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American Express Cruise Privileges Program


JennAngel9

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I am very excited that the CPP has added Celebrity and Azamara to their fold, but I have read complaints on that Celebrity/Az/RCL are not always as reliable about processing onboard credits as the Carnival brands are.

 

Has anybody here booked &/ returned from a cruise through the new AmEx Cruise Privileges Program? I would love to hear your experience.

 

Also, does anybody know where the "2 category upgrades" continue through-- does it vary by ship? I'm curious as to whether CC and AC get the OBC?

 

Thanks in advance!

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I have the Celebrity BOA AMEX card, and this card has used World Points. I have always seen Celebrity on the list for OBC's etc.

 

Is this something new? Replacing the World Points system?

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This new addition is for the regular Am Ex cards such as gold and platinum, not the ones that are associated with airlines or cruise lines. And to get these benefits, you must book using Am Ex travel services, and not via any other booking agency.

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To clarify, i am talking about the standard AmEx charge cards ( though only plat and centurion qualify) -- but you do not need to use Amex travel. We just got a tracking number through our non Amex TA for azamara

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we have an Amex card but don't know anything about this program--can you give us a short summary or a link--we have been using the BOA celebrity Points card for ship bd credit....but we book however we want...

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The program is called Cruise Privileges and is available to card members who hold a Platinum or Centurion card from Amex. The Platinum Card has an annual fee of $450, which this helps justify. Centurion is still invite-only.

 

For Celebrity, the benefits are listed as:

 

  • Two-category upgrade or up to $300 per stateroom shipboard credit (depending on ship and category booked)

 

  • Complimentary dinner for two in specialty restaurant

 

  • Bottle of premium champagne

 

  • Double Membership Rewards points

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As tijc52 noted above, it's for the traditional AmEx charge cards. More info about the program, and the 11 or so cruise lines it works with is available at:

https://www217.americanexpress.com/cards/platinum/benefit.do?benefitTemplate=template_c&benefitId=3

 

I kind of hate to defend AmEx at the moment b/c I just realized they are charging me nearly 3% on all of my foreign currency purchases, but the card pays for itself if you cruise more than 1x a year with its cruise partners AND it allows you access to the in terminal lounge's for most major US carriers. It also advertises a lot of hotel stay perks (and sometimes they are amazing) but usually the hotel perks require paying rack rate or something close to it.

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As tijc52 noted above, it's for the traditional AmEx charge cards. More info about the program, and the 11 or so cruise lines it works with is available at:

https://www217.americanexpress.com/cards/platinum/benefit.do?benefitTemplate=template_c&benefitId=3

 

I kind of hate to defend AmEx at the moment b/c I just realized they are charging me nearly 3% on all of my foreign currency purchases, but the card pays for itself if you cruise more than 1x a year with its cruise partners AND it allows you access to the in terminal lounge's for most major US carriers. It also advertises a lot of hotel stay perks (and sometimes they are amazing) but usually the hotel perks require paying rack rate or something close to it.

 

Jenn, thanks for bringing this up. I wanted to expand on the international fees which we're all facing. Last month I was on a land trip in Dominican Republic and used one my Amex cards (Delta Plat) for the hotel stay with a Spanish (not U.S.) hotelier. Just got my bill and there is no fee associated.

 

Do you think maybe Amex is imposing the international tranny fee in waves?

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Angler-- I would double check your statement. AmEx doesn't break it out but generally there is fine print at the bottom of your statement that says something like "includes 2.7% currency conversion fee." However, I hope you are right and you some how managed to avoid it!

I do think that AmEx (and to be fair, 99% of credit card companies under the sun) are slapping and raising fees everywhich way they can on all of their customers in advance of the government's move to prevent them from assessing other fees on all customers and targeting higher credit risk customers as they currently do. :(

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The program is called Cruise Privileges and is available to card members who hold a Platinum or Centurion card from Amex. The Platinum Card has an annual fee of $450, which this helps justify. Centurion is still invite-only.

 

For Celebrity, the benefits are listed as:

 

  • Two-category upgrade or up to $300 per stateroom shipboard credit (depending on ship and category booked)

 

  • Complimentary dinner for two in specialty restaurant

 

  • Bottle of premium champagne

 

  • Double Membership Rewards points

 

Are you saying these perx are available when you pay for your cruise using the Platinum card, even if you don't book thru AmX travel services? Are the perx automatic or must I notify my travel agent and have her arrange for them? We recently booked an October cruise using our Platinum card and got a one-category Captain's Club Elite upgrade, but didn't realize X was back in the Cruise Privilege Program again with better perx than offered years ago.

