American Express Cruise Privileges Program

[JennAngel9]

Cruising Nana, in the past when we have got the "upgrade" the cruiselines have accomodated us by discounting to the pricing of 2 categories below the one we picked instead of upgrading us further, if that makes sense.

 

As for everyone else, if your independent TA says they can't get you the perks and you have an Amex plat. Charge card, you should seriously consider getting new ta. If you get a cheap enough fare, it is occasionally not combinable, but our non Amex ta has got us the perks on Cunard, princess, and azamara every time we have booked (our previous celebrity cruises were before X rejoinedthe program) including times we have had pricing discounts (Cunard and princess) and generous obc from our TA. I think we are 6/6 counting our upcoming cruises.

[lysolqn]

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

 

That information is correct; however, what AmX didn't say is that booking through Platinum services is not the ONLY way to take advantage of the benefits.

[CruisinNana]

Cruising Nana, in the past when we have got the "upgrade" the cruiselines have accomodated us by discounting to the pricing of 2 categories below the one we picked instead of upgrading us further, if that makes sense.

 

As for everyone else, if your independent TA says they can't get you the perks and you have an Amex plat. Charge card, you should seriously consider getting new ta. If you get a cheap enough fare, it is occasionally not combinable, but our non Amex ta has got us the perks on Cunard, princess, and azamara every time we have booked (our previous celebrity cruises were before X rejoinedthe program) including times we have had pricing discounts (Cunard and princess) and generous obc from our TA. I think we are 6/6 counting our upcoming cruises.

 

Thanks so much! I never thought about keeping the cabin but getting the price for the lower category cabin. I would prefer OBC but if that is not available, I will surely ask for the cheaper fare. I guess I ought to check and see which is more valuable, but I won't know what the OBC is until my TA checks after her trip. She is a fabulous TA and has gotten this perk for me many times on HAL. Hopefully, Celebrity will work with her as well. However, I have never gotten OBC compliments of my TA. What a nice gift!

[lbw]

I spoke to a Platinum Travel Services rep today. I asked for a chart explaining the levels of cabin qualifying for the upgrades. There is no published chart for the public, but he could tell me for a specific cruise. I asked about our Solstice 7 day sailing in Jan 2010. He said AQ, CC, FV, 1A and 1B would get $100 OBC, suites would get $300 and category 10 or higher inside/oceanview would get $50. All would get the specialty dining and the champagne. He said its OK to book through an independent agent, but that TA would have to call Platinum Travel to get the "privileges" added to the reservation.

 

The Platinum rep didn't think any of the benefits would be combinable with the shareholder credit but he did not know that for a fact yet. He said that his info says its not combinable with other promotional credits, but he had no specific info on what other promotions are included. I guess we will have to check with Celebrity on that.

[JennAngel9]

Thanks LBW! That's a bit different from how the other programs work, while I would have loved to pay 1A prices for an AQ stateroom, the $100 credit is better than nothing ;) Although, I am a bit surprised that they AQ-1B all get the same amount of OBC! (I think they were a bit stingy with AQ and CC)

 

I can't imagine that it is not combinable with anything else... but I guess we'll have to stay tuned.

[JennAngel9]

Also, Linda, looking at your signature line, you SHOULD be able to get the credits applied to your Century cruise this december :) Am I reading that right? Are you essentially doing 3 cruises in a row??

[LINGBER]

That information is correct; however, what AmX didn't say is that booking through Platinum services is not the ONLY way to take advantage of the benefits.

