Info on Am. Exp. White Glove

[bennett]

I have heard so many different things on this board about the Am. Exp. White Glove -I was confused- called Disney myself today since we are getting down to the wire as far as full payment goes-(I booked cruise through my own TA) I was told you can get the $250 on board credit but would have to call my TA to find out the cost. The cost depended on when we were cruising. I called my TA-she knew nothing about the Am Exp deal-so she called Disney--then called me back with great news--We are cruising 7 day-June 15--our cost was only $87.00!!!-Couldn't believe it--there are some dates that it is not available-I am sure glad I didn't stop investigating when my TA told me she didn't know about it--she plans to start coming on this board to get educated.

 

[cruisnfamily]

$87 for what? I assume you have to have an amex card. I will get one if there is some great deal to be had. Please share!

 

[bennett]

You need to pay for the cruise with your Am Exp. card-they add $87 to our total cruise price in turn we get $250. credit on board-plus a trading pin, beach chair cover, advance Palo reservations and a few other things-

 

[Kajunswty]

I am wondering if you put your deposit with the Amex card? I am not cruising until '03 and since the discounts are not available yet my TA doesn't know if Amex will have a special. I have another card that I've been acumulating (spell?) points so I can't decide which card to use for the deposit. I want to make use of every $$ I spend!

Happy Sailing!
Jon

2/03 All Star Movies ~ can't wait
3/03 Disney Wonder
3/03 All Star Movies

 

[Otisp]

Wow, bennett that is great news. I'll try your strategy with my TA (Costco) tomorrow and will report what happens (our Land/Sea starts June 27).

 

[npall]

WOW that's really great! Had you put your deposit on Amex ? I just emailed Donna from Dreams to ask about it for my cruise date but I didn't put my deposit on Amex. If it's as good of a deal for me I want to do it. Do you think they will let me change my deposit to Amex and pay in full with that instead ?

Congrats on your wonderful deal!

Naomi

 

[TnRobin]

The white glove package only includes 10% off merchandise totalling $75 or more at Treasure Ketch and 10% of non-motorized sports equipment at Castaway Cay. They use to offer a bridge tour, but that has been suspended since 9/11 for security reason.

Now there are Amex packages that can booked that may or may not include shipboard credit. Currently these packages are not available in 2003 yet.

Hope this clarify the issue for you guys.

 

[my3kids]

I just called about this after the great post above, but there are conditions that we don't meet. The White Glove package is only the discounts in the stores and non motorized equipment art CC and the 10% off at Treasure Ketch is only after the first $75. The other program was called the "AMEX Caribbean Cruise Package" which did have the $250 on board credit, Palo booking, and all the other great things. For that the entire booking must be paid with Am Ex(but no problem if the deposit wasn't....they will re charge it to Am Ex then recredit your visa or whatever you paid it with initially), you have to be booked in a category 7 through 4. They couldn't even pull up a price because we aren't in one of those categories. Sounds like a great deal for people in those categoies, especially since Costco membership entitlies you to a no fee Am Ex card. We were not interested in upgrading though, so no Caribbean Cruise Package for us.

 

[Kajunswty]

how would one get a Cost Co. AMEX card if you don't have to be a member??

thanks in advance for all the money I'll save! lol

Jon

 

[Otisp]

my3kids:
That's exactly what we just found out (seconds ago). The $250 onboard credit only comes with the Cat. 4-7. My Costco TA even found a terrific upgrade rate to a Cat. 6 (a cancellation this morning), but we're going to stay put in our Cat. 10. (She did add the 1st-time cruising "REF" code to our ressies for a $50 onboard credit). We've already been blessed with a free upgrade to the Dophin and a secret porthole room, so it's tough to complain!!!

 

[my3kids]

Kajunswty....No, you DO have to be a member of Costco to get the no fee Am Ex card. The information was on a brochure I picked up in the store. We also have our cruise booked with Costco, but the travel booking is totally seperate from the member's American Express card program.

Otisp....we have the secret porthole rooms also. I said I did not want to upgrade because I'm so happy feeling like I got a little something extra for the price I paid!

 

[Kajunswty]

we have one of the secret rooms too!

happy sailing,
Jon

 

[dwest]

Good news for you--bad news for us. We are booked for the May 25, 2002 western cruise. We heard about the AE deal here on the boards. We had booked our cruise thru DU and used our American Express card for both the deposit and the final payment. I contact Donna at DU who in turn called Disney, however, she e-mailed us back saying that our cruise date was a black-out date and we could not get this great deal. What a bummer!!!!!

 

[DeeB]

The Caribbean cruise package, can this be applied with the CC shipboard credit? I have e-mailed my TA to see if my cruise is eligible.

 

[vacationqueen]

I LOVE THESE BOARDS!!! Thanks for the information on the $250 shipboard credit. I just received ours for the June 8th cruise. I had to pay $54 for a $250 credit but hey...............that's $196 to help pay for excursions!!!! The TA knew nothing of it but I explained what I had read on these boards. She called me back within the hour with our credit. It did not apply to our friends that booked a category three , just 4-7. Hope it helps everyone else. May 25th is a blackout date. Guess it is Memorial Day weekend.

Thanks again.....................

 

[dis4me]

DeeB Donna from dreams told me that I had to chose on or the other.Castaway Club or AE Carribean. Castaway Club is free and you get 200.AE costs 59 and it gives you 250 so it would actually give $191. I'd lose $9.Oh Well It wouldhave been nice to have $450 shipboard credit plus theother perks. Let me know if you here otherwise.

 

[cruisnfamily]

I didn't get any castaway club credit for my cruise. DCL said it wasn't applicable. What do you have to do besides be a repeat cruiser to get this?

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by Sonya Francisco

I didn't get any castaway club credit for my cruise. DCL said it wasn't applicable. What do you have to do besides be a repeat cruiser to get this?

They used to offer the Castaway Club credit if you booked your next cruise within 90 days of your cruise and the cruise date was within 18 months of your last cruise. But I believe they're doing away with this offer. In fact, I couldn't find any mention of it when I checked DCL's site a moment ago.

 

[Leigha]

I'm sorry I'm totally lost but what exactly are you paying for? I assumed if you had a Cat 4-7, you got the credit automatically. Do you have to join something? Is this the amount it cost to upgrade to a cat 7? Please explain as it might could apply to me!

 

[Otisp]

Gosh, I hope I don't get you more lost, but here goes. If you're talking about the White Gloves deal with the $250 onboard credit, my TA said that it is automatic if you booked a "White Glove Ports and Parks Adventure Package" from AMEX (in cat. 4-7). It is an add-on called the "AMEX Caribbean Cruise Package" if you just booked a "regular" cruise in cat 4-7, and the add-on amount is dependent on the sailing date. There are even some dates that are blacked out, and in all cases you need to have paid for your cruise with an AMEX card. Oh, and the add-on does not include whatever cost there is to upgrade to a cat. 7+.

It seems the bottom line is that you should call your TA to see if the correct code is on your ressies. And, as a couple of us discovered, your TA might have to call DCL to get more info about the options for your cruising date.