My first cruise as MSC Voyagers Diamond, much smoke and little fire
Here at TFC we like to talk about how to make the most of the privileges associated with elite airline status, [...]
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Here at TFC we like to talk about how to make the most of the privileges associated with elite status of airlines, hotels and, as in this case, one of the world's leading cruise lines.
This is my first time boarding an MSC ship and, thanks to the company's Status Match campaign, I was able to board directly from the Diamond level, which is the highest level.
The procedure to obtain the status was very fast And it was completed in a very short time. I used my Diamond status in the Hilton Honors program and got the equivalent in MSC's Voyagers Club loyalty program.
Cruise line loyalty programs are not comparable to those of airlines or hotels, however, this does not diminish their value.
The experience on the ground
Perhaps the only thing planes have in common with hotels and ships is check-in time, and all loyalty programs offer priority boarding. The first disappointment was precisely at the time of dropping off the luggage and proceeding to boarding.
Upon arrival at Ponte dei Mille, MSC's home port in Genoa, we are all lined up in the same row, the only favorable treatment is reserved for passengers traveling in Yacht Club cabins, those that could be compared to first class aboard an airplane.
Dedicated baggage drop off, dedicated check-in area, and butler (butler) escorting you on board by getting you past all the other passengers.
Having Diamond status, although it includes (at least in theory) the right to priority boarding, in reality it does not translate into any benefits. Just like all other guests, you have to wait in the car for the attendants to complete the document check and the staff to collect your luggage. In contrast, when traveling in Economy in airplane, but you have high status, dedicated premium passenger counters can also be used.
Once inside the cruise terminal, the music doesn't change. There are no priority routes, or rather there are but because of Covid they have been eliminated, and the reserved lane appears to be closed and available only to passengers with infants or people with travel difficulties. Even the security check, the classic metal detector check, is unique, except to be "overtaken" by YC passengers. Covid has reduced services, but evidently not for everyone.
On board being Diamond is (practically) useless
We chose to travel with this company to try the MSC Seaside, a cruise that normally sails in the Caribbean and, because of Covid-19, for the first time since it was launched, operates in the Mediterranean.
After 48 hours on board, I can say that being Diamond, or having no status at all, makes no difference. The aspect that puzzled me the most is the total lack of a priority route. Usually there is always a desk dedicated to elite customers, and if not, it is replaced by a priority corridor. Here, however, nothing.
On all the other cruise lines I have traveled with, from Royal Caribbean to Carnival, but also in Costa Cruises, for loyalty program members, there is an opportunity to talk to a dedicated team.
From a company like MSC, I would have expected a much more "American" approach to the world of frequent cruisers, e.g. on RCCL there is a great sense of the importance given to all passengers who are loyal to the motto "Loyal to Royal".
Not only that, benefits were reduced without any prior communication, simply what is said is "no longer there because of Covid."
So in a full ship, where you dance poolside And the space between cribs is exactly the same as before, the party for Diamond customers, instead, is deleted, despite the fact that they are all vaccinated and buffered, to reduce the risks of social non-distancing.
Same fate for the photo with the commander. Of course, it is a risk for the highest authority on board to meet with thousands of passengers, but I believe the photo opportunity with loyal customers creates no more danger than when officers walk around and stop to talk to guests around the ship.
In the cabin, in the restaurants and around the ship
The cabin was released to me almost an hour later than the reported time; again, I did not see particular care for status.
If on board Singapore Airlines or Lufthansa, when you have an elite level comparable to Diamond, you are "recognized" even when traveling in non-premium cabins, here there is no difference in treatment.
At the restaurant, the Maitre d', a figure that is increasingly rare nowadays, was not seen at the table at all, and the service had no boost or favorable treatment. For comparison, On Costa Cruises' most modern ships passengers with Diamond Pearl status even have a reserved restaurant at their disposal.
Same for common spaces: if Yacht Club passengers have their reserved areas inaccessible to the rest of the guests, for Diamond, or Gold customers, no privileges. There are companies that reserve the best seats in the theater or pools for elite customers, none of that here.
In conclusion
Of course, bathrobes and fruit were provided in the cabin. We received the bottle of sparkling wine, enjoyed the discounts and other privileges such as dinner offered at a restaurant of our choice. Benefits that certainly make the cruise better, but do not make the passenger feel special, which I would have expected from this status.
The only point I feel like making is related to the ease with which MSC gives the status match, which is not the case with almost any other cruise line. And this could be, therefore, one of the reasons why the service is less exclusive than one might expect.
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