Calling on all MSC regulars - I have a dilemma

[Beamafar]

The following pertains to the notion that MSC may, at some time in the future, introduce a new top tier to the Voyagers Club.

I will make it to 30000 points on our next cruise in 8 weeks time on duration alone (assuming MSC gives me the 100 bonus points for updating/confirming my contact details). Up ’til now I had always put the onboard account in my name. Should I start putting it in DH’s name so that his points can now build up more quickly? At present, he has 16900 and should get 1100 (including the 100 bonus points) on our next cruise just for sailing.

This is assuming that 30000 points would qualify to attain the new tier. Who knows, the required number may even be less?

Any thoughts, opinions, anyone?

[1fifthavenue]

Hmmmm bit of a quandry there Bea... We've split the points between us pretty equally to both get to black...

As you're a regular cruiser perhaps put this one on his just in case?

[Beamafar]

I'm inclined that way, Tim. We'll get another 2000 (plus 100 bonus) on our March sailing before OBS.

 

Maybe it's moot, anyway, if another tier doesn't come to pass. :confused:

 

I always thought it better to have all the OBS points go to one account so at least one of us would get to Black quickly. It also helped that when my parents travelled with us, their OBS was on my credit card, so I got their points, too! That wasn't a deliberate ploy in the beginning as we were green when first we cruised .............. but I cottoned on quickly! ;p

[Capricruiser]

Bea I have about 43,000 points and DW only about 13,000. The way I feel is that regardless if the new tier starts at 25,000 or 30,000 or 40,000, at least one of us will get the benefits which will probably be shared with everyone in the cabin. Of course the new one could require 50,000 or 100,000 points - who knows...I would keep the OBS on your card.

[sidari]

Bea ... The only time it would really affect anything would be if Shea went on a cruise with another family member and you did not go!

 

Kerry is currently on Gold while I am on Black after our 5 cruises, again the only time it would affect things is if Kerry was to go on a cruise with one of her friends.

 

So I would stay with what you have unless you really want to bring up the points for Shea.

[Beamafar]

That's a good point, Charles. It's the approach I took to get to Black.

 

Dave ............. we were posting together, there!

 

It's highly unlikely we would ever travel apart - we spend 24/7 together (yeah ....... possibly sounds like a nightmare scenario for some - not for us ).

 

The not knowing if or when another tier will be introduced, and what points it would come in at, is a pain.

[Skier52]

The following pertains to the notion that MSC may, at some time in the future, introduce a new top tier to the Voyagers Club.

I will make it to 30000 points on our next cruise in 8 weeks time on duration alone (assuming MSC gives me the 100 bonus points for updating/confirming my contact details). Up ’til now I had always put the onboard account in my name. Should I start putting it in DH’s name so that his points can now build up more quickly? At present, he has 16900 and should get 1100 (including the 100 bonus points) on our next cruise just for sailing.

This is assuming that 30000 points would qualify to attain the new tier. Who knows, the required number may even be less?

Any thoughts, opinions, anyone?

On board spend is now divided between cabin occupants on an equal basis even if only one registers a credit card.

So MSC have wised up to that ploy of building up points for one person faster than their partner.

so you may not be able to do it now.

 

On our recent cruise I was the only one to register a card , but we were allocated the same number of points for on board spend.

 

 

the concierge in the YC also told me that this was the way things are done now

 

NOTE:- That they will not give a total spend, ie pre booked and paid for with onboard spend added together. they are treated as separate points streams and again the points are split equally

I had to contact the office to get the 100 bonus points added

 

 

Pete

[Beamafar]

Pete ............. we disembarked 3 weeks ago (from Magnifica) and the OBS points were only allocated to my account. However, if the points are divided in the future, then I won't have any decisions to make! :p

 

I've noticed over the last couple of years that MSC has been making it more difficult to accumulate points. A case in point: The changes to the number of points allocated for the cruise reduced (in most cases, anyway) the number one would have received prior to the "Experiences" being introduced, e.g. our 28 night cruise in YC will only get us 2000 points, whereas, in old money it would have been 28(00) - one point for every night onboard regardless of cabin category.

 

Another way of MSC reducing the ability to gain points is having drinks packages and internet packages included in the price so less OBS (though these are not freebies and are calculated into the cruise price! :mad:)

 

On the subject of the bonus points: DH got 100 points at the time I "updated" the contact details prior to sailing - and again after we got home!

