MSC SINFONIA?

[brian amos]

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS SHIPS ITINARY FOR APRIL 24 ??????????????

[Cruising Caribbean]

@brian amos Have you checked the MSC Cruises website directly? Based on the website, I'm not seeing any changes since the other post you shared a few days ago. What are you assuming with happen with your itinerary? If there are changes, MSC Cruises is going to notify you or the third party you booked through. No one really knows until the cruise line sends out an email update or updates your itinerary directly through your MSC Cruises account online. I can tell this is frustrating, but I doubt your itinerary will be canceled entirely. 

[Woody14]

On 12/7/2023 at 2:46 PM, brian amos said:

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS SHIPS ITINARY FOR APRIL 24 ??????????????

What have you heard?   on the MSC website it is scheduled to be in Mykonos Greece that day.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Woody14 I'm seeing the same info currently. There are potential changes slated, but I'm assuming an entire cancellation is unlikely. I will be waiting on @brian amos for a confirmation on this one. Since this is a personal booking, I would imagine an email notification will be isn't directly to the guests as soon (and if) the itinerary change is made public. There is still time before this itinerary embarks. I wouldn't be too stressed about it just yet. MSC Cruises will likely take care of you. 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@brian amos Have you received an update yet? I have been following this to see if any updates have been posted yet. What are the exact dates for your cruise itinerary? I would like to hear more about the information you are concerned about. 

I'm with @Woody14. I'm a bit confused and would like some more details!
 

[PaulB]

What seems to be the issue with this ship? I haven't heard anything as of yet 

[3Sisters]

@brian amos I noticed one article that made reference to potential itinerary changes, but I didn't see anything confirmed. If anything changes and you receive an update on this, please share. I would be intrigued to see how the cruise line handles the changes with guests. From my experience, MSC Cruises is great at compensating guests and very fair about relaying information with plenty of notice. I doubt the line will leave you hanging. I'm assuming you are booked on an MSC Sinfonia sailing for April 24? I have been wanting to cruise on this ship! Will this be your first time onboard MSC Sinfonia?

[brian amos]

On 12/9/2023 at 5:21 AM, Cruising Caribbean said:

@brian amos Have you checked the MSC Cruises website directly? Based on the website, I'm not seeing any changes since the other post you shared a few days ago. What are you assuming with happen with your itinerary? If there are changes, MSC Cruises is going to notify you or the third party you booked through. No one really knows until the cruise line sends out an email update or updates your itinerary directly through your MSC Cruises account online. I can tell this is frustrating, but I doubt your itinerary will be canceled entirely. 

check again completely canceled from nov 25 to April 15

[brian amos]

TWELVE WEEKS OUT FROM CANCELED CRUISE AND STILL NOTHING IN PLACE AND CONFIRMED? WE ARE DUE TO FLY OUT OF BRISBANE ON APRIL 1 FIRST TIME CRUISING WITH MSC BUT BEEN ON TWELVE OTHER CRUISE LINES, NOT EVEN OUR BOOKING AGENTS KNOW ABOUT OUR CRUISE CANCELATION,? (SO THEY SAY). NOT IMPRESSED WITH MSC AS WE HAD PRE-BOOKED OUR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR DISABILITIES AND MEDICAL REQUIRMENTS, NOW WE WILL HAVE TO RE BOOK EVERYTHING AGAIN NOW ON TWO SHIPS, OUR CRUISE AGENTS ARE TRYING TO REBOOK US ON MSC EUROPA 7 NIGHTS THEN ON TO MSC SINFONIA 6 NIGHTS AND THEN BACK HOME TO BRISBANE, NOT WHAT WE WANTED OR BOOKED BUT WAS HAS BEEN OFFERED BY OUR AGENTS? IF AVAILABLE????? HOPE MSC LOOKS AFTER US AND COMPENSATES US, ANYWAY IF WE GO IT WILL BE AN OPEN MIND GOOD OR BAD WITH FULL REPORT AUSTRALIA AND WORLDWIDE,   

[3Sisters]

@brian amos Thanks for sharing your update. If the cruise line hasn't notified you yet, I highly doubt your itinerary is truly canceled. What has led you to believe that your itinerary will be completely canceled? I can only hope MSC Cruises is going to properly compensate you if a change occurs. 

Did you see this MSC Sinfonia article from yesterday? https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-ship-breaks-mooring-lines-and-causes-damage/120384

The ship broke free from the mooring lines. I'm a bit confused now after reading this. The ship is supposed to be back in service in March.

[brian amos]

MSC canceled all Sinfonia cruise's from NOV 15/2023 to April 15 /2024 and said it was due to conflict in GAZA STRIP? nothing about maintenance in SICILY and due to be back in service MARCH 2024 so all this up evil from MSC and the lies from a supposed to be reputable company?  so there was no need to cancel our cruise due to leave GENOA 05/04/2024. most upset with MSC and the contempt it has shown to the paying cruisers from AUSTRALIA and all over the world

[Cruising Caribbean]

@brian amos I'm very surprised at how MSC Cruises has handled this. Why did it take the line so long to get back to you? Was this information sent to you in an email form? Did you receive options for reimbursement? I'm most concerned about your flights! Will you be able to receive a refund for those? This is very disheartening, and I'm sad this is all unfolding to be such a negative experience. It's hard to believe the changes are due to the conflict in the Gaza trip. The itinerary could surely be rerouted! Did MSC Cruises provide you with an alternate itinerary option to book on instead? This is so frustrating! 

