American Express White Glove Caribbean Magic add on package?

[SweetSpot]

I was able to add on this package to an exsisting reservation when I made my final payment for an additional $60.00. (THANK YOU everyone, I wouldn't have known it existed without this board!) I was wondering if anyone out there has cruised with this package and could explain what the American Express White Glove benefits at sea were and how the priority seating at Palos worked. Do I make the reservations somehow before I board? My travel agent doesn't know and doesn't seem too eager to find out for me. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

(I tried searching this board but the search engine was disabled. Anyone else having that problem?)

 

[mog]

Who did you contact to add this on? - your travel agent, or did you call Disney directly? There have been so many different experiences with this that it gets confusing!

 

[SweetSpot]

I called DCL first to see if it would be possible to add this on and when they said yes I had my TA call and I made my final payment early so that everyone wouldn't change their mind. I was shocked how easy it was for me because I have read here how difficult it was for so many other people. I think it is important to ask for the "American Express White Glove Caribbean Magic Package" because it seemed as if there were other similar packages available. I also think I was just extremely lucky and had the right person answer the phone at the right time.

 

[FOJMO]

I'm also curious about this package. If it's something that can just be added on for $60.00 on an AMEX card, that's great. Anyone know what it includes? Thanks!

 

[MCazer]

I had the package for our cruise 8/3. We had made the Palo's ressies about 3 weeks before. When we originally booked we has a $200 shipboard credit for Castaway (because we cruised last year). After finding out about the $250 credit and all the perks for the AMEX package. I had my travel agent try to add it. She was told that I could only have one or the other. So I dropped the Castaway one and added the AMEX one. It cost $59. So, in effect for $9, I received 4 pins, a beach bag, Palo ressies, and a 8x 10 photo from Shutters ($19.99 value).

Ok, here is the kicker. We arrived on board, there was my Castaway towel and pins and welcome aboard (again) note). But no Amex package. I had my husband run down to make sure our Palo ressies were there, and NO they were not. Ok, so he is trying to explain this to the manager at Palo, and he was wonderful, he walked my husband to the front of the brunch line and dinner lines and wrote in our ressies! Such service!!!

Ok, so, over the next few days, I had a dear friend email my travel agent for me (thanks Ginny). And also visited the Guest Services area about 2 times. Well, a few days later, I received our beach bag, our pins, our coupon for shutters.... and guess what, I received the $250 shipboard credit too.

So, Disney gave me my Castaway ($200) and the Amex ($250) shipboard credits! I was more than happy, and didn not mind the small inconvenience it caused in order to reap another $200 in shipboard credit.

However, if you haven't sailed, you may want to have your travel agent just call and make sure that the package is noted on your reservation.

 

[SweetSpot]

This is what it says on the American Express Travel website:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
White Glove Caribbean Magic Vacation Package Includes:
7-Night Eastern or Western Caribbean Cruise

$250 Complimentary Onboard Credit (per stateroom)
White Glove Beach Charibag (one per stateroom)
Specially designed Collectible Disney Pin (one per person)
Priority Seating at Palo, the adult-only restaurant (for one night)
Exclusive Photo session with Disney Characters with an 8x10 Photo (one per stateroom)
American Express White Glove Treatments Benefits at sea


Terms and Conditions

White Glove Vacation Packages must be requested at time of booking to receive benefits. Deposit and final payment must be made with the American Express® Card in the traveler’s name. Offer applies to category 4-7 staterooms only. All attractions and entertainment, tickets, and special offers are subject to change without notice. Offer and package components are subject to availability. $250 Onboard Credit is per stateroom; any unused portions of the Onboard credit are nonrefundable and non-transferable. Offer is not combinable with any other offer, discount, or group promotion. Offer is valid on 7-night sailings from 1/5/02-12/14/02, excluding 5/25/02, 6/26/02 and 11/23/02. Ship’s Registry: The Bahamas
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My TA also mentioned that I would receive a 10% discount on purchases but I seemed to know more about the package than she did, she just made the call and took the payment. I also understand that I won't know if this all went through until I received my paperwork in the room but I have paid for it and I confirmed that I had the package by calling DCL.

 

[SweetSpot]

Mcazer:

How did you prebook your reservation for Palo (even if it didn't work) and what, if anything, are the AMEX white glove benefits at sea?

Thanks!

 

[MrsG]

We also had the AMEX add-on on the 7/6 Western. I am not sure what the "at sea" benefits are. The only thing I can think of is a 10% discount in the gift shop which is only opened when we are at sea or boarded for the day.

Waiting in our stateroom was a note that we had the $250 shipboard credit and the beachbag was on the bed. Two days later, the shutters coupon was delivered to our room.

