Voyagers Club members, what's the skinny on how +5%, +10%, and +15% discount cruises get selected?

[Ronaldo807]

On 7/26/2021 at 11:23 PM, drsel said:

Voyagers club silver and above get $50 pp. The extra $50 pp is for oceanview and above, not for inside cabins

Where do you see that the extra $50 is for Oceanview and above? I read the T&Cand did not see that.

[Até]

20 minutes ago, Ronaldo807 said:

Where do you see that the extra $50 is for Oceanview and above?

That was a promotion MSC US offered a while back when they got rid of the VS 5%+10% and 5%+15% selections for a while. There's still probably bookings made under that offer.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Até

[alyssamma]

10 minutes ago, Até said:

That was a promotion MSC US offered a while back when they got rid of the VS 5%+10% and 5%+15% selections for a while. There's still probably bookings made under that offer.

So confused now...if you are silver/gold and you book a 5+15 do you get 1 or 2 $50 OBCs?

[thepla]

25 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

So confused now...if you are silver/gold and you book a 5+15 do you get 1 or 2 $50 OBCs?

I think based on people in cabin. One diamond and one classic gets one. Two gold get two. Basically each person not classic gets 50.

[alyssamma]

3 minutes ago, thepla said:

I think based on people in cabin. One diamond and one classic gets one. Two gold get two. Basically each person not classic gets 50.

No, I meant per person...if both gold, do you know get $50 or do you get $50 + $50. The text says:

 

Get up to €/$50 per person onboard credit to use during your cruise, PLUS you'll earn double points! If you are a Silver, Gold or Diamond member, you'll earn an additional €/$50 per person onboard credit to use during your cruise.

 

So this seems to indicate if you are classic you get $50, if Gold you get $50 + $50.

[Até]

It's typical poor wording/translation by MSC, plus the old promo of the additional OBC causes added confusion.  It's one $50 OBC per adult member Silver or above.  I have no idea why they mention it at the beginning then clarify again at the end.  I've had multiple VS bookings and it's always been only $50 per member Silver+.  I lost my bookings under the additional OBC last year.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Até

[alyssamma]

27 minutes ago, Até said:

It's typical poor wording/translation by MSC, plus the old promo of the additional OBC causes added confusion.  It's one $50 OBC per adult member Silver or above.  I have no idea why they mention it at the beginning then clarify again at the end.  I've had multiple VS bookings and it's always been only $50 per member Silver+.  I lost my bookings under the additional OBC last year.

I have a cruise booked in June where I got 2 50s...but I booked a cruise this month and only got 1.

 

I'm going to call them tomorrow to press the issue.

 

 

 

[Até]

It looks like those pictures are from your booking confirmations, so I assume each picture is for one person.  So yes, it looks like someone got two $50 Voyages Selection OBCs on the April 16 sailing.  Depending on when it was booked it could have been during the extra OBC VS promotion, but i'm 99% sure it was not offered in June.   I don't have the exact dates the promotion was offered, it would take a bit of work to go back through posts and find the point where the 5%+10% and 5%+15% sailings disappeared and later came back, the additional OBC was offered sometime in that time frame.  Then there was also the special VS Holiday Sailings promotion in there somewhere too, but I don't think that sail date was one of those sailings.

 

I'd just take the extra $50 OBC on the one sailing and not draw any unneeded attention to it, my opinion is it most likely is an error.  You're not likely to get the extra OBC added to the August booking unless you can prove it was made during that brief additional OBC time frame and more likely to lose it on the April sailing.

 

ETA:  Just a note for anyone that cares.  If you post more than one booking date MSC can easily cross reference them and correlate your CC username to your real name.  Joining a CC Meet & Mingle has the same effect so this may not matter to most posters.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Até

[alyssamma]

10 hours ago, Até said:

It looks like those pictures are from your booking confirmations, so I assume each picture is for one person.  So yes, it looks like someone got two $50 Voyages Selection OBCs on the April 16 sailing.  Depending on when it was booked it could have been during the extra OBC VS promotion, but i'm 99% sure it was not offered in June.   I don't have the exact dates the promotion was offered, it would take a bit of work to go back through posts and find the point where the 5%+10% and 5%+15% sailings disappeared and later came back, the additional OBC was offered sometime in that time frame.  Then there was also the special VS Holiday Sailings promotion in there somewhere too, but I don't think that sail date was one of those sailings.

 

I'd just take the extra $50 OBC on the one sailing and not draw any unneeded attention to it, my opinion is it most likely is an error.  You're not likely to get the extra OBC added to the August booking unless you can prove it was made during that brief additional OBC time frame and more likely to lose it on the April sailing.

 

ETA:  Just a note for anyone that cares.  If you post more than one booking date MSC can easily cross reference them and correlate your CC username to your real name.  Joining a CC Meet & Mingle has the same effect so this may not matter to most posters.

