sandals travel agent rewards program

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Sandals Launches New Agent Reward Program

April 10, 2018

Unique Vacations Inc, an affiliate of the worldwide representatives of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, has introduced a new innovative commission program for travel agents – “Points to Paradise.”

According to officials, the program allows agents to earn more per booking, with every net room dollar booked earning a corresponding one point towards a travel agent’s own Sandals vacation. All commissionable rooms are eligible for Points to Paradise, no matter the number of guests booked – couple, family or social group.

“Travel agents have been the driving force behind Sandals Resorts’ success over the past 37 years, tirelessly helping to grow the business every day,” said Gary Sadler, senior vice-president of sales, Unique Vacations Inc. “This new program allows us to more directly reward and thank them for all of their hard work and loyalty to the Sandals brands with the best gift of all – a relaxing getaway to the Sandals property of their choice.”

Points to Paradise replaces Sell ‘n Go!, Sandals’ previous agent reward program, with a more streamlined process for earning points. To redeem points, agents simply need to fill out a short form on Sandals’ Travel Agent Portal (taportal.sandals.com) with a reimagined dashboard showing points progress and other redemption metrics. In addition, as part of the revamped program, all points earned by the agent are completely theirs to use, meaning points can now follow an agent should they change agencies.

All Sandals and Beaches Resorts are eligible for redemption, with each one grouped into four different points thresholds, ranging from 5,000 to 12,500. Top-level resorts include the newly opened Sandals Royal Barbados and Beaches Turks & Caicos among others.

For more information about Points to Paradise, agents can contact their local Business Development Manager or call Inside Sales at 1-800-545-8283.

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Sandals Upgrades Travel Agent Loyalty Program, Bumps Commission

Beaches Turks & Caicos. Photo:  Britt Reints

Sandals Resorts International has added two new tiers to its Chairman’s Royal Club (CRC) program, rewarding travel agent members with even higher commissions.

Agents selling 250 rooms in a calendar year now qualify for CRC Elite status and receive 17% commission.

Those that sell 500 rooms are qualified to enter the CRC Diamond Elite tier, where they earn 18% commission on every booking. To qualify, the agency must have at least one Sandals-wrapped car, participate in a minimum of one co-op advertisement, and attend five or more Sandals or Beaches bridal or consumer shows annually.

Agents in Sandals’ CRC program can get reimbursement for promotional expenses, discounts on Island Routes Adventure Tours, airfare reimbursement, and discounts on spa treatments and sundries.

The CRC program, launched in 2011, currently has 72 active members, Sandals told TMR .

Sandals offers two other programs for travel agents as well, the Certified Sandals Specialist (CSS) and Preferred Sandals Agency Program (PSA), which provide agents with exclusive educational opportunities and marketing materials, as well as customized services, sales and educational support. To qualify as a CSS, agents must complete four training workshops.

Once an agency has one active CSS and books a minimum of 25 Sandals stays, it can apply for the PSA program.

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101 Series: Certified Sandals Specialist: What To Know

• Cassandra Chichester
• October 3, 2018 May 31, 2022

It’s been awhile since I’ve last written about being a Certified Sandals Specialist. My last blog post on this topic was from 2016 and think I used my camera phone photos to upload. So now 2 years later, let me do a deeper dive into what it means to be a Certified Sandals Specialist . There are many advantages to being a CSS agent. If you are an IATA-accredited travel agent, you should be renewing your training every year to keep your status.

Please note there are 3 certifications you can earn with Sandals:

• Certified Sandals Specialist
• Chairman’s Royal Club
• Wedding Moons Specialist

The Certified Sandals Specialist (CSS) is the most basic level of certification you can obtain. Chairman’s Royal Club consists of an elite group of travel agents that have proven themselves as the best of the best. To make it into this club, you have to sell more than 100 rooms or 700 room nights per calendar year. The Sandals Wedding Moons Specialist (SWS) 2.0 program refers to the most profitable agent-supplier partnership in the industry with commission tiers based on production, ongoing product education, sales and marketing support. To be eligible, you must be an active CSS agent, attend a WeddingMoons Training FAM Trip, and secure a minimum of 3 traveled WeddingMoons and/or ReTie the Knot bookings per calendar year or a minimum of $9,000 in WeddingMoons and/or ReTie the Knot option revenue.

