MSC Scam: "Guaranteed Ocean View"

Hi everyone, As you can see, it says "guaranteed ocean view" on the booking. And here’s the result: a tiny cabin with the view completely blocked. I paid for a porthole, and when I went to see the MSC receptionist, they told me it was impossible to change cabins. Yet later, I found out that someone in an inside cabin was upgraded to an ocean-view porthole—good for them, but I feel like they really messed with me. I’m so disappointed; I’d saved up for this. And I’m furious that they don’t care at all about my dissatisfaction. I’m thinking about contacting a mediator to see if they can help. Do you have any advice? Thanks in advance.

Hello, I don’t think the Ombudsman will be of any use. You chose the "BELLA" option, which doesn’t allow you to select your cabin number. With this option, the cabin assigned depends on what’s left, and there’s a small chance of being "upgraded" if cabins are available. By paying a little more for the "Fantastica" option, you could have chosen your cabin number and location, among other benefits. For your next cruise, check the cabin plan for the ship you’ll be sailing on and note down the cabin numbers you’re interested in. Then discuss with your travel advisor about the remaining cabins, as each agency has a limited number of cabins for sale. Verify the numbers on the plan—cabins with "obstructed views" are marked. Choose an agency that’s part of "ATOUT FRANCE" and "APST", which offer guarantees in case the agency you booked with goes bankrupt. Alternatively, book directly with the cruise line, but you won’t always have the same contact for inquiries. Also, keep in mind that if you request a cabin change on board, you’ll have to pay a supplement. This happened to some friends, and the cruise line charged them 500 € per person for the change. Lajeunesse.

Hi there, It’s unfortunately the game with guaranteed cabins—you pay less but run the risk of getting a cabin with an obstructed view. Unfortunately, there’s no recourse for this since you accepted the terms upfront.

For my next cruise, I also opted for a guaranteed balcony cabin, but I made sure beforehand that there were no obstructed views for balcony cabins.

Thanks for your explanations—I’ll be careful next time. That said, I *did* specifically insist on a sea view with the agency. No luck this time, but I’ll definitely use your great tips. Thanks again! 😉

Hi there, No matter how much you insist, if you don’t book the cabin that guarantees it, you can easily end up with an obstructed view—that’s just part of the category. You would’ve had to pay more and go for a Fantastica cabin to choose your own cabin number. That said, the agency should’ve told you that with a Bella cabin, there’s no guarantee you won’t have an obstructed view. Maybe you didn’t want to spend more budget-wise?

Hello, It’s unfortunately the game with guaranteed cabins... you pay less but run the risk of a cabin with an obstructed view. You unfortunately have no recourse for this since you accepted it from the start.

For my next cruise, I also chose a guaranteed balcony cabin, but I made sure beforehand that there were no obstructed views for the balcony cabins.

Thanks, I’ll be careful next time, and your advice will save me from wasting my time. Have a good Sunday!