Different Lowes problem / Question

[coastermom]

OK I booked my trip for the HRH through the web site . I wrote an e-mail to Lowes and told them our plans and information. I was called today while I was at work and recieved a message that our trip would not count towards our stays because we booked throught the Universal web site. My problem with this is when we stayed in 06 our membership was new and we booked through the USF site and still got credit for our stay. What gives this time?? Any ideas ? Should I call the HRH or Lowes ? Thanks

 

[goofy!]

OK I booked my trip for the HRH through the web site . I wrote an e-mail to Lowes and told them our plans and information. I was called today while I was at work and recieved a message that our trip would not count towards our stays because we booked throught the Universal web site. My problem with this is when we stayed in 06 our membership was new and we booked through the USF site and still got credit for our stay. What gives this time?? Any ideas ? Should I call the HRH or Lowes ? Thanks

Unfortunately, booking through the Universal site is considered a third party travel agent and your stays do not towards Loews First perks, especially if you booked through Universal Vacations.

Some links take you to the Netbooker site that seems to be the same place you go to when you book through Loews. But some links take you to the Universal Vacations site, which would not be Loews compatible.

However, I was told by a Loewsfirst representative that even though you may be on the Netbooker site, they track which website (Loews.com or Universal) you came from. And that there are times when you book through the Universal site where it will be considered not Loews Compatible even though the exact same rate is available through the Loews Hotels site.

I have no idea if that info is actually true, but I try never to take a chance and just either call Loews reservations directly or go through www.loewshotels.com. I just let Loews forward me to Universal reservations.

That said, I would definitely call LoewsFirst and get the definitive answer from them. Tell them how you booked and what the person told you. Often times, the reservationists aren't quite clear on the LoewsFirst rules. See what the LoewsFirst people tell you. 1-800-LOEWS11

As for booking through the Universal site in 2006, it seems that Loews First is tightening up the Loews First rules. It has always been the rule that you must book through Loews, they just always loosely enforced it before. Now it seems they are getting stricter with enforcing their policies.

The other thing you could do is just cancel the reservation you made through Universal and rebook it through Loews if you can get the same rates.

 

[wwessing]

I'm so totally confused. . .

I called to change our ressies to supersaver rates, which I found on the Universal website for HRH, and they assured me that the rate qualified. I called HRH front desk directly and asked the same question, and they told me those rates from the website qualify.

I'm pretty sure my initial reservation was made through the website because I booked at rack, just to get the room reserved. Then I changed to AAA, by calling, and that qualified. Then yesterday I called and changed to supersaver and was even asked if I got the rates from the Universal website.

This is so very confusing. . . .

 

[goofy!]

oops

 

[jtdl]

And then there's what I have understood - that all rates from the Universal.com website, Loews and Universal directly all qualify - it is bookings made through hotwire, priceline, expedia, etc. that do not qualify.

 

[goofy!]

. . .

 

[damo]

I was under the impression that the Universal website was good but Universal Vacations, Expedia, etc. were not in getting your perks and qualifications.

 

[goofy!]

I was under the impression that the Universal website was good but Universal Vacations, Expedia, etc. were not in getting your perks and qualifications.

That is my understanding too - but the confusing part is that not all the areas of the Universal website take you to the netbooker site which is what Loews reservations also takes you to. The Hotels tab does take you there and this should be Loews compatible bookings. So does the Hotels link under the Need Prices heading.

But, the "vacation packages" sections of the Universal website takes you to Universal vacations and this would be a third party booking.

For instance, on the top right of the www.universalorlando.com webpage there is a yellow highlighted area called: Need A Price? Underneath that is three links to price out vacations. There is a park tickets link, a hotels link and a vacation packages link.

Park Tickets
Hotels
Vacation Packages

If you click on the hotels link, you will be forwarded to the netbooker site which is the same reservation site that Loews hotels uses. So, as long as the rate you choose on this site is Loews First compatible, ie: not an APH rate, then you should be ok.