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Angler-- I would double check your statement. AmEx doesn't break it out but generally there is fine print at the bottom of your statement that says something like "includes 2.7% currency conversion fee." However, I hope you are right and you some how managed to avoid it!

I do think that AmEx (and to be fair, 99% of credit card companies under the sun) are slapping and raising fees everywhich way they can on all of their customers in advance of the government's move to prevent them from assessing other fees on all customers and targeting higher credit risk customers as they currently do. :(

 

Shhh. Don't tell. They missed slapping me with the fee.

 

No worries though, I'm sure I'll get my notice soon to make up for the oversight. You know, the notice very similar to what Citi just sent me.

 

Dear AnglerGirl,

Thank you for your 12 years of excellent on time payment history. Because you are a valued customer, known to always be responsible, we demand you pay for everyone else's irresponsibilities. Effective immediately, your finance rate will increase from 8.9% to 17.99%. Should you call us to request a manual credit risk reassessment , your rate will go to 27.99%. If you call to ask what promotions are available, your rate will increase to a minimum of 30%. Given you've never carried a balance with us, we'd like to give you the opportunity to opt out and close this account. In that case, you're FICO will drop to lowest levels possible. Thank you for being a valued customer.

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We have the $450 annual fee Platinum card. I have a few questions about Cruise Privileges that I can't find the answers to at the Amex website:

 

1. I assume the OBC depends on cruise length, cabin level, or price paid. Is there a chart showing how much OBC for the various levels?

 

2. Can the Amex OBC be combined with shareholder OBC?

 

3. If I have already booked and made a deposit (not with our Platinum) can I change the card on the deposit and make final payment with the Platinum and still get it?

 

I plan to speak to an Amex Platinum rep, but I'd like to know if any of you have first hand experience with this yet.

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I have the X AMEX card, and never have paid any yearly fee. We also have the Accolades card, and the fee is covered by BOA, (we are charged and then it is deducted by magic?)

 

We use the X AMEX card to charge most everything, and just go on the webiste and cash in our points.

 

Any card that charges us a yearly fee we do not want.

We do pay off our card in full each month, if that matters?

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These perks ARE available when you book with your regular TA, but are not automatic. Ours makes the booking, calls someone at Amex to get a tracking # and then gives the tracking # to the cruiseline and the credits and perks get applied.

 

On Cunard obc starts at the princess grill level, on princess it's full suites and on azamara our balcony cabins get 300 obc

 

All of my comments are only relevant with respect tothe standard American express platinum charge cards and not any cobranded cards.

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(I missed the edit window, but the post above should actually read as follows:)

 

These perks ARE available when you book with your regular TA, but are not automatic. Ours makes the booking, calls someone at Amex to get a tracking # and then gives the tracking # to the cruiseline and the credits and perks get applied.

 

On Cunard OBC starts at the princess grill level, on princess it's full suites and on azamara our balcony cabins get 300 obc...on all the other lines I've used it on, length/cabin level etc. are irrelevant aside from the "category upgrade" v. obc cutoff. I haven't booked a cruise on X since this came out, but my guess is that all cabins through at least standard verandah suites will not get OBC but will get a 2 category upgrade within the class (which works as a price discount), so from like an obstructed oceanview to a non-obstructed or from the lower level of balcony to a higher one. What will be interesting to see is if X is going to upgrade people from CC to AQ or something like that, or if CC and AQ will get the full $300 or perhaps a chunk of it. On Cunard, there are upgrades all the way through the balconys and then Princess Grill automatically gets the full $300-- our cruise was 10 days, but my guess is that it is also credited to the 6 day crossings-- might not be applicable on 4 day sailings though. This is actually why I started this thread-- hopefully when more people learn about the program they will report back.

 

Linda, I don't know the answer to # 2, since we are not shareholders-- but if it is combinable, we will probably become shareholders ;) so let me know when you find out! In regards to # 3, I do know it isn't a problem that you've already booked and made a deposit on another card. Many TAs around here say that you don't even need to change the deposit, you just need to make final payment with your AmEx. We actually just had the credit applied to an AZ cruise after final payment!

All of my comments are only relevant with respect to the standard American express platinum charge cards and not any cobranded cards.

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AnglerGirl-- your "letter" would be even funnier if it wasn't true. ;) DH enjoyed me reading it to him.

