Status Match Struggles

[bundtkate]

I have read enough old posts that I know this is far from uncommon and perhaps even par for the course, but I'm starting to feel like I'm cursed with the status match. I submitted a request for my fiancee and I last year when we were going to be having our (now canceled for obvious reasons) wedding cruise on Meraviglia in December 2020. Never heard back, but didn't really follow up what with, y'know, everything? Anyway, we've since booked another cruise for this year (just for fun, wedding is waiting for a bit more normalcy). I asked my TA to check in on whether or should resubmit the match. He said MSC couldn't find a request from me so to go ahead. I have since been through that same song and dance I've lost track how many times. Resubmit request, contact TA, get asked to submit again. Not wanting to miss out on points for this cruise, I went ahead and signed up for Voyager's Club (which I've since found might have been a bad idea based on some posts here ... whompwhomp), but I'd still really love to have the match. We're just RCI Gold so it's not like I'm matching to anything amazing, but every little bit counts and at this point I think I may just be being stubborn and refusing the admit defeat.

So, any advice? Is it better if I call MSC directly rather than having my TA contact them? Is there an email or special phone number or anything that might net me more luck? Will they give a crap if I tweet them? Truly, I'm not mad. Most lines don't match at all and this ain't exactly the most enjoyable time to be a cruise line. but, I've got 30ish days to try and I hate losing so I'll take any ideas I can get. Thanks, y'all!

[Lisichka]

I just got an email saying they matched my status yesterday, even though MSC phone agents saw the match months earlier on their end (they saw it in June).  It never showed on my account, but they saw it and applied my discount.  🤷‍♀️

[knot knormal]

My husband has submitted the match request no less than 10 times via email, 2 times by phone AND we finally mailed all the documentation and we still don't have a status match!  I'll take any and all recommendations!

 

[pattycake08]

This is my first cruise on MSC in Sept 2021, and was trying to have them match my RCCL Platinum status to MSC. After booking the cruise with my TA (8/4/2021), I promptly signed up for the Voyager's Club & recevd my voyagers number.  I then completed & sent the Status Match form including my voyagers club number along with a screen shot of my RCCL Platinum status showing my name & submitted it.  I know others have waited longer than I have, but I'm getting a bit antsy too as I want whatever discount I'm entitled to.  I sent an email this past Friday to mscvoyagersclub@msccruisesusa.com with my booking number, & within 10 minutes they emailed me back stating they have received my original email & they will respond as soon as possible. So far no updates to my account (I check twice a day). I plan on emailing them once a week. I'm all ears if anyone has a better approach. 

[EllieinNJ]

I had applied twice and emailed them once.  After 9 weeks finally got matched with them submitting three different emails but with the same voyages number.  Called my TA to get discount and was told it takes 4 to 6 weeks.

[Seadweller001]

MSC requested in May that we submit some substantiating documents on another matter.  Scanned copies sent in the next day on May 7.

 

Today, 3.5 months later I got an email stating they received my documents and are reviewing them.

 

I guess the workload is such that they are severely backlogged.

 

i am sure in time, everything will be responded too.

[Debiwood]

On 8/22/2021 at 10:00 PM, bundtkate said:

I have read enough old posts that I know this is far from uncommon and perhaps even par for the course, but I'm starting to feel like I'm cursed with the status match. I submitted a request for my fiancee and I last year when we were going to be having our (now canceled for obvious reasons) wedding cruise on Meraviglia in December 2020. Never heard back, but didn't really follow up what with, y'know, everything? Anyway, we've since booked another cruise for this year (just for fun, wedding is waiting for a bit more normalcy). I asked my TA to check in on whether or should resubmit the match. He said MSC couldn't find a request from me so to go ahead. I have since been through that same song and dance I've lost track how many times. Resubmit request, contact TA, get asked to submit again. Not wanting to miss out on points for this cruise, I went ahead and signed up for Voyager's Club (which I've since found might have been a bad idea based on some posts here ... whompwhomp), but I'd still really love to have the match. We're just RCI Gold so it's not like I'm matching to anything amazing, but every little bit counts and at this point I think I may just be being stubborn and refusing the admit defeat.

