Teacher / Government Employee Discount

Just an FYI for anyone looking to book and/or with a current booking. I just realized MSC has a discount for teachers and government employees. About 10 minutes on the phone netted me an additional 5% (~200$) off my cruise.

844-320-0758 was the number I used. I was able to take a picture of my government ID, email it the representative and within a few minutes had a new confirmation with the discounted rate.

Just an FYI for anyone looking to book and/or with a current booking. I just realized MSC has a discount for teachers and government employees. About 10 minutes on the phone netted me an additional 5% (~200$) off my cruise.

 

844-320-0758 was the number I used. I was able to take a picture of my government ID, email it the representative and within a few minutes had a new confirmation with the discounted rate.

I just used mine up too....10% for balcony or better, everything else 5%. ( I used it on OV).

I kind of wanted to book it myself online, but i went there picked out our cabins and sent all the information, and got it for that minus the 5%.

Definitely worth it!

Just an FYI for anyone looking to book and/or with a current booking. I just realized MSC has a discount for teachers and government employees. About 10 minutes on the phone netted me an additional 5% (~200$) off my cruise.

 

844-320-0758 was the number I used. I was able to take a picture of my government ID, email it the representative and within a few minutes had a new confirmation with the discounted rate.

Thanks for the info. Wish I had known this before I made my final payment!!!

Hmm. I didn’t realize they would give government employees a discount! I wonder if they will honor after final payment?

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Hmm. I didn’t realize they would give government employees a discount! I wonder if they will honor after final payment?

 

 

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Can't hurt to ask. Please post the results if you do.

Is this just US government employees or UK as well?

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Is this just US government employees or UK as well?

 

 

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We're Canadian and we were able to use the teacher's discount.

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For the North America office, the discount will apply to anyone that can provide a pay stub from any city, county, state or federal government. That covers a bunch of people.

Bret

Do note however that unless their policy has changed changed, it's not across the board, it's for "selected sailings" and for booking a balcony cabin or higher (like yacht club)...but definitely ask (or have your TA ask) if it applies to the cruise you're booking.

Do note however that unless their policy has changed changed, it's not across the board, it's for "selected sailings" and for booking a balcony cabin or higher (like yacht club)...but definitely ask (or have your TA ask) if it applies to the cruise you're booking.

They wouldn't honor it after final payment, would they? My daughter is a teacher. She recently took on a second job so she join us in YC for an upcoming cruise. She just paid off the cruise a few weeks ago. We had no idea about this discount. Even if they'd offer her a credit in the form of an OBC, that would be great, but I'm guessing once you've paid it off, they are not interested in discounts or refunds.

They honored my military discount after final payment. It was as OBC, but it spends all the same

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Is this discount only available if you book direct with msc? Booked with an internet agency...wondering if i can still call and try to get onboard credit.

Is this discount only available if you book direct with msc? Booked with an internet agency...wondering if i can still call and try to get onboard credit.

We booked with a TA and he took care of it.

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I just ran across the discount on the MSC website this week. I am a retired State civil servant, and I provided my TA with a photo of my ID. She said I had already received a 5% discount (I think as a prior MSC cruiser), but this should net me another 5%.

They honored my military discount after final payment. It was as OBC, but it spends all the same

 

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That’s great to hear! I’m having my TA ask them. Thanks.

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I called my online TA. She called MSC and was told that if we emailed proof to a specific email address at MSC, they would credit us the discount even though we have already paid the cruise in full. The TA wasn't sure if it would be an actual refund or an OBC. I'm going to give it a try, and if successful, will report back here.

Do note however that unless their policy has changed changed, it's not across the board, it's for "selected sailings" and for booking a balcony cabin or higher (like yacht club)...but definitely ask (or have your TA ask) if it applies to the cruise you're booking.

They occassionally offer special "Civil Service Rates" which are for select sailings only. However, their Civil Service Discount normally applies across the board for North America. I forgot to mention that FedEx and UPS folks are also given this discount. Remember though, it does not combine with Voyager Club discounts. You'll have to pick one or the other. More info can be found here: https://www.msccruisesgetforms.com/cms/CMSIMAGES/FLYER/CivilService/Civil-Service.PDF

Bret

I called my online TA. She called MSC and was told that if we emailed proof to a specific email address at MSC, they would credit us the discount even though we have already paid the cruise in full. The TA wasn't sure if it would be an actual refund or an OBC. I'm going to give it a try, and if successful, will report back here.