For the sake of this blog post, we are just going to focus on obtaining the basic (CSS) status as a travel agent.

CSS Workshop

The first step to becoming a Certified Sandals Specialist is to complete and submit the Enrollment Form. Then attend a fun and informative CSS workshop. There’s 1 workshop per year in an area near you, typically in the spring time. It lasts for 4 hours and breakfast is typically provided. You get to mingle with other agents in your area, and learn about the brand. You’ll also be given marketing strategies and learn of new developments.

There’s never a need for you to bring anything with you like scratch paper and pens. They will supply all writing materials for you and a big workbook for you to take notes on. Although 4 hours seems like a lot to cover 2 brands (Sandals and Beaches) keep in mind there are 16 Sandals Resorts and 3 Beaches Resorts. So it will take some time to get through it all. It’s important to understand the key differences between the properties because each property is unique and ideal for a particular client. Not all properties are meant for all clients.

Pro trip : If you are unsure of when your next CSS workshop will be, you should reach out to your Business Development Manager (BDM) and they can point you in the right direction. If you do not know who your BDM is,  HERE is a list of all USA and Canada BDMs by territory. simply select your state.

The next step to becoming a Certified Sandals Specialist (CSS) travel agent is by registering at least 1 booking on the Travel Agent Portal . Essentially, there are many suppliers you can book a Sandals Resort with like Delta Vacations; However, the booking will only “count” in the eyes of Sandals if it’s registered on the portal. Ideally, you will just book direct on the portal because you’re given an additional 2% (a total of 17% commission!). Sandals is definitely one of the leaders in the industry for commission. They’re very generous. So if you make a $4,000 booking with Sandals (for the land because air is not commissionable), you’re looking at a paycheck of $ 680.00 .

So considering you only have to maintain at least  1 booking per year to keep your active status, it really isn’t that hard to obtain. Sandals is a well-known brand that sells itself. It is an adults only, couples only, all inclusive resort spread out throughout the Caribbean. They offer delectable a a la carte cuisine (not all buffets!) and tons of water sports. They focus on entertainment but with a relaxing and romantic ambiance. I’m always confident selling a Sandals Resort to a couple because I know they are going to be wowed. The service and hospitality is like none other. For those discerning clients, they can even have their very own butler to cater to their every whim around the clock.

So just make sure you have at least 1 active booking per year to maintain your status.

As I mentioned earlier, Sandals’ brand sells the product. Many people are familiar with the ads. Sandals spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on ad spend per through traditional advertising such as t.v. and radio as well as online advertising such as banner ads. Keep in mind, however, that advertising is simply for the resorts and not for YOU as a travel agent.

So there’s a bit of legwork needed in terms of marketing for yourself and most of the marketing help can be found right on the portal. You’ll find the following marketing items to help you sell to prospective clients:

• Advertising Slicks
• Web Banners
• Promotional Ads
• Car wrap (shown below)

There’s also a photo and video library for the brand as well as individual resorts. I’ve put a few videos on my Facebook business page as a gentle reminder that I do in fact sell Sandals and Beaches!

You can leverage your existing internet presence with the Sandals brand to generate extra income for you and your agency. Sandals will do all of the work of maintaining the accuracy of your site with all up-to-date promotions and rates. All you have to do is place a referral link to their site and they’ll track that client’s visit. If they make a booking, you’ll get the full commission. Because I sell more than just Sandals I have not taken advantage of this co-branding site. But there are many agents who solely focus on Sandals so this would make sense for them.

The car wrap program is another opportunity to remind people that you sell Sandals and Beaches Resorts. You simply pick the car you wish to wrap and contact your local Business Development Manager to submit a request. Then select an image from their photo library and a professional, certified installer will wrap your car for free. While this program isn’t the best fit for me, agents who have it say they make bookings from this. So may be worth checking out.

Familiarization (FAM) Trips

So the two minimum requirements for being a Certified Sandals Specialist is to attend your annual in-person CSS Workshop and maintain at least 1 Sandals or Beaches booking per year. After you have the two minimum requirements satisfied and you’ve been pushing marketing, the next hurdle is a fun one. Attend a familiarization (FAM) trip. The point of a FAM trip is for you, the travel agent, to become familiar with a resort and/or destination. Clients will ask you, “Have you been there?” And you want to be able to say that you’ve at least been to a property, even if it’s not the one they were interested in.

