MSC Voyager Club Black level change to Diamond

[Beamafar]

Charles ... do you, or have you ever, brought up the subject with anyone on MSC - especially the YC or Hotel Director and, if so, what reaction have you received?

 

I highlight it with the CC on most cruises (as well as discussing it with the UK VC agent at length on the phone once before) in the hope that it would get fed back to the powers-that-be.

[Até]

5 hours ago, Beamafar said:

It looks like it'll only be for those who book a VC selection AFTER the end of June 2019 - not for those who've already booked a VCS and will sail after the date.

It is a bit unclear if you have to make the booking after the end of June or it will be good for all on sailings after that date.  As the US website currently stands there are 86 sailings in 5+15%, 193 sailings in the 5+10% and 321 sailings in the 5+5% Voyagers Selections.  So currently it's pretty hard to find a sailing that isn't in the Voyagers Selection.  Perhaps that will change July 1st and they will be more limited like they were about a year ago.  Like you it really doesn't matter to me until they make a higher benefits level.  But if they keep the current number of Voyagers Selection sailings they basically are just doubling 90% of people's points per sailing.

[emmas gran]

Neither of us can access the offers on VC -says the numbers are invalid. I have spoken to MSC who said email

them with the problem. Have tried on both desktop and IPad

 

Sorry Mickey Celebrity is a lot easier website for me to use, but may its what I was used to using

[mickey89]

emmas gran.....Goto Preferences then Privacy settings then amend if MSC is listed.

[Capricruiser]

14 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Charles ... do you, or have you ever, brought up the subject with anyone on MSC - especially the YC or Hotel Director and, if so, what reaction have you received?

 

I highlight it with the CC on most cruises (as well as discussing it with the UK VC agent at length on the phone once before) in the hope that it would get fed back to the powers-that-be.

Bea, talking with any of the staff they more or less say the same thing.   "I've heard about it."   They're discussing it at headquarters."  "It will probably be announced in the next few months:"  etc. etc.  I've spoken with two captains,  two hotel directors, one or two cruise directors, a YC director, and two or three cruise consultants.   I suspect the type of comments I've received are more or less the same that you've received.  As you said, believe it when we see it.  P.s. I remember the first "Black Cocktail" I went to.  There were four of us!   I don't go anymore but I've heard that half the ship shows up.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Capricruiser

[ready2cruzagain]

1 hour ago, Até said:

It is a bit unclear if you have to make the booking after the end of June or it will be good for all on sailings after that date.  As the US website currently stands there are 86 sailings in 5+15%, 193 sailings in the 5+10% and 321 sailings in the 5+5% Voyagers Selections.  So currently it's pretty hard to find a sailing that isn't in the Voyagers Selection.  Perhaps that will change July 1st and they will be more limited like they were about a year ago.  Like you it really doesn't matter to me until they make a higher benefits level.  But if they keep the current number of Voyagers Selection sailings they basically are just doubling 90% of people's points per sailing.

 

I have been trying to look at the voyager club sailing since two of ours are on it.  My problem is, it states put in your voyagers club number on first page of booking but there is no where to put it.  Just exactly where do I put the voyagers number to find out the real price.

[emmas gran]

1 hour ago, mickey89 said:

emmas gran.....Goto Preferences then Privacy settings then amend if MSC is listed.

 

Mickey does it work straight away if so no cannot get in still, the same response as before for both of us . Will try again tomorrow 

Thanks

[Até]

1 hour ago, ready2cruzagain said:

I have been trying to look at the voyager club sailing since two of ours are on it.  My problem is, it states put in your voyagers club number on first page of booking but there is no where to put it.  Just exactly where do I put the voyagers number to find out the real price.

I only use the Voyagers Selection lists as a reference, on the US site you don't even have to be logged in to see them.  If you are logged in it usually doesn't change the pricing displayed in the Voyagers Selection listings.  In fact the prices shown there are often the brochure rate.  Once I see a sailing is a Voyagers Selection I go back to the "Plan and Book" home page and search out that sailing.  You can then click on "See All Rates and Promotions" to pick what rate you want.  You can take the discount from any of the offered promotions/rates.  I then just do a quick calculation to see what the actual prices would be with the discounts - e.g. for 5+15% I just multiply the fares w/o taxes by 0.83 (they take the 5% first then the 15% off the remainder so I don't multiply by 0.80).  I have never successfully added a Voyagers Selection discount online, I have always had to call my PCV to book with that discount.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Até

[mickey89]

44 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

 

Mickey does it work straight away if so no cannot get in still, the same response as before for both of us . Will try again tomorrow 

Thanks

 

Which Browser are you using?

