Double Points...ideas?

[mandyleighflies]

I have a goal.

 

I want to be Platinum or Emerald before we go on our honeymoon cruise...down the road...like 2 to 3 years (BF and I have been together 3 years and he has been making hints). This upcoming cruise in February might be it...fingers crossed y'all!!

 

I'm a lowly Gold right now with 8 points (yes...I know) but we are sailing on Jewel in February (7 points), Mariner in August (3 points) and Symphony in November (4 points) so by the end of the year I'll be at a grand total of....22 points...whomp whomp. Knowing I want to be PL or EM in a one to two year time span I know we will need to be pretty active cruisers. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get more points? I know suites earn double points but what level suite does that begin with? Didn't RCCL have double point cruises in that past? We are planning on making a habit of sorts to cruise twice a year, one 7 day and one 3/4 day.

 

Any ideas from the cruise professionals is greatly appreciated!!!

[Clarea]

A Junior Suite is the lowest category that gets you an extra point per night.

 

I'd not go out of my way to make Platinum or Emerald, as it won't have much effect on your honeymoon cruise. Biggest perks would be a balcony discount (much less than the cost of upgrading a cruise to a JS) and robes in the stateroom.

[Biker19]

Any ideas from the cruise professionals is greatly appreciated!!!

If cruise point whoring is the goal, go on a TA by yourself.

[mandyleighflies]

A Junior Suite is the lowest category that gets you an extra point per night.

 

I'd not go out of my way to make Platinum or Emerald, as it won't have much effect on your honeymoon cruise. Biggest perks would be a balcony discount (much less than the cost of upgrading a cruise to a JS) and robes in the stateroom.

 

 

Thank you!! I thought maybe JS was qualifying but I wanted to make sure. We are looking to take advantage of the WOW sale and to book our 2019 cruise schedule.

 

I know its not that huge but I just like the additional minor perks, we will book a suite for that cruise and have those perks regardless. Its just a goal right now. Our lifetime goal is D+ :hearteyes:

[mandyleighflies]

If cruise point whoring is the goal, go on a TA by yourself.

 

Not a bad idea...we could skip the two cruises in 2019 and just do the one long one instead. Kill two birds with one stone so to speak. :confused:

[LuCruise]

Similar to you. We are currently at 22 points. After our Symphony cruise we'll be at 29, which is annoying since you need 30 to bring you to Platinum. (A Junior Suite for 4 is above our budget since we need airfare too). We're looking at the option of doing a 4 day cruise end of the summer, which would then bump us up to Platinum after we complete Symphony, but we may (and probably will) do a land based holiday instead. But, that's another option if a full cruise isn't in your budget or vacation time.

 

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[mandyleighflies]

We have talked about land based vacations in the mix also. We are focused on cruises right now, we both LOVE ships. I have sailed on CCL and NCL prior to RCCL so its mainly how I have vacationed since I was a child.

[Biker19]

Not a bad idea...we could skip the two cruises in 2019 and just do the one long one instead.

The point of the TA by yourself (or any other for that matter) is when you sail solo you get double points - so from a typical TA you can get around 30 points.

[mandyleighflies]

The point of the TA by yourself (or any other for that matter) is when you sail solo you get double points - so from a typical TA you can get around 30 points.

 

WOW!! I had no idea. While it does sound like a great way to get points, I think I would go a bit looney sailing that long by myself. Thanks for the idea though!

[geomancer]

Not a bad idea...we could skip the two cruises in 2019 and just do the one long one instead. Kill two birds with one stone so to speak. :confused:

 

I think you were missing the idea behind that suggestion.

 

TA's tend to be long cruises. Cruising solo gives you 1 extra point (since you're paying for two people), then being in a suite gives you another extra point. So you would get 3 points per night cruising solo in a suite. Since spouses share status level, it's the fastest way to move up. As an example, a 14 day TA would give a solo cruiser in a JS 42 points.

 

However, as said, the benefits of the higher level are ... not really there. The balcony discount often doesn't stack with other promotions from what I've heard, and that's really the only benefit there is.

