Loews is enhancing their Loews First program

[macraven]

Maybe I'm being a bit too optimistic, but reading the above sounds promising. "More of what we want?" Does that mean flowers thrown at our feet every where we walk throughout Universal Orlando or a complimentary upgrade to the Graceland suite

Being serious though, I'm wondering what they can actually do at the hotels to enhance the current benefits. Let's face it, we get it pretty good already. The equivalent room rates are better than Disney and on top of that we get room upgrades. Then there is the late checkout, free welcome gifts, fitness centre access and the express check-in.

Interesting times ahead

none of us knows yet what the changes will be.
who knows if the welcome gift will still be available, or the morning newspaper, etc..


we'll just have to wait and see.

If you haven't already booked, chances are you will not receive a suite upgrade as Oct. is becoming a popular time. If you have booked, platinum receives their upgrade (as the program currently exists) at the time you make your reservation.

you have a valid point.

i booked at the first part of this year for my october stay.
i'm platinum and can receive the free upgrade for a king suite at the time of booking.

when i called in march for a friend, i was told the king suites were not available for the dates i am going in october for ones then booking.

since the friend is also platinum level, no free upgrade to a king suite.
it does state in the rules, free upgrade at time of booking only if available.........

also i see that the black out dates are in effective for 3 of the nights i am staying at HRH. this means i will have to order my welcome gift on the first night i am there or i will not be eligible for it.

i am wondering if the changes Loews first is in the process of making will affect the free upgrades for platinum members and gold members if their stay goes into the black out period of no loews amenities during their stay.

it's just a thought.

i know i am safe as my confirmation reflects the room rate that i booked with.
maybe the changes will take effect with the new bookings for those that encounter black out dates on the loews first program.

 

[dsmom]

Just returned from PB. What I could get out of people there is:

NO more welcoming gift.
No more miles on airline or train.
Amer. Express new rewards card.
Better ammenities for your pet- also found out stricter rules for pets- if your pet gets complaints about barking he will be removed from room and put in a holding cage until you return.
Better welcoming gift for kids - not told what it will be.
More incentives for upgrades(?) Not sure what this means?

 

[Disneyhappy]

Just returned from PB. What I could get out of people there is:

NO more welcoming gift.
No more miles on airline or train.
Amer. Express new rewards card.
Better ammenities for your pet- also found out stricter rules for pets- if your pet gets complaints about barking he will be removed from room and put in a holding cage until you return.
Better welcoming gift for kids - not told what it will be.
More incentives for upgrades(?) Not sure what this means?

Thanks for the info! My big concern is changing requirements for the different rewards levels. I should hit Platinum with our July 4th stay but that may change with the updated program. The Welcome Gift will be missed but I am really interested in what the "more incentives for upgrades" means. I wonder what better amentities they will provide for pets. It was amazing the number of dogs that were staying at the Philadelphia Loews two weeks ago. It made me realize that Loews may have a niche in the market that they are trying to capitalize on. Pet lovers will go to extremes for their pets (me included). What I couldn't figure out is where they took the dogs to go to the bathroom because there is no park in the area. Yikes!

 

[GailT]

I guess this is no different then all the miles we rack up on the airlines and you never get them back fully, you are at their mercy and have to use them when the airlines tells you you can. I am still excited about going to PB even without the welcome give I can buy that stuff myself.

 

[dsmom]

Hey Mac- how do you earn points for free week-ends?

I know what you mean about pets- there were a lot of dogs this week-end at PB.

I was told suite upgrades would not be touched.

 

[macraven]

I have never stayed at the Orlando Loews (Philly, DC, NYC, yes, Orlando, no) but am planning to stay in Loews Orlando this year or next. I would like to see club offered as an upgrade enhancement.

platinum allows the free upgrade to suites when booking.

Got the E-Mail also.We are platinum now.Never asked for upgrades but this upcoming vaca was going to.Got me worried now

you should call and see if you can get the upgrade still after the fact of already booking. it's only a phone call, it wouldn't hurt...

If you haven't already booked, chances are you will not receive a suite upgrade as Oct. is becoming a popular time. If you have booked, platinum receives their upgrade (as the program currently exists) at the time you make your reservation.

true. i posted before that my friend in march could not get the suite upgrade at HRH due to prior bookings.

i am only blue as this will be my first stay, but do you think they will implement a timed level status on the LoewsFirst?

