Unfortunately, sometimes we need to cancel a cruise. Work, health, or any number of other things can pop up and change our plans, but no one wants to waste their hard-earned vacation money, regardless of the reason.
It is always a good idea to understand cancellation policies before booking. Details regarding how much money you will get back, time frames, and processes are all things we need to know ahead of time.
For those considering an MSC Cruise in the future, here is everything you need to know about their cancellation and refund policies.
Guide to MSC Cruises deposits and final payments
Standard cruise booking procedures require customers to put a deposit down to secure their reservation. For MSC Cruises, they require a non-refundable deposit based on the following criteria:
- $99 per adult on cruises 4 nights or less
- $199 per adult for cruises 5-14 nights
- $300 per person for cruises 15 nights or longer
Note that children 17 and under sailing as the 3rd or 4th passenger in a stateroom do not require an additional deposit.
This means that if your family of four is traveling on a 7-night cruise and you have two children who are 6 and 17, you will only have to pay $398 in deposits to secure your booking.
Final payment is due no later than 75 days before departure for cruises 4-nights or less, 90 days prior to departure for 5 to 14-nights, and 110 days prior to departure for 15-nights or more. For a World Cruise, full payment is required no later than 120 days prior to departure.
Once booked, the deposit is largely non-refundable.
MSC Cruises' cancellation policy
MSC Cruises separates its cancellation penalties based on the number of nights sailed. For instance, if your cruise is 4 nights or less, you will be subject to cancellation penalties 50 days before your sailing.
For cruises between 5 and 14 nights, the 50% penalty moves farther out to 60 days, meaning that you have a little extra time to decide whether you're able to sail or not before incurring penalties:
Note that the above only applies to standard cabins. If you are cruising in the exclusive Yacht Club or going on a World Cruise, your terms and conditions will be different.
MSC Yacht Club
In addition, cruisers can cancel closer to their sailing date. The actual date, however, varies based on your cruise's length:
For cruises that are 4 nights or less, you are subject to a 50% penalty once you are 50 days from departure. If your cruise is 5 nights or longer, the 50% penalty kicks in 60 days from sail away.
World Cruises
MSC Cruises offers some spectacular world cruises for those who want to see as much of the world as possible from the comfort of a cruise ship.
In 2026, MSC Magnifica will depart on a 132-night sailing that will visit 46 different ports in 33 countries, including 7 overnight stops. Similarly, there's another cruise in 2027 if you need a little bit more time to plan and/or retire!
The 2027 World Cruise will also be onboard the MSC Magnifica. At 121 nights, this voyage will be a little shorter, meaning that it will only visit 45 destinations in 25 countries.
When booking major cruises such as these so far in advance, it is essential to understand cancellation policies. Below are the policies for the 2026 and 2027 World Cruises:
- 90 days or more prior to departure: 15% penalty
- 89-10 days prior to departure: 75% penalty
- 9-0 days prior to departure: 100% penalty
Other important MSC Cruises terms and conditions
MSC’s terms and conditions indicate that no refund will be issued if a guest voluntarily or involuntarily does not show up for their cruise or is denied boarding for any reason, including failure to possess required travel documents, passport, or visa.
For example, if your passport has expired and you can’t cruise, you will not qualify for a refund. This is why it is important to check your passport's expiration date as soon as possible. If you realize that it's expired a few days before your cruise, you might be out of luck.
Another common situation is if someone in a cabin can’t go, but others still want to sail. MSC calls this a partial booking cancellation, and the remaining passenger occupying the cabin for single use will be assessed a 100% single surcharge. Alternatively, to add a new guest, a name change fee of $75 will apply to any booking within 89 days prior to sailing. There is a limit of 1 name change per reservation.
MSC further specifies that cancellation charges are assessed on total fares, which include the cruise fare, air add-ons, hotel packages, and any other additional services arranged through MSC Cruises. Government taxes and fees will be refunded.
What happens if my flight is delayed and I miss my MSC cruise?
When flying to a cruise port, you must book your flights at least one day before your ship is scheduled to depart.
If you book a flight the morning of and it gets delayed or canceled, the ship will not wait for you. You'll be deemed a no-show and won't receive any kind of refund!
Read more: The costly cruising mistake newbies make when planning their first cruise
MSC Cruises' travel insurance
Travel insurance is an important add-on to any cruise vacation. Not only does it cover trip cancellation and interruptions, but you will also get benefits like emergency assistance and transportation, medical and dental coverage, and more.
MSC Cruises' insurance is administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc. via Generali Global Assistance. Per their website, the policy's pricing is dependent on the guests' ages, as well as the total cost of their cruise vacation.
For example, a passenger who is 30 and spent $2,500 on their vacation would be charged $230 for insurance, while someone over the age of 75 would be charged $436.
Moreover, it is important to note that travel insurance benefits are extended to children 17 and under who are sharing a room with one or more adults who purchased a travel insurance plan, meaning that they won't have to get their own plan!
When it comes to coverage, there's a minimum and maximum of what the policy will cover per individual:
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption: 100% of the trip cost is insured.
- Travel Delay ($200 per day): Minimum of $600 and maximum of $6,000.
- Medical and Dental Coverage: Minimum of $25,000 and maximum of $100,000.
- Emergency Assistance and Transportation ($10,000 emergency companion hospitality expenses): Minimum of $50,000 and maximum of $500,000.
- Baggage Coverage: Minimum of $1,000 and maximum of $10,000.
- Baggage Delay: Minimum of $100 and maximum of $1,000.
- Accidental Death & Dismemberment/Air Flight Accident: Minimum of $25,000 and maximum of $250,000.
Read more: Cruise travel insurance and why you need it
Chantal McPhee
Chantal McPhee has a great passion for travel since first venturing to the Bahamas as a child with her grandparents. Today, she loves cruising with her husband and two daughters to new places and aspires one day to do a world cruise. Living on the east coast of Canada, she shares cruising tips and information with fellow Canucks seeking a reprieve from the great white north. She also teaches business studies at a university, with a focus on strategy
