Your (Loews) first benefits announced.

[calgarygary]

The changes are finally posted.

 

[calgarygary]

The main changes:
Blue status after second stay; Gold suite upgrade when available increased to $50; no welcome gift for blue; vague welcome gift for gold and platinum; the previously discussed $100 credit for platinum; destination package??? for gold and platinum.

 

[robandeye]

I know this was probably addressed somewhere, but if I'm traveling in August, do I still get the old benefits? This is my first Uni vacation and I was looking forward to the late checkout and being able to use the fitness center, especially since we don't fly out until after 8pm on the date of departure. And not for nothing, but these new benefits are kind of a disappointment.

 

[calgarygary]

I know this was probably addressed somewhere, but if I'm traveling in August, do I still get the old benefits? This is my first Uni vacation and I was looking forward to the late checkout and being able to use the fitness center, especially since we don't fly out until after 8pm on the date of departure. And not for nothing, but these new benefits are kind of a disappointment.

This can be answered with a big - maybe! Late check out is always based upon availability and if you are travelling in early August, the hotels could be too busy for that benefit. If you already have received your Loews First Blue card, then you should still have Blue status under the new program. If you haven't yet applied to their loyalty program, or if they delayed sending you a card because of the changes, then you likely won't have the benefits you were hoping for. The benefits may seem like a disappointment for those joining the program but for those of us that are platinum, we have lost a pre-decided welcome gift but get the $100 credit a custom created destination package (whatever that is) and a special welcome (gift? huge smile from staff? rose petals leading to the room?) and that is a great change for us.

 

[macraven]

#4

Loews reserves the right to modify or limit the availability including, among other things, imposing blackout dates and limiting special offers, guaranteed availability, or upgrade benefits. Free fitness center access where fees apply. 50% off resort fee where applicable. Food & Beverage credit not valid at restaurants in Universal Studios® Theme Parks.

now to find out the black out dates loews has............
if i am there during that time period, no amenities for me.



to answer the other poster:
from july 15 to january 15th, you need to have one stay to keep you at the blue level. if you do, you will have that level for the next 12 months based on the new rules loews has for the "you first" membership.

i have platinum level now.
i will qualify to keep it for another year as i will have a qualifying stay in october at loews, which is in the 6 month transitional period..

now to check out the black out dates in case they have changed this year due to the change of the loews program.......

 

[macraven]

looking at rule #4 again,

Loews reserves the right to modify or limit the availability including, among other things, imposing blackout dates and limiting special offers, guaranteed availability, or upgrade benefits. Free fitness center access where fees apply. 50% off resort fee where applicable. Food & Beverage credit not valid at restaurants in Universal Studios® Theme Parks.



which means nothing will be automatic or guaranteed in the new program.
i have gone with loews with the AAA card for the discounts.
i have the AP and expect to start using it for better rates in the future.

 

[sunshine1010]

HHHmmmm.....I'm a little confused:

I am a brand new member of the Loew's card. I haven't used it yet, but I have received my card and have already made my reservation for March 2009.

How, exactly, will this affect me? If I'm understand correctly...I've basically been 'cancelled out' since I'm a 'blue' (not sure what I am now) and I won't use my card until March 2009.

 

[macraven]

HHHmmmm.....I'm a little confused:

I am a brand new member of the Loew's card. I haven't used it yet, but I have received my card and have already made my reservation for March 2009.

How, exactly, will this affect me? If I'm understand correctly...I've basically been 'cancelled out' since I'm a 'blue' (not sure what I am now) and I won't use my card until March 2009.

you will receive 250 reward bonus points for your first stay in 3/09.
that is all you will receive until you have 2 separate qualifying stays at a loews hotel.

you will stay at "Member status" until you have 2 stays in the time period of march '09 to march '10.
if you only make one stay at a loews in that time period, you will continue to be a "member" status based on the chart.

once you have those 2 stays in at a loews hotel, you will attain blue status membership.


looking at the chart, you are a Member at this point.
Blue status is when you have had 2 stays at a loews hotel

 

[goofy!]

What I think stinks is that it is now just the amount of stays rather than the # of stays OR # of nights stayed.

We don't stay 10 separate times, but we always managed to get the 15 nights in for our Platinum status.

Now, we will never be able to keep our platinum because we will only have a few long stays.

Bummer!

 

[macraven]

i agree goofy......the only thing that might go in our favor is the grace period of 6 months begins july 15th. if you stay during that time period (7/15/08 to 1/14/09) you will keep your platinum status for 12 months without meeting the 15 different stays.

i only do 2 stays a year at the most but i stay in orlando for the fall trip 15 days. other visit is shorter. if i return to the loews hotels on site before oct 8th, my platinum level will hold then for 09 fall trip. after that, i will fall down to the lower level.


here are the black out dates for 08:

Hard Rock Hotel® at Universal Orlando
2/16
3/17-3/22
10/10, 10/11, 10/17, 10/18, 10/24, 10/25, 10/31
11/1, 11/26-11/29
12/26-12/31

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando
2/16
3/17-3/22
10/10, 10/11, 10/17, 10/18, 10/24, 10/25, 10/31
11/1, 11/26-11/29
12/26-12/31

Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando
2/16
3/17-3/22
10/10, 10/11, 10/17, 10/18, 10/24, 10/25, 10/31
11/1, 11/26-11/29
12/26-12/31

for 09, only january has been listed so far and the uo hotels are not blacked out then.

i will check in on the day before a black out.
my stay will be counted as only 2 nights out of 5 night stay are not blacked out.

