maggiew

I only have the Marriott Signature Chase card.

Maggie

maggiew

Maybe it is just that you can't get the bonus 50,000 points if you already have the Marriott card.

"Receive 50,000 Ritz-Carlton Rewards points:
You will qualify for and receive your bonus after your first use of the card. First use includes using your account for purchases or balance transfers, or using any checks that access your account; cash advances are not included. After qualifying, please allow 6 to 8 weeks for bonus points to post to your Ritz-Carlton Rewards account. To be eligible for this bonus offer, account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. This one-time bonus offer is valid only for first-time Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card cardmembers with new accounts. Previous and existing Ritz-Carlton or Marriott Rewards® Credit Card cardmembers/accounts are not eligible for this bonus offer. If your account is not open for at least 6 months, Ritz-Carlton and Chase reserve the right to deduct the bonus points from your Ritz-Carlton Rewards account."

I guess you can get the card but not the bonus points?? Did anyone who already had a Marriott Signature card get the bonus points?

Maggie

LarkSFO

Not sure if that is a new term...

I had the Marriott card, and earned the sign on bonus.

I applied for and received the RC card in Feb '12, and also recieved 50,000 point bonus.

maggiew

Did you have the signature Marriott card or the other one? Did you receive bonus points when you signed up for the Marriott card too?

Maggie

maggiew

I guess I have another question.

I have the Marriott Signature Visa. My DH has a card in his name but it is on my account.

Would he be eligible for the bonus points if we sign him up instead of me? He does not have a Marriott Visa. But he has a Disney Visa.

Maggie

NJUPINTHEAIR

That is not a new term and was one of the reasons I was goiing to forego the card.

No Clue

Maggie,

I had the Marriott signature card and received the bonus when I received the JP Morgan RC card. I don't recall seeing the restrictions when I signed up for it though. I think I was approved in July '11

am1996

As an fyi, AMEX also says that upgrade fees aren't eligible for reimbursement under the $200 airline credit. As a practical matter, however, AMEX's system does automatically reimburse for those fees but according to AMEX's reps with whom I've spoken, it is not supposed to happen (just like I am sure AMEX does not intend to reimburse for taxes charged on award tickets, or small gift card purchases and the like).

am1996

Right, but at least in my experience, that's where the good experience with AMEX's concierge ends. They do call when promised and are very pleasant but usually say that they can't do what I've asked them to do.

am1996

Except that you presumably would not have paid rack room rates for those rooms, right? So, you have to subtract the value of the benefits and discounts that you are foregoing by using the RC card. Based on my calculations and with my stays, the RC card makes no sense for shorter stays (1-3 nights) and starts to make more stays for longer stays (6-7 nights).

trivea

I agree with you, using the RC card seems to start making sense for longer stays. But, not having stayed with Ritz too frequently, what other rates could I use besides the standard rates that are quoted when booking on their website? I don't have any corporate affiliation that would grant me better rates with RC. Are there other codes that would generally yield better rates that I am missing out on?

BlakeTraveler

Just received a targeted offer from Chase for The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Visa Signature card. The offer is for 70,000 Ritz-Carlton Rewards Points (enough for one night at a Tier 5 property-their highest). This offer has me more interested as 20,000 extra points over the standard offer of 50,000 is pretty tempting. The annual fee of $399, much like the American Express Platinum Card, is still steep unless you get the value from the benefits of the card.

Has anyone else received this targeted offer?

LarkSFO

Same question as trivea: Where do you find discounted RC rates?

(Related question: Are Virtuoso rates also always 'rack rates'? Or can Virtuoso agents get discounted rates?)

am1996

There are numerous ways not to book rack rates at the RC's. Most RC's quote specials and packages right on their website, which require you to pay a higher nightly rate but give you benefits that are larger than the nightly room rate increase. There is also FHR, etc...

Also, for longer stays, it is always cheaper to book the stay as part of a package, especially if you go through a rebating travel agent (you can't use a rebating travel agent if you use the Club upgrade provided by the RC card). For instance, I would never book a stay at one of the Caribbean RC's without such a package, which, at least in my experience, represents a much better value than the Club upgrade provided by the RC card.

Then there are various association and company negotiated rates, but if you don't have access to those, then it's not applicable to you.

am1996

In my experience, the answer is "yes," the same as FHR. There are occasionally small differences (up or down) but I've generally gotten the impression that those are not intentional and are just the result of computer glitches.