Has anyone been successful in getting the recently released status match?

[OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER]

I submitted the appropriate paperwork over a week ago and it doesn't seem like it went through. I'm platinum on NCL. If you were successful with the status match relaunch, how long did it take for yours to go through?

[flourpot]

It was around 2 weeks for me. I got an email confirmation but my travel partner did not with her submission. When I called, they said both of us had the match and deep blue extras (and we both had it when we boarded the ship in March). If you don't see an email around the 2 week mark, give them a call or use the chat feature and see if it went through.

[HBCcruiser]

I was successful months ago (Elite Princess, Platinum NCL, Diamond Royal) but just submitted my DD’s (Diamond Royal). I’ll keep you posted. 

[CruisingWalter]

I know a bunch of folks who have gone through the process, successfully and not. I have heard that MSC has been removed from the status match in this latest round. That was from an MSC executive who was planning to see what the cruise line was all about. 🙂 

[Swells1]

Mine took about five days. (Also NCL.)

[Nang]

What qualifies as proof of loyalty status? Something like this ...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 21 by Nang

[OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER]

3 hours ago, Nang said:

What qualifies as proof of loyalty status? Something like this ...

 

 

 

 

 

I took a screenshot in the NCL app that showed my name and status and uploaded that to the Virgin Voyages Status Match form.

[OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER]

After all of you replied, I received an email confirmation that I'm approved for Blue Extras. It took just over a week. 

[cantgetin]

Do be aware that Blue Extras and Deep Blue Extras are different.

[OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER]

14 minutes ago, cantgetin said:

Do be aware that Blue Extras and Deep Blue Extras are different.

Yep. I noticed that pretty quickly.

[Journey_On]

I completed the form on Virgin's website and received a reply less than 24 hours later, approved for Blue Extras. 🙂

[iceleven]

I am only just now looking to book a cruise with Virgin and this status match is totally new for me. Is this offer only on specific  cruises or any and all Virgin cruises? I am Elite on Princess what sort of status match would that give me on Virgin?

[Barneymag123]

We booked our first VV cruise on Monday and applied for status match yesterday. Received email today saying we qualified for status match successfully and have Blue Extras. We normally cruise Celebrity and RCL and are Elite with Celebrity. Wasn’t sure if we would get Blue extras or Deep Blue (which has more value) …. slightly disappointed to be honest as Elite used to get the free daily drinks (if we didn’t have a drinks package)

Did anyone else at Elite with Celebrity or Diamond with RCL get Deep Blue or has everyone got Blue Extras ?? It looked like they only recognise Elite, Elite + or Zenith with Celebrity for status match so guessing we would have needed Elite + …. Couldn’t get to Zenith in a million years with the current points per cruise 😊

[HBCcruiser]

4 minutes ago, Barneymag123 said:

Diamond with RCL get Deep Blue or has everyone got Blue Extras ??

Earlier in the year I submitted my Elite Princess status and received Deep Blue Status. A few weeks ago I submitted my DD's Diamond RCI status and she received just the Blue status. I am not sure if it was the status level or the timing that made the difference. 🤷‍♀️

[Barneymag123]

28 minutes ago, HBCcruiser said:

Earlier in the year I submitted my Elite Princess status and received Deep Blue Status. A few weeks ago I submitted my DD's Diamond RCI status and she received just the Blue status. I am not sure if it was the status level or the timing that made the difference. 🤷‍♀️

I think Elite on Princess is more like Elite+ on Celebrity so that’s probably why you got Deep Blue. Elite (300 points) on X requires 100 days in veranda, Elite+ (750 points) is 250 days in veranda … you get there quicker in higher grade cabins and suite class. Elite on X is the same as Diamond on RCL so it’s probably correct that we only got Blue instead of Deep Blue 

To be honest we have booked VV for the first time to see if we like the experience vs other cruise lines so the status match wasn’t the reason for booking …. But a $100 pp free bar tab would have been nice 😂😂😂

[soccersharon]

15 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

Earlier in the year I submitted my Elite Princess status and received Deep Blue Status. A few weeks ago I submitted my DD's Diamond RCI status and she received just the Blue status. I am not sure if it was the status level or the timing that made the difference. 🤷‍♀️

There was no need to re-apply for a status match.  You already had Deep Blue Extras.

[wahlct]

16 hours ago, Barneymag123 said:

We booked our first VV cruise on Monday and applied for status match yesterday. Received email today saying we qualified for status match successfully and have Blue Extras. We normally cruise Celebrity and RCL and are Elite with Celebrity. Wasn’t sure if we would get Blue extras or Deep Blue (which has more value) …. slightly disappointed to be honest as Elite used to get the free daily drinks (if we didn’t have a drinks package)

Did anyone else at Elite with Celebrity or Diamond with RCL get Deep Blue or has everyone got Blue Extras ?? It looked like they only recognise Elite, Elite + or Zenith with Celebrity for status match so guessing we would have needed Elite + …. Couldn’t get to Zenith in a million years with the current points per cruise 😊

Wife and I both got Blue Extras last week for Elite on Celebrity.  However, I checked my Add Ons and we have an extra $100 in Sailor Loot.  No idea where it came from.  Possibly from our travel agent, but have not seen any notes about it.  But not going to complain!

