Do you have a cruise coming up? If so, you need to do the status match before you go on your cruise — it only takes five minutes, and you’ll regret it if you don’t.
I didn’t do it on my first MSC cruise, as a result, I didn’t get the perks I should have received as a gold member: no free spa thermal suite access, no priority disembarkation, no extra discounts — all because I didn’t fill out a form before boarding.
I still kick myself about that cruise two years ago.
Below, I’ll walk you through exactly how it works, show the step-by-step application process, and share the biggest mistakes people make (including mine) so you can get all the free perks you deserve.
What MSC Status Match Actually Gives You
Voyager’s Club is MSC’s loyalty program. When you do the match, they take your existing membership level from another travel loyalty program, such as another cruise line, hotel programs, or airline frequent flyer programs. They then give you an equivalent tier with MSC’s Voyagers Club before your cruise.
That can mean free gifts in your cabin, access to the spa thermal suite, invitations to VIP parties, priority boarding, priority disembarkation, and extra discounts on board and on future MSC cruises.
In my case, I was able to match my Celebrity Cruises membership level and get MSC Gold instantly. My sister matched her Hilton Honors level and jumped straight to the Voyagers Club Diamond.
The Voyagers Club has several tiers: Welcome, Classic, Silver, Gold, Diamond, and Blue Diamond. Welcome, Classic, and Silver basically do not give you many perks. They are nice to have, but they’re not going to dramatically change your experience on board.
Gold and Diamond are where you really want to be. At Gold, you can get a welcome gift in your cabin, one hour of access to the spa thermal suite, an invitation to a VIP party, priority disembarkation, and discounts.
Diamond and Blue Diamond members receive even more perks, including priority boarding, an invitation to a more exclusive VIP Diamond party, and the best part in my opinion, a free dinner for two at a specialty restaurant.
Your goal is to get at least Gold level or higher, because that is where the more valuable perks start to show up.
So, what do you need to qualify for the Voyager’s Club Gold level? If you have a high membership tier on other cruise lines, it’s actually pretty easy to get Gold.
For example, if you are a Royal Caribbean Emerald, Diamond, or Diamond Plus, that qualifies you for MSC Gold. Carnival cruise Platinum and Diamond members can get Gold. Norwegian Platinum and Platinum Plus members qualify for Gold. Celebrity Cruises Select, Elite, and Elite Plus members can become Gold members as well.
My favorite perk as a Gold member is the one-hour free spa thermal suite access. It’s a really nice way to relax on a sea day. I also like that I get a bathrobe in the cabin, which is useful for going to the spa. The priority disembarkation is another perk I enjoy, because I get a special luggage tag so my bags are ready early and I can pretty much leave the ship when I want.
I honestly don’t care much for the welcome gift, which has usually been small items like a shopping bag, and I’m not a big fan of the Gold-level VIP party because it doesn’t feel exclusive, and they mainly serve champagne and fruit punch. But if you’ve got nothing to do on your sea day, definitely attend it, since it’s still a free drink and a bit of fun.
Since the match is generally one time per person, you want to be very strategic and aim as high as possible, ideally for Diamond. The Diamond level perks are so much better than the Gold level benefits.
My sister is a Hilton Honors Diamond member, and she was able to qualify for the Voyager’s Club Diamond level. It’s not easy to get Diamond since you really have to be in the highest tier for most cruise lines.
If you are a Royal Caribbean Pinnacle Club member, that can qualify you for Diamond. Ambassador members on Norwegian Cruise Line will also get you Diamond. Zenith level on Celebrity Cruises also qualifies you for Diamond.
I am really looking forward to becoming a Diamond member myself. I only have three cruises left to get Diamond the regular way.
My sister, who is already Diamond, has much better perks, like a more upscale VIP Diamond party with cocktails and appetizers.
She also received a free bottle of champagne and desserts delivered to her cabin.
What I like best about the Diamond perks is the priority check-in during embarkation day and the free dinner for two at a specialty restaurant.
And on top of that, both Gold and Diamond members get useful discounts, including discounts in the gift shop and a five percent discount when booking another MSC cruise, which has saved me a lot of money over time.