So, I called MSC this morning and got the extra $50 added to my 8/20 sailing. Other than the hour wait time, it was pretty easy 🙂

 

So, can confirm, with the 5+X% sailings, silver and above get *two* $50 OBCs.

[Native Floridian 26]

3 hours ago, alyssamma said:

So, I called MSC this morning and got the extra $50 added to my 8/20 sailing. Other than the hour wait time, it was pretty easy 🙂

 

So, can confirm, with the 5+X% sailings, silver and above get *two* $50 OBCs.

Are you in the USA?  So each passenger Silver and above got $100 OBC each?  What type cabin and Experience?

Edited August 11, 2021 by Native Floridian 26

[alyssamma]

47 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Are you in the USA?  So each passenger Silver and above got $100 OBC each?  What type cabin and Experience?

Yes, in the USA. YC for both sailings.

 

Each passenger got two $50 OBCs (so $100 total).

 

This was done automatically for one cruise but I had to call for the other.

[Native Floridian 26]

9 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Yes, in the USA. YC for both sailings.

 

Each passenger got two $50 OBCs (so $100 total).

 

This was done automatically for one cruise but I had to call for the other.

I'm struggling to think that's right.  The $50 OBC for Silver and above is only on Voyages Selection cruises anyway, so where does the second one come from?

[alyssamma]

Just now, Native Floridian 26 said:

I'm struggling to think that's right.  The $50 OBC for Silver and above is only on Voyages Selection cruises anyway, so where does the second one come from?

Here is the text:

 

Get up to €/$50 per person onboard credit to use during your cruise, PLUS you'll earn double points! If you are a Silver, Gold or Diamond member, you'll earn an additional €/$50 per person onboard credit to use during your cruise.

 

Bold is my adding...

[Native Floridian 26]

18 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Here is the text:

 

Get up to €/$50 per person onboard credit to use during your cruise, PLUS you'll earn double points! If you are a Silver, Gold or Diamond member, you'll earn an additional €/$50 per person onboard credit to use during your cruise.

 

Bold is my adding...

So that means every Voyagers member gets $50 regardless of level and then Silver and up get extra $50?  The reps don't seem to view it that way, and they have no authority to add OBC.  My requests even to get my Gold hubby's 1st $50 is taking forever.  I can't imagine going back and saying we each should have another $50.

 

Was yours a repriced cruise?  It seems like everything is a manual process on those.  It would be interesting to see if you booked online again what you'd get.  I try to do mock but they don't give you any OBC info on those at least prior to making deposit.  

Edited August 11, 2021 by Native Floridian 26

[alyssamma]

15 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

So that means every Voyagers member gets $50 regardless of level and then Silver and up get extra $50?  The reps don't seem to view it that way, and they have no authority to add OBC.  My requests even to get my Gold hubby's 1st $50 is taking forever.  I can't imagine going back and saying we each should have another $50.

 

Was yours a repriced cruise?  It seems like everything is a manual process on those.  It would be interesting to see if you booked online again what you'd get.  I try to do mock but they don't give you any OBC info on those at least prior to making deposit.  

Edited to indicate both cruises are new...confused because I have a repriced cruise that is so complicated not having any rep touch or look at that.

 

Both cruises were new cruises

 

Without a doubt the reps are confused.

 

If it is a Voyager cruise, you get *up to* 50...not sure what determines that...maybe experience? Then, if you are silver or above you get an additional 50.

Edited August 11, 2021 by alyssamma

[Native Floridian 26]

16 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Edited to indicate both cruises are new...confused because I have a repriced cruise that is so complicated not having any rep touch or look at that.

 

Both cruises were new cruises

 

Without a doubt the reps are confused.

 

If it is a Voyager cruise, you get *up to* 50...not sure what determines that...maybe experience? Then, if you are silver or above you get an additional 50.

Here is the wording for TAs in the MSCbook.com:

Voyages Selection:
On selected cruise departures we have superb offers just for members that can save you up to 15%. Silver, Gold and Black club members will receive, in addition to the discount, a $50 onboard credit (per adult aged over 18). The standard 5% Club discount can also be applied.

 

Also this:

 

MSC VOYAGES SELECTION DEPARTURES

• EXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR MEMBERS

• EXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR MEMBERS

  On selection cruise departures, all members* get a 5%, 10% or 15% extra discount combinable with the always-available 5% Club discount. 

   

  On top of this, Silver, Gold and Diamond members over 18 years old receive a €/$50 p.p. shipboard credit to spend on board.

   

  Voyages Selection departure generate double membership points for the type of Experience chosen. Points will be assigned at the end of the cruise.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Native Floridian 26

[alyssamma]

2 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Here is the wording for TAs in the MSCbook.com:

Voyages Selection:
On selected cruise departures we have superb offers just for members that can save you up to 15%. Silver, Gold and Black club members will receive, in addition to the discount, a $50 onboard credit (per adult aged over 18). The standard 5% Club discount can also be applied.

