MSC Status Program

[nikkiw60]

12 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

I think MSC was still being generous in November.

If you see my post they were still being generous this week!

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, nikkiw60 said:

If you see my post they were still being generous this week!

 

Hilton Diamond is a very exclusive level, so I don't consider it generous to get MSC Black.  If they gave that to Hilton Gold, that would be generous.  I didn't even ask for that match.  Earlier posts here showed Celebrity Elite getting Black – no more, we only got MSC Gold [good enough really] and some who had been given Black have had it rescinded and moved down to Gold.  People were marveling at how generous the original matches were, and I have to agree that the present system seems reasonable.

[nikkiw60]

58 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Hilton Diamond is a very exclusive level, so I don't consider it generous to get MSC Black.  If they gave that to Hilton Gold, that would be generous.  I didn't even ask for that match.  Earlier posts here showed Celebrity Elite getting Black – no more, we only got MSC Gold [good enough really] and some who had been given Black have had it rescinded and moved down to Gold.  People were marveling at how generous the original matches were, and I have to agree that the present system seems reasonable.

Sorry am being thick? Don’t understand your comment re Hilton Diamond? Diamond higher than Gold, MSC Black higher than Gold?

[Host Jazzbeau]

17 minutes ago, nikkiw60 said:

Sorry am being thick? Don’t understand your comment re Hilton Diamond? Diamond higher than Gold, MSC Black higher than Gold?

 

Hilton has 4 levels: Blue, Silver, Gold and Diamond.  You get Blue just for joining and Silver just by getting a no-fee Hilton credit card.  Gold requires either an annual fee credit card or lots of stays.  Diamond requires either a very expensive credit card or practically living in Hilton properties.  MSC has five levels: Welcome (just for booking), Classic (one cruise), Silver, Gold and Black.

 

Initially it seems that MSC was matching middle levels to Black; now they are only giving Black to the higher levels in other plans, but they are still being generous in handing out Gold (rather than Silver) in many situations.  E.g. Celebrity Elite is two down from the top, so they could have mapped me to MSC Silver, which is two down from their top – but instead they gave me Gold, which is only one down from their top.

 

BTW, this whole naming thing shows me how loyalty programs (and product categories) have outgrown the initial visions.  In popular speech, the 'gold standard' means the top.  But in loyalty programs Gold is often a middling level and there is no uniformity in what is considered better than Gold.  Platinum?  I guess it costs more per ounce, so ok.  But why Black?  Or why is Johnny Walker Blue better than Black?  No rhyme or reason! 

[nikkiw60]

5 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Hilton has 4 levels: Blue, Silver, Gold and Diamond.  You get Blue just for joining and Silver just by getting a no-fee Hilton credit card.  Gold requires either an annual fee credit card or lots of stays.  Diamond requires either a very expensive credit card or practically living in Hilton properties.  MSC has five levels: Welcome (just for booking), Classic (one cruise), Silver, Gold and Black.

 

Initially it seems that MSC was matching middle levels to Black; now they are only giving Black to the higher levels in other plans, but they are still being generous in handing out Gold (rather than Silver) in many situations.  E.g. Celebrity Elite is two down from the top, so they could have mapped me to MSC Silver, which is two down from their top – but instead they gave me Gold, which is only one down from their top.

 

BTW, this whole naming thing shows me how loyalty programs (and product categories) have outgrown the initial visions.  In popular speech, the 'gold standard' means the top.  But in loyalty programs Gold is often a middling level and there is no uniformity in what is considered better than Gold.  Platinum?  I guess it costs more per ounce, so ok.  But why Black?  Or why is Johnny Walker Blue better than Black?  No rhyme or reason! 

My husband does spend 2 nights a week in Hilton properties as does his friend who used it to status match. We actually used a different top tier card a few years ago to match to Black. We now have enough points through our cruises had we started from scratch to be Gold.

Just to add to levels IHG top level is Spire which is a red card but this would only match you to MSC Gold.

[Dorset Cruiser]

On 5 January 2019 at 11:49 AM, Nunagoras said:

Things are always changing. As per what I understand from where I live MSC now is only status matching to black card, the top level loyalty membership members of their own land  hotel or air line partners. All the others are by the most part being given entry MSC club membership level which is gold card. TBHH, I absolutely agree with this particular measure in respect with all those whom like me have acquired some loyalty status "the hard way". I also understand the need to give some recognition to business partner loyalty membership programs. At least they need those partners to fuel their activity, so why not to recognize their clients fuelling their own activity? Have a nice day!...

We were status matched to Black in January 2017 courtesy of our Princess Elite status.  We sail on our second MSC cruise in April and are still Black but this expires in January 2020.  We are very grateful for this status match as there are a few very nice perks.  Not sure what will happen if we book another MSC cruise before the expiry date?

[ziggyuk]

34 minutes ago, Dorset Cruiser said:

We were status matched to Black in January 2017 courtesy of our Princess Elite status.  We sail on our second MSC cruise in April and are still Black but this expires in January 2020.  We are very grateful for this status match as there are a few very nice perks.  Not sure what will happen if we book another MSC cruise before the expiry date?

