Booking with a Travel Agency vs MSC

[travellovers2]

Has anyone reserved with a travel agency instead of directly with MSC?  Did you encounter any problems? If you did, did the travel agency handle it or tell you to call MSC?

 

We want to cruise on the MSC World Europa, but book with a travel agency that gives us Marriott points.

 

Thank you for your help! 

[morpheusofthesea]

44 minutes ago, travellovers2 said:

Has anyone reserved with a travel agency instead of directly with MSC?  Did you encounter any problems? If you did, did the travel agency handle it or tell you to call MSC?

 

We want to cruise on the MSC World Europa, but book with a travel agency that gives us Marriott points.

 

Thank you for your help! 

You have a greater chance of less 'screw-ups' using a seasoned travel agent AND get a better price in the way of OBC of UP TO 10%.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, travellovers2 said:

Has anyone reserved with a travel agency instead of directly with MSC?  Did you encounter any problems? If you did, did the travel agency handle it or tell you to call MSC?

 

We want to cruise on the MSC World Europa, but book with a travel agency that gives us Marriott points.

 

Thank you for your help! 

Your signature shows that you're a seasoned cruiser, but not recently on MSC. A good travel agent will help you get the exact cruise you want (given all of the changes in MSC over the last decade). And get you some additional onboard perks.

 

Keep a very open mind. Don't be shy about asking all the questions you have. That's what a travel agent is being paid for. And, for every aspect of your cruise, ask what alternatives you have (e.g., experiences). 

 

Then you make the decisions based on information provided to you. Don't let the travel agent push you into something you don't want. 

[mscdivina2016]

7 hours ago, travellovers2 said:

Has anyone reserved with a travel agency instead of directly with MSC?  Did you encounter any problems? If you did, did the travel agency handle it or tell you to call MSC?

 

We want to cruise on the MSC World Europa, but book with a travel agency that gives us Marriott points.

 

Thank you for your help! 

Always use a TA with MSC.  So many screw ups over the years. When something goes wrong, let a TA deal with it.

 How would you like to book Yacht club and get downgraded to a regular balcony with no reduction in fare or access to Yacht club?

 

 Personal experience along with a dozen other crappy things.  If it wasn't such a good product (YC) I would not sail with them

[travellovers2]

We see that their attitude has not change. 

 

We don't know any travel agent because we have always done the bookings on our own. We have never had a problem with a reservation, but leave it to MSC to be the first one. 🙂 

 

This travel agency that gives Marriott points was good, we may try them again.

 

Thank you for your replies and sharing your experience with us. 

 

 

 

 

[RMac713]

I already booked (last night) a trip for next March.  I have always booked my own on Disney and more lately Celebrity.  I am still in the window to transfer to a TA, should I do that?  Someone recommended vacations to go.

 

[luckyinpa]

on my first upcoming MSC cruise i used my long time TA. he did not complain about them per se but said  they are 'different' . so something must be different vs other lines when he goes to book.

 

that being said i will get a 500 dollar check from him after the cruise for my YC stay. after reading on this forum i had him confirm that MSC does NOT refund even TA OBC. even if other people have had them refund it, no way will i take that chance. every other cruise line has refunded my TA OBC with zero issues. so he's mailing me a check

 

all that being said. i use a TA for every cruise.

[mscdivina2016]

10 hours ago, RMac713 said:

I already booked (last night) a trip for next March.  I have always booked my own on Disney and more lately Celebrity.  I am still in the window to transfer to a TA, should I do that?  Someone recommended vacations to go.

 

Yes transfer it. It costs you nothing and saves grief if anything happens.

 

We cannot recommend TAs here. But if someone did recommended one, you have something to go on.

[Homosassa]

On 4/14/2024 at 6:52 PM, mscdivina2016 said:

 

 How would you like to book Yacht club and get downgraded to a regular balcony with no reduction in fare or access to Yacht club?

