AMEX Plat - changed benefits

[sail7seas]

KK...No one is questioning your information that I know of.

 

I picked up my documents last week for our back-to-backs on Maasdam and there were no vouchers included.

 

I am quite sure your source of information is reliable. ;)

[cool change]

If you book a back to back cruise, are there 2 shipboard credits? Would one need seperate booking numbers?

[AlohaPride]

What's an AmEx Card? How do I get one? What's the deal?

[sail7seas]

The card we are referring to here is American Express Platinum. There are several of them but the only one that provides these cruise benefits are the one that carries an annual membership fee of something around $400. I don't remember exactly as DH pays that bill. :)

 

Some people have inquired about Delta Platinum; Costco something or other. None of the those combination cards are eligible.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have booked many back-to-back cruises and always get 2 booking numbers. But AMEX PLat number will not allow you to get shipboard credit for both cruises.

 

So we use AMEX Plat to get shipboard credit for the one cruise and the Carnival stock to get shipboard credit for the second cruise.

 

Have never had a problem with that.

[sail7seas]

We also get two booking numbers on our back-to-backs. Our primary reason for wanting that is in the event we had to cancel one cruise, we possibly would not have to cancel both depending upon the reason we had to cancel.

[iceman93]

We have booked many back-to-back cruises and always get 2 booking numbers. But AMEX Plat number will not allow you to get shipboard credit for both cruises.

 

Why not? I thought the cruise privileges program had no particular restrictions like this. As an example, we sailed with the Maasdam earlier this year and are going on the Ryndam later this year and we're getting the full complement of benefits both times. Why should AmEx look at it any differently if the two cruises were taken one right after the other?

[sail7seas]

Iceman.......we cruise (sometimes) 4- 5 times a year and get the benefits for most cruises. Very occassionally a cruise falls into the handy dandy catchall.......some restrictions apply. It is very rare when we do not get Platinum Benefits.

 

BUT.....good luck to you hashing out the issue of getting the credit for each segment of back-to-backs. We have been denied it (almost) every time. There have been a few times we got it but rarely. It is a unilateral decision on their part and we turned blue disucussing it with them but did not succeed in getting them to honor the credit for both segments most of the time.

 

Krazy Kruizers has said the same thing, I believe.

[Sage]

We last cruised in April and May of this year, and our documents did not reflect our AMEX Plat credit, but they were in place.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We all are accustomed to not seeing the vouchers because of the new "Princess" system that HAL is using.

 

Were your shipboard credit both AMEX PLat?

[crzn4fun]

When the credit was not listed on my confirmation, I called HAL. They emailed me another confirmation with the credit appearing in the bottom right hand corner with the cruise cost.

[GottoCruise]

I am thinking of switching to the Amex Platinum..........as we cruise a few times per year - it should pay for the annual cost.

 

I would appreciate your informed advice as HAL 'cruisers'

 

We are Princess Elite - but I have been looking at HAL .........

 

Do you recommend a 'specific' HAL TA ?

(would appreciate a contact - e-mail: GotToCruise@aol.com)

 

My excellent TA does very well w/Princess rates - (I am happy to 'share' her name) .... but does not 'discount' HAL

 

How about *****.com? Any advice using that website for TA?

 

I assume 'deposit' and full payment have to be made with your Amex Platinum card? I am now booked (Princess Cruises) through April 2008 so this could be a problem with those booked cruises........could I 'cancel and 're-book' using the card for Amex shipboard credit? Do you get the Amex credit combined with 'other' credits from the cruiseline??

Princess has a FCC (Future Cruise Credit) program that gives shipboard credit and uses your already purchased 'generic' FCC for deposit..........would you have to purchase the FCC with the Amex Platinum card? as this is what is used for cruise deposit?

 

Thanks for help with all this...........Renee (aka GotToCruise)

[cool change]

WOW, this message board has such a wealth of information now. What a difference a few years make. I am happy to finally figure out how to make the plantinum amex work, and how to track it, since docs do not come with vouchers. About that Carnivale stock: if comfortable answering could you tell me how much I would need to get any benifits toward future cruise, and what is the benifit?

[sail7seas]

You need 100 shares of Carnival stock to get the credit.

 

[sail7seas]

GottoCruise......

 

It is my understanding it breaks the rules of CC to recommend specific TA's.

 

Whatever bookings you have on Princess are separate and distinct from HAL even though they are both in the Carnival Family of Ships.

 

You would be entitled to any 'repeater' discount for any of the cruiselines (including HAL) within the Carnival Family but that is all the benefit you derive from any Princess cruising you have done.

 

HAL offers small shipboard credits for booking a future cruise while aboard. You must book a specific cruise not a vague.......something in the sometime future.

 

 

 

[sail7seas]

[quote name='cool change']WOW, this message board has such a wealth of information now. What a difference a few years make. I am happy to finally figure out how to make the plantinum amex work, and how to track it, since docs do not come with vouchers. About that Carnivale stock: if comfortable answering could you tell me how much I would need to get any benifits toward future cruise, and what is the benifit?[/quote]


[B]Gee, cool change.[/B]

[B] I've been hanging around here for years and I thought there has always been a wealth of info here. :) People come and go but many contribute helpful/useful info. Glad you're back. ;)[/B]

[GottoCruise]

[quote name='cool change'] I am happy to finally figure out how to make the plantinum amex work,[/quote]

I understand how Carnival Stock Shares 'work' & that they are not combinable with other shipboard credits - the Princess FCC credits are very generous, I've found they are best to use with any cruise more than 7 days. Used to be you could get BOTH - but not anymore! Good for everyone who bought Carnival years ago - they made a great profit - Buy Now? I'm a bit cautious.....????