I called DCL about 2 weeks before the cruise and asked about Palo ressies. I was transfered to the dining coordinator (or some title like that). She took my ressies over the phone and also encouraged me to book the high tea and brunch at the same time, which I did.

Good luck! It was well worth it.

 

[MCazer]

SweetSpot,

The benefits at sea were just as described. I got a 10% off of $75 or more at the higher priced store (for some reason I can't place the name). Anyway, there was an item in the other store that I wanted, and I mentioned it to the CM and he got it from the other store and added it to my purchases so that I could get the discount. Which was very nice.

I received 4 pins, a beach bag (very unusual looking). I also redeemed my coupon for the Shutters photo.

Before going, I emailed my travel agent and she made the reservations for Palos. We actually go great reservations. We did one brunch and 2 dinners. I loved the brunch.

We also did the side by side massages (in the spa) and also the Surial. It was a wonderful cruise.

ALSO, for all you DVC'ers out there. They came up with a points chart, which seems to have started on our cruise. If you booked onboard with points, they had lower point values for you. We did not do this, but the desk was very busy.

 

[SweetSpot]

Thank you MCazer! I didn't know I would be able to call ahead to get reservations as my TA has no idea what the package included. One less line to stand in!

 

[MrsG]

Mcazer,

Could you elaborate on the DCL booking cruises with DVC points on board. No one else seems to have heard of it.

Thanks

 

[MCazer]

MrsG,

We went to one of the DVC get together's. Even though we didn't book with points this cruise. Anyway, according to the DVC reps, they just started this on our cruise. They gave us a point chart (discounted) if you rebooked a cruise while onboard using your DVC points.

They were slightly discounted. Somewhere on the lines of how the points get discounted in October (Ie Fall Fantasy).

I have a copy of the pages with points listed if anyone wants to email me. Its just way too much to type. If you send a private message, please just post that you did so I will go in and look.

 

[albiats]

Has any one been able to book the Amex package for 2003 yet?

I just asked my TA about it for our January 18, 2003 cruise and she said it wasn't available yet, just wondering if anyone else has tried for 2003 yet.

Thanks

 

[mog]

We have been trying to get the package for our Feb 2003 cruise and have been told they didn't come out with the package info for 2003 yet. Let us know if you get it!

 

[rae519]

Nothing us up at the site yet. We just changed from "Blue" AM Ex to the new Cash Rebate one and asked if there was any specials for Disney other than the ones expiring in Dec - not yet!

In regard to the AM EX Caribbean Magic and Castaway Club onboard credits - I am also getting both on my 9/28 cruise and again on my land/sea cruise in December (that one is called Parks and Ports). My TA (not DU) was unaware of these discounts, and I called DCL directly to get them added.

Good luck and persistance pays off!
Rae

 

[aseafish]

My TA (not DU) was unaware of these discounts, and I called DCL directly to get them added.

This continues to bewilder me. DCL told me they could not talk to me about my cruise at all, that I had to go through my TA.

 

[rae519]

Well, that's how I did it! Honestly! No reason to make it up.

When the TA didn't know - she said that she highly doubted that it would ever be possible to get two discounts. Well, she was wrong and if I hadn't called DCL directly and talked with the cruise rep, I wouldn't have gotten the AM Ex Caribbean Magic for $58.00 tacked on to my cruise.

I did call the TA and inform her of what I had done and she said she was "just amazed" that I got both.

Personally, I don't care for the idea that the TA should have more authority than I do in making any changes to my reservation. They make money off our reservations even if they just "take over" after I do all the work.

My DH also made a comment that DCL should provide all the information to us that we ask for since we are paying them for the cruise!!

Like I said, different people say different things - just be persistant and if you don't like what your TA or DCL rep says, call back and talk to someone else!

Have a happy day!
Rae

 

[SweetSpot]

I have called DCL 3 different times and they were so wonderful to deal with and answered all my questions even though I booked through a TA. I am too impatient to call my TA with a question, have her call DCL and then call me back when I can skip a few steps and find out my answer right away.

One tip... when I went to my TA with final payment and had her revise my reservation to include the White Glove package the first person who answered at DCL was horribly rude (she was on speaker phone and I heard both sides of the conversation) so my TA hung up and called back until another CM picked up, this one was so easy to deal with. Everyone has a bad day including CM's, can't hurt to call back and try again.

 

[rae519]

I guess we all can have a bad day but when it comes from Disney - it just floors me!! I can understand being misinformed or uninformed staff members but rude - well, that's something else.
Glad your TA hung up and got someone else!!

And so glad you also got this onboard credit! Not only does it take care of tips, but Mom and I are going to the Spa! Hey, at 73, she deserves the best!!!!

Rae