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CRUISE REVIEW
MSC CRUISES LOYALTY MATCH PROGRAM by Richard H. Wagner |
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Something that keeps many experienced cruisers from trying different cruise lines is the concern that on the new cruise line, they will not receive the benefits that they receive when they sail on the cruise line that they usually sail on. All of the major cruise lines have loyalty programs under which passengers receive benefits for returning to that cruise line for another cruise. In general, the more you cruise with a line, the more benefits you receive. If you cruise with another cruise line, you do not receive those benefits and are treated like a first-time cruiser on that other line. Consequently, people who have done several cruises with a given cruise line become reluctant to cruise with any other cruise line even if the prices are lower and the ships are more physically attractive.
To meet this concern, MSC Cruises has developed its “loyalty match” program. People thinking of cruising with MSC can submit evidence to show their status in the loyalty program of another cruise line (or certain hotel chains and tour operators). You can apply for matching status online. MSC asks you to fill out a form and “attach a scan or screen capture of your current external loyalty card ” to show your status in that cruise line's loyalty program. Since most of the other major cruise lines do not have loyalty cards per se, I submitted a screen shot of a page on another cruise line's website indicating my status with that line. Evaluating the submissions, MSC then determines what status your level at the other cruise line is equivalent to in the MSC loyalty program (known as the "Voyagers Club") and awards you that status. Until recently, if you were in the top tier of another lines’ loyalty program, you might receive top tier status on MSC. However, MSC has added a new tier to the Voyagers Club called Blue Diamond that cannot be reached solely on the basis of your status with another cruise line. Thus, if you are at say the Pinnacle level of Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor program, the highest level you can now obtain through MSC’s loyalty match program is Diamond, which is the level just below Blue Diamond. According to MSC's website: “Once approved, you’ll instantly qualify for a 5% discount on future MSC Cruises sailings, where you’ll also receive onboard discounts for photos, Wi-Fi, and spa services; complimentary gifts; and other valuable savings." However, it is important to note that when you match into MSC’s program, you do not receive the same benefits that you receive with your previous cruise line. Rather, you receive the benefits that MSC gives to people in the Voyagers Club tier that it assigns you during the match process. To illustrate, if you receive a free specialty restaurant dinner when you sail on Norwegian Cruise Line, when you sail on MSC, you will only receive a free specialty restaurant dinner if that is one of the benefits that MSC accords to people in your tier of the MSC program. The benefits of the Voyagers Club program are more generous than the programs at some of its competitors and less generous than some others. There is no exact match. Along the same lines, the loyalty match program does not mean that you will receive the same intangible benefits that you receive at other lines. Having done more than 300 cruises, I am in the top tier of several of the major cruise lines and in the tier just below the top on several others. Some lines are very solicitous towards their repeat passengers, according their top tier passengers treatment and access beyond what is printed in the list of benefits. This is simply a reflection of the fact that these people have spent a lot of money with that line and are likely to continue to do so if they are treated nicely. At the other extreme, some lines stick close to what is printed in the list of benefits and do not accord any special treatment beyond that to their top tier. My experience with MSC has been that they tend to stick to the printed list. |
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Cruise review - - MSC Cruises - - Loyalty Match Program