Next Blue Chip Club points period will be 18 months

[WonderMan3]

Got a confirmation on the next Blue Chip Club tier points accumulation period in a roundabout way today. See the image I’ve attached below which I snipped from a Blue Chip offer email I received today.

 

This is good news for players. By making the tier point accumulation period 18 months instead of 12 it gives that much more time to earn points towards your tier level. I know that many of us assumed that after June 2018 they would revert to a 12 month point accumulation period similar to what NCL operates on for Casinos At Sea.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[20pluscruises]

Got a confirmation on the next Blue Chip Club tier points accumulation period in a roundabout way today. See the image I’ve attached below which I snipped from a Blue Chip offer email I received today.

 

This is good news for players. By making the tier point accumulation period 18 months instead of 12 it gives that much more time to earn points towards your tier level. I know that many of us assumed that after June 2018 they would revert to a 12 month point accumulation period similar to what NCL operates on for Casinos At Sea.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Just an FYI ....they no longer give free cabins for point total only $$ off. Recently returned from acruise. In Nov 2017 I received a Sky Suite and OBC...this month (within 500 points of Nov 2017 cruise) I received $1000 off. I'm not the first to report this drastic change.

 

Also, the "earn 4800 points" for a free cabin signs in the casino are gone as is that short lived offer.

 

Absolutely no insentive to get to Ruby or even stay at Sapphire.

[WonderMan3]

Just an FYI ....they no longer give free cabins for point total only $$ off. Recently returned from acruise. In Nov 2017 I received a Sky Suite and OBC...this month (within 500 points of Nov 2017 cruise) I received $1000 off. I'm not the first to report this drastic change.

 

Also, the "earn 4800 points" for a free cabin signs in the casino are gone as is that short lived offer.

 

Absolutely no insentive to get to Ruby or even stay at Sapphire.

 

 

 

Yes. They changed this at the start of the year. We were on a January cruise and discovered this when our incentive was a reduction on a future cruise on a per day basis (like $160 off per day). What’s annoying too is you have to book a NEW cruise after you earn the incentive. You can’t apply it to an existing cruise. But, we also had a big chunk of the charges on our onboard account (around $900 worth) removed by the host at the end of the cruise. We have never had that happen before.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[20pluscruises]

Yes. They changed this at the start of the year. We were on a January cruise and discovered this when our incentive was a reduction on a future cruise on a per day basis (like $160 off per day). What’s annoying too is you have to book a NEW cruise after you earn the incentive. You can’t apply it to an existing cruise. But, we also had a big chunk of the charges on our onboard account (around $900 worth) removed by the host at the end of the cruise. We have never had that happen before.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Even with the $900 reduction it's not even close to a sky suite for two. I only had $14.00 on my balance which was taken care of, but didn't get the offer to go shop and spend up to x amount of dollars like the I did the last cruise.

 

Do you play slots? What did you think of the new machines? This is the second cruise where I didn't see one 1099 hand out. Casino manager was icy cold when I asked abut the club changes, but boy did they soften up when i mentioned the machines seemed different at the start of the cruise. It was weird.

[Paulras]

I'm Amethyst as of the initial period of the new program and earned Amethyst already for the next. They take $2000 off any cruise for me plus all the benefits of Amethyst. I'm told there are some cruises they'll comp but only select ones. I'm pretty happy with that and the casino host took off about $750 from my bill on the last cruise. I am trying to get to Sapphire on an 11 day June cruise. If I reach that, I'm assuming I'll still get $2000 off (or more) when I cruise plus the $1000 free play, classic bev package (someone said they'll upgrade u to premium if u have classic already), free wifi, spa and laundry credits plus access to Michael's Club. Oh and 20% discount for friends in another cabin. That's a pretty good reward until the end of 2019. At least I think so.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[20pluscruises]

I'm Amethyst as of the initial period of the new program and earned Amethyst already for the next. They take $2000 off any cruise for me plus all the benefits of Amethyst. I'm told there are some cruises they'll comp but only select ones. I'm pretty happy with that and the casino host took off about $750 from my bill on the last cruise. I am trying to get to Sapphire on an 11 day June cruise. If I reach that, I'm assuming I'll still get $2000 off (or more) when I cruise plus the $1000 free play, classic bev package (someone said they'll upgrade u to premium if u have classic already), free wifi, spa and laundry credits plus access to Michael's Club. Oh and 20% discount for friends in another cabin. That's a pretty good reward until the end of 2019. At least I think so.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

 

When was your last cruise? I'm Sapphire and received $1000 off in March 2018. November 2017 was a sky suite and OBC. The points on each cruise were within 500 points of each other. Please ask for the new changes when you arrive at the casino. I don't want anyone to get taken advantage of.

 

The signs they not too long ago posted at the casino desk (and I believe on their site) - 4800 points gets you a free cruise are long gone.

[Paulras]

When was your last cruise? I'm Sapphire and received $1000 off in March 2018. November 2017 was a sky suite and OBC. The points on each cruise were within 500 points of each other. Please ask for the new changes when you arrive at the casino. I don't want anyone to get taken advantage of.

 

The signs they not too long ago posted at the casino desk (and I believe on their site) - 4800 points gets you a free cruise are long gone.

