Key Aspects:
- MSC Cruises is ending its status match application program in several countries, including Spain, France, and Italy.
- Status matching is still available on the cruise line’s US, UK, and Canada sites, among others.
- Already submitted applications will still be processed and there is no change to the benefits of the MSC Voyagers Club loyalty program.
Cruise travelers in Spain, France, and Italy are no longer able to enjoy the benefit of status matching with MSC Cruises, as the program has been cancelled as of Thursday, October 15, 2026. While previously submitted applications will continue to be processed for suitable status matches, new applications will no longer be processed.
MSC Cruises, one of the largest cruise companies in the world, posted details of the cancellation on its MSC Voyagers Club page on the Spain website, answering a number of questions associated with the program’s conclusion.
Nearly identical details are also posted on the cruise line’s France and Italy websites, and other international sites may yet be updated if the change is being rolled out gradually.
Of biggest concern to many guests is whether their matched MSC Voyagers Club tier will stay in place or if that status will now be lost since the program has ended.
“The program’s termination only affects the ability to submit new Status Match applications. Any MSC Voyagers Club level already granted through Status Match will remain valid and continue to be subject to standard MSC Voyagers Club rules regarding maintenance, renewal, and level upgrades,” the cruise line confirmed (translated).
There is no indication that MSC Voyagers Club benefits will be adjusted or ended, only that new matches will no longer be granted. At this time, there is no change to the MSC Voyagers Club program, its tiers, or point-earning opportunities to increase one’s benefits.
The Status Match program has permitted cruise travelers with significant loyalty accumulation on other cruise lines, as well as select hotel, airline, and casino loyalty programs, to apply to have that loyalty recognized recognized by MSC Cruises, even if they’ve never sailed with the line before.
More than 75 other loyalty programs were eligible for the match, including Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and more.
This has been an attractive option for guests who may be interested in trying MSC Cruises for the first time, but who might be reluctant to do so if it would mean losing the loyalty they have gained with other lines or programs.
Enrollment in the program is free but subject to approval. There is no confirmation that the program will be ending in other countries, and as of press time, the application for status matching is still available on the cruise line’s US, Canada, UK, Germany, Austria, and other sites.
Read Also: Which Cruise Lines Match Loyalty Programs?
With the program confirmed to be ending in multiple countries, however, further changes may still be forthcoming. Guests interested in applying for a status match should check their appropriate country site to determine if applications are still being accepted.
Why End Status Match?
MSC Cruises has not made any broad announcement about ending applications for status match.
The associated FAQs state that, in the translation from its Spain page, “This decision is part of the ongoing evolution of MSC Cruises’ commercial and customer loyalty strategy. MSC Cruises remains committed to rewarding and retaining its customers through the MSC Voyagers Club program and dedicated loyalty initiatives.”
Cruise lines update loyalty programs as necessary to adjust benefits, add tiers, or make more significant changes if existing programs prove to be untenable.
Carnival Cruise Line, for example, upset many guests when it replaced the Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) program with the spend-based Carnival Rewards program. While the switch was first announced in June 2025, Carnival Rewards did not officially begin until September 1, 2026.
Even small changes, however, can be upsetting to loyal guests. Cruise Hive has reported that Disney Cruise Line is ending the prix-fixe menu at its Palo restaurants fleetwide from October 22, 2026, which changes the Platinum and Pearl benefit offered to guests in the Castaway Club. While some guests applaud the change for the greater variety it may offer, others are upset at the loss of a favorite perk.
