MSC is losing me one issue at a time

[kelmac]

I’m onboard the Meraviglia now.  We are having a great time and service is over the top wonderful.  Food is wonderful, wonderful, not so great, wonderful...,  We are part of that group that found out that Ocean Cay will not be ready the day we boarded.  Went to see the onboard Future Cruise Consultant — here is what I learned:

— 20 % off a future cruise, but not now.  Based off what you paid for this current cruise, wrong.

— By the way, this is you second cruise in the Yacht Club in the past 21 months, and you just lost your Black/Diamond status with MSC; no, you can’t re-apply using your ElitePlus with Celebrity.  No 5% discount anymore. 

— Itinerary for this cruise is changed — had to contact all our private excursion operators and make adjustments with mixed results.  Didn’t lose any money😁

 

My wife says “bag it, we are done with MSC”.  I’m holding out for good news😉

 

Enjoy!

Kel

 

 

[slei15]

5 minutes ago, kelmac said:

I’m onboard the Meraviglia now.  We are having a great time and service is over the top wonderful.  Food is wonderful, wonderful, not so great, wonderful...,  We are part of that group that found out that Ocean Cay will not be ready the day we boarded.  Went to see the onboard Future Cruise Consultant — here is what I learned:

— 20 % off a future cruise, but not now.  Based off what you paid for this current cruise, wrong.

— By the way, this is you second cruise in the Yacht Club in the past 21 months, and you just lost your Black/Diamond status with MSC; no, you can’t re-apply using your ElitePlus with Celebrity.  No 5% discount anymore. 

— Itinerary for this cruise is changed — had to contact all our private excursion operators and make adjustments with mixed results.  Didn’t lose any money😁

 

My wife says “bag it, we are done with MSC”.  I’m holding out for good news😉

 

Enjoy!

Kel

 

 

Why did you lose your black/diamond status?  It doesn't expire until 3 years after your last cruise?

[kelmac]

2 minutes ago, slei15 said:

Why did you lose your black/diamond status?  It doesn't expire until 3 years after your last cruise?

Future cruise consultant emailed the main office and that was their response.

 

[emmas gran]

I posted on your roll call on 9th that Ocean Cay was cancelled and likely to be the same for your cruise . I have to wait for my discount voucher maybe another 14 days according to MSC  uk, that voucher is reported by others to be valued for 1 year but US passengers vouchers are valid for 2 years.

Be grateful you live in America 

As an addition we have just done 56 days in YC this year

Edited November 14, 2019 by emmas gran

[sidari]

EG ... It seems that there could be issues using the voucher with other cruises which have offers on them.

 

Bea has contacted the UK office and is waiting for a response.

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2019 by sidari

[mafig]

Why did you lose your 5%?  You get 5% off regardless of level, so losing Black Card shouldn't make any difference at all.

 

(Actually, the first time I booked with MSC I wasn't Elite on Celebrity, so I just put my dh in as Gold and waited until we were Elite and put me in as Black. )  Now if for some reason I lose it, I would most  upset if we lose the 5%.  

[Beamafar]

We had a few issues on Meraviglia, most of which we discussed with the YC director and one issue which necessitated escalating to the Hotel Director.  We found the YC director very ineffective and it was the senior concierge, Luciano, who actually sorted a major issue (for us) out.  Thankfully we knew him from our 28 nights on Splendida last year which, I believe, was a contributory factor in his intervening when we were getting nowhere with the YC director.

 

It can be extremely frustrating dealing with MSC, both on shore and onboard, but we still find MSC great value for our money and have 2 cruises booked for next year and planning for 2021, though I have felt the same on many occasions as the OP does and can relate to how kelmac is feeling right now.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 hours ago, kelmac said:

I’m onboard the Meraviglia now.  We are having a great time and service is over the top wonderful.  Food is wonderful, wonderful, not so great, wonderful...,  We are part of that group that found out that Ocean Cay will not be ready the day we boarded.  Went to see the onboard Future Cruise Consultant — here is what I learned:

— 20 % off a future cruise, but not now.  Based off what you paid for this current cruise, wrong.

— By the way, this is you second cruise in the Yacht Club in the past 21 months, and you just lost your Black/Diamond status with MSC; no, you can’t re-apply using your ElitePlus with Celebrity.  No 5% discount anymore. 

— Itinerary for this cruise is changed — had to contact all our private excursion operators and make adjustments with mixed results.  Didn’t lose any money😁

 

My wife says “bag it, we are done with MSC”.  I’m holding out for good news😉

 

Enjoy!

Kel

 

 

 

Dealing with MSC is enough to drive anyone to drink.  My TA threatened to fire me the first time I booked with them!  Hang in there.  Escalate to the HD.  You should not be losing your Black/Diamond status.

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Dealing with MSC is enough to drive anyone to drink.  My TA threatened to fire me the first time I booked with them!  Hang in there.  Escalate to the HD.  You should not be losing your Black/Diamond status.

 

From their reservation process to their on-line check-in which I recently completed with the availability of my cruise documents which I require before the  "no sooner than their 20 day availability before sailing date", MSC is a "different animal" and is a company still adapting to the requirements of the North American cruising market, I think.  My travel agent was able to circumvent the ticketing availability by directly dealing with them.

 

I see no reason why you should be using your Black Card/Diamond status.  I just discovered yesterday that Black Card is now also card Diamond.  Their loyalty program is a "work in progress" as is their work to obtain a significant footprint into the North American cruise market, in my opinion.   

