For any type of travel, loyalty programs are a fantastic way to get additional perks to enhance your travel experience. Like airlines, rental car companies, and even railroads, cruise lines each have a loyalty program with different ways to earn points/status and a bunch of perks. The MSC Voyagers Club, MSC Cruises’ loyalty program, is designed to reward frequent cruisers with points that unlock discounts to VIP experiences. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned cruiser, understanding how to maximize your points can help score some higher tier benefits a lot quicker. In this guide, we’ll explore the MSC Voyagers Club, its membership levels, how to earn base points, and the best ways to rack up bonus points for even greater rewards.
What is the MSC Voyagers Club?
The MSC Voyagers Club is a free loyalty program and is open to anyone who has cruised with MSC since 2006 or has a confirmed booking. For travelers under 18, a parent or legal guardian must complete the rsgistration. Once enrolled, members earn points with every cruise, which accumulate to unlock higher membership tiers and benefits like priority check-in, onboard discounts, and complimentary gifts.
Membership Levels
The MSC Voyagers Club has six distinct membership tiers, each offering progressively better perks based on the number of points accumulated:
- Welcome Membership (0 points): The entry-level tier for new members, offering access to the MSC Voyagers Club E-Newsletter, a personalized luggage identification tag, and an online private area to manage your account.
- Classic Membership (1–2,199 points): Unlocks a 5% discount on all cruise bookings, onboard discounts (ie: 10% on spa, salon, and fitness services), and access to Voyagers Selection sailings with up to 15% off.
- Silver Membership (2,200–4,299 points): Includes all Classic benefits, plus a milestone reward pin and even more onboard discounts.
- Gold Membership (4,300–9,999 points): Adds priority disembarkation on the last day, complimentary items like a free birthday cake and even a one-hour thermal spa session, and access to special onboard events for cruises over three nights.
- Diamond Membership (10,000–24,999 points): Here’s where things start to get good! This level offers exclusive perks like a free photo, a bottle of sparkling wine with macarons, a complimentary MSC Sweet Chocolate Gift, a specialty restaurant tasting menu, and priority check-in with dedicated luggage drop-off (available only at certain embarkation ports).
- Blue Diamond Membership (25,000+ points): The highest tier, providing all Diamond benefits plus exclusive privileges like flexible port arrival times, priority access to tender boats, access to the MSC Yacht Club Lounge for check-in, a complimentary internet browse package, a pillow menu, and a private meet-and-greet with the captain or an MSC officer. Blue Diamond members also receive a kit with a ship model and a 100ml fragrance.
To maintain active membership, you must take at least one cruise every three years. If your membership expires, you can re-enroll at the Classic level with a new identification number. You can track your points and membership status via your MSC Account, e-ticket, or Cruise Card received at embarkation.
Earning Base Points with MSC Voyagers Club
Earning points in the MSC Voyagers Club is based on three things: the type of experience booked, the length of the cruise, and any prepaid onboard services. Here’s how it works:
- Type of Experience Booked: Points are awarded based on the MSC Experience you choose:
- Bella Experience: The most budget-friendly option, offering comfortable accommodations and access to onboard amenities.
- Fantastica Experience: Adds perks like room service and flexible dining times.
- Aurea Experience: Includes spa benefits, priority boarding, and My Choice dining.
- MSC Yacht Club: The premium experience with luxury suites, 24/7 butler service, and exclusive venues, earning the highest points (800 for cruises under 5 nights, 1,500 for 5–9 nights, and 2,000 for 10+ nights).
The more premium the experience, the more points you earn per cruise.
- Length of Cruise: Longer cruises yield more points. For example, cruises of 5–9 nights earn more points than those under 5 nights, with MSC Yacht Club offering the highest points for extended voyages.
- Prepaid Onboard Services: You can earn 100 points for every $150 spent on MSC packages or services booked before the cruise. Points are credited to the cardholder who makes the payment, typically within 10 days after disembarkation.
