Count me out of the OBC game. I took the refund.

[SNJCruisers]

4 hours ago, xDisconnections said:

My personal rule is that I don’t need anything in life that can’t go on my Amex. A small discount isn’t worth deviating from that nor is it worth the hassle of linking money to one retailer via gift card.

One, you can pay for the gift cards obtained through Allstate via your Amex card if so desired.

Two, if saving 300.00 on a 3,000.00 investment is not an incentive and you can afford to throw that 300.00 away, then I guess you're obviously in a different price bracket than I am.  I had an Amex green and then gold for over 25 years and when the cost was more than the benefit, I gave it up.

[ilovesparky13]

On 1/29/2021 at 4:47 AM, MRVEGAS711 said:

Getting your money back in your hands is a good idea. There is not going to be cruising out of the US until spring of 2022 at the earliest. 

I was hoping to maybe cruise again in 2022, but waiting until it returns to "normal" which may be 2023 at best.

How many ships and cruise lines survive this will be interesting to see.

I agree with your predictions. Vaccine rollout is too slow, too many people are refusing to take it, and developing countries (where most crew members are from) aren’t even getting enough doses. These are all slowing down the return to cruising. 

[SNJCruisers]

On 1/29/2021 at 7:47 AM, MRVEGAS711 said:

Getting your money back in your hands is a good idea. There is not going to be cruising out of the US until spring of 2022 at the earliest.

 

4 minutes ago, ilovesparky13 said:

I agree with your predictions. Vaccine rollout is too slow, too many people are refusing to take it, and developing countries (where most crew members are from) aren’t even getting enough doses. These are all slowing down the return to cruising. 

If it takes 6 months for the vaccines to be given out, that it August 1.  Don't care about the non vaxxers, if they refuse, then they don't cruise.  If test cruises happen in August, 60 day wait period puts short cruises starting in November, which is certainly much sooner than spring of 2022.

[ilovesparky13]

1 minute ago, SNJCruisers said:

 

If it takes 6 months for the vaccines to be given out, that it August 1.  Don't care about the non vaxxers, if they refuse, then they don't cruise.  If test cruises happen in August, 60 day wait period puts short cruises starting in November, which is certainly much sooner than spring of 2022.

You should absolutely care about vaccine hesitant folks. If not enough people take the vaccine, the virus will continue to spread, which means no cruising. 
 

We have already seen this with masks and lockdowns. People who don’t follow the rules continue to spread it and now here we are. Just compare the US to Australia or New Zealand. 
 

And you’re ignoring the fact that poorer countries aren’t getting enough help. What if they don’t want cruisers? What if crew can’t get vaccinated?

[SNJCruisers]

6 minutes ago, ilovesparky13 said:

You should absolutely care about vaccine hesitant folks. If not enough people take the vaccine, the virus will continue to spread, which means no cruising.

And you’re ignoring the fact that poorer countries aren’t getting enough help. What if they don’t want cruisers? What if crew can’t get vaccinated?

How about if the country adopts the proposal that Americans get the extra 1400 in federal handout money if they take the vaccine and zero if they don't.  This way the government is getting something for the handout. 

A year from now the port countries will be desperate because many of them need tourism to generate income.  The crew of the ships will get vaccinated because the cruise lines will pay for it if need be.

[mpk]

On 1/28/2021 at 11:24 AM, Joebucks said:

I was initially all about the OBC. $600 bucks was (and still could be) a sweet offer, as I plan to cruise again. Cover my gratuities, drinks, and a few meals.

 

Just to confirm-  cancellation OBC can be used for gratuities?   So it is just the travel agent OBC that can't be used for grats?   Sorry for the stupid question, but I've only had TA OBC.

[bury me at sea]

25 minutes ago, mpk said:

 

Just to confirm-  cancellation OBC can be used for gratuities?   So it is just the travel agent OBC that can't be used for grats?   Sorry for the stupid question, but I've only had TA OBC.

 

Yes it can be used for gratuities.  Simply don't pre-pay your gratuities.  They will be charged to your on board account, and the $600. OBC will be applied against them.

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, mpk said:

 

Just to confirm-  cancellation OBC can be used for gratuities?   So it is just the travel agent OBC that can't be used for grats?   Sorry for the stupid question, but I've only had TA OBC.

