Gold Points can be very confusing.

Used to be if ONE passenger in a cabin had a gold points card then the points for BOTH passengers were assigned to that one card. It was best for a married couple to only have one card as all the points would accumulate on the one card making it faster to get to reward levels. Both parties could redeem the 100,000 point level for the maximum benefit of $400 each.

Well they came out with a household account. I knew that without a household account ONLY the person whose name was on the card could claim 100,000 for a $400 benefit. This really only impacted those who cruised a lot and really racked up the points as few people have 200,000 points to redeem on a cruise anyway. So I did not think it necessary for everyone to get a household account.

However, I just discovered that if there is only ONE gold point account in a cabin now ONLY that person earns gold points. So now it is necessary for everyone who travels with the same person and lives in the same household to both have a goldpoints number. Once you both have a number you then need to merge the accounts into a household account and make ONE of the numbers what they call PRIMARY.

This way you earn maximum points, can merge points for faster award redemption and can both claim redemptions for the full 100,000 - $400 award.

Bottom line - everyone needs to get a household account. Thought you all should know how it works now. We will get this all done and they will change the rules again!

Since the household account came out I have been getting clients who did not have a gold points number the household account. I also did that for the people who cruise a lot as I knew we needed it for maximum redemptions. For Petlover for instance on the world cruise.

I will be trying to help people get this accomplished as we go along with new bookings. To jump in and try to change all our clients immediately would probably take a full 2 to 3 weeks or longer of doing absolutely nothing else all day. It is a time consuming process. You cannot do this over the phone or by email. They need it in writing with a signature of the gold points member.

If you do this if you can just send an email so we know it is done and which card is primary that will help a lot.

Thanks for the update, Ngaire! (have to get an account for Amanda now)

Masaki

I am confused as usual, I read that message with my eyebrows all scrunched up :)

I think I have a household account already, is there something else I must do?

Glad to see I am not the only one confused. When I log into Gold Points, Alan's name appears. Am I to assume that the account is Alan's, only and not a household account?

Am I also to understand correctly that both account balances can be merged to "spend?"

I just logged into Goldpoints and we don't have a household acct. Mark has a number and so do I (I found that info on the RSSC website guest form)

So, do I need to combine us both into a household acct?

Editing to add, please don't answer that question...I reread your post and it is much clearer now :)

Just got my Gold Points number.

Denise,

Tell me how you got your number as Ngaire said it had to be done in writing? I'm really confused as I spoke to Gold Points about this subject sometime in the last month and was told there was no need for a household account. After our cruise in July we will be over 100,000 points if properly credited. HELP!!

Thanks,

Ngaire
I am assuming that as a single traveler I am OK, but that if Clay ever decides to come along, just change it then?

Kathy, I logged onto the Gold Points website and joined under my name.

www.goldpoints.com

Alan has his own acct. and number, which we used in previous cruises. The sum of our expenses were in that account. Now that there is a change, I guess my number and his will be merged into a household acct. (I'm assuming that is what Ngaire will do - I hope I don't add to the confusion!).

Hope this helps Kathy.

The signature is required to create a household account not to just get a number.

www.goldpoints.com and you can get a number. Then call 1-800-508-9000 option 9 is general help and tell them you want to merge those into a household account.

I have never done this myself I have a girl who does nothing all day but gold points she told me today that the household account used to be able to be done on the phone but now they needed the request in writing. I will ask her on Monday for clearer directions and post them. I just wanted to get this information out to everyone.

I am not surprised the Gold Points reps did not understand the need for a household account. They represent the gold points program in general and often dont quite "get" how the Cruise Line works in the area of redemption and accumulation.

Betty that is correct at this point you are fine.

Kathy, you can also find your goldpoints number in your guest form that you can view on the RSSC website. (the one with all your info such as your passport #, Society #, etc.)