 

 

OP, there is a great deal more to this story than this rhetorical question and, in many of our opinions, is not MSC's fault.

 

 

[mscdivina2016]

22 hours ago, Homosassa said:

OP, there is a great deal more to this story than this rhetorical question and, in many of our opinions, is not MSC's fault.

 

 

How do you figure MSC taking my money for a YCGS and downgrading me to a regular balcony with no reduction in fare, not their fault a couple of weeks before sailing?

 Not allowing me to cancel without penalty?

Not allowing me access to yacht club?

 I ending up having to get a lawyer at my expense?

 

I am also interested in who the "many" are?

 

They failed to follow the T&C for a full ship charter.

 They failed to follow CLIA.

 

How could any of the above be attributed to me and not MSC?

 

All I did was book a year and a half out, paid in full at time of booking, and was expecting to have a great cruise.

 The reason this went this way was they didn't want to have to give me a 1 category upgrade according to the T&C on another sailing of my choice because it would have been the owners suite. 

 

 

[scootersdad]

On 4/16/2024 at 10:47 PM, RMac713 said:

I already booked (last night) a trip for next March.  I have always booked my own on Disney and more lately Celebrity.  I am still in the window to transfer to a TA, should I do that?  Someone recommended vacations to go.

 

My T/A is with Cruise Planners and has saved us twice.  Once bc of COVID between. a B2B. She cancelled the next cruise, had a hotel booked flights home within 2 hours.  Then dealt with Insurance. This January had to cancel one within a week of sailing.  She handled the entire claim. 
However, I believe CPs are independent so pick an experienced one.   
In my humble opinion. 

 

[MsTabbyKats]

My TA will only book directly, won't do transfers...but he gives a a very good discount...a bit over 10%.  He seems to have a good relationship with MSC (hoping he can do something with my non-refundable YC deposit that I already did a "cruise change" with.

 

But definitely...use a TA for MSC.

[cellfree]

1 hour ago, MsTabbyKats said:

My TA will only book directly, won't do transfers...but he gives a a very good discount...a bit over 10%.  He seems to have a good relationship with MSC (hoping he can do something with my non-refundable YC deposit that I already did a "cruise change" with.

 

But definitely...use a TA for MSC.

I have always used the MSC Agent without any problems but have of course read the horror stories! Have not used a TA for years, but would enjoy that 10% discount, just sorry you cannot tell me the excellent person you work with. 

[MsTabbyKats]

1 hour ago, cellfree said:

I have always used the MSC Agent without any problems but have of course read the horror stories! Have not used a TA for years, but would enjoy that 10% discount, just sorry you cannot tell me the excellent person you work with. 

I'd love to give him the business but cruise critic would ban me for life.

I think it was closer to 15%...looking at my records, between the MSC 5% + 5%....it was about 25% off the original price.

Did you ever try the site where agents compete for your business? I believe that's where I found him (he's on vacation this week).

[perakcruiser]

2 hours ago, cellfree said:

I have always used the MSC Agent without any problems but have of course read the horror stories! Have not used a TA for years, but would enjoy that 10% discount, just sorry you cannot tell me the excellent person you work with. 

I know your feelings exactly. I hate to give my booking out of hands, but a discount is a discount. At least it MUST be a travel agent that has a high reputation (and special contact) with MSC. 

[cellfree]

22 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

I'd love to give him the business but cruise critic would ban me for life.

I think it was closer to 15%...looking at my records, between the MSC 5% + 5%....it was about 25% off the original price.

Did you ever try the site where agents compete for your business? I believe that's where I found him (he's on vacation this week).

Perhaps some day our paths will cross. (I just read another post where you referenced your NYC subways, for some reason I thought you were from Europe.) Next bookings are Carnival in September and MSC November.

[MsTabbyKats]

7 minutes ago, cellfree said:

Perhaps some day our paths will cross. (I just read another post where you referenced your NYC subways, for some reason I thought you were from Europe.) Next bookings are Carnival in September and MSC November.

