Resort credits usage

**randymon** · January 20th, 2011, 09:10 AM

Greetings to all:

There has obviously been some confusion over what may or may not be purchased using resort credits. For this I take full responsibility. That being said, here is the list of items at the resort that MAY be purchased using your resort credits:

Spa and salon treatments
Private Dinners
Wines from the Manager's wine list
Telephone calls from your room
Gift shop purchases
Photographs and photo packages offered by the resort photography concession.

What MAY NOT be paid for with resort credits:

Offsite Excursions
Scuba certification
Jewelry, craftwork, etc from local vendors
Casino Tokens

If you have qualified for the credits, please make sure to mention it upon arrival at your resort. We will then issue you a voucher alerting all departments of your credits.

**Jazzygirl** · January 20th, 2011, 09:26 AM

This doesn't help the confusion. I say that because I called CSA last Thursday to confirm our reservation (1/22) and I specifically asked the woman if I could use the resort credits to pay for scuba certification. I was told, yes, and to make sure I charge it to our room. I already paid to take the PADI course online because I was told I could use the $500 credit to pay for my certification. I won't let it ruin my vacation but I won't be getting my certification that I've been looking forward to.

**newtocsa** · January 20th, 2011, 09:36 AM

This is ridiculous. Originally it said that you can use these credits on anything you can charge to your room now it is being changed. Why? Last year when I was there we could buy cigars outside of the Palms restaurant and charge them to our room. Can we use the credits for the cigars?

**Vickyj** · January 20th, 2011, 10:00 AM

Do you know if they will be bringing back the duty free jewelry/cigar/rum shop to CTI? They still have it at CSS, but we can't use our credits there when we stay at CTI. Just wondering. Thanks!

**newtocsa** · January 20th, 2011, 10:10 AM

How much does it cost to get certified? I did the online certification and just ned my dives? At CSA.

**Zazu** · January 20th, 2011, 10:18 AM

Very clear.

**debbanks** · January 20th, 2011, 10:46 AM

Randymon,
In order to receive credits we have to book online correct? Not with a TA?

**Sherm** · January 20th, 2011, 11:23 AM

Thank you for the clarification. I have yet another question. My wife and I are returning to CN in April and are at the Passionate level. I understand that a $200 credit will be replacing the upgraded room perk. We are staying in an Oceanview level room. If there would be a room available at the next level when we arrive, would we be able to apply that $200 credit toward that room upgrade? Thanks again.

**melody** · January 20th, 2011, 12:17 PM

I'm really disappointed in this since we were initially told we COULD use our credit for scuba and now, almost a year later, we cannot. I don't think we could possibly spend $500 on any of those other things and we were looking forward to diving.

**IceMonkey77** · January 20th, 2011, 01:22 PM

I appreciate the clarification.

I will admit I am rather disappointed as we were going to use the credit to get certified for Scuba. Can we use the credit to go an individual dives as we have already passed the resort test? Can that be charged to our rooms? Does the cost for certification go to an outside company? Trying to understand the rules.

Thanks,
Scott

**iriesue** · January 20th, 2011, 02:43 PM

Randymon, thank you for the clarification. I appreciate the early booking bonus and feel there is plenty here to choose from. I am back home in 9 days and look forward to choosing how to spend my credit.
Thank you
Iriesue

**Myapapya** · January 20th, 2011, 10:31 PM

Thank you!

**Sue and Randy** · January 20th, 2011, 11:04 PM

Randymon, would this notification be cared for by a timely registration via the Romance Rewards program?

Randy

**Elena** · January 21st, 2011, 10:02 AM

Hi Randy,
Could resort credit be used for Night Snorkeling?

**backsoon** · January 21st, 2011, 10:21 AM

Does anyone wonder why Randymon isn't offering this again this year? Thanks though, Randymon,for doing it in 2011. We will thankfully use the credits for what you have listed.

**Redsoxnation** · January 21st, 2011, 11:29 AM

#43 February 6th, 2010, 07:57 AM
randymon Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 580

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Steve & Cindy,

All Couples Resorts are on a cashless system now. That is, you cannot pay as-you-go for anything during your stay. Upon checkout you will be presented with a bill that includes anything you charged to your room. The $500 resort credit may be used to pay off these charges. If you do not purchase $500 worth of goods or services, there is no refund or credit after your departure.

I hope this helps. Bottomline - spend the $500 credit while you are at the property. Spa, gift shop, offsite excursions, telephone bill, Manager's Wine list, PADI certification... You should not have any problem finding ways to spend this credit.

Just wondering how the offer can change? These were the rules stated when we booked. I was told upgrades could be paid with the resort credit. I hope this hasn't changed too.

