC or refund.

 

 

I would assume that when you call into a call center and tell them you have positive covid diagnosis and are cancelling your cruise before noon, that should be enough information to elicit a correct response of what to do next.  They didn't ask for proof at that time, nor provide us with any other information.  The call person could/should have given us an email at the first call, but they were fixated on the point that their system wouldn't allow us to cancel but reassured that it would be ok...which obviously it wasn't.  I don't think that the normal person would even think that the cruise line wouldn't know what they were doing.  I had remembered reading somewhere on either FB, Reddit or here that you needed to call before noon, so that is what we made sure we did in addition to going to the doctor immediately.  I expected an email detailing what to do next, but I never received one, so I called two days later to find out where to send the information and what we should do next. 

I have learned you can't assume that a company is willing to look out for you and provide customer service.  I would never have thought that they wouldn't help us and refuse to provide a FCC or refund.  

In all honesty in the same situation, I doubt you would have known what you should and shouldn't do, and whether or not the company was telling you the wrong information.  The person on the phone said it was ok, so I assumed it was ok. 

[Av8tor]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

According to the T&C that everyone is quoting, there is a second condition to the notification process:

 

"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"

 

Besides the notification (your phone calls), did you also provide verification (documentation) of the test results from the doctor?

 

If you did not provide the acceptable verification of the test results before noon of embarkation, you did not meet all the conditions necessary to be given a FCC or refund.

 

 

With the verification part of the requirements coming after the word "and" in the passage you quoted above, I read that as a seperate item NOT related to the "no later than noon" portion.  If they wanted the noon requirement to apply to the call AND the verification, they should have put the noon specification at the very end.

 

I think the OP is in compliance with what the T&C require...

 

mu .02

[Até]

I agree, there is no way to provide the required documentation through the listed MSC general phone number used for reporting the situation.

 

Someone who answers the phone call must then provide a means for sending in the required proof of illness.

[Homosassa]

3 hours ago, KimPossible1 said:

 

In all honesty in the same situation, I doubt you would have known what you should and shouldn't do, and whether or not the company was telling you the wrong information.  The person on the phone said it was ok, so I assumed it was ok. 

There is where we differ.

 

I had to cancel a twelve night cruise departing on January 12 this year at the last minute because of a unexpected illness of my husband.

 

Before I canceled, I read and understood the cancellation policy for the cruise line (not MSC) and the requirements of our cruise insurance policy.

 

Cancellation went smoothly on the cruise line end and all required documentation was submitted to the insurance.

 

The cruise line refunded all excursions, taxes and fees. Cruise insurance (minus the cost of the policy) covered all other costs .

[Homosassa]

2 hours ago, Av8tor said:

With the verification part of the requirements coming after the word "and" in the passage you quoted above, I read that as a seperate item NOT related to the "no later than noon" portion. 

Reading comprehension can sometimes be lacking for many.... 

[KimPossible1]

28 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

There is where we differ.

 

I had to cancel a twelve night cruise departing on January 12 this year at the last minute because of a unexpected illness of my husband.

 

Before I canceled, I read and understood the cancellation policy for the cruise line (not MSC) and the requirements of our cruise insurance policy.

 

Cancellation went smoothly on the cruise line end and all required documentation was submitted to the insurance.

 

The cruise line refunded all excursions, taxes and fees. Cruise insurance (minus the cost of the policy) covered all other costs .

Well we didn’t have the luxury of time to investigate all the details since it was the morning of embarkation. We trusted the person we called to have handled the situation correctly, but they did not.  I’m glad your cancellation went smoothly.  I didn’t even receive the “did not sail” letter till yesterday despite numerous calls and emails. I am sad about the whole situation because we did enjoy our cruise last year and were really looking forward to this cruise.  

[KimPossible1]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

Reading comprehension can sometimes be lacking for many.... 

I may be interpreting you incorrectly because it is the internet, but in an earlier post and this one you seem a little confrontational implying that we should have sent the letter by noon and with this post implying that I can’t comprehend what I read? Please correct me if I am wrong so I know not to continue to engage with you.

[perakcruiser]

6 hours ago, KimPossible1 said:

No doctor would provide a letter based on a home test.

I thought so also until I got this letter from a doctor. It was a company that provided this service especially for cruise line, I thought they will video monitor me, but I just needed to upload a photo from a negative test to get the letter. 

 

From your story I sounds to me that you did everything correct, the agent on the phone also and then the stuff was sent to the HQ in Italy and there it is. 

[Mark_T]

6 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

I thought so also until I got this letter from a doctor. It was a company that provided this service especially for cruise line, I thought they will video monitor me, but I just needed to upload a photo from a negative test to get the letter.

This sort of thing is why I asked, but I agree, I can't see any reason why this claim should not succeed.

 

It almost feels like the agent on the phone only understood the 'denied boarding' route and not the alternative 'cancellation' route which the OP used.

[Neotericisis]

I would sue. Your case is pretty clear cut and you can likely file the Complaint in court yourself (its not worth hiring an attorney). In my state it is $50 to file. I would add on the fee to file in your damages. Im assuming it would likely qualify for Small Claims Court so thats normally a super simple Complaint format and most Courts have free downloadable packages with forms and instructions. I know this must be super frustrating for you. 

[Mark_T]

Personally I'd start with the credit card route, if that hasn't already hit the time-limit for a claim, as it is likely to be the quickest and easiest path to a refund....