 

Thanks you all so much for the info! I called today (instead of giving up like I was prepared to do after reading the AMEX site) and lo and behold they make it a little more difficult, but there is a number I can call to have the OBC and the Specialty dining added to my booking. She said she didn't think I could get the double miles. I can even do it all myself since I made the booking directly with Celebrity. I plan to have my TA pick up the booking, but not until closer to sail time. I prefer to have control over the booking for awhile. (LOL No control issues here :o)

[LINGBER]

Thanks you all so much for the info! I called today (instead of giving up like I was prepared to do after reading the AMEX site) and lo and behold they make it a little more difficult, but there is a number I can call to have the OBC and the Specialty dining added to my booking. She said she didn't think I could get the double miles. I can even do it all myself since I made the booking directly with Celebrity. I plan to have my TA pick up the booking, but not until closer to sail time. I prefer to have control over the booking for awhile. (LOL No control issues here :o)

 

UPDATE Just hung up with special services desk in Atlanta and they will not give me the tracking number. Only a TA or Platinum travel can access the benefit. They don't deal with individuals. I personally think that is ridiculous as why should they care if I book myself or with a travel agent? Is it worth the fight? I have two cabins. :(

[CruisinNana]

UPDATE Just hung up with special services desk in Atlanta and they will not give me the tracking number. Only a TA or Platinum travel can access the benefit. They don't deal with individuals. I personally think that is ridiculous as why should they care if I book myself or with a travel agent? Is it worth the fight? I have two cabins. :(

 

It is worth a fight... Did they tell you how much OBC you would get if a TA handles it?

 

Wait till you transfer to TA, but be sure and pay with AmX platinum card, and then have TA get the tracking number for you. It is also possible that when you talk to someone else with special services, that person will let you do what you want to do.

[lbw]

JennAngel9,

 

We are doing 9 days on Century, go home for 3 weeks, then head out on Solstice for 7 days. I was told by Platinum Travel rep that, to get Cruise Privileges, the cruise should be at least 6 days. I did not ask whether the back to back (4 + 5) could count as a 9 day cruise. Right now its on 2 separate booking numbers. I wonder if Celebrity will combine it into one booking if I ask? I plan to move it to my TA, but not just yet...I also like to "manage my reservation" myself, without having to call my TA for every little thing.

 

I didn't ask specifically about which class of cabins would qualify for the double upgrade, so you may want to ask if 1A can upgrade, but I don't think it would get you to AQ. :( My biggest concern is whether it's combinable with the shareholder credit. Even if we couldn't get the OBC, double miles or upgrade, I'd still like the Specialty Dining and champagne.

[franmadre]

We have booked a 11 nights Mediterranean cruise with Celebrity this coming Oct. Made a deposit with our visa card. Came across this thread about extra benefits with AE Plat so gave a call to our TA today. He initially told me that he has nothing to do with this promo and that I have to look into it myself with AE. It was not until I threaten to move the booking to AE that he backed down and called Celebrity. Then he informed me that Celebrity advised that it is an arrangement with the cardholder and AE!!!! I didn't want to give up at that point, so I called the AE Platinum Travel number and they were very helpful. They advised that with my specific sailing with Celebrity and that for my C2 cabin, I am entitled to a $100 OBC, a free bottle of Champagne and a free dinner at a specialty restaurant. All I have to do is to have my TA call them and they will give him a promo code for registering with Celebrity. So that is what my TA did and he called just now to confirm all these extra perks by using our AE to pay for the balance of our cruise fare!!!!!!:D

Thank you all for sharing your experiences which helped me in saving a lot of $!!!

 

By the way, my TA informed me that on a concierge class AE gives ship board credit and not upgrades. The upgrades are for regular balcony rooms.

 

So don't give up, keep trying!;)

[Dev D]

Okay... I have somehow gotten lost in this conversation

I booked a cruise for Nov (final payment not yet due) on line

I now see this thread and wonder .... perks can they be for us?

We have a plat. card but booked on line, which I like because I can track the prices and manage my excursions, dinners etc.

1) if we did not make the deposit on the card are we able to get benefits?

2) can I still keep track of my reservation myself

3) If I don't have a TA-- I have to go with the Amex rep?

4) What happens if the price of the cruise goes down can we still get an adjustment?

