"A Loyal to Royal" goes MSC

[seahags]

10 hours ago, George C said:

Crown loft cost on my Oasis in November 2018 was same as our cost for YC November 2019, we did upgrade to owners suite. But was not at all impressed with costal kitchen, free drinks just for a few hours compared to all day on YC ,  do love food on celebrity suite restaurant and drinks in suite lounge but cost for that is way more than YC or RCCL suites. Our first YC is on seaside in November. 

Agree...LOVE Celebrity for Luminae and the lounge, but MSC YC is way less expensive, thus our foray onto Divina this December.  Yes, the cabins are smaller than Celebrity suites, but hopefully the chair hogs, etc. won't be as prevalent in YC.  We've also booked MSC from Barcelona November 2020, (still holding Celebrity November 2020), so in a few short months we'll have more to compare!

[Cruiser Bruiser]

9 hours ago, Epos Man said:

 

Actually on the seaside you get your card when you check in before you get on the ship

I am guessing this is a function of sailing out of Miami? I was surprised that most of the functions of boarding Magnifica were done by ship staff. This is likely a great efficiency for MSC as folks board in multiple ports on European itineraries. It was a surprise for this MSC first time, but now that I understand the process I see that it makes a lot of sense. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Cruiser Bruiser

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 9/5/2019 at 10:45 AM, Georgia_Peaches said:

And while YC prices may be creaping up, they are still less that suites on NCL or X...

not for the cruises I am eyeing. I am looking at Spring break 2020, and Haven price on NCL's Breakaway is the same as YC Deluxe Suite on Seaside (Caribbean route, 2 peeps in the cabin, same week). 

A MIni-suite on Epic that same week is only $2,500 total for 3 ppl - same price as inside for 3. While Seaside's balcony is $2,400 and suite $3,000.

Oh, and our last cruise - inside cabin for 3 on the Allure during spring break 2019 was the same price as the inside cabin on Meraviglia, spring break 2020. $1,600 for 3 of us.

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 minute ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

not for the cruises I am eyeing. I am looking at Spring break 2020, and Haven price on NCL's Breakaway is the same as YC Deluxe Suite on Seaside (Caribbean route, 2 peeps in the cabin, same week). 

A MIni-suite on Epic that same week is only $2,500 total for 3 ppl - same price as inside for 3. While Seaside's balcony is $2,400 and suite $3,000.

 

Wow!  That's great!  Might have to take a look at that.  

[Shippy]

AND IF YOU PLAY IN THE CASINO>>>>>>>

   you will know that every cruiseline sends you offers. They are usually a percentage off of of specific cruises and specific cabin categories. And you must book through their casino club.

We are penny slot players,  although you know those machines take a lot of pennies ! My personal max is $2.00 a pull.

The offers we got from MSC are spectacular.  The main reason is we can book through ANYONE we want for ANY cruise in ANY cabin.

  We are going on the Seaside next month. They told us to book through any agent we wanted and then they would discount the price by our offer of 30% plus an additional 5% because we are black card members which we attained  through our Royal Caribbean status match. We used an internet agency which through in gratuities and $250.00 on board credit.

Called MSC and gave them the booking number and they immediately discounted our price and reminded me they are also throwing in $250. for each of us at the casino window when we sail.

Of course we are in the Yacht Club and of course will play in their casino again !

 

 

[kidless]

On 9/5/2019 at 8:43 AM, Sancho_proudfoot said:

Like the OP, we are Royal Loyal, having worked up to Diamond. We too are trying the Seaview next year. We did status match from RCL Diamond and were matched into MSC Black.

 

We are booked into an Aurea suite and are looking forward to the private areas!

Keep hearing some Diamonds matched to Black we only got gold! 😔 

[Beachin2]

11 minutes ago, kidless said:

Keep hearing some Diamonds matched to Black we only got gold! 😔 

 

They changed it in October.  Now RC D and D+ match to Gold.  See the status match table pinned to the first page.

[George C]

2 hours ago, kidless said:

Keep hearing some Diamonds matched to Black we only got gold! 😔 

We are Diamond plus, I applied last year and got black , didn’t realize my wife was not included when travel agent got me black, so had her get my wife match and she only got gold. It appears most of the perks are similar.

[mackfam]

On 9/6/2019 at 5:45 PM, Shippy said:

AND IF YOU PLAY IN THE CASINO>>>>>>>

   you will know that every cruiseline sends you offers. They are usually a percentage off of of specific cruises and specific cabin categories. And you must book through their casino club.