Born and raised...and will die....NYC.  For the record, my TA is unable to give much of a discount with Carnival.  But, then again, the price of a Carnival balcony is about 25% the cost of MSC YC.

 

[rodndonna]

We are looking at booking our first MSC cruise and am kinda surprised with the thread response being so resoundingly in support of TA booking over MSC, and in particular in case something goes wrong. I guess intuitively with other line bookings we always book direct as I feel like I have more control over the booking (no in-between) .

 

I guess my biggest concern is that maybe MSC is known to have more issues with bookings than other cruise lines. Is that the case? What kind of problems arise? I see one poster referring to being downgraded from YC, but wondering how common that is and what other kind of issues arise from the MSC side.

 

We're looking at a run-of-the mill Seascape 7 day Caribbean next March in a Premium Aqua cabin or YC inside cabin if that matters ....

[Homosassa]

We have never had  any problems with our MSC bookings.

 

The problems seem to occur when someone attempts to change the reservation and not being aware of the change and  cancellation policy of MSC.

 

And be aware of the story about being downgraded from Yacht Club. There is way more to the story and MSC was not at fault.  Instead it was a passenger who did not want to follow instructions when the ship was chartered.

[bokkiebear]

Have always booked through a travel agency (HAL, Celebrity and MSC) and so far never a problem. We did have a problem once with MSC; they cancelled a cruise and when I tried to get my money back for pre-booked excursions I had a problem.  I then contacted the TA and they sorted it out for me. Will only go through a TA.

[mscdivina2016]

On 4/22/2024 at 4:35 PM, Homosassa said:

 

 

And be aware of the story about being downgraded from Yacht Club. There is way more to the story and MSC was not at fault.  Instead it was a passenger who did not want to follow instructions when the ship was chartered.

You keep saying that MSC was not at fault.

 I am that poster, can you please explain?

 Or are you just trying to get your post count up.

 What instructions were there? Were you booked on that sailing and given a letter or email that we know nothing about .

 

Here's my proof

 

[mscdivina2016]

On 4/22/2024 at 4:29 PM, rodndonna said:

We are looking at booking our first MSC cruise and am kinda surprised with the thread response being so resoundingly in support of TA booking over MSC, and in particular in case something goes wrong. I guess intuitively with other line bookings we always book direct as I feel like I have more control over the booking (no in-between) .

 

I guess my biggest concern is that maybe MSC is known to have more issues with bookings than other cruise lines. Is that the case? What kind of problems arise? I see one poster referring to being downgraded from YC, but wondering how common that is and what other kind of issues arise from the MSC side.

 

We're looking at a run-of-the mill Seascape 7 day Caribbean next March in a Premium Aqua cabin or YC inside cabin if that matters ....

Here's a list of things that personally happened to me.

 

Cruise changed ships

Embarkation port changed to another country

Date of cruise changed

Found out 2 extra days added to a sailing costing me an airline fee

Another 3 days added to same cruise costing me a fee again

Price changes for no reason.

Rooms taken away that were originally booked on more than one occasion.

 

Great product, just lousy CS

[MsTabbyKats]

@mscdivina2016Did they offer you a refund/cancellation?  If so, why didn't you accept it?

[Homosassa]

13 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

@mscdivina2016Did they offer you a refund/cancellation?  If so, why didn't you accept it?

The ship was chartered as a salsa cruise after he booked.

 

Notification was sent out and options for rebooking and refunds given. He refused all options and insisted on a cabin. He was given one as shown above (still wasn't happy).

 

All the information was slowly offered  in posts over several threads, including information offered by others on the same sailing.

 

By the way, how often does a cruise line get pushed to the point that a passenger is threatened with detention from law enforcement if they attempt to board the ship?

 

I am sure the moderator will remove my posts and his.

 

 

 

 

[luckyinpa]

i love salsa too, wouldnt wanna leave. nachos are my 2nd addiction to chips.