The NEW Priority Club, Ambassador and Royal Ambassador Master Thread
Jul 25, 2011, 10:36 am
#496
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Barcelona, Catalunya
Posts: 2,108
Again, I'm not sure what you are getting upset about? With your travel profile your program is Priority Club, not ambassador. And you have reached the highest level there. So why would you now want to drop it completely? (And have you looked at the average price difference between HI/HIX and Marriot/Hilton?)But it would make sense to move at least some stays every year to another program. Getting Gold at Hilton for instance can seriously improve your travel experience.
Last edited by Koby; Jul 25, 2011 at 11:58 am Reason: spelling
Jul 25, 2011, 3:02 pm
#497
Join Date: May 2009
Programs: VS Silver, Kris Silver, IC Amb, HH Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 386
Agree, what with the bonus's and the amount of night you use - it would be quite easy to keep plat and also get elite status with other programs.
Jul 27, 2011, 7:42 pm
#498
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 6
1. They told me 60-80 nights on 3 separate occasions. I'm just repeating what they said for everyone else, but you're welcome to call them and ask. Maybe they lied to me... 
2. RA is worth between $500-$1,000 if you sell the referral certificate. It'd be worth it to me just for that, but I do stay at IC hotels when I go on vacation, just not 60+ nights a year. If I got the benefits of RA for those nights that I do stay at IC hotels (probably about 10-15/year), RA would be worth it.
3. You're right though: I just hit Diamond with Hilton and it's so much more valuable than my PC platinum!
2. RA is worth between $500-$1,000 if you sell the referral certificate. It'd be worth it to me just for that, but I do stay at IC hotels when I go on vacation, just not 60+ nights a year. If I got the benefits of RA for those nights that I do stay at IC hotels (probably about 10-15/year), RA would be worth it.
3. You're right though: I just hit Diamond with Hilton and it's so much more valuable than my PC platinum!
Jul 28, 2011, 3:58 pm
#500
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: FB Gold (ST Elite+), AZ Freccia Alata (ST Elite+), CI Gold (ST Elite), TK M&M Silver (*A Silver)
Posts: 62
Hi all,
Can I just ask another question here: my Ambassador membership year runs from June to June and I was referred and upgraded to Royal Ambassador in May (after renewing my regular Ambassador membership until 2012).
I just received another RA portfolio which has a letter in it stating that they are "delighted to extend complimentary renewal of my Royal Ambassador status for another year". The accompanying RA card has an expiry date of 09/2012, so I'm a bit confused here...
A) why am I getting this portfolio /renewal letter and
B) if it is correct, how come the expiration date is 09/2012?
C) is my membership now indeed valid until 09/2012 or (if I don't re qualify) does it end on 06/2012?
The Ambassador member services desk doesn't seem to have a straight answer to these questions, so maybe someone here have had a same /similar situation and could share their experiences here...
Looking forward to hearing from you guys...
Can I just ask another question here: my Ambassador membership year runs from June to June and I was referred and upgraded to Royal Ambassador in May (after renewing my regular Ambassador membership until 2012).
I just received another RA portfolio which has a letter in it stating that they are "delighted to extend complimentary renewal of my Royal Ambassador status for another year". The accompanying RA card has an expiry date of 09/2012, so I'm a bit confused here...
A) why am I getting this portfolio /renewal letter and
B) if it is correct, how come the expiration date is 09/2012?
C) is my membership now indeed valid until 09/2012 or (if I don't re qualify) does it end on 06/2012?
The Ambassador member services desk doesn't seem to have a straight answer to these questions, so maybe someone here have had a same /similar situation and could share their experiences here...
Looking forward to hearing from you guys...
Jul 31, 2011, 6:16 am
#501
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NUE
Programs: *G (TK elite+), OW sapphire (QR), ST elite plus (AF). LA black
Posts: 3,695
BTW, handing out the royal ambassador vouchers is a very, very clever incentive from priorityclub to gain revenue. once a voucher recipient gets all the perks, he wants to retain the status and tries to stay as many times in IC properties to requalify for another year. that's at least with all the people I know who became royal ambassadors the referral way.
I also stayed at IHG properties whenever I needed a hotel within the last qualification period and spent much more money (booking just qualifying room rates) instead of choosing the cheapest option.
