What credit card gives you most bang for the buck for OBC/points, etc.

My husband and I love to cruise and I'm trying to research the best options to obtain the most points, OBC, etc. towards cruising. I've read were some pay their monthly bills/expenses with a credit card, pay it off monthly and use the points towards their cruise vacations. Trying to figure out a way to adjust my monthly spending to accommodate this but still make sure it is paid off monthly (any pointers appreciated) What credit card have you found is best for achieving this and getting the most points/OBC available? I know some give you 1 point for each $1 you spend, some do more. Certain cruise lines have their own credit cards but we vary on the cruise line we choose so wasn't sure I would go down that route. Wanted to hear from those that currently do this to earn some free vacation $$.....thanks! :D

We use both of the above with fantastic results. The are both zero annual fee, and give 1% back on every purchase everyday. But they offer quarterly specials that offer 5% back on purchases in special categories. For example in the third quarter Chase Freedom will give 5% on all fuel purchases up to $1500. So in the third quarter I will buy $1500 worth of fuel gift cards and use throughout the year. Sometimes the quarterly special is on groceries, so that quarter I go and get $1500 worth of Kroger gift cards. During the year I then buy all my groceries with the Kroger gift cards.

Discover also has a great link if you are on on-line shopper. If you go to the discover web site and then link through their retail shopping section you can get between 5% and 20% in cash back bonuses on certain stores. LL Bean, Lands End, Home Depot and Drugstore.com are one's I use frequently. The other day we needed to replace our dishwasher. If I bought it from the local home depot I would get 1% cash back, however I went through Discovers website linked to Home Depot site and got 5% back on the dishwasher purchase plus free home delivery. That was an easy $27 earned as opposed to the $5 I would have gotten had I purchased in store.

We make all of everyday purchases on our credit cards and pay off the entire balance monthly. So it woks out great for us, we earn $ to use towards vacation and never pay any interest.

For example in the third quarter Chase Freedom will give 5% on all fuel purchases up to $1500. So in the third quarter I will buy $1500 worth of fuel gift cards and use throughout the year. Sometimes the quarterly special is on groceries, so that quarter I go and get $1500 worth of Kroger gift cards. During the year I then buy all my groceries with the Kroger gift cards.

Never thought about doing that, that's a great idea! I typically never pay attention to those perks on Discover but I guess I need to be doing that.

Thanks for the pointers!

Chase Sapphire..

Chase Sapphire..

I'll look into that, thanks :D

I have used my American Express Blue Sky rewards for my last few trips. You get one point per dollar spent and $100.00 travel credit per 7500 points. With this card you can apply your credit to any travel purchase so it could be for any air travel or cruise line, etc.

I also use the Chase Sapphire and the rewards are similar to those from the Amex.

I have a AmEx card that gives me 6% at grocery stores, 3% at gas stations and 1% for everything else. I buy gift cards at the grocery store for other stores.

Use almost no cash and no checks, buy everything with Credit Cards and pay off the balance each month. I have a couple of other credit cards for other items that earn better rewards then my amex, like a citicard professional card for 3% back at restaurants.

I earn at least $1,000 in statement credits per year.

Chase Sapphire card ..

Another vote for Discover. They give the best % of cashback rewards, and they sometimes offer a bonus cashback reward on travel-related expenses.

You may not be able to cash in the points towards an actual cruise, but you can get a Discover gift card, which you can use towards your cruise. Or you could use the gift card towards your weekly groceries, and then use your grocery money to pay the cruise -- it all works out to the same thing in the end.

With this card you can apply your credit to any travel purchase so it could be for any air travel or cruise line, etc.

That's nice. On Discover they do offer perks but they are typically limited to certain cruise lines, etc. Never fails, it's always the one I'm not going on LOL.

I have a AmEx card that gives me 6% at grocery stores, 3% at gas stations and 1% for everything else. I buy gift cards at the grocery store for other stores.

 

Use almost no cash and no checks, buy everything with Credit Cards and pay off the balance each month. I have a couple of other credit cards for other items that earn better rewards then my amex, like a citicard professional card for 3% back at restaurants.

 

I earn at least $1,000 in statement credits per year.

Another vote for Discover. They give the best % of cashback rewards, and they sometimes offer a bonus cashback reward on travel-related expenses.

 

You may not be able to cash in the points towards an actual cruise, but you can get a Discover gift card, which you can use towards your cruise. Or you could use the gift card towards your weekly groceries, and then use your grocery money to pay the cruise -- it all works out to the same thing in the end.

Thank you! I really need to start using this for my groceries, gas, etc. Help pay for some of my cruising addiction. :p

I use a Capitol One Venture card. It pays 2% on everything. I also pay it off every month. The cruise we are taking in Jan. will be paid entirely using my cc points.

Capital one, we get cash back plus no foreign fees when abroad.

