Using Credit Card Rewards Points to pay off balance of cruise ....

[pal2pluto]

I use my Royal Caribbean Credit card to pay most of my bills and have quite a nice Rewards Points balance saved up.  We have a cruise coming up in August that I've been paying on.  Balance is due in a few months.  Has anyone here used those Reward Points to pay towards the balance of the cruise?  I know a lot of people will use it as an onboard credit to use on the ship, but I'd like to know if I can pay off my balance of the cruise itself.  If so, do I call Royal Caribbean or the credit card company??

[shof515]

for me it is easier and quicker to use the points as the statement credit that i redeem at the end of the month when i make my credit card payment

[Eddie Wilson]

Pal2, I have the same concern, balance due in April.  So I am curious as to any responses

 

Eddie

[Cigar King]

You can redeem the points either online or by calling.  Personally I like to call.  I did this recently for the up to $2,500.00 credit.  I think I got something like $2,350.00 since it's based on cruise fare.  The process itself went pretty smooth.

[Ret MP]

I pay my balance due on the cruise right at about 90 days out mark with the RCCL, Visa, BOA, C.C.  I then turn around and pay off the balance on the C.C., once it isn't pending anymore.  But, before I pay off the C.C. I transfer the reward points over to an OBC.  I make sure that the OBC is in the "cruise planner" or wherever it is supposed to go in my RCCL account.  Then I pay off the C.C.  It's always been easy for me.  I must admit though, the first time I did this, I was very concerned because it takes several days to weeks, it's not instant, for the rewards/OBC to show up in your RCCL account.  Mine has neve taken more than a few days to a little over a week.  

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise!

Edited February 3, 2023 by Ret MP

[Cigar King]

16 hours ago, Ret MP said:

I transfer the reward points over to an OBC.

You likely already know this, but for those who do not, the "free" cruise rewards are twice as valuable as the OBC.  If you cruise enough, you should consider using them instead.

 

 

[pal2pluto]

Thanks for your input...... I called Royal Caribbean and it was so simple to pay towards my current cruise.  Now to save up enough for a free cruise!

 

[Ret MP]

23 hours ago, Cigar King said:

You likely already know this, but for those who do not, the "free" cruise rewards are twice as valuable as the OBC.  If you cruise enough, you should consider using them instead.

 

 

Good point!  Being 71, don't want to sound too morbid, but I'm not too worried about getting free cruises based upon reward points.  LOL