Should we try to save our Diamond status?

[Sundiego]

We are Diamond through a status match since 2018. We haven't sailed MSC since pre-Covid (Sept 2019). Before then, we enjoyed 3 Yacht Club cruises, including a transatlantic. Our Diamond status will expire at the end of October, 2023.

 

Our dilemma... should we try to squeeze in an MSC cruise before the end of October? Since we would only cruise the YC, I'm not sure if the Diamond status really gives us much benefit. If we lose the Diamond status, I don't think we could get it back through a match because honestly, it was easier to qualify back in 2018.

 

So, expert advice needed 🙂 Should we scramble to keep that Diamond status or not bother?

 

Thanks!!

 

Denise

[no1talks]

If you have an interest in trying MSC's spin-off luxury brand, Explora, I would suggest keeping the Diamond rating. It may be useful for better status with Explora bookings, once Explora finalizes their loyalty program.

Edited May 21, 2023 by no1talks

[Essiesmom]

I believe status match is a one time thing.  If it expires, you can’t match again, you start all over.  If it’s important, just grab a 3 day cruise in steerage.  We will welcome you.  EM

[Sundiego]

4 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I believe status match is a one time thing.  If it expires, you can’t match again, you start all over.  If it’s important, just grab a 3 day cruise in steerage.  We will welcome you.  EM

When I said "we would only cruise the YC" I meant that IF we were cruising the YC, I'm not sure the Diamond status matters. We have no problem with steerage. It's the "grab a 3 day cruise" that's an issue. Traveling from the west coast to Florida coast can get pricey, plus there are no direct flights for us so it's not so easy-peasy. I'm just trying to think through the pros & cons of DIAMOND before we let it expire.

 

Thanks.

 

Denise

Edited May 21, 2023 by Sundiego

[Morgsmom]

If you only sail YC then there really is no reason to go to such lengths to keep Diamond, especially with it's diminished perks.  The only thing of "value" you'd lose is a specialty dining for 2. Certainly not worth hopping across the States to take a cruise to keep your status, in my opinion.

[carlmm]

The list of benefits or "privileges" is long but if any are really of value to you is really an individual question.

Examples for what someone might value or not:

Welcome back party and MSC Voyagers club diamond party (Members + 1 Guest) - Do you enjoy them? Talking to other guests and officers, maybe the captain? Dancing class (Members only) - Do you like that? Picture discount 40 % - Do you buy any? Late cabin check-out disembarkation (Extendable to cabin occupants) - Do you enjoy to stay on? Discount on laundry 15 % - Do you use it?   One further point to remember: You cannot status match again, thus you will loose all the benefits not only for one cruise but many.

[cellfree]

23 hours ago, Sundiego said:

We are Diamond through a status match since 2018. We haven't sailed MSC since pre-Covid (Sept 2019). Before then, we enjoyed 3 Yacht Club cruises, including a transatlantic. Our Diamond status will expire at the end of October, 2023.

 

Our dilemma... should we try to squeeze in an MSC cruise before the end of October? Since we would only cruise the YC, I'm not sure if the Diamond status really gives us much benefit. If we lose the Diamond status, I don't think we could get it back through a match because honestly, it was easier to qualify back in 2018.

 

So, expert advice needed 🙂 Should we scramble to keep that Diamond status or not bother?

 

Thanks!!

 

Denise

I suppose if you always cruise Yacht Club the Diamond status doesn’t do too much apart from Comped Butchers Cut dining experience. We have never done YC so Diamond for us is worth maintaining. Perhaps you can snag an Interior YC before October ‘23 although they do seem to be first to go. 

[dd likes to cruise]

Don’t you get % off with that membership also?  

[Sundiego]

14 hours ago, dd likes to cruise said:

Don’t you get % off with that membership also?  

Thanks for this! I over-looked that benefit. I did double check and the discounts also apply to silver & gold. We have "earned" gold status so even if Diamond expires, we would still get discounts.

 

Denise

[no1talks]

12 minutes ago, Sundiego said:

"We have 'earned' gold status so even if Diamond expires, we would still get discounts."

 

I think your entire loyalty status is wiped out, if too much time passes between cruises.

 

Whether some ranking is matched and some earned is of no consequence. It all goes back to zero, as far as I know.

 

Maybe it is different now, but I would not make the assumption.

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, Sundiego said:

Thanks for this! I over-looked that benefit. I did double check and the discounts also apply to silver & gold. We have "earned" gold status so even if Diamond expires, we would still get discounts.

I agree with no1talks. My understanding is if you don't sail for 3 years, you lose all status.

[morpheusofthesea]

On 5/22/2023 at 8:42 AM, Morgsmom said:

If you only sail YC then there really is no reason to go to such lengths to keep Diamond, especially with it's diminished perks.  The only thing of "value" you'd lose is a specialty dining for 2. Certainly not worth hopping across the States to take a cruise to keep your status, in my opinion.

Just to add to why the diminished perks. From an analytics consultancy " Using Data analytics, financial modeling and consumer surveys to analyze the effectiveness of Loyalty Programs. The relationship between customer behavior and profitability found some distortions in the Loyalty Program. The way customers were using the program meant the highest spending and longest term customers weren't always getting rewarded proportionately for their value at the same time other customers that were earning rewards passively without spending enough to make it profitable for the business."

[Sundiego]

On 5/24/2023 at 6:41 AM, no1talks said:

 

I think your entire loyalty status is wiped out, if too much time passes between cruises.

 

Whether some ranking is matched and some earned is of no consequence. It all goes back to zero, as far as I know.

 

Maybe it is different now, but I would not make the assumption.

Wow! That seems really unfair. We have status with other cruise lines, some of which we haven't cruised in quite some time and those aren't affected so I had no clue this would happen. I'll check further but thanks for bringing to my attention!

 

Denise

[Sundiego]

@no1talks and @RichYak I was able to confirm that info you gave me regarding earned points expiring. You are correct and thanks so much for bringing that to my attention. Decision made. I'll let status expire. Too many other cruise options out there to jump through the hoops to keep it. 

 

Thanks for all the helpful feedback!

 

Denise

[shipgeeks]

I'm not clear on whether we are allowed to apply for a match again once our status expires. 

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

I'm not clear on whether we are allowed to apply for a match again once our status expires. 

Clear to me based on language in the Terms & Conditions.

 

Conversion will be executed by MSC Cruises based on objective criteria and may only be done once per consumer.

[shipgeeks]

Thank you.

[Captain-John]

I have a similar dilemma. Sailing in November but Diamond expires in October, by a matter of weeks.

 

However, the biggest perk is the Butcher's Cut meal for us. It's cheaper to buy a dining experience to encompass this than it would be to fly to mainland Europe to do 1 night in an inside cabin on an MSC ship and fly back from somewhere else (although I admit, I did consider it!).