Upgrade question

[rjammin]

I'm hoping someone in Couples land can help me. I've used the same on line TA for the last 4 years for our trips to Couples. We booked CN for next April when the $500 resort credit promotion was offered. I'm confident that I will be getting a decent bonus at work this year and wanted to surprise my wife with an upgrade from a Garden Room to a Garden Suite. My TA told me that I would lose the $500 credit if I did that. I'm finding it a little hard to believe that a simple upgrade in a room on the same travel dates would cause us to lose this $500. I'm pretty disappointed because I know my wife would be thrilled but I don't want to lose the $500 credit.
Any TA's out there than can fill me in?

[randymon]

rjammin,

Depending on who your travel agent booked with, the reservation systems generally consider these type of changes as a cancellation and rebooking. Hence the loss of the credits.

That being said, tell your travel agent to call 1 800 COUPLES and we will ensure that you do not lose your credits. If the issue reaches my desk, I have no problem telling the tour operator the same....

We look forward to welcoming you home again soon.

[rjammin]

Thanks for the quick response Randymon! I'm contacting my TA right after I post this and I'll be sure to post what I'm confident will be a positive result.
Just another reason we all love Couples!!

[spingirl]

Randy's response to this situation, really makes me feel that Couples really listens and will try to help whenever possible. Thanks!

[Irie at CN]

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't bother with the suite upgrade. We booked CN for Christmas this year (and last year too) and we booked to get the credit as well. We only stay in the garden rooms when we go. Yes, the suite is much larger, has a hammock on the balcony, so what. Why not spend the money on something tangible, the credit will only go so far. Maybe your wife would like to learn scuba and get certified, or maybe get her one of the romance packages for arrival, or private dinner on the beach or heaven forbid - some elaborate spa treatments! Really, how much are you actually in the room, the beds are so comfy in any room.

[rjammin]

Randymon is the mon!! As I previously posted, I'm following up with the result a mere 5 hours after my last post.
I contacted my TA via email right after posting this morning. My TA responded within the hour that she would have to check with the parent company and get back to me. About 2 hours later (three hours after my original post), I received a phone call at work from my TA and a rep from the parent company saying that they "spoke with Randy Russell and it was all worked out. We will upgrade you to the suite and you will still have the $500 resort credit". I agreed to the additional upgrade charge for the suite and an hour later I received an email with a new receipt detailing the changes.
Thanks Randy & Couples for the personal touches you do for your guests. This is why we return to Couples every year. Knowing what to expect from Couples and CN, we still would have had a great time but it will be even more special now. My wife and I are of very simple needs but hey, every now and then a guy needs to spoil his wife. Especially since she's put up with me for 31 years of marriage . I'm not going to let my wife know about the upgrade. I'll just wait until April 17th and look forward to seeing the look on her face and hear the words she'll no doubt mutter; "they gave us the wrong room, we better go back down and let them know".
Thanks again Randymon!!!

[lmctravel]

Randymon is the mon!!
.
Thanks Randy & Couples for the personal touches you do for your guests. This is why we return to Couples every year. Knowing what to expect from Couples and CN, we still would have had a great time but it will be even more special now.

Thanks again Randymon!!!

Well said. And, I am a travel agent and have to tell you that the District managers follow up with the TA and personally send out thank yous! Plus the reward us well too! Just absolutely love couples philosophy - they treat EVERYONE like family!

[cleversole]

AWESOME story and VERY sweet gesture too! Your wife is a lucky woman and will have the time of her life (again!) at Couples. Makes it that much more special to do something as a surprise.

[rjammin]

QUOTE=Irie at CN Just my opinion, but I wouldn't bother with the suite upgrade.
I can appreciate what you're saying Irie at CN and I have responded to other posts in the past pointing out that a Garden Room at CN is the way to go, that's all we have stayed in at CN in our past trips (except once, see below). Last year it was a garden verandah at CSA but the 2 prior years it was a penthouse at CSS. That spoiled us, especially with the room service at CSS which is one of the perks you get at CN in the suites (dinner). We took advantage of that at least one night through the week at CSS, very romantic.
Besides that, there is a good reason why I want to get the suite.
It has to do with what happened to us on our first trip to CN back in 2004. I used a local TA in town, supposedly very reputable. I told her I wanted to take my wife for a very special place to celebrate our 25th anniversary. I decided that CN was the perfect place for this and had checked out a few online TA's to get prices. I shared those prices with her and she told me "if I can get you a suite at CN for the same price as a garden room, would you book with me"? I told her absolutely....yes! She called me a couple of days later and told me "I got you the suite". I was thrilled and couldn't wait for the 9 months to go by. When I picked up my paperwork from the TA, I asked why a suite wasn't noted on the room selection, it was a garden room. She said this didn't matter because she had this all worked out with the owner & VP of Couples. She told me that, because she was primarily an agent for the S resorts, the top guys with Couples had met with her to promote Couples as well. Our upgrade was a gesture on their part to win her over I was told. Made sense to me.
I slipped and told my wife about the upgrade so both of us were pretty excited, especially since we were going for 11 days.
Imagine our reaction when we arrived and found out we had a garden room, not a suite. The next 2 hours got pretty ugly (me, not the staff at CN). It was our first time to Couples so my first reaction was to blame them for the mistake. Wrong, we got cheated by our TA. Our TA even gave us 2 names to mention when we got there if there was a problem (I won't mention those names here). Karen, the manager was a saint. She actually made numerous phone calls and finally got the TA on the phone. The TA lied to her and then to me that the suite was never promised. We were devastated. The whole time my wife just sat on a lobby couch and cried. Yes it was only a room but this was a very special occasion that we had so been looking forward to. Great way to start the trip. Karen felt so bad that she upgraded us to an Oceanview room. After checking in to our room and having a drink to calm down, I went back down to the front desk to apologize for my behavior to the staff & Karen. They had every reason to be upset with me but they were very understanding and professional and assured us that we would have a great time. They were right. We had 3 other couples arrive 2 days later and we renewed our vows in the beautiful garden by the spa. We even had the 2 couples we met on the bus come for this. That night was a better reception than our wedding was.
So Irie, this is the suite we didn't get back in 2004 so, 7 years later, we'll have it.
Thank you Randymon & Couples, we love you guys!!!