Booking timing and hold-time tactics

MGM Rewards Cruises: How to Book BOTH Gold & Platinum Cruises Can MGM Rewards members book both Gold and Platinum complimentary cruises in the same earned-status year? In this episode, host Justin Vacula is joined by returning guest Marc Konchinsky to break down how it can be done, even when cruise reps and agents give conflicting answers. Marc shares his firsthand experience booking and sailing both a Gold cruise and a Platinum cruise, including a Radiance of the Seas sailing and a Wonder of the Seas sailing, while dealing with missing offer codes, incorrect account coding, long hold times, and an escalation process with MGM. Topics covered: How to book both MGM Gold and Platinum cruises Missing offer codes and account coding issues HUCA strategies and escalation tips Differences between Gold and Platinum cruise benefits Royal Caribbean cruise experiences and ship highlights Pre-cruise hotel stays and points strategy Status matching, travel planning, and card rewards discussion Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:45 MGM Cruises Controversy 01:47 Marc’s Two-Cruise Timeline 02:32 Codes and Finger Pointing 03:55 Email Escalation 06:51 Hold Times and Booking Tactics 07:31 Cruise Offer Details and Confusion 10:25 Perks and Why It’s Worth It 13:01 2026 Strategy and MGM Cards 16:35 Announcements and Affiliates 19:12 Live Update: New Code 20:14 Missing Cruise Benefits 21:02 Cruise Planning and Hilton Stays 22:24 Ship Highlights 23:15 Dining and Internet 25:41 Shows, Waterslides, and Amenities 26:40 Cabins, Bathrooms, and Balconies 28:00 Status Match Cruise Stacking 28:51 CocoCay, Casino 30:34 Upcoming Travel and Cruise Teasers 31:17 GM Credit Card Rewards 35:03 Why Three Hilton Surpass Cards 36:44 Final Tips and Listener Wrap — 🎙️ 📢 Listen to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast: 👉 SoundCloud → https://soundcloud.com/hurdygurdytravelpodcast 👉 Apple Podcasts / iTunes → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/id1489093490 👉 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/0PRUx83Z4XKHengsgOoLWg 👉 iHeartRadio → https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast-51807405/ 👉 …and many other podcast platforms worldwide! 🌍🎧 📡 Copy & paste my podcast RSS feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:706382626/sounds.rss — 💜 Support My Work & Unlock Special Perks: 👉 Support me through helpful referral links on my site: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ 👉 Use my CardPointers affiliate link to save on annual and lifetime memberships → https://www.cardpointers.com/hurdygurdytravel CardPointers helps you activate card-linked offers and take advantage of other powerful credit card features. 👉 Use my Savewise affiliate link to activate grocery coupons, maximize shopping portals, and more: https://getsavewise.com/pro?ref=hurdygurdy 👉 Become a Frequent Traveler University member and sign up for events. https://ftuniversity.com/?aff=24 👉 Earn 500 miles when signing up for Rove Miles using my referral link: www.rovemiles.com/?signup&referralCode=8AS1JSG9 — 👉 Visit the Support Tab on my website to contribute via SubscribeStar → https://www.subscribestar.com/hurdygurdytravel 🎁 Subscriber & Supporter Perks Include: ✨ One-on-one calls ✨ Advance notice of upcoming podcast guests (submit your questions!) ✨ A custom podcast episode ✨ Bonus content 🎁 — 🌐 Stay Connected With Me: 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 👍 Like on Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 🐦 Follow on Twitter / X → https://x.com/HurdyGurdyTravl 📸 Follow on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/justinvacula/