Crystal Society Membership

[robrho]

Does Crystal under the new ownership still have Crystal Society Membership, and are credits and # carried over from previous cruises?  I find no information on Crystal Society on the new website.

[Keith1010]

12 minutes ago, robrho said:

Does Crystal under the new ownership still have Crystal Society Membership, and are credits and # carried over from previous cruises?  I find no information on Crystal Society on the new website.

Yes they have your Crystal Society number. Yes they know how many cruises you have completed. The society program is based on the program as of 2019.

The only caveat is if you have any unused milestones they will not be used because they do not know who has and has not used previous milestones.

 

Keith

[Rothko1]

So you don't just start back at Zero again?

[TER777]

5 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

So you don't just start back at Zero again?

Correct. You do not. 

[History&Wine]

"The only caveat is if you have any unused milestones they will not be used because they do not know who has and has not used previous milestones. "

 

I don't understand this statement.  Is milestone a free cruise?  If so and say ( I don't know) a free cruise is awarded after 20 cruises, then one can safely assume that someone who has done 18 cruises cannot have achieved that milestone.  Does that mean after 2 more cruises one receives a free cruise? 

And if a free cruise is achieved after 20 cruises and one has taken 22, I'm guessing that NC does not know if that 21st or 22nd cruise was free and they now only have 2 cruises to the next milestone? 

[Keith1010]

21 minutes ago, History&Wine said:

"The only caveat is if you have any unused milestones they will not be used because they do not know who has and has not used previous milestones. "

 

I don't understand this statement.  Is milestone a free cruise?  If so and say ( I don't know) a free cruise is awarded after 20 cruises, then one can safely assume that someone who has done 18 cruises cannot have achieved that milestone.  Does that mean after 2 more cruises one receives a free cruise? 

And if a free cruise is achieved after 20 cruises and one has taken 22, I'm guessing that NC does not know if that 21st or 22nd cruise was free and they now only have 2 cruises to the next milestone? 

This is how it works.

 

Let’s say at 20 cruises you get an upgrade. 
 

If you now have 18 cruises.  Once you reach 20 then you can use the upgrade on your next cruises.  They know you have 18 to start with.

 

Let’s say you have 25 cruises and never used the 20th milestone you can’t. This is because they have no record of what you used and what you have unused.   They do know you have 25 cruises and if the next milestone is at 30 you can use the 30th milestone once you achieve 30 cruises.

 

Keith 

[History&Wine]

Makes sense.  As always thanks for the answer Keith. 

[TUCKERTOOTS]

How about this caveat. I will have my 31st cruise this fall.  The 30th had milestone rewards attached.  Under the OC program, those cannot be redeemed until at least the 31st cruise.  Would they not be able to figure out the 30th rewards had not been used and allow them? 🤔😵‍💫

[Keith1010]

2 minutes ago, TUCKERTOOTS said:

How about this caveat. I will have my 31st cruise this fall.  The 30th had milestone rewards attached.  Under the OC program, those cannot be redeemed until at least the 31st cruise.  Would they not be able to figure out the 30th rewards had not been used and allow them? 🤔😵‍💫

To me you would qualify. But it’s not up to me. So I would have your TA followup.

 

Keith

[thosby]

Let's say you're on a WC.  Does each segment count as a cruise for purposes of reaching milestones?  If you reach a milestone which (under 2019 program rules) awards a credit, can that credit be used on the following segment?

[Keith1010]

49 minutes ago, thosby said:

Let's say you're on a WC.  Does each segment count as a cruise for purposes of reaching milestones?  If you reach a milestone which (under 2019 program rules) awards a credit, can that credit be used on the following segment?

Each segment is counted as a cruise or cruises (length is a factor) towards your milestone.

 

Have your TA followup on the second question. 

 

Keith

[History&Wine]

2 hours ago, thosby said:

Let's say you're on a WC.  Does each segment count as a cruise for purposes of reaching milestones?  If you reach a milestone which (under 2019 program rules) awards a credit, can that credit be used on the following segment?