Jetblue does the same thing with their frquent flyer program. you don't make 100 points a year, you don't get to redeem any trips! I wonder if Loews will make us use a certain amount of nights per year in order to qualify for higher levels.

there has always been a time status. so many stays or days per calender year determined your loews status level.

Just returned from PB. What I could get out of people there is:

NO more welcoming gift.
No more miles on airline or train.
Amer. Express new rewards card.
Better ammenities for your pet- also found out stricter rules for pets- if your pet gets complaints about barking he will be removed from room and put in a holding cage until you return.
Better welcoming gift for kids - not told what it will be.
More incentives for upgrades(?) Not sure what this means?

i received the email and snail about american express is now the card of the parks for universal. i have until june 29 to redeem my points or lose them to a transfer program to american express. problem is, i don't have an american express cc.......

i will miss the miles........and the welcome gift was such a nice friendly touch on behalf of the hotel.

no kids with me so that was never an issue.

glad to hear that about the dogs. i had to change rooms once due to the barking.

i can live with the changes. i will be caught in it as i arrive at HRH early October, past the change date.

i do hope the late check out and fotl for check out day continues.

dismom, thank you so much for letting us know what you found out.

Hey Mac- how do you earn points for free week-ends?

I know what you mean about pets- there were a lot of dogs this week-end at PB.

I was told suite upgrades would not be touched.

i would receive a small type of booklet by mail of what you could redeem your points for. also some place on line has the listings.

one of the items you can redeem your universal orlando master card points for was weekend stay at the hotels. rph and hrh was involved in it.
free hotel stay. can't beat that.

no way will i make the points needed and be able to book prior to june 29.


looks like i will be using my points for a million dvd's now........


we have two factors here. the universal orlando master card had reward points that could be redeemed.

the loews first program for amenities

it was great to be able to double dip........


the mc allowed a 10% discount off of food and merch in the parks.
since am. ex is now the official card, that perk with mc will disappear.

oh snap. but, i do have the ap and aaa for the same discounts allowed.

 

[ScottyGams]

If I understand you correctly, that is already part of the program.

In order to earn or retain Gold status, you need to have 3 qualified stays or 6 qualified nights within a calendar year. A calendar year is defined as 1/1/xx - 12/31/xx.

To earn and/or retain Platinum status, you need to have 10 qualified stays or 15 qualified nights.

So, to earn or maintain your Gold status for 2009, you would need to have 3 qualified stays or 6 qualified nights during 2008. Otherwise, on 1/1/2009, you drop back to Blue status.

This is from the Loews First website:

12. LoewsFirst Gold membership requires three (3) qualifying stays or six (6) cumulative nights (associated with a qualifying stay or stays), in a single Loews Hotel or any combination of Loews Hotels, in a calendar year. LoewsFirst Platinum membership requires ten (10) qualifying stays or fifteen (15) nights (associated with a qualifying stay) in a single Loews Hotel or any combination of Loews Hotels, in a calendar year. A calendar year is defined as January 1 through December 31. Retaining membership in LoewsFirst Gold or LoewsFirst Platinum requires meeting the respective criteria for LoewsFirst Gold or LoewsFirst Platinum each calendar year. LoewsFirst members who were LoewsFirst Gold or LoewsFirst Platinum members prior to June 1, 2003 will retain that status through December 31, 2004, unless a higher status is achieved based on the above stated criteria during the calendar year 2003 or the calendar year 2004. LoewsFirst Blue members and new members will become LoewsFirst Gold or LoewsFirst Platinum members when they meet the above stated criteria. Once a Member attains a tier level, this level will remain in effect through the end of the subsequent calendar year. Post-enrollment stays recorded beginning January 1, 2004 are eligible toward tier-level qualification for the calendar year 2005. Thereafter, Members must requalify each year for the following year's membership.

call me the FOREVER BLUE kid then

i should start reading the fine print... that would explain my credit score

 

[kevin harrison]

you should call and see if you can get the upgrade still after the fact of already booking. it's only a phone call, it wouldn't hurt...

I highly doubt that once you have a confirmed reservation confirming a suite upgrade they will take it away. I have a faxed copy with my suite and rate.

What is more likely is there will be a cutoff point and after that date they will be enforcing the new terms and conditions to new reservations.

 

[macraven]

kevin, why don't you put a link here for your newest thread that explains the loews levels changes?

i'm sure the others would appreciate it.

 

[kevin harrison]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1860549

Glad to be of sevice..