They occassionally offer special "Civil Service Rates" which are for select sailings only. However, their Civil Service Discount normally applies across the board for North America. I forgot to mention that FedEx and UPS folks are also given this discount. Remember though, it does not combine with Voyager Club discounts. You'll have to pick one or the other. More info can be found here: https://www.msccruisesgetforms.com/cms/CMSIMAGES/FLYER/CivilService/Civil-Service.PDF

Bret

Well, after several calls by me and my TA, we were told that MSC will NOT honor this discount after final payment. (Even though we both talked to reps who told us they would absolutely honor it). Much to my surprise, however, I had been given a nice credit on my Visa for updating my Voyager's Club membership after final payment and didn't even know it! Last month I noticed that our points were wrong, and as it turned out, MSC had somehow not given us credit for our B2B cruises in Yacht Club last summer. Once this was fixed, we moved from Silver level to Gold. Somehow that triggered a refund that was never discussed or requested, but I'm not complaining!

As was mentioned in the post above by Cruiseguyinorl, my TA was told that you can't get the civil servant discount on top of the Voyager's Club discount, and only the Voyager's Club discount will be honored after final payment.

So now my question is, who qualifies for a Voyager's Club discount? Do they offer the discount to people who have never cruised with MSC, but have completed the status match?

Yes, they give discount to those who never sailed but status matched.

We have not sailed yet on MSC. We status matched to Black and booked cruise . We received the 5% discount on cruise. Will sail next spring.

They wouldn't honor it after final payment, would they? My daughter is a teacher. She recently took on a second job so she join us in YC for an upcoming cruise. She just paid off the cruise a few weeks ago. We had no idea about this discount. Even if they'd offer her a credit in the form of an OBC, that would be great, but I'm guessing once you've paid it off, they are not interested in discounts or refunds.

I just went thru this the last few days. I’m sailing on Seaside on 9/29 and right after I made final payment 7/23, I found out about a Military/ First Responder discount. My TA & I got in touch with MSC and they said send in an email with booking # and documentation. Long story short, Today, 3 weeks after I made Final Payment, I was issued a refund to my cc of 155.80. They gave me a 10% discount, so Im very happy. I would keep trying, all they can say is No..:). Good luck.

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I just went thru this the last few days. I’m sailing on Seaside on 9/29 and right after I made final payment 7/23, I found out about a Military/ First Responder discount. My TA & I got in touch with MSC and they said send in an email with booking # and documentation. Long story short, Today, 3 weeks after I made Final Payment, I was issued a refund to my cc of 155.80. They gave me a 10% discount, so Im very happy. I would keep trying, all they can say is No..:). Good luck.

 

 

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Wow—that’s great! I’m happy for you, but it sure makes me mad that the answer changes depending on who you talk to at MSC. My TA said he spent a long time on the phone finally getting to the person who “knew what he was talking about,” and that’s when he hit the brick wall and was told no discounts after final payment. Anytime I call MSC, I have to know I have at least 30 minutes to spare because it’s never a quick process. Like so many others, love the cruise once I’m in it, but the website and customer service leave a lot to be desired!

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Here is the e-mail I just received from MSC Customer service in reference to my request for the 10% 1st Responder Discount after I had made payment in full for 2 cabins on the Seaside. I had been told no a few days ago, but asked for O.B.C. or a discount to upgrade to the "Deluxe" beverage pkg. I also sent a screenshot of the CruiseCritic member who got the discount after full payment.

Good afternoon,

There are no discounts for on board services. I am unable to verify the circumstances of the guests on cruise critic who indicated that information. The only discount applicable after final payment is the MSC Voyagers Club discount. In that case, guests can have the difference refunded or applied towards prepaid services. All other discounts must be applied prior to final payment.

The 2 cabins I booked were for 4 passengers and each person was eligible for the discount.

Not very happy with the customer service, but at least I tried. Best of luck to others!

Is this discount available on all cruises? The website indicates on "select" sailings, but I can't find any link on the site that lists the select sailings. Thanks.

We booked our first MSC cruise for next year with the Voyager Club 5% discount (rate before port charges) from status match with RCCL. Somewhere along the way I had been told that we couldn’t combine the state employee discount so I hadn’t tried - seems at least someone here was able to combine the discounts? Also good to know retirees’ discount is also valid, as I wondered. Thanks for this thread!

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I don't think they "combined" the rate discount. I have been given the choice of the 10% military discount or the Voyager 5% discount, but not both on all of my MSC bookings.

We booked our first MSC cruise for next year with the Voyager Club 5% discount (rate before port charges) from status match with RCCL. Somewhere along the way I had been told that we couldn’t combine the state employee discount so I hadn’t tried - seems at least someone here was able to combine the discounts? Also good to know retirees’ discount is also valid, as I wondered. Thanks for this thread!

 

 

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