What Other Cruise Lines Match Royals Loyalty Program?

[smokeybandit]

57 minutes ago, seasidemama said:

 

Yes, you pay $3,000 more for a smaller suite to get limited drinks in a lounge. Compared to full Haven benefits with butler and unlimited drinks all over the ship (which include the haven lounge) included in the fare. 

Every time I've compared my GS cruise fare with a similar Celebrity haven fare, the Celebrity one is much more expensive.

[kwokpot]

20 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

So if you are Diamond on Royal you will be Elite on Celebrity. Celebrity[s program is not as good as Royal's so youonly get 3 drinks between 5 and 7.

Incorrect. On Celebrity Elite status and higher gets UNLIMITED free drinks from 5-7;however; it's not available on embarkation/1st night, can cannot be ordered from any restaurant, dining room, and a handful of bars. Additionally, the free drinks are from a selected menu of beers, wines, and spirits, mixers, soft drinks. I will agree it's not as good as Royal's program, but you had wrong information. 

[nferr]

18 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Unfortunately for MSC and NCL what you get what you pay for at a lower fare. A lesser cruise. To get a better cruise on those lines you need to pay a higher fare and book the Yacht Club on MSC or the Haven on NCL. 

 The Yacht Club or the Haven are way above a normal cruise cabin experience on RCL. No comparison. Close friends always cruise the Haven and love it, they returned recently from a cruise on MSC's Yacht Club and said it was basically equivalent and better in some areas. Myself, I usually cruise solo and don't like being waited on so I book regular cabins, but I don't even pretend to think the experience is similar.

[Charles4515]

12 minutes ago, nferr said:

 The Yacht Club or the Haven are way above a normal cruise cabin experience on RCL. No comparison. Close friends always cruise the Haven and love it, they returned recently from a cruise on MSC's Yacht Club and said it was basically equivalent and better in some areas. Myself, I usually cruise solo and don't like being waited on so I book regular cabins, but I don't even pretend to think the experience is similar.

Yes, they are above the normal cabin experience on but the normal cabin experience on NCL is below the normal experience on RCL. You have to pay extra to get a good experience on NCL.

[George C]

21 hours ago, firefly333 said:

There is another recent thread about how celebrity works. I matched elite and got some free wifi time I remember. There is some kind of cocktail hour after 5 pm. I wanted wifi time to get into my game without paying is all I remember. They match status not points.

 

MSC says they will also match status, so I put in twice to match and never heard back. I've heard their customer service isnt very good.

Heard same thing on MSc , we normally book on our own but had a travel agent deal with MSc , MSc also gives ten percent off for veterans, MSc yacht club has way better perks than rccl suites and way way better pizza.

Edited August 21, 2023 by George C

[firefly333]

Just now, George C said:

Heard same thing on MSc , we normally book on our own but had a travel agent deal with MSc , MSc also gives ten percent off for veterans, MSc yacht club has way better perks than rccl and way way better pizza.

Not sure which thing you heard? That they are bad at service? I tried twice to status match ... still waiting. I'll worry about it after I get moved. 

[Charles4515]

20 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Incorrect. On Celebrity Elite status and higher gets UNLIMITED free drinks from 5-7;however; it's not available on embarkation/1st night, can cannot be ordered from any restaurant, dining room, and a handful of bars. Additionally, the free drinks are from a selected menu of beers, wines, and spirits, mixers, soft drinks. I will agree it's not as good as Royal's program, but you had wrong information. 

Correct I posted the wrong amount confusing programs past and current but you have to have those drinks during a 2 hour time from from a limited menu of shelf drinks. Maybe you would slurp down mediocre drinks between 5 and 7 and not available every day.  I have to order Heineken or Gin and Tonic. They use Beefeater Gin which is okay. The wine they have on the menu is plonk. It really is not much of a benefit. The benefit is better as it is less limited.

