Hyatt’s new partnership with MGM M Life’s 12 Las Vegas hotels has launched. The two programs now offer reciprocal earning and redemption. Next month we expect them to implement status matching between the programs.
- Hyatt Gold Passport Platinum maps to Gold (mid-tier of 5 levels)
- Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond maps to M Life Platinum (second highest, behind invite-only Noir)
- M Life Gold, Platinum, and Noir will receive Hyatt Platinum
What I haven’t seen discussed yet is that this will yield substantial cruise benefits for Hyatt members who receive their comped status in the M Life program.
That’s because, as MJ On Travel reminds me, M Life has launched a partnership with Royal Caribbean cruise lines as well.
Hyatt elites will get M Life status, and M Life status is recognized with several perks on Royal Caribbean.
Hyatt Platinum, the status you get just for having the co-branded credit card, will get you M Life Gold. And that yields:
- Departure lounge access
- Priority Checkin
- Welcome Amenity
- Complimentary specialty dinner
- 5 onboard drink vouchers
Hyatt Diamond yields M Life Platinum which entitles to several benefits in addition to those for M Life Golds:
- 10 onboard drink vouchers rather than 5
- Priority waitlist for shore excursions, spa, and dining
- 30 minutes free onboard internet
Now there are a some qualifications here. The benefit chart suggests that M Life Platinums (and Noirs) get a free cruise each year.
I am confident that this benefit will change, or rather that comped Hyatt Diamonds will not be given free Royal Caribbean cruises.
I had heard that each year Noirs received free cruises from Royal Caribbean, I didn’t realize it applied to Platinums. Details online suggest that the M Life Platinum benefit of a 3, 4, or 5 night Bahamas or Caribbean cruise in an ocean view stateroom is “based on recent M Life play” which would seem to exclude Hyatt Diamonds from automatically receiving this.
I’m not big on cruising personally, but for those who are it’s additional benefits of the Hyatt-MGM partnership that I didn’t even realize were baked into the cake.
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You’re right. Any Diamond who is anticipating a free cruise based on the mere fact of having Hyatt diamond status is… Well frankly… Dillusional.
@Tom – Really? It’s delusional to utilize a status match in a manner unintended by its creators in order to obtain a benefit that would otherwise be considerably more expensive? Wow. I guess all of us travel hackers are delusional then. Thanks for your brilliant insight.
@Jonathon. Yes. Dilusional. What is unclear about this? “Details online suggest that the M Life Platinum benefit of a 3, 4, or 5 night Bahamas or Caribbean cruise in an ocean view stateroom is “based on recent M Life play” which would seem to exclude Hyatt Diamonds from automatically receiving this.” If one has a lot of recent M Life play…start packing. Otherwise keep dreamin
Anyone else interested in the details of “SeaPass Cash Advance Fee Waived”?
@Tim cruisecritic search suggests that you can pull cash out, e.g. at the casino (several years ago the max was $2k/day) and it gets charged to your credit card. Doing that at no fee does appear to suggest you can manufacture spend in international waters..!!!
@Tim – Fair enough. I did neglect to take note of that detail. Though I do wish you would have taken note of the correct spelling of “dillusional.” 🙂
Have to agree with Tom on this one..
Hopefully this doesn’t mean that the cruise set is also going to get reciprocal status benefits at Hyatt….
@jonathon fine. We’ve established that I have problems with spelling and that you have problems with details.
So tell us, all you lovely bloggers who were gifted with M Life Noir status as a bribe to write incessantly about the Hyatt/ M Life relationship. Will you guys be getting a free cruise as well? Hope you’re reporting that as income on your tax return!
Just imagine the Hyatt Diamond bringing a giraffe on his free cruise. “But I am a Diamond guest!”