But, if you click on the vacation packages link, you book through Universal Vacations, which is a third party booking and not Loews compatible, even though you arrived at that page through the Universalorlando website.

Both the hotels link and the vacation packages link are right now touting the stay and play rates - stay x amount of days, get two adult tickets free. If you book through the hotels link, you book through netbooker (Loews compatible), if you book through vacation packages, it sends you to www.univacations.com and now is a third party booking through Universal Vacations even though it is exactly the same thing.

So, you need to double check that you are booking through the Hotels part and that it does not say Universal Vacations

at the top of the page.

And there is still that matter where a Loews First person told me that certain rates are only Loews First compatible when booked through the Loews website and that they have the ability to track if you got to the reservation site through www.loewshotels.com or the universal site. I doubt this information is still valid as it was told to me about a year or so ago, but I just always book through loewshotels.com just to be on the safe side.

 

[damo]

Now if that isn't a completely informative post, I don't know what is!!!

 

[goofy!]

 

[grcmag]

so, if i called universal and made the reservation over phone and gave them my loewsfirst #, that is not really considered a reservation that qualifies for the loews first perks? thanks.

 

[goofy!]

so, if i called universal and made the reservation over phone and gave them my loewsfirst #, that is not really considered a reservation that qualifies for the loews first perks? thanks.

If it is a qualifying rate, it should be fine.

However, if you are booking a package and they transfer you to Universal vacations, then it would not be.

If you are booking over the phone, just be safe and verify that it is a Loews First rate.

 

[grcmag]

thanks much. i did call universal and they confirmed it was in fact a qualifying rate/reservation and will get the perks!

 

[coastermom]

I did get an answer I got a message on my answering machine that I then wrote down the name of the person , time they called and date. I was informed that I have NO days even after our last trip because they were all considered booked through universal not loews. I Got a better deal through universal because of the packages so I am sticking with it . I was however assured that we would get our welcome package and that the person that left the message also told them we were there for my daughters sweet 16. Maybe they will give us something nice . One can only hope.

Either way it doesn't really matter it is so much cheaper then throwing a party up here in NYC . I still can't wait to go .

 

[jtdl]

I emailed Loews this afternoon to get a definitive answer. This is the response I received:

Thank you for contacting us. Unfortunately, reservations booked through Universal are considered third party bookings and are non-qualifying under the LoewsFirst Terms and Conditions (http://www.loewsfirst.com/loewsfirst_terms.asp). Group, negotiated, third party, government, Universal PassHolder and Florida residents’ rates do not qualify for LoewsFirst benefits.

To guarantee your next stay is qualifying, please book directly through Loews Hotels either by visiting loewshotels.com, by emailing this inbox with your reservations request, or by calling 1.800.LOEWS.11, our reservations line reserved exclusively for LoewsFirst members.

So apparently booking through the Universal website or calling Universal is nonqualifying. But they didn't elaborate as to whether you still receive the welcoming gift and free access to the fitness room since it is a Loew's hotel? Is it just nonqualifying as a stay in the means of increasing the Loews first status - blue, gold, platinum? Can it get anymore confusing

Another confusing thing is that I can go on the Loew's site and retrieve my reservation even though I booked it through Universal by phone! I really don't understand it at all - if you can pull up a reservation on the Loew's site why isn't it a qualifying stay? UURRRRGGGHHHHH. Oh well, I'm not going to worry about it - I'll probably never make it to platinum anyway!

 

[goofy!]

I emailed Loews this afternoon to get a definitive answer. This is the response I received:

Thank you for contacting us. Unfortunately, reservations booked through Universal are considered third party bookings and are non-qualifying under the LoewsFirst Terms and Conditions (http://www.loewsfirst.com/loewsfirst_terms.asp). Group, negotiated, third party, government, Universal PassHolder and Florida residents’ rates do not qualify for LoewsFirst benefits.

