October 21, 2026 — Update: MSC Cruises has now confirmed the end of its Status Match program in four European countries. Our October 19 story reported closures in Spain, France and Italy based on MSC’s websites. What is new: MSC told Cruise Critic that Portugal is also included, and that the program stays open in the United States and Canada.
What MSC confirmed
| Market | Status Match |
|---|---|
| Italy, France, Spain, Portugal | Closed to new applications from October 15, 2026 |
| United States, Canada and other markets where offered | Still available |
- MSC said the decision applies “exclusively to these four markets.”
- Applications sent before the cutoff will still be processed.
- Tiers already granted through Status Match stay valid and now follow standard MSC Voyagers Club rules for keeping and renewing status.
Status Match lets people with status in another loyalty program, including other cruise lines, hotel chains and tour operators, ask MSC Voyagers Club for a matching tier.
What it means for airline travelers
- If you live in the U.S. or Canada and were thinking of matching your status, the program is still open there. MSC has not given an end date, but this week shows it can close a market with little notice.
- Status you already received through a match is safe, but it now has to be kept up under the normal Voyagers Club rules.
- No travel-industry or interline rate changes were mentioned.
Sources
- Cruise Critic, “MSC Cruises Ends Status Match for Several European Countries“
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