ICE Cruises
I've been a member for about 6 years. I received a 35 yr. membership to Ice when I bought my very first unit at Playa Grande (have bought all other timeshares second-hand... but was a big dummy the first time around!). I used to LOVE Icegallery, but now so many of the resorts have fallen out with Ice that there aren't many resort units available anymore (unless you like Mayan Palace... they're always in there). The good news is, you can basically pick up a week at a resort for what is the equivalent of that unit's maintenance fee. For example, we rented a two-bedroom unit in Las Vegas for only $500 for a week! Great value!
We also booked a cruise through them. It used to be that you got a certain discount based on the size/location of the unit that you deposited. For instance (and this was several years ago), we got an $800 per person discount for a luxury suite on an Alaska Cruise. However, now I notice that it doesn't matter what size unit you deposit, you'll only get a fixed discount. And, now their cruise prices are the same 'fixed' prices that you see on every other cruise website. The cruise industry pretty much put a stop to anyplace offering discounts. Seems like no matter which travel agent you use, or which cruise website you use, they all offer the exact same price for the cruises (even on Ice). A few places might offer an onboard credit, or if you're lucky, an upgraded room (but be careful of that... you might be 'upgrading' to a room with an obstructed view... those are often the rooms that don't sell). The only deep discounts on cruises that I can find anymore are for last-minute cruises. Unless you're self-employed or retired, it's really hard for your average person to use those.
So, these days, Icegallery is only good (IMO) for getting cheap units at 3-star (or if you're lucky, 4-star) resorts. And, you'd better check inventory daily... usually, good units at good resorts are usually gone the same day they are posted on Icegallery.
Donna W.
donnaw85 wrote:The good news is, you can basically pick up a week at a resort for what is the equivalent of that unit's maintenance fee. For example, we rented a two-bedroom unit in Las Vegas for only $500 for a week!.
Did you rent from Ice or from an individual? I've come to realize that if you do your homework and research on the internet that you can find nice rentals at reasonable prices without the hassles of timeshare ownership.
There are SO many rental outlets on the internet now that were not available just a few years ago.
R P.
With ICE, you don't have to deposit a unit in order to rent one of their available units. Is that what you meant?
I have rented and exchanged privately a number of times. I find the prices on ICE to beat anything I've been able to find privately; however, the inventory on ICE is very limited (unless you like lower-end resorts, or non-peak times of years, e.g., Arizona in the summer). So, when I find something on ICE that I want, the deal can't be beat. The trick is finding and reserving that primo week the minute it appears on ICE before it gets snatched up by someone else.
Donna W.
In regards to cruises check out www.crucon.com/todayspecial.htm www.VacationsToGo.com NorwegianCruiseLine@xmr3.com GrandCircleTravel@gcc.01o.com
They send me specials all the time. Actually, a search on "cheap cruises" will reveal a lot I am sure. I normally figure if I can get the cruise for $100 a day or less per person, I am doing well. I see some cruises out there for $60 to $90 per person. So, shop around and be flexible on your dates.
Rich C.
Hello! Has anyone used annual "saving credits" given by ICE? Which are the opinions of how they worked out? I have been offered to purchase the membership because I have just cancel a just-bought TS and requering refund . As their last struggle, they are offering me ICE reward lifetime membership discounting from the refund about $2999 plus 825 activation fee. The contract says that every year (for 10 years) the program would giving me $1000 on saving credits to spend on booking hotels, resort or cruises. Sounds pretty good deal but just want to know if this is REAL or it is another scam (being quite scary because I have been almost scamed from the TS that I have purchased, I realized on time that what the sellers said were totally different from what was writen on papers so I rescind on due time). Now i'm in the waiting period of refund which is legally 15 bussines days but some says it could take as long as 45 days. I think it was the last effort that the TS developer tried to do to save part of amount that they have to refund. For me, if this is an "ok" deal (not actually expecting too much), would be a quick and easy way out of the conflict with TS developer, and I would get the rest of my money immediately back from the hole. Help!
