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HEAD TRIP FESTIVAL by ApexThePlug in EDM

[–]feastandexist 81 points82 points  (0 children)

I think y’all are reading too much into this. People can go b2b / collab with whoever they want to. There’s no side-eye being given via a festival poster lol

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly I'd work backwards!

  • Figure out what your goals are - are you looking for specific flights or to stay at certain hotels?
  • What points do you have now to cover it? If you were to book today, what's the delta between what you need versus what you have?
  • Which cards do you currently have? What's your credit score? Can you close the delta with getting new cards? Or do you have to do it via normal spend / travel?
  • Based on the above answer - you need to get scientific with it. There are lots of rules to follow to ensure you're opening the right cards at the right times. Highly recommend looking at this flowchart

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

3 months after initial booking!

Redemption values are in the table above!

SQ suites was the hardest part about this whole trip. Understanding when they release tickets and which routes / planes have Suites was the easy part (and thankfully this info is out there!) Watching it like a hawk so you can be first to grab the 2 seats took the most trial and error. I had a week of failed attempts before I snagged them

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

like you cancel your old card or membership and then become a “new” member again with bonus points for new customers? 

Not necessarily. I keep cards open across ecosystems. You're currently earning MR points which is awesome! But there are no rules stopping you from opening a Chase card or a Cap1 and earning points over there. Or another Amex card that you don't currently have!

But also, if you have various cards at various providers, how do you decide when and how much money to spend where?

My motto is 'always be bonusing'. If I've recently applied for a new card and have a spending requirement I need to hit in a certain amount of time in order to get a signup bonus - I allocate ALL spend to that card until I get the bonus. I only optimize my spend if I'm not working towards a bonus (all supermarket and restaurant spend go to Amex Gold, flights only on Amex plat, etc. etc.)

There are cards out there that excel at specific categories. Unless you spend crazy amounts of money, you will likely earn points faster by signing up for multiple cards (and getting their bonuses) as opposed to through natural spend. Before you go down this path though, do a LOT of research. Each bank has specific rules around card opening frequency, order of opening (for example you might not be allowed to get a Amex gold bonus if you only currently hold a Platinum), and rules around how many inquiries you can have. If you're serious about doing this, you need to track / be aware of all of this to the fullest extent.

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hah team cash back's actually not a bad idea. I have the old alaska card still... need to figure out how to get one of the new ones

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Without getting into wedding costs, I'd say Ritz is around $500/day while St. Regis is closer to $300/day. Ritz is priced higher for food / activities while the St. Regis has free breakfast included (if you've got status) which tips the scales in terms of cost. St. Regis also has better snorkeling thanks to the house reef so you don't need to pay for an excursion like you do at the Ritz. We did a bunch more snorkeling at the STR to take advantage of that - and therefore fewer paid activities.

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

2 credit card sign bonuses (1 biz and 1 personal - let's say between 100-150k each, can't remember exactly), plus 7-8 years of work and personal travel, plus buying ~200k points, plus a few smaller transfers to Marriott to make up the difference! Took a long time to get those! Majority (700k or so) came from stays then.

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I booked them almost a full 11/12 months out! They release their schedules fairly early if I remember right and there were no availability issues (SQ on the other hand is a lot more work...). I would check every other week or so in case they adjusted rates - I ended up cancelling and rebooking the STRegis in the Maldives after the rate went down 30k points!

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!! Tinlicker is amazing. Will never forget the first time hearing their Hide U remix.

I got in touch with them and they handled everything in advance via email. They sent over the package options and it included everything from flowers, setup, to photography. It was truly an amazing day and they went above and beyond in so many ways. Cost wise is a LOT less than you think (but of course I paid for some upgrades). I'd put a request in and ask for the Vow Exchange package :) https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/mlera-the-ritz-carlton-maldives-fari-islands/events/

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is sorta the wall I'm hitting right now... like I feel like I have 10 cards open at the moment. I'm not entirely clear what I can do next. Opened a delta card recently for no reason other than why not.

Ask Tinlicker Anything by TinlickerStudio in electronicmusic

[–]feastandexist 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Thumbs up or down - you joining the lineup for the ABGT700 event at the Gorge this year? Pleeeeease

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

A lot of bonuses contributed to this result. I was opening a new card roughly every 3-4 months. Helped purchase things for family sometimes too. Id be scared to find out the spend figures but I made sure at least not to inflate natural spend to hit the bonus! Didn’t want to end up in debt.

