MSC Cruises cruise policies
MSC Cruises Policies: Deposits, Final Payment, Cancellation, Hotel Service Charge, Dress Code and Age Rules
Every booking rule that affects your wallet or your packing list, on one page: what you pay when you book, when the balance is due, what it costs to cancel, the daily Hotel Service Charge, what to wear at dinner and who can sail. Figures are MSC's own, from the booking terms that apply to cruises booked in the United States.
Deposit
The deposit is per person and depends on the length of the cruise. Outside the MSC Yacht Club the standard deposit is refundable until the cancellation schedule starts; MSC Yacht Club suites and the World Cruise take a nonrefundable deposit from the moment you pay. The deposit is due at booking, by the option date MSC gives you (one to seven days, depending on demand).
| Cruise length | Deposit |
|---|---|
| 4 nights or fewer | $99 per person |
| 5 to 14 nights | $199 per person |
| 15 nights or longer | $300 per person |
| MSC Yacht Club, any length | Same $99, $199 or $300 per person, nonrefundable |
| MSC World Cruise | 15% of the package price per person, nonrefundable, due within 7 days of the booking confirmation |
Good to know
- The standard deposit is refundable until the cancellation schedule begins: 74 days before a cruise of 4 nights or fewer, 89 days before a 5 to 14 night cruise and 109 days before a cruise of 15 nights or longer. From those dates the deposit is the minimum charge.
- MSC Yacht Club deposits are nonrefundable from the day you pay them, whatever the sailing date.
- MSC also sells, from time to time, a discounted fare with a nonrefundable deposit. That deposit is kept whenever you cancel and sits outside the normal cancellation schedule; your invoice says which fare you have.
- Flights booked through MSC must be paid in full at booking, on top of the cruise deposit, and the airfare becomes nonrefundable 24 hours after booking.
- Promotional fares can carry their own deposit; the promotional terms current at verification repeat the same $99, $199 and $300 tiers.
Final payment
The balance must reach MSC by the deadline below or MSC can cancel the booking without notice and apply the cancellation charges. Book inside the window and the full fare is due at booking.
Standard schedule
| Cruise length | Balance due |
|---|---|
| 4 nights or fewer | 75 days before sailing |
| 5 to 14 nights | 90 days before sailing |
| 15 nights or longer | 110 days before sailing |
| MSC World Cruise 2026, 2027 and 2028 | 120 days before sailing |
Good to know
- The same deadlines apply to MSC Yacht Club suites and to holiday sailings; MSC does not publish a separate holiday schedule.
- The cruise fare excludes the Hotel Service Charge, drinks, specialty dining, excursions, transfers and government fees, taxes and port expenses. MSC can collect an increase in government fees and taxes that takes effect before sailing even after you have paid in full.
- Apart from those fees, MSC cannot change the price once it has received full payment or inside 20 days of departure, whichever comes first.
Cancellation charges
Charges are a percentage of the total fare (cruise fare, hotel packages and other services arranged through MSC) and depend on when MSC receives the cancellation. Government fees and taxes are refunded. Airfare booked through MSC is charged separately and is nonrefundable 24 hours after booking. Where a percentage would come to less than the deposit, the deposit is kept instead.
Staterooms and suites outside the MSC Yacht Club
Every sailing except those that include Asia or Far East destinations.
| Cruise length | Days before sailing | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| 4 nights or fewer | 75 days or more | No charge on the standard fare (nonrefundable deposits excepted) |
| 4 nights or fewer | 74 to 51 days | Deposit |
| 4 nights or fewer | 50 to 31 days | 50% |
| 4 nights or fewer | 30 to 16 days | 75% |
| 4 nights or fewer | 15 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
| 5 to 14 nights | 90 days or more | No charge on the standard fare (nonrefundable deposits excepted) |
| 5 to 14 nights | 89 to 61 days | Deposit |
| 5 to 14 nights | 60 to 46 days | 50% |
| 5 to 14 nights | 45 to 16 days | 75% |
| 5 to 14 nights | 15 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
| 15 nights or longer | 110 days or more | No charge on the standard fare (nonrefundable deposits excepted) |
| 15 nights or longer | 109 to 61 days | Deposit |
| 15 nights or longer | 60 to 46 days | 50% |
| 15 nights or longer | 45 to 16 days | 75% |
| 15 nights or longer | 15 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
MSC Yacht Club
Every sailing except the World Cruise. The deposit is nonrefundable from the day it is paid.
| Cruise length | Days before sailing | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| 4 nights or fewer | 51 days or more | Deposit |
| 4 nights or fewer | 50 to 31 days | 50% |
| 4 nights or fewer | 30 to 16 days | 75% |
| 4 nights or fewer | 15 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
| 5 nights or longer | 61 days or more | Deposit |
| 5 nights or longer | 60 to 46 days | 50% |
| 5 nights or longer | 45 to 16 days | 75% |
| 5 nights or longer | 15 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
Sailings that include Asia or Far East destinations
Staterooms and suites outside the MSC Yacht Club; the World Cruise is excluded.
