Thinking about reserving a cruise with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection — the brand new cruising arm of Ritz-Carlton? Here’s the excellent news in case you hope to maintain your money outlay down: It’s one of many few cruise manufacturers the place you should utilize factors to pay for a visit.
It’s additionally one of many few cruise manufacturers the place you may earn factors when paying for a visit in money.
That’s as a result of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is collaborating within the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.
Specifically, Marriott Bonvoy members are in a position to earn and redeem factors on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises, in addition to get pleasure from elite standing perks on voyages. This is welcome information contemplating that some unique Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties don’t take part within the Marriott Bonvoy program and Ritz-Carlton properties don’t supply the identical vary of advantages for elite members that different high-end Marriott-associated labels do.
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That mentioned, the incomes and redemption charges and elite perks for Bonvoy members reserving The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises are considerably totally different than they’re for Ritz-Carlton and Marriott lodge stays. Below is a information to the whole lot you must know.
Earning Marriott factors and elite standing on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Marriott Bonvoy members earn 5 factors per greenback spent on cruise fares when reserving The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection journeys. They additionally earn factors on lodge packages at collaborating Marriott Bonvoy accommodations booked by way of the model.
Note that members don’t earn factors for spending on incidentals, and elite members don’t earn their ordinary factors bonuses on spending. Everyone simply earns a flat charge of 5 factors per greenback.
Related: 1st photographs of Evrima, the brand new Ritz-Carlton cruise vessel
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The 5 factors per greenback are good however not nice, in fact. By comparability, nearly all of Marriott accommodations — together with Ritz-Carlton properties — supply 10 factors per greenback spent on stays, together with on-property prices comparable to restaurant tabs and spa payments.
The ordinary exception is for Marriott’s long-term keep manufacturers, together with Residence Inn and Homes & Villas by Marriott, the place members sometimes earn 5 factors per greenback.
In addition to the above, Marriott cobranded bank card holders earn the identical factors bonuses when reserving a The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise that they do on eligible purchases at accommodations collaborating within the Marriott Bonvoy program.
On high of that base incomes charge, right here’s what number of factors you’ll accrue on The RItz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise fares relying on the Marriott bank card you will have:
Given how excessive fares are for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection sailings (five-night sailings begin at $4,600 per particular person), this might actually enhance your earnings dramatically.
In addition to award factors, Bonvoy members reserving a The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise additionally obtain one elite night time credit score per night time on board. Additionally, the cruise fare and lodge bundle charge apply towards the annual qualifying spending requirement for top-tier Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite standing.
Related: The 4 finest cruise strains for luxurious and class
Redeeming Marriott Bonvoy factors on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
The redemption construction for utilizing factors to pay for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises additionally works fairly otherwise from conventional lodge stays. Points have a hard and fast worth, so there aren’t any “sweet spots” to talk of. You additionally don’t want adequate factors to cowl your whole journey.
Here’s the way it works: You can redeem a minimal of 180,000 factors towards a flat $1,000 financial savings on the cruise fare. After that, you may redeem increments of 90,000 factors towards a $500 financial savings, as much as your complete cruise fare. As with paid bookings, you will need to name to ebook.
That’s various factors, for positive. Assuming you booked the least costly crusing presently out there on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, with a fare of $4,600 per particular person, you’d want greater than 800,000 factors to cowl the complete value of the journey. That’s not per room however per particular person. Also, it is for the least costly rooms on the ship.
Some high cabins on longer sailings can value $30,000 per particular person or extra. If you need to ebook one completely utilizing factors, you’d want 5.4 million or extra factors. Again, on a per-person foundation.
This redemption charge equates to about 0.55 cents per Marriott level, which is properly beneath TPG’s valuation of 0.84 cents per level, however the identical you’d get when redeeming for trip properties by way of Homes & Villas by Marriott.
Marriott additionally allows you to redeem factors towards cruise bookings by way of its Cruise With Points program. In that case, redemptions begin at 63,000 factors for a $250 credit score, yielding an excellent decrease 0.4 cents per level in worth, so at the least luxurious cruisers will do higher than that.
Related: How to ebook a cruise utilizing factors and miles
Elite recognition
Although Bonvoy elite members may not earn bonus factors on their voyages, their standing will nonetheless get them particular perks on board. The advantages are totally different from these provided by accommodations because the cruises are already all-inclusive.
Here’s an summary of the advantages, damaged down by standing stage. The advantages will apply to the elite member, plus any companions staying in the identical suite.
Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite | Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite | Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite | Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Private invitation to Marriott Bonvoy elite reception | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Choice of in-suite welcome present (varies by standing stage) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Complimentary first night laundry urgent | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Priority boarding and departure | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Early entry to S.E.A. specialty restaurant reservations | ✓ | ||||
Complimentary laundry all through the cruise | ✓ |
It’s good to see that Marriott has thought by way of find out how to reward its elite members on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises with perks like early restaurant reservations and complimentary laundry. However, in our opinion right here at TPG, it will have been extra spectacular if suite upgrades or some form of bespoke service had been included for top-tier Ambassador Elites.
Bottom line
The incomes and redemption charges for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises could seem a bit lackluster in comparison with the charges discovered for lodge stays within the Marriott Bonvoy program. However, it is nice information that the model is collaborating in this system.
At least Marriott Bonvoy members can earn some factors on voyages and have the choice to redeem factors for financial savings — albeit at a low-value charge. Further, there are some tangible advantages for elite members.
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Source: thepointsguy.com”