To guarantee your next stay is qualifying, please book directly through Loews Hotels either by visiting loewshotels.com, by emailing this inbox with your reservations request, or by calling 1.800.LOEWS.11, our reservations line reserved exclusively for LoewsFirst members.

So apparently booking through the Universal website or calling Universal is nonqualifying. But they didn't elaborate as to whether you still receive the welcoming gift and free access to the fitness room since it is a Loew's hotel? Is it just nonqualifying as a stay in the means of increasing the Loews first status - blue, gold, platinum? Can it get anymore confusing

Thanks for asking Loews and confirming!

That is exactly the information they gave me last year. That is why they told me they could track reservations and whether you got to netbooker through the Universal website or through the Loews website.

You book through Universal, it is not eligible for Loews First. Which should mean no welcome gift or nights credited to your Loews status.

 

[Catrinabeach]

How strange. I booked a 2 night stay in Sept at HRH using APH rate and applied my Lowes # and received the welcome gift. Never asked about an upgrade. Didn't think of it.

Then we stayed in Dec at RPR for 5 nights with 2 rooms. Again I booked the APH rate and applied my Lowes #. Super Saver rate came out and was cheaper so I switched to that one. When we checked in I asked about our Lowes Welcome gift and picked a different one for each room which they delivered within an hr. Again never asked about an Upgrade (they wouldn't work for us since we didn't want a room that only sleeps 3)

Then this week I got a new Lowes card in the mail moving our status up to Platinum. We were Blue when we stayed at HRH since that was our first stay at any Lowes hotel.

And I booked it all threw the Universal Web site and made all changes for different rates threw the web site.

 

[jtdl]

How strange. I booked a 2 night stay in Sept at HRH using APH rate and applied my Lowes # and received the welcome gift. Never asked about an upgrade. Didn't think of it.

Then we stayed in Dec at RPR for 5 nights with 2 rooms. Again I booked the APH rate and applied my Lowes #. Super Saver rate came out and was cheaper so I switched to that one. When we checked in I asked about our Lowes Welcome gift and picked a different one for each room which they delivered within an hr. Again never asked about an Upgrade (they wouldn't work for us since we didn't want a room that only sleeps 3)

Then this week I got a new Lowes card in the mail moving our status up to Platinum. We were Blue when we stayed at HRH since that was our first stay at any Lowes hotel.

And I booked it all threw the Universal Web site and made all changes for different rates threw the web site.

Hmmmmm......apparently the people working at Loews and/or Universal don't know the terms either - no wonder the rest of us are so confused

I sent an email off to Universal customer service this morning asking them their take on the situation - whether my reservation made via Universal is a qualifying stay or not. I always like to email these question and that way I have proof of the what they tell me. I can't see how they can differentiate between Universal and Loews websites when I can pull up my reservation on the Loews website! If I book a ressie through Expedia, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to pull it up on the Loews website!

I wasn't too concerned about all this until thinking about it this morning - it is the principal of the matter, so to speak! Loews is saying one thing but people on here are telling us that they booked through Universal and got the perks and now I'd like to know why one thing works for one person but not the next. Does it all depend on what customer service rep you get upon check-in or what? Both sites carry the identical rates and as I stated, I'm able to pull my Universal ressie up on the Loews website - so what's the diff???

 

[Anything Disney!]

I was under the impression that the Universal website was good but Universal Vacations, Expedia, etc. were not in getting your perks and qualifications.

What is the difference between the Universal website and Universal Vacations? I was at the Universal site, booked a package and it went through Universal vacations?

I called RPR and was told that since I booked through Universal, they did not have my reservations and I cannot look them up on the Loews site. I was told by Universal Vacations that my Loews number did not apply because I booked with them and not Loews directly. No perks, bummer

 

[Catrinabeach]

Is it maybe something to do with booking as a package including tickets and booking the room only ?

I know when I booked with the Universal Web site for our room there is a spot to put codes and your lowes #. That is what I did and our stay qualified.

We didn't book any tickets though. Just room.