| Cruise length | Days before sailing | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| 5 nights or fewer | 89 to 75 days | Deposit |
| 5 nights or fewer | 74 to 61 days | 50% |
| 5 nights or fewer | 60 to 31 days | 75% |
| 5 nights or fewer | 30 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
| 6 to 14 nights | 120 to 90 days | Deposit |
| 6 to 14 nights | 89 to 75 days | 25% |
| 6 to 14 nights | 74 to 61 days | 50% |
| 6 to 14 nights | 60 to 31 days | 75% |
| 6 to 14 nights | 30 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
| 15 nights or longer | 120 to 90 days | Deposit |
| 15 nights or longer | 89 to 75 days | 25% |
| 15 nights or longer | 74 to 61 days | 50% |
| 15 nights or longer | 60 to 31 days | 75% |
| 15 nights or longer | 30 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
MSC World Cruise 2026, 2027 and 2028
The whole World Cruise package.
| Cruise length | Days before sailing | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| World Cruise | 90 days or more | 15% of the package price (the deposit) |
| World Cruise | 89 to 10 days | 75% |
| World Cruise | 9 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
Good to know
- MSC takes cancellations by telephone from the passenger or the travel agent, so tell SmartCruiser and we phone it in the same day; the charge is set by the day MSC receives the call.
- A no-show, a denied boarding for missing travel documents and leaving the ship early all count as a cancellation on the day of departure: 100% charge, and prepaid drink packages, internet, spa, excursions and Hotel Service Charges are not refunded either.
- Name changes cost $50 per name from the start of the penalty period until 7 days before departure, and one original passenger must stay on the booking; otherwise it is a cancellation. Bookings that include MSC airfare allow no name changes.
- Date changes on a Bella fare cost $50 per person; Fantastica, Aurea and MSC Yacht Club bookings get one free date change, then $50. In every case the request must reach MSC at least 30 days before departure and the new date must be within 90 days of the original; anything else is a cancellation, and the original date sets the charge.
- If one guest cancels and leaves a companion alone in the cabin, the remaining guest pays a 100% single supplement.
- Refunds go back to the original credit card, or to SmartCruiser when we made the payment for you, and we pass them straight on. MSC's terms let it issue a refund as a cruise credit certificate valid for at least a year, at its option.
- MSC can waive the charges at its discretion when a force majeure event at the destination makes the cruise or the journey to it impossible.
Gratuities
MSC calls its daily gratuity the Hotel Service Charge. It is added automatically to each guest's shipboard account for every guest aged 2 and over, for the number of days service is actually provided, and shared among the dining, housekeeping and behind-the-scenes staff. The rate depends on the itinerary and on when you booked; you can prepay it with the booking.
| Stateroom | Daily gratuity |
|---|---|
| Caribbean, Alaska and U.S. sailings, staterooms and suites outside the Yacht Club (booked from May 11, 2026) | $17 per guest, per night |
| Caribbean, Alaska and U.S. sailings, MSC Yacht Club (booked from May 11, 2026) | $23 per guest, per night |
| Same sailings booked before May 11, 2026 | $16 per guest, per night ($20 in the MSC Yacht Club) |
| Children under 2 on the departure date | No charge |
Good to know
- Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Northern Europe, Antilles, Middle East and World Cruise sailings charge in euros: 12 EUR per adult per night and 10 EUR per child aged 2 to 17 (6 EUR for ages 2 to 11 on cruises booked before July 2, 2026); MSC Yacht Club 16 EUR and 13 EUR. Far East sailings charge $18 ($21 in the Yacht Club), and Grand Voyages from the Americas and South Africa $17 per adult and $14 per child aged 2 to 17 ($21 and $17 in the Yacht Club).
- Drinks bought by the glass carry a beverage gratuity on top of the menu price; MSC's U.S. site does not publish the percentage. Prepaid and onboard drink packages already include it.
- The Hotel Service Charge is part of the prepaid items MSC does not refund after a no-show, denied boarding or early disembarkation; cancel the cruise before departure and it is refunded with the rest of the booking.
Dress code
Days are casual, evenings in the restaurants, theater and lounges step up to a more polished look, and each cruise has at least one Gala Night. MSC publishes the standard but leaves the exact outfit to you: on Gala Night, in its words, your attire should fit your own level of elegance.
Daytime
Casual wear; shorts and T-shirts are fine. Swimwear stays at the pool and is never allowed in a restaurant, even at breakfast or lunch.
Evening
A more polished look in the main dining rooms, specialty restaurants, theater, bars and lounges: collared shirts, tailored trousers or shorts, skirts and dresses. Bring a light jacket or sweater for air-conditioned rooms.
Gala Night
Dress to impress: a tuxedo, suit and tie, evening gown or cocktail dress, or your best jeans and polo shirt. T-shirts, shorts, flip-flops and tank tops are not allowed in the dining rooms on Gala Night.
MSC Yacht Club
Casual by day in the Yacht Club restaurant and Top Sail Lounge (no swimwear), smart casual by night with no shorts or flip-flops, and elegant on Gala evenings: cocktail dresses, blazers, designer jeans with a dress top, or a tuxedo or gown.
