Best use of BofA points

Thanks Bob! I will probably go with option #1 as I try to refrain from going to guest services the last day/night of the cruise unless it is absolutely necessary.

 

Tim

Just remember that if the refund goes to your Royal Visa card, you will lose double points.

I have just acquired a BOA RCCL Visa card with $100 on board credit. I have a cruise in Nov this year and do not know how to redeem them. Could someone help me out?

I have just acquired a BOA RCCL Visa card with $100 on board credit. I have a cruise in Nov this year and do not know how to redeem them. Could someone help me out?

https://www.managerewardsonline.com/RMSapp/Ctl/entry?pid=grprwd&mc=RCCL

Just remember that if the refund goes to your Royal Visa card, you will lose double points.

Good point.

Tim

Where can you find out if you have points that are about ready to expire?

Where can you find out if you have points that are about ready to expire?

You can call b of a and they can tell you.

I didn't know points expire. How long do you have to use them? I got my card in February and am saving points to use next February.

I didn't know points expire. How long do you have to use them? I got my card in February and am saving points to use next February.

Points expire 5 years after you earn them.

The only thing i cn add to the conversation is if you are contemplating using points for a cruise, I'd book the cruise normlly and then watch the sales like hawk. There have been brief windows between when one sale ends and the next one starts, and if you can time it properly you may be able to "sneak" a free cruise in while they're changing over. We're on Enchantment in 4 weeks on a free cruise that we re-booked when the original BOGO sale disappeared for a day. We had originally booked the cruise during the early days of the BOGO, and when the sale ended for a day, we were able to call and re-book the same cabin for $1000 less and pick up $100 in OBC.

The only thing i cn add to the conversation is if you are contemplating using points for a cruise, I'd book the cruise normlly and then watch the sales like hawk. There have been brief windows between when one sale ends and the next one starts, and if you can time it properly you may be able to "sneak" a free cruise in while they're changing over. We're on Enchantment in 4 weeks on a free cruise that we re-booked when the original BOGO sale disappeared for a day. We had originally booked the cruise during the early days of the BOGO, and when the sale ended for a day, we were able to call and re-book the same cabin for $1000 less and pick up $100 in OBC.

Good move! I'll keep that in mind for June 30th.:)

Good move! I'll keep that in mind for June 30th.:)

There you go being optimistic again;)

I have the BOA card and received 10,000 points for my first charge and then 10,000 more points for the next $3000 in charges. I bought $100 OBC from each of these 10,000 points. This is the first time I have done this and was wondering where and when does the $200 in OBC show up. We are sailing on October 25th out of Boston on the Brilliance of the Seas Repo cruise. Just wondering when I should be looking for the OBC to show up on the reservation. I have the receipt printouts from the purchases and am planning on taking them onboard with me for proof of purchase if I don't see anything prior to the cruise.

I have the BOA card and received 10,000 points for my first charge and then 10,000 more points for the next $3000 in charges. I bought $100 OBC from each of these 10,000 points. This is the first time I have done this and was wondering where and when does the $200 in OBC show up. We are sailing on October 25th out of Boston on the Brilliance of the Seas Repo cruise. Just wondering when I should be looking for the OBC to show up on the reservation. I have the receipt printouts from the purchases and am planning on taking them onboard with me for proof of purchase if I don't see anything prior to the cruise.

Contact whoever booked your cruise and ask them for Royal's Guest Copy of your booking confirmation. The OBC should be listed there.

https://www.managerewardsonline.com/RMSapp/Ctl/entry?pid=grprwd&mc=RCCL

Thank you.

So far, the only OBC that is listed there is the $100 OBC per passenger that I got back in March from a promo that was going at that time. The paperwork that came with the card says "Your MyCruise Reward Redemption will be sent electronically to Royal Caribbean and will be applied to your reservation close to final payment." My Final Payment is due on August 11th so I guess I just keep watching for it to appear.

