AMEX Platinum cruise benefits question

Very interesting.

Quite an old thread so I'll have to do some up-to-date research.

Does anybody know if Delta SkyMiles Platinum AMEX offers the same benefits?

Does anybody know if Delta SkyMiles Platinum AMEX offers the same benefits?

I do not believe so, I'm pretty sure it's only the standard Amex Platinum card. Others here will confirm or dispute. ;)

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to share something I learned last week regarding getting my American Express Platinum benefits added to two of my upcoming cruises. After debating the merit of the annual $550 fee, I decided to get the card earlier this month to take advantage of the airline benefits and now monthly Uber credit. After trying to find out whether or not my regular travel agent could add the benefits since Amex only advertises they work by booking through Amex Travel, I just asked my travel agent to try and see what happened. I had previously booked a cruise on a Memorial Day sale for Oasis of the Seas sailing next February so my travel agent was able to refund my $500 deposit from my previous CC and then charge it to my Amex Platinum without changing my previous booking rate. I had no idea you could retroactively change the deposit like that! My travel agent then also used the benefit to apply to a cruise I was booking then for a Navigator of the Seas sailing in November 2018.

Couple things I learned:

1. OBC in the amount of $100 - $300 Shipboard Credit per stateroom for sailings 5 nights or longer (depending on category booked): $100 for inside/oceanview, $200 for balcony, $300 for suites plus a complimentary bottle of wine or champagne no matter which cabin category.
   
2. Your travel agent should have the ability to log into an Amex system to get a tracking number to apply the obc to your cruise, and can even be done retroactively to a cruise deposit previously booked provided you are not past final payment date.
   
3. Amex benefit is not combinable with many promotions. For my Oasis sailing I lost a $50 obc from Royal Caribbean (but kept the other stuff from my travel agency), but I got the $200 obc for the balcony cabin (boardwalk category) instead for a net $150 gain.
   
4. Amex benefit is not combinable with C&A balcony discount so I lost my $100 balcony discount on the Navigator sailing, but again gained $200 obc for a net $100 gain.
   
5. I was able to see the Amex $200 obc immediately in my cruise planner for my Oasis February sailing.
   
6. Do the math to see whether the benefits lost are less than the Amex obc.
   

Hope this helps shed some light on how the American Express Platinum benefits might be able to work for you since there's really not a huge amount of information out there.

Fun Lovin' --- I just got my Plat AMEX - but mine is Delta Skymiles - is that different?

Fun Lovin' --- I just got my Plat AMEX - but mine is Delta Skymiles - is that different?

Yes, there is a difference. The Delta Platinum Amex does not have these cruise benefits at all nor the lounge and Uber benefits I mentioned. Amex does make it confusing when they call other cards "Platinum." I also have the Delta Amex Platinum as I really like the companion pass, double miles, free checked bags, faster levels to upgrade, automatic priority boarding, etc.

I love my Amex Platinum, switched from standard card a year ago and the benefits are outstanding for my needs. I love the airline credit ($200) and lounge access. We used the car buying benefit to get a great deal, the new Uber benefit is perfect and adds up!

The cruise benefit was a surprise, and really made my upcoming cruise a great deal. I had originally been booked on a group rate in an inside at 949 (with 100 OBC), and learned that the Amex platinum cruise benefit couldn't be combined, but a week before 100% cancellation ended, I saw a lower price for a Neighborhood balcony guarantee for 949 with 50 OBC & prepaid gratuities for 2 PLUS the TA was willing to look into the Amex Benefit for me (200 OBC & champagne) even though she'd never heard about it.

Old rate: Inside cabin, cost: 949

extra: 100 OBC (TA)

New rate:Boardwalk Balcony, cost: 949

extras: 50 OBC (TA), prepaid garatuties(TA), 200 OBC (amex), champagne (Amex) and I believe that room gets the EAT, DRINK, PLAY benefit (soda pkg for 2, lunch Johnny Rockets, rock climbing slot(?)) I couldn't be happier :) Already splurged on the deluxe drink package with my 200 Amex OBC (showed up in my travel planner right away)and can't wait to try all the vacation cocktails I am usually too cheap to 'try'.

Good luck to anyone else who takes advantage of this awesome benefit! I know for my family the fee has been more than covered by 'perks' so we are thrilled.

Really wished I had known this a few months ago. I gotta start using my AMEX benefits more. Or at least figuring out what they are.

I just booked two rooms with my platinum, got $100 obc per room, 2 soda packages for my kids, Johnny Rockets meal for 4, and 2 bottles of wine. My question is do they get delivered to the stateroom? Do you get to choose the wine you like?

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I just booked two rooms with my platinum, got $100 obc per room, 2 soda packages for my kids, Johnny Rockets meal for 4, and 2 bottles of wine. My question is do they get delivered to the stateroom? Do you get to choose the wine you like?

 

 

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I'm guessing you're in a boardwalk balcony....

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I'm guessing you're in a boardwalk balcony....

 

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No! Its a destination family voucher that they gave me.

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I did some more research yesterday and decided to go with the other card I was reading about. It's the Capital One Venture card (the one that Alec Baldwin promotes in the commercials.) It will give me 2% back on EVERY purchase, which equates to well over $1,000 a year, plus many of the same benefits that the platinum AMEX offers. I get several perks on cruises, which is most important to me, plus many hotel, food, and airline benefits. It does not offer the BOGO first class international ticket, which was the only perk AMEX offered which has a value in the thousands of dollars, but most everything else the Venture card offers is similar in value. The $1,000+ spending money would more than cover anything else that's missing with plenty left over for me to spend as I please.

 

While I am going with a different card, as the last poster said, I want to thank everyone for participating in this thread, because it opened my eyes to the additional perks that some credit cards offer on top of the basic cash back awards. I was unaware that credit cards could offer perks such as hotel upgrades, cruise OBC, and free meals at hotels and other events. Although a lot of this thread was geared towards credit cards, and less about cruising in general, it sure made me a lot of extra money, so I thank you. I will continue reading here as I'm sure some other ideas might come up from new posts. This has been a very informative thread.

What cruise perks do you get? I have booked several with this card and never received any perks. I have two booked and 100% paid for right now, maybe a I need to make some calls.

No! Its a destination family voucher that they gave me.

We were on the Allure recently, booked with AmEx, and they gave us family destination vouchers for the 3 families / 4 children in the group. There was no priority check-in, and the sea pass card did not have the sticker for the soda package, nor were there cups for the kids. Guest services (where I spent the first couple of hours of our cruise) told me they had no knowledge of this voucher, and instructed me to contact the travel agent and resolve it with her (RCI did not charge for the call). The TA said this was a common voucher and even confirmed it with RCI while I was on the phone, but guest services said it was new to them, and anyone could print a piece of paper. I insisted, they finally agreed to give us cups for the two older children, but did so with a real attitude. We didn't try Johnny Rockets.

The rest of our cruise was most enjoyable.

I just booked two rooms with my platinum, got $100 obc per room, 2 soda packages for my kids, Johnny Rockets meal for 4, and 2 bottles of wine. My question is do they get delivered to the stateroom? Do you get to choose the wine you like?

 

 

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Our experience with the Amex Platinum CPP free wine/champagne on RCI, is that is it in your room when you arrive and no, you do not get to chose the type/brand/etc.