 

Your expiry is extended to three years from disembarkation of your last cruise, your expiry will become April 2022 after your next cruise.

[Dorset Cruiser]

6 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Your expiry is extended to three years from disembarkation of your last cruise, your expiry will become April 2022 after your next cruise.

Thanks, thats good to know 😀

[FiggyWig]

I've have cruised once with P&O and the loyalty status was honoured and  bumped into my 1 cruise with Princess late last year to instantly bring me in on the 2nd level. However I have 3 earlier cruises with Celebrity giving me Classic status on their loyalty programme and I used only the Celebrity loyalty when registering  with MSC. They have put me in on Silver which I am happy with for a 1st cruise.

But just wondering can you use multiple loyalty programmes to boost your status ? I didn't notice any opportunity to do this when registering.

Edited January 17, 2019 by FiggyWig

[Host Jazzbeau]

14 minutes ago, FiggyWig said:

But just wondering can you use multiple loyalty programmes to boost your status ? I didn't notice any opportunity to do this when registering.

 

No, you have to choose your highest level (without knowing exactly how it works ). Also you can only match once, so you have what you have. The big benefit is the 5% discount, which is included with Silver. 

[slapulator]

Question for you all. I did a status match back in 2014 and was matched to Black. We have taken cruises on MSC in 2014, 2016 and 2018 (July). All of them we been Black and all of them we have been in the YC. I just logged into my account to book another cruise and it lists me as Welcome (Orange) with no past booking history. Anyone else having a loss of status and history on there accounts?

[ziggyuk]

35 minutes ago, slapulator said:

Question for you all. I did a status match back in 2014 and was matched to Black. We have taken cruises on MSC in 2014, 2016 and 2018 (July). All of them we been Black and all of them we have been in the YC. I just logged into my account to book another cruise and it lists me as Welcome (Orange) with no past booking history. Anyone else having a loss of status and history on there accounts?

 

You are not alone, there have been a few reports of this.

The first thing I would do is ensure the expiry is extended by 3 years following return (I know this does not help now but might help others).

Others have been told to reapply, even though this is supposed to be a one time deal, others have successfully reapplied, the problem with reapplying is they dont always apply the same level (notably NCL platinum is now matching to gold not black).

I'm not sure what to advise except, in the first instance, kick up a fuss and don't accept the reapply line, they have the records and should be able to fix it.

[Skier52]

16 hours ago, Dorset Cruiser said:

We were status matched to Black in January 2017 courtesy of our Princess Elite status.  We sail on our second MSC cruise in April and are still Black but this expires in January 2020.  We are very grateful for this status match as there are a few very nice perks.  Not sure what will happen if we book another MSC cruise before the expiry date?

 

You will get a new expiry date if you actually book and sail on a cruise before that date, The new expiry date will be 3

 years from the disembarkation date.

 

Pete

 

[Beamafar]

9 hours ago, slapulator said:

Question for you all. I did a status match back in 2014 and was matched to Black. We have taken cruises on MSC in 2014, 2016 and 2018 (July). All of them we been Black and all of them we have been in the YC. I just logged into my account to book another cruise and it lists me as Welcome (Orange) with no past booking history. Anyone else having a loss of status and history on there accounts?

 

I wouldn't worry about it - a lot of people are having problems in this area with the website.  I've been showing as Classic since last April with no points indicated, despite the fact that I've been Black since 2014.  I have to contact the VC department after every cruise to ensure the correct points have been applied to my account.  As the VC rep said to me "It's a pain!" referring to the IT glitch.

[NOLAGrandma]

My hubby is cruising solo in the near future. We tried to do status match with our CCL Platinum and he is orange (welcome).

 

Has anyone had any luck doing status match with CCL points?

[Aao]

I have Hilton Diamond and Carnival Gold, which program would be best to submit the status match request? 

[nikkiw60]

34 minutes ago, Aao said:

I have Hilton Diamond and Carnival Gold, which program would be best to submit the status match request? 

Personally I would say Hilton Diamond it has got Black / Diamond status in the past.

[APDMOM]

On 1/17/2019 at 6:45 PM, slapulator said:

Question for you all. I did a status match back in 2014 and was matched to Black. We have taken cruises on MSC in 2014, 2016 and 2018 (July). All of them we been Black and all of them we have been in the YC. I just logged into my account to book another cruise and it lists me as Welcome (Orange) with no past booking history. Anyone else having a loss of status and history on there accounts?

Similar issues here...

 

I was matched to black and my husband was matched to gold (same status on RCI).  We took a cruise in June when I enjoyed all the benefits of black card.  Now, my status us showing as gold.  We are cruising on Meraviglia next week, and my boarding pass says I am diamond (the new black) and DH is gold  😂 

 

I did call MSC about my new gold status.  They said if I don’t have the welcome letter they sent me, I am out of luck.  Of course, as someone who purges “junk” and old e-mai, I no longer have my welcome letter. 

 

👉 So, keep that welcome letter or e-mail as evidence! 👈

Edited December 17, 2019 by APDMOM