As BMAS said, it can be used.  But so can TA OBC.  It's OBC from the cruiseline that sometimes has restrictions. 

[mpk]

5 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

As BMAS said, it can be used.  But so can TA OBC.  It's OBC from the cruiseline that sometimes has restrictions. 

 

Thanks, I would correct my post, but the Edit disappears after about an hour.  So to summarize and fix my error:
 

• TA OBC can be used for grats
• Cancellation OBC can be used for grats
• Cruiseline OBC from promotions (not cancel) may or may not be used for grats

[Joebucks]

 

On 1/30/2021 at 8:33 PM, Butterbean1000 said:

Our first canceled cruise was last March.  We rebooked 3 more times. All three were canceled.  We finally rebooked for February 2022.  We decided that 2 years was too long to keep $3000 tied up.  We canceled, forfeiting the 600.  It only took 2 weeks to get our refund.  We are taking a 2 week long road trip to the Keys with that money next month.   I really think cruising as we know it is gone. 😪

 

We did the same thing with a trip to the keys when our cruise got cancelled. I am sooo glad we did it. 

 

On 1/31/2021 at 12:53 AM, SNJCruisers said:

Purchased at a 10% discount to pay for the entire cruise including deposit,  final payment, Cheers, gratuities, and on board spending.  

Go over to the Allstate thread and see how many utilize the discount.   The cards can now per purchased at a 12% discount.

Paying 10% more for your cruise by using a credit card is certainly your prerogative, but the 10% savings by using the gift card is cash right back into my pocket for another future cruise.

 

I've bought a few for general spending (didn't know about the 12%, nice to know!) However, I just can't bite the bullet on gift cards for the whole thing. My CC will give me 4.5% back for booking travel and included travel insurance. That alone is similar value. It's also not hard to get another 4-6% through cashback portals or other third party bookings. At that point, how much would I really be saving with the gift cards while removing protections? I actually purchase a LOT of gift cards in my normal life because that is how I get the most value for nearly all of my purchases. However, for the big purchases, it's nice to have certain protections that a gift card cannot offer. Not that it happens often, but I have seen a ton of people have it not work out the way they wanted. 

 

On 1/31/2021 at 7:37 AM, skridge said:

My personal rule is not to send money to a company that has not been honest with it's customers since April and has been losing a Billion dollars every couple of months with no end in sight and even when they start back they are going to be losing money for a while because they have given away the farm to try and entice there best customers to send them free loans to tide them over until the pandemic is over.  My high school English teacher is rolling over in her grave at that run on sentence.  

 

Not that I can say they have been perfect around this. However, I don't know what is realistic to expect. Did they really KNOW that they wouldn't be sailing today and know when it will end? They've lost billions of dollars. Offered everyone all of their money back or a $600 OBC. None of this is easy. It wasn't perfect. However, what else can we really expect? If it was your business, would you just shut down all of 2021 and say all is lost?

[mpdog42]

On 1/30/2021 at 3:58 PM, bury me at sea said:

 

Fourth quarter sounds possible to me, though it seems opimistic.  I couldn't go so far as probable.  But I'm definitely hopeful.

 

After living through raising three teenage girls into adulthood I've learned to hedge my bets.

 

 

I hope it will be sooner as well

[SwordBlazer Cruising]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

 

We did the same thing with a trip to the keys when our cruise got cancelled. I am sooo glad we did it. 

 

 

I've bought a few for general spending (didn't know about the 12%, nice to know!) However, I just can't bite the bullet on gift cards for the whole thing. My CC will give me 4.5% back for booking travel and included travel insurance. That alone is similar value. It's also not hard to get another 4-6% through cashback portals or other third party bookings. At that point, how much would I really be saving with the gift cards while removing protections? I actually purchase a LOT of gift cards in my normal life because that is how I get the most value for nearly all of my purchases. However, for the big purchases, it's nice to have certain protections that a gift card cannot offer. Not that it happens often, but I have seen a ton of people have it not work out the way they wanted. 

