MSC Voyager Club Black level change to Diamond

[1fifthavenue]

8 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

What's the difference?  If the benefits are the same, why the change.  I am a Princess Elite guest and my cruise card is Black.  That color of card is recognized by Princess crew members and I feel more appreciated as a Princess past guest.

Yacht Club cards look pretty similar to Black, and also the dark blue of no membership until you get closer to the card?

[ziggyuk]

8 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

What's the difference?  If the benefits are the same, why the change.

 

I agree a pointless change that will please absolutely nobody and probably upset others, it would have been the ideal time to add a new level at 20,000 to reward the loyal and give current black card holders a new target.

 

At least with black it was a colour silver/gold/black.

 

Silver and gold being precious metals the obvious change would have been platinum, why make the top level a precious jewel, it would only make sense if the other levels were ruby, emerald, sapphire etc.

 

Most of the top elite cards are black, understated and discrete.

Edited October 4, 2019 by ziggyuk

[Beamafar]

Couldn't agree more, Ziggy ... I'd always thought that Platinum would be the most obvious name for a new, higher tier.  Where does one go after Diamond?  Thankfully, MSC never resorted to the term 'Elite' (just think what sense of entitlement people would feel with that one!  🙄)

 

This change of name doesn't bode well for the expectations around a higher tier being introduced, IMHO.  I doubt that there would have been a name-change if MSC were truly considering introducing one (or does that argument work in reverse ... that they ARE considering one and want the follow-up name to align more with 'Diamond' than it would with 'Black'?!  🤔 ... Probably just wishful thinking on my part.  ☹️)

[sidari]

Bea ... The trouble is with a new level is what do they add to it and what do they remove from the current Black that would likely be added to the new level and at what point would it start points wise ! I believe it is more a case of trying to fit in with the others rather than stick with their tried and trusted system that everyone knows, seems to be a case of change for the sake of it.

Edited October 4, 2019 by sidari

[ziggyuk]

2 minutes ago, sidari said:

Bea ... The trouble is with a new level is what do they add to it and what do they remove from the current Black that would likely be added to the new level and at what point would it start points wise ! I believe it is more a case of trying to fit in with the others rather than stick with their tried and trusted system that everyone knows, seems to be a case of change for the sake of it.

 

I think it's possible to add more benefits without taking them from other levels, NCL added two new levels Platinum Plus & Ambassador, the latter is quite hard to achieve and we met a couple who were Ambassador on our last cruise, they were even given a staff style badge with Ambassador printed on it.

 

The real benefits are all new though and are:

Platinum Plus:  Dinner With Officers / Priority Restaurant & Entertainment Seating / 60 free minutes wifi package

Ambassador:  Complimentary 7-Day Cruise / 100 free minutes wifi package

 

Another nice benefit that MSC don't currently have is a free Laundry Service

[Beamafar]

I'd like to see an extra discount offered, over and above the VCS specials.  I'd also like an extra voucher for a Speciality Restaurant for those with, say, 30,000 or more points;  perhaps a bottle of champagne instead of spumante for those with 20,000 or 25,000 - just something extra to give value to all those points over and above the 10,000 required to get the benefits that are offered at that attainment.  It wouldn't cost an awful lot on MSC's part to offer these extra benefits.  How much more do they pay for champagne over spumante and what amount is actually attributed to breakages, anyway, for tax write-offs???!!!!

[sidari]

Free Laundry and Internet would be a good move, I was going to add a happy hour with free drinks for Black / Diamond card holders but seeing as MSC have been handing them out like confetti instead of making people earn them I will not be holding my breath.

I still do not get how you can have a Welcome back party for those who have never sailed MSC ... 🤔

Edited October 4, 2019 by sidari

[Stockjock]

I wish they'd ditch the requirement that you have to sail every 3 years though.

[emmas gran]

10 hours ago, Stockjock said:

I wish they'd ditch the requirement that you have to sail every 3 years though.

 

Its keeping people loyal to them, if you matched to Black without sailing with MSC I think it is the right thing. I have been a member of Emirates for 7 years and achieved Gold level but if I don't fly I lose the level and my miles.

[Beamafar]

There's a blog being written by someone who's doing b2b2b on Meraviglia;  his current one on the Transatlantic leg states the following (which highlights the need for a higher tier IMHO):

 

 I had an invitation for the Black Card Party for 11:00 am in the Galleria formal attire, I assumed it was a mistake as that’s a very large space.  No mistake…it was the largest gathering of Black Card members in the history of MSC Cruises.  And this was a Black Card only event, sorry Gold members who had invitations on the previous two cruises. 

