MSC Club - still waiting

[Beamafar]

That's true, but on Opera my cruise card showed the wrong level, so I carried my club card to ensure I got the right discount.

 

You were right to - nothing worse than not getting the applicable discounts due to an error by MSC.

 

You've just reminded me that they had put the wrong level on my cruise card last time. When I pointed it out they sorted a new card for me with the correct level inserted on it. Luckily I had received my new clubcard in the post (I'd attained Gold on my Feb sailing and had rung MSC to request the card) so was able to prove my case :rolleyes:

[Skipper Tim]

That's true, but on Opera my cruise card showed the wrong level, so I carried my club card to ensure I got the right discount.

 

I had exactly the same experience on the Opera (my one-nighter). Short of things to do, I visited reception to point out the error on my card. They ran it through their computer and that agreed with the error - one level below what it should have been. How is it that I could log in to the MSC website on my iPad in front of reception staff and be correctly told that I am 'gold' but MSC's onboard systems say I am 'silver'?

 

Thankfully on a one-nighter it makes little or no difference.

[AmoMondo]

In the early days of the club and when I was not so accustomed to their admin skills (or lack thereof), I missed out on some benefits because the ship didn't know I was a club member. I stupidly thought that because I'd had a silver or gold discount that would translate to the ship knowing - wrong! After that, my first stop before the spa to book my appointments was to reception to ensure they had my card registered on their system.

 

Generally they seem a bit better know, and having your status printed on your cruise card (provided it's correct) is a help.

[Skipper Tim]

In the early days of the club and when I was not so accustomed to their admin skills (or lack thereof), I missed out on some benefits because the ship didn't know I was a club member. I stupidly thought that because I'd had a silver or gold discount that would translate to the ship knowing - wrong! After that, my first stop before the spa to book my appointments was to reception to ensure they had my card registered on their system.

 

Generally they seem a bit better know, and having your status printed on your cruise card (provided it's correct) is a help.

 

I have to say that the MSC experience is great for making one far less trusting of corporates' ability to be remotely competent. This is a good thing and the personal exposure to it will probably pay more dividends over a lifetime than the cost of cruises booked with MSC.

 

It is a difficult marketing angle though.

 

Any suggestions?

Edited July 31, 2014 by Skipper Tim

[earn]

I know I am repeating myself here, but although MSC admin seems to be sadly lacking across the board, there is in fact one exception. They seem to have a fantastic social media department (at least in the Uk), and I have always had extremely quick answers and help when I have used Facebook. My advice is to PM them. They PM'd my MSC number and my new card arrived within the week. I have also emailed the adgent I used to book my Preziosa trip this year, and he didn't reply, but my silver card duly arrived a few days later, so I expect he organised it.

[papcx]

I know I am repeating myself here, but although MSC admin seems to be sadly lacking across the board, there is in fact one exception. They seem to have a fantastic social media department (at least in the Uk), and I have always had extremely quick answers and help when I have used Facebook. My advice is to PM them. They PM'd my MSC number and my new card arrived within the week. I have also emailed the adgent I used to book my Preziosa trip this year, and he didn't reply, but my silver card duly arrived a few days later, so I expect he organised it.

 

 

They could be the best company in the world for answering on Facebook, but since I don't use it, that is lost on me.

 

How about customers who go to the MSC web page, click on "contact us" fill out the pre-message info, type a message and then click send? You know, the way they ask us to contact them, maybe they should reply to those customers.

 

It's such a shame the shore side operation leaves such a bad taste in the mouth.

[sidari]

Paul ... A while back i did exactly as you say above and received a reply within two days which was good.

[papcx]

To be honest I'm not that bothered about a reply now.

 

The irritations I've had would only be replied with apologies (which would be nice)

 

What I should get is compensation, but % off a fare or OBC doesn't interest me because I'm highly unlikely to sail MSC again.

 

Anyone in business knows it's cheaper to keep a customer than gain a new one.

 

I suppose when your the biggest cargo shipping company in the world, playing at cruising, then another lost customer isn't a big deal.

[Skipper Tim]

To be honest I'm not that bothered about a reply now.

 

The irritations I've had would only be replied with apologies (which would be nice)

 

What I should get is compensation, but % off a fare or OBC doesn't interest me because I'm highly unlikely to sail MSC again.