 

 

Not that I can say they have been perfect around this. However, I don't know what is realistic to expect. Did they really KNOW that they wouldn't be sailing today and know when it will end? They've lost billions of dollars. Offered everyone all of their money back or a $600 OBC. None of this is easy. It wasn't perfect. However, what else can we really expect? If it was your business, would you just shut down all of 2021 and say all is lost?

That is a stretch to say a publicly traded company has not been honest. Prove it. I think your anger should be directed at the Government for not treating the various forms of travel the same and causing the cancellations since last

March, 2020. They haven’t been perfect but who has? 

[mpdog42]

On 1/31/2021 at 6:37 AM, skridge said:

My personal rule is not to send money to a company that has not been honest with it's customers since April and has been losing a Billion dollars every couple of months with no end in sight and even when they start back they are going to be losing money for a while because they have given away the farm to try and entice there best customers to send them free loans to tide them over until the pandemic is over.  My high school English teacher is rolling over in her grave at that run on sentence.  

Mic drop........

[SwordBlazer Cruising]

To add, they did give the option for a guest to get a FULL refund, which for a while the airlines were NOT doing that nor AIR BNB. 

[SwordBlazer Cruising]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

 

We did the same thing with a trip to the keys when our cruise got cancelled. I am sooo glad we did it. 

 

 

I've bought a few for general spending (didn't know about the 12%, nice to know!) However, I just can't bite the bullet on gift cards for the whole thing. My CC will give me 4.5% back for booking travel and included travel insurance. That alone is similar value. It's also not hard to get another 4-6% through cashback portals or other third party bookings. At that point, how much would I really be saving with the gift cards while removing protections? I actually purchase a LOT of gift cards in my normal life because that is how I get the most value for nearly all of my purchases. However, for the big purchases, it's nice to have certain protections that a gift card cannot offer. Not that it happens often, but I have seen a ton of people have it not work out the way they wanted. 

 

 

Not that I can say they have been perfect around this. However, I don't know what is realistic to expect. Did they really KNOW that they wouldn't be sailing today and know when it will end? They've lost billions of dollars. Offered everyone all of their money back or a $600 OBC. None of this is easy. It wasn't perfect. However, what else can we really expect? If it was your business, would you just shut down all of 2021 and say all is lost?

I agree Joebucks w you. Who or what entity has been perfect in this? 

[skridge]

3 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

 

We did the same thing with a trip to the keys when our cruise got cancelled. I am sooo glad we did it. 

 

 

I've bought a few for general spending (didn't know about the 12%, nice to know!) However, I just can't bite the bullet on gift cards for the whole thing. My CC will give me 4.5% back for booking travel and included travel insurance. That alone is similar value. It's also not hard to get another 4-6% through cashback portals or other third party bookings. At that point, how much would I really be saving with the gift cards while removing protections? I actually purchase a LOT of gift cards in my normal life because that is how I get the most value for nearly all of my purchases. However, for the big purchases, it's nice to have certain protections that a gift card cannot offer. Not that it happens often, but I have seen a ton of people have it not work out the way they wanted. 

 

 

Not that I can say they have been perfect around this. However, I don't know what is realistic to expect. Did they really KNOW that they wouldn't be sailing today and know when it will end? They've lost billions of dollars. Offered everyone all of their money back or a $600 OBC. None of this is easy. It wasn't perfect. However, what else can we really expect? If it was your business, would you just shut down all of 2021 and say all is lost?

If it was between that and lying to there best customers I would choose to shut down after about the third time I had to cancel cruises.

[xDisconnections]

On 1/31/2021 at 11:52 AM, SNJCruisers said:

One, you can pay for the gift cards obtained through Allstate via your Amex card if so desired.

Two, if saving 300.00 on a 3,000.00 investment is not an incentive and you can afford to throw that 300.00 away, then I guess you're obviously in a different price bracket than I am.  I had an Amex green and then gold for over 25 years and when the cost was more than the benefit, I gave it up.

Luckily I’m in the position where saving a couple hundred dollars isn’t worth the effort of jumping through hoops and take advantage of certain promotions. I’d rather have full control of any dollar paid and have it returned to my credit card company as requested should I want.

 

If you can’t get more value from the card than your annual fee is, you might not be doing something properly. My $450 annual fee seems like pennies compared to the benefits I get.