[sidari]

As far as I know only my points were added for onboard spend on our recent Preziosa cruise, because the UK site refuses to allow you to look at details of previous/ taken cruises I cannot check as to whether Kerry had the right number of points before or after the Preziosa cruise.

 

It also refuses to show the Preziosa as a taken cruise.

 

Pete ... Does this appear anywhere in the brochures about shared spend ? Maybe they should stop giving cards away like Confetti!

[Beamafar]

As far as I know only my points were added for onboard spend on our recent Preziosa cruise, because the UK site refuses to allow you to look at details of previous/ taken cruises I cannot check as to whether Kerry had the right number of points before or after the Preziosa cruise.

 

I keep a record of our points, Dave. I also note what we should have on return from a cruise and then confirm that we actually get at least that amount when we get home. (I never object to MSC over-calculating )

 

It also refuses to show the Preziosa as a taken cruise.

 

Pete ... Does this appear anywhere in the brochures about shared spend ? Maybe they should stop giving cards away like Confetti!

 

Hear, hear!

[Skier52]

As far as I know only my points were added for onboard spend on our recent Preziosa cruise, because the UK site refuses to allow you to look at details of previous/ taken cruises I cannot check as to whether Kerry had the right number of points before or after the Preziosa cruise.

 

It also refuses to show the Preziosa as a taken cruise.

 

Pete ... Does this appear anywhere in the brochures about shared spend ? Maybe they should stop giving cards away like Confetti!

 

 

 

 

This is from the T&Cs

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this

 

 

 

 

 

the above image is from the pre booked and paid for section

 

 

However this next image is at odds to what I as told and also at odds to how my points were awarded, (they were added on Sunday just gone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pete

[Beamafar]

But, as you know, Pete, the website and brochures' content don't always include changes that MSC implement mid-year. A case in point is the introduction this Winter of the 2-tier drinks package pricing. This wasn't flagged in the 2017/2018 brochure.

 

I'll be interested to see if our OBS points are divvied up on our December cruise.

[Capricruiser]

On our last cruise (March/April 2017) all the OBS points went to me because we registered only my credit card and DW received only the cruise points. We embark again next month so we'll see what happens then.

[little britain]

I'm confused! I now have 10700 so I can see it is 500 for a 7n Bella and 100 for updating your profile but not sure where the extra 100 came from! Not complaining though!

[Beamafar]

How long after the cruise do they add the points please? 500 for a 7n Bella I believe - and how do you get the extra 100 for updating your profile (says she who has just updated her profile!)

TIA

 

Here's a link to the Voyagers' Club section of the MSC website. Scroll down 'til you get to "How to collect points" (or click on the titled tab), then click on "Read more".

 

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/en-gb/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Voyagers-Club.aspx

 

Points for the cruise are usually added on about a week after your cruise and points for onboard spend about a week or two after that again.

 

Obviously I posted this before you edited your post!

[Beamafar]

I'm confused! I now have 10700 so I can see it is 500 for a 7n Bella and 100 for updating your profile but not sure where the extra 100 came from! Not complaining though!

 

The extra 100 may be for onboard spend. You get 100 points for every €/$150.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

OK...let's suppose MSC creates a new tier for...say...40,000 points. What could they possibly do for you as a reward?? Just wondering how that would work? Ideas???

[Beamafar]

For starters, they could re-instate the 20% discount that Black Card holders lost when Voyagers Club came into being.

[1fifthavenue]

The OBS has always been a bit of a puzzle - i reconciled what we had earned against what our totals were - they didn't match and it turned out we had only got the 'basic' points for number of nights onboard, so I emailed MSC and they just bumped us up to black - we were only a few hundred points away and the magic 10000 would have been reached when we finish this next cruise anyway :)

[CGTNORMANDIE]

For starters, they could re-instate the 20% discount that Black Card holders lost when Voyagers Club came into being.

 

Great idea Bea!! I hope they are reading this.:cool:

[Beamafar]

On board spend is now divided between cabin occupants on an equal basis even if only one registers a credit card.

So MSC have wised up to that ploy of building up points for one person faster than their partner.

so you may not be able to do it now.

 

On our recent cruise I was the only one to register a card , but we were allocated the same number of points for on board spend.