[emmas gran]

IPad Safari

[mickey89]

Emmas gran...... you need to clear your cookies. Go to settings, on left screen select Safari. Then on the right screen scan down to Clear History and Website Data then click,  then clear. 

All I can say that it worked for me, when I logged back into My MSC Account  with email address and password I was able to gain immediate access to Voyager Club section of their website, previously I couldn’t.

[emmas gran]

Thx for your reply, we have done all that. Mickey it may be that we are talking different things, I am trying to see the Voyager Club cruise offers for members. I can get into VC but not the offers to show me the discount price, if I go in as Bea said and it says log in then it’s not recognised for either of us.

 

Thx for all your help I will have to see what MSC say.

Liz

[Beamafar]

3 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

Thx for your reply, we have done all that. Mickey it may be that we are talking different things, I am trying to see the Voyager Club cruise offers for members. I can get into VC but not the offers to show me the discount price, if I go in as Bea said and it says log in then it’s not recognised for either of us.

 

Thx for all your help I will have to see what MSC say.

Liz

 

That was what I meant in response to Mickey earlier on (though he was talking about something different to your dilemma).  On the Ireland website, you don't have to log in or use your VC number to access the VC selection cruises section.

[emmas gran]

Yes Bea that’s the problem, I rang MSC today he said numbers we are using are correct, he advised me to email them.

On the UK site it wants number and DOB to access the offers.

 

Guess it’s a waiting game

 

Thx again

[Até]

The PR release said after June, 2019,  but I noticed on the US website it states Voyagers Selections are getting double points as of May 27, 2019.  It sort of reads more like this is only for new bookings made after that date.  I still think there's a small chance VS sailings booked earlier will get double.  There are still hundreds of sailings that qualify listed on the VS web pages.

 

ETA: There is no mention of the fruit bowl.

Edited June 1, 2019 by Até

[hamrag]

The article included with OP for this thread, indicates to me all that is about to happen is that Black will be renamed Diamond. I read nothing that suggests a higher status level.

[Beamafar]

Those with Black Cards need to make more noise if they want to see another tier being introduced - or vote with their feet.  As long as regular cruisers keep cruising with them, they won't see any need to incentivise them.

 

I'm blue in the face bringing it up on every cruise at this stage.

[hamrag]

On 5/22/2019 at 9:13 AM, Beamafar said:

It looks like it'll only be for those who book a VC selection AFTER the end of June 2019 - not for those who've already booked a VCS and will sail after the date.

 

It's a bit vague about double points, though, as it states it'll depend on the 'Experience' booked (As ours is a YC booking, I'd imagine we would have got double points):

 

As of the end of June 2019, Voyagers Club members have yet another reason to book their next holidays on Voyages Selection cruises, as each of these cruises will allow guests to double their points, depending on the Experience that they book. This offers members the chance to progress their membership level twice as quickly and take advantage of ever-increasing benefits. 

 

Clarification from the UK website, everyone gets double points but the number differs dependent on the experience booked:

 

MSC Experience purchased

Experience	Cruise under 6 days / 5 nights	Cruises from 6 to 10 days / 5 to 9 nights	Cruises of more than 10 days - 9 nights
Bella	200 points	500 points	700 points
Fantastica	400 points	700 points	1000 points
Aurea	600 points	1000 points	1500 points
MSC Yacht Club	800 points	1500 points	2000 points

As of May 27 2019, members who book a Voyages Selection departure will be credited double membership points for the type of Experience chosen. Points will be assigned at the end of the cruise.

 

[Até]

The point is that Voyagers points are now going to be so easy to collect that almost everyone will be top tier Diamond status so fast it will make the whole Voyagers loyalty program a joke. 

[JUSRN]

12 minutes ago, Até said:

The point is that Voyagers points are now going to be so easy to collect that almost everyone will be top tier Diamond status so fast it will make the whole Voyagers loyalty program a joke. 

 

Same thing has been happening on NCL. 

We reached Platinum Plus after 40 years of cruising with them.

Now people are getting there much faster by booking suites and booking early!