[xDisconnections]

8 hours ago, SwordBlazer Cruising said:

To add, they did give the option for a guest to get a FULL refund, which for a while the airlines were NOT doing that nor AIR BNB. 

The airlines have always offered a full refund for involuntary cancellations. The airlines should not provide a refund for someone canceling voluntarily... just as the cruise lines should not.

[xDisconnections]

6 hours ago, skridge said:

If it was between that and lying to there best customers I would choose to shut down after about the third time I had to cancel cruises.

I’ve had a couple canceled. I stopped booking anything in advance for the most part. I pushed my Europe one back a year and booked a quick weekend cruise on Princess towards the end of this year. Many other options to book but we prefer to wait until they begin to cruise again.

 

We have been focusing more on land trips.

Edited February 2, 2021 by xDisconnections

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, xDisconnections said:

Luckily I’m in the position where saving a couple hundred dollars isn’t worth the effort of jumping through hoops.....My $450 annual fee seems like pennies compared to the benefits I get.

You're obviously in a different financial situation than I am.  I would never pay 450.00 for the priviledge of owning an Amex Platinum card.  Got pre-approved numerous times when I had my gold card and never took advantage of it because the benefits would never outweigh the cost, for me.

 

If 450.00 is pennies to you, then saving 300.00 on a 3,000.00 cruise is obviously not worth it to you .  But it's worth it to me and obviously worth it to the many people that are on the Allstate thread earning points to redeem towards saving the 10% involved with the gift cards.

Edited February 2, 2021 by SNJCruisers

[firefly333]

On 1/31/2021 at 5:41 PM, mpk said:

 

Just to confirm-  cancellation OBC can be used for gratuities?   So it is just the travel agent OBC that can't be used for grats?   Sorry for the stupid question, but I've only had TA OBC.

I've never had any obc that wasnt good for all onboard spending, including grats. 

[firefly333]

On 1/31/2021 at 10:52 AM, SNJCruisers said:

One, you can pay for the gift cards obtained through Allstate via your Amex card if so desired.

Two, if saving 300.00 on a 3,000.00 investment is not an incentive and you can afford to throw that 300.00 away, then I guess you're obviously in a different price bracket than I am.  I had an Amex green and then gold for over 25 years and when the cost was more than the benefit, I gave it up.

I've never booked a 3k cabin. I try and get cabins under 1k. My solo cabin in sept is 1A with port holes. 

 

Certainly prices are higher if I have to rebook yet again. ..but still cruisefare before taxes 1k or less at most. 

 

I'm booking solo, 1 set of taxes, put me anywhere, though I do prefer the port hole 1As,  nice large cabin. $100 at most not worth the extra trouble. Sometimes rarely I've had the cruisefare not at 200%, and booked a balcony for that. I just book whatever is cheapest solo. I cruise to eat and see the ocean, not sit alone in my cabin. I can sit alone at home. I rarely use my balcony even if I book one.

 

Everyone is different.

[Joebucks]

8 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

You're obviously in a different financial situation than I am.  I would never pay 450.00 for the priviledge of owning an Amex Platinum card.  Got pre-approved numerous times when I had my gold card and never took advantage of it because the benefits would never outweigh the cost, for me.

 

I initially agreed that there was no chance in hell I would pay $450 for a credit card. Today, I have two $450 credit cards, and they are worth every penny. Too add to that, I do not nearly make 6 figures, and have not booked a cruise more than $2000.

 

But I do agree with the Platinum. I have not been able to find enough value in that one, for me. However, they have stepped up their game with the AMEX offers. 

[bitemyfly]

The 600 buck obc was a very smart play by CCL. I’m not sure the obc along with the staggered cancellation was dishonest  , but was very smart.
People look for great deals , bargains. Sometimes  sales ,pre paid cards and marketing plays designed with upfront costs blow up on the bargain hunter,  most times they don’t . That’s why people consume them. 
I wonder how much revenue the  OBC a play and gift card sales retained .

 

 

[SNJCruisers]

8 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I've never booked a 3k cabin. 

Neither have I.  The 3000 came from adding up all expenses.  Cruise fare, taxes, port charges, gratuities, Cheers, specialty dining...for two.