Just my opinion, but I don't see how the credit can be used this way.  You would have had to pay for the following segment in advance..and you would not have completed the milestone to qualify in time.  Just paying for a cruise does not qualify; completing the cruise does. 

[Keith1010]

4 hours ago, History&Wine said:

Just my opinion, but I don't see how the credit can be used this way.  You would have had to pay for the following segment in advance..and you would not have completed the milestone to qualify in time.  Just paying for a cruise does not qualify; completing the cruise does. 

I agree and that was my thought. But just in case something has changed I thought having the TA verify this was wise just in case I was wrong.  I do know that say you have 99 cruises and you book another one making it 100. You can't use that one until you actually achieve 100 so if you wanted to use it you would have to wait till you hit 100 and then use it for something that you make payment for after that one. So logic told me this wouldn't work on those segments but..............better to have TA verify.

 

Keith

[thosby]

Pre-Covid, we took a B2B.  Milestone earned on Segment 2 was a shipboard credit.  We used that shipboard credit on Segment 3.  Just trying to figure out whether we can expect a similar regime next year.

[Keith1010]

19 minutes ago, thosby said:

Pre-Covid, we took a B2B.  Milestone earned on Segment 2 was a shipboard credit.  We used that shipboard credit on Segment 3.  Just trying to figure out whether we can expect a similar regime next year.

Just have your TA confirm this with Crystal. If it is doable they can request the milestone and if it's not it won't be approved.

 

Just think we should not speculate and not knowing all your details I would not want to tell you the wrong thing.

 

Also the milestone program of 2019 was different than the one before that.

 

Keith

[bayonejoe]

2 hours ago, Keith1010 said:

Just have your TA confirm this with Crystal. If it is doable they can request the milestone and if it's not it won't be approved.

 

Just think we should not speculate and not knowing all your details I would not want to tell you the wrong thing.

 

Also the milestone program of 2019 was different than the one before that.

 

Keith

I just got off the phone with a Crystal rep and my TA concerning redeeming our 40th milestone award. According to the rep. If We use the shipboard credit on our next cruise in January, the # of points that we now have will be reduced by 40. And since we currently have 43segments ie points, after taking the milestone we will be left with 3 points. If this is in fact the case I will wait .

This is different from OC. 
Also, according to his rep. The Aquamarine and Saphire suites are not considered PH in calculating the monetary value of the Milestone awards.

 

At this time I will not be claiming the 40th milestone award and will discuss this Matter with Paula Jean next month. Also, anyone claiming an award needs to be aware of this apparent change before claiming the award.

FYI, the Crystal rep is Eric.

[Keith1010]

6 minutes ago, bayonejoe said:

I just got off the phone with a Crystal rep and my TA concerning redeeming our 40th milestone award. According to the rep. If We use the shipboard credit on our next cruise in January, the # of points that we now have will be reduced by 40. And since we currently have 43segments ie points, after taking the milestone we will be left with 3 points. If this is in fact the case I will wait .

This is different from OC. 
Also, according to his rep. The Aquamarine and Saphire suites are not considered PH in calculating the monetary value of the Milestone awards.

 

At this time I will not be claiming the 40th milestone award and will discuss this Matter with Paula Jean next month. Also, anyone claiming an award needs to be aware of this apparent change before claiming the award.

FYI, the Crystal rep is Eric.

Hello. You lost me. I have never heard the word points for Crystal Milestones.

 

And I've never heard of reduced either.

 

Let's say you have 38 milestones and you took two cruises a few months ago and are now at 40.  You have a cruise coming up. You can use the 40th for that cruise.  If you do, you now have used your 40th milestone. At the end of the cruise you have 41 cruises. You take another 4 cruises and you are at 45.  You book another cruise and you can use the 45 milestone for that.

 

I will ask someone at Crystal if the milestone program has changed.

 

I hope that whoever you all talked to knows what they are talking about.

 

Keith

[bayonejoe]

Kieth, the Crystal representative was using the term points. I had never heard that before. And according to him ,if we use your scenario, you use your 40 cruises for a milestone. Now you have zero left and on your next cruise you now have one and start all over again. 

Who knows if he knows what he is talking about. 
 

