NCL Amex platinum run around

[cusematt4]

Hi all,

 

I was told by NCL that to receive the platinum $200 per room, that as long as a reservation is fully booked with a platinum card, any travel agency can have Amex add the bonus to a reservation.

 

I just spoke with a well known major cruise agency who after booking is now telling me they have no idea what this is referring to.

 

If I fully paid for a reservation with my platinum card, is there any way amex can add this on without having to transfer this to a different agency now?

 

thanks!

[Stealthdog]

I think your well known major cruise agency has no clue what they are doing.  Its actually a very simple and common travel perk to get completed.

 

For you question - I guess find yourself a good TA that can do it for you.  🧐

[cusematt4]

Thanks for the quick reply.  Does the agency have to have a special relationship to be able to add this or should anyone be able to apply it

 

From what I have been told this does not impact agency commission whatsoever but rather is a bonus $200 and dinner for paying in full with Amex platinum.  Is there any reason an agency would not apply this benefit if I paid in full with an Amex platinum with no other offers added?

[Stealthdog]

Anyone should be able to request a code from AMEX to submit to your cruise line (in this case NCL).  Not that it should matter to you because you are a paying customer, but it has zero impact on the TA's commission.  Fire whoever you booked through, find a better TA, and request a transfer of your reservation to the new TA.

[cusematt4]

Thanks appreciate it!  I’ll followup with the travel agent and Amex to get a code to have them have ncl apply 

[Stealthdog]

AMEX won't help you - they will point you to your TA.  Your TA will need your AMEX info (which they should already have if you paid with it) and they can reach out to AMEX to get your code to submit to NCL.  

[cusematt4]

Hi @Stealthdog appreciate how helpful you have been.  I have a quick followup question whenever you have a chance.

 

I booked with a very large agency but they claim to have no idea what I am talking about.  They have no affiliation or relationship with Amex although from what I’ve read, I don’t think they have to belong to anything to be able to obtain authorization if I paid for my cruise in full with my Amex platinum card.

Do you know if any agent can indeed do this and if so who they need to call or ask for at amex to generate the platinum discount authorization code?

If the agency is unfamiliar with the process but doesn’t have to belong to a special Amex affiliated agency, is there anyone I can call to help them have a code generated to be added to my booking since I specifically paid for a cruise in full with my Amex platinum card for this benefit?

thanks so much.

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

Hi all,

 

I was told by NCL that to receive the platinum $200 per room, that as long as a reservation is fully booked with a platinum card, any travel agency can have Amex add the bonus to a reservation.

 

I just spoke with a well known major cruise agency who after booking is now telling me they have no idea what this is referring to.

 

If I fully paid for a reservation with my platinum card, is there any way amex can add this on without having to transfer this to a different agency now?

 

thanks!

The TA needs to Authorize by AMX.  You need to make sure that is the case first. If they are not, you don’t get the perks.  Perks are both OBC and a dinner for two in the French Resturant.  Every cruise I go on with NCL, I get both perks. 
 

All TA know the drill. They should have told you up front. Cancel and rebook with another TA for the benefits. 
 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[cusematt4]

Last question on this, I promise.  The travel agent I just booked with is a major online cruise agency.  What do you mean by saying the TA needs to authorize by amex? 

 

Is there any reason a major agency (one of the largest online cruise agencies) wouldn't have this capability if it doesn't require a special relationship or affiliation?  I've even heard of smaller agencies honoring and applying the amex cruise privileges.  If the agent is unfamiliar with this, is there anyone I can have them call to authorize my booking for a code?

 

I asked the below to the travel agency:

Hi - if we book a cruise with our Amex platinum card, are you an agency that has a relationship with Amex to apply the Amex Platinum Cruise Privileges benefit? Amex mentioned that some agencies have an affiliation/relationship where they can apply the platinum benefits on top of any other offers/benefits for the $200/room OBC and free dinner for booking a cruise with NCL and paying with our Amex platinum card.

 

They responses with the below which makes me think they do not know what I am referring to as this has nothing to do with combining benefits:

Thank you for contacting ----------.  

Our agency is unable to combine AMEX benefits, my apologies.

Should you require further assistance, please contact Client Services

 

Thanks again for taking the time to help.

[Sthrngary]

8 minutes ago, cusematt4 said:

Last question on this, I promise.  The travel agent I just booked with is a major online cruise agency.  What do you mean by saying the TA needs to authorize by amex? 

 

Is there any reason a major agency (one of the largest online cruise agencies) wouldn't have this capability if it doesn't require a special relationship or affiliation?  I've even heard of smaller agencies honoring and applying the amex cruise privileges.  If the agent is unfamiliar with this, is there anyone I can have them call to authorize my booking for a code?

 

I asked the below to the travel agency:

Hi - if we book a cruise with our Amex platinum card, are you an agency that has a relationship with Amex to apply the Amex Platinum Cruise Privileges benefit? Amex mentioned that some agencies have an affiliation/relationship where they can apply the platinum benefits on top of any other offers/benefits for the $200/room OBC and free dinner for booking a cruise with NCL and paying with our Amex platinum card.