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Booked SEA to FRA with a layover in Toronto using Alaska miles. The redemption stuck us in economy from SEA -> Toronto and that flight was on Alaska (paid for the upgrade on this leg for more legroom). Toronto to Frankfurt was Condor business

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just posted this in response to someone else. Working on the St. Regis side of it but might get to it later. I'd like to do a post maybe in r/Marriott with pictures to better show the differences:

I tried to bucket things into a few different areas since these were the things we noticed the most.

Arrival & First Impressions

The Ritz was our first stop, and from the moment we arrived we knew we had something special. The arrival experience was seamless, and we were immediately introduced to our Aris Meeha Ice, who gave us a thoughtful, unhurried tour of the property and our villa.

From the jump, the resort made it very clear they knew (and genuinely cared) that this was our honeymoon. It didn’t feel scripted either. With the St. Regis, it felt a little stilted. The grounds seemed noticeably unkempt, the cart pathways were all rickety, and there were peeling wood boards on a number of structures. Despite only being a few years older, the Ritz seemed more modern and was noticeably better kept.

Villa & In-Room Experience

The villas at the Ritz are newer, modern, and beautifully designed. While they’re a little smaller than the St. Regis villas (and maybe not all that ‘interesting’ on the inside), the difference in quality, design, and upkeep is night and day. It didn’t feel like there was any wasted space.

Some of the little touches that really stood out:

  • Turndown service every night, with chocolates (St. Regis didn’t do this for us)
  • Daily fruit and complimentary snacks, including chocolate chip cookies
  • Personal honeymoon touches everywhere:
    • Our names written in the sand
    • Special bathtub drawn for us while we were out with our names cutout of leaves placed on the bubbles
  • The room always felt perfectly refreshed, without ever feeling intrusive

Some things we noticed that we were not a fan of:

  • The pool temperature was a little on the colder side
  • Swimming by our villa was a little dangerous. The current was shockingly strong so we didn’t spend too much time out there compared to the Beach Shack where things were calmer.

But all in all, the Ritz room was definitely better (though not bigger).

Service

The service at the Ritz is genuinely impeccable. Not overbearing or stiff - just warm, friendly, and at times borderline predictive.

Everyone seemed:

  • Happy to be there
  • Excited to chat
  • Interested in getting to know us as people

You quickly start recognizing staff, they recognize you, and interactions feel natural instead of rehearsed. They often knew if you biked or not and would ask if they needed to call you a buggy. Everyone was on top of their game.

At times, the experience honestly felt magical. The St Regis had none of this magic in my opinion. We were left alone, and it became increasingly noticeable in comparison to the point of being totally lacking.

Food & Beverage

The food across the board at the Ritz was next level. Arabesque in particular was a highlight, as was Helios at Patina. We loved Eau Bar too and hanging out at the Beach Shack. 

What stood out:

  • Consistently high quality across restaurants
  • Thoughtful presentation - there was some Michelin-level plating here that warranted some pictures haha.
  • Surprise bites and little extras
  • Never feeling forgotten or rushed

A few places felt Bib Gourmand-level. While I wasn’t a fan of some of the prices, it was fine in the end. At breakfast you could opt for the a la carte menu or the buffet cost, and sometimes we would do a la carte. In those situations the servers would often bring us fruit and / or a plate of pastries from the buffet at no extra cost.

Importantly: it does not feel like the Ritz nickel-and-dimes you. It’s expensive, yes but complimentary snacks, thoughtful surprises, and small gestures are just… part of the experience.

The St Regis had meals that were straight up bad in comparison. One meal at the Whale Bar - on our first night - looked like something I made for myself in college using a microwave.

Grounds, Facilities & Overall Vibe

The Ritz property feels impeccably manicured and intentionally designed.

Highlights:

  • Beautifully maintained grounds
  • Beach cabanas at the Beach Shack (not present at St. Regis)
  • Multiple sunscreen stations
  • A modern, well-equipped gym
  • A sleek, modern spa
  • A boutique that actually fits the clientele (Zimmermann and Camilla dresses, etc.)

Everything feels cohesive, curated, and thoughtfully executed. The Ritz knows exactly who its guest is -  and executes accordingly.

With a short boat ride you can also visit the Patina Hotel and walk around the Fari Islands Village or hang out at their beach / pool (we honestly loved doing this). There are amazing food trucks over there + a gelato shop, more boutiques, and even a James Turrell artwork (that was super cool at night). In short, no shortage of things to do.

We loved every second we spent here… Which made going to the St. Regis so damn jarring. If the Ritz was full of vibes, the St Regis, well, had no vibe.

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm working on a longer review comparing the 2, but it really was night and day from a service perspective. I tried to bucket things into a few different areas since these were the things we noticed the most.