I use a Capitol One Venture card. It pays 2% on everything. I also pay it off every month. The cruise we are taking in Jan. will be paid entirely using my cc points.

Wow! That's what I would love to do. Thanks & have fun on your cruise.

I prefer cards that give 2% or more, redeemable for cash (not miles or cruise discounts or obc with restrictions), and with no annual fees.

Here are some that I found:

Fidelity American Express - 2% on everything. No exclusions.

Amex Blue Card - 3% Supermarkets

BankAmericard Cash Rewards - 3% gas

Costco Amex - 3% gas

Chase Freedom - 5% rotating categories, each quarter

Citi Dividend - 5% rotating categories including Home Depot

Discover It- 5% rotating categories, each quarter

US Bank Cash+ Visa - 5% on two categories you choose (includes restaurants)

Pen Fed Platinum Visa - 5 points per dollar gas, 3 points/$ supermarket

Pen Fed Travel Rewards - 5 points/$ airfare

Citi Forward - 5% all restaurants and movies, and 5% Amazon - is no longer available to new applicants.

Capital One has a new card - 3% on travel but has annual fee.

Many others, but with annual fees.

Note:

Cash back cards are most beneficial if you pay the bill in full each month.

If you tend to carry a balance, then the cash back rate is miniscule in comparison to the interest rate you will pay.

Thanks Libra, lots of info :D

I have the Capital One Venture and the Barclaycard Arrival +. Both have two points per dollar on all purchases, and generous signup bonuses. The Barclaycard also gives you a 25% point bonus when you redeem the points for travel, which is nice. Both have an annual fee, but if you spend enough, it is more than worth it. For no-annual fee cards, the Discover It card is a good choice. All 3 require excellent credit.

US Bank Cash+ Visa - 5% on two categories you choose (includes restaurants)

I already have:

American Express Blue Cash Preferred

Discover It

Capital One

Capital One Spark

Freedom Chase

La Quinta Visa

And you found me another one... Looks like you have to apply in person, next week! :)

I already have:

 

American Express Blue Cash Preferred

Discover It

Capital One

Capital One Spark

Freedom Chase

La Quinta Visa

 

And you found me another one... Looks like you have to apply in person, next week! :)

Call USBank 855-605-8888. They will take the application over the phone.

Call USBank 855-605-8888855-605-8888. They will take the application over the phone.

Thanks, just applied! ;)

Hmmm, should I double dip with a business card...

Thanks, just applied! ;)

 

Hmmm, should I double dip with a business card...

Best card for everyone in my opinion, especially if you already shop at Sam's Club:

Sam's Club Mastercard

5% back on Gas

3% on Travel

1% on Everything else

No Annual fees

With the US Bank Card mentioned already, I'm going to ditch the Freedom Chase. ;)

Best card for everyone in my opinion, especially if you already shop at Sam's Club:

 

Sam's Club Mastercard

5% back on Gas

3% on Travel

1% on Everything else

No Annual fees

 

With the US Bank Card mentioned already, I'm going to ditch the Freedom Chase. ;)

Nice find, Stateroom_Sailor!

I'm gonna ditch my Costco membership and switch back to Sam's Club (which I used before Costco, two years ago).

This is a new card offered in June for the first time. I like the 5% gas and 3% travel rebates available year-round instead of quarterly.

Nice find, Stateroom_Sailor!

 

I'm gonna ditch my Costco membership and switch back to Sam's Club (which I used before Costco, two years ago).

 

This is a new card offered in June for the first time. I like the 5% gas and 3% travel rebates available year-round instead of quarterly.

Yeah I'm loving this. The 5% gas doesn't work at Cosco, and some grocery store gas stations. We can just use our American Express to buy a grocery store giftcard then go use the pump. Kroger gives discounts on gas for buying groceries, which is where that comes into play.

I can usually juggle through quarterly promos and giftcard to get 5%, but it's a hassle, and that only works in town usually not when we're traveling. This is much more convenient to have a 12 month gas card!

However this 3% on travel works on train, plain, and cruise. The car rental, your airport transfer, and even your private excursions are all included. Travel agents even! :)

As someone else mentioned the Barclays World Arrival has saved me $500 and my husband $450 for our Dec. cruise.

The sign up bonus is 40k miles which equals to $400 plus a 10% back on points against travel purchases.

So the original booking we used my husband's card and I just acquired one in July and finished up the required minimum purchases of $3k and applied the bonus towards my additional payments for the cruise.

We also have Chase Sapphire along with Freedom and have flown for free from the east coast to Hawaii in first class this past March. ( had Chase Explorer also with their generous sign up bonus)

With Chase you also get 7% back of your total purchases in points which I have also used for car rental while in Hawaii .

Many hotel loyalty cards are the best for free nights too ( pre and post cruise)

So many ways to save money not just for OBC but for travel in general.