Special discounted fares through 2021 for healthcare workers

[KennyFla]

8 hours ago, allisonb22 said:

 

 

i work in an emergency department and worked all the way through the pandemic, i even got COVID from work. I would LOVE to take advantage of this deal.

 

Thank you for your service.  You certainly should take advantage of this offer.  Yes, you have to call, but if I could give some advice, use a travel agent.  Nothing about reservations with MSC is easy right now.  If you don't have one, the one I have been using has been great.  

[Pushkin]

10 hours ago, drsel said:

You need to contact a US travel agent. Submit your proof by email

 

I submitted proof by email a couple weeks ago but I haven't heard anything back saying that they have approved the form of health worker status proof.  Should I expect such an email?

[KennyFla]

5 minutes ago, Pushkin said:

I submitted proof by email a couple weeks ago but I haven't heard anything back saying that they have approved the form of health worker status proof.  Should I expect such an email?

 

I initially sent in a picture of our badge.  They emailed back the next day saying they needed something to show I had worked this year since my badge did not have a date.  I sent in a check stub, and have not heard anything back.  This was almost 2 weeks ago.  My reservation is in their system, so I hope all is well.

[Pushkin]

23 minutes ago, KennyFla said:

 

I initially sent in a picture of our badge.  They emailed back the next day saying they needed something to show I had worked this year since my badge did not have a date.  I sent in a check stub, and have not heard anything back.  This was almost 2 weeks ago.  My reservation is in their system, so I hope all is well.

Thanks.  My reservation is in their system too - including the correct price, so I hope all is well.  What I don't want to happen is to get to final payment date and find out the discount wasn't applied.

[drsel]

Thanks.  My reservation is in their system too - including the correct price, so I hope all is well.  What I don't want to happen is to get to final payment date and find out the discount wasn't applied.

unfortunately the discount offer is not retroactive.
so you will need to cancel and rebook.
Make a fresh booking and they ask you travel agent to get you the discount.

[Pushkin]

7 minutes ago, drsel said:

unfortunately the discount offer is not retroactive.
so you will need to cancel and rebook.
Make a fresh booking and they ask you travel agent to get you the discount.

I already have a reservation for the healthcare workers promotion and paid the deposit.  I emailed them proof of status, but have not received any email saying that the proof submitted met the requirements for the promotion.  I just wanted to know if people were receiving confirmation that the various forms of proof submitted were acceptable to MSC.  

[js]

MyTA is so feb up with MSC he said he will do my bookings but no longer taking anyone else that wants to book an MSC cruise. 
 

We are waiting for them to confirm with my TA that they can use the discount but there arent too many YC balcony cabins left and wondering if I should just call and book. We want to book 3 night and then 7 night. 

On the above cruises, I have Royal Suites booked but will need to cancel and rebook to get the 50% off. I am very aware we may somehow loose the cabins, which will not be so great, but I would be fine with YC balcony since that is what we usually sail. 
 

Should I just call MSC. There are only a few YC balconies left on both our cruises. 
 

Thank you. 

 

[drsel]

Yes, two people.  Meraviglia.  7-day Caribbean (Miami).  $5116 before discount, I believe.
My. husband is a dentist and will need to provide his ADA card.
$398 non-refundable deposit (not happy about that).

The MSc Canadian and Australian websites clearly state that dentists, maxillofacial surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, and certain other specialisations are not eligible

[drsel]

I already have a reservation for the healthcare workers promotion and paid the deposit.  I emailed them proof of status, but have not received any email saying that the proof submitted met the requirements for the promotion.  I just wanted to know if people were receiving confirmation that the various forms of proof submitted were acceptable to MSC.  

Are you working in a hospital that also treats covid patients?What is your designation?

 

there are some ineligible categories.

please check and see if you are in the eligible categories.

 

Your travel agent can check and advise you on the phone within 5 minutes

 

 

[js]

6 minutes ago, drsel said:

Are you working in a hospital that also treats covid patients?What is your designation?

 

there are some ineligible categories.

please check and see if you are in the eligible categories.

