Beware the MSC Voucher Scam!

In March 2013 we took our first cruise with MSC, had a great time, and purchased two vouchers from the MSC Musica Cruise Consultant on board before disembarking – to be used for €200 on-board credit on our next cruise. We also signed up as members and were told the vouchers were documented and the serial numbers of each were attached to our account.  We booked our next cruise for May 2014 soon after, and provided the serial numbers of the vouchers to our travel agent, who documented them and said that we needed to hang on to them to present when we embark on the cruise.

Upon check in at the Venice terminal, we were told by two separate MSC staff members that checked us in that we were to keep the vouchers until we get our invoices at the end of the cruise.  Once we got on the ship, we checked at Reception/Guest Services and were again told to wait until the end of the cruise when we received our invoices. 

On the second to last day of the cruise, I inquired at Reception/Guest Services to see a copy of our invoice thus far.  They had mistakenly charged us for 4 drink packages instead of 2, and they were able to immediately call and have the 2 extra charges removed.  I presented the vouchers for the fourth time, and was told to go upstairs to the Cruise Consultant, Maria Giovana Guarracino, as she was the only MSC Staff Member aboard the ship that could handle the vouchers.

We went to see Ms. Guarracino, and relayed to her the information that I had been given thus far and the four separate times I presented the vouchers to various MSC Staff Members.  Ms. Guarracino then told us that it was “TOO LATE” to apply the vouchers to our bill.  I of course protested, telling her again of all the different attempts that were made to apply the vouchers, as well as the fact that they were so easily able to call and remove the extra drink package charges.  She said that there was nothing she could do, as the main MSC offices were closed for the weekend and could not make that kind of adjustment to the bill until Monday. 

I was then instructed to call on Monday after we returned home from our cruise, and that the MSC Customer Service office would handle it and would be able to have both €200 vouchers credited back onto our card or issue us a check for the amount.

I called on Monday, and was told to go through my travel agency.  I called my travel agency, who tried contacting MSC but couldn’t get through. They left a message. This happened for three days. Finally on Thursday, customer service was able to get through to speak with someone at MSC, and she was told it would “NOT BE POSSIBLE” to apply the vouchers to our bill, because again it was “TOO LATE”. 

UNACCEPTABLE. My travel agency has filed a formal complaint to MSC on our behalf as of Thursday, and I will be continuing to call every day until this is rectified.

I would like to hear from anyone else that has had this happen to them as well. How long did it take for you to be appropriately reimbursed?