[Beamafar]

19 hours ago, hamrag said:

 

 

As of May 27 2019, members who book a Voyages Selection departure will be credited double membership points for the type of Experience chosen. Points will be assigned at the end of the cruise.

 

 

I read it that the 'percentage' of points would depend on the 'Experience' booked.  In other words, that the highest category would get double, but if you booked lower-end categories, you'd get a sliding scale, depending on what was booked eg 25% extra for Bella, etc.  🙄  The use of the word "depending" seems to imply that not all guests would get double points:

 

" as each of these cruises will allow guests to double their points, depending on the Experience that they book." 

 

It makes sense that the number of points you'll get will depend on the category booked, but that's not made clear.  It's just badly worded (as are most things MSC.  Things often get lost in translation).

Edited June 3, 2019 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

17 hours ago, Até said:

The point is that Voyagers points are now going to be so easy to collect that almost everyone will be top tier Diamond status so fast it will make the whole Voyagers loyalty program a joke. 

 

It IS a joke, Até!  When MSC replaced the old Club with Voyagers Club (and introduced status-match almost immediately after) the word "Loyalty" was dropped from the description of the membership club.

 

If MSC thinks it's such a big deal to reach 10000 points and offer the perks that they do for attaining Black/Diamond, why do they not acknowledge when someone doubles that amount of points (those who've actually sailed with them to accrue that number!! and not just status-matched to get it) and offer an extra benefit as a "thank you" - no need to even introduce another tier - for instance: a second voucher for a meal for 2 in a Speciality Restaurant, which would cost them little, but would mean a lot to those of us who have multiples of the number needed to reach Black/Diamond (I'll have 4X the number needed at the end of this year - 40000) or a discount off a drinks package;  just some token offering for each extra 10,000 points to recognise how much money people have spent with MSC to build up so many points.

 

I want to scream every time MSC makes a claim that they value their loyal customers!

 

To head off the usual response to that from some quarters - I don't cruise MSC just to be a "loyal customer".  It's still a great value product (at the moment) and has Euros as the onboard currency for most of the sailings we book, so no currency exchange and loss of monetary value for our trips is a major incentive. 

[hamrag]

29 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

If MSC thinks it's such a big deal to reach 10000 points and offer the perks that they do for attaining Black/Diamond, why do they not acknowledge when someone doubles that amount of points (those who've actually sailed with them to accrue that number!! and not just status-matched to get it) and offer an extra benefit as a "thank you" - no need to even introduce another tier - for instance: a second voucher for a meal for 2 in a Speciality Restaurant, which would cost them little, but would mean a lot to those of us who have multiples of the number needed to reach Black/Diamond (I'll have 4X the number needed at the end of this year - 40000) or a discount off a drinks package;  just some token offering for each extra 10,000 points to recognise how much money people have spent with MSC to build up so many points.

 

As a customer who was matched to Black, because of my NCL status, I agree wholeheartedly with those sentiments! With MSC we have two 7 nighters in steerage, and 3 YC totalling 32 nights.....i.e. 46 nights in total. Based on the current  matrix on UK website, that accrues between 6500 and 6900 points (no idea whether the steerage ones were Bella or Fantastica).....late edit, plus whatever we spent so it is probably between 7000 and 7500 still short of 'true black'!!

 

I do understand the frustration of many around this matter, and would go further than your suggestion and say that at 50000 points a further 5% discount should be given on future cruises!

Edited June 3, 2019 by hamrag

[Até]

13 hours ago, Beamafar said:

It IS a joke, Até!

I have no problem hearing people who were Black in the old system say that.  Since I matched to Black I feel no right to complain about the benefits I have received.  I actually have enough MSC sailings now to be a naturalized Black status and was able to attain those extra 10000 points fairly easily.  My only observation is about how doubling the points on so many Voyagers Selections is going to really make that progression faster, close to twice as fast, for everyone.  I do feel this has to be a prelude to a higher status level being created, otherwise it makes no sense.  With this new ease of gathering points I wouldn't be surprised if it were set fairly high, like 50K points, or even more.  I keep watching to see if they curtail the extensive VS sailings list, but it remains amazingly large on the US website.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

On 5/21/2019 at 5:08 PM, Beamafar said:

Perhaps the expression of "Black Member" had a certain resonance that required attention.

 

ETA ... Wonder what colour a 'Diamond' cruisecard will be?

On Carnival it is a sparkling white pearl.