I would really appreciate it if you would 'share' about the Platiunum Amex 'Perks'?...........What they are? How they 'work?

It is not against the rules if you share TA information through private e-mails...........I am happy to share what info. I have! :)

[cool change]

Also wondering about perks for carnivale stock holders. We are on carnivale corp web site but cant seem to find this information.

[kelhair]

Hi Renee:

You can go to the AmEx webside and do a search for Platinum cruise benefits. It will give you a good idea, by specific line, what the bene's are.

Regarding "re-booking" your upcoming cruises. Here's what I did. I had passed on a platinum card for years, but really determined we travel frequently enough (particularly cruises) to more than pay for the annual fee. When I got the card I had one cruise on deposit. I asked my TA if the original deposit could be canceled and a new deposit (and our upcoming final payment) be made with the plat. card. It took her some effort but it did go through.

Also, both our 9/06 and 11/06 (which was booked first) are under the platinum card and I have been told for both that we have a complimentary Pinnacle Grill (because of the platinum card.)

Warm regards,
Kelly

[sail7seas]

[B]The Pinnacle Grill benefit seems to be in question as of very recently.

It has always only been good for the first night and now Krazy Kruizer reported it was not available on Statendam.

So, that is something you might not be receiving. I'll post here what happens when we go to Maasdam in August.

[/B]

[ciaobella]

I just returned from the Rotterdam Baltic cruise. There was a voucher in my stateroom for the Pinnacle Grill - it was not included in my travel documents. I was told ahead of time that it had to be used the first night which was not appealing to me - I took it to the PG on the afternoon we embarked, and they told me I could come any night I wanted! I must say that the PG was never full on our cruise - the food was good, but I didn't think it was extraordinarily better! The service was excellent. However, the food and the service in the main dining room were also very good.

We also received a floral bouquet and two bottles of champagne through AMEX - there were cards for this in the room which we were asked to sign and return to the front desk in order to verify that we had received these amenities.

Our TA belongs to Virtuoso which will allow either the AMEX shipboard credit OR the Virtuoso excursion, but not both. We took the excursion which was very nice. I think this is a new policy with Virtuosos because we have received bothe the credit and the excursion in the past.

I think the key to getting any kind of perk is having a TA who pays attention to every single detail!

Hope this helps!
Ciaobella

[ashuma]

We just booked the 16-day November 18, 2007 Auckland to Brisbane sailing through AMEX platinum travel services. We are getting the 25,000 reward points, $300 shipboard credit. We'll be in an S category, so expect to get the champagne, flowers, invite to VIP party. And we have a guaranteed table for 6 by the window, late seating, upper dining room deck. And we had quite a few reward points saved and used them toward our deposit. We were happy with things quoted to us.

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]Our TA is currently working with HAL to find out which manager and why it was decided that we would not get the ree Pinnacle Dinner.[/B]

[gizmo]

[quote name='cool change']Also wondering about perks for carnivale stock holders. We are on carnivale corp web site but cant seem to find this information.[/quote]

Here you go:
[FONT=Times New Roman,Georgia,Times][FONT=Belen-Regular][SIZE=1]
[LEFT][FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Carnival Corporation & plc is pleased to extend the following benefit to our shareholders:
North United Continental
American Kingdom European Australian
Brands Brands Brands Brand
[B]Onboard credit per stateroom on sailings of 14 days or longer . . . . . . . . . . US $250[/B] £ 125 ¤ 250 AUD 250
[B]Onboard credit per stateroom on sailings of 7 to 13 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . US $100[/B] £ 50 ¤ 100 AUD 100
[B]Onboard credit per stateroom on sailings of 6 days or less . . . . . . . . . . . . . US $ 50 [/B]£ 25 ¤ 50 AUD 50
This benefit is applicable on sailings through July 31, 2007 aboard the brands listed below. Certain restrictions apply. Applications to receive
these benefits must be made prior to cruise departure date.
This benefit is available to shareholders holding a minimum of 100 shares of Carnival Corporation or Carnival plc. Employees, travel
agents cruising at travel agent rates, tour conductors or anyone cruising on a reduced-rate or complimentary basis are excluded from this
offer. This benefit is not transferable, not combinable with any other shipboard offer and cannot be used for casino credits/charges and
gratuities charged to your onboard account. Only one onboard credit per shareholder-occupied stateroom. Reservations must be made by
February 28, 2007.
Please provide your name, reservation number, ship and sailing date, along with proof of ownership of Carnival Corporation or
Carnival plc shares (i.e., photocopy of shareholder proxy card, shares certificate or a current brokerage or nominee statement) and the initial
deposit to your travel agent or to the cruise line you have selected[/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT]
[/SIZE][/FONT][/FONT]

[gizmo]

[quote name='Krazy Kruizers'][B]Our TA is currently working with HAL to find out which manager and why it was decided that we would not get the ree Pinnacle Dinner.[/B][/quote]

KK,

It will be interesting to hear the results of this.