Does MSC issue an actual card?

[Markanddonna]

With all of the issues of getting a card and the recent changes in the status ranks, I am hoping to get an actual card that says "Black Card Status."  I was issued that status based on my Platinum NCL and others are reporting that Platinum NCL is now being issued gold status.

 

So, do they give you an actual card?

[Até]

Your cruise card will have your Voyagers Club color on it.  Most of the time.

[sidari]

MSC no longer issue status level cards, as Ate says you cabin card is the colour of your level in the VC.

[Beamafar]

As Até and Sidari have said, your cruisecard doubles as your Voyagers Club card and will be the colour of the level you're at when sailing.  It's valid for 3 years from the disembarkation date on the card or until you sail again within the 3 year period.  Then the next cruisecard becomes your VC card, etc.

[DMH15]

I kept my email that matched me.  Think I will take a screenshot of it for my phone.  

[sidari]

It would be interesting to hear when MSC decided to downgrade status match and when they decided to change those who have now been downgraded from Black to Gold.

[SeaShark]

50 minutes ago, sidari said:

It would be interesting to hear when MSC decided to downgrade status match and when they decided to change those who have now been downgraded from Black to Gold.

I don't think anyone was downgraded. Platinum used to be NCL's top tier and matched to Black on MSC. Once NCL revised their tier structure, MSC adjusted the way they match.

 

Platinum is now a mid-level tier on NCL...makes sense that it wouldn't equate to Black.

[sidari]

There have been posts recently from at least two people saying they are now Gold instead of their matched Black.

[Skier52]

4 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

With all of the issues of getting a card and the recent changes in the status ranks, I am hoping to get an actual card that says "Black Card Status."  I was issued that status based on my Platinum NCL and others are reporting that Platinum NCL is now being issued gold status.

 

So, do they give you an actual card?

They certainly used to send them to members, but stopped issuing them when they introduced the voyagers club as a replacement for the MSC club.

this is what they looked like. They arrived at your home address in a nice presentation box, along with a gold pin in a little velvet bag..

 

Edited December 12, 2018 by Skier52

[Até]

I've seen one poster referencing sailing as a Black match then being told they will be Gold match on a subsequent cruise, but the post was a bit vague.  I think it had more to do with MSC "losing" the previous match and the poster reapplying at the new match levels.  I wonder if MSC would really try to go back through all the previous status match people and re-determine what they would now be.  Add to that the complication of all those who have already sailed, some multiple times, and then try to figure what they now would be.  I don't think it's going to be applied retroactively.  Doing so would imply a new level of inequality within Voyagers where anyone who had matched in the past can have it revoked at any time.  Hmm, sounds kind of familiar.

[Zephyr173]

Wow. That’s nice.

But then.  Do we really need another lotalty card in our wallets?

Previous posters have indicated their cruise card was matched to their VC status.  That is what we have experienced to date.

Perhaps MSC could clarify that you are not issued an actual card other than the cruise card. What use would it be anyways, unless you could use it at partner stores?

[Até]

45 minutes ago, Zephyr173 said:

Perhaps MSC could clarify that you are not issued an actual card other than the cruise card. What use would it be anyways, unless you could use it at partner stores?

I've never had a "real" one, but I think it was useful when boarding.  As Beamafar suggested previous cruisers can now flash your old sail card for pre-boarding perks but first timers have none to show.  I've never really needed or been asked about it anyway, but then again I've mostly sailed YC.

[Zephyr173]

Thanks Ate. I did not pick up Bea’s insight.

And it is true that flashing your YC card at door 1 (midships) will let you return “home” to YC at stern. 

Patrick

[Beamafar]

7 hours ago, Até said:

I've never had a "real" one, but I think it was useful when boarding.  As Beamafar suggested previous cruisers can now flash your old sail card for pre-boarding perks but first timers have none to show.  I've never really needed or been asked about it anyway, but then again I've mostly sailed YC.

 

We sailed on Divina in Sept 2015 - 2 months after the introduction of Voyagers Club;  we got a Black cruisecard for the first time, then.  Six weeks later, we were re-boarding Divina (for her TA to Miami);  I brought the "new" card -  I hadn't bothered bringing my "old" Black Card as it was now obsolete.

 

We went to the Priority area but were initially refused as we weren't on the "list".  I showed the guy my new VC card and had to explain to him that it did actually indicate my club level and that we were, indeed, entitled to Priority boarding.  He headed off, seemingly to ask someone about it; then it appeared he had a change of heart, turned back and decided to process us anyway.

 

MSC had begun indicating your status on the cruise tickets and luggage tabs at the time of the VC introduction;  our tickets didn't have our levels indicated which meant that the ship hadn't been given that info, either.  Now, I always ensure that our level is on our tickets;  if not, I insist on them being re-issued with the level showing.

Edited December 12, 2018 by Beamafar

[sidari]

We have the previous 3 cards issued before Black, which were Blue, Silver and Gold. We missed out on the card that Pete has added in his post by a short time period after the change from a"Loyalty club" to the voyagers club.

 

Zephyr ... There is no reason to carry them around with you unless you were on a cruise on MSC just incase as Bea said, MSC got your level wrong on the seapass details.

[Skier52]

12 hours ago, Skier52 said:

They certainly used to send them to members, but stopped issuing them when they introduced the voyagers club as a replacement for the MSC club.

this is what they looked like. They arrived at your home address in a nice presentation box, along with a gold pin in a little velvet bag..

 

this is the full package that arrived at my door from Naplea

 

[lakelorain]

We were emailed a Black Card to print out and carry in 2016. It was in a letter along with a list of some of the benefits.