Within my to two years as a travel agent, I’ve had the exciting opportunity to hop on FOUR different Sandals FAM trips :

• June 2017 – Visited Bahamas – Toured Sandals Royal Bahamian and Sandals Emerald Bay
• December 2017 – Visited Jamaica – Toured All 7 Sandals Resorts, 2 Beaches Resorts, and Grand Pineapple Beach (which is owned by Sandals)
• August 2018 – Visited Saint Lucia – Toured Sandals Grande St. Lucian, Sandals Regency La Toc, and Sandals Halcyon Beach
• September 2018 – Visited Turks  & Caicos – Toured Beaches Turks and Caicos Villages Resort & Spa

These trips are a great way for you to see the property from a consumers’ eyes. It’s also a great place to network and meet new friends, people more seasoned in the industry. I love hearing about what works for them and what doesn’t. There’s always something to be learned in this industry. It’s always changing. Some FAM trips have built in days at leisure while other trips are a bit busier. The Jamaica FAM trip was a busy one. We have 10 properties to view in 4 nights! So there wasn’t much downtime. I always recommend booking a few nights pre or post FAM trip so you can relax before/after the madness.

Pro tip : Don’t forget to bring your business cards and take the cards of others so you can keep in touch. Or what I’ll do is add people on Facebook right then and there so we can connect on the spot. My news feed is now flooded with beautiful resort pictures from other agents I’ve met along the way!

Full disclosure : Flights are not paid for. The resort, tour guide, etc. are all free though. My contract with my company says I am entitled to 1 free FAM trip per year (meaning boss lady pays for my flights). The meals and entertainment are always extraordinary and the staff go out of their way to make sure you as an agent have the BEST time.

You should check with your BDM for the FAM schedule so you can plan accordingly. Typically, the Sandals and Beaches FAM trips are from July – October because it’s hurricane season and less crowded/popular.

Certified Sandals Specialist (CSS) Events

After you’ve had an experience to see the resort/destination for yourself on a FAM trip, you’re ready to attend local events. These events are a great way to share your knowledge and love for the brand. My agency only attends one event per year as a Sandals booth: The Richmond Wedding Expo . The two local wedding expos near me have an event in January and another event in July. We only book a booth for the January show because it’s the busiest. Most people get engaged around the fall holidays so January is BOOMING as people prep for their upcoming summer and fall weddings. At our Sandals booth, our BDM accompanies us and is there as our partner. He’s there to answer any questions that we may not be able to. So fear not.

I definitely recommend attending the wedding expos since Sandals is a couples only resort. The target market is appropriate. Many brides wish to be pampered and relax after all of the wedding craziness and being cooped up with family so Sandals is a perfect escape. I also recommend looking into other nearby events where you will find couples in love. Perhaps a wine and food festival? Don’t forget about the family-friendly resort Beaches as well! Perfect for multi-generational families.

Pro tip : Check with your BDM to see which upcoming events they recommend you go to. Also see when their calendar is freed up so they can attend it with you. Keep in mind some BDMs have a huge territory so their calendars fill up quick!

Pro-tip : All agents can earn a marketing budget that will help you pay for your events such as the vendor booth registration and/or catered food for an event. Check with your BDM regarding your marketing budget.

Points to Paradise – Personal Travel

So now you’re a Sandals and Beaches pro. You’ve been there, done that. You’re keeping the bookings coming and keeping your BDM happy. What’s in it for you? I mean.. besides the commission checks…

Every single booking (3+ nights) that you make that comes to fruition will be counted into a points system that will earn you free room nights for personal use. It’s called “ Points to Paradise “. Sandals’ philosophy is “the more you book, the more you go… the more you go the more you know.” So they encourage you to travel to a Sandals property even if it’s on your own time and not during a FAM trip. Your clients who have traveled in 2018 will earn you redeemable nights in 2019. The points are earned when your clients have actually stayed there (points are not pre-paid).

Here’s how you can redeem your points . As you can see not all Sandals Resorts are created equally. The more luxurious resorts will cost you more points per night.

Pro tip : Keep in mind that many resorts have an option for you to stay at 1 and play at others. So even if you can only redeem points at Sandals Inn, you’ll have full access to visit Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Montego Bay.