[Milwaukee Eight]

WOW!! I had no idea. While it does sound like a great way to get points, I think I would go a bit looney sailing that long by myself. Thanks for the idea though!

 

 

 

Does you BF have the same or higher points? One may assume the SO points as long as they have the same address.

 

 

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[bouhunter]

The perks are OK, but it's really not worth chasing them. Benefits are miniscule compared to the cost of cruises to get the points.

 

We will be Diamond+ in 1-2 years but haven't calculated which reservation will do it. It will just be a pleasant surprise when it happens :)

[ThirstyCruiser]

I'm guessing for the price of a Jr Suite for one cruise that gets you 2x points for each of you (7 x 2 = 14 points each), you could probably book 3 cruises in a cheap inside cabin and get 3X the points (7 x 1) + 7 x 1) + (7 x 1) = 21 points each.

 

BUT, then factor in other costs to taking 3 weeks of vacation versus one week (airfare, hotel, car rental, kennel for the pooches, time of from work, all that extra sunscreen, etc).

 

It get it, its kinda fun to have a higher status. But financially speaking, its not even close - it makes no dollars and sense to chase the reward levels. The benefits are not enough to offset the costs. Now, if seeing the Diamond logo when you log into the website is "priceless", then all systems go - start booking using some of the methods mentioned here.

 

I'm personally in the twilight zone of royal perks - Emerald.

[Charles4515]

I have a goal.

 

I want to be Platinum or Emerald before we go on our honeymoon cruise...down the road...like 2 to 3 years (BF and I have been together 3 years and he has been making hints). This upcoming cruise in February might be it...fingers crossed y'all!!

 

I'm a lowly Gold right now with 8 points (yes...I know) but we are sailing on Jewel in February (7 points), Mariner in August (3 points) and Symphony in November (4 points) so by the end of the year I'll be at a grand total of....22 points...whomp whomp. Knowing I want to be PL or EM in a one to two year time span I know we will need to be pretty active cruisers. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get more points? I know suites earn double points but what level suite does that begin with? Didn't RCCL have double point cruises in that past? We are planning on making a habit of sorts to cruise twice a year, one 7 day and one 3/4 day.

 

Any ideas from the cruise professionals is greatly appreciated!!!

 

Don't make Platnium or Emerald a goal to make before your honeymoon cruise. What you get for reaching those is not worth it being a goal. If you were close to Diamond that would be a different story.

[cruisinfanatic]

I have a goal.

 

I want to be Platinum or Emerald before we go on our honeymoon cruise...down the road...like 2 to 3 years (BF and I have been together 3 years and he has been making hints). This upcoming cruise in February might be it...fingers crossed y'all!!

 

I'm a lowly Gold right now with 8 points (yes...I know) but we are sailing on Jewel in February (7 points), Mariner in August (3 points) and Symphony in November (4 points) so by the end of the year I'll be at a grand total of....22 points...whomp whomp. Knowing I want to be PL or EM in a one to two year time span I know we will need to be pretty active cruisers. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get more points? I know suites earn double points but what level suite does that begin with? Didn't RCCL have double point cruises in that past? We are planning on making a habit of sorts to cruise twice a year, one 7 day and one 3/4 day.

 

Any ideas from the cruise professionals is greatly appreciated!!!

I'm afraid that being Platinum or Emerald will not get you but a fraction worth of the benefits it will cost to get there.

Emerald will get you:

 

Exclusive Top Tier Event - 45 minutes of free watered down drinks and a speech by the captain and someone trying to sell you something

Robes for use onboard - Your cabin attendant would most likely get those for you for asking anyway

Signature lapel pin

Welcome Waters & Snack + Beverage Selection - Example is 1 can of Coke

Balcony discount

Those 5 things are certainly not worth the thousands it will cost just to get there

[blackshirt]

Long cruises and JS’s add up quick. We went from gold to diamond in three cruises. We were sitting at 27 points when we did a 7 day cruise that got us to platinum (34 points), a 12 day cruise in a JS that got us to emerald (58 points); then a 15 day cruise in a JS that got us to diamond (88 points)

[Charles4515]

 

I know its not that huge but I just like the additional minor perks, we will book a suite for that cruise and have those perks regardless. Its just a goal right now. Our lifetime goal is D+ [emoji813]eyes:

 

Again what you get for reaching Platnium or Emerald is minimal. Pretty much it is a bottle of water......

