They thought it was a bad joke, but it wasn't. Hundreds of passengers on an MSC Cruises cruise ship were diverted to the northern United States and Canada instead of their original route to the Bahamas.
A mishap in the middle of which was Marco, a 46-year-old Frenchman originally from Montpellier (Hérault). He and his family booked the cruise in February. Their itinerary was well established: a few days in New York to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere of the Big Apple before returning to the Bahamas to a more pleasant warmth.
“At first we took it as a bit of a joke”
The program was planned to the letter. A departure from New York, then three stops: one in Port Canaveral, near Orlando (Florida), one in Nassau (Bahamas) and a final one on a private island in the Bahamas belonging to MSC Cruises. On December 16, he embarked with his wife, his two 14-year-old daughters and his 14- and 18-year-old nieces, for whom the trip was an unforgettable Christmas present.
“The suitcases were ready with swimsuits, shorts, T-shirts… and not much winter clothing,” explains Marco. Logical if we know that the temperature in Florida and the Bahamas is currently around 23 degrees. They boarded the liner without difficulty and left New York. According to her, the company never informed her about the route change. “We found out that the destination had changed on board when we realized that the first stopover was in Boston,” says Marco. We thought we were on the wrong boat. At first we thought it was a joke. »
Marco's family's program was well established: a few days in New York before returning to the Bahamas and their more pleasant warmth…
But the numerous travelers crowding the reception desk only reinforce his fears. Eventually he was informed that the itinerary had indeed been changed. The company explains that it made this decision the day before departure due to adverse weather conditions that posed a risk to passengers. Marco claims he has no written evidence, text or email, from the company to inform him of this change. When contacted by MSC Cruises, we did not respond to our inquiries.
According to the Montpellier resident, the Americans who were scheduled to board the ship were informed of the change in itinerary by email. The company told NBC that those passengers could choose to board or receive credit toward a future cruise. “The only alternative would have been to take the most extreme measure, namely completely canceling the cruise and vacation of thousands of people,” the company defended.
“We were presented with a fait accompli”
But for the Europeans concerned it was a cold shower: “We were faced with a fait accompli; it was only on the boat that we knew that we would not be going to the Bahamas.” For Marco, the problem is not so much the change of route, but rather the way the problem was handled by the company.
“We can understand the weather conditions. What bothers me is the management. For the maintenance of the huts we pay a service fee of 600 dollars (approx. 550 euros) on site, which could have been given to us as a gift. » He assures that no commercial gesture was offered as compensation, with the exception of a 20% discount on a future cruise. “We even received leaflets with other, much more attractive discounts on board,” regrets Marco.
Due to lack of reservation, stopovers cannot be used
Despite everything, Marco and his family still had the opportunity to take advantage of the stopovers offered, even if it was not the planned trip. But here too there were disappointments. “The great thing about cruises is the stopovers. We had planned activities during our Caribbean stopovers. But if you suddenly find out that you are changing the route, you have fewer options to prepare your excursions,” summarizes Marco.
By searching the Internet, those rejected look for an alternative. For 48 hours, the forty-year-old and his family were in Boston, where the temperature was around 10°C. “We visited Harvard University,” he explains, but the six Frenchmen quickly got back on board given the temperatures. There's actually no time to stay outside if you don't have the right clothes. Same thing in Portland: “When you see the city, you tell yourself it's not even worth it because of the cold. »
The MSC Meraviglia's swimming pool is not popular in the middle of the North American winter, when the cruise ship should have been in the Caribbean. DR
The spontaneous detour to Canada could have been an opportunity for a great experience despite the sub-zero temperatures in Saint John, New Brunswick. “It was a nice trip where we wanted to see icebergs and whales,” summarizes Marco. But here too a disappointment. “We tried to book, but it was too late, there was no space left.” The family tried to enjoy it, but “what could have been nice, we couldn’t organize it.” »
Marco and his family arrived in New York this Saturday at around 1:30 p.m. French time. For his daughters and nieces, the visit to the American city remains a beautiful experience. However, the pill is a little harder for his wife to swallow. “We are not asking for a refund for the cruise, we did it and the boat is great,” emphasizes Marco. But MSC, they will wait a long time for my return. »