Voyager Club Status Match

[JamieLogical]

A few years ago, my husband and I were booked on an MSC sailing and I had nothing but problems with their shoreside customer service. There was a whole saga of getting a 10% discount applied and then there was also a major issue with my status match. At the time, I was Gold with NCL and I submitted the info for a status match and was rewarded with 1 whole Vogager Club point. I tried to argue with them, but got nowhere. We ended up canceling the cruise, due to all of the hours on the phone with customer service and the unresolved issues.

 

Fast forward to now and I am considering sailing with MSC next year when they come to New York. I am now Platinum with NCL and soon to be Elite with Celebrity. Is there any hope of getting my status match adjusted or am I just completely out of luck?

[JT1962]

It can’t hurt to try. Just submit at this link: 

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/manage-booking/msc-voyagers-club/status-match

 

If you haven’t gotten a reply in a week, resubmit it. They aren’t consistent on when they reply. 

[Tierun]

The famed @JamieLogicalis going to try MSC? I hope to enjoy the report as much as I do with your X sailings.

 

As far as the status match, it is reset if you don’t sail in 3yr timeframe. So try again, it can’t hurt.

[JamieLogical]

I tried resubmitting this morning and when I actually entered my NCL Latitudes number in the form, I got an error that it had already been matched. I tried leaving that out (it wasn't a required field) and I have already received a reply that I have been matched to Gold and now have 4300 points.... A HUGE improvement over the 1 point they gave me the first time around!

[JamieLogical]

18 hours ago, Tierun said:

The famed @JamieLogicalis going to try MSC? I hope to enjoy the report as much as I do with your X sailings.

 

As far as the status match, it is reset if you don’t sail in 3yr timeframe. So try again, it can’t hurt.

 

Ha! Maybe more like "infamous"!

 

I am very seriously considering a February sailing on the Seascape. It's only ~$1000 for a solo in a balcony with drinks and wifi on a brand new ship, which certainly seems like a steal. The trick will be flights to Miami, which are pricier Feb-Apr.

[Tierun]

7 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Ha! Maybe more like "infamous"!

 

I am very seriously considering a February sailing on the Seascape. It's only ~$1000 for a solo in a balcony with drinks and wifi on a brand new ship, which certainly seems like a steal. The trick will be flights to Miami, which are pricier Feb-Apr.

If you can find a flight that will work, do it. I was on Seashore back in April and it was a lovely vessel. Edge class was only ship I’ve been on that’s nicer. Imo

[EllieinNJ]

On 11/10/2022 at 4:23 PM, JamieLogical said:

I tried resubmitting this morning and when I actually entered my NCL Latitudes number in the form, I got an error that it had already been matched. I tried leaving that out (it wasn't a required field) and I have already received a reply that I have been matched to Gold and now have 4300 points.... A HUGE improvement over the 1 point they gave me the first time around!

Where do the points come from if you have never sailed MSC?  We are NCL platinum too and got matched to gold with  5 percent off for our Meraviglia cruise next October.

[JamieLogical]

2 minutes ago, EllieinNJ said:

Where do the points come from if you have never sailed MSC?  We are NCL platinum too and got matched to gold with  5 percent off for our Meraviglia cruise next October.

 

4300 points is the minimum number of points to be "Gold" with MSC, so that's the number of points they gave me.

[WoodyWindy]

7 hours ago, EllieinNJ said:

Where do the points come from if you have never sailed MSC?  We are NCL platinum too and got matched to gold with  5 percent off for our Meraviglia cruise next October.

Correct, since other than status qualification, MSC points are like "Whose Line is it Anyway?" points -  you can't "use" points for anything, so they don't matter. So, when you are matched, you get the exact number needed to qualify for the match level. Note, however, that the points DO expire if you don't cruise within 2 years, and you'll therefore lose your status. This is true whether they are granted or earned.

[gtaylor]

THREE years:

 

1.5

Length of Membership MSC Voyagers Club Membership is subject to a minimum of one cruise every three years. If the last cruise disembarkation date is over 3 years (36 months) or no cruise has been completed in 3 years after the enrolment date, membership to the MSC Voyagers Club program will expire. For example: if the last disembarkation date is 30.01.2015 and no cruises are completed by 30.01.2018, the membership will expire. If the registration date is 30.01.2015 and no cruises are completed by 30.01.2018, the membership will expire.

Should the membership expire, passengers must subscribe to the MSC Voyagers Club again. Subscription will be subject to the conditions stated. A new Club Identification Number will be assigned. If membership to the MSC Voyagers Club expires, all points earned are lost. For example: If a Diamond MSC Voyagers Club member with a points score of 12,000 does not sail for 3 years since their last disembarkation date, the 12,000 points will be lost. In order to start collecting points again, it will be necessary to subscribe to the MSC Voyagers Club again.

[JamieLogical]

Looking at the rewards for the various status levels for MSC, there is nothing that jumps out as being all that great like free laundry or free specialty dining on some other lines. It is really just the principal of the matter. It was ridiculous that with my initial status match, they only gave me 1 point (it takes 2200 to go from Classic to Silver) and would not budge on that when I protested. I am much more satisfied with MSC's shoreside customer service now that they were willing to rematch me to something more in line with what I expected.