So, any advice? Is it better if I call MSC directly rather than having my TA contact them? Is there an email or special phone number or anything that might net me more luck? Will they give a crap if I tweet them? Truly, I'm not mad. Most lines don't match at all and this ain't exactly the most enjoyable time to be a cruise line. but, I've got 30ish days to try and I hate losing so I'll take any ideas I can get. Thanks, y'all!

Keep calling them but you have to get angry and demand to speak to a supervisor. We have waited MONTHS for our match. Sent several emails and calls to customer service. My son asked to speak to supervisor, and was told they can only call you back. He left his number, but never got a call back. He called customer service again, complained he never got return call, asked to speak to supervisor again. They said they would call him back. He never got a return call, but his match was done the next day!  I haven't complained this much and I don't have a match yet. So I started my calls and emails today. Gotta get angry and keep calling, I guess. 

[racephoto]

On 8/24/2021 at 2:58 PM, EllieinNJ said:

I had applied twice and emailed them once.  After 9 weeks finally got matched with them submitting three different emails but with the same voyages number.  Called my TA to get discount and was told it takes 4 to 6 weeks.

It took me 8 minutes on the phone to get the 5+15% discount and $50 OBC applied to 2 different bookings after I got my match two weeks ago. 

[SummerBeee]

Never cruised MSC but looking at options for a quick September cruise. I’m Diamond + on Royal. I filled out online form and took a screenshot of my Royal account, with number, points, and loyalty tier. I’d like to have status match before I book possibly this weekend. I don’t have a MSC loyalty account. What’s the best advice from the experts?

[igorjrr]

55 minutes ago, racephoto said:

It took me 8 minutes on the phone to get the 5+15% discount and $50 OBC applied to 2 different bookings after I got my match two weeks ago. 

Hi! Would you be able to tell me how they computed the post-purchase discount?

I'm in the same situation and I'm not sure how they compute the 5+15%. Is it 20% or 15% applied after a 5% is applied?

My situation is even worse because maybe the match will not arrive before sailing, but I will still ask for it because the status match should not take so long to process (poor service in my opinion).

Thank you!

[Native Floridian 26]

2 hours ago, igorjrr said:

Hi! Would you be able to tell me how they computed the post-purchase discount?

I'm in the same situation and I'm not sure how they compute the 5+15%. Is it 20% or 15% applied after a 5% is applied?

My situation is even worse because maybe the match will not arrive before sailing, but I will still ask for it because the status match should not take so long to process (poor service in my opinion).

Thank you!

5%+ plus 15% discount equals 20% discount.

[EllieinNJ]

5 hours ago, racephoto said:

It took me 8 minutes on the phone to get the 5+15% discount and $50 OBC applied to 2 different bookings after I got my match two weeks ago. 

Wow!  That was fast.  My cruise is not until next April so maybe that is why I have to wait so long.

[ISLABONITA]

There is another thread about this same issue and I have posted on that one.

 

My story is somewhat the same, I first booked with a TA then applied for the Voyager's number on June 7th for husband and myself and got them quickly.

I then submitted the forms via their website with no reply, reached out to my TA and said she couldn't help, I called and spoke to an agent who gave me this email address: 

MSCVoyagersClub@msccruisesusa.com and so I sent them the required forms, received an automated reply and thus continued this way till July when my husband received his Gold status but not me. So I resubmitted my forms and called MSC, there is NO phone # for the Club dept.  I just recently sent hard copies of all my info to Ft. Lauderdale office now 2 weeks with no reply. Just last week I called MSC again with a different issue as the website does not recognize my Voyager's club number and cannot check status and at one point even had a message that my booking number did not exist when I filled out a contact form. The agent was good enough to put an additional $50 OBC and made notes to send to MSC Voyager's dept.  Some people are getting them faster than others especially in the UK . So a few weeks ago I was able to use the discount to reprice with their free balcony upgrade since my husband has the Gold status and is listed as the primary passenger. Also received the $50 credit.  There is no rhyme or reason as to why some get theirs approved faster than others as you can see I am still waiting and my husband got his  for our cruise in January.