Chien W.
chienw wrote:...because I have just cancel a just-bought TS and requering refund . As their last struggle...
If you have just legally rescinded and are getting a refund, take your refund and be done with them.
What it sounds like these people are offering you is a travel club membership. Most of these travel clubs aren't worth the paper they're written on. The costs you are spelling out in your post seem too steep.
Besides, with most of these travel club memberships, you end up spending more money than you originally planned in order to receive these "discounts".
Just be glad you rescinded your original purchase in time.
Lance C.
In fact, I do glad to rescind on due time. But this is about a Mexican TS developer that I recently known from red week forum about their bad bad reputation (glad to find this forum before 5 days rescission time) so little bit scary to the possibility of an international lawsuit even when I do have a case. That why I'm talking about easy way out of this mess by accepting to change part of refund to this membership. But not knowing how it works or if even work at all. I never expect to get profit from this program though don't want to wast money either. IF saving credit works , then probably I could recover this membership fee with time. IF not, I would be screwed 3800 dls. That my dilema.
Chien W.
chienw wrote:...so little bit scary to the possibility of an international lawsuit even when I do have a case. That why I'm talking about easy way out of this mess by accepting to change part of refund to this membership.
If you rescinded in time (which it sounds like you did, yay!), then there is no lawsuit. That is probably just an idle threat from a sales person about to lose his commission. These sales people will tell you all sorts of things, including outright lies, to get you to buy. I suggest having no further contact with this person as nothing good will come out of it. All he will do is twist your arm trying to get you to buy something that is too expensive and you don't need.
If you are still considering buying a travel club membership, the very few that might be worth the cost would only be worth it to you if you travel four to five weeks per year and travel luxuriously. Then the savings might compensate after a few years of traveling.
Lance C.
I haven't heard of any great savings from the program. For the most part you can only use a portion of the savings credit on each purchase. The savings for most products would be off the rack rate. When the saving dollars are applied you may save you a few dollars. I think you would be lucky to get more than $100-$150 in actual savings per $1000 in savings credits and that is if you spend $500- 1000 on their listed products. If you spend $2000-$4000 of your own money on vacation packages or cruises then you might actually save $200-$400. If you are booking $5000-$10,000 in high end cruise cabins you might actually save $800-1000 in actual savings over the lowest prices you could find elsewhere.
Tracey S.
I went on a Mediterranean cruise and put up in an affiliate resort in Venice. I liked them both. I too am a life membership. I believe it is good as long as you are an RCI member or a member of the resort you got it through.
You can get last minute resorts through all resorts for as low as $49 a week.
Call an ICE rep. They can help explain all the perks.
Another thing....Read all emails sometimes they offer to put money into your account. I just got one such email and got $1000 put into my account towards my next ICE Vacation.
If you do not plan on using your resort time, call them to see what they will give you for it in lieu of banking; I sometimes have more banked than I can use.
martinr10 wrote:Hello,I have been given one years free membership to the ICE cruise exchange company (www.icerewards.com) and am thinking about becoming a full member. Has anyone used this company before for?
Many thanks Martin
Kathleen F.
Dear Martin
I signed up for a lifetime membership with ICE for approx. $4000 (with renewals at $29 per year). They have some kind of deal with the Vidanta resorts (Grand Mayan etc) in Mexico where you can get great promotional offers for well below cost. They also gave me resort/cruise certificates which I have use to book a week at Pueblo Bonito resort in Cabo and a Caribbean cruise. They also have quarterly deals where you can get below cost vacations (mostly at the Vidanta resorts) but others as well. I would caution you if they try to sell you points. Their salesperson basically lied and told me that 20,000 points would get me a week at resorts in the Carribbean I was interested in. Turns out those resorts are 100,000 points. I am in the process of trying to recover $2200 I paid to upgrade to elite status based on these lies.
Lisa D.