 

I have a feeling these questions have been more or less answered in a bunch of different posts, but if someone could summarize for my pea brain... thanks:)

[JennAngel9]

Lingber-- I wish you the best of luck, but I have never heard of Amex PTS dealing with individuals as far as cruise perks go. I have no idea why that would be, but I have heard on other threads it is always done by a TA. In theory, you should still be able to get them once you transfer to a TA (presumably around final payment time)-- I just had the perks added after final payment on an azamara itinerary, but I would be nervous about that strategy.

 

Linda-- good luck with getting the iten combined-- is it offered as a 9 day cruise? If you combine the cruises, it might affect the number of credits earned toward elite status? I understand why they don't want to give out big perks for 3 or fewer day cruises, but I feel like at 5 days they should at least give you the dinner and the champagne!

 

Congrats Franmadre! Sounds like you were able to overcome an obstinate travel agent. I think generally after a TA has done the process once, they are better about doing it in the future, but I have heard stories of travel agents who refuse to put out the extra effort as there's "nothing in it" for them.

[JennAngel9]

Dev D, assuming you have the Plat card that participates in the CPP

1) Yes, you can deposit on any card as long as final payment is made with Amex

2) Depends. You'll still be able to access the website for things like shore excursions, but you will have to go through a TA for payment, room changes and a few other things (maybe someone else can elaborate, since we always book through TAs, i'm not sure whatall you can do individually that you can't do with a TA)-- as I mentioned in the previous post, I'm not sure that it's 100% impossible to get the perks w/o a TA, but I've not heard of it. We (and presumably many others) have TAs who are very responsive and typically get back to us within 48 hours of any request and its a large shop so there's always somebody in the office to handle emergencies from like 9-7 7 days a week.

3) I have never actually used an AmEx rep-- theoretically that should work, but i think they BECOME your TA, causing the same limitations described above in (2), and I have not heard good things about that (we haven't used them)

4) I believe most TAs honor price adjustments the same as the cruiseline, but I believe it varies by travel agency. We have booked most of our celebrity cruises at serious discount towards the last minute, so I don't have much experience with it, but we have gotten price drops on other lines through our TA.

[lysolqn]

Spoke wth my travel agent who spoke with someone in AmX travel yesterday. According to what I've been told -

 

- The AmX Platinum cruise privileges promo is just that, a promo, and as such, cannot be combined with any other Celebrity promo. Thus, if you are booked at a senior rate. a resident rate or any other promo rate, you don't qualify for the AmX Platinium cruise privileges.

 

- The AmX Platimum promo can be used for a maximum of three cabins on any one reservation.

 

- The two-category upgrade/OBC privilege is dependent on cabin category, ship and sail date.

 

- A la carte dinner at a specialty restaurant is per passenger (two pax in a cabin = two dinners; single in a cabin = one dinner) and is limited to adults and children over the age of twelve. If there is one adult and one child under twelve in a cabin, only one dinner applies (despite the fact that X charges full fare for children as first or second pax in a cabin, and even if an under-twelve can't take advantage of the dinner, couldn't the adult go twice? No!).

 

- Bottle of premium in champagne in each qualifying cabin.

 

- Double rewards points only when booking through AmX Platinum Travel Services.

 

Re our upcoming cruise, the AmX promo proved to be a mixed bag. We opted out of the cabin upgrade because we want to keep the cabins we've chosen. We have four cabins on our reservation but instead of the three maximum qualifying for the benefits, only two qualify because the other two are booked at the senior rate. One of the qualifying cabins is a single. Bottom line is that although we have seven pax booked in four cabins, we will get only three dinners.

 

I intend to call AmX cruise privileges myself today, because if their reps are anything like the reps at Celebrity, the information is only as reliable as the rep providing it. Double checking never hurt anyone.

