2014 Centurion Benefits

[Extasea33]

I have also fallen flat with Centurion concierge a number of times. However i have found the James Edition website to be a great place to find those rarer items on my own.

 

[Pukka]

Almost the end of 2014 I can report that I got $10 off a $50 spend at BP today lol can anyone better that

 

[3eef]

Finally had enough of Amex after 20 years. I'm cancelling my cent card and all other cards and moving. Service is just so average. I spent $5.5k in fees last year and still they screw up every little request. Every travel booking is more expensive than online, every concierge request outside of book me a table at a restaurant goes without a real reply.

So I've decided a nice contribution to a holiday each year is a much better way to park my $5.5k

At the moment it looks like the Citi Prestige Visa will be the way to go. Any thoughts?? I primarily fly SQ these days and am PPS

Now I also have to work out where to park my 1m membership rewards points before I cancel SQ by default any other suggestions?

 

[marki]

So sorry to hear about your experiences, I fortunately have found them to be very opposite of what you said basically , however the travel concierge has been a bit hit and miss at times, but as long as you know that, there are heaps of positives like centurion travel chauffeur to from airports when in J or F, enroute care, and other positives like travel insurance.

 

[PLANT]

You can park your 1m SQ points in my Krisflyer account if you like!

 

[3eef]

Hi Marki,

Yeah I find that Enroute Airport Service doesnt really help me as most of the time I travel with my APEC Card and have a EU passport too so never really find value in the service. However I accept to some this is a great benifit.

Limos have been useful from time to time, but I have usually got a driver for the duration of my stay and hence again don't use it that often. When I have in the UK I ended up paying more as I wanted to go somewhere the included service didn't include... I think it was about 70 miles and they only do 50...

What I used to find value in with Amex Concierge from Centurion was delegating tasks and getting them done and done well. My EA is assigned on the account and she would also use them to help her process tasks.

For instance I have an important family birthday coming up please look for a vintage rolex like (attach picture)

I saw this painting in X hotel lobby here is a picture please can you track the artist and help my buy some of their work.

I want to go to vegas for a few days please plan trip...

Where they used to do it and do it well, for at least the last two years all I get is stupid responses and no real answers. IMHO It's not worth the effort. I held with them for a while hoping they would fix it, but alas where they used to actually employ talented people with true concirge skills... they seem not to now...

Final straw was when I wanted a couple of suites at a particular hotel booked. They came back saying only one available and at $1900 per night. No alternate suggestions no similar hotels nothing. So I look online direct on the hotel website and could book 2 suites as I wanted for $580 per suite per night... What the ...

I then spoke to agent who was "sorry" and didn't think to look on the hotel web site but instead only used their booking tools... After I pointed it out they then called the hotel got the rooms I wanted at the correct rate... But I question, when you have to always check or do something yourself, why bother paying for it. When they dont use their brains or expertise, what is the difference between AMEX travel booking and just calling up your local flight centre??

The Prestige of the card well having owned a black card for over 5 years I can safely say that it has got me into somewhere I wouldn't otherwise have maybe 4-6 times if I am generous...

Finally the insurance, yup it is indeed a good product can't argue there... I will miss it.

I think for me it is neiter the cost nor the value, but what I expect. In my business dealings we have a rule what ever you commit to you deliver. If that means you lose money then so be it, just don't F88k it up. Amex IMHO doesn't get service anymore... they take their HNW clients for granted and don't do the basics well anymore.

That is why I will be leaving.

Now don't get me wrong, Citibank are SHOCKING too, but they at least waive the $700 fee becuase we spend $40k a month... They recognise the value of our custom in fees rather than wanting to charge for prestige.

I would hazard a guess if anyone asks themselves really truly, do AMEX live up to what they comit to you in the brochure the answer is no. I'd love to hear of a test where they really do get it right.

So sorry to hear about your experiences, I fortunately have found them to be very opposite of what you said basically , however the travel concierge has been a bit hit and miss at times, but as long as you know that, there are heaps of positives like centurion travel chauffeur to from airports when in J or F, enroute care, and other positives like travel insurance.

 

[3eef]

You can park your 1m SQ points in my Krisflyer account if you like!

LOL - I deserved that!

But you know what AMEX won't even let you do that... For instance I can't transfer them even to a supplimentary card holders account... It must be my own!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Finally had enough of Amex after 20 years. I'm cancelling my cent card and all other cards and moving. Service is just so average. I spent $5.5k in fees last year and still they screw up every little request. Every travel booking is more expensive than online, every concierge request outside of book me a table at a restaurant goes without a real reply.

So I've decided a nice contribution to a holiday each year is a much better way to park my $5.5k

At the moment it looks like the Citi Prestige Visa will be the way to go. Any thoughts?? I primarily fly SQ these days and am PPS

Now I also have to work out where to park my 1m membership rewards points before I cancel SQ by default any other suggestions?

I hear you 3eef - I hear you!

Did exactly same in March this year - after 28yrs with AMEX.

YES Prestige your best bet - but warehousing in Citi can make you a little nervous.

As for your existing MR pts you have no alt that I am aware of - transfer them to KF before cancelling only thing you can do.

 

[gregff]

Citi Prestige is good, but Amex Plat (and I assume Cent) complimenary insurance is much better. For example, on rental car excess (Citi has very small payout, possibly under 10K), while Amex Plat covers you for a much larger amount (over $100K if I remember correctly). Travel inconvenience insurance is also far superior with Amex. For a premium product from Citi it, matching Amex Platinum would be appropriate.