As a M Life Platinum (earned the old fashioned way) I am offered “free” cruises a couple times a year. Although, “free” is an inside cabin for two and you have to pay port charges, taxes and other fees. The last time I checked an inside cabin ended up costing about $200 per person for a 5 night cruise to Caribbean. While not a bad price, the same room was available to anyone on their website for $349 all in. If you want to get a balcony room you can use the credit and apply it to the upgrade. You end up getting a couple hundred dollar discount. Not bad, but definitely not free. I usually find similar prices by tracking various cruise websites for their specials and free amenities (like free gratuities, room credit, free spa, etc).
FYI if anyone is in a similar situation as I was this weekend – visiting Vegas at the end of July before the August status matches: I headed to the MLife counter and had no issues getting my Hyatt status matched. HOWEVER, I think it helped that I had my Hyatt elite card as they were a bit confused until I showed them the card and they matched it up with an info / FAQ sheet they had been issued.
Use your Sapphire Preferred card to pay your onboard expenses (including any cash advances) and get 2X UR points…. just sayin’.
@Seth – “So tell us, all you lovely bloggers who were gifted with M Life Noir status as a bribe to write incessantly about the Hyatt/ M Life relationship.”
Is that true?
If so, and it’s not disclosed every time that these bloggers (and that includes YOU, Gary) write about these “deals,” then that makes the bloggers dishonest at the least, and pregnant with conflict of interest at the worst.
Frankly reading this blog periodically is difficult enough as it is with the insufferable, convoluted writing style; that disclosures are not forthcoming would not be a huge surprise.
@KeepingItReal – I disclose conflicts, potential conflicts, and perceived conflicts probably more than most. I certainly haven’t been provided with anything to write about the program. I think that “Hyatt elites getting cruise benefits” is something that’s new/novel and previously not covered. I attended the M Life launch event though not as a blogger, got a paid MGM Grand night out of it (cheap elite stay credit!) nd I haven’t blogged my experience about the event. I’m sorry you fid this blog “difficult, insufferable, convoluted.” 🙂
It’s interesting that the insinuations come from a blogger who received comped United Global Services, and also a Chromebook from a travel technology company who hoped it would limit his criticisms of them. Just sayin’. 🙂
The last time I cruised on celebrity, there was a charge for obtaining cash from the casino cashier.
@De, there normally is a charge. It’s waived as part of the M Life benefits.
@mj,
I am elite on celebrity without status matching, etc. iirc, the cashier still mentioned a fee for the casino “cash advance”
@KeepingItReal….simple…then don’t read this blog. Gary is great and Gary, keep on doing what you’re doing. Some people are just bitter and you can’t worry about them. Oh, and KeepingItReal, did you receive those benefits???
While I love reading the comments this is already a dead issue. Mlife stated months ago the free cruise benefit is only for qualified members and not for anyone with a comped status.
But hey. All fly off the handle and think you’ve found the next great thing. Like I said, love reading the comments…..
@De. This”deal” has nothing to do with celebrity at all. Royal Caribbean only.
To get these benefits you have to see the casino host onboard.
Mlife does not offer any real status on royal. Just perks. Total status, which is lifetime, gives real status at mlife but all mlife status from comp are coded as such.
The benefits are valuable, but said upfront in the post — no cruises…
On the T&C of RCCL it says: “Crown & Anchor Society members that earned M life tier through our partnership tier match are NOT eligible to receive onbaord partnership benefits.” Doesn’t this mean that Hyatt Platinum=M life Gold=RCCL Gold Tier Benefits list won’t work? It seems like we will have to actually EARN the M life tier.
I read a lot of conflicting stories. Can anyone answer some simple questions about MLife & Crown & Anchor ? Do you get the Mlife points – from gambling and staying in vegas – or just gambling – or just from staying ? are you able to use these benefits on RCCL – in the casino only – or everywhere on the ship ? I am a diamond plus member.. if we stayed at the MGM grand – do you have to gamble to achieve any Mlife points ? in order words – please answer simply – what do you have to do to get points – ie: free drinks on RRCL, etc.