I booked a guaranteed cabin with MSC cruise line because there was only one cabin left in the back and I thought I couldn't do any worse. I was wrong! Two weeks before the cruise, I found out we would have to switch cabins right in the middle of the cruise. MSC has people getting on and off at every port so they want to keep all cabins full. I called my MSC cruise consultant and said their online booking system was showing a cabin available in the same category. He said he could not book it for me but would email Naples, Italy to see if they would. They did not and we were forced to move right in the middle of the cruise at a tiny island in the Atlantic. We had to pack up everything and take all our valuables on the excursion for the day. The employees on the ship said it was common and "standard procedure" for people to change cabins during their cruise. They even have a form letter that was placed on my bed remining me we had to move. I wish I would have known about this before I booked since we only saved a few dollars.
MSC Cruise-Guaranteed Cabins means Changing Cabins Mid-cruise
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by
Amy_D
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49 responses; most recent on May 4, 13 at 05:46 PM
That is crazy, and how does that happen? I've never been on MSC, so never heard of that before. I'm glad you told us about it.
Even if you did have to change (which I sure do not understand), why not just pack up and the stewards move your things to the new cabin while you went out for the day?
It's indeed a disappointing approach taken by MSC. Did they give you a higher graded cabin for the first few day and later "returned" you to the cabin you paid for?
Usually the cabin steward will do the luggage transfer for you, if the drawer is identical in both cabins, they may even help you to swap drawers. But, still a hassle.
Doesn't sound good at all. Also when booking a cabin number with MSC, this can also change not usual but can happen and is part of the t&c's.
We have some interesting stories on our blog please visit http://www.about2cruise.co.uk/blog/
I had booked an inside guaranteed cabin and both cabins were inside cabins. The cabin steward told us to pack up everything and leave the suitcases outside in the hallway before we left the ship for the day. When we originally checked in, we were told that the cabin would be ours for the entire cruise (11 nights) but three days later, the letter was left on our bed telling us we had to move. It was obvious that nobody in the customer service area had any authority to do anything. The one cabin that did show up online a week before the cruise was now double what I had paid and I was unwilling to double my cost. However if I had booked the original one available cabin, I would have only paid a few dollars more. I just don't want anyone to make the same mistake I did.
I dont agree with this practice at all. In my 10 cruises I have never heard of this B4 and have never heard anyone mention such a practice so if is is "standard procedure" as stated by the crew member then either he is lying or God forbid if it is common then yet another reason for me to never consider MSC.
Some yrs. ago there was a big story about a family who booked a dream Med vacation on MSC and it was actually a family reunion trip. MSC cancelled them to book a larger group and apparently at a higher price and this despite the fact that they had booked airfare and accomodations and offered no recompense at all. Well I suppose MSC treats passengers like they do their other business which is shipping goods on freighters. Again, never MSC for me.
So sorry to hear this.
I've never cruised with MSC, so my impression of them is from what others have said or written. A good friend cruised with them 2 yrs. ago, and her experience was so bad that she has vowed never to cruise again. Changing cabins in the middle of a cruise is something I've never heard of until now. I think it's unreasonable for you to have had to do such a thing.