Buyer Beware Amex offer

[wesport]

I was excited when I received the offer for and extra 5 membership rewards points per dollar up to a $10,000 spend. Anytime I have had this offer a booking that came through under the cruise line via myTA qualified. Not with Cunard. After I made initial deposit , the points never showed up. AMEX explained to me it has to be made direct with Cunard. Shame on me for not reading the fine print. First time you don't get points when booking via a TA

[IMNiles]

Something seems wrong here - I can speak from experience that typically when a TA makes a payment on a cruise, this payment is made directly with the cruise line - the money never touches the TA’s hands.  There are rare exceptions to this, if perhaps there is a prepaid block of space, but in the vast majority of cases it makes no difference.  In fact, I took advantage of a Cunard Amex offer within the last six months or so, booked through an agency, and got the offer.  How did the charge appear on your statement?

[Jim_P]

Every TA I've used has charged me themselves, not the cruise line. Its only when I've booked directly with Cunard that "carnival corp" shows on my card. 

[MCC retired]

24 minutes ago, Jim_P said:

Every TA I've used has charged me themselves, not the cruise line. Its only when I've booked directly with Cunard that "carnival corp" shows on my card. 

That is very unusual ?

[King Amo]

I'm from the UK, so it may be different, but certainly paid my TA, not Cunard.

[wesport]

44 minutes ago, IMNiles said:

Something seems wrong here - I can speak from experience that typically when a TA makes a payment on a cruise, this payment is made directly with the cruise line - the money never touches the TA’s hands.  There are rare exceptions to this, if perhaps there is a prepaid block of space, but in the vast majority of cases it makes no difference.  In fact, I took advantage of a Cunard Amex offer within the last six months or so, booked through an agency, and got the offer.  How did the charge appear on your statement?

It says Cunard. 

[wesport]

Any other offer I have received the points. But they say when you book with Seabourn, direct or through a travel advisor. This time is says only direct. I will reach out to AMEX again. 

[Victoria2]

9 minutes ago, King Amo said:

I'm from the UK, so it may be different, but certainly paid my TA, not Cunard.

Also UK based. Our agent is the go between  us and Cunard. He takes payment details but like IMniles, the payment goes directly to Cunard and not our agent. 

[King Amo]

3 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Also UK based. Our agent is the go between  us and Cunard. He takes payment details but like IMniles, the payment goes directly to Cunard and not our agent. 

Strange. The transactions on my statement is definitely the travel agent, both for the deposit and balance. The deposit was made over the phone when booking, and the balance paid via the TA's portal. 

 

[Winifred 22]

I have just booked first cruise with Princess as friends have persuaded  me to join them . Booked through TA and bank statement shows Princess 

[wesport]

I just confirmed for the second time, no bonus points unless the booking is direct with Cunard. 

[ExArkie]

The only thing I know for certain is what happened to me.

 

I have used three different travel agencies over the years, in addition to several direct bookings. One of them paid the cruise line (Oceania in the case) and I paid the TA, which I had to be convinced was legitimate but which also resulted in a significant price reduction. Apparently, the TA deal was to actually pay for a block of rooms, then sell them at whatever price they could get, which is not the way it normally works. By the time we booked, they were getting a bit anxious about clearing inventory and generously discounted. I have never heard of this happening again, so maybe they lost money.

 

Otherwise, all payments have gone directly to the cruise line, although were processed by the TA, i.e., they used my credit card to pay the cruise line so that it showed up on my statement as a charge to the cruise line. 

[buchanan101]

20 hours ago, King Amo said:

I'm from the UK, so it may be different, but certainly paid my TA, not Cunard.

Agree - in UK I pay TA (who don't even take Amex). I can't get ,my Amex points or Avios that way, but a 5% discount is worth more. I can't see how legally they could use my card details to pay Cunard direct

[Jim_P]

20 hours ago, MCC retired said:

That is very unusual ?

Seems standard here in Australia anyway as far as im aware. The TA collects your money (and often have payment plans or payment methods that the cruiselines don't have). Always how it's been done as far as I'm aware.

[bananavan]

Do the points show up AFTER the charge is paid? 
I only ask this because my offer on my AMEX platinum states that the offer is valid for payments made after May2. 
Usually no points are granted until after the charge is paid. 
I would assume that the offer would depend on payment being made. 
And my points for spending on my Amex are only granted after the charge has been paid. 
****Edit****That being said, Idid read the terms and conditions and it does state that this is not valid if the payment is made through a third party travel site. 
All of my statements say that the charge is for  Cunard, not the agency.
My price for booking directly my travel agency was considerably less than booking it through Cunard and subsequently transferring it, so I take that as a win. 
 

Edited May 16 by bananavan
mentioned a travel agency

[NE John]

Using my PLT Amex, I received 2x Amex points last year booking via an Amex TA. That’s the standard benefit for US holders. Apologies to HH if this info violates CC/TA policy. 

[wesport]

23 minutes ago, bananavan said:

Do the points show up AFTER the charge is paid? 
I only ask this because my offer on my AMEX platinum states that the offer is valid for payments made after May2. 
Usually no points are granted until after the charge is paid. 
I would assume that the offer would depend on payment being made. 
And my points for spending on my Amex are only granted after the charge has been paid. 
****Edit****That being said, Idid read the terms and conditions and it does state that this is not valid if the payment is made through a third party travel site. 
All of my statements say that the charge is for  Cunard, not the agency.
My price for booking directly my travel agency was considerably less than booking it through Cunard and subsequently transferring it, so I take that as a win. 
 

According to AMEX, you only get the 5 extra. Point if booked direct with Cunard.