Has anyone actually had Voyager Club status downgraded or points removed?

Got a status match to silver and I have some additional points on top of that. Would like to try to work towards Black status.

As you may know, MSC states that you must cruise every 3 years, otherwise you will lose your Voyager's Club points and have your status downgraded.

I was supposed to leave on a MSC cruise last week, but I was pretty much forced to cancel due to a dramatic schedule change (cruise changed from 4 nights to 20 nights and left from Brazil rather than Europe). While I do have two 2019 cruises booked, they both occur after the expiration of my MSC Voyager points (10/18).

I called MSC and asked them to extend the expiration, as the cancellation of my recent cruise was their fault due to schedule change and not mine. The first lady said, "Tough cookies" (in so many words) and unless I cruise w/them before October, points go away and status is downgraded.

However, I spoke with a 2nd rep who said not to worry about the expiration, that they won't downgrade status or remove points, and that he was unaware of that ever occurring.

Does anyone else have any insight on this? Has anyone had points removed or status downgraded after the expiration date? You get different answers from different people and it's hard to know what to believe.

Tough cookies, huh? Must have been the same lady in CS whom I talked to lol

I hope you figure this out. Maybe send an email to the CEO? I mean how does this even happen that your cruise itinerary and length is changed so dramatically? That's ridiculous. Instead of threatening you with downgrading, they should have given you a complimentary upgrade for your quite considerable inconvenience.

Ask for what you were told in writing, I will never understand this nonsense as long as the other cruise lines allow you to keep your level forever and a day.

The same goes where two people who have sailed together on the same number of cruises can be at different levels within the VC, all the other lines we have sailed with we both have the same level regardless of who pays the final bill.

Tough cookies, huh? Must have been the same lady in CS whom I talked to lol

 

I hope you figure this out. Maybe send an email to the CEO? I mean how does this even happen that your cruise itinerary and length is changed so dramatically? That's ridiculous. Instead of threatening you with downgrading, they should have given you a complimentary upgrade for your quite considerable inconvenience.

The good news is that they would have allowed me to stay on the 20-night cruise for the 4-night price. The bad news is that the time involved and the new itinerary, which was 100% different and again transatlantic leaving from Brazil, was completely impractical for me and my GF on multiple counts. Even the dates were changed (departure and obviously arrival).

I called MSC, told them of the situation, and stated that I wished to book one or more new cruises in lieu of the one we had to cancel. I asked if they might provide some accommodation for the cancelled cruise, perhaps a cabin upgrade, OBC or a drink package. They told me I got a refund and that was good enough. I asked again and got the same answer. I sent customer service a message and it was ignored without even the courtesy of a reply.

I like MSC and have given them a great review and some good PR. I was surprised that they didn't make at least a little bit of effort to provide some accommodation, especially since I've now booked 4 cruises within the span of 4 years, including the cancelled one.

This is why I will never sail MSC again. Had same problems while on the Seaside in Jan. Different people at guest services would give you different answers to questions as well as the supervisors and help. Got tired of being accused of lying when questioning problems! Great ship but customer relations sucked. Was not a relaxing vacation but a constant PIA. My opinion and sticking to it!

This is why I will never sail MSC again. Had same problems while on the Seaside in Jan. Different people at guest services would give you different answers to questions as well as the supervisors and help. Got tired of being accused of lying when questioning problems! Great ship but customer relations sucked. Was not a relaxing vacation but a constant PIA. My opinion and sticking to it!

I like MSC, but there is room for improvement in customer service. The goal should be to make the customer happy, compel them to book new cruises and to foster loyalty. I was not asking for the moon or the stars. Where it's reasonable and practical, and where the problem was their fault, they should endeavor to provide some level of assistance, even if it's minor, to turn their customers into true fans. Poor customer service doesn't get you there.

Just to let you know how it "should" work...

We booked a great cabin on one of the newer Celebrity cruises scheduled to leave early Jan this year. It had a balcony facing front and side and I think it had 2 bedrooms. I got an amazing price on it.

Unfortunately, Celebrity cancelled the cruise. They chartered it and it became a private rock and roll cruise.

They called me and offered to put me into a comparable cabin on an April sailing. The timing wasn't great (remember, we originally had the MSC cruise booked), plus it was an older ship.

But the point is that they set aside a similar cabin and even though it wasn't the best effort (shorter sailing on an older, inferior ship at an inconvenient date), it was some effort.

While I had to talk to a couple of people, they gave me $200 OBC and a free premium dining credit on the replacement cruise for my inconvenience.

They knew that cancellation of the cruise was disappointing and wasn't my fault, so they made some effort to take care of the situation. MSC doesn't seem to do that.

Not dumping on MSC, but just saying...

Just to let you know how it "should" work...

We booked a great cabin on one of the newer Celebrity cruises scheduled to leave early Jan this year. It had a balcony facing front and side and I think it had 2 bedrooms. I got an amazing price on it.

Unfortunately, Celebrity cancelled the cruise. They chartered it and it because a private rock and roll cruise.

They called me and offered to put me into a comparable cabin on an April sailing. The timing wasn't great (remember, we originally had the MSC cruise booked), plus it was an older ship.

But the point is that they set aside a similar cabin and even though it wasn't the best effort, it was some effort.

While I had to talk to a couple of people, they gave me $200 OBC and a free premium dining credit on the replacement cruise for my inconvenience.

They new that cancellation of the cruise was disappointing and wasn't my fault, so they made some efforts to take care of the situation. MSC doesn't seem to do that.

Not dumping on MSC, but just saying...

Just to add one more tangental gripe to the change in my MSC itinerary...

Even though MSC changed the date of the cruise, the continent of the cruise, number of days, etc., there was never *any* notification.

No letter, no e-mail message, no alert on their website, no nothing. Not even a phone call. Had I not bothered to look at the itinerary, I might have showed up in Europe with no cruise, which would have been a big, big problem.

Conversely, Celebrity phoned me to discuss the change and offered me options.

Foster Loyalty ?

That went when MSC scrapped their Loyalty Club and brought in the Voyagers Club and at the same time watered down the so called Loyalty benefits!

Don't expect Loyalty from MSC.

Foster Loyalty ?

 

That went when MSC scrapped their Loyalty Club and brought in the Voyagers Club and at the same time watered down the so called Loyalty benefits!

 

Don't expect Loyalty from MSC.

I don't expect loyalty but some decent customer service would be nice!!!!!

Foster Loyalty ?

 

That went when MSC scrapped their Loyalty Club and brought in the Voyagers Club and at the same time watered down the so called Loyalty benefits!

 

Don't expect Loyalty from MSC.

Unfortunately you are right Sidari.

Ivi

D73 ... Having not had these issues in six cruises I wonder if it is an attitude thing ? the way that the question is asked and the way it comes across and is perceived by the other person, ie customer service staff.