If you don’t have enough points to book what you’d like to, keep in mind the travel agent reduced rate is $250 per couple per night. So you can always just pay the discounted rate and enjoy the full luxury.

The year is 2018 and you most definitely should be on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Instagram is a wonderful platform since it’s all about imagery. What better way to promote a resort. Make sure you’re following Sandals and Beaches on all platforms and be sure to tagged them in relevant posts. Shoot, even tag Adam Stewart (CEO of Sandals Resorts International) in relevant posts.

It’s important to get your name out there and mingling with all the folks over at the resort. You never know when you might need a favor from one of them one day for a honeymoon couple, or a couple celebrating their 30th birthday. So stay in touch with the people you meet on your FAM and personal trips. Stay in touch with the other agents, the BDMs, and the staff members at the property.

SELL, SELL, SELL!

So in conclusion, there are many ways to be successful when booking Sandals and Beaches:

• Attend your annual CSS in-person workshop nearest you
• Make sure you’re subscribed to their newsletters and e-blasts
• Use the marketing tools available to you on the portal
• Attend at least 1 FAM trip to experience the brand and destination
• Try different marketing strategies to see what works and what doesn’t
• Network with other agents to see what’s working for them and what’s not
• Follow the brand on all of your social channels to keep up with what’s new

There is a lot of marketing dollars spent by Sandals so take advantage of their reputation. Always book with confidence knowing that your client will be taken care of the moment they land until the time they board the plane again.

Have any questions about getting started as a travel agent? Feel free me to email me: [email protected]. Are you a travel agent who has additional great tips to add? Please feel free to leave a comment and help others.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post I plan to write on different rewards programs!

11 COMMENTS

Interested in becoming an agent and would like more information regarding this process. I am currently scheduled to take a trip to Jamaica in 2020. Really excited…

Hope to hear from you soon!!

Hi Angela! That’s great that you want to become a travel agent. Travel/tourism is such an exciting industry to be a part of. Setting up your own personal travels is a great first step. You have to be familiar with the process of trip planning and what better way than to plan your own trip so that’s wonderful. I would take a look at my blog titled “101 Series: How to Become a Travel Agent.” It does very in depth on the steps because there’s a few questions you’ll have to ask yourself… like do you want to work in corporate travel or leisure? I work in leisure and love it. But corporate tends to pay more. So it just depends how you see yourself. My blog post can be viewed here: https://www.travelagentdiary.com/2018/07/13/become-a-travel-agent/ . Best of luck on your exciting journey!

I am opening a travel agency up and would like to sell your trips. How would I get the training for it. thanks Greg

Hi Greg! I’m not sure what you mean? If you open your own travel agency we will likely be competitors. If you are looking for training it may be best to work for someone starting out so you can receive proper training before establishing your own travel agency. It can be difficult getting set up because you have to purchase E&O insurance, and newer agencies start at the lower percentage tiers for commission. If you work for an established agency starting out you will begin at a higher commission tier and can make more $. At least until you’ve built your clientele base up. Then you can open up your own! Hope that helps.

Ok, so we are tried and true Sandals fanatics! My friends always tell me I should become a travel agent for Sandals and I am thinking about possibly doing this when I retire. So, I have a very silly question…do you have to be a travel agent first or does Sandals get you through that process? If you need to be an agent first can you point me in the direction of what to do? Are there online classes? This was a great article! Very informative! I also read the other one linked above. Thank you!

Hi Kimberly!

Glad to hear you are a Sandals fan! The first step would be to become a travel agent, first. You’ll need to ensure you work for an IATA accredited travel agency first as your IATA # is essentially your company’s social security number and tracks your sales, all that fun stuff! It also offers credibility to your clients. I work for a brick and mortar retail agency, however, if you were interested in working remote with a host agency, check this site out: https://www.findahosttravelagency.com/ . You’ll be able to see the reviews of the different options so take time looking through that and apply. I don’t have any experience with a host agency as I work at a retail storefront, but there are PLENTY that choose the online route. So that would be step 1! Then, you just need to maintain at least one Sandals/Beaches booking per year to keep your certification. Which it sounds like you won’t have a problem doing since you have already been yourself multiple times! I do highly encourage agents to branch out from just one niche. I wouldn’t recommend only selling Sandals Resorts. Then you’d be missing out on other commission checks. Best of luck with retirement and being an agent! Very exciting.

