MSC - Celebrity loyalty program status match

[Mynki]

Asking for a friend.

 

If you are Elite in the Celebrity captains club, what level will you be with MSC if joining their loyalty program under their status match offer? 

[cocobakerchica]

As far as I know, Celebrity and MSC don't have any relationship like that.  Celebrity reciprocates with Royal Caribbean and Azamara, and I know of no other lines.

[Mynki]

3 minutes ago, cocobakerchica said:

As far as I know, Celebrity and MSC don't have any relationship like that.  Celebrity reciprocates with Royal Caribbean and Azamara, and I know of no other lines.

 

Celebrity have a reciprocal program with RCL and Azamara as they are all owned by the same parent company. 

MSC have their own scheme where they will match the loyalty status of other lines. They are an independently owned cruise line who use this offer as an incentive to try their line. It's a different thing to the agreement with RCL and AZ. 

I'd expect Elite to = MSC gold and Elite + or Zenith to = MSC black but just want to confirm. 

Edited July 14, 2019 by Mynki

[cruisestitch]

It is not a relationship like royal/Celebrity/Azamara has.

 

However, MSC did at one time give you status in their program based on status in Celebrity -- it's a way to try to lure Celebrity cruisers to them.  I think you need to contact MSC to see what the current program is.  They may still be doing it.  

 

It doesn't go the other way -- Celebrity does not give status based on MSC loyalty.

[cocobakerchica]

Then along with asking here, another place to ask is on the MSC boards as well.

[Mynki]

1 minute ago, cruisestitch said:

It is not a relationship like royal/Celebrity/Azamara has.

 

However, MSC did at one time give you status in their program based on status in Celebrity -- it's a way to try to lure Celebrity cruisers to them.  I think you need to contact MSC to see what the current program is.  They may still be doing it.  

 

It doesn't go the other way -- Celebrity does not give status based on MSC loyalty.

They still do it. It even looks pretty good for what is in effect a freebie with a 5% base cruise fare discount and $50 OBC per person credit plus some fluff. 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/MSC-Voyagers-Club/Loyalty-Match-Program.aspx

They just don't publish what status levels match theirs. Or at least none of us can find them if they do! 

[gold1953]

When this was offered it was for one cruise to lure people into trying them

[cruisestitch]

It was not limited to one cruise AFAIK.   And they also offer it for hotel status.  

[deliver42]

You will be black on MSC  for the first cruise. Then you have to climb the latter after that, starting from one cruise .

[emmas gran]

OK as far as it goes we are Elite+ with Celebrity and 18 months ago got MSC Black -it is the top level on MSC but Black does not give anything different to other colors other than  a Black card party for 30 minutes

I believe it depends who deals with the "status match" as to what you get   -on the MSC boards people are saying only matched to Gold but some still matching to Black. They also match to airlines and hotels groups.

People that have earned the loyalty are a bit fed up with us status matches but MSC is trying to lure people over to them. The food is a let down after dining in Blu and Luminae on X ships

Edited July 14, 2019 by emmas gran

[TeeRick]

We filled out a form and sent it to MSC a couple of years ago and got enrolled as MSC Black.  I had to submit evidence of my loyalty status.  I think I had a Diamond+ card from RCCL so I scanned that and sent it in with the form.

[Mynki]

14 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

 

People that have earned the loyalty are a bit fed up with us status matches but MSC is trying to lure people over to them. 

 

If X ever try a similar marketing tactic, I could give you a couple of regular forum names right here, right now and tell you exactly what they'd say too! 

I do however understand that kind of complaint. But if other lines were doing it and those people were wanting to try those lines, I wonder how much they'd complain then once the boot is on the other foot? 

We've been invited to sail with our friends on MSC. I've looked at the ship, the public areas look very nice but I'm not sure I'd want to sail with a 'clientele' that don't know how to que. If you know what I'm saying. The YC looks nice though.  

[Essiesmom]

We matched Elite to their top tier Black.  but that was in 2016, when Elite was the highest tier.  Since cruise lines have been adding higher tiers, they have stepped back and Elite will likely now be Gold.  You have to sail every three years to maintain your status, even if you are a long time MSC cruiser and earned the status through cruising.  We sailed Seaside in Feb. to maintain our status, and have Armonia booked for next month.  EM

[emmas gran]

5 minutes ago, Mynki said:

 

If X ever try a similar marketing tactic, I could give you a couple of regular forum names right here, right now and tell you exactly what they'd say too! 

I do however understand that kind of complaint. But if other lines were doing it and those people were wanting to try those lines, I wonder how much they'd complain then once the boot is on the other foot? 

We've been invited to sail with our friends on MSC. I've looked at the ship, the public areas look very nice but I'm not sure I'd want to sail with a 'clientele' that don't know how to que. If you know what I'm saying. The YC looks nice though.  