[George C]

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

Not sure which thing you heard? That they are bad at service? I tried twice to status match ... still waiting. I'll worry about it after I get moved. 

Just read on this site that they had really bad customer service, so I got a travel agent to get me the match to black and my ten percent discount.

[nferr]

3 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Yes, they are above the normal cabin experience on but the normal cabin experience on NCL is below the normal experience on RCL. You have to pay extra to get a good experience on NCL.

 Not in my experience. Very similar and I've cruised numerous times on both. Diamond on RCL and Platinum on NCL.

[Charles4515]

9 minutes ago, nferr said:

 Not in my experience. Very similar and I've cruised numerous times on both. Diamond on RCL and Platinum on NCL.

That’s nice. I have cruised on both, I am Diamond on Royal, I don’t know my tier on NCL because their perks minimal and NCL is meh.  NCL is the second worst cruise line I have been on after over 60 cruises. The worst being Carnival. But to each their own. 

[pstone1]

9 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

I really appreciate everyone’s info. It’s very helpful. I have only read a few trip reviews that weren’t for Royal or Celebrity. I just started reading Saint Greg’s Alaska Jewel (NCL) review since I’m now looking at other cruise lines.

 

@Jetdriver787 Lots of great info, thanks. Btw, hubby also flies the 787, but out of Miami.

 

@seasidemama Great comparisons, thanks.

 

 

We have heard rave reviews from cruisers that have tried Virgin. Their current status match deal is very appealing, but unfortunately, we are booked out for the rest of the year.  We do plan to give them a try next year! 

[nferr]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

That’s nice. I have cruised on both, I am Diamond on Royal, I don’t know my tier on NCL because their perks minimal and NCL is meh.  NCL is the second worst cruise line I have been on after over 60 cruises. The worst being Carnival. But to each their own. 

Exactly. My experience has been very different.

[Giantfan13]

On 8/21/2023 at 2:51 PM, firefly333 said:

Not sure which thing you heard? That they are bad at service? I tried twice to status match ... still waiting. I'll worry about it after I get moved. 

We have a cruise on MSC in a couple of months. We booked right with them, filled out the status match form, and in a day we received the match. We had to show some sort of proof we are Diamond on RCCL, which we did. At first, they didn't match my wife, but I replied to the email, and again, in a day, it was changed. Sorry to hear about your experience, I have sailed them 4 times and have never had any problems. 

 

Cheers

Len

[doghog]

23 minutes ago, Giantfan13 said:

We had to show some sort of proof we are Diamond on RCCL

What form of proof did you use?

[LobsterStalker]

35 minutes ago, Giantfan13 said:

We have a cruise on MSC in a couple of months. We booked right with them, filled out the status match form, and in a day we received the match. We had to show some sort of proof we are Diamond on RCCL, which we did. At first, they didn't match my wife, but I replied to the email, and again, in a day, it was changed. Sorry to hear about your experience, I have sailed them 4 times and have never had any problems. 

 

Cheers

Len

...And what did that match entitle you to ? 

Anything worthwhile ?

[Jetdriver787]

Without having gone deeply into this, I have heard of a number of people using MSC’s status match programme as a springboard into other better programmes? Particularly Virgin Voyages.

[Morecruisesplz]

On 8/20/2023 at 6:49 PM, nferr said:

MSC's loyalty match is fairly worthless IMO. You do get 5% off when booking. Nothing like the four free daily drinks I get on RCL. 

We are Royal D+. On MSC we booked Bella. Bought drinks when we wanted one. Spent way less than a comparably RCL cruise. Loved the ship, the food and the service.

[nferr]

35 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

We are Royal D+. On MSC we booked Bella. Bought drinks when we wanted one. Spent way less than a comparably RCL cruise. Loved the ship, the food and the service.

If you're a light drinker it's OK. If you figure in five or more a day it adds up quickly.  I'm cruising MSC in January and I got the promotion for the open drink package and free wifi. It came out to $40 a day over the base fare which is a good deal IMO. RCL wants almost $20 a day just for the wifi. 