We are penny slot players,  although you know those machines take a lot of pennies ! My personal max is $2.00 a pull.

The offers we got from MSC are spectacular.  The main reason is we can book through ANYONE we want for ANY cruise in ANY cabin.

  We are going on the Seaside next month. They told us to book through any agent we wanted and then they would discount the price by our offer of 30% plus an additional 5% because we are black card members which we attained  through our Royal Caribbean status match. We used an internet agency which through in gratuities and $250.00 on board credit.

Called MSC and gave them the booking number and they immediately discounted our price and reminded me they are also throwing in $250. for each of us at the casino window when we sail.

Of course we are in the Yacht Club and of course will play in their casino again !

 

 

How much do you have to play before you start getting offers?

[Shippy]

6 hours ago, mackfam said:

How much do you have to play before you start getting offers?

   I really do not know. I tend to go in there a lot. My husband hardly at all because he cannot stand any kind of smoke yet he also got the offer. I have heard that it takes a lot more play if you do the tables.

  The one advice I would give is put your card in the machine EVERYTIME you walk into the casino.....sometimes you get a wristband you can tap on the machine instead.

It is not about how much you win or lose, just how much money is run through the machine..

EXAMPLE....I have only $20. I want to play. I put it in the machine and lose it in a few minutes....I have NO points.

  I put in $20., wind up getting lucky and play for an hour on that $20.... I have lots of points with just the same amount of money out of my pocket.    So I ALWAYS put the card in because sometimes I think I will only be in there a minute but wind up playing for a while. I want EVERY point to count.

 

 

[mackfam]

2 hours ago, Shippy said:

   I really do not know. I tend to go in there a lot. My husband hardly at all because he cannot stand any kind of smoke yet he also got the offer. I have heard that it takes a lot more play if you do the tables.

  The one advice I would give is put your card in the machine EVERYTIME you walk into the casino.....sometimes you get a wristband you can tap on the machine instead.

It is not about how much you win or lose, just how much money is run through the machine..

EXAMPLE....I have only $20. I want to play. I put it in the machine and lose it in a few minutes....I have NO points.

  I put in $20., wind up getting lucky and play for an hour on that $20.... I have lots of points with just the same amount of money out of my pocket.    So I ALWAYS put the card in because sometimes I think I will only be in there a minute but wind up playing for a while. I want EVERY point to count.

 

 

Thanks. I’m not usually a gambler ( I hate losing money and that’s what always happens if I play ), but if I thought I might get an offer for 30% off a future cruise, I might be tempted to give it a try, haha!

[frank808]

On 9/6/2019 at 2:21 PM, George C said:

We are Diamond plus, I applied last year and got black , didn’t realize my wife was not included when travel agent got me black, so had her get my wife match and she only got gold. It appears most of the perks are similar.

Since you are sailing YC, a lot of the black card status is not needed.  You will still get the free dinner for in specialty restaurant, bottle of proseco and invite to black card party. Will only get one chocolate ship and one free pic instead of 2.  Not missing out much in my opinion. 

 

All three of us are black card members by D+ status match in 2017.  But after this summers b2b cruise we will have made black status without the match.  Took us about four 7 night cruises in YC.  Not as hard or long as accumulating 175 points on royal.  Would only be emerald on royal taking four 7 night cruises in a full suite.

[frank808]

21 minutes ago, ronbe65 said:

Hi Esther,

We never care about the "status match" game. Our status is the quality of the ship we sail. If we sail on a 5* ship, our status is 5*. If we sail on a 3* ship, our status is 3* . 

All those "diamond" and "brilliant" "perks" have no value for us.

The difference for cruising with MSC and RCL can be minor or huge - it depends on the individual ship much more than on the cruise line.

Although an explicitly budget product with an irritating class division, the Seaview is a sparkling ship that is symbolizing the progress of MSC product vs constant decline in quality of the other major brands.

This is one of the ships I suggest to consider  for Mediterranean cruising.

Happy cruising!

I like my diamond plus perk of $250 off a 7 night sailing on royal in balcony or higher.  Free laundry bag for those 11 night cruises comes in handy also.  Drinks during happy hour is also something I value weather you drink alcholic deinks or not.  

[SchoolNurseMom]

How do you move up in status with MSC? Or how do you accumulate points? We are Diamond with RCI and got matched to gold with MSC and are going on Seaside in Feb 2020. Thanks!

[Até]

2 hours ago, SchoolNurseMom said:

How do you move up in status with MSC? Or how do you accumulate points?

Expand the "How To Collect Points" tab on the link below.

 

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