Yes, that is standard for Voyages selection. However, MSC often runs deals that give you *more* than that.

 

In this case you get double points and an additional $50.That's this part:

 

PLUS you'll earn double points! If you are a Silver, Gold or Diamond member, you'll earn an additional €/$50 per person onboard credit

 

But hey, I don't  care...if you want the extra $50 it's up to you 🙂

 

[drsel]

5 hours ago, alyssamma said:

So,  i can confirm, with the 5+X% sailings, silver and above get *two* $50 OBCs.

Provided it's not an inside cabin.

 

Silver status (and above) with Ocean view cabin (and above) will get $100 OBC per person.

Silver status (and above) with inside cabin will get $50 OBC per person

[Native Floridian 26]

7 minutes ago, drsel said:

Provided it's not an inside cabin.

 

Silver status (and above) with Ocean view cabin (and above) will get $100 OBC per person.

Silver status (and above) with inside cabin will get $50 OBC per person

Where do you see that written?

[Até]

Well it's not the official policy but it is happening.  I changed a sailing to VS 5%+15% and they gave me two $50 OBC for each member Silver and above.  Take it while they offer it.

 

ETA: It is a Yacht Club booking, it might only be certain cabin categories like previous VS specials.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Até

[Ronaldo807]

1 hour ago, drsel said:

Provided it's not an inside cabin.

 

Silver status (and above) with Ocean view cabin (and above) will get $100 OBC per person.

Silver status (and above) with inside cabin will get $50 OBC per person

This was my question before. It does not state OV or higher in the T&C so where are you getting that from?

[alyssamma]

8 minutes ago, Ronaldo807 said:

This was my question before. It does not state OV or higher in the T&C so where are you getting that from?

The only thing it says online is *up to* 50...so there is something that makes it less than 50...maybe inside cabin?

 

The problem is...you'll never know. You could book 5 cruises and get 5 different results. Then, each of those can be changed based on the rep you talk to.

[Até]

16 minutes ago, Ronaldo807 said:

This was my question before. It does not state OV or higher in the T&C so where are you getting that from?

 

6 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

The only thing it says online is *up to* 50...so there is something that makes it less than 50...maybe inside cabin?

I mentioned earlier that this current wording is a mess that started back when MSC dropped the higher percent VS sailings and only offered the 5%+5%.  So to compensate they added the part about the extra $50 OBC and that, I think, was only for ocean view or balcony and above.  Or it could have been something like $25 for Inside and OV and $50 for balcony and above, I really can't recall.  Either way that special extra OBC offer officially ended when MSC US brought back the 5%+10% and 5%+15 options.  But the he wording we're left with is still a mess, and for some reason people are sometimes still getting that extra $50 OBC. 

 

Unfortunately these threads are likely to draw attention and MSC will get this fixed so I don't expect it to last.

[alyssamma]

25 minutes ago, Até said:

But the he wording we're left with is still a mess, and for some reason people are sometimes still getting that extra $50 OBC. 

Or it could be that it is working exactly as it should. It seems the reps add it when pointed out, and many get it upfront. Why are you so convinced this is a "mistake"?

 

25 minutes ago, Até said:

Unfortunately these threads are likely to draw attention and MSC will get this fixed so I don't expect it to last.

Really? This is the company that is so screwed up in every other way, but they're reading *every* cruise critic post to "catch" mistakes?

 

Wouldn't it be easier to get a proof reader for their website? Or to simply train the reps? 

 

Jeez...these guys can't keep their website up or issue refunds...but they're good enough to snoop here and find booking errors?

[Até]

3 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Why are you so convinced this is a "mistake"?

 

This is the company that is so screwed up in every other way, but they're reading *every* cruise critic post to "catch" mistakes?

I've had over a dozen bookings alone with the VS discount before MSC removed the higher percentages and added the extra $50.  I had two bookings at the 5%+5% with the extra $50 OBC.  I've made four bookings after MSC moved back to the higher percentage and cut the extra $50 OBC. Even though I've only been sailing MSC since 2017 I've watched countless promotions come and go, changes to drink packages, internet and just about anything you can think of.  It's pretty common for things to get screwed up between the website, which is operated out of Europe, and MSC US booking in Florida.

 

So yes, MSC has a screwed up website and the business is not run like a typical US cruise line.  But I am 100% sure MSC US watches this forum.  Their corporate Cruise Critic account may seem dormant with no more posting, that seems to be the way several cruise lines are now dealing with websites where they cannot control the content - It was nice when you could see when a CC user last logged in.  Many threads likely have no interest to them but there have definitely been reactions to certain topics.  I guess we'll see how long people continue to get the extra $50 OBC, I took advantage of it while I could.