Referral Coupons and Amex Platinum OBC

[MarciAnn]

Can you use both the referral coupon and the onboard credit from Amex Platinum? For the donor of the referral coupon (us) we wouldn't get the benefit of the referral coupon until our next cruise. But can the couple with we refer (who is travelling with us) get to use both?

[Host Dan]

Yes, the referral OBC is combinable with the amex plat OBC. The only credit that is NOT combinable with the amex plat OBC are TA credits such as virtuoso etc..

 

Host Dan

[wripro]

Dan, are you sure about that? I was told you could not use the Amex OBC if using a referral credit. If I was wrong II missed out on the Amex credit on two cruises.

[surfersgirl]

Yes, the referral OBC is combinable with the amex plat OBC. The only credit that is NOT combinable with the amex plat OBC are TA credits such as virtuoso etc..

 

Host Dan

 

Dan, Can you combine Carnival shares OBC with a referral credit?.

We don't get the luxury of Amex OBC since we live in Australia.

[Host Dan]

Dan, are you sure about that? I was told you could not use the Amex OBC if using a referral credit. If I was wrong II missed out on the Amex credit on two cruises.

Yes, I am sure about that. In December I used 1 referral ($400) and 2 TA credits ($400 each) for a total of $1200 OBC. At that time I was told that I could choose between the Amex credit or the TA credit. (TA credit a much better deal, as I was able to use 2 as the cruise was back to back, whereas the Amex credit would be a one time thing for the 2 weeks)

 

Host Dan

 

PS Not sure about the Cranival shares credit poilcy..

[wripro]

Thanks, Dan. If you were here now you'd see me kicking myself!

[marazul]

Dan,

I have been able to use my TA credits along with the referral coupon credits. However I was not allowed to use the AMEX Platinum credit together with the referral credit. I tried this twice, once receiving the referral and once giving it. Needless to say, I used the referral credit because it's better than AMEX.

So my choice (twice) was either Referral OBC or AMEX, NOT either AMEX or TA.

M

[Host Dan]

Interesting. Maybe the TA didn't realize this was the case, but didn't go any further with it after I decided on the TA's credit instread!

 

Host Dan

[wripro]

Now I don't feel so bad because that's what I was told as well by SB.

[MarciAnn]

Thanks everyone for your responses, but I just want to make sure I understand. You can use a OBC granted by your TA along with the referral coupon but you can not use the he AMEX Platinum OBC with the referral coupon OBC. Is that correct?

[marazul]

Thanks everyone for your responses, but I just want to make sure I understand. You can use a OBC granted by your TA along with the referral coupon but you can not use the he AMEX Platinum OBC with the referral coupon OBC. Is that correct?

 

Correct.

You can always use TA OBC.

You can use TA OBC with referral.

You can use TA OBC with AMEX.

 

But,

you cannot use AMEX with referral.

You cannot use TA + AMEX + referral (which is what we all want!)

[Host Dan]

Maybe someone can call a very informed TA about this. I was told that you couldn't use the AMEX OBC with a TA credit (like Virtuoso). You had to choose which one was a better deal.

 

Host Dan

[LaPaloma]

Dan, that is what we have always been told by SB. You can only have one "goody" for the maximum amt. per room. That includes, referals, Amex, and Virtuoso. It is NOT for the TA to say. SB is the final word on that. Lola

[Host Dan]

Lola,

My point is that I Received the referral and 2 TA OBC on last cruise (totaling $1200). Not just 1 credit, but 3. (Or maybe 2 for the first week and 1 for the second)

 

Host Dan

[marazul]

Dan,

on our last cruise, we had $1000 TA OBC + $400 referral OBC.

We could not use the AMEX or the "extra" Virtuoso credit. There may be two different credits obtained by TAs - one directly from TA and one because of Virtuoso or other similar group.

"Goodies" such as referral, AMEX and Virtuoso are mutually exclusive. So you pick one of those and add all your direct TA credits ($400 per week).

M

[Host Dan]

This explains alot.. Thanks!

 

Host Dan

[wripro]

I wonder if on the world cruise, where SB is giving us a $1000 OBC, we'll be able to use the Amex credit too. I certainly hope so.

[surfersgirl]

Hi,

But can I use my Carnival shareholder credit and a referral credit ???.

After all the palaver to buy the shares it would be nice to able to get the OBC.

Jean

[seapenarth]

Dan, that is what we have always been told by SB. You can only have one "goody" for the maximum amt. per room. That includes, referals, Amex, and Virtuoso. It is NOT for the TA to say. SB is the final word on that. Lola

 

Sometimes depends on 2 weeks, back to backs. ?:confused:

[mimisandy]

As a novice to the boards, would someone please either go into more detail on all these credits or attach a link that explains them? I am not aware of what a TA credit, amex platinum credit, etc. I have a feeling we have access to some OBC that we are not taking advantage of.

[shefinch]

Sometimes depends on 2 weeks, back to backs. ?:confused:

David,

Do you mean you actually get any of these credits (apart from the referral credits and even then it seems outside the States we have to battle to get those!).

Shelagh

[seapenarth]

David,

Do you mean you actually get any of these credits (apart from the referral credits and even then it seems outside the States we have to battle to get those!).

Shelagh

 

No I have had none of them. I mean some back to back cruises can allow for two benefits.

[marazul]

mimisandy,

 

Referral coupons - SB originated. You can receive one for your first SB cruise from a previous SB traveler. After your first SB cruise you get two referral coupons to give to first time cruisers. Both the giver and the receiver get $400 OBC each. So you can get a total of $1200 OBC over three cruises. Search this board for "referral coupon"

 

AMEX - If you pay with an AMEX platinum card, you get $300 OBC (maybe more with some special AMEX promos). This is mutually exclusive with a referral OBC, so save it for your fourth SB cruise!

 

Virtuoso, AMEX frequent sailors, etc. - Some travel organizations offer extra perks, such as special dinners, tours, etc. On my last cruise, the special event wasn't held, so I had a right to an extra OBC instead. However, since I was using a referral credit, I was not entitled to this one. Also mutually exclusive OBC with referral OBC. (It would have been ok to have the special event if they had held it without regard to other OBCs.)

 

TA credit - This is a goodwill rebate from your TA on his/her commission. You can always get it because it does not come out of SB's profit like all the above goodies. Usually, $400/week and you can receive as many weeks as your TA gives you. (So on a three-week cruise you can get $1200 or whatever your TA offers, if anything.) But it is up to your TA to give it. If the TA is also member of Virtuoso or AMEX, you may also get the special goody above. But these are separate from the TA rebate OBC and you can get them if you are not using the referral.

 

Not familiar with the Carnival shareholders credit. So I don't know how it works.

[DaveMary]

Sometimes depends on 2 weeks, back to backs. ?:confused:

 

Our TA actually rebooked us as two separate 7-day cruises, back to back, rather than one 14-day cruise to take advantage of one week being "on sale." Does this mean we can use a second referral coupon? If so someone offer me one! :D

[marazul]

Referral coupons are for first time cruisers only. So on your second week you are already a SB cruiser! After you get home, you'll get your two coupons to give to two different first timers.