Different Lowes problem / Question

[damo]

Packages are booked through Universal vacations.

 

[Anything Disney!]

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.

Maybe, since I did book a whole package with tickets and meals. There was no place to put a Loews number..No big deal, I think my cancellation is 6 days, so I might be able to find a better deal.

 

[bubba's mom]

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.

Your lucky day(s)

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

Sometimes reps are new to the job or aren't aware of what's going on..... if you don't think you're getting the correct info, hang up, call back and you'll most likely get someone else on the phone. I've always had very helpful people on the other end!

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

Prolly....would make sense...

Packages are booked through Universal vacations.

Seeing a lot of 'new faces' lately, and thought I'd let y'all know that Universal does NOT own the hotels....Loews only rents the land from them...so, it's Loews you're dealing with...not Universal.

 

[Anything Disney!]

Even though Loews is not owned by Universal, there needs to be continuity regarding policy. My experience with Universal Vacations has shown a big gap even within their own system. But like most big corporations, and I own 2 myself, it takes training and dedication of the employees to provide top quality service. Confusion causes chaos and that can lead to disgruntled customers. Everybody being on the same page would be helpful. But life is too short the sweat the small stuff!

 

[goofy!]

Universal and Universal Vacations, from my perception, is similar to the CRO and Disney Vacations of yore.

I haven't made a reservation at Disney in ages, so don't know how it is now. But I remember a time (thanks to the early days of Mousesavers advice) when the enlightened few knew to specifically ask for a CRO operator. Otherwise you would be automatically bumped to a Disney Vacations operator.

If you booked your vacation through CRO, you got the 5 day before travel cancellation benefit and you didn't have to pay the entire vacation up front 45 days in advance. It was more like a normal hotel booking. You checked in, you gave them your credit card, credit card charged when you checked out.

It was the same room, same tickets, same everything whether you booked with CRO or with Disney Vacation, but there were different restrictions on the different bookings since Disney Vacations was actually considered a travel agent, where CRO was just a reservations agent.

Same with Universal and Universal Vacations. I think the e-mail above is a bit confusing. Because, if you call Loews directly, they will not book your room at Universal. They transfer you to Universal to book the room. You get the same spiel - press 1 for hours, press 2 for ticket sales, press 3 for onsite reservations (numbers are wrong, but you get the gist) as you do when you call Universal directly.

If you book just the room or one of the rates that are common to both Universal and Loews such as the stay and play, supersaver or seasonal rate, you are going to get your Loews perks. You give them your Loews number and it is a Loews booking. Same with the Universal site. Reserving through Netbooker off the Universal site gets you the same thing as the Loews reservation and should be a Loews compatible rate.

However, if you book a package - tickets, meals, hotels, etc - this is a package, will be booked by Universal Vacations and is now booked by a travel agent and a third party booking, so not Loews compatible. No stays credited to your account, no welcome gift, nothing.

It is pretty standard and once you get it all straight in your mind, it is pretty straight forward.

 

[bubba's mom]

Universal and Universal Vacations, from my perception, is similar to the CRO and Disney Vacations of yore.

I haven't made a reservation at Disney in ages, so don't know how it is now. But I remember a time (thanks to the early days of Mousesavers advice) when the enlightened few knew to specifically ask for a CRO operator. Otherwise you would be automatically bumped to a Disney Vacations operator.

If you booked your vacation through CRO, you got the 5 day before travel cancellation benefit and you didn't have to pay the entire vacation up front 45 days in advance. It was more like a normal hotel booking. You checked in, you gave them your credit card, credit card charged when you checked out.

It was the same room, same tickets, same everything whether you booked with CRO or with Disney Vacation, but there were different restrictions on the different bookings since Disney Vacations was actually considered a travel agent, where CRO was just a reservations agent.

Same with Universal and Universal Vacations. I think the e-mail above is a bit confusing. Because, if you call Loews directly, they will not book your room at Universal. They transfer you to Universal to book the room. You get the same spiel - press 1 for hours, press 2 for ticket sales, press 3 for onsite reservations (numbers are wrong, but you get the gist) as you do when you call Universal directly.

If you book just the room or one of the rates that are common to both Universal and Loews such as the stay and play, supersaver or seasonal rate, you are going to get your Loews perks. You give them your Loews number and it is a Loews booking. Same with the Universal site. Reserving through Netbooker off the Universal site gets you the same thing as the Loews reservation and should be a Loews compatible rate.

However, if you book a package - tickets, meals, hotels, etc - this is a package, will be booked by Universal Vacations and is now booked by a travel agent and a third party booking, so not Loews compatible. No stays credited to your account, no welcome gift, nothing.

It is pretty standard and once you get it all straight in your mind, it is pretty straight forward.

extremely well said....that's what i thought, but didn't know how to explain it ...... great idea comparing it to CRO

 

[jtdl]

If you book just the room or one of the rates that are common to both Universal and Loews such as the stay and play, supersaver or seasonal rate, you are going to get your Loews perks. You give them your Loews number and it is a Loews booking. Same with the Universal site. Reserving through Netbooker off the Universal site gets you the same thing as the Loews reservation and should be a Loews compatible rate.

This is what I always thought and apparently what most people on this board thinks, but is not what Loews is saying in this email - I booked the supersaver rate on the Universal site - not Universal Vacations and apparently I get none of the perks:

Email #1:
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.