 

My nine night cruise from NY to the Bahamas in January on MSC is $1028 which includes the drink package and wifi and that is going solo. It's Fantastica level also.

Edited August 23, 2023 by nferr

[Morecruisesplz]

32 minutes ago, nferr said:

If you're a light drinker it's OK. If you figure in five or more a day it adds up quickly.  I'm cruising MSC in January and I got the promotion for the open drink package and free wifi. It came out to $40 a day over the base fare which is a good deal IMO. RCL wants almost $20 a day just for the wifi. 

 

My nine night cruise from NY to the Bahamas in January on MSC is $1028 which includes the drink package and wifi and that is going solo. It's Fantastica level also.

Makes sense. We might use 5 between us for drinks/day on Royal. Then we get whats left as water before bed. If you have been good to and loyal to a bartender he might double the water or thrown in some beer. No luck with that on MSC. But if a MDR server has a bottle of wine open on ice for another table buying by the glass, I often got a free glass or two by asking with a folded $1 or 2. You can't be picky with your wine choice doing this.

[Valen9]

I have status on NCL.  Can I get anything from Royal?

[cruiseboy89130]

53 minutes ago, Valen9 said:

I have status on NCL.  Can I get anything from Royal?

Gold!

[Another_Critic]

15 minutes ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

Gold!

Not until after the first cruise.

[Charles4515]

9 hours ago, Valen9 said:

I have status on NCL.  Can I get anything from Royal?

There is no match from Royal on your NCL status. 

[fungirl28]

On 8/20/2023 at 3:52 PM, Jetdriver787 said:

Virgin voyages will status match Diamond and above to their current “Deep Blue Extras” Expect priority check-in; $100 free “bar tab;” an extra $100 free bar tab enhanced from the normal $50 for every $300 tab you purchase pre-cruise only; upgraded free internet; free bag (and it’s a very big bag) of laundry once per cruise (Wash and fold everything, plus 2 pieces pressed, plus 1 item of dry cleaning); $10 per day per cabin specialty coffee credit.

 

Deep Blue Extras

You have access to our collection of unrivaled, onboard luxurious, called Deep Blue Extras — putting you at the helm of VIP treatment. The perks will be available to you on voyages through December 31, 2023, and include:

• Enhanced Boarding: A dedicated line at embarkation awaits you at the terminal

• $100 Bar Tab per cabin: Sip on cocktails, mocktails, smoothies and more with $100 in drink credits on us.

• Unlimited Premium Wifi (where available): If you can dream it, we can stream with access to our premium wifi

• Dedicated Sailor Services Support On Board: For any and all of your needs, you'll have access to a dedicated agent

• An Exclusive Sailaway Hour: A special experience for those with Deep Blue Extras.

• Laundry Service: Two pressed items, one specialty-cleaned item, and a bag of laundry — on us

• $10 daily credit for specialty coffee per cabin: Because you deserve to be glamorously caffeinated for everything you’ve got planned
   

We understand that your loyalty to another cruise line is important, and we’re so grateful that you’re giving us the opportunity to Match and Sea More. We can’t wait to sea you on board soon — treating you with all your incredible new perks and exploring the world The Virgin Way.

 

Thank you for sharing this. I've been looking for a particular itinerary and Virgin has the exact places I want to go. I will be giving them a try next year. 

[Another_Critic]

24 minutes ago, fungirl28 said:

 

Thank you for sharing this. I've been looking for a particular itinerary and Virgin has the exact places I want to go. I will be giving them a try next year. 

According to what @Jetdriver787 posted, the status match only applies to sailings thru EOY.

 

Deep Blue Extras

You have access to our collection of unrivaled, onboard luxurious, called Deep Blue Extras — putting you at the helm of VIP treatment. The perks will be available to you on voyages through December 31, 2023