I will definitely clarify in January on Serenity.

 

 

[Keith1010]

8 minutes ago, bayonejoe said:

Kieth, the Crystal representative was using the term points. I had never heard that before. And according to him ,if we use your scenario, you use your 40 cruises for a milestone. Now you have zero left and on your next cruise you now have one and start all over again. 

Who knows if he knows what he is talking about. 
 

I will definitely clarify in January on Serenity.

 

 

Well that is correct in the sense that you use your 40th on your 41 cruise. You still have 41 cruises but you have no unused ones.  Your next one would be whenever the next milestone kicks in.

 

The way I am saying this is the way Crystal said it but what you were told is correct but different way of describing it.

 

And you don't start over because you are building on what you have in terms of the more milestones you start to hit some special one.

Just a poor choice of words from the Rep. 

 

I am sure when you clarify you will be told as I just explained it.

 

By the way, I have heard back from Crystal and they want to make doubly sure but first response was the program is as it was in 2019.

 

It's just the rep as I said not using the right words to explain this to you.

 

Keith

[bayonejoe]

Thanks Kieth,

now since you know the right people to call, can you clarify if Aquamarine and Saphire are considered ph category or are the only ph categories Crystal penthouse and Junior penthouse as I was told by the Crystal rep.

[Texas Tillie]

4 minutes ago, bayonejoe said:

Thanks Kieth,

now since you know the right people to call, can you clarify if Aquamarine and Saphire are considered ph category or are the only ph categories Crystal penthouse and Junior penthouse as I was told by the Crystal rep.

 

Since Aquamarines and Sapphires no longer get in cabin food service from the specialty restaurants and they don't have "penthouse" in their names, I'm guessing they aren't. The Junior  and Crystal Penthouses have other perks, too.

 

Patty

[bayonejoe]

Good point

[Keith1010]

1 hour ago, bayonejoe said:

Thanks Kieth,

now since you know the right people to call, can you clarify if Aquamarine and Saphire are considered ph category or are the only ph categories Crystal penthouse and Junior penthouse as I was told by the Crystal rep.

I have heard back from Crystal.  As I knew would be the case, when you redeem a milestone it does not deduct points.

 

As for the PH Level it applies.  I was for the benefits to apply guest must have sailed and booked in a Sapphire Suite not an Aquamarine Suite. Valid upon completion of Milestone voyage.

 

Applicable to voyages only in lieu of As You Wish credit or Cruise Fare Savings in Aquamarine and above categories.

 

If you have questions they recommended that your TA speak with a Reservations Supervisor to clarify this or any other benefit.

At the same time (this is me) you could ask more questions when on board your voyage.

I hope this helps.

 

Keith

 

 

 

[bayonejoe]

1 hour ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

Since Aquamarines and Sapphires no longer get in cabin food service from the specialty restaurants and they don't have "penthouse" in their names, I'm guessing they aren't. The Junior  and Crystal Penthouses have other perks, too.

 

Patty

 

10 minutes ago, Keith1010 said:

I have heard back from Crystal.  As I knew would be the case, when you redeem a milestone it does not deduct points.

 

As for the PH Level it applies.  I was for the benefits to apply guest must have sailed and booked in a Sapphire Suite not an Aquamarine Suite. Valid upon completion of Milestone voyage.

 

Applicable to voyages only in lieu of As You Wish credit or Cruise Fare Savings in Aquamarine and above categories.

 

If you have questions they recommended that your TA speak with a Reservations Supervisor to clarify this or any other benefit.

At the same time (this is me) you could ask more questions when on board your voyage.

I hope this helps.

 

Keith

 

 

 

So are you saying that Sapphire is considered PH but Aquamarine is not?

And it appears that the milestone awards are the same as 2019

Thanks

[Keith1010]

5 hours ago, bayonejoe said:

 

So are you saying that Sapphire is considered PH but Aquamarine is not?

And it appears that the milestone awards are the same as 2019

Thanks

Awards are the same as 2019 confirmed by Crystal. 

 

The information about Sapphire also comes from Crystal but if there are questions they advise speaking with a reservations supervisor.

 

Keith