**True Brit** · January 21st, 2011, 12:06 PM

I presume we can still use it against the cost of night dives?

**BrendaandBruce.PA** · January 21st, 2011, 12:54 PM

Bummer, I was looking forward to doing the horseback riding on the beach @ CN. Oh Well.

**melody** · January 21st, 2011, 02:26 PM

The really unfortunate thing is that many, many people who have the credit (and were told it could be used for anything that can be charged to the room) do not read the message board and will have no idea that the things they planned on using it for are no longer eligible until they check out. That's going to be a real shock for some people because not everyone has an extra $500 sitting around to pay for things they only bought because they thought it was going to be covered by the credit. This is frustrating for me but at least we know about it ahead of time. I would hate to have to scramble to spend $500 at the gift shop before I leave and then find somewhere to pack everything I just bought but I would also hate to leave without spending it. My suggestion would be to email all the people who have a reservation that includes a credit and let them know what they can and cannot use it for.

**hillystyles** · January 21st, 2011, 02:35 PM

For those questioning the cigars...I got a clarification from Sean at Couples via e-mail because that was our issue as well. We have always charged the cigars to the room.

The cigars can no longer be charged to your room so that is why you can't use the resort credit for them. Same with the jewelry person...Apparantly there were some issues so Couples no longer allows those vendors to charge your purchases to the room.

Yes I'm disappointed because you could usually cut a deal with the guy and they had more then the gift store did at CN, but I also understand Couple's position. I'm sure they must have had some pretty major issues before they decided it was no longer in their best interest to allow it.

**busr25** · January 21st, 2011, 04:24 PM

Very dissapointing, since this $500 credit is what caught our eye when we were looking for a place to go for our 25th Anniversary trip. We've been booked since Valentines Day '10. Now we've got 35 days to start saving for any off-site tours we wanted to do...

**zorbarick** · January 21st, 2011, 07:57 PM

I was also very specifically told the credit could be used for Scuba certification, which was one of the primary reasons I booked what I did when I did. I'd probably still be going without this perk, but I probably would have planned my trip differently. I even gave my wife a certificate for Scuba certification as a Christmas gift, knowing I had the credit available to pay for it.

I certainly understand not allowing offsite excursions, and I think that was pretty clear all along, but until now, there has been nothing that would lead anyone to believe that Scuba did not qualify (and again, I specifically asked the question before booking). I really think someone should examine this part of the (new) policy, especially for those of us who booked long ago, under different rules.

**Steve & Cindy** · January 21st, 2011, 09:32 PM

It seems that was a nice perk has upset many people. Maybe a simple resolution next year is a simple discount at the end of the trip from bill, or creidt, say $100 for every year of a returngin menber, up to $500 max, or something.

I really feel bad for randy and couples for a wonderful program that has been taken wrong by so many.

**melody** · January 22nd, 2011, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by Steve & Cindy

It seems that was a nice perk has upset many people. Maybe a simple resolution next year is a simple discount at the end of the trip from bill, or creidt, say $100 for every year of a returngin menber, up to $500 max, or something.

I really feel bad for randy and couples for a wonderful program that has been taken wrong by so many.

I'm not trying to argue but I don't see how it has been taken wrong by so many. We booked a certain deal and were told it was good for one thing then almost a year later we are told that the deal we booked is actually something else. Some people already found this out as they were departing! The credits are currently being used by people who have no idea any of this has changed. It's not like we were just assuming the credit could be used for certain things and we were wrong, employees of Couples told us what the credit was for and then changed it. This wasn't an extra perk for many people. We budgeted out our vacation based on what we were going to spend and what we wanted to do. Scuba certification is an expensive thing and this credit was a large part of our decision about where to go and how long to stay because we were factoring in the total cost. Now our total cost is higher even though we haven't changed anything or done anything wrong. Some people won't even find this out until the are departing and are hit with a much higher bill than anticipated because they bought things that were covered by their credit, or so they were told. The basic concept here is that people entered into a contract with a company and the company changed the contract after it was in place but didn't notify everyone of the change. That just isn't right.

**ORV** · January 22nd, 2011, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Steve & Cindy

It seems that was a nice perk has upset many people. Maybe a simple resolution next year is a simple discount at the end of the trip from bill, or creidt, say $100 for every year of a returngin menber, up to $500 max, or something.

I really feel bad for randy and couples for a wonderful program that has been taken wrong by so many.

Actually they were only expecting to get what was posted they would receive, as Randymon stated the responsibility is his. It wasn't taken wrong, there was mistake made in what was promised.