MisterBill99

31 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

My only purpose for bringing this up is as an example of something that was never taxable before but now is.  Tax rules change every year.  The only iffy, maybe is if you sign up for a new credit card and get a sign-up bonus that is paid out in cash & does not require any spending in X amounts of days.  Rare, I know but it must've happen as the IRS has rules for it.  At least that is what I was able to discern from the 3 links I posted. Not sure if you looked at them.

 

Honestly, the tax implications of using a few hundred dollars  of BOA RC rewards when booking a cruise is something I'll never think about.

There will be tremendous pushback against any change that would make credit card rewards taxable. And I've been doing credit card rewards for a long time and cannot remember seeing an offer that did not require a minimum spend to get the sign-up bonus.

And FYI, you might want to check those sites you referenced to see what they say about cruise line credit cards. Here's one from The Points Guy which explains why you can do better with other cards.

Should you get a cruise line credit card? Here's a closer look - The Points Guy

I just wanted to say that this is a rare case where this credit card is not a poor choice. You can easily do better than the 1% it offers on everyday purchases and 2% on cruise line purchases. And you can get it back in cash instead of having to wait to redeem it on a cruise.

1 hour ago, Cigar King said:

I'll bet the payment needs to post with BoA before the 10th.  I'd make it a week early just to give myself some wiggle room.

This is incorrect. The purchase date is what matters. I just wouldn't do it on a weekend.

25 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

 

 

Uhh, maybe. Or maybe not.  Tax laws are constantly being tweaked every year. I found this out when I tried to resell tickers to several sporting events I could not attend.  Never had an issue in years past until last year. New IRS rule says that anything over $600  (I think) is taxable income.  And I was just over the threshold.

 

For credit card rewards point, they are not taxable as it's considered a rebate. Unless it comes from a sign-on bonus with no spending requirements or other strings attached.  So in the vast majority of cases, not taxable.

 

Disclaimer: I am not a tax specialist or attorney by any stretch of the imagination. Just a guy that uses Goggle. I'd triple check my sources & seek out your own.  I will not be held accountable nor reimburse anyone that takes my advice.  You'll find out if you owe taxes when your credit card company sends you a 1099-MISC.

This is a perfect example of overanalyzing. Credit card rebates and rewards for opening a credit card are not currently taxable.  I've never heard of anyone getting a 1099-MISC for credit card rewards, even if over $600

Rewards for opening a deposit account (checking, savings) ARE taxable.

The $600 limit you're discussing with your ticket resale has nothing to do with either of these. And anything over $600 was ALWAYS taxable income. Just most people never reported it since nothing was sent to the government. And presumably you would only have to pay taxes on the amount above what you paid for the tickets.

48 minutes ago, moposh said:

I got the email.  I have a payment due on Christmas Eve.  I tried to read through the guidelines.  If I pay my final payment before December 10, will I get the bonus points?

The 10th is a Sunday. I'd do it on Friday the 8th just to be safe.

47 minutes ago, doghog said:

Agree about the Caribbean itineraries.  I should have been more specific.

There are some interesting 7-night cruises out of San Juan. The Miami cruises aren't exciting. 

8 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

I don’t book VV because of no drink package offered. That and short cruises.

We got $600 of "bar tab" when we booked a 7-night cruise. Got another $100 and $10 a day of "coffee money" when we status-matched from Celebrity (plus 10% off our cruise). I got $600 "sailor loot" aka OBC for using a MNVV (My Next Virgin Voyage) certificate that a TA that specializes in VV sold to me, and it also got me $300 off the cruise in addition to counting as a $300 deposit. Only got $100 sailor loot from the TA, but I now have $700 in each bucket for the cruise. If you are the sort of person who gets $100 per day worth of value from the drink package, then maybe it won't work for you. It is going to be more than enough drink money for us.

1 hour ago, krueg2828 said:

Thanks for the info….I ended up booking the Coral for 2 nights post cruise.  I would like to stay in Old San Juan pre-cruise, but not having much luck.  It’s either too expensive or not great reviews.  Any suggestions with that as well as any good restaurants near the Coral would be appreciated. 😊

Glad to hear that you booked it. When are you staying? I'll be there at the beginning of February. As for OSJ, the Sheraton is obviously convenient (if pricey), especially if you're on Virgin and your cruise ends