cdoobiest

Anyone have recommended travel agent who can give AMEX Plat OBC plus additonal OBC through their agency. Looking at RCL cruise next April

ktremor

I sent you a PM.

wripro

I take two or three cruises a year, On each one I get a $300 shipboard credit plus some other kind of gift including a bottle of Dom Perignon. I get the $200 yearly airline credit. I use the Centurion lounges, especially Dallas, at least six to eight times a year. At $50 a pop that's about $400. I also use the Priority Pass lounges world wide. The $450 fee pays for itself several times over imo.

Happy

This pricks my interest! Did you book thru the AMEX travel dept? Were you in mini suite and above?

We cruise 2 to 3 times a year. In fact did a short one in Feb, and another short one 3 weeks ago. Will do another one 20 days from now. We might do a TATL in April. I always book with my cruise agent whom I have used for many years and she is a top producer of the AMEX Consortium. I have never thought about the Plat card benefits in this area. Though we normally only book last minute and not above balcony cabin.

The Priority Pas is very useful when traveling internationally in short haul coach flights. We used it a few times last year when we traveled inside China with domestic coach flights.

We were also very pleased by the services provided thru the rental car coverage, though that is not limited to Plat card but I got a feeling that Plat card holders got a bit more speedy handling.

wripro

Happy,

No, you do not need to book through an Amex TA. You can book through any TA but he/she must contact Amex to get a tracking number for you and then let the cruise line know what the tracking number is. You also do not need to be in any particular category on luxury lines, not sure what the deal is on the other lines but you can check. I'm surprised your TA has not let you know about this valuable benefit.

Happy

My TA never knows we have the Plat card.

I often split the payments on the cruises to meet minimum spend requirements for sign up bonuses on our various cards over the years and she was quite used to that. On an upcoming Regal Princess sailing, I had her split the payment into 2 chunks to pay with the Barclays Arrival Plus card - so I can redeem the travel expenses quicker than waiting for earning the full amount of the points to redeem one single payment.

I just check with my TA because one of the potential TATL cruises we are looking at was Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity has the 25th anniversary promo for $25 deposit and 123 package. TA said she was just informed that all TATL cruises are not eligible for the 25th anniversary promo package, BUT it does qualify for AMEX Plat card benefit. I can understand why Celebrity does not give 123 package because one offer is the unlimited beverage package! It is worthless to us but can be $$$$ to some on a 14 days cruise!!!

The cruise shows up on AMEX site with the plat symbol next to it, so yeah, it is qualified.

We took a 5 days Caribbean Princess cruise in Dec that was soooo cheap ($199 balcony with $100 obc per person) that I would think it would not qualify for anything. I would have booked directly with Princess had it not for them unable to use a specific future cruise deposit (expired sooner though purchased later due to the term changed from 4 years to 2 years), I ended up having my TA's office took over the booking and applied the future cruise deposit correctly. They probably earned a grand total of $20 on it if that much.

The 7 days Regal Princess cruise sailing in 20 days was booked on a flash sale with $150 obc per person at $569 obstructive balcony. She said that one wasn't eligible for Plat benefit either upon taking a look when more expensive pricing currently is still available (I did not see the Plat symbol next to the cruise when looking at AMEX website).

My agent knew the Plat benefits once I asked her about it. She said most of the time Plat card benefits do apply but there are cruises not eligible - the 2 Princess we booked, were among them.

It was my own fault not to ever read thru the whole list of benefits of the card - mainly concern about the lounge access in international airports we would pass thru with local coach flights. That probably is the biggest usage of the benefits for us outside the airline credit.

BTW, I also called the AMEX Travel and found the agent I got was very Unprofessional - did not want to check out things for me at all and eventually told me to give her my telephone number and she would call back. Needless to say, she never called back. That agent said this year AMEX and Celebrity are still in negotiation on the Plat benefit because Celebrity has the 123 package, and the 2 parties do not come to agreement yet on whether the obc's are stackable. My own TA does not mention any of this.

Agree with you this is a valuable benefit. Easily offset a good part of the AF.

aSiAnRiCk

I called Amex TA about ten times throughout the years and I can only remember one positive experience with speaking to an agent. Most aren't very helpful in finding me the right cruise itinerary. At least they did call me back after promising to do so on the initial call.

I booked a 12 night European cruise last September and Amex TA offered no OBC whatsoever and said "maybe" she can push for a bottle of champagne but she needs to get her supervisor approval.

I then called my usual TA ... they matched the prices Amex TA gave and $200 OBC was offered without much hesitation.

ktremor

Calling Amex is going to get you someone in a call center or these days working remotely in their basement. There is a good chance that this person has never been a cruise.


Your local TA can get you the Amex Plat benefits even if they are not affiliated with Amex. Once you make the payment with the Amex Plat card, the agent can call Amex for a tracking number related to your Amex Plat card that they give the cruise line who adds it to your reservation.

bombadilio

Hey so I just read everything.

To be clear are these just specific cruise lines? I and a few friends are looking to use our Amex Plat and centurion cards for a more younger singles style cruise. I never knew I even had a benefit until now. Is there a TA you recommend and also what Avenue is the best to not break the bank?

mia

Eligible lines are listed here (scroll down):

https://www.americanexpresscruise.co...?cobrand=15558

HMPS

I am quite confused.

As a " rule" my TA always gives me a $100 or more as OBC/ SBC depending on the fare.

An insider told us that a cruise line gives the TA 16% of the base fare (excludes taxes, fees). They are then allowed to give away upto 10% of that amount in the form of OBC/ SBC.

QUESTION
Are these " rebates" one and the. Same or are stackable ? As in you get the regular credit from the TA and Amex Plat kicks in more ?

wripro

It's amazing who much misinformation is out there. Commissions to TAs cary depending on how much business they give the cruise line and rarely does it go to 16%. Whatever the TA chooses to give you out of his/her own pocket has nothing to do with the Amex Platinum credit. They are separate since the Amex credit is paid for by the cruise line.

HMPS

Thanks for clarifying the Amex extra rebate.
Yes volume plays a part on commissions as are volume commitments of X cabins.

I said an insider. Happens to be a volume operator. So yes 16 % is done, as is the giveaway of 10 %.
Remember, these are Shipboard Credits to be spent on board on that cruise only. Do see the profit margins of thing the lines shall.

KatW

My TA confirmed the AmEx plat on board credit today and I have the paperwork. Regent cruise, ten nights departing Miami 27 Jan. $300. Yay.

HMPS

Any rebates from the TA ?