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Can't believe I've booked another!


cntrydncr1
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I'll start by saying we had a fabulous cruise out of Barcelona.  Went on the Seaview....fantastic ship, good food and great shows.  so good....we have booked the Orchestra for next year.  That being said....MSC is the absolute WORST company to deal with for just about everything in the planning and customer service areas!  Everytime you have to call them the wait times are horrendous.  We had to fight for our OBC for the fantastica drink coupons on the last cruise.  Now the latest problem that is causing me way too much effort is this.  Back story...I sailed with MSC in 2011.  In Feb. 2018 I did a status match that took me to gold level.  When we booked our Orchestra cruise they now had me at classic level.  I've been told that my status from 2011 had expired but that is the number that they did the status match on.  So now...I'm back to having only 1 cruise and lost my gold status.   I was under the impression that your status match would be in effect for 3 years unless you did not sail on them again.  True!  but since they matched to my 2011 cruise....they have now decided I would lose the gold status because it was so long ago!!!  I just got off my Seaview cruise a month ago!   This company makes my blood boil...not sure I'll ever do another after this I'm so mad.  And is it really worth fighting for??? Probably not.....

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Status Match is only for people who have never sailed on MSC before, so you aren't eligible.  If it was apparently granted, that was a mistake – which they have now corrected.

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Yes there was a mistake and MSC have put it right, the three year sail time was in operation long ago, they took it away and have brought it back again. The match to 2011 was wrong because you had nothing to match to having not sailed until recently 

Personally I do not agree with this three year thing seeing as my level with other lines is still the same despite having not sailed with them for a few years.

As others have said it is odd you would book again if you were not happy with MSC.

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I keep reading about horrendous waiting times on phone calls to msc. 

My experience in Norway/Sweden is the opposite. 2 calls and no more than 1-2 minutes wait. 

Also got confirmation on my cancellation within the hour(rebooked) 

all in all my experience is that MSC is exellent as I have got the help I needed right away when I have called

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It reads to me that MSC matched the OP's expired old program MSC Gold to new program Voyagers Classic, thus giving them only one point.  I don't think they can make much of a complaint being matched at all.  Customer service in the US can be difficult, but a lot of the OP's complaint seems about Voyagers.  The validity of their Fantastica vouchers complaint depends on when they booked.  There are some legitimate complaints about this, but too many people didn't read the Fantastica benefits fine print asterisks or had TA's that didn't understand the expiration date.  MSC didn't help themselves with leaving the vouchers wording on the cruise tickets for sailings after March 25th.  OP getting OBC was a good deal in my opinion, some people are reporting taking the OBC then pushing for the vouchers in addition.  Only the OP can decide whether these were big enough issues to not sail again on what they called a fabulous cruise.

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10 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Status Match is only for people who have never sailed on MSC before, so you aren't eligible.  If it was apparently granted, that was a mistake – which they have now corrected.

This is not true.  There are numerous reports of non status matched natural Voyagers members who also have a higher status with other lines using the MSC status match option to get a higher Voyagers status.  Matching can just only be done once, even if you're a current Voyagers member.

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12 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Status Match is only for people who have never sailed on MSC before, so you aren't eligible.  If it was apparently granted, that was a mistake – which they have now corrected.

I agree with the not true part. Right in MSC's Information page for TA's it says:

 

Process Status Match Request

This form is for both existing guests and guests whove never sailed with MSC Cruises.

Bret
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On 5/26/2019 at 6:27 AM, sidari said:

Yes there was a mistake and MSC have put it right, the three year sail time was in operation long ago, they took it away and have brought it back again. The match to 2011 was wrong because you had nothing to match to having not sailed until recently 

Personally I do not agree with this three year thing seeing as my level with other lines is still the same despite having not sailed with them for a few years.

As others have said it is odd you would book again if you were not happy with MSC.

Respectfully, David, I disagree a bit. True, my status hasn’t changed on my other cruise lines, but none of them did a status match - the points were earned. MSC’s scheme was to try and lure experienced travelers to MSC, and an arbitrary time limit serves to encourage travelers to do what the company wants, and that is to sail MSC sooner rather than later or never. John 

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