MSC Cruises reaping rewards of Status Match in UK

London, 20 January, 2016 - MSC Cruises is celebrating the first three months of its Status Match initiative after over 240 clients switched to the brand in the UK.

Launched here at the end of October 2015, Status Match allows guests with valid loyalty club memberships from other cruise lines, hotel groups and tour operators to join the ‘MSC Voyagers Club’ scheme and automatically match their existing level of benefits.

MSC Cruises executive director UK & Ireland Giles Hawke said: “This is a fantastic result for us. The first three months of Status Match have proved what we knew all along – that holidaymakers really appreciate great service, great value and added extras.
“Clients from the UK have really embraced Status Match and are keen to discover what a cruise with MSC is all about. Status Match is a very innovative way of disrupting the market and giving customers the added incentive to try our cruises”
Membership of the MSC Voyagers Club guarantees a 5% discount on cruise prices, with tiered ‘Classic’, ‘Silver’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Black’ rewards levels offering a spectacular range of onboard privileges. MSC Voyagers Club also offers members access to a range of specially chosen ‘Voyages Selection’ sailings with additional discounts of up to 15%.
While MSC Cruises has attracted members from a number of hotel chain schemes, the majority of Status Match converts are existing cruisers. In the main, these are from MSC Cruises’ direct competitor set of mainstream and upmarket cruise lines.
“What is most interesting is that we have won over customers who have previously been loyal to our immediate rivals,” added Hawke. “Cruise lines invest heavily in keeping their regular guests happy, yet we have been able to swoop in and get them to sign up to our loyalty programme.
“The great thing about Status Match is that we know the guests who apply are actively looking to book. They are already seasoned travellers and are motivated enough to complete the sign-up process, so from a marketing perspective they are very real prospects.
“We are extremely pleased with the sales we’ve made so far, and it's now up to us to keep guests coming back once they have experienced our amazing ships and service."