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by JamieLogical

[graphicguy]

Jamie….looking at MSC, too for next Spring.

 

I haven’t sailed MSC in 5 years.  But, I did a status match then.  Just looked up my Voyager number and this shows up on MSC’s WEB site (personal info edited).  Looks like I’m good through the end of next year as a Diamond.  Don’t know why.  I know I haven’t communicated in any way with MSC during that period.

DIAMOND MEMBERSHIP

12-31-2023 

14500 points 

My points 

1

CLASSIC MEMBERSHIP

2200

SILVER MEMBERSHIP

4300

GOLD MEMBERSHIP

10000

DIAMOND MEMBERSHIP

 

 

 

 

My Past Cruises point details 

MSC Divina

2600 

 

13 October 2016 

Duration 8 days, 7 nights 

Departure Miami 

Arrival Miami 

 

Points Details 

Experience 

1500 

On-board shopping 

1100 

Prepaid 

0 

 

MSC Meraviglia

1800 

 

22 November 2017 

Duration 8 days, 7 nights 

Departure Barcelona 

Arrival Barcelona 

 

 

 

[JamieLogical]

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

Jamie….looking at MSC, too for next Spring.

 

I haven’t sailed MSC in 5 years.  But, I did a status match then.  Just looked up my Voyager number and this shows up on MSC’s WEB site (personal info edited).  Looks like I’m good through the end of next year as a Diamond.  Don’t know why.  I know I haven’t communicated in any way with MSC during that period.

DIAMOND MEMBERSHIP

12-31-2023 

14500 points 

My points 

1

CLASSIC MEMBERSHIP

2200

SILVER MEMBERSHIP

4300

GOLD MEMBERSHIP

10000

DIAMOND MEMBERSHIP

 

 

 

 

My Past Cruises point details 

MSC Divina

2600 

 

13 October 2016 

Duration 8 days, 7 nights 

Departure Miami 

Arrival Miami 

 

Points Details 

Experience 

1500 

On-board shopping 

1100 

Prepaid 

0 

 

MSC Meraviglia

1800 

 

22 November 2017 

Duration 8 days, 7 nights 

Departure Barcelona 

Arrival Barcelona 

 

 

 

 

Maybe they extended the expiration on status due to COVID?

[graphicguy]

Probably?  Maybe?  Who knows?

 

I know I didn’t ask them to extend anything.  Plus, I was what they called “black status” and now I’m Diamond.  From what I can tell, they’re the same, just a different name.

 

As you say, aside from a discount on fares (which at least is something), I don’t see anything regarding perks that makes me all that excited.

 

Let us know what you end up doing (even if it’s nothing). 😉

[JamieLogical]

56 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Probably?  Maybe?  Who knows?

 

I know I didn’t ask them to extend anything.  Plus, I was what they called “black status” and now I’m Diamond.  From what I can tell, they’re the same, just a different name.

 

As you say, aside from a discount on fares (which at least is something), I don’t see anything regarding perks that makes me all that excited.

 

Let us know what you end up doing (even if it’s nothing). 😉

 

A rep from MSC just called me, having noticed that I have done a bunch of mock bookings lately. The Feb. 26 Seashore sailing I was looking at currently doesn't have the Drinks & WiFi promo listed, only the balcony upgrade and OBC promo (As of today at least. It was there last week). She said she could still get me the drinks and wifi, so that's something to think about if you are looking at a sailing. Might be worth calling to ask if you can get the drinks & wifi promo even if it's not listed on the website. I'm still not ready to pull the trigger on that February sailing yet. I am expecting a job offer this week and if I take the job, they may not appreciate me taking time off so soon after starting. I am already going to have to postpose starting a new job until after the new year since I have my Panama Canal cruise over the Holidays.

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Maybe they extended the expiration on status due to COVID?

 

There have been 2 extensions for people who would have otherwise had their membership expire. The length of the extension depended on when the original expiration date was. December 2023 is now the expiration date for many people who haven't sailed MSC in years.

[graphicguy]

15 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

A rep from MSC just called me, having noticed that I have done a bunch of mock bookings lately. The Feb. 26 Seashore sailing I was looking at currently doesn't have the Drinks & WiFi promo listed, only the balcony upgrade and OBC promo (As of today at least. It was there last week). She said she could still get me the drinks and wifi, so that's something to think about if you are looking at a sailing. Might be worth calling to ask if you can get the drinks & wifi promo even if it's not listed on the website. I'm still not ready to pull the trigger on that February sailing yet. I am expecting a job offer this week and if I take the job, they may not appreciate me taking time off so soon after starting. I am already going to have to postpose starting a new job until after the new year since I have my Panama Canal cruise over the Holidays.

Fingers crossed on the new gig.

 

You could always make the acceptance letter contingent upon working around your cruise schedules.  I'm joking....(not really)!

 

Looking at May.  Got my TA on the case.

[graphicguy]

17 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

There have been 2 extensions for people who would have otherwise had their membership expire. The length of the extension depended on when the original expiration date was. December 2023 is now the expiration date for many people who haven't sailed MSC in years.

I must fall into that basket.