How to Earn Bonus Points
While base points build your membership level, bonus points can significantly speed up your progress toward higher tiers and their rewards. Here are the top ways to earn bonus points with the MSC Voyagers Club:
- MSC Voyagers Exclusives – Double Membership Points: Book your cruise 12+ months in advance to earn double membership points on your base points for the chosen experience and cruise length. Additionally, you’ll receive a 5% + 5% discount on the cruise fare, and Silver, Gold, Diamond, or Blue Diamond members get an extra $50 onboard credit per person. Booking 9–12 months in advance still gives you a 5% + 5% discount but without the double points. This offer excludes World Cruises and is subject to availability.
- MSC World Cruise – Triple Membership Points: Take an MSC World Cruise, and you’ll earn triple the points based on the experience booked. For Classic, Silver, Gold, Diamond, or Blue Diamond members, booking the full World Cruise also extends your Voyagers Club membership by an additional five years, ensuring long-term access to your benefits. This is a game-changer for reaching higher tiers quickly if you’re a world cruise kind of person.
- Future Cruise Credit (FCC) Booking – Double Membership Points: If you book a cruise onboard using a Future Cruise Credit (FCC), you’ll earn double membership points for that booking. This is a great incentive to plan your next adventure while still on the ship, locking in both savings and extra points.
- Subscription Bonuses:
- Post-Cruise Registration (500 Points): Register for the MSC Voyagers Club within three months after disembarking from a cruise to earn 500 bonus points.
- Pre-Cruise Contact Updates (100 Points): Update or verify your contact details (e.g., email, phone, or address) in your MSC Voyagers Club account at least 72 hours before departure to earn 100 bonus points. This is an easy way to boost your points with zero effort.
- Birthday Bonus (200 Points): Book a cruise within three months of your birthday, and you’ll receive 200 bonus points. This is a fun way to celebrate your special day while earning rewards for your next cruise. Plus, don’t forget that certain levels also offer you a free birthday cake!
- MSC Voyagers Selection / Early Access to New Programs (700 Points): For select MSC Voyagers Selection departures, members (except Welcome tier) can earn 700 bonus points. These points are added one week before the cruise, so you have immediate use of benefits. This offer applies to cruises of 3+ nights (excluding World Cruises) and requires enrollment in the Voyagers Club for past guests who aren’t active members.
- Status Match Program: If you’re a loyalty member with another cruise line, hotel, or tour operator, MSC’s Status Match Program allows you to transfer your status to a comparable Voyagers Club tier. Once approved, you’ll instantly qualify for a 5% cruise fare discount and can start earning points based on your matched tier, giving you a head start. Submit your request via the MSC Status Match form online or through a travel agent.
Wait! Do I Earn Points on Onboard Spend?
Well… here’s the kicker. MSC used to give you bonus points for onboard spend. However, that’s no longer the case, which is a big disappointment not only for myself, but for other cruisers as well. I always book multiple specialty dining experiences onboard, as well as spend money on other services and items during the cruise. That onboard spend used to be used to earn additional bonus points – 100 for each $150 spent. However, onboarding spending does not qualify for any points from sailings on or after November 7th, 2024.
Hopefully MSC will reconsider this for future Voyagers Club updates.
Tips to Maximize Your Points
- Plan Ahead: Book Voyagers Exclusives or World Cruises well in advance to capitalize on double or triple points and additional discounts. Early bookings also secure better cabin availability.
- Choose Premium Experiences: Opt for Aurea or MSC Yacht Club experiences to earn higher base points, especially on longer cruises.
- Prepay Services: Purchase onboard packages like spa treatments, dining, or internet before your cruise to earn 100 points per $150 spent.
- Stay Active: Cruise at least once every three years to maintain your membership and avoid restarting at the Classic tier.
- Check Your Points: Log into your MSC Account regularly to track points, membership status, and expiration dates to ensure you’re maximizing your benefits.
By strategically earning base and bonus points, you can quickly climb the membership tiers and reach Blue Diamond in no time (well, it takes a bit, but you get it!). Whether it’s doubling points with early bookings, tripling them on a World Cruise, or grabbing easy bonuses for simple actions like updating your contact details, the MSC Voyagers Club makes it easy to earn some extra points that can add up quick.