 

 

the concierge in the YC also told me that this was the way things are done now

 

NOTE:- That they will not give a total spend, ie pre booked and paid for with onboard spend added together. they are treated as separate points streams and again the points are split equally

I had to contact the office to get the 100 bonus points added

 

 

Pete

 

I've just had the points for OBS added to my account. I had registered my credit card details onboard. The points weren't split between me and DH.

 

I, too, had to email Voyagers Club to have the bonus points added to our accounts.

[Beamafar]

The discussion over on the 'Silver to Gold' thread got me to thinking, once again, about the subject of registering DH's credit card on our next cruise for OBS to increase his points in Voyagers Club. At the moment, it looks likely that one of us will get at least 800 points. I currently have 30300 with another 2100 to be added in April (2000 for the cruise + 100 Bonus points); DH has 18000. So his total will be 20100.

 

If the rumours are true about a new tier being introduced which requires 25000 points to qualify, I'm already there. So, the 800 points would be better going to DH.

 

However, this led to me thinking further about the current situation vis a vis how 2 Black Card holders in a cabin are being treated:

 

1. Priority boarding/disembarkation/late check-out - only one person needs to be Black (unless you travel separately at times - we don't).
   
2. One bottle of Prosecco per cabin (except on Divina, apparently).
   
3. One dinner for 2 in a Speciality Restaurant per cabin (according to the latest reports).
   
4. One bowl of fruit per cabin.
   
5. One complimentary MSC Voyagers club photo per cabin.
   

So, what are the benefits that 2 Black Card holders get that only having 1 Black Card member in the cabin doesn't? Well, they each get:

1. A one-hour thermal area Spa pass.
   
2. A robe & slippers.
   
3. An MSC Voyagers Club complimentary gift.
   
4. An MSC Voyagers Club chocolate ship.
   

Other Black Card benefits, such as the VC 5% discount, the dancing class and the Black Card event, only require that one person is at that level for both to benefit.

 

Taking all that into consideration, I really don't think it'll matter whether we're both at the new level or not. With the present system, it seems that only one Black Card holder is required to enjoy most of the benefits. Is this discriminatory, I wonder?

 

Bytheway, Pete, on the subject of splitting points for onboard spend, this is from the MSC website:

 

3) ON-BOARD EXPENSES: You will earn 100 points for every 150 €/$ spent on board (excluding casino expenses). Assigned points for on-board expenses (including pre-boarding purchased shipboard credit) will only be applied to the MSC Voyagers Club Card holder making the final payment.

 

http://www.msccruises.ie/en-ie/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Voyagers-Club.aspx

[sidari]

Bea ... As I still understand it a Black card holder in person is entitled to All the benefits earned as a Black card holder. Nowhere does it say otherwise, we will be once again requesting the benefits per person on our next sailing in April as we did on our Xmas cruise.

You cannot have a system that rewards an Individual with the current Black card list and then say you only get part of it!

 

That said maybe what you said in your post should apply to status match and not to those who have reached/earned their Black card level by sailing with MSC.

[Beamafar]

Bea ... As I still understand it a Black card holder in person is entitled to All the benefits earned as a Black card holder. Nowhere does it say otherwise, we will be once again requesting the benefits per person on our next sailing in April as we did on our Xmas cruise.

You cannot have a system that rewards an Individual with the current Black card list and then say you only get part of it!

 

That said maybe what you said in your post should apply to status match and not to those who have reached/earned their Black card level by sailing with MSC.

 

I was just trying to outline that there really aren't any more benefits to a couple both being at the top tier - when travelling together. For example: why don't each receive a bottle of prosecco? As you know, also, it's only ONE complimentary meal for 2 now. Having to make an issue of this with the Cruise Consultant onboard is not satisfactory.

 

I see I put the 'robe & slippers' in the wrong column. :rolleyes:

[sidari]

Bea ... We did get 2 x Prosecco and Strawberries and 2 meals each, yes we did have to make a bit of noise about it and as you say we should not have to, another reason it is no longer a Loyalty club because MSC have no loyalty to their returning clients/passengers.

MSC are also very sneaky by making the change and not informing people, you try and find out who is responsible or get an answer out of them.

No doubt we will be having the same discussion with Valentina if she is still onboard at the end of April!

 

I finally had a reply from the UK office having had to send the same email twice and have PP and Roxanne also send the same one to customer services, the answer ? we will look into it and get back to you inside 28 days! how long does it take to send an email ? Pathetic is what it is.