 

They responses with the below which makes me think they do not know what I am referring to as this has nothing to do with combining benefits:

Thank you for contacting ----------.  

Our agency is unable to combine AMEX benefits, my apologies.

Should you require further assistance, please contact Client Services

 

Thanks again for taking the time to help.

They don’t partner with AMX. They can take your card for payment. But don’t partner with the AMx cruise perks. Simple as that. Cancel and rebook with an agency that provides the AMX perks or directly with American Express Travel. 
 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[Stealthdog]

7 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

The TA needs to Authorize by AMX.  You need to make sure that is the case first. If they are not, you don’t get the perks.  Perks are both OBC and a dinner for two in the French Resturant.  Every cruise I go on with NCL, I get both perks. 
 

All TA know the drill. They should have told you up front. Cancel and rebook with another TA for the benefits. 
 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

Agree completely.  If they cant or wont do it for you, go to someone who will.   

 

Ive never had a TA tell me they couldnt do it, so i guess i just assumed wrongly that all can.  Ive had my perks loaded on every cruise across ncl, royal, and celebrity (and a princess cruise i had to cancel).  But i do all my bookings over the phone and not online, so have a conversation with a person to go over perks, category price difference, etc.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Stealthdog

[dcipjr]

I'd ask them if they can apply the promo code AMEXCPP to your reservation. That's the code that shows up once your Amex perks have been applied.

 

If they can't, I'd cancel and rebook elsewhere.

 

If you book via Amex, you get the CPP perks applied automatically, and will see AMEXCPP on your cruise confirmation.

 

You can also book via NCL and then have your reservation transferred to Amex's travel agency by filling out a form; after that processes, Amex will add the AMEXCPP promo code and reissue you a cruise confirmation.

 

As mentioned, some travel agencies are authorized by Amex Travel to apply that promo code for you, but yours probably isn't one of them, given their response.

[MJC]

We've used the AmEx Platinum Travel Service for our last 3 cruises and they take care of all of it. We have an agent there now that we especially like, and if she's out of the office even for one day she makes sure that someone is covering us.

[graphicguy]

14 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

They don’t partner with AMX. They can take your card for payment. But don’t partner with the AMx cruise perks. Simple as that. Cancel and rebook with an agency that provides the AMX perks or directly with American Express Travel. 
 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

As Gary notes, not all TAs partner with AMEX to offer their OBC perk (which also should net a dinner at LeBistro and a bottle of wine, too).  For example, NCL PCC does not offer the AMEX perk, even though you can use your AMEX for payment.

 

I'm not a TA. But, I do know to partner with AMEX to offer their perks, there is an authorization process, that includes an annual "fee" charged to the TA.  But, it's a good marketing tool.  And, at least to my TA, is worth the fee.

 

OP...if you can still cancel without a penalty, do so and find a TA who a) knows what the AMEX perks are) and b) will allow you to have them when you book with your platinum card.

[RocketMan275]

59 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

OP...if you can still cancel without a penalty, do so and find a TA who a) knows what the AMEX perks are) and b) will allow you to have them when you book with your platinum card.

Great suggestion but I would (assuming you can cancel w/o penalty) do this:  start calling TA and asking them specifically if they offer the AMEX perks.  Compare prices, choose one, then cancel with your current TA.

[kdlonglegs]

Were you able to get this issue fixed? 

 

I booked a cruise directly with NCL two weeks ago, asked to release to Amex, and they said no because I've paid in full. Any workaround for this? There was a form mentioned in some of these replies, but I haven't been able to find the form online.

[Sthrngary]

24 minutes ago, kdlonglegs said:

Were you able to get this issue fixed? 

 

I booked a cruise directly with NCL two weeks ago, asked to release to Amex, and they said no because I've paid in full. Any workaround for this? There was a form mentioned in some of these replies, but I haven't been able to find the form online.

@kdlonglegs Usually, you can transfer your cruise booking to a travel agent.  It is called a transfer form.  You have if I am not mistaken, 30 days or so to fill it in and submit it.  You usually have the travel agencies information with agency number on it.  The AMX Platinum perks are only given by a travel agent that participates with it.  

 

Now, you paid in full.  If you have not gotten to the final payment date, you could cancel for a refund and rebook.  If you paid in full because the cruise is at the full payment date, you most likely can't change.  I would take this issue up a level with NCL and ask a travel agent that is an AMX Platinum Perk agent to intervein. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, kdlonglegs said:

Were you able to get this issue fixed? 

 

I booked a cruise directly with NCL two weeks ago, asked to release to Amex, and they said no because I've paid in full. Any workaround for this? There was a form mentioned in some of these replies, but I haven't been able to find the form online.

https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Direct_Guest_Reservation_Transfer_Form.pdf

From the bottom of the form:

MPORTANT: Bookings may be transferred to a Travel Agent up to 14 days from creation, if the request is made outside of Final Payment period. For new reservations booked within final payment period, that are paid in full, transfer requests can be processed if the request is received within 7 or less days of final payment application.

 

 

If you booked that long ago, looks like you're our of luck.

Edited September 5, 2023 by RocketMan275