[Homosassa]

15 hours ago, KimPossible1 said:

I may be interpreting you incorrectly because it is the internet, but in an earlier post and this one you seem a little confrontational implying that we should have sent the letter by noon and with this post implying that I can’t comprehend what I read? Please correct me if I am wrong so I know not to continue to engage with you.

My post was not directed at you.

[KimPossible1]

41 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

My post was not directed at you.

Ok, thank you for the clarification.  I have been really upset about the whole incident and didn't want to get into an argument with anybody.  I appreciate you taking the time to respond 👍

[Lupush]

Seems to me that filing a claim with the insurance company is the easiest path.  Provided of course that COVID is covered under the policy you bought.  If you go the legal route it will take years and there's no guarantee you'll get your money back.

[KimPossible1]

Well here is an update to my last email sent to the post cruise support person.  I had spent an hour and 17 minutes on the phone yesterday with a person who did not understand the terms and conditions and at various times became agitated and aggressive and I called him out on it, because amazingly for once in my life, I remained calm hoping for a good result.  After getting nowhere after that length of time, I finally hung up, and sent another email.  Here is my email which I begged at the end to make it right.

Hello Kayla,
I spent an hour and 17 minutes speaking to Eazi today who became irritated and upset with me, that I was not understanding that I would not receive a refund or FCC.  I asked to speak to a supervisor numerous time, only to be told that one would call me back.  I was told the very same thing on March 6, when I spoke to a Brianna.  Eazi did not understand the booking terms and conditions and kept insisting we had to call 5 days before if we had covid.  Possibly he did not understand the meaning of “within 5 days of sailing”.  He told me he would try to handle the situation but then became angry and I addressed this with him.  He kept telling me I didn’t understand, and there was nothing he could do.  I explained that we followed all the proper procedures, we called before noon and we had a letter from the doctor and called before 12 noon.  We should not be punished because the computer system couldn’t cancel us at that point, which is what we told in two different phone calls.   Again, I do not understand how this a “no show” when we clearly followed the correct procedures.  I eventually gave up with him because this whole situation has made me very upset and I was crying by that point.  I can’t understand how a company cares so little for their clients when they are sick and did the right thing.  We should have been offered a FCC immediately, and I should not have had to spend the last month trying to get a FCC or refund.  I am now posting on social media and will include my post on cruise critic.  I am still hoping the situation can be resolved correctly with a FCC because we only live an hour from Port Canaveral and 3 1/2 hours from Miami.  We average about 5+  cruses a year, and really enjoyed our first MSC cruise last February.  Please make this right.
Kim 

Here is her reply:

"Dear Kim,
   Thank you for reaching out to us and expressing your concerns regarding your recent interaction with our call center. We sincerely apologize for any frustration or inconvenience you may have experienced during your conversation.
   We understand your disappointment and frustration with the situation, and we truly appreciate your feedback. Our goal is always to provide exceptional customer service, and it is disheartening to hear that we fell short of your expectations on this occasion.
  Regarding your request for a refund or Future Cruise Credit (FCC), we regret to inform you that, as per our terms and conditions, we are unable to offer you a refund. All of our terms and conditions are clearly outlined on our website, and we ask that guests review and acknowledge them before finalizing their bookings.
   While we understand your disappointment, we kindly ask for your understanding and adherence to our policies in this matter. We value your loyalty as a frequent cruiser with us, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back aboard one of our ships in the future.
   Regarding the categorization of your booking as a "No Show," please understand that this is simply internal terminology used to indicate that a guest did not sail, regardless of the circumstances. We acknowledge that you followed the proper procedures and contacted us within the required timeframe due to your illness, and we appreciate your diligence in doing so.
Your request for a refund has been denied, we consider this case as closed.
Kind Regards,
Kayla J
MSC Cruises (USA) Inc.
Post Cruise Support

 

So there you have it... no FCC, no following their own booking terms and conditions, and no more MSC cruising for me☹️   Thanks to everyone here for the support and suggestions, I have really appreciated the feedback.

[MsTabbyKats]

2 hours ago, Lupush said:

Seems to me that filing a claim with the insurance company is the easiest path.  Provided of course that COVID is covered under the policy you bought.  If you go the legal route it will take years and there's no guarantee you'll get your money back.

Perhaps I have a comprehension problem...but in the original post the OP said she had insurance and would be putting in a claim.

I do understand her frustration....but if she's getting an insurance claim, what's the problem?

 

 

[JamieLogical]

Wait, I don't even get this section!

 

We acknowledge that you followed the proper procedures and contacted us within the required timeframe due to your illness, and we appreciate your diligence in doing so.
Your request for a refund has been denied, we consider this case as closed.

 

How can they acknowledge that you followed the proper procedure, but still deny your claim?!?!?!?

I feel like you almost HAVE to take legal action now!

[MsTabbyKats]

20 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

Wait, I don't even get this section!

 

We acknowledge that you followed the proper procedures and contacted us within the required timeframe due to your illness, and we appreciate your diligence in doing so.
Your request for a refund has been denied, we consider this case as closed.

 

How can they acknowledge that you followed the proper procedure, but still deny your claim?!?!?!?

I feel like you almost HAVE to take legal action now!

I don't get that either....but legal action is "time and money".  If she gets money from insurance, there's no legal action.  She'll "be made whole".

[Selion]

Yep.  It's time go through insurance or credit card.  Orange County charges $175 for small claims between $500.01 and $2500.00.  Not worth the cost.

 

https://www.myorangeclerk.com/Divisions/Civil/~/link.aspx?_id=3E9D77AF1CC043B9AC8EE157B31847F0&_z=z