Thank you Cassandra for the great information! I truly appreciate your help!

Hi! Thank you so much for this information. I am in the beginning stages of becoming an independent travel agent and because of my love for Sandals I am hoping to specialize in Sandals and Beaches!! This has been the best info I’ve found so far. I am just now in touch with my local BDM and hope to go from there. A couple questions- I am making business cards, can I use “Sandals Enthusiast” even though I am not a CSS yet? Also can I transfer trips that were booked on property to under me to take care of the trips for the guests already booked? I have several booked and would like to be able to help everyone with changes and airfare when needed. Thank you so much!!

Sorry for the late reply but glad we got to chat via Facebook! 🙂

Hello Cassandra,

I’m so glad I came across your information. I have been looking for info on the website how to become a travel agent for Sandals Resort. I have been in hospitality for over 16 years and looking for a career change. If you can please advise me on how I can take the next steps or how to find out about the next CSS workshop.

Thank you kindly,

Hi Zeborah,

Glad you found it useful! I can’t wait to get back to traveling so I can create more posts. For the next CSS Workshop, you’ll want to reach out to your local Business Development Manager (BDM) based on where you are located. You can obtain their email address from this link: https://taportal.sandals.com/bdm/ . Just click on your state, and if it’s a large state, you’ll see different BDMs for the different territories. Just reach out to them, let them know the agency you work for, and they should be able to get you set up for your next workshop! Typically, they are in the spring season so your timing is perfect.

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Sandals Select Rewards Program: 7 Common Questions Answered

The Caribbean is home to the most stunning beaches, luxurious resorts, and the warmest of people. Aside from its natural beauty, it boasts good weather all year round. These are just some of the reasons why the Caribbean is one of the most popular travel destinations for families, couples, and honeymooners. If you’re from the United States, you’re just a few hours away by plane to the best adults-only Sandals Resorts . The award-winning Sandals Resorts are famous for their luxury, all-inclusive packages , and they also have a Sandals Select Loyalty Program to help you make the most of your vacation.

What’s The Sandals Select Rewards Program?

The Sandals Select is a way for the brand to show its appreciation to its loyal patrons. As a Sandals Select rewards member, you can earn points and other benefits based on your membership tier. It’s practically an exclusive group of regular guests who call the Sandals Resorts their home-away-from-home when in the Caribbean. 

It is a free customer rewards program where, aside from points you can use for your stay, you can also get an invite to special Sandals events only for members. You may also receive special recognition from the top all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean . You can also earn a Free Week Award at a Sandals resort. 

For the unfamiliar, Sandals has several resorts at the following locations in the Caribbean:

Sandals Montego Bay

Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island

Sandals Ochi Beach Resort

Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa

Sandals South Coast

Sandals Royal Plantation

Sandals Dunn River

Saint Lucia

Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort

Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Spa in St. Lucia

Sandals Halcyon St. Lucia

Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa

Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island

Sandals Emerald Bay Great Exuma, Bahamas

Sandals Barbados Resort & Spa

Sandals Royal Barbados Resort & Spa

Sandals Grenada Resort & Spa

Sandals Royal Curacao

St. Vincent

Sandals Saint Vincent

Every time you stay at a Sandals Resort, you can earn as much as 1,250 points. You can also rake in 5,000 points when you sign up for the Sandals Select rewards program. It is important to note that you must add your Sandals Select Membership Number when you book your stay so you don’t miss out on member benefits.

What Are The Benefits Of Sandals Select Membership?

Here are just some of the benefits you can enjoy with your Sandals Membership:

• Exclusive First-Look Communications
• Member-only offers and invitations to member-only events
• Access to the official Facebook Group of Sandals Select
• Points for your return visit that are added to your account
• Special events during your visit as VIP guests
• Up to 20 percent discount at Red Lane Spa and the Gift Shop
• A free week of vacation

Take note that there are several reward tiers with varying benefits (more on this below)

How Do You Sign Up As A Sandals Select Rewards Member?

It only takes a few minutes to join the loyalty program. There are several ways to become a Sandals Select member.

1. You can visit the Sandals Select Rewards page to sign up and start earning benefits.

2. You can join via the Sandals app. From the comfort of your home or anywhere where you have an internet connection, you can download the Sandals app from the App Store or Google Play .