[CruisinNana]

Spoke wth my travel agent who spoke with someone in AmX travel yesterday. According to what I've been told -

 

- The AmX Platinum cruise privileges promo is just that, a promo, and as such, cannot be combined with any other Celebrity promo. Thus, if you are booked at a senior rate. a resident rate or any other promo rate, you don't qualify for the AmX Platinium cruise privileges.

 

- The AmX Platimum promo can be used for a maximum of three cabins on any one reservation.

 

- The two-category upgrade/OBC privilege is dependent on cabin category, ship and sail date.

 

- A la carte dinner at a specialty restaurant is per passenger (two pax in a cabin = two dinners; single in a cabin = one dinner) and is limited to adults and children over the age of twelve. If there is one adult and one child under twelve in a cabin, only one dinner applies (despite the fact that X charges full fare for children as first or second pax in a cabin, and even if an under-twelve can't take advantage of the dinner, couldn't the adult go twice? No!).

 

- Bottle of premium in champagne in each qualifying cabin.

 

- Double rewards points only when booking through AmX Platinum Travel Services.

 

Re our upcoming cruise, the AmX promo proved to be a mixed bag. We opted out of the cabin upgrade because we want to keep the cabins we've chosen. We have four cabins on our reservation but instead of the three maximum qualifying for the benefits, only two qualify because the other two are booked at the senior rate. One of the qualifying cabins is a single. Bottom line is that although we have seven pax booked in four cabins, we will get only three dinners.

 

I intend to call AmX cruise privileges myself today, because if their reps are anything like the reps at Celebrity, the information is only as reliable as the rep providing it. Double checking never hurt anyone.

 

Great information. Thank you!! This is a mixed bag for us as well. I will wait until my travel agent gets back in town and see what the rep at AmX and Celebrity tells her about the situation. If I can't get the perks combined (stock and AmX), I could pay for all 4 cabins and give the AmX perks to my firends' three cabins. That way we will all get a hundred dollars credit. But, I do plan to fight this as I have in the past and was able to get the AmX and stock combined. Never hurts to try.

 

I'll let you know what happens.

[CruisinNana]

Lysolqn,

 

 

What category cabin and length of trip do you have and how much AmX OBC will you get?

[lbw]

CruisinNana

 

Yes. be sure and post your results in your quest to combine the Cruise Privileges with the Stockholder benefit. Its an issue for me too. I've also emailed my travel agent to see if she has been able to this for others. If the two types of benefits can't be combined, I will probably sell my stock.

[lysolqn]

Lysolqn,

 

 

What category cabin and length of trip do you have and how much AmX OBC will you get?

 

We booked OV cabins which are eligible for a two-category upgrade but not OBC, which kicks in at higher levels. As I noted, we opted not to take advantage of the upgrade because we want to stick with the cabins we have (already upgraded as a result of our Captain's Club Elite status). Length of cruise is ten days.

 

BTW, just spoke with Platinum services (somehow managed to get connected to a department that does not deal with cardholders directly but the rep was most pleasant and helpful) and the rep confirmed that senior, resident, regional, military and some other promo fares offered by X are not combinable with Platinum cruise privileges. I asked if the benefits are a function of AmX (and the combined $800/year DH and I pay for our platinum cards!) or the cruise line and was told "the last word rests with Celebrity." That leads me to believe both AmX and the cruise line kick in for the benefits, thus Celebrity maintains the right to disallow promos from being combined.

 

Another bit of info the rep shared is that Celebrity joined the Platinum Cruise Privileges program on April 1, 2009, and no reservations made prior to that date qualify for benefits.

[JennAngel9]

Wow. I think that's really awful that they don't apply benefits to reservations made before 4/1/09!!

 

Lysolqn, instead of getting the upgrade, you should get them to revise your cabin pricing downwards to two categories below the one you are currently paying for-- they have always done that for me on other lines. I'm not sure how it works if pricing on lower categories has increased since your booking though.