Step-by-Step: How to Do the MSC Status Match
Now, let’s walk through how to actually do the MSC match from start to finish. First, gather proof of your existing membership level from the program you want to match from.
This can be a screenshot of your online account page, a digital membership card, or a photo of a physical membership card. Make sure it clearly shows your name, your membership number, and your current tier level. Make sure it is currently valid, not expired or inactive.
Next, there’s a small but important technical detail that people often miss. You can’t just upload a photo of your membership card. They want the document in PDF format. So take your photo, then convert that into a PDF file.
Once you’ve got your proof as a PDF, go to MSC’s website. I’ll have the link of the online form in the description below.
It takes less than five minutes to fill out the form. Just add your personal details, indicate which program you are matching from, and upload your proof of membership. You don’t even need an existing MSC Voyagers Club number to do it, they’ll simply assign you a new number when you apply.
After you submit the form, they will review your request. From my personal experience, it was pretty fast to get the match. Mine came through after about two days, and my sister’s came after about a week.
When they approve it, they send you a confirmation email and update your Voyagers Club profile with your new matched tier. From there, when you book an MSC cruise and add your Voyagers Club number to the booking, your perks should apply on that sailing.
Mistakes to Avoid
Now let’s go over the mistakes — including the ones I personally made.
The first mistake I regret is not doing the match before my very first cruise. It really is a big deal to be Gold level, especially when it normally takes around ten cruises to reach Gold if you’re starting from zero. I only managed to get to Gold in time for my second MSC cruise.
That means on my first sailing, I missed out on all the perks I now enjoy: spa thermal suite access, priority disembarkation, discounts, and the little recognition you get as a higher-tier guest. Looking back, I basically wasted my first cruise by not doing the match.
Another important mistake to avoid is assuming you can do the match onboard. You can’t. I tried this on my very first MSC cruise. I went to Guest Services, showed them my Celebrity Cruises membership, and asked if they could match me right there. They told me they were not able to match me on the ship and that it has to be done before boarding, through the official process.
So don’t wait until you’re already on the ship. You need to complete the match before you sail and give yourself some time, ideally at least a month before departure, to make sure everything is processed and your higher Voyagers Club tier is showing correctly on your reservation.
Another mistake is not getting the highest possible MSC loyalty level from your match. You only get one shot, so you should always try to match from the highest loyalty level you hold to lock in the best possible MSC tier from the start.
For example, if you have a mid-level cruise tier but you’re also a top-tier hotel member, like my sister with Hilton Honors Diamond, it’s smarter to use that hotel membership to get MSC Diamond rather than accepting a lower MSC tier from a cruise program.
There’s also the mistake of settling for Silver when it’s not worth it. Don’t apply for the match if you’re only going to qualify for Silver level in the Voyagers Club. It’s not worth wasting your one-time match just to get to Silver, because the perks aren’t great and it’s relatively easy to reach Silver the regular way — you just have to sail twice.
It’s better to hold off and see if you can improve your other loyalty level, maybe by reaching a higher tier with your cruise line or hotel, and then use that to match into Voyagers Club Gold or higher. Gold is really the level where the perks start to make a noticeable difference.
Cruise Essentials to Buy Before Your Cruise
Family Vacation 101 participates in affiliate programs including the Amazon Associates Program and may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Travel Must-Haves
Passport neck wallet – Keeps your passport and travel documents secure and accessible. It also has RFID protection.
Cruise lanyards – A super convenient way to keep your cruise card within easy reach. No more digging through your bag every time you need it! I recommend getting one lanyard per person in your group and choosing different colors so it’s easy to tell them apart.
Anti-theft crossbody bag with anti-pickpocket clip – Genius anti-theft clip and versatile enough for both port days and evenings in the dining room.
Anti-theft crossbody bag with RFID – Padded shoulder straps with RFID lining to safeguard against identity theft.
Insulated water bottles –I don’t like spending money on bottled water, and I always want fresh water in my cabin. I’ll fill my bottle at the buffet or ask my server at dinner, then bring it back so I have water at night. This is my go-to water bottle—I prefer ones without straws since they’re much easier to wash in the cabin sink.
Pashmina – This multi-purpose wrap always earns its spot in my luggage. Use it as an evening wrap, a lightweight plane blanket, or a cover-up when visiting places of worship that require modest dress. I never cruise without one—you’ll be surprised how often it comes in handy.