[racephoto]

On 8/27/2021 at 6:05 PM, Native Floridian 26 said:

5%+ plus 15% discount equals 20% discount.

It doesn’t quite, actually. They take your cruise fare and deduct 5%. Then they take that new total and subtract 15% of that. It works out to be 19.25%. Close enough to 20% for most purposes.

[racephoto]

On 8/27/2021 at 3:05 PM, igorjrr said:

Hi! Would you be able to tell me how they computed the post-purchase discount?

I'm in the same situation and I'm not sure how they compute the 5+15%. Is it 20% or 15% applied after a 5% is applied?

My situation is even worse because maybe the match will not arrive before sailing, but I will still ask for it because the status match should not take so long to process (poor service in my opinion).

Thank you!

It’s 5% discount then 15% off the new total, or 19.25% total discount. When do you sail?

[igorjrr]

8 hours ago, racephoto said:

It’s 5% discount then 15% off the new total, or 19.25% total discount. When do you sail?

Thank you, we sail this week. Never heard about my status match despite casa, emails, etc.

Edited August 29, 2021 by igorjrr

[dd likes to cruise]

On 8/27/2021 at 7:05 PM, Native Floridian 26 said:

5%+ plus 15% discount equals 20% discount.

Not quite. They apply one then the other, so a bit less then 20%. 

[bundtkate]

Thanks to everyone for the advice (or at least commiseration as the case may be). I am generally not an angry person. I worked in customer service for years so doing anything to harm a frontline CSR's zen tends to result in a wave of guilt. All the same, it seems that may be what I have to do. We sail on 9/25 so who knows if I'll manage the match in time, but I'll give them a few calls on my lunch breaks and see what turns up. Even if the best I get is some OBC, hey, that'll buy me some nice beers my Easy package doesn't cover and I ain't gonna complain about that. Fingers crossed for all of us. 🤞

[SeaBrz]

Oh I so wish I’d stumbled on this thread weeks ago! I have been going back and forth with MSC about Status Matching for two months with no success. I’m sailing in three weeks (my 30th cruise, but first with MSC). I finally gave up and decided just to board and follow up with guest services. BUT I guess I’ll have to wait until Day 2 to do that since the ticket I was emailed today has my embarkation BOARDING TIME AT 8:59 PM! Can tell this is going to be an interesting one 😁

[FOXYDEBBY]

On 8/27/2021 at 3:08 PM, racephoto said:

It took me 8 minutes on the phone to get the 5+15% discount and $50 OBC applied to 2 different bookings after I got my match two weeks ago. 

I booked my cruise about 2 weeks ago and got my status match today. Do you think I can still get the discount? I don’t want to wait on hold for hours (seems that way) if I don’t qualify since I am already booked. 

[Native Floridian 26]

3 minutes ago, FOXYDEBBY said:

I booked my cruise about 2 weeks ago and got my status match today. Do you think I can still get the discount? I don’t want to wait on hold for hours (seems that way) if I don’t qualify since I am already booked. 

Yes, you should be able to get the cruise repriced. No problem especially before final payment. Congrats on the fast match. Mine took over 8 weeks.

[racephoto]

3 hours ago, FOXYDEBBY said:

I booked my cruise about 2 weeks ago and got my status match today. Do you think I can still get the discount? I don’t want to wait on hold for hours (seems that way) if I don’t qualify since I am already booked. 

Definitely easily done if it’s before final payment.  If it’s after, you’ll probably get the difference as OBC. 

[FOXYDEBBY]

18 hours ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Yes, you should be able to get the cruise repriced. No problem especially before final payment. Congrats on the fast match. Mine took over 8 weeks.

After reading all the posts I figured it would be 2 months. It took 3 days. I was shocked. 

[ISLABONITA]

Miracles of Miracles just received my status match to Gold ! Still having issues login in though to see the Voyager's Club status since June 8th. One more thing to keep me busy emailing!

[Paphillyguy]

I have has some many issues and still do with MSC IT but I was lucky because my match was done in 2 days.