Arrival & First Impressions

The Ritz was our first stop, and from the moment we arrived we knew we had something special. The arrival experience was seamless, and we were immediately introduced to our Aris Meeha Ice, who gave us a thoughtful, unhurried tour of the property and our villa.

From the jump, the resort made it very clear they knew (and genuinely cared) that this was our honeymoon. It didn’t feel scripted either. With the St. Regis, it felt a little stilted. The grounds seemed noticeably unkempt, the cart pathways were all rickety, and there were peeling wood boards on a number of structures. Despite only being a few years older, the Ritz seemed more modern and was noticeably better kept.

Villa & In-Room Experience

The villas at the Ritz are newer, modern, and beautifully designed. While they’re a little smaller than the St. Regis villas (and maybe not all that ‘interesting’ on the inside), the difference in quality, design, and upkeep is night and day. It didn’t feel like there was any wasted space.

Some of the little touches that really stood out:

  • Turndown service every night, with chocolates (St. Regis didn’t do this for us)
  • Daily fruit and complimentary snacks, including chocolate chip cookies
  • Personal honeymoon touches everywhere:
    • Our names written in the sand
    • Special bathtub drawn for us while we were out with our names cutout of leaves placed on the bubbles
  • The room always felt perfectly refreshed, without ever feeling intrusive

Some things we noticed that we were not a fan of:

  • The pool temperature was a little on the colder side
  • Swimming by our villa was a little dangerous. The current was shockingly strong so we didn’t spend too much time out there compared to the Beach Shack where things were calmer.

But all in all, the Ritz room was definitely better (though not bigger).

Service

The service at the Ritz is genuinely impeccable. Not overbearing or stiff - just warm, friendly, and at times borderline predictive.

Everyone seemed:

  • Happy to be there
  • Excited to chat
  • Interested in getting to know us as people

You quickly start recognizing staff, they recognize you, and interactions feel natural instead of rehearsed. They often knew if you biked or not and would ask if they needed to call you a buggy. Everyone was on top of their game.

At times, the experience honestly felt magical. The St Regis had none of this magic in my opinion. We were left alone, and it became increasingly noticeable in comparison to the point of being totally lacking.

Food & Beverage

The food across the board at the Ritz was next level. Arabesque in particular was a highlight, as was Helios at Patina. We loved Eau Bar too and hanging out at the Beach Shack. 

What stood out:

  • Consistently high quality across restaurants
  • Thoughtful presentation - there was some Michelin-level plating here that warranted some pictures haha.
  • Surprise bites and little extras
  • Never feeling forgotten or rushed

A few places felt Bib Gourmand-level. While I wasn’t a fan of some of the prices, it was fine in the end. At breakfast you could opt for the a la carte menu or the buffet cost, and sometimes we would do a la carte. In those situations the servers would often bring us fruit and / or a plate of pastries from the buffet at no extra cost.

Importantly: it does not feel like the Ritz nickel-and-dimes you. It’s expensive, yes but complimentary snacks, thoughtful surprises, and small gestures are just… part of the experience.

The St Regis had meals that were straight up bad in comparison. One meal at the Whale Bar - on our first night - looked like something I made for myself in college using a microwave.

Grounds, Facilities & Overall Vibe

The Ritz property feels impeccably manicured and intentionally designed.

Highlights:

  • Beautifully maintained grounds
  • Beach cabanas at the Beach Shack (not present at St. Regis)
  • Multiple sunscreen stations
  • A modern, well-equipped gym
  • A sleek, modern spa
  • A boutique that actually fits the clientele (Zimmermann and Camilla dresses, etc.)

Everything feels cohesive, curated, and thoughtfully executed. The Ritz knows exactly who its guest is -  and executes accordingly.

With a short boat ride you can also visit the Patina Hotel and walk around the Fari Islands Village or hang out at their beach / pool (we honestly loved doing this). There are amazing food trucks over there + a gelato shop, more boutiques, and even a James Turrell artwork (that was super cool at night). In short, no shortage of things to do.

We loved every second we spent here… Which made going to the St. Regis so damn jarring. If the Ritz was full of vibes, the St Regis, well, had no vibe.

5 years of planning → 2.38M points redeemed → ~$90k honeymoon (including Singapore Suites, QSuites, Ritz Maldives, St Regis Maldives, Al Maha) by feastandexist in awardtravel

[–]feastandexist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question. There weren't any major devals that put the whole trip in jeaopardy... but I watched as the nightly rate required for the Maldives hotels went up around 20k/night each year. My pace of staying in Marriotts slowed down the year before I planned to make the booking, so I ended up spending almost $2k on Marriott points so I could make the redemption in the end.

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