I was on at Christmas and accumulated about 42,000 points. I booked the June cruise in January after I got back. I've been Blue Chip for at least a decade and have never heard of 4800 getting you a free cruise. Before the new program that started about a year ago, I'd call them to book and be given a nice discount. Usually around that $2k amount. Plus a rebate of free play based on my last cruise. That was usually $500-$1100. Now I seem to get the same discount plus the Amethyst benefits including $175 free play and one specialty dinner, etc. No rebate but now they take money off of my bill at the end of the cruise. Seems like a better program to me. Or at least no worse.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[Ma Bell]

I'm Amethyst as of the initial period of the new program and earned Amethyst already for the next. They take $2000 off any cruise for me plus all the benefits of Amethyst. I'm told there are some cruises they'll comp but only select ones. I'm pretty happy with that and the casino host took off about $750 from my bill on the last cruise. I am trying to get to Sapphire on an 11 day June cruise. If I reach that, I'm assuming I'll still get $2000 off (or more) when I cruise plus the $1000 free play, classic bev package (someone said they'll upgrade u to premium if u have classic already), free wifi, spa and laundry credits plus access to Michael's Club. Oh and 20% discount for friends in another cabin. That's a pretty good reward until the end of 2019. At least I think so.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

 

Not all cruises have the casino discount and it's up to 20%. Who told you they'll take $2000. off any cruise? Not true as far as I know.

[Paulras]

Not all cruises have the casino discount and it's up to 20%. Who told you they'll take $2000. off any cruise? Not true as far as I know.

Well I have to say that each person in Blue Chip office says something different. One said 20%, another said $1000. But then someone explained to me that they're supposed to take the greater of a percentage of your actual loss or theoretical loss. Apparently, the reps don't always do it right and only look at one, not the other. That's when I got the $2000 off and was told it didn't matter which cabin I booked, it's the same $2000. I assumed that $2000 would apply to any cruise but that's just an assumption. Though, like I said, I usually get around that as a discount for several cruises now.

 

Sometimes I get offers sent to me for free cruises on certain sailings that usually aren't good dates for me

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[Paulras]

By the way Ma Bell (Joanie), the June cruise I mentioned is the same one you'll be on. So I'll see you in the casino!

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[Ma Bell]

By the way Ma Bell (Joanie), the June cruise I mentioned is the same one you'll be on. So I'll see you in the casino!

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

 

Yes, you probably will. The rewards used to be much better than lately and much as I hate to admit it, I'm Sapphire.

[Eastern flygirl]

I am a Amethyst card holder and would love to know how you get the casino to rebate the charges on your account. I have never been offered anything other than the benefits of the card. Would love to get some advice.

Thanks

[WonderMan3]

Even with the $900 reduction it's not even close to a sky suite for two. I only had $14.00 on my balance which was taken care of, but didn't get the offer to go shop and spend up to x amount of dollars like the I did the last cruise.

 

 

 

Do you play slots? What did you think of the new machines? This is the second cruise where I didn't see one 1099 hand out. Casino manager was icy cold when I asked abut the club changes, but boy did they soften up when i mentioned the machines seemed different at the start of the cruise. It was weird.

 

 

 

We only play slots. Not sure which new machines you mean. We were on Silhouette for the first time in January so have no reference point as to what machines were new or had been there awhile. Machines were pretty tight though compared to prior years’ cruises. I only hit one jackpot for $1700; thankfully it wasn’t a 1099 pay because the bulk of the win was an $1000 progressive hit during a bonus. But as comparison, on my Constellation Cruise last May I hit three jackpots and on Eclipse last January I hit 4 jackpots. My husband has hit no jackpots on any of these cruises and we play about the same rate so you never know how it will go.

 

I found out that we have both already reached our Sapphire level for the next earning period that starts in June, so for our next cruise on Reflection at the end of this month we’re going to pull back a bit as there is no way we could ever reach Ruby level. I have no idea what will we do with any incentive we might earn at the end of the cruise though as we already have two cruises booked (Edge in December and Summit in January) and could not add another cruise by next May when that incentive would expire. So that one will probably go to waste, which is a bummer. If we earn one, I’m going to try and see if we can somehow apply the incentive to our Summit cruise (we already used an incentive earned on our Silhouette cruise on that Edge December cruise) or maybe have it converted to free play to use on one of those cruises, but I’m not holding out hope.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Ma Bell]

I am a Amethyst card holder and would love to know how you get the casino to rebate the charges on your account. I have never been offered anything other than the benefits of the card. Would love to get some advice.

Thanks

 

They will offer if you play enough.

[WonderMan3]

I am a Amethyst card holder and would love to know how you get the casino to rebate the charges on your account. I have never been offered anything other than the benefits of the card. Would love to get some advice.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

I am Sapphire level and have been Blue Chip since 2014 and over 6 cruises it was not until this year’s cruise had I ever had a host offer to remove items from my onboard account. And I had played more on prior cruises. So I have no idea what the criteria is.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Paulras]

Under the old program, the hosts almost never took charges off. The way it worked was a rebate given to you on the next cruise to play with. The new program has those redeemable points that you can convert to free play or ask them to apply against your on board account. You only earn redeemable points playing slots but you still earn credit if you play tables. You just need to ask the host to take care of things.

 

My advice: get a little friendly with the host and on the evening of the last day, maybe around 8 or 9pm, ask him/her to take a look at your play and see what they can do for you. And then a couple hours later ask him if he had a chance to look. Pretty simple.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app