 

Anyone in business knows it's cheaper to keep a customer than gain a new one.

 

I suppose when your the biggest cargo shipping company in the world, playing at cruising, then another lost customer isn't a big deal.

 

Papcx, I am feeling a little the same way myself right now. I cannot imagine how MSC expects to expand 40% over the next few years with current prices and practices. Perhaps they are offering the loss-leading rates in China ?

 

Talking of apologies, almost every email I have ever received from MSC UK starts with an apology, even if not really appropriate. I imagine it is already filled in for them as it is usually required.

[travelberlin]

When Black Card level came out, I was sometimes the only one on Te ship or just a handful of us, so it was dinner with the Captain and a load of officers and they treated you like you were Royalty. A last cruise there were a whole section of us in one of the dining rooms at lunch so we each had at least one officer at our TAble. As numbers expand in each category, it is almost inevitable that perks will decline.

 

Like Bea, I recall all Club member getting priority boarding, then it was just Gold, now I think just Black. The nest perks remain the discounts on future cruises and the percentages have not changed as far as I can recall.

 

The percentages for the discounts have not changed but it is more and more difficult to have access to them. If you book "offers", they do not apply your membership discount. I am gold member and have two cruises booked with MSC. The original prices were very expensive, so I would have probably not booked them. Then a promotion came and we decided to take it. But they did not give us a membership discount. Actually, I have the feeling they are handling the membership discounts similarly to the future cruise coupon. This means very had to use it.:(

[sidari]

contacted them again today via the website let us see how long it takes for a reply this time!

[soloadventurer]

My card arrived mid-week :D

[flahagan]

I know I am repeating myself here, but although MSC admin seems to be sadly lacking across the board, there is in fact one exception. They seem to have a fantastic social media department (at least in the Uk), and I have always had extremely quick answers and help when I have used Facebook. My advice is to PM them. They PM'd my MSC number and my new card arrived within the week. I have also emailed the adgent I used to book my Preziosa trip this year, and he didn't reply, but my silver card duly arrived a few days later, so I expect he organised it.

 

Thanks so much for this advice. I went to the MSC facebook page yesterday, private messaged them my info and received an e-mail today with my number. The e-mail said my card was going into the print and mail queue. Great suggestion!

[AmoMondo]

The percentages for the discounts have not changed but it is more and more difficult to have access to them. If you book "offers", they do not apply your membership discount. I am gold member and have two cruises booked with MSC. The original prices were very expensive, so I would have probably not booked them. Then a promotion came and we decided to take it. But they did not give us a membership discount. Actually, I have the feeling they are handling the membership discounts similarly to the future cruise coupon. This means very had to use it.:(

 

I do always been able to get my 20% off promotions and heavily discounted fares via the UK office. That may be changing though. I haven't seen any cheap deals to book. The one I have booked was just on the pronto price. Yet another example of them doing different things in different countries.

[earn]

I booked a couple of very cheap short repo cruises in Lethe last month through the website and my lowly silver discount was automatically applied.

 

Paul, I appreciate that not everyone uses Facebook, including me until about a year ago, but all I was doing was suggesting an alternative not defending their customer service. Obviously you should have had timely response to your on line request.

[sidari]

So far 12 days and no reply! they either do not have the answer to the question asked or can not be bothered to respond!

[papcx]

Paul, I appreciate that not everyone uses Facebook, including me until about a year ago, but all I was doing was suggesting an alternative not defending their customer service. Obviously you should have had timely response to your on line request.

 

 

Hi Earn.

 

I know you were only suggesting an alternative, I was merely suggesting MSC follow their own process. Maybe we got lost a little in translation, no harm, no foul.

 

For the record, I still haven't had a reply.

[moomoocow]

Now is clearly not the time to mention that Mr Moo and I received our gold cards and pin badges today.

 

So I won't.

[papcx]

Now is clearly not the time to mention that Mr Moo and I received our gold cards and pin badges today.

 

So I won't.

 

 

No, now is clearly not the time, so I'm glad you didn't mention it.

[sidari]

Well it seems that the power of Facebook does work when contacting MSC sent them a message last night and had a reply this morning, now just waiting for them to respond to my question.