'We can't go on our much-needed cruise'

Mollie Haugh said her family were missing out on a "much-needed" cruise

Mollie Haugh and her family are among MSC Cruises passengers who have been told that their trips are not going ahead.

Some passengers due to set sail with the cruise company are having their trips cancelled.

This is because the delay to easing Covid restrictions means the ships have been overbooked.

The company had sold tickets for the trips presuming that Covid restrictions would be lifted on the 21 June.

But the end of remaining coronavirus restrictions was shifted on Monday to 19 July after a rise in cases.

Passengers were only told yesterday that their trips would not be going ahead.

Cruise ships are allowed to hold up to 1,000 guests under current guidelines.

Those passengers no longer allowed to travel will be able to rebook or are entitled to a refund.

'Much-needed break'

But some passengers said rebooking would incur extra costs.

Mollie said: "This holiday was much-needed as a break for my sister's partner, who has worked tirelessly for the NHS throughout the pandemic, and my dad, who has also worked throughout the pandemic as a key worker.

"It was also a celebration for my mum's 50th, my 18th, and my sister and her partner's recent engagement."

Her family was offered either a refund or to rebook in August, but rebooking would have cost extra, she said.

"Not only did we have the cruise booked, we were also travelling from Manchester down to Southampton, and so were staying in a hotel overnight," she said.

"We had also booked car parking for the duration of our cruise, various different cruise insurance and Covid insurance [policies], as well as PCR coronavirus tests.

"So now we have the task of trying to claim our money back for each, if we are able to," Mollie added.

The company said it "had fully expected that most restrictions would be removed from 21 June onwards and so was ready to host more than 1,000 guests on its flagship, MSC Virtuosa".

The first 1,000 guests to have booked on cruises between those dates will be the ones to get the places on board, MSC said.

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Customers voiced complaints about a lack of information from the company and a difficulty in contacting them.

They said the option to rebook for later in the summer could mean few spaces are available.

Andy Hunt from Essex was due to set sail from Southampton.

"Now they've had my money, we had the suitcases out of the garage, I've got the week booked off, my wife has the week booked off, the dogs are booked into kennels.

"I'm really, really frustrated. It could have been handled so much better."

Simon Newton is one passenger who is still waiting to hear if he can travel. "Our much anticipated holiday, that has cost us nearly £4,000, is just sitting with no advice on whether we will be going or not," he said.

Another passenger, Johanna Cross, claims the company took her funds after the announcement that the restrictions were to be extended.

"We have a limited time period to go away due to school summer holidays and my husband's work pattern," she said.

"By the time MSC sorts this out everything will be booked and we could be waiting months for a refund."

Daniel Robinson said his family was deeply disappointed: "We have spent hundreds on clothes as we needed smarter clothing for the evenings and I have a 10 and 14-year-old boys who normally live in sportswear."

Eloushka and Liz Godsmark were due to go on an MSC cruise

Nia Godsmark was impressed with an MSC cruise she went on in May, so decided to take her family on another cruise in June.

The second trip was booked at the beginning of the month as a treat for Nia's mother Liz and her daughter Eloushka, and cost nearly £6,500.

The travel agent they used told the family that MSC was not overbooking, but MSC then cancelled the cruise on Thursday. The Godsmarks were offered an alternative cruise, but would have had to pay more.

"Or we can have a refund which will take however long it takes," Nia said.

They are disappointed that MSC took payment from them "knowing that there was a very real possibility we would be cancelled".

"We are really disappointed with MSC's approach and feel it is particularly damaging to the cruise industry," she said.

There are also complaints about the extra money travellers have spent to get to ports, covering parking and hotels.

Cruises were sold with a 30% discount for NHS workers.

MSC Cruises said it was "disappointed that it has been necessary for the government to delay the planned easing of Covid restrictions in England".

It said current capacity restrictions on indoor venues limit its cruise ship to operating with a maximum of 1,000 passengers at any given time.