 

[sparoz]

I would say the service is definitely not $5k like but their manners are generally 5k worthy. I am still using 5k worth of the service, but after various issues the question has to be asked again if I will renew next year. Here are my experience in the last two months:

The bad:

1. Travel: after my complaints I was given by the best TA they have got. It is obvious that she is overworked and didn't pay attention to detail I expected. After various back and forth I have given her a routing. However, she didn't look through the dates and actually booked the actually dates of the route rather than the dates as discussed. It is sort of my fault but it was clearly stated that I need to be in Dubai on 13th for a conference on 14th but she has me on the flight flying on the 13th. She also missed an accommodation booking and I didn't discover it till a few days before and the price has gone double because now I have to book for a Suite that I didn't need and forgot to inform the pickup transfer in Hong Kong that my flight was changed - I remembered when I was sitting on the plane and made a phone call to the hotel myself.

2. Concierge - I wanted flowers to be sent to my wife on a Sunday. I emailed my normal concierge but she has the day off, so it was left with the rest of the team. I got an email from them saying that it can't be done and apparently the only florist around the area doesn't accept Amex. Not until I get really irate then she make a few more calls to made it happen. So a simple request but they seems to make it sounds too hard.

The good:

1. Fast track through LHR made it a breeze, but could have used it in JFK instead.
2. I have booked relatively basic room in every hotel but I have a suite upgrade in every single hotel, and some a few categories upgrade. I think the most I have stayed was in London was three nights and the rest just 1 or 2 nights make upgrades a lot forth coming. I was able to make use of most cent amenities as well so that was definitely some big savings.
3. Enroute definitely have save some $ and I found the subsidy relatively reasonable.

The mix bag:
My normal concierge as usual comes up with most of the good, but I think she was frustrated by other Cent team around the world with their delays and quality of suggestions. Everything she personally handle was fantastic, but things that she has to go through other teams was less than average. The London private guide was poor, and the German team come up with driving with BMW Driving Experience as something special even though I told them my tight schedule. However, the Japanese restaurants she organised was fantastic and perfect recommendation on what I was after.

I am a bit disappointed the same question has to be asked at the renewal date - and unfortunately I think the answer would be the benefit just paid the bill, where you would expect a 5k fee would give you fantastic service that I expect my staff to deliver.

 

[Pukka]

I find Centurion very hit & miss, I rang up once asking about hotels & they told me to look on the Amex travel website which I found f###### unbelievable but I rang up recently for a Valentine's restaurant booking in Melbourne & they gave me 6 choices highlighted the "special menus for Valentine's Day " & made a provisional booking at all of them for 24h until I made a choice. It was a refreshing change and a really good effort. I guess it's just luck of the draw either you get someone who likes/ values their job or not

 

[Homer]

Yes that was my experience at one point too. I think the solution is to work out who you prefer to deal with and then only deal with that person. I have an RM (travel) and a lifestyle contact that I deal with exclusively. The lifestyle contact has been there a while now, was a former concierge at a leading hotel and does things like proactively contacting me to schedule my wedding anniversary dinner each year, even if I forget, or suggesting new restaurants that I might want to try. When you find someone that you click with in the team, remember their name!

 

[sparoz]

I dropped my phone in the toilet at work last month and thought it would be cover by Purchase Protection Cover. However, it was denied by ACE insurance because there is an exclusion on damages to electronic equipment that happened at a work place. That's after spending ages to complete the claim form and looks like they are out there to deny as many claims as possible.

 

[pshepvic]

I dropped my phone in the toilet at work last month and thought it would be cover by Purchase Protection Cover. However, it was denied by ACE insurance because there is an exclusion on damages to electronic equipment that happened at a work place. That's after spending ages to complete the claim form and looks like they are out there to deny as many claims as possible.

At least next time you'll remember to drop it in the toilet at home instead

 

[Pukka]

I dropped my phone in the toilet at work last month and thought it would be cover by Purchase Protection Cover. However, it was denied by ACE insurance because there is an exclusion on damages to electronic equipment that happened at a work place. That's after spending ages to complete the claim form and looks like they are out there to deny as many claims as possible.

There's a few "grey areas" for sure. I've ordered a new car but delivery isn't until end of March so because I was offered a really good price for my old car I thought I'd just get some rentals from Avis for a couple of months.

I checked the policy & it says to qualify for free CDW it needs to be at least 250km from your place of residence. I rang Ace to confirm, they were very vague to say the least so I've just used tripcover who are underwritten by Allianz & charge about $4 per day compared to the $41 Avis want !!!

I agree though I don't think they like paying out

 

[Pukka]

100000 free Hilton points received today for re qualifying for Diamond status (only through Cent) so I cancelled an existing reservation for the F1 weekend & rebooked for 50000 points saving $349 & still leaving an extra 50000 in the kitty

Finally something actually worthwhile Hotel bookings have been good too recently maybe they're actually raising their game.

 

[Diesellife]

I didn't get that?! Mmmmm....

 

[Pukka]

I didn't get that?! Mmmmm....[/DIAMOND MEMBERSHIP:
A CUT ABOVE THE REST.
CONGRATULATIONS ON MAINTAINING YOUR DIAMOND STATUS FOR 2015.
CELEBRATE WITH A SPECIAL GIFT, FROM US TO YOU.
As a token of our appreciation, we want to reward you with 100,000 HHonors Bonus Points – enough for at least one free night stay at any of our 4,200 hotels and resorts.1

I'm sure it's on its way

 

[sparoz]

Interesting, but only tend to stay in Hilton on business these days... finding myself accumulating points everywhere but not being used.

 

[k3nnis]

Is there a list of official 2015 Centurion benefits?