RCCL Credit Card Rewards Dilemma - Help!

Hi Everyone,

For those of you that have the RCCL credit card, I need your advice. I have been banking points for some time (at around 142k now), as I had a baby a couple of years ago and have not had a chance to get on a cruise since then. I'm trying to book a 5-night Bermuda cruise (Oceanview Balcony) out of NJ (local for me) with some friends in May, but there are so many restrictions and a lack of options for redeeming points that I am completely frustrated. Even the RCCL customer service rep was frustrated for me.

1. There are no good upgrade/free cruise offers for a cruise of that length.

2. Even if there were, apparently none would be combineable with the BOGO 50% deal that lasts through 12/31.

3. The BOGO deal kind of stinks anyway. They seem to be jacking up the prices to then apply the discount. (For instance, my balcony quote with tax was $1,160/pp. For a 5-night cruise. Maybe I've been away from the cruise scene for too long, but this seems high to me and seemed high to the rep.)

4. So I'm limited to only getting onboard credit for my points. Obviously not good bang for your buck, and who spends almost $1400 onboard for 5 nights? I know I won't. She said some people get the onboard credit and don't use it all, then get it refunded in cash at the end of the cruise. That sounded like too good of a loophole for them to allow it, but please let me know if that is an option!

5. Lastly, if you use the onboard credit option, you forfeit the $200 OBC that comes along with the BOGO special right now.

So I basically feel like I'm losing money / points left and right. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Do I just wait until the BOGO offer ends in January and maybe the "regular" prices (with fewer restrictions) will be lower? Would really appreciate the advice of all of you experts!

Thanks so much and Happy Holidays!

Lauren

We did not use all of our BOA OBC on our September cruise. There was @ 36.00 left that was credited my BOA card.

I don't know anything about the combining of OBC with a promo as the BOA points credits are always separate.

Since you say you are booking with friends could you share your OBC credit by linking their accounts with yours and then just have them reimburse you?

I looked at the T&C's and do not see any restrictions or mention of the rci visa card. I did see that if you used c&a discounts, the obc was out. Maybe I missed it

Because of all the restrictions on the points and because any cc can change the rules anytime we prefer to not let points build up, so we keep ours current opting for obc

Also points void after 5 years

...

2. Even if there were, apparently none would be combineable with the BOGO 50% deal that lasts through 12/31....

Somehow I think the BOGOHO will go on forever.:rolleyes:

Seriously, I believe you can use a reward for a cruise discount with BOGOHO.

Somehow I think the BOGOHO will go on forever.:rolleyes:

 

Seriously, I believe you can use a reward for a cruise discount with BOGOHO.

They 're-price it so it ends up being more. Doing a June cruise on FOS and we ended up paying $1500 for a D1 with the credit. Realistically, I only got about $1250 for my 125,000 points. :banghead:

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If you get the onboard credit and don't use it, the BOA obc should be refunded to your credit card as those were earned points.

If you didn't use the Bogoho obc, you would lose it, but they should use the nonrefundable obcs before the refundable.

I don't let my points build up because it's easier for me to just request an obc occasionally.

Another suggestion: I wouldn't use the points for a discount, I would use them for the obc. Maybe consider booking after final (as you are in driving distance) as May is considered off peak and you are bound to see discounts in some categories. Then apply for your obc as soon as you're booked. I think you need a couple weeks but check on that.

I would hate to use points for a discount and then see my cruise discounted after final anyway.

Somehow I think the BOGOHO will go on forever.:rolleyes:

 

Seriously, I believe you can use a reward for a cruise discount with BOGOHO.

Do you really think so?

That is NOT what I have been told on several occasions. They tell me OBC only.

Maybe I should test it??;)

...I would hate to use points for a discount and then see my cruise discounted after final anyway.

Would you not still get the value of your VIsa points discount?:confused:

Do you really think so?

 

That is NOT what I have been told on several occasions. They tell me OBC only.

 

Maybe I should test it??;)

Maybe you can't use the discount because of the way the bogoho is priced out (ie one person is more discounted than the other). Can't think of any other reason it should be excluded as this is an earned bonus.

Would you not still get the value of your VIsa points discount?:confused:

Well you will get the value, but if the cruise goes down after final, you won't get a price adjustment (unless you are a brand new cruiser, and then they'll probably throw in some obc for good measure). I watch the Bermuda prices because I take that cruise a lot. I saw insides for $325pp this past year. I am just suggesting booking after final as another option.

I'm reluctant to book Bermuda out of Bayonne too early as the pricing after final is so random. (I did book a cheapish bogoho price in early May though so we'll see how that works out this time).

Do you really think so?

 

That is NOT what I have been told on several occasions. They tell me OBC only.

 

Maybe I should test it??;)

I re-read the latest terms last night, and while I did see specific restrictions for using the upgrade, free cruise, and companion fare redemptions with BOGOHO, I did not see that restriction with the discount redemption.

I was able to use points to pay off the balance, even with BOGOHO pricing last month.

Just use the points you need for the cruise for OBC, drink packages etc. I know that is not what you want, but, better than nothing if in deed you cannot use it for what you want. Also remember that the CC points, if not used in a certain period of time will disappear.