[CruisinNana]

CruisinNana

 

Yes. be sure and post your results in your quest to combine the Cruise Privileges with the Stockholder benefit. Its an issue for me too. I've also emailed my travel agent to see if she has been able to this for others. If the two types of benefits can't be combined, I will probably sell my stock.

 

I will let you know. Won't know anything until next week.

 

I just checked to see when I made the reservations and it was after the April 1, 2009 date.:D

[lysolqn]

Wow. I think that's really awful that they don't apply benefits to reservations made before 4/1/09!!

 

Lysolqn, instead of getting the upgrade, you should get them to revise your cabin pricing downwards to two categories below the one you are currently paying for-- they have always done that for me on other lines. I'm not sure how it works if pricing on lower categories has increased since your booking though.

 

Fortunately our reservations were made after April 1 but I can't fault Celebrity for not applying Platinum benefits to reservations made prior to the cruise line becoming a participant in the AmX program. I can't see why they should honor the program before they were part of the program - IMHO that would be totally unfair to the cruise line.

 

Opting out of the Captain's Club upgrade we've already gotten and asking to be priced two categories downward (re the AmX benefit) doesn't make sense because the price has already increased and even two categories downward now costs more than we are paying.

 

I'm patiently waiting for other folks to report back re how successful they have or haven't been with Celebrity and the AmX cruise privileges program. I've no problem with the rules and regulations as they were explained to me (well, I do, but...LOL!), provided both Celebrity and AmX are being consistent across the board with all pax. In other words, I'd hate to learn that depending on which rep you speak with, you may or may not be able to combine promos, be upgraded, receive OBC, etc. It's fine as it is as long as everyone is being asked to play by the same rules.

[JennAngel9]

I totally understand. I can't speak to the Celebrity program, but I do know we got OBC from our TA and also from AmEx's perks on our upcoming Azamara cruise. Whether or not our OBC was a "promotion" (not aware that we had any sort of past cruiser rate or resident rate, but our price was much lower than average) is the area I am most confused about.

 

Also, it's my opinion that if you are before sail date or at least before final payment, all passengers should be treated equally-- thus Celebrity should honor all sailings after a certain date, but not all bookings. In part, it is from a business perspective of not punishing people who plan their cruises early.

[lysolqn]

I totally understand. I can't speak to the Celebrity program, but I do know we got OBC from our TA and also from AmEx's perks on our upcoming Azamara cruise. Whether or not our OBC was a "promotion" (not aware that we had any sort of past cruiser rate or resident rate, but our price was much lower than average) is the area I am most confused about.

 

The OBC you got from your TA is a function of your agent and is considered a "gift," not a promo. It has nothing to do with X, so combining that credit with AmX perks (a promo) isn't an issue. It's pretty much like using a $1 Kleenex coupon to purchase a box of Kleenex. You can't use two coupons to buy one box of tissues (combining promos) but Kleenex couldn't care less if your friend gives you $1 to put toward your purchase and you combine that $1 with your coupon, in effect getting $2 off your purchase.

 

Also, it's my opinion that if you are before sail date or at least before final payment, all passengers should be treated equally-- thus Celebrity should honor all sailings after a certain date, but not all bookings. In part, it is from a business perspective of not punishing people who plan their cruises early.

 

That's a touchy subject that regularly pops up on these boards, particularly with respect to X promos that are limited to "new bookings only," leaving pax who book early out in the cold paying higher fares. In that case, I think there are valid arguments to be made from both the business and the pax perspective. However, with respect to the Platinum benefits, I tend to side with X and its position that it won't honor bookings made prior to the program's inception.

Just MHO.

[CruisinNana]

My TA called X and they will only let me have the AmX credit. Will not let me book other cabins for the credit! For a C1 cabin, it is $100 OBC plus the other perks mentioned.

 

When I asked her about combining AmX with stock, she forgot to ask. I told her just to wait and see, and if they do not combine, then I'll go to bat to try to make it happen.

 

Sorry I wasn't much help.