3. Also, guests may sign up for a Sandals membership while checking in at the resort of their choice.

4. Likewise, you may visit the Loyalty & Travel Lounge at the Sandals Resorts.

If you have questions about the program you may also contact Sandals via these channels:

Email: [email protected]

US: 1-800-NOW-4SSG

UK: 0800-197-8946

CA: 1-800-545-8283

What Are The Different Sandals Select Levels?

The loyalty program has different Sandals Select levels. You can reach seven tiers depending on various factors, such as the number of nights you’ve spent at Sandals. Aside from the various benefits mentioned in the section above, below are the different levels of Sandals membership and their corresponding benefits:

1.  Select (1st Stay)

• Earn 1 point per dollar
• 5,000 Bonus points upon the first stay
• No blackout dates when you redeem your points

2. Coral (2nd Stay)

• 10 percent discount on Photo Shop, Retail Gift Shop, Candlelight Dinners, and Water Sports purchases
• Welcome home gift
• Invitation to a weekly welcome home dinner party
• $50 credit at Red Lane Spa

3. Sapphire (25 Nights or $25,000)

• Earn 1.5 points per dollar, plus all the basic benefits of the Coral Status
• Special Status Recognition Gift when Achieving Sapphire Status

4. Emerald (45 Nights or $40,000)

• Earn 2 points per dollar, plus all the basic benefits of the Coral Status
• 15 percent discount on Photo Shop, Retail Gift Shop, Candlelight Dinners, and Water Sports purchases
• $150 credit at Red Lane Spa
• Special Status Recognition Gift when Achieving Emerald Status

5. Diamond (100 Nights or $90,000)

• Earn 2.5 points per dollar, plus other basic benefits
• Private In-Room Check-In
• Invitation to VIP Luncheons with the General Manager and Weekly Welcome Home Dinner Party
• Special Status Recognition Gift when Achieving Diamond Status
• VIP Customer Service Line
• Welcome Home Gift
• $200 credit at Red Lane Spa
• Email Invitation to Step Inside Our Sandals

6. Pearl (250 Nights or $220,000)

• Earn 3 points per dollar, plus other basic benefits 
• 20 percent discount on Photo Shop, Retail Gift Shop, Candlelight Dinners, and Water Sports purchases
• Free Cabana with Service for One Day
• Fees Waived for Reservation Changes
• $300 credit at Red Lane Spa
• No Blackout Dates when redeeming points

7. Ambassador Club (400+ Nights or $345,000)

• Earn 3.5 points per dollar, plus other basic benefits 
• Special Status Recognition Gift when Achieving Ambassador Status
• Free Private Transfers
• Free Cabana with service for One Day
• Preferred Room Number once the category is booked
• $350 credit at Red Lane Spa

How Can I Redeem My Sandals Select Points?

The more frequently you stay at Sandals Resorts, the more Sandals Select membership points you earn. This can lead to a good amount of savings. Your points are redeemable as discounts on your room rate for your new stays at Sandals. You can get as much as a 25 percent discount on the total room cost by redeeming your Sandals Select points.

Remember that your reward points expire three years after your last activity date at Sandals.

How Can I Get A Free Week At A Sandals Resort?

If you are curious about the free week stay you can get for being a Sandals Select Member, you need to accumulate 70 nights at a resort owned by Sandals to qualify. Note that complimentary nights do not count.

Can I Use My Sandals Membership Points At A Beaches Resort?

Beaches Resorts is part of the Sandals family. Because of this, you can earn reward points based on the room you book at Beaches. Likewise, you can redeem your points and use them at one of the Beaches properties. Beaches Resorts are located in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos.

About The Author

Debbi Kickham

Debbi Karpowicz Kickham is a former Editor of Robb Report’s “The Millionaire’s Magazine” and a current and veteran member of the Society of American Travel Writers. Debbi’s articles on travel, luxury, honeymoons, cruises, and shopping have been published in a wealth of national and regional publications including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Travel + Leisure Magazine, Bridal Guide, InStyle Weddings, and many more.

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Sandals Loyalty Program: All About Sandals Select Rewards

You have probably heard of the luxurious, adults-only all-inclusive Sandals resorts that are located throughout the Caribbean. But did you know about the Sandals loyalty program?