Dress Your Best nights
| Cruise length | Formal nights |
|---|---|
| Any length | MSC does not publish a number per cruise length; the Daily Program on board lists each Gala Night |
House rules
- Shorts, flip-flops and tank tops are not allowed in the evening or on Gala Night in the main dining rooms, specialty restaurants or the MSC Yacht Club.
- Swimwear is not allowed in any formal dining venue at any meal, including breakfast and lunch.
- Restaurant hosts and management can enforce stricter rules than the published guidelines, and the dress rules posted outside the buffet apply there.
- MSC runs daytime and evening theme parties; pack something white for the White Party and bright colors for the Sunshine Party.
- Going ashore, cover knees and shoulders for religious sites, and leave camouflage at home: it is illegal to wear in several Caribbean countries.
Age rules
MSC's age rules depend on whether the itinerary includes a U.S. port. Age is counted on the day of embarkation.
Minimum age to sail without a parent or guardian
| Departure | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Itineraries that include a U.S. port (all nationalities) | 21 |
| Itineraries that never touch a U.S. port | 18 |
Stateroom assignment
MSC does not assign a stateroom to minors without at least one adult in it. On any itinerary with a U.S. port a guest aged 18 to 20 may have a stateroom alone as long as the booking includes someone 21 or older; anyone under 21 must travel with a parent or legal guardian, with a signed authorization letter from any parent who is not sailing. The only exception for under-18s is a parent or guardian traveling alone with two or more minors who asks at booking and signs a liability waiver: one minor of 12 or older, or two minors with the oldest at least 12 and the youngest at least 8, may share a connecting stateroom with a locked balcony or an interior stateroom within three doors on the same corridor, and the parent buys a bracelet that opens it.
Infants
| Sailing | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Cruises of 10 nights or fewer | Infants under 2 are welcome; MSC publishes no minimum age but recommends medical advice before booking a child under 1 |
| Cruises of 11 nights or longer | 2 years on the day of embarkation |
| Back-to-back cruises adding up to 11 nights or more | The 2-year rule does not apply when the ship returns to its home port between the cruises |
Drinking age
| Departure or destination | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Sailings from North America, from the United Arab Emirates and at Ocean Cay and other private destinations | 21 |
| Sailings from Japan | 20 |
| Sailings from South America, Europe, Asia other than Japan, Australia and New Zealand | 18 |
| Any other sailing | The drinking age of the home port and the ports of call |
Good to know
- Casino: 18 and older, except Alaska sailings where it is 21. MSC Aurea Spa: 18 and older. Children under 18 must be with an adult after 1:00 a.m.
- Guests who will be more than 23 weeks and 6 days pregnant at any point during the cruise cannot sail; those earlier in pregnancy need a letter from an obstetrician or gynecologist confirming the pregnancy, the due date by ultrasound and fitness to travel, and the thermal area of the spa is off limits. Discover a pregnancy after booking and tell MSC within 7 days for a free move or refund.
- A guest who turns 21 (or 18) during the cruise can ask the Guest Relations Director, with government ID, to update the ship's records for the rest of the sailing.
- Kids clubs: Mini Club 3 to 6, Juniors 7 to 11, Young 12 to 14, Teens 15 to 17, all free; babies from 6 months use the Mini Club with a parent.
- Smoking and vaping are banned in staterooms and on balconies and anywhere not marked as a smoking area; a violation costs a $250 deep-cleaning fee and can end the cruise. Marijuana, including medical marijuana, is prohibited on board and at Ocean Cay.
- An infant who does not meet the age rule is denied boarding with no refund, so check the embarkation day against the birthday before you book a cruise of 11 nights or longer.
How SmartCruiser handles the fine print for you
- We put your 75, 90 or 110 day final payment date on our calendar and remind you before it, so a booking never cancels by accident.
- Before final payment we watch your sailing for MSC price drops and promotions and reprice the booking when the line allows it.
- MSC takes cancellations and date changes by phone, so we handle cancellations, name changes and stateroom moves with MSC directly and tell you the exact charge before you decide.
- Prepaid Hotel Service Charges, drink and internet packages, flights and insurance go on your invoice if you want them, and your MSC Voyagers Club number goes on the reservation.
- SmartCruiser adds bonus onboard credit on top of MSC's own offers on every sailing. Ask for it when you call 1-800-444-1560.
Last verified October 13, 2026 against MSC Cruises's own pages: Standard Booking Terms and Conditions (USA), Hotel Service Charges, Promotional terms (deposit tiers), FAQ: dress code, minors and infants, Guest Conduct Policy, June 3, 2026, Guest Conduct Policy, February 27, 2026 (drinking ages), Conditions of Carriage. These deposit, payment and cancellation terms are MSC's Standard Booking Terms and Conditions for cruises booked in the USA or through MSC Cruises (USA) LLC. The msccruisesusa.com web page headed Terms and Conditions shows a European version in euros; the U.S. terms are the PDF linked below. The United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, Australia and other markets have their own booking conditions. Policies change; the cruise line's ticket contract and the terms on your booking confirmation govern.
Questions
MSC Cruises policy FAQ
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Ask a MSC Cruises specialist
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