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In November of 2010 my wife and I took a cruise with MSC. I wanted to share with your readers what a disastrous experience it was and how the actions taken by the staff of a company that holds itself out as a luxury service provider ruined the trip, and caused a financial loss to us.
In Nov. 2010 we went into on a cruise from Barcelona to Buenos Aires. My wife and myself were born in Argentina, but we both are US Citizens. Most countries, including Brazil and Argentina recognize us as dual citizens of both the United States and Argentina. We have traveled many times to Brazil using our Argentine Nationality identifications without the need for a visa.
The ship was going to stop in Brazil, and I inquired in the the Brazilian Consulate in Miami if we needed a visa, since for Brazil we are recognized of our Argentine dual citizen citizenship, and hence we could enter Brazil with our Argentina IDs, without the need to obtain a visa in our US Passports. I was informed I did not need a visa. In fact, I have now a letter from the Brazilian Consulate indicating to me us that we did not need a visa.
Upon boarding in Barcelona, we left both our US Passports, and the Argentina IDs at the front desk, as everybody else did.
The officer in charge said he recognized that we were dual citizens.
The ship stopped in Cadiz, Spain, and then after one day at sea in Casablanca, Morocco.
Upon returning from our visit in Casablanca, one hour before departure, we were summoned to the front desk. Then a couple of officers indicated to us we had to abandon ship, at once, since we had no Brazilian Visa. I explained to them our situation, but to no avail. They even refused to let me show them online the requirements for entry into Brazil for dual citizens.
I even mentioned we had recently visited Iguazu and entered Brazil with the Argentine IDs in hand.
A couple of officers escorted us out the ship, into the Casablanca night. Days later, other passengers mentioned they thought we had been arrested !!
Next day we went to the Rabat Brazilian Embassy in Morocco , and the Embassy officer said...we did not need a Visa ! I begged him to give me one in the US Passport, and he did.
We flew to Tenerife from Casablanca three days after being disembarked, and continue the cruise from that port.
The Brazilian Officer that boarded the ship in Recife stated we were treated "brutally".
The Captain of the ship said our situation was unheard of. A couple of Italian agents called me from Italy to tell me "the way we handle this is after you return to the US".
But last I hear from MSC is they are not going to do anything about our expenses, not even were sorry for what happened. Upon our return I made MSC aware of what happened and they did not even issue an apology for their actions. I think your readers should know what type of a “luxury travel company” they are dealing with prior to making a reservation.
MSC disliked my US Passport ?
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I've heard and read many, many negatives about MSC. A good friend just returned from a U.S. east coast/Canada cruise with them, and she was so unhappy with them, she's been turned off from cruising all together. In addition to the awful inconvenience, your experience is also scary. So glad you made it through OK. My husband and I love to cruise, but we will never use MSC.
This is a tale if true worthy of cntraveler.com ombudsman
If you paid with CC file a dispute reverse your charges
get an immediate credit and a free investigation.
Some Trip insurance on some credit cards might help
file a BBB.org complaint
file a suit in small claims court if above fails
easy to do no attorney required.
alert others with a cruisecritic.com review if you have
not done so...
Anyway the squeaky wheel get the grease...
Difficult to comprehend no one the ship knew the law.
What happened to you is terrible but why are you letting us know more than a year later.
That would mean MSC had all of 2011 to treat others as they treated you .
I guess better late than never.
Well I continually hear of poor services on MSC and now this. They should stick to being a freighter service. Or maybe not. Terrible. Thanks for sharing this. I do think you should have tried to use a 3rd party like CN Travelers ombudsman9as its clear MSC doesn't care.) and it would have been better had you done this right away but still your treatment was totally unprofessional.
When and who ever defined MSC as a "luxury" line? Not in my book. And, yes, why did you wait over a year to talk about this on Fodor's? Just curious.
Percy: It took one year to get a reply from them. I contacted a lawyer, but the amount of damages (what I spent after being disembarked and traveled Morocco-Tenerife) is not large enough for the lawyer to sue MSC, specially since they shield themselves with their Italian ownership (and to sue in Italy would be very difficult and expensive). Thanks for your comments !
Qwovadis: Thanks for your comments and advice. I tried to let the MSC Officials look into:
http://www.braziltravelguide.com/visa-requirements.html.
It is the official Visa page of Brazil. It reads:"Who can enter without a passport?
Nationals of the following countries can enter Brazil with an alternative document of identification (such as ID card): Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.".
I truly believe they reacted to my American Citizenship, let me embark, and three days later forced me out. The officials on board refused to even let me go online to have them read what they did not know !. Best regards!
Jacketwatch: It took me a year to let all know about my experience, because the Captain of the Lyrica and the officials that called me from Italy promised "a resolution".
I guess they dragged the issue till a few weeks ago.
In the cruisecritic blog there is an "official MSC blogger" that sustains the letter I have from the Consulate of Brazil in Miami "is wrong": that is, the Consular Authority does not know the rules...MSC does..!
So thats why. OK, you are patient and thats good so you have given them a fair chance and then some. Until proven otherwise MSC stinks. JMC.
leoparana
Thank you for the explantion.
Good Luck
You have my sympathy for sure.
I traveled on MSC last Xmas and I can't say how great the service was from the very start of the cruise to disbarking everything was better than I could of hope for,this was my 5th cruise in as many years.by far the bests service.This was my 1st time on a MSC ship and read a lot of bad reviews but that was not my exerince.I'm sorry to hear of your poor treatment .