Thanks all,

I knew we only had the 1 #, obtained by Ngaire last year on booking 1st RSSC cruise. Went to Goldpoints site and joined under my name and will await Ngaire's further instructions about combining into household account. Never received a "physical" card when enrolled initially; will see if I do now that I've enrolled.

Karen,

There's a Society # also? Never noticed! Where?

Kathy, it's on the Guest Information Form which you can find by clicking a link next to any of the cruises you have booked. I don't know if the link is still there if you have no cruises booked?

I think your Society number and Goldpoints number will only be on this form if you have cruised before or have an upcoming cruise and your travel agent or you yourself have entered the numbers on the form.

Ngaire, Thanks so much for the clarification and for getting Tom his own card which just arrived.

A word to all.....note the exchange rate when redeeming points as the more points you redeem, the less bang for the buck! You can redeem 50,000 = $200; 100,000 = $400 but when you redeem 200,000 pts. it backs down to $600, not $800....and continually gets worse after that!

It really doesn't make sense to ever redeem more than 100,000 for one cruise. But At that rate, I'm not sure I can ever go through all our points so we may just have to bite the bullet and exhange more at the DECREASING UNFAVORABLE exchange rate. Oh well, guess it's a nice "decision" to have to make.

If you each have a Goldpoints number, can each person in the couple use 100K points for the booking? Or would that be considered 200K points and less bang for you buck?

Mark doesn't have a number, but at my extraordinary balance of -0- points, I'd say our getting a household account isn't at a critical point yet.

OK, so Clay had the only Goldpoints number for our 1st cruise, but now I have gotten one for me as well and printed out the application form for a household account and will send it in to Gold Points. I have entered my Gold Points number on my Guest Information Form at RSSC.com, but I do NOT see our Society numbers anywhere there. We have cruised before and have another cruise booked. Am I not looking in the right places? Not on Guest Info Form or My Account. Also, here is another question, when we submitted these Guest Info Forms originally, we each had different Emergency Contact Information, now mine says it is the same as Clay's and I see no way to re-enter my own since there is now just one line there saying "same as Guest 1". Anyone have any ideas? Thanks if anyone can set me on the right path, Debbie

Hmmmmmm....good questions?? Hopefully Ngaire can clarify. Most of us are all in the same boat with one spouse having all the points and the other with ZERO since this change.

Debbie,

I don't see a Society # on the Guest Information form either.

Karen: Each person can submit 100k for the $400 if each has a gold point number. The only reason to "household" is that you can accumulate your points together to reach award levels faster.

If you travel a bunch like Marcie and Tom then really a household account is not that big a deal as you will most likely accumulate enough on your separate cards. Still does not hurt to household. For instance since Tom and Marcie are now householder, either one of them can claim any of those points.

If you only travel once a year a household account is necessary as you can (a) combine your points and get rewards faster (b) should you get to a 200k level you can both claim 100k each.

Emergency contact information is always going missing. I dont know why. We enter it and enter it and enter it and it keeps disappearing. For some reason this one field has problems. Best thing to do is fax in a form again but be prepared it could disappear again. That is why I like people to send forms to ME first, I keep a copy then when things go wrong I can fix it from here as I have the information on file.

I dont use the internet to add information to the guest forms. I dont know why the society number does not show.

Thanks for your help, Ngaire! Will send you my personal Gold Points # and will add to GIF as well. Will also submit Householding form unless I hear different instructions from you. Might as well take advantage of all possibilities!

Have never seen a Society #, but I assume you have it?

Actually I dont need society numbers. Your name pulls over the society savings. It is easy to call RSSC and get the number but I dont really use them or store them.

Hmm, Jerry and I both had a gold points account (plus I had two or three different accounts). I recently (a couple months ago) combined all of the gold points numbers into one account which I'm assuming is a household account. Ngaire, I emailed the combined account number to Brown and Keene, so I think you have it. Let me know if I need to do anything else.

So I have a fairly unrelated Goldpoints question. We are booked for MUSH, and won't have accumulated enough Gold Points for a reward until after we've made final payment for the cruise. So, after you've made final payment, can you then cash in Gold Points for onboard credit? Or do you just need to wait til your next cruise to use the credit?