I have the BOA card and received 10,000 points for my first charge and then 10,000 more points for the next $3000 in charges. I bought $100 OBC from each of these 10,000 points. This is the first time I have done this and was wondering where and when does the $200 in OBC show up. We are sailing on October 25th out of Boston on the Brilliance of the Seas Repo cruise. Just wondering when I should be looking for the OBC to show up on the reservation. I have the receipt printouts from the purchases and am planning on taking them onboard with me for proof of purchase if I don't see anything prior to the cruise.

They post them in order of sail date. We are sailing 10/31/15 and ours have not yet been posted. I would check around a month or 2 before your sailing

I have the BOA card and received 10,000 points for my first charge and then 10,000 more points for the next $3000 in charges. I bought $100 OBC from each of these 10,000 points. This is the first time I have done this and was wondering where and when does the $200 in OBC show up. We are sailing on October 25th out of Boston on the Brilliance of the Seas Repo cruise. Just wondering when I should be looking for the OBC to show up on the reservation. I have the receipt printouts from the purchases and am planning on taking them onboard with me for proof of purchase if I don't see anything prior to the cruise.

They don't always apply the obc right away, so it may not show up when you look at your booking invoice. We always tahe the printed confirmation with us just in case.

Yep, I've got the receipts in with my paperwork for the cruise. I was planning on taking them with me just in case. I am not sure what we will do with $400 of OBC but it should add a little bit of fun money for sure.

Remember that gratuities went up for all cabins in June, so a little extra OBC will help with that. I always use Visa points for extra OBC, then take the left over OBC in cash from Guest Services the final afternoon. Sometimes they want to tell me no cash, let it go back to the card. I just tell them no way I want to lose double points and insist on the cash. Sometimes they have to ask a manager, because I usually get back more than just a small amount. Worse comes to worse, you can always get the cash from the casino and pay 5% charge.

As of today we have over 151,000 points. We are sailing in September and going to cash in ALL the points for OBC. Whatever we have left ( if any) we will cash out the night before we leave.

So far, the only OBC that is listed there is the $100 OBC per passenger that I got back in March from a promo that was going at that time. The paperwork that came with the card says "Your MyCruise Reward Redemption will be sent electronically to Royal Caribbean and will be applied to your reservation close to final payment." My Final Payment is due on August 11th so I guess I just keep watching for it to appear.

They do apply the OBC in order of cruise date, so I'd check again a couple of weeks before the cruise.

Does jet blue have a yearly fee? That's why I haven't changed yet.

yup. right now JB's card is an amex. I am told they are going to a visa or mc without an annual fee. JB rewards are nice because you can use them for travel packages or flights. My friend takes a nice trip (has cruised) every other year for free with his JB points.

Two choices then;

1. Use the points for OBC and take a cash refund of anything unused.

2. Pay off the cruise and then use, say 100,000 points to reduce the cruise cost

(How is this credit handled?) I am assuming $1,000 is credited to my credit card and the 100,000 points removed.

...and the use the credit cart for any onboard expenses at the end of the week

for double points.

(Have to plan for the next cruise, which with retirement coming up will be sooner and will be able to cruise during the cheaper months. Being a teacher I am stuck with the higher prices of June and July.)

...

2. Pay off the cruise and then use, say 100,000 points to reduce the cruise cost(How is this credit handled?) ...

I would redemm the 100K points before final payment to reduce your outstanding balaonce, so you don't have to deal with any credits.

Two choices then;

 

1. Use the points for OBC and take a cash refund of anything unused.

 

2. Pay off the cruise and then use, say 100,000 points to reduce the cruise cost

(How is this credit handled?) I am assuming $1,000 is credited to my credit card and the 100,000 points removed.

 

...and the use the credit cart for any onboard expenses at the end of the week

for double points.

 

(Have to plan for the next cruise, which with retirement coming up will be sooner and will be able to cruise during the cheaper months. Being a teacher I am stuck with the higher prices of June and July.)

I have never heard of paying off the cruise first and then redeeming the BofA points and expecting a credit to your credit card.

Before the final payment date, we redeem our points as payment towards the cruise. That reduces the amount we owe at final payment. It has worked like a charm for us.

We have never redeemed our points for OBC, but are considering doing that for our short mid week cruise on Her Majesty in February 2016, if we don't have enough points to redeem for $500 off the total cruise cost at the time.