MSC Cruises has
responded to an
outcry from travel
agents whose passengers
were bumped from an
upcoming cruise by dedicating
a team to reaccommodate
passengers.
Agents have had to
scramble to re-accommodate
clients after MSC Cruises
bumped passengers off
an April 9 departure to
accommodate a themed
cruise, booking out the entire
vessel.
One of the affected agents,
Doriane Roque Riberia,
senior leisure consultant
at Sure Travel Scene, says
she had a group of 35
passengers affected by the
booking. According to her,
only after she complained to
management were her clients
re-accommodated on the
departure they requested.
She says all 35 passengers
were re-accommodated, most
of them in the same class
of cabins they had booked,
although some had to be
downgraded.
Fredah Morena, another
consultant at Sure Travel
Scene, is also affected by the
cancellation. She explains
that her booking is further
complicated by the fact that
her clients have booked flight
tickets as part of the cruise.
As a result, the clients will
have to incur additional costs
to change their flights.
Fredah says the clients are
really unhappy about this.
MSC Cruises md, Ross
Volk, explains that the
company caters for numerous
themed cruises across the
season together with various
commercial partners. “In the
instance of April 9, we were
approached with a possible
themed cruise and made a
commercial decision thereon.
We have dedicated a full
team to direct passengers
and trade to facilitate a free
cruise move for either 17/18
or 18/19.”
According to Ross,
trade was notified prior
to any communication to
passengers to ensure as
little inconvenience as
possible.
However, Doriane maintains
that her clients were
informed before her and that
she was actually informed
of the cancellation by her
clients.