[Tapi]

I’m also chiming in to say that your loyalty level expiring inside 36 months sounds like erroneous information. I would definitely follow up to make sure that all your information is correct in their system.
 

I absolutely love MSC, but I agree that their shoreside customer service and IT glitches are bothersome. When I first applied for the loyalty match program, it was processed quickly, but the system kept glitching and merging my record with my son’s (who has the same first name as me). The system kept “downgrading“ my loyalty status and I had to call to get it rectified a few times. They’d fix it and then it would happen again. It finally stopped, but it was a pain in the butt while it was happening. 

[sidari]

17 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

From their reservation process to their on-line check-in which I recently completed with the availability of my cruise documents which I require before the  "no sooner than their 20 day availability before sailing date", MSC is a "different animal" and is a company still adapting to the requirements of the North American cruising market, I think.  My travel agent was able to circumvent the ticketing availability by directly dealing with them.

 

I see no reason why you should be using your Black Card/Diamond status.  I just discovered yesterday that Black Card is now also card Diamond.  Their loyalty program is a "work in progress" as is their work to obtain a significant footprint into the North American cruise market, in my opinion.   

The loyalty programme as you call it ended in 2015 when they changed to the voyagers Club, at the same time they devalued the levels.

It is not a work in progress.

[gkbiiii]

11 hours ago, kelmac said:

I’m onboard the Meraviglia now.  We are having a great time and service is over the top wonderful.  Food is wonderful, wonderful, not so great, wonderful...,  We are part of that group that found out that Ocean Cay will not be ready the day we boarded.  Went to see the onboard Future Cruise Consultant — here is what I learned:

— 20 % off a future cruise, but not now.  Based off what you paid for this current cruise, wrong.

— By the way, this is you second cruise in the Yacht Club in the past 21 months, and you just lost your Black/Diamond status with MSC; no, you can’t re-apply using your ElitePlus with Celebrity.  No 5% discount anymore. 

— Itinerary for this cruise is changed — had to contact all our private excursion operators and make adjustments with mixed results.  Didn’t lose any money😁

 

My wife says “bag it, we are done with MSC”.  I’m holding out for good news😉

 

Enjoy!

Kel

Yes this happened to me, though I brought my prior cards and was given Black Diamond Status for the cruise: but after seven days, HQ Italy still had not gotten back with the on-board loyalty guy.

 

11 hours ago, kelmac said:

 

 

[kelmac]

Well think about my first MSC cruise in March of 2018 on the Seaside.  I may have booked that cruise in 2017 and requested a match at that time.  I thought at the time, that once I was Black Card, I would be that status forever.  Strange system, but I’ve been in Italy many times and I understand their unique way of doing business.  

 

Enjoy!

Kel😃

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, kelmac said:

Well think about my first MSC cruise in March of 2018 on the Seaside.  I may have booked that cruise in 2017 and requested a match at that time.  I thought at the time, that once I was Black Card, I would be that status forever.  Strange system, but I’ve been in Italy many times and I understand their unique way of doing business.  

 

Enjoy!

Kel😃

 

 

Acrually I think MSC has it right [if they can actually do what they say]. Loyalty programs that let you build over unlimited periods eventually clog up with more ‘elites’ than the system can handle. I like that MSC says you must sail once every 36 months. That will keep the Diamond level for real MSC loyalists. 

[CruisinMaterial]

20 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Acrually I think MSC has it right [if they can actually do what they say]. Loyalty programs that let you build over unlimited periods eventually clog up with more ‘elites’ than the system can handle. I like that MSC says you must sail once every 36 months. That will keep the Diamond level for real MSC loyalists. 

I concur with you... NCL clogged their Platinum Plus tier level with people who didn't sail nearly as much as I have and were as loyal as I was (keyword: was) and then eroded the benefits for everyone. I like MSCs forcing you to sail to maintain your status with them. I think more cruise lines should mirror it and frankly with all the cost cutting going on at NCL these days, I'm surprised they haven't instituted it! Quick... someone get Frank Del Rio over here. 🙄

[kelmac]

53 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Acrually I think MSC has it right [if they can actually do what they say]. Loyalty programs that let you build over unlimited periods eventually clog up with more ‘elites’ than the system can handle. I like that MSC says you must sail once every 36 months. That will keep the Diamond level for real MSC loyalists. 

Hi Jb,

If I cruised MSC twice in a 21 month period, why am I losing my Black Card status?

By the way, both cruises were in the Yacht Club.

 

Kel😁

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 minutes ago, kelmac said:

Hi Jb,

If I cruised MSC twice in a 21 month period, why am I losing my Black Card status?

By the way, both cruises were in the Yacht Club.

 

Kel😁

 

You shouldn't be losing your Black/Diamond status.  That's the point.  The requirement is that you cruise once every three years.  You've more than met that.  That's why you need to escalate the issue.

[emmas gran]

6 hours ago, kelmac said:

Hi Jb,

If I cruised MSC twice in a 21 month period, why am I losing my Black Card status?

By the way, both cruises were in the Yacht Club.

 

Kel😁

The thing is the date you joined it's 3 years from joining Voyagers Club you need to check that

[nikkiw60]

On 11/14/2019 at 9:31 PM, sidari said:

EG ... It seems that there could be issues using the voucher with other cruises which have offers on them.

 

Bea has contacted the UK office and is waiting for a response.

 

 

 

I contacted them the other day and got this email