Mary

At this time you can cash them in after the final payment.

Ngaire, I didn't think we got the points til weeks after the cruise was completed?

Ngaire,

Could you remind me how Golpoints on cruise fare paid are calculated? I have 12,000 goldpoints + whatever Bob and I will accumulate on NINJA cruise fare. If I'm understanding correctly Marylis question and your response above, Goldpoints rewards can be used for shipboard credits?

What is the lowest reward level? 50,000 goldpoints?

I think MaryLis are saying if BEFORE they cruise but AFTER final payment they accumulate enough points by way of a credit card or some other method to cash in gold points can they do it once final payment is made.

The answer is YES, it is a little tricky but it can be done. I have to send them a check for the redemption. It is MUCH easier to cash them in against the cruise fare prior to final payment.

Gold Points cannot be used for onboard credit at all only as a reduction against a cruise fare and supposed to be done before final payment.

Points are not posted to your account until you disembark the cruise. Normally within one to five weeks depending on how far behind they are running.

50,000 points $200
100,000 points $400
200,000 points $600

First time cruise 5 points per $1 spent on the cruise fare only. Second cruise and future cruises 10 ponts per $1 spent.

NO points for airfare, pre or post, port tax etc ONLY the actual cruise fare after all discounts.

Ngaire,

Thanks so much for the clarification. I'm printing this so I won't forget and ask again :)

One thing to keep in mind with Goldpoints is that they come off the cruise fare before some of the other discounts. I believe they come off before SSS and onboard discounts (I may be wrong as it might be one of these two and then TA discount). Therefore, instead of saving $400, you would save only $361.

Therefore, I am saving my goldpoints for cruises that don't have these discounts such as three day cruises or cruises that don't qualify for SSS savings.

Are goldpoints awarded on 2 for 1 cruises? Did I read somewhere they weren't?

No gold points on 2 for 1 cruises and sometimes no gold points for other highly discounted cruises also. The What a Fare deal sometimes does not qualify and then sometimes it does.

"RATS" :(

I have to find out about our Goldpoints. I had about 80000 goldpoints when I got an email statement last and then somewhere they disappeared. I never get statements. I have never redeemed them. I have over 50 cruising days.....Help - who do I call to find this stuff out?

Easy Kathy:
1-800-508-9000 ext 2 enter # hit 1 = amount of points.

Your current balance is 134,950

31056 was posted for your PIP cruise. NOT enough. That is just for one. You do not have two numbers or a "household account" and none of the PIPSTERS do as no one knew this was necessary to get points for you both. Your old agent like me did what was best at the time and just got you one number. I actually found out by checking levels posted for the Pipsters.

To all PIPSTERS!!!

We are going back to get numbers for the other spouse, merge the accounts - get household accounts and then we are going to request the miles for the second person for the PIP cruise.

We are also going to do this for passengers that have sailed where gold points were awarded (not 2 for 1 or what a fare cruises - no Diamonds) where it is still possible to go back and get miles reinstated.

So all just hang lose and we are going to take care of this for everyone. It is probably best that no one do anything personally at this point with Gold Points as it could just mess things up. I have two ladies who are going to be doing almost NOTHING but gold pointing for the next couple of weeks.

Wish those poor girls a few asprins!!!

OK - our points posted properly in one account!!

Ngaire,

Thanks in advance to you and the ladies in your office for this thankless task!

Maria - Not thankless !
Ngaire - Mush Appreciated!! (I did not say much - I get to spend my points on MUSH!)

Thanks, Ngaire and everybody, for explaining the ins and outs of Goldpoints for me :)

I check my Goldpoints balances at www.goldpoints.com. You probably have to register before this will work - I have a User ID and password. I have a Goldpoints credit card but I assume this site also works if you don't (though I have a shaky track record with assumptions, so you might check it out yourself...)

Thanks again,
Mary