I also stayed at IHG properties whenever I needed a hotel within the last qualification period and spent much more money (booking just qualifying room rates) instead of choosing the cheapest option.
Aug 4, 2011, 11:38 am
#502
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (CCR), HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IC RA, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 297
Gratis Platinum Ambassador
Hello all. I usually stay in Hilton and Marriotts but i have a few stays coming up in Intercontinentals so i emailed customer services asking for a status match to tempt me to move to the Intercontinental brand. They promptly gave me Platinum Ambassador status. Is this normal?
Aug 4, 2011, 11:50 am
#503
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA, FB, LH; PC/IC, HH, MR
Posts: 964
Welcome to FT ^
I'd say you've done very well to get free Ambassador. Platinum is easy to get matched to - but I've not heard of a match to Plat Amb before. Hope you enjoy it
I'd say you've done very well to get free Ambassador. Platinum is easy to get matched to - but I've not heard of a match to Plat Amb before. Hope you enjoy it
Aug 4, 2011, 12:01 pm
#504
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (CCR), HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IC RA, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 297
Aug 4, 2011, 12:06 pm
#505
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, IHG PL, SPG G, MR G, HH G, CC G, AMEX PL
Posts: 1,465
Hello all. I usually stay in Hilton and Marriotts but i have a few stays coming up in Intercontinentals so i emailed customer services asking for a status match to tempt me to move to the Intercontinental brand. They promptly gave me Platinum Ambassador status. Is this normal?
Jan 27, 2012, 11:43 am
#506
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: priority club, aeroplan, air miles
Posts: 48
We have Platinum Status and will have some future trips that will include IC hotels. How does one use points to buy status? I couldn't find a link on the Ambassador website. Do they upgrade on reward stays? Thank you.
Jan 28, 2012, 2:56 am
#507
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Crewe, UK
Programs: IHG Spire
Posts: 152
If you are logged in to the PC site just click on the link to the Ambassador website from your account status page. Then click on the Upgrade now link and it gives you the option to buy for 200 USD or 32K points.
Feb 3, 2012, 12:45 am
#508
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Aeroplan 75K
Posts: 275
Do you get full RA benefits on F&F rates?
Do Royal ambassadors get full RA benefits on Friends and Family rates? Or does it depend on the property.
There was a semi-recent post I searched on flyertalk stating that any revenue based booking(ie. not award bookings) should incur full RA benefits, but there was no follow up posting on it on that thread.
There was a semi-recent post I searched on flyertalk stating that any revenue based booking(ie. not award bookings) should incur full RA benefits, but there was no follow up posting on it on that thread.
Feb 3, 2012, 4:04 am
#509
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Programs: BA Silver, EY Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Plat
Posts: 12,210
Do Royal ambassadors get full RA benefits on Friends and Family rates? Or does it depend on the property.
There was a semi-recent post I searched on flyertalk stating that any revenue based booking(ie. not award bookings) should incur full RA benefits, but there was no follow up posting on it on that thread.
There was a semi-recent post I searched on flyertalk stating that any revenue based booking(ie. not award bookings) should incur full RA benefits, but there was no follow up posting on it on that thread.
Feb 3, 2012, 10:55 am
#510
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Aeroplan 75K
Posts: 275
Thanks for the information! I did some more research on this and it turns out that no RA benefits are guaranteed for:
1) Award Bookings (any including points+cash)
2) F&F Rates
(of course, some properties will give some benefits; depends, but IHG does not mandate that the hotel require RA benefits to be provided).
However, some interesting information I found was that RA benefits are indeed guaranteed for:
1) Rooms booked at 3rd party websites (orbitz, expedia, etc.). This one completely surprised me.
2) BOGO rates
3) Advanced purchase
4) Corporate rates
5) Rates from BRG (Best Rate Guarantee)
1) Award Bookings (any including points+cash)
2) F&F Rates
(of course, some properties will give some benefits; depends, but IHG does not mandate that the hotel require RA benefits to be provided).
However, some interesting information I found was that RA benefits are indeed guaranteed for:
1) Rooms booked at 3rd party websites (orbitz, expedia, etc.). This one completely surprised me.
2) BOGO rates
3) Advanced purchase
4) Corporate rates
5) Rates from BRG (Best Rate Guarantee)