Firepath
newbie
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2016
- Messages
- 482
- Reaction score
- 286
- Points
- 173
- Location
- Northwest US
- Resorts Owned
- DVC
I know no one is cruising now, but can this be done? Have any of you done it?
They actually shut down using points for a discount on cruises ( you could never pay for the whole cruise with RCI points) around October of last year. They advertised the change for months.You will find people that have done it. You cannot do it at this time. RCI recently shut down being able to use points for hotel discounts .... looks like they don't want to be on the losing end of a lot of people trying to get out of their glut of points.
They discontinued all points partners for hotel, car or airfare as of January 1, 2020 with no notice. It had nothing to do with Covid they discontinued their relationship with ICE (International Cruise and resort exchange) who administrated the points toward other travel. I believe ICE still administers those types of exchanges for Interval international (hotel exchange and cruise exchange).
That is still there. Go to booking and then go to book with points and cash. Not the same as it used to be. Up until last year I could book a single night in a $350 hotel and use about 40,000 points plus a $25 points partner fee. Now If I want to book a $350 hotel I can use a max of 2000 points (up to 10,000 on a single booking of 5 + nights) and get $0-$40 of and still pay $310 for that hotel room. Yes in the past the $350 might not have been the least I could get it for but it usually was $290-$350 on other sites so I could really use the points toward the hotel. The 2000 points per night I can use now is closer to the monopoly money savings dollars for all of the hotels I've seen but maybe you can find some actual deals, it will still cost hour hundreds in cash vs the old $25 but you use fewer points.Actually earlier this year they brought back being able to use points to get a discount for hotels, but it went away with the most recent website update.
Here is a thread when people were discussing using points for hotel discounts as late as July. I shopped around, saw that I could, but didn't pull the trigger on anything.
To the OP, this a good cruise agency to receive cruises quotes . IMHO.I use cruisecompete.com You will get multiple quotes from several agencies.
We have booked cruises through Interval International (not exchange for a cruise), and got the impression that those were always booked through Intervals Travel Agency. I can't think of the name right now. Are the cruise exchanges handled differently? I know that ICE works with a lot of the big hotel chains on cruise bookings when you use your hotel points to book a cruise.ICE (International Cruise and resort exchange) who administrated the points toward other travel. I believe ICE still administers those types of exchanges for Interval international (hotel exchange and cruise exchange).
I am pretty sure that in 2015 the small print disclosure said that interval options for cruises went through ICE. I don't know that ICE was booking the cruise or just offering to straight monotanize the exchang. They so seem to do it all internally though their owned company WVT worldwide vacation and travel. I can't trace when that change took place but maybe 2016 or 2017.We have booked cruises through Interval International (not exchange for a cruise), and got the impression that those were always booked through Intervals Travel Agency. I can't think of the name right now. Are the cruise exchanges handled differently? I know that ICE works with a lot of the big hotel chains on cruise bookings when you use your hotel points to book a cruise.
That is still there. Go to booking and then go to book with points and cash. Not the same as it used to be. Up until last year I could book a single night in a $350 hotel and use about 40,000 points plus a $25 points partner fee. Now If I want to book a $350 hotel I can use a max of 2000 points (up to 10,000 on a single booking of 5 + nights) and get $0-$40 of and still pay $310 for that hotel room. Yes in the past the $350 might not have been the least I could get it for but it usually was $290-$350 on other sites so I could really use the points toward the hotel. The 2000 points per night I can use now is closer to the monopoly money savings dollars for all of the hotels I've seen but maybe you can find some actual deals, it will still cost hour hundreds in cash vs the old $25 but you use fewer points.
Friday, September 18, 2020 | 283.35 USD247.14 USD |
---|
Total Savings | 42.07 USD |
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Points Used | 2000 |
Room Cost: | 283.35 USD247.14 USD |
---|---|
Tax Recovery Charges and Service Fees: | 39.97 USD |
Total: | 329.18 USD287.11 USD |
Payment: | |
---|---|
Due Now: | 287.11 USD |
It was working for me using chrome. I will try again now.
Points plus cash
Virginia beach 9/18-9/19
Residence Inn Virginia Beach
The word is this is a very nice hotel and outstanding location and outstanding ocean front room views.It was working for me using chrome. I will try again now.
Points plus cash
Virginia beach 9/18-9/19
Residence Inn Virginia Beach
View attachment 26447
Oceanfront
Room: Suite, 1 Bedroom, Non Smoking, Oceanfront 1 King Bed Free WiFi, Full Kitchen, Free breakfast, Free valet parking, Breakfast Buffet, Free self parking, Free High-Speed Internet. Rate for 2 people per room
Friday, September 18, 2020 283.35 USD247.14 USD
Total Savings 42.07 USD Points Used 2000
Room Cost: 283.35 USD247.14 USD Tax Recovery Charges and Service Fees: 39.97 USD Total: 329.18 USD287.11 USD
Payment: Due Now: 287.11 USD