Cruise Planning Essentials
Day Passes to Resorts– Booking private beach resort access in advance guarantees a comfortable beach experience at the cruise port.
Travel Insurance with CFAR Coverage– CFAR travel insurance gives you flexibility to cancel your cruise for any reason and recover part of your costs if plans change.
Last Minute Cruise Deals– Search for last minute cruise deals.
Cabin Comfort & Organization
Non-surge Cruise power strip– Cabins never have enough outlets (check cruise line rules first).
Magnetic hooks – Super-strong magnetic hooks that attach easily to your cabin walls. They’re perfect for hanging hats, cruise lanyards, goggles, swimsuits, and towels. I personally use the 85+ lb hooks—they’re incredibly sturdy and can even hold backpacks!
Small portable fan – Improves airflow and keeps Inside Cabins from feeling stuffy.
Motion sensor night light – Perfect for Inside Cabins, for when you get up at night to use the bathroom. It also has a magnetic base, so you can easily attach it to your cabin walls.
Toiletries & Laundry
Hanging toiletry bag – Keeps your essentials neat and accessible.
Fabric freshener spray – Fights wrinkles and refreshes clothes between wears.
Travel-size detergent – Handy for washing swimsuits, underwear, and quick-dry clothing in the sink.
TSA-approved travel containers – Easy to pack your lotions, creams, and other liquids without worrying about TSA rules.
Health & Wellness
Anti-seasickness medicine – My go-to meds for anti-seasickness. I take one in the morning on sea days (bring chewables for kids).
Acupressure bands – A natural alternative for seasickness relief. I use this with the anti-seasickness meds.
Packing & Storage
Cruise travel planners– Check out my travel planners, they help you stay organized before and during your trip.
Packing cubes – I never travel without packing cubes! They make packing and unpacking so easy—you can simply slip the entire cube into the cabin closet or drawer. I like to assign a different color to each person so there’s no mix-up.
Foldable duffel bag – I always pack a foldable duffel bag in case I bring home too many souvenirs or do some extra shopping. It doubles as an extra carry-on and barely takes up any luggage space.
Foldable shopping bag – Perfect for shopping at cruise ports, these bags fold up small enough to keep in your purse. I always carry one with me—you never know when you’ll need it! Plus, many countries charge a fee for shopping bags, and I’d much rather use my own than pay extra.
Foldable backpack – Perfect for cruise port days when you need an extra bag. I love that these backpacks are lightweight and fold down small, so you can toss one in your luggage without taking up much space.
Travel luggage scale – I always keep one in my suitcase so I can weigh my bags before heading to the airport. It’s a simple way to avoid overweight baggage fees.
Apple AirTags – I pop one into each of my bags so I can track my luggage for peace of mind. They’re especially helpful if you have a short layover and worry about your suitcase getting left behind.
Beach Essentials
Towel Clips – A simple must-have for pool and beach days! They keep your towels from slipping off lounge chairs, and I never cruise without brining a few in my luggage.
Waterproof phone pouch – Protect your phone from water and sand while still being able to snap photos. I always bring one when cruising the Caribbean or Mediterranean—it’s a lifesaver for beach and pool days.
Striped beach bag with zipper – You’ll need a beach bag with zipper to keep your things secure. I like this one because it’s stylish, has a water bottle holder, keeps belongings secure and has a lot of pockets.
Kid-Friendly Cruise Essentials
Magnetic toys – Cabin walls are magnetic, making these toys perfect for fun, mess-free entertainment. They keep kids busy when you’re in the cabin, especially since cruise TV options for kids can be limited. It’s always best to bring your own toys.
Collapsible beach buckets and toys – You’ll definitely want to bring beach toys if you’re going on a Caribbean cruise! This collapsible set includes foldable buckets, shovels, and sandcastle molds, all packed neatly in one bag. They’re easy to fit in your suitcase without taking up much space.
Get Your FREE Cruise Packing List
Sign up once and you will get access to ALL exclusive content on this website. After unlocking the printable, just save the printable image and then print it. Use it to help you pack for your cruise vacation. I hope you like it!
Download my free Cruise Packing List printable.