Email #2 -
Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, if a stay is considered non-qualifying members are not entitled to LoewsFirst benefits, which includes the welcome gift or free access to the fitness room.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Thank you for choosing LoewsFirst.

 

[goofy!]

This is what I always thought and apparently what most people on this board thinks, but is not what Loews is saying in this email - I booked the supersaver rate on the Universal site - not Universal Vacations and apparently I get none of the perks:

Email #1:
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.

Email #2 -
Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, if a stay is considered non-qualifying members are not entitled to LoewsFirst benefits, which includes the welcome gift or free access to the fitness room.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Thank you for choosing LoewsFirst.

As I mentioned before, I have been given the exact same information from Loews First. So, I always call Loews and let them transfer me to Universal or access Netbooker through Loewshotels.com just so there is never any question.

However, it would be interesting to see what they would say if you e-mailed the person back and asked why Loews does not book the Universal rooms and why they transfer you to Universal reservations.

I am wondering if you got somebody answering your e-mails that is giving you the corporate spiel - ie: No third party bookings. That they may not be completely knowledgeable of all the contractual ties between Universal and Loews and that the Universal Loews are different than the other Loews hotels they have.

I would really be interested to see what their response would be to asking them why Loews Reservations transfers you to Universal and why you also go to Loews Netbooker site from parts of the Universal webpage. And how they know that these are not Loews compatible when you are booking off the same phone or same reservation site.

 

[jtdl]

OK, I'm gonna said off an email now asking those questions. They have yet to respond to the third one I sent yesterday! But I keep "replying" to their email and maybe I'm getting the same person. I will open up a new email and try. Thanks.

 

[jtdl]

I would really be interested to see what their response would be to asking them why Loews Reservations transfers you to Universal and why you also go to Loews Netbooker site from parts of the Universal webpage. And how they know that these are not Loews compatible when you are booking off the same phone or same reservation site.

I finally got a response back from Loews - a fairly long one the main points being:
As such, we have discussed this situation internally, both specific to your needs as well as in a broader sense, with regards to the offerings and terms of our LoewsFirst frequent guest program. Essentially, we have been dedicated in working towards enhancing our frequent guest program in order to extend benefits to all of our valued guests who do visit our hotels on negotiated rates.

Please know that your LoewsFirst account number is associated with your upcoming stay at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando and you will be receiving your LoewsFirst benefits.

They even gave me the name of a supervisor with whom I should ask for directly when booking any further stays at a Loews hotel!

Leaving tomorrow afternoon for Detroit knowing that we'll get our perks

Thanks for your suggestions

 

[Anything Disney!]

Keep us informed after your trip. That spiel is basically the same one I got by calling the hotel directly. They did not have access to my ressies, but told to mention my Loews number at checkin even though I booked, room, ticket and meals through the Universal website. (Which in turn was done by Universal Vacations.) Universal Vacations told me there was no where on my reservation to indicate a Loews numbers, which is why I called the hotel in the first place.

 

[jtdl]

Keep us informed after your trip. That spiel is basically the same one I got by calling the hotel directly. They did not have access to my ressies, but told to mention my Loews number at checkin even though I booked, room, ticket and meals through the Universal website. (Which in turn was done by Universal Vacations.) Universal Vacations told me there was no where on my reservation to indicate a Loews numbers, which is why I called the hotel in the first place.

Thre is a place to put your LoewsFirst number on the reservation form on Universal's site, which is why I was confused as to why they say ressies made directly with Universal are not qualifying stays.

Anyway, I am very happy that I will be getting my perks for this stay and next time I will definitely book directly with Loews and there will be no confusion!

 

[Mom2AAA's]

I just called ~ wanted to make sure we qualified, I did book directly through Universal and we are Lowe's Blue. I asked if we qualified for the welcome gift, she said yes but I am not able to change what we signed up for! I think last time we go cookies, I would have rather had the regional gift! Oh well...

 

[jtdl]

I just called ~ wanted to make sure we qualified, I did book directly through Universal and we are Lowe's Blue. I asked if we qualified for the welcome gift, she said yes but I am not able to change what we signed up for! I think last time we go cookies, I would have rather had the regional gift! Oh well...

When we checked in last week the girl checking us in asked if we still wanted the regional gift, which is what I had signed up for initially. So I'm sure that you will be able to change your choice when you check in if you want to.

 

[CPanther95]

Can't you access your Loews First profile and make modifications on the website?

I just changed mine yesterday.

 

[Mom2AAA's]

Thanks, I'll try it!!

 

[CPanther95]

http://www.loews-first.com/Loewsfirst.asp

 

[Mikelly1221]

I went to the Loew's website and there's no space to indicate that you're looking for a AAA rate. I thought a AAA rate qualified. We have a reservation, but I booked it over the phone with Universal and my Loew's number is attached to it. Am I missing something? I did not book a package, just room only.

 

[peel]

I'm confused about this as well. I initially went through the Universal site (which sent me to NetBooker and asked for my Loews First number), and then called RPR directly when the AAA rates came out to receive my discount, where I asked to verify that my Loews First number was attached to the reservation (it was). I didn't ask specifically if I was going to be receiving my LF benefits though. Should I call the main Loews number?

 

[CPanther95]

I've never had a problem with the discounts. I always call Loews Hotels directly, but they always transfer me to Universal reservations anyway. They take the Loews First number down and offer the AAA rate if available.

I had assumed that those calling Universal directly were getting the same ressie department that the Loews folks are transferred to.