What is the Sandals loyalty program?

The Sandals loyalty program is called Sandals Select Rewards, and it offers guests all sorts of benefits—including the ability to earn a free 7-night stay!

In the Sandals Select Rewards program, you earn points every time you stay at a Sandals Resort—up to 1250 points per stay. Plus, when you enroll in the program, you will get a bonus of 5,000 points.

Points are earned based on the price of your resort stay (but not on other expenses like flights or activities). The higher your Sandals Select tier (see below), the more points you earn per dollar.

There is no membership fee for Sandals Select Rewards. Sandals Select Rewards points expire within three years of your last activity, such as your last stay. If you have a reservation booked in the future, however, points will not expire.

Be sure that every reservation you make at a Sandals resort has your Sandals Select Rewards membership number attached to it; this is the only way that you can receive the Sandals loyalty program benefits. You can check your account online or contact the Sandals Select customer service team at 1-800-NOW-4SSG or [email protected] to make sure it’s on there.

FYI, the Sandals loyalty program also applies to stays at Beaches Resorts.

Benefits of the Sandals loyalty program

Benefits of the Sandals loyalty program for Sandals Select Rewards members include member-only sales and promotions; access to a private Facebook group for loyalty program members; special member appreciation dinners, Sandal’s loyalty dinners, and other special events during your Sandals stay; and up to 20 percent off services at the Red Lane Spa, purchases at the gift shop, and photography purchases.

Each time you achieve a new tier in the Sandals Select Rewards program, you will receive a Status Recognition Gift. (See below for details on the tiers.) The higher your tier level, the more benefits you receive, like complimentary gifts, additional discounts, couples’ massages, free cabanas, and VIP customer service during your stay.

How do I join the Sandals Select Rewards program?

You can enroll in the program online, either at the Sandals Select website or on the Sandals app (which you can download from the App Store). Or, you can enroll during your stay at a Sandals resort, either when you check in or at the Loyalty & Travel Lounge.

Tip: If you book a return visit at the Loyalty & Travel Lounge while you’re at a Sandals resort, you’ll get 10-12% off that vacation.

What are the tiers at Sandals?

There are different tiers at Sandals within the loyalty program (also referred to as Sandals rewards levels). These are: Member, Select, Coral, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond, Pearl, and Ambassador.

Members have enrolled in the Sandals Select loyalty program but haven’t stayed at a Sandals resort yet. They do not earn points until they stay at a resort.

You reach the Select tier with your first stay and the Coral with your second. Sapphire tier members have spent 25 nights or $25,000; Emerald tier has spent 45 nights or $40,000; Diamond tier has spent 100 nights or $90,000; Pearl has spent 250 nights or $220,000; and Ambassador tier has spent 400 or more nights or $345,000.

Select and Coral tier members earn 1 Sandals rewards point per dollar spent; Sapphire tier members earn 1.5 points per dollar; Emerald earns 2 points per dollar; Diamond earns 2.5 points per dollar; Pearl earns 3 points per dollar; and Ambassador earns 3.5 points per dollar.

Sandals Select Rewards members who are at the Coral level and above also earn bonus points on every stay.

Redeeming Sandals Select Points

Redeeming Sandals Select points gives you discounts on your room rate on new stays at Sandals Resorts. There is a limit; you can redeem Sandals Select points for discounts of up to 25% of the total room cost.

How much is 5000 Sandals points worth?

Sandals points are redeemable for savings off of your room rate at Sandals Resorts; 5000 Sandals points are worth a savings of $125.

How much is the Sandals loyalty discount?

The Sandals loyalty discount is another way of referring to the rewards program discount. Sandals Select Rewards members can get loyalty discounts of up to 25 percent off their room rate at participating Sandals resorts by redeeming their Sandals Select Rewards points.

How many nights do you have to stay at Sandals to get a free week?

You need to stay at Sandals for 70 nights in order to accumulate enough Sandals’ loyalty points to get a free week at a Sandals resort. Free night stays do not count towards the 70 nights.

He is an expert travel advisor and enthusiast. He has traveled extensively in the USA, Central America, South America, and Europe. He has visited every Sandals Resort and is one of a select few Diamond Elite members of the Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club. Dan graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an associate degree in Culinary Arts. Later he graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a focus on people and culture.

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