 

[sunshine1010]

What are black out days?

 

[Subi WRX]

black out dates are just what they sound like. dates where the benefits do not apply.

I think it's cool that peeps aren't blue with their first stay. Why should they be just for signing up online for a free program?

Sounds like it's going to be really hard for the casual Universal visitor to maintain his status tho. Ashame they don't consider total # of nights. Even if you have one reservation and check in and check out each night. That is a pile of crud. I can do 15 nights, but not 10 separate stays.

They are recruiting business travelers and discouraging leisure travelers.

Will start taking our vacation dollars elsewhere. Loews had a niche in the market. It was one of the few hotel chains that rewarded the leisure traveler. Now they are telling the leisure traveler to suck it. They shouldn't be doing that in a declining economy where vacation dollars are becoming more and more discretionary.

Loews, are you listening: BOO!

 

[Subi WRX]

What I think stinks is that it is now just the amount of stays rather than the # of stays OR # of nights stayed.

We don't stay 10 separate times, but we always managed to get the 15 nights in for our Platinum status.

Now, we will never be able to keep our platinum because we will only have a few long stays.

Bummer!

I was thinking about this.

This is the current rule:

A stay is defined as all consecutive nights at one hotel, even if the Member checks out and checks back in during those dates. The Member must reserve the room in the Member’s name and stay overnight.

So, if you go for 3 nights, spend night 1 at RPR. Night 2 at HRH. Night 3 at PBH. That should count as 3 separate stays, right? No consecutive nights at one hotel. I would do that just to tick them off, but I would do one stay of 10 nights, switching between the 3 onsite hotels each night.

 

[AlisaMom]

What I think stinks is that it is now just the amount of stays rather than the # of stays OR # of nights stayed.

We don't stay 10 separate times, but we always managed to get the 15 nights in for our Platinum status.

Now, we will never be able to keep our platinum because we will only have a few long stays.

Bummer!

Same for our Gold level If someone stays 5 separate times for 1 night - Gold Level. If I stay 2 times for 4 nights each - Blue level

 

[d4est]

I think everyone should let there disappointments be known...email away!

 

[jmagla]

From a personal point of view I am less than impressed, not sure how they can justify the benefits to be more of "what we want".

I have booked into the HRH for 7 nights this August as Blue status, now we will not get a welcome gift (no great shakes but a nice touch nevertheless) and this will no longer qualify us for the next level of membership. We are returning to Orlando (we live in the UK) in April and had hoped to take advantage of the free upgrade. We certainly could not stay enough times to maintain blue status never mind progress to the next level.

At the end of the day they can do what they want, which is fair enough, but I will be canceling 4 nights of this stay in August (3 nights will suffice to reap the benefit of front of line access for the two parks) and will not return in April.

Cheers Michael

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Can i just ask probably a really stupid question. I have not yet applied for a Lowes card at all and won't be staying in one of their hotels until our next UO trip at end of 2010. Is it worth me joining?? I guess there are no benefits for someone new at all???

 

[calgarygary]

Can i just ask probably a really stupid question. I have not yet applied for a Lowes card at all and won't be staying in one of their hotels until our next UO trip at end of 2010. Is it worth me joining?? I guess there are no benefits for someone new at all???

There is very little incentive to join if you are only likely to use Loews Hotels in Orlando and if you are only visiting at most annually.

 

[keishashadow]

a shame, have a feeling they were hit "hard" @ Universal properties as to budget for gifts/upgrades Evidently, the properties are @ occupancy status they feel they can institute the program changes, knowing they can always tweak it in the future or run room specials to fill the hotels.

i booked APH for October (because AAA was sold out ); know it's not qualifying...yet, the verbage in the new rules does mention

standard rates,

third party rates

discount program &

promotional offers

so would this disallow for credit AAA & sales, ie. anything BUT rack?

YouFirst benefits and points awards are based on completion of a qualifying stay at any Loews branded Hotel. A qualifying stay is one at any standard rate published by the hotel. Group, volume corporate and consortia rates do qualify under the terms of the YouFirst Program. Third party, government, Universal Passholder and Universal Florida resident rates do not qualify, nor do rates through any other discount program, coupon, complimentary or promotional offer.

 

[patster734]

a shame, have a feeling they were hit "hard" @ Universal properties as to budget for gifts/upgrades Evidently, the properties are @ occupancy status they feel they can institute the program changes, knowing they can always tweak it in the future or run room specials to fill the hotels.

i booked APH for October (because AAA was sold out ); know it's not qualifying...yet, the verbage in the new rules does mention

standard rates,

third party rates

discount program &

promotional offers

so would this disallow for credit AAA & sales, ie. anything BUT rack?

YouFirst benefits and points awards are based on completion of a qualifying stay at any Loews branded Hotel. A qualifying stay is one at any standard rate published by the hotel. Group, volume corporate and consortia rates do qualify under the terms of the YouFirst Program. Third party, government, Universal Passholder and Universal Florida resident rates do not qualify, nor do rates through any other discount program, coupon, complimentary or promotional offer.

Sounds like the current Super Saver rate wouldn't qualify now either.