[PaulB]

We go back to the age old no communication and lack of customer service. Terrible from everyone these days, companies just simply do not care anymore, and we expect it now. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@brian amos This is quite aggravating. MSC Cruises should have notified guests of these changes earlier on. This must be so upsetting. What options did MSC Cruises offer you? I doubt the line will offer flight reimbursements, but possibly the line could offer you another itinerary option. It seems the line has been making several route alterations lately.

An MSC Cruises' world cruise itinerary on MSC Poesia just nixed some ports of call from the itinerary and notified guests of these changes. 

https://www.cruisehive.com/msc-cruises-forced-to-make-significant-world-cruise-change/120348

 

  

[LukeJ]

Yeah, really bad practice about not informing guests. Any changes should automatically be communicated and make it less stressful for paying customers as possible. I fear cruise lines will begin getting a bad reputation if little things like this continues and the whole industry will change to a normal holiday resort rather than the elite it once was. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@LukeJ Customer service is definitely not the same as it once was. This is partially due to those who are just rude and unrealistic to the customer service teams. Some guests really aren't kind to customer service and the industry has become hardened from a lot of negative backlash from rude guests. If I have a real issue onboard my cruise, I wait in the very long customer service line to ask for help correcting the issue. When I'm waiting in line always overhear so many irate guests complaining about the most ridiculous things! For instance, guests will hold up the line asking for refunds and reimbursements because there is never a pool lounger available. Guests will argue and refuse to pay the gratuities due to never finding an open table near the buffet. Those instances are what make the customer service teams pretty numb. They really deal with some absurd guests that can be truly entitled. As much as I feel sad customer service has declined, guests have almost done it to themselves. 

[Global Expeditions w Paul]

There is more to this situation than is being brought up in this thread. Missed emails? Miscommunication? Misunderstanding. Whole thing sounds very strange and as a travel agent, sounds very out of character for MSC. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Global Expeditions w Paul I completely agree. I wish that there was more information given by @brian amos that would support this thread. I know this guest booked through a travel agent and I wonder if this middle man had something to do with the lack of quality communication from the "cruise line." I have always booked my cruise experiences myself so I'm not sure if a travel agent could act like a buffer in this regard, possibly gatekeeping information from the line. Do you think that could be a potential here? It does seems out of character for MSC Cruises. I have always felt very cared for when I cruised with the line. From a fellow travel agents' perspective, do you think a crumby agent could play a role in the issues this guest is having with this upcoming itinerary?  

[brian amos]

Reply from  MSC. AU today  (BLOODY GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE)

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the changes to the itinerary of MSC Sinfonia, which impacted on your holiday plans. The decision to modify the itinerary was made for operational reasons, and we sincerely regret the disruption this caused to your anticipated trip.

 

In closing, please accept our heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience and disappointment this situation has caused you. Should you have any further concerns or if there is anything more we can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us. We remain committed to ensuring your satisfaction and look forward to the opportunity to welcome you onboard in the future.

 

[brian amos]

On 1/12/2024 at 4:23 AM, Cruising Caribbean said:

@brian amos I'm very surprised at how MSC Cruises has handled this. Why did it take the line so long to get back to you? Was this information sent to you in an email form? Did you receive options for reimbursement? I'm most concerned about your flights! Will you be able to receive a refund for those? This is very disheartening, and I'm sad this is all unfolding to be such a negative experience. It's hard to believe the changes are due to the conflict in the Gaza trip. The itinerary could surely be rerouted! Did MSC Cruises provide you with an alternate itinerary option to book on instead? This is so frustrating! 

IN A NUTSHELL MSC AUSTRALIA could not care less about its customers, because we are pensioners, booked 20 months ahead, so we could save for this cruise? and then seven weeks out we are told no holiday, now ask me how i feel about MSC? #######    

[brian amos]

10 hours ago, brian amos said:

Reply from  MSC. AU today  (BLOODY GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE)

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the changes to the itinerary of MSC Sinfonia, which impacted on your holiday plans. The decision to modify the itinerary was made for operational reasons, and we sincerely regret the disruption this caused to your anticipated trip.

 

In closing, please accept our heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience and disappointment this situation has caused you. Should you have any further concerns or if there is anything more we can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us. We remain committed to ensuring your satisfaction and look forward to the opportunity to welcome you onboard in the future.

 

IN A NUTSHELL MSC AUSTRALIA could not care less about its customers, because we are pensioners, booked 20 months ahead, so we could save for this cruise? and then seven weeks out we are told no holiday, now ask me how i feel about MSC? #######    no way should this be allowed to happen? but it has 

[3Sisters]

@brian amos This is really upsetting. I wish that MSC Cruises handled this much differently and it seems there was plenty of opportunity to notify guests of this change ahead of time. How did you know this MSC Sinfonia change would occur so early on? You seemed to have some inside knowledge on the situation ahead of time. Was this your first time cruising with MSC Cruises? If so, I'm sure this entire process has ruined your perception of the line. It's such a shame. 

[brian amos]

Shame is not the word I would use, but seeing that there are ladies on here, leave it SHAME, in AUSTRALIA WE CALL IT BLOODY DISCUSTING, FROM MSC AU, no customer care what so ever

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@brian amos What compensation did the cruise line offer you for this cancellation? Was there any option for you to receive a flight credit from the airline company with documentation of the cruise cancellation? I really hope you were able to get your money back or at least a credit so you could try a do-over. I'm not sure where you were cruising from but flights to Australia aren't known to be affordable. Did MSC Cruises allow for you to rebook on another MSC Sinfonia itinerary?