[HBCcruiser]

58 minutes ago, soccersharon said:

There was no need to re-apply for a status match.  You already had Deep Blue Extras.

I had them but my daughter did not. Now she has Blue Extras.

[Rhea98]

Thanks for all the updates. If I book one of the new Virgin Red promos, I'll definitely apply for status match. I had the match a year ago, but that doesn't seem to be there now. It may work again as we're still NCL Platinum.

[ohhbother]

Thanks for all the info! Planning to do my first VV cruise, and it looks like our DCL tier level will qualify us for a status match.

[Rogueperson]

I’m on Scarlet Lady right now.  There’s a recent change.  I’m not sure when the deadline passed, but status match only gives you Blue Extras, not Deep Blue Extras.

 

Also, each person must submit an application.  I submitted mine last year but did not know i needed to do it for my wife.  I submitted the monday before boarding and when I boarded 6 days later, it had not come through.  When it did, they gave her only Blue Extras because the deadline passed, but later amended it to say my wife was indeed eligible for Deep Blue Extras so I am thinking its when you booked the cruise is when that deadline applies.  I booked this cruise over a year ago.

 

We are Diamond Plus on Royal Caribbean.

Edited May 3 by Rogueperson

[soccersharon]

56 minutes ago, Rogueperson said:

I’m on Scarlet Lady right now.  There’s a recent change.  I’m not sure when the deadline passed, but status match only gives you Blue Extras, not Deep Blue Extras.

 

Also, each person must submit an application.  I submitted mine last year but did not know i needed to do it for my wife.  I submitted the monday before boarding and when I boarded 6 days later, it had not come through.  When it did, they gave her only Blue Extras because the deadline passed, but later amended it to say my wife was indeed eligible for Deep Blue Extras so I am thinking its when you booked the cruise is when that deadline applies.  I booked this cruise over a year ago.

 

We are Diamond Plus on Royal Caribbean.

According to the new loyalty scheme, anyone who applied for a status match after the change should receive Deep Blue, regardless of when you booked.

 

But in true VV fashion, some folks were awarded DBE, my husband was one of them.  An error, to be sure, and I’m half expecting to take it back!  Another friend of mine was correctly awarded Deep Blue.  Go figure.

Edited May 3 by soccersharon

[Rogueperson]

49 minutes ago, soccersharon said:

According to the new loyalty scheme, anyone who applied for a status match after the change should receive Deep Blue, regardless of when you booked.

 

But in true VV fashion, some folks were awarded DBE, my husband was one of them.  An error, to be sure, and I’m half expecting to take it back!  Another friend of mine was correctly awarded Deep Blue.  Go figure.

I think in my case, I applied in time and because it was a spouse, they gave it to her.  They did not intend to do so at first, but they changed their mind later.  🤷‍♂️

[Rogueperson]

3 hours ago, soccersharon said:

According to the new loyalty scheme, anyone who applied for a status match after the change should receive Deep Blue, regardless of when you booked.

 

But in true VV fashion, some folks were awarded DBE, my husband was one of them.  An error, to be sure, and I’m half expecting to take it back!  Another friend of mine was correctly awarded Deep Blue.  Go figure.

 

Someone on board told me that prior to April, the DBE was cabin effective and my wife should have been included.  Maybe that’s why she was eligible.

[Gretchendz]

Hoping this can clarify some of the differences people are experiencing.

 

Last year, with Virgin, you could status match to many cruise lines and they gave you Deep Blue Extras (the better package). That opportunity ended December 31, 2024.  However, if you did status match during that time, you will continue to get DBE until December 31, 2025. 

 

After December 31, 2024 we don't know if they will extend or not.  However, once you get four sailings with Virgin completed, you will earn DBEs the regular way.

 

Under the new program in 2024, you can status match but only to Blue Extras. They also changed which lines and levels qualify as many people with MSC status were using a big loophole to get in.(No judgement on this, I coached many of my clients through how to do it.)

 

In terms of sharing benefits with your cabin mate, it is benefit dependent.  You can both early board together if you have priority boarding. No one checks whose laundry is in the bag. You can certainly share the bar tab. Technically these go to the qualifying sailor only but if you have your cabin accouts set up to one account, you can both use it. You can invite a +1 to go to the cocktail party.

 

Blue Extras:

• Dedicated Sailing Club Sailor Services support 
• Cocktail Event
• Laundry Service (1 bag of laundry)
• Speciality Coffee

Deep Blue Extras:

Sailors who are part of the Sailing Club who have completed four (4) eligible voyages will unlock Deep Blue Extras perks and will receive these perks per qualifying sailor on their fifth lifetime voyage. 

• $100 promotional Bar Tab
• Unlimited Premium Wifi (where available)
• Priority Boarding: a dedicated embarkation queue
• Dedicated Sailing Club Sailor Services support
• Cocktail Event
• Laundry Service (2 pressed items, 1 specialty cleaned item, 1 bag of laundry)
• Speciality Coffee Credit

The coffee credit used to be $10 per day now it is:

- Blue Extras: One specialty coffee per day at bars or restaurants. Not available through Ship Eats. Alcoholic coffee cocktails not included.

- Deep Blue Extras: Two speciality coffees per day at bars or restaurants. Not available through Ship Eats. Alcoholic coffee cocktails not included.

 

 

 

https://www.virginvoyages.com/sailing-club