When we tried to use points during the first BOGO, we were told that we could only use them for OBC. After that sale ended I was able to use the same number of points for the free OV discount, but they repriced the cruise to the current rates first. I ended up saving about $300 more than I would have received in OBC for that number of points.

Maybe you can't use the discount because of the way the bogoho is priced out (ie one person is more discounted than the other). Can't think of any other reason it should be excluded as this is an earned bonus.

I agree. I think that is the reason

Candichic1...

DITCH that RCCL card and open a Barclays US Arrival Mastercard. You will earn twice the points on every purchase, get 10% back on redemption, and earn 40,000 points for signing up to boot. Burned my RCCL visa a year ago.

Never looked back. Great cruise line, poor credit card choice.

I was able to use points to pay off the balance, even with BOGOHO pricing last month.

I am glad to hear that you were able to redeem points to pay off the balance of a cruise even though your cruise was priced with BOGOHO. I believe many feel they won't be allowed to do that.

I know I thought that until you said you were able to do it.

Thank you all for your responses! Sorry I did not respond earlier, I was traveling internationally for work.

I guess I will wait until at least January to see what pricing is like. marci22 - you really saw inside for $325 for Bermuda last year? That's crazy [awesome]!

It seems everyone agrees that I would get any unused OBC back at the end of the cruise. That is a great perk, if so. So now I just need to get over the fact that any promotional OBC offered with the cruise purchase (i.e. from RCCL or a travel agent) would be unavailable to me because of that latter rule. The RCCL agent said they don't give it to you because they won't be able to differentiate between the BoA credit and the RCCL (non-refundable) credit.

Regarding the suggestion to link my account to my friends' account, does that mean we would just get one combo bill? Or would there still be separate invoices? I would guess to be able to "share" the OBC (as opposed to simply charging their account to my credit card), it would have to be one invoice...but if not, that's a great option as well.

marci22 - you really saw inside for $325 for Bermuda last year? That's crazy [awesome]!

It's a little awesome. When you get done paying port fees ($185 each) and tips for a couple, it's less awesome. But still cheaper than normal.

That's great. It will be a first-time cruise for our friends and the price right now is around $650-$700 a person for inside. My husband said he will only ever do a balcony if we do a cruise (he is not a cruise fan, somehow) so...I am really at RCCL's mercy for that one.

I will have to be patient and hope that a PA resident rate pops up or something big in general in January!

We decided the RCI Visa Rewards has too many restrictions so use it carefully. We had used our rewards for a companion fare on a Nov '14 Allure cruise -- outside balcony. We had booked it back in March.

Before final payment date, the price of a Junior Suite had dropped below what we had paid for the outside balcony. But we were told the current Junior Suite deal was part of the BOGO and they would have to re-price it without that deal to use the free companion fare. The price was higher than what we had paid so it was not worth it to upgrade.

We will use our points for cruises during high traffic time periods as most likely prices won't drop for those popular dates. Or we will use them for OBC. For off season cruising, we are learning to just wait until closer to sailing dates and you can find some really good deals.

thank you for the tips!

We decided the RCI Visa Rewards has too many restrictions so use it carefully. We had used our rewards for a companion fare on a Nov '14 Allure cruise -- outside balcony. We had booked it back in March.

 

Before final payment date, the price of a Junior Suite had dropped below what we had paid for the outside balcony. But we were told the current Junior Suite deal was part of the BOGO and they would have to re-price it without that deal to use the free companion fare. The price was higher than what we had paid so it was not worth it to upgrade.

 

We will use our points for cruises during high traffic time periods as most likely prices won't drop for those popular dates. Or we will use them for OBC. For off season cruising, we are learning to just wait until closer to sailing dates and you can find some really good deals.

Everyone always brings up issues/situations like this.....it is the nature of the pricing beast (as I call it). When you originally booked you had choice of cabin you wanted....you could have waited and hoped that something better priced came along. What if nothing did.....and what if all the prices kept going up?

DH and I book a cruise when we see a price for a cruise that we feel is reasonable and can use whatever promotions are available to us....if prices change that we CAN take advantage of, fine....if not, fine....we are still on the cruise for a price we thing was fair.

I was shopping today....I have been watching the price of a particular dress in a store....I felt it was overpriced at its original price; now it is a wonderful price, but they don't have the dress in my size, now. I will just stay with what I have; If I would have bought it 8 weeks ago, do you think I should be allowed to return the dress and rebuy it at the now 'bargain basement price'......NO, I should not be allowed to do that.

People want to do that all the time (I work in retail), but that isn't right. It is one thing if you bought it 2 days before the item went on sale, but not weeks before.

Back to Royal, we have had the BofA/Royal card for years; benefits have changed over the years and combinability has surely been the biggest issue. But we know how to utilize the system effectively. I could get other credit cards, but we choose 'not to'. Life is an ongoing set of choices -- most of which I refuse to get crazy over....life is too too short!

Regarding your comment on now knowing how to use the card (thus rewards) effectively...do you have any tips?

Candichic1...

 

DITCH that RCCL card and open a Barclays US Arrival Mastercard. You will earn twice the points on every purchase, get 10% back on redemption, and earn 40,000 points for signing up to boot. Burned my RCCL visa a year ago.

Never looked back. Great cruise line, poor credit card choice.