[Beamafar]

On 10/4/2019 at 9:04 AM, 1fifthavenue said:

Yacht Club cards look pretty similar to Black, and also the dark blue of no membership until you get closer to the card?

 

Congratulations on your latest news, Tim  @1fifthavenue   - just heard it!  😎  Very best of luck!  😀

[1fifthavenue]

2 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

Congratulations on your latest news, Tim  @1fifthavenue   - just heard it!  😎  Very best of luck!  😀

Thank you Bea! We're working it as a side to our main jobs so won't be aggressively selling

[Beamafar]

3 minutes ago, 1fifthavenue said:

Thank you Bea! We're working it as a side to our main jobs so won't be aggressively selling

 

Well ... I wish you all the best with it!  Who knows ... if this "situation" (I was reluctant to say "Brexit") gets sorted in such a way that we'll still be able to trade with the UK in a straightforward manner, I may come knocking!  😄

[sidari]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

There's a blog being written by someone who's doing b2b2b on Meraviglia;  his current one on the Transatlantic leg states the following (which highlights the need for a higher tier IMHO):

 

 I had an invitation for the Black Card Party for 11:00 am in the Galleria formal attire, I assumed it was a mistake as that’s a very large space.  No mistake…it was the largest gathering of Black Card members in the history of MSC Cruises.  And this was a Black Card only event, sorry Gold members who had invitations on the previous two cruises. 

Yes it would be, rumour has it that if you have a Mickey Mouse Card MSC will also match you to Black ... 😂

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, sidari said:

Yes it would be, rumour has it that if you have a Mickey Mouse Card MSC will also match you to Black ... 😂

 

😂😂😂😂

[perakcruiser]

11 minutes ago, sidari said:

Yes it would be, rumour has it that if you have a Mickey Mouse Card MSC will also match you to Black ... 😂

Great to read this when it took you eight years to gain Gold status ☠️

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, perakcruiser said:

Great to read this when it took you eight years to gain Gold status ☠️

 

Status-match certainly was a slap in the face to those sailing MSC regularly and slowly gaining points, only to see 10000 points being handed to people who'd never sailed MSC before.  Unfortunately there wasn't enough of a backlash against the policy for MSC to rescind it, only to reduce the level being matched to as Gold for most applications - and that only came about when they received such a high number from those who were on top tiers in other 'loyalty' programmes.

[sidari]

13 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

Great to read this when it took you eight years to gain Gold status ☠️

Really ?  2012 to 20119, Seeing as we have been Black for coming upto three years now and we did not cruise for Two years clearly Maths is not your strong point is it ... 🤔😂

Edited October 6, 2019 by sidari

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, sidari said:

Really ? Seeing as we have been Black for coming upto three years now clearly Maths is not your strong point is it ... 🤔😂

 

Dave ... you've misunderstood perakcruiser's post - he's referring to himself!  (I don't think English is his first language, which is why he phrased it the way he did).

Edited October 6, 2019 by Beamafar

[sidari]

Bea ... Unless he added the word "you" instead of "Me" meaning himself the post clearly refers to myself.

[perakcruiser]

13 minutes ago, sidari said:

Bea ... Unless he added the word "you" instead of "Me" meaning himself the post clearly refers to myself.

Certainly I am talking about myself. 

 

Every change in the Club program was terrible for us. Mostly the one, that a 6 day cruise in Bella Balcony (!) - which we did two times - is only worth 200 points! 

 

And two weeks in Bella 7(00) instead of 14 points. Anyway, the loyalty program is definitely not the reason we are cruising MSC, as I said, I am only interested in the priority tender tickets. 

Edited October 6, 2019 by perakcruiser

[sidari]

Perak ... Apologies for the misunderstanding ... 😀

[perakcruiser]

2 minutes ago, sidari said:

Perak ... Apologies for the misunderstanding ... 😀

All good. Unfortunately my English is under Malaysian average and not improving anymore. I don´t speak English wih my daughters so I am not spoiling theirs 

[Beamafar]

Something that completely slipped my mind ... MSC HAS added another perk;  it's for those who've done 10 cruises or more.  On Seaview our waiter produced the following:

 

 

 

[sidari]

Someone mention cake ... 😱