To be very honest we have done 6 weeks already this yr in YC and 2 weeks to come in October , then B2B next February are all YC.  I would not really want to sail outside YC --the MSC prices for YC are rising like X prices so you have to be aware of that . They do have a section for Voyager Club members and give up to 15% discount on some ships

[jdvmd]

1 hour ago, Mynki said:

Asking for a friend.

 

If you are Elite in the Celebrity captains club, what level will you be with MSC if joining their loyalty program under their status match offer? 

You will be enrolled as a Black member if you do the Status Match. It is very, very nice and you get a lot of freebies and perks. You do have to sail once every three years to keep the status.

[emmas gran]

26 minutes ago, jdvmd said:

You will be enrolled as a Black member if you do the Status Match. It is very, very nice and you get a lot of freebies and perks. You do have to sail once every three years to keep the status.

 

If you go to the MSC boards you will see Black is not always awarded there is a Status match Header  

 

[jdvmd]

1 minute ago, emmas gran said:

 

If you go to the MSC boards you will see Black is not always awarded there is a Status match Header  

 

I'm Elite and I was matched to Black. Same with my husband.

[steamboats]

When MSC started the status match Elite (or RCI Diamond) matched MSC Black. Last year in October they changed the programm and now you will be "only" MSC Gold. Only Zenith (or RCI Pinnacle) will now match MSC Black.

 

steamboats

[Mynki]

Thanks for all the replies. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I did my status match when Elite+ matched to Black.  Basically, the only benefit is a free specialty restaurant dinner.  Maybe the chocolate ship.  We got so much stuff, I'm not sure which of the things attached to the cabin and which were a benefit of being Black.  I believe matching to any other color will still get you the 5% discount on booking cruises.  You must cruise at least once every three years to maintain any status with MSC, so it's not as good a deal as Celebrity's points and status which never expire.  Seemed like a good idea at the time, but if Yacht Club prices continue to climb and their itineraries don't improve, I probably won't continue to cruise with them.  Yacht Club is wonderful; I would never even consider cruising in the rest of the ship--far too many passengers.  When YC prices are the same as SS prices on Celebrity, Celebrity will win for me.  The food and service in Luminae are better than the YC restaurant.  I like the whole ship with Celebrity.

[late2cruisin]

We just tried the status match recently. As Elite+, I was expecting to be matched to Black. They only gave me Gold, which is not exactly going to entice me to sail MSC any time soon. 

[George C]

1 hour ago, late2cruisin said:

We just tried the status match recently. As Elite+, I was expecting to be matched to Black. They only gave me Gold, which is not exactly going to entice me to sail MSC any time soon. 

I read recently that msc has changed the match program, if you would have tried to match last year you would have been black, now it’s gold , we did our last year and got black, another big bonus if you are a veteran they give you ten percent off fare which is better than blacks five percent, really looking forward to msc yacht club this November.

[Host Jazzbeau]

No matter which MSC Voyagers Club level you get from the Status Match, you will get 5% off the advertised cruise rates.  That's the biggie, so the level really isn't that important.

 

You will also get the minimum number of points for that level – and you get to keep the matched level and build on those points [it's not a one-time deal] – but you have to sail once every 3 years with MSC to keep your level and your points [whether you earn them by matching or sailing].  So if you get matched to Gold, which seems to be the most common now [they were handing out Black very easily a while back, but that is old news now], you have an incentive to keep sailing MSC to reach Black for the few additional perks.

 

But there is an even better booking bonus that many people may be eligible for:  Military, Teachers, or any Civil Servants [active or retired] get 10% off advertised rates [instead of the VC 5% discount].

 

We Status Matched from Celebrity Elite a few months ago, got Gold level [and 4300 points] and 5% off our upcoming cruise.  Last week when I learned about the Civil Servant discount – even though it was after final payment – I had my TA send my bona fides to MSC and they increased the discount from 5% to 10%.

 

This all makes it very easy to 'test drive' MSC.  But read the MSC forum here before you decide on a ship/cabin/itinerary.  There are huge differences between the Yacht Club and everything else, and between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.  Do your homework.

[grandgeezer]

17 hours ago, deliver42 said:

You will be black on MSC  for the first cruise. Then you have to climb the latter after that, starting from one cruise .

I'm taking my 2nd cruise on MSC in October and according to my documentation, we are receiving the 5% discount, and the other perks of being "Black" (Elite Plus on Celebrity) as we did on the first cruise last September. The only thing I saw was that you have to sail with them every two years, I think, to maintain your level.

[Fogfog]

On 7/14/2019 at 7:40 AM, Mynki said:

Asking for a friend.

 

If you are Elite in the Celebrity captains club, what level will you be with MSC if joining their loyalty program under their status match offer? 

 

Take a look at the MSC boards

MSC used to do Black for Elite and now many report it is only to Gold