 

As my husband said, the government is not going to care at all if AmEx gouges its wealthier customers so long as it doesn't charge high rates to borrowers who are poor-- whether they are responsible borrowers or not. Perhaps owning a luxury card is liking painting a giant target sign on your wallet? :p

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Spoke with AmX Platinum rep yesterday after reading this thread. The thread jolted my memory and reminded we that we've received cruise privileges in the past but because we sail almost exclusively with X and X opted out of the program a number of years ago, I totally forgot the program even existed. (We're now kicking ourselves for not availing ourselves of benefits with respect to the few cruises we've taken on lines other than X in the past few years. You can bet we won't make that mistake again!) Anyway, I learned from the Platinum rep that X cruise privileges vary not only according to whether you book through AmX travel or your own travel agent (more generous benefits thru AmX travel) but also by ship and sail date. Have already contacted my travel agent to arrange for benefits for our upcoming Constellation cruise and will know exactly which, if any, benefits apply once she contacts the appropriate AmX department tomorrow. Will report back once I know for sure.

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I also contacted my agent, and she is out of town for a week and will check when she returns. I'll let you know what I find out about a single cc cabin, 10 days, Rome RT in May.

 

When I have received credit in the past on HAL, I have been in a full suite and have gotten the $300. It was also combined with my ownership of stock for a total of $400 obc which certainly comes in handy!!! I am hoping that whatever I may get from AmX can also be combined with my stock credit.

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I'm glad I was (hopefully) able to help some people get additional perks.

 

Thanks lysolqn for the update! I am very surprised to hear that benefits vary whether or not you use the AmEx travel (unless it's referring to the double membership rewards points &/ the statement credit on your AmEx card). I'm also very curious as to how they are slicing and dicing benefits based on ship and sailing-- but it kind of makes sense that Celebrity can't just import the HAL/Princess/Cunard model as they have fewer interchangeable upgrade categories. I am very curious to know what you hear back!

 

CruisinNana-- I wish you good luck with the combinability! Given that they don't double the 300 OBC when there are two AmEx cardmembers in the room, it seems unfair they should be able to scale it back for single cabin occupancy. I'm not sure DH would ever let me cruise without him, but I am definitely interested to see how your application works, as my next Celebrity cruise will probably be in the 10-14 day range on a "M Class" ship (we're addicted to the t-pool).

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I'm glad I was (hopefully) able to help some people get additional perks.

 

Thanks lysolqn for the update! I am very surprised to hear that benefits vary whether or not you use the AmEx travel (unless it's referring to the double membership rewards points &/ the statement credit on your AmEx card). I'm also very curious as to how they are slicing and dicing benefits based on ship and sailing-- but it kind of makes sense that Celebrity can't just import the HAL/Princess/Cunard model as they have fewer interchangeable upgrade categories. I am very curious to know what you hear back!

 

CruisinNana-- I wish you good luck with the combinability! Given that they don't double the 300 OBC when there are two AmEx cardmembers in the room, it seems unfair they should be able to scale it back for single cabin occupancy. I'm not sure DH would ever let me cruise without him, but I am definitely interested to see how your application works, as my next Celebrity cruise will probably be in the 10-14 day range on a "M Class" ship (we're addicted to the t-pool).

 

I will definitely let you know. It is my understanding that the credit is per cabin no matter how many are in the cabin or how many cards were used to pay for the trip. I am interested in what they do as well. I am not interested in the upgrade as we have picked the exact connecting cabins in the location we want. Hopefully, the perk will be OBC. Even if we don't get OBC, there is still a bottle of champagne and a dinner (for 2) in a specialty restaurant which will be a nice perk. I wonder if a single will get a dinner for 2 or only for 1. In that case, the 4 of us will get 8 dinners. Wow, that seems like a lot. However, do remember that as a single, we are paying double the price as if there were two of us in each of the cabins.

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Hi, I just checked and the Amex website says "To take advantage of this benefit, book through Platinum Travel services....."

 

It sounds like these are perks for booking directly through them. I was hoping this had changed from the old program. I tried to get the discount last year on my Hal cruise, but since I booked through another TA they wouldn't give it to me :(

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I have been discouraged from using the program because AMEX travel is always several hundred dollars higher than any price my TA charges. IMO, it's not worth the extra perks if I am paying more upfront for the cruise. I have also found that price drops are nonexistent (not honored) when booking thru AMEX. I thoroughly enjoy the other perks that come with being a cardholder but not for this program. However, I am glad to see that others are able to use it.

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