MSC Cruises: Refunds and Cancellation Explained

MSC Cruises is one of the world’s leading cruise lines, offering a variety of itineraries and destinations across the globe. Whether you want to explore the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Northern Europe, or the exotic MSC World Cruises, you can find a cruise that suits your preferences and budget. MSC Cruises also boasts a modern and innovative fleet of 23 ships, featuring state-of-the-art amenities, entertainment, dining, and sustainability.

However, sometimes life happens and you may need to cancel or change your cruise plans. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about MSC Cruises’ refund and cancellation policies, including the fees, deadlines, exceptions, and options.

By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of how to cancel or get a refund on your MSC cruise, and how to avoid or minimize any potential losses.

What is MSC Cruises’ cancellation policy?

MSC Cruises’ cancellation policy varies depending on the length of your cruise, the type of booking, and the time of cancellation. Generally, the earlier you cancel, the less penalty you will incur. However, some bookings are non-refundable or subject to higher cancellation fees.

Here is a summary of MSC Cruises’ cancellation policy for cruises booked in the USA and/or through MSC Cruises (USA) LLC:

Cruise Length	Cancellation Period	Cancellation Fee
4 nights or less	60 days or more before departure	No penalty
	59-30 days before departure	50% of total fare
	29-15 days before departure	75% of total fare
	14 days or less before departure	100% of total fare
5-14 nights	90 days or more before departure	No penalty
	89-61 days before departure	Deposit amount or 15% of total fare, whichever is greater
	60-31 days before departure	50% of total fare
	30-15 days before departure	75% of total fare
	14 days or less before departure	100% of total fare
15 nights or more	110 days or more before departure	No penalty
	109-61 days before departure	Deposit amount or 15% of total fare, whichever is greater
	60-31 days before departure	50% of total fare
	30-15 days before departure	75% of total fare
	14 days or less before departure	100% of total fare

The cancellation fee is calculated based on the total fare, which includes cruise fare, air-add-on, hotel packages, shore excursions, and any other additional service arranged through MSC Cruises. Taxes, fees, and port charges are refundable on all cancellations, except for no-shows and early departures.

For MSC Yacht Club and World Cruise bookings, the deposit is never refundable and the cancellation fees are higher. For MSC Yacht Club bookings, the cancellation fee is 100% of the total fare if cancelled within 90 days before departure. For World Cruise bookings, the cancellation fee is 100% of the total fare if cancelled within 120 days before departure.

For MSC Cruises and Formula 1® bookings, the cancellation policy is different and applies exclusively to these reservations. Please refer to the MSC Cruises and Formula 1® Terms and Conditions for more details.

What is MSC Cruises’ refund policy?

MSC Cruises’ refund policy depends on whether you cancel your cruise or MSC Cruises cancels your cruise. If you cancel your cruise, you may be eligible for a full or partial refund, depending on the cancellation policy and the time of cancellation. If MSC Cruises cancels your cruise, you may be offered a future cruise credit or a full refund, depending on the reason and the circumstances of the cancellation.

If you cancel your cruise and are entitled to a refund, you will receive the refund in the same form of payment that you used to make the booking. The refund will be processed within 30 days of receiving your cancellation request. However, some credit card companies may take longer to post the refund to your account.

If MSC Cruises cancels your cruise due to unforeseen events or circumstances beyond its control, such as COVID-19, weather, mechanical issues, or safety reasons, you will be notified as soon as possible and offered a future cruise credit or a full refund. The future cruise credit is usually valid for 12 months from the date of issue and can be used for any future cruise of your choice. The full refund will be processed within 30 days of receiving your request.

If you choose the future cruise credit option, you will receive an email with a voucher code and instructions on how to redeem it. You can use the voucher code online or through your travel agent to book your new cruise. The future cruise credit amount will be applied to your new booking as a payment. If the new booking is more expensive than the original one, you will have to pay the difference. If the new booking is cheaper than the original one, you will receive a new future cruise credit for the remaining amount.

If you choose the full refund option, you will have to wait for your future cruise credit to be issued first, and then contact MSC Cruises within a specific time frame to request the refund. The time frame will vary depending on the date and the reason of the cancellation. You can find the latest information on MSC Cruises’ website or contact MSC Cruises’ Contact Center for assistance.

How to cancel or change your MSC cruise booking?

If you need to cancel or change your MSC cruise booking, you can do so online or through your travel agent, depending on how you made the booking. To cancel or change your booking online, you will need to log in to your MSC account and access your booking details. You will be able to see the cancellation policy and fees applicable to your booking, and proceed with the cancellation or change request. You will receive a confirmation email with the details of your cancellation or change, and the refund or future cruise credit amount, if any.

To cancel or change your booking through your travel agent, you will need to contact your travel agent directly and follow their instructions. Your travel agent will handle the cancellation or change request on your behalf, and inform you of the cancellation policy and fees applicable to your booking, and the refund or future cruise credit amount, if any.

Please note that some bookings are not eligible for cancellation or change, such as MSC Yacht Club, World Cruise, and MSC Cruises and Formula 1® bookings. Please refer to the booking terms and conditions for more details.

How to contact MSC Cruises for refund or cancellation requests?

If you have any questions or concerns about MSC Cruises’ refund or cancellation policies, or if you need to request a refund or a future cruise credit, you can contact MSC Cruises’ Contact Center by phone, email, or online chat. The Contact Center is available 24/7 and can assist you in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and other languages. Here are the contact details of MSC Cruises’ Contact Center:

• Phone: 1-877-665-4655 (toll-free) or +1-305-436-0866 (international)
• Email: [email protected]

You can also visit MSC Cruises’ website for more information and resources, such as FAQs, brochures, terms and conditions.

What are the benefits of buying travel insurance for your MSC cruise?

Travel insurance is an optional but recommended service that can protect you from unexpected events or circumstances that may affect your cruise vacation, such as illness, injury, cancellation, interruption, delay, lost or damaged luggage, medical expenses, emergency evacuation and more. Travel insurance can provide you with peace of mind and financial security, as well as assistance and support in the event of an emergency.

MSC Cruises offers a comprehensive travel insurance plan that covers other risks and scenarios, such as:

• Cancellation or interruption of your cruise due to illness, injury, death or other covered reasons, up to the full cost of your cruise.
• Trip delay or missed connection due to weather, mechanical problems or other covered reasons, up to 500 euros per person.
• Loss or damage to baggage due to theft, fire or other covered reasons, up to 1,500 euros per person.
• Delay of baggage due to improper handling by the carrier or other covered reasons, up to 400 euros per person.
• Medical expenses or emergency evacuation due to illness, injury or accident, up to 200,000 euros per person.
• Repatriation of mortal remains in case of death, up to 10,000 euros per person.

Travel assistance and concierge services, such as legal, medical or travel advice, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The travel insurance plan costs 6.5% of the total cruise fare, and can be purchased at the time of booking or up to 15 days prior to departure.

However, please note that some benefits may overlap or be subject to exclusions or limitations. Please read the policy wording and insurance certificate carefully before making your decision.

Pros and Cons of MSC Cruises refund and cancellation policies

Conclusion

We hope that this article has been helpful and informative, and that you have a clear understanding of how to cancel or get a refund on your MSC cruise, and how to avoid or minimize any potential losses. We also hope that you have a wonderful and memorable cruise experience with MSC Cruises, and that you enjoy the beauty and diversity of the world.

We give MSC Cruises’ refund and cancellation policies a score of 4 out of 5, based on our research and evaluation. We think that MSC Cruises’ refund and cancellation policies are good, but not perfect, and that they have some room for improvement and optimization.