 

Lifetime goal Diamond is plenty. Diamond+ is nice but not that much more benefits than Diamond. I am at Diamond and only need 32 for Diamond + but I am not taking extra Royal cruises or paying for higher catagories than I usually do trying to make Diamond Plus. I will let nature take its course.

Edited January 6, 2018 by Charles4515

[bob brown]

If it is only points you are after, I believe that it might be cheaper if you book two Inside Guarantee's instead of one Junior Suite....you would get double points either way, but then, not get the perks the JS comes with...

Certainly nothing that I would do....

[ColoradoGurl]

Wow, you’re really planning ahead. A honeymoon cruise 3 years from now and you’re not even engaged yet? Yikes.

 

 

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[SteelMagnolia9]

Save your money for your honeymoon and book a suite.

[Smyles]

Wow, you’re really planning ahead. A honeymoon cruise 3 years from now and you’re not even engaged yet? Yikes.

 

 

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I envision them doing all these cruises now before the 'potential' honeymoon that if and when he does propose she announces the big honeymoon plan and he declares (having not been part of this planning process and having no clue why they cruised so much) that they need to do something different seeing as they just did a half dozen cruises.

 

The last thing I would want to do as my honeymoon trip is repeat something we've done a dozen times leading up to that trip...for a free bottle of water as a reward of that status!

[karena1]

I envision them doing all these cruises now before the 'potential' honeymoon that if and when he does propose she announces the big honeymoon plan and he declares (having not been part of this planning process and having no clue why they cruised so much) that they need to do something different seeing as they just did a half dozen cruises.

 

The last thing I would want to do as my honeymoon trip is repeat something we've done a dozen times leading up to that trip...for a free bottle of water as a reward of that status!

 

Wow what a party pooper! We went on our first cruise in 1994 and never looked back. I book everything and hubby of 36 years just says "where are we going this time"? We have the same outlook on life, enjoy it while you can and cruise as often as humanly possible!:cool::cool:

[wolfcathorse]

solo in an interior gets you double points. So a 3 night cruise is 6 pts, sometimes you can find pricing that is reasonable, even with the single supplement. Solo in a JS is triple points so a 3 night cruise is 9 pts, reasonable JS pricing as a solo is very hard to find.

[ColoradoGurl]

I envision them doing all these cruises now before the 'potential' honeymoon that if and when he does propose she announces the big honeymoon plan and he declares (having not been part of this planning process and having no clue why they cruised so much) that they need to do something different seeing as they just did a half dozen cruises.

 

 

 

The last thing I would want to do as my honeymoon trip is repeat something we've done a dozen times leading up to that trip...for a free bottle of water as a reward of that status!

 

 

I’m with you on this one. I wouldn’t recommend a cruise for a honeymoon, but I definitely wouldn’t do it if it’s the same thing I’ve done every year beforehand. A honeymoon should be a special and unique experience, not the same old thing you always do.

 

I’m also envisioning the poor boyfriend suddenly realizing how much planning went into their honeymoon and engagement without his participation and for so many years prior to them even deciding to get married. A sudden “oh no what did I get into” kind of thing, haha! Geeze. Well, maybe this girl is really young. If so, I’ll give her a pass.

 

 

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[LeeW]

While we don't worry much about higher status, the junior suites on some of the ships you have scheduled can have a reasonable price. For example, when we booked our next cruises on Vision the JS was only about $100 more than a balcony. Since we haven't tried a JS yet (and can't afford another Grand Suite like on our first cruise), we are paying extra. Ten nights will give us 20 points and Diamond.