 

Your travel agent can check and advise you on the phone within 5 minutes

 

 

My TA said he called yesterday to speak to a supervisor at MSC and non around to confirm my discount so I can move forward

to rebook. Is it really this simple? I have used them for so long with so many cruises, changes, rebooking on all mainstream lines but getting this discount for our two cruises in Royal Auite seems to be so difficult. Even if they cant rebook the RS, I will take a YC balcony but they are almost gone too. 
 

I am wondering if I should call MSC and book the YC balcony cabins and wait to see if my TA can canc and reget my RSs once MSC confirms we are ready for the discount. 
 

So annoying. 

[drsel]

My TA got an official, personal reply from an MSc officer after 2 days and sent me his exact reply by email.--

 

The Health Care worker discount is only valid on new reservations and only for doctors that work in hospitals directly related to Covid 19.

 

NOT ELIGIBLE

1. Private Doctors/medical staff not employed with hospital facilities and whose specialization are not directly related to Covid-19 (e.g. dentists, orthopedics, dermatologists etc)

2. Any other jobs related to Hospital activities but hired by private companies (such as private cleaning services company, securities or external suppliers)

 3. Retired medical staff

 4. Researchers working in laboratories which perform general medical examinations

 

Sincerely,

 

Scott Surace

MSC Cruises

[KennyFla]

2 minutes ago, js said:

My TA said he called yesterday to speak to a supervisor at MSC and non around to confirm my discount so I can move forward

to rebook. Is it really this simple? I have used them for so long with so many cruises, changes, rebooking on all mainstream lines but getting this discount for our two cruises in Royal Auite seems to be so difficult. Even if they cant rebook the RS, I will take a YC balcony but they are almost gone too. 
 

I am wondering if I should call MSC and book the YC balcony cabins and wait to see if my TA can canc and reget my RSs once MSC confirms we are ready for the discount. 
 

So annoying. 

 

From what I understand that happened on our reservation:  The TA called to inquire about our eligibility, the MSC agent asked questions about where we worked, what dept, and gave her a verbal approval.  We then sent in pictures of our badges.  The next day MSC emailed back and said that since our badges were not dated they needed proof we had worked in 2020.  We sent in a paystub.  Have not heard back, and I assume we are set.

[drsel]

If you have a salary receipt from a hospital, then you are definitely eligible, even if you are an accountant and part of non clinical staff.

[js]

18 minutes ago, KennyFla said:

 

From what I understand that happened on our reservation:  The TA called to inquire about our eligibility, the MSC agent asked questions about where we worked, what dept, and gave her a verbal approval.  We then sent in pictures of our badges.  The next day MSC emailed back and said that since our badges were not dated they needed proof we had worked in 2020.  We sent in a paystub.  Have not heard back, and I assume we are set.

Thank you. I just emailed this information to my TA. Not even sure cruising will resume in February but may as well try. 

Edited September 24, 2020 by js

[js]

Thank you all. 
 

I was able to book the 3 night sailing on Seaside in YC in a YC balcony and then the 7 night in a Royal Suite for a total of $5125 all together. I was paying $6900 just for the RS with a discount from my TA so this saved almost $1800 and we get an additional 3 nights in the YC. 
 

Not sure if sailings will resume from Florida in February and not making final payment in November if nothing is sure yet but at least I am set if it does. 
 

 

[hamrag]

Can anyone advise what the healthcare discount % is for an October 2021 sailing please? I understand the offer is up to 50%, but cannot find anywhere the specific % for each timeframe. Apologies if the answer is contained somewhere on this thread, but I haven't found anything.

[surmy555]

1 hour ago, hamrag said:

Can anyone advise what the healthcare discount % is for an October 2021 sailing please? I understand the offer is up to 50%, but cannot find anywhere the specific % for each timeframe. Apologies if the answer is contained somewhere on this thread, but I haven't found anything.

 

10%

[hamrag]

On 11/19/2020 at 6:30 PM, hamrag said:

Can anyone advise what the healthcare discount % is for an October 2021 sailing please? I understand the offer is up to 50%, but cannot find anywhere the specific % for each timeframe. Apologies if the answer is contained somewhere on this thread, but I haven't found anything.

 

On 11/19/2020 at 7:45 PM, surmy555 said:

 

10%

 

The booking quote I received this week appears to be 20%, perhaps the original discount timescales have slipped with ongoing cancellations?

[surmy555]

On 9/1/2020 at 9:42 AM, Até said:

On the MSC US site all info regarding the promo is currently gone, I'm sure they will get it back up soon.  On the agent site they have more info. 

 

AVAILABLE TO ALL FRONT LINE AND BACK OFFICE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS GLOBALLY

• Applicable for all MSC Cruises sailings through December 31, 2021 excluding the 2021 World Cruise
• AVAILABLE DISCOUNTS:
  • 50% OFF sailings departing through March 31, 2021
  • 30% OFF sailings departing April 1-May 31, 2021
  • 10% OFF sailings departing June 1-December 31, 2021
• Discount applicable to cruise only fare
• Fully combinable with applicable Voyagers Club discount
• ELIGIBILITY: (Healthcare Worker MUST have been active in 2020)
  • Frontline and Back Office Workers
  • Doctors
  • Nurses
  • Pharmacists
  • Medical Laboratory Workers
• Valid proof of employment must be sent at time the promotion is applied AND at embarkation
• Copy of ID card, certificate or other official documentation

• HOW TO BOOK:

• MSC BOOK
• When starting the booking process, select the dedicated promotional code "Thank you - Healthcare workers" at stateroom selection step
• The discount will automatically be taken into account in the calculation of the cruise fare
• In case your client is a MSC Voyagers Club member, make sure you also add the loyalty card number in the dedicated field, so that he/she can also benefit from our regular 5% discount

 

B2B_PROMO_2020-HCW-promo-trade-faqs_129559_8703.pdf 202.43 kB · 8 downloads

here's a previous post that I based my response on

[Até]

1 hour ago, surmy555 said:

here's a previous post that I based my response on

My post specifically referred to US bookings.  I think hamrag would be using the UK site.  That site FAQ is a little less clear on how the percentages are given.

 

https://www.mscbook.com/shop/uk/mscb2bstoreuk/promo/HEALTH-WORKERS-PROMOTION

 

"This dedicated discount is not a flat rate across all our sailings but can be different depending on the sailing dates."

B2B_PROMO_Healthcare_workers_Trade_FAQ_129617_8703.pdf

[hamrag]

On 9/1/2020 at 3:42 PM, Até said:

AVAILABLE TO ALL FRONT LINE AND BACK OFFICE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS GLOBALLY

• Applicable for all MSC Cruises sailings through December 31, 2021 excluding the 2021 World Cruise
• AVAILABLE DISCOUNTS:
  • 50% OFF sailings departing through March 31, 2021
  • 30% OFF sailings departing April 1-May 31, 2021
  • 10% OFF sailings departing June 1-December 31, 2021
• Discount applicable to cruise only fare
• Fully combinable with applicable Voyagers Club discount
•  

 

I now have a written response from MSC UK, confirming that June through December sailings will have 20% discount applied. The 50% and 30% timelines are identical to above, and there is no 10% timeline. 

 

It is ridiculous that the discount rates appear not to be uniform across all market areas!

Edited November 25, 2020 by hamrag

[Malibustacey79]

I booked today (UK) for May 2021 and got 30% discount, very happy with that! Just hope it goes ahead 🤞

 

I moved our October 2020 cruise to August 2021 before it was cancelled so didn’t get to use the discount but this makes up for it! 
 

 

[KennyFla]

Does anybody know what the US discount is for October?  Need to re-book our cancelled January cruise.

[gotta cruise again]

3 hours ago, KennyFla said:

Does anybody know what the US discount is for October?  Need to re-book our cancelled January cruise.

I also couldn’t remember and was wondering about the various rates: post #21 of this thread has all the details.

[Até]

The MSC US agent site still lists the same discount percentages and sail dates I posted a couple times in this thread.  However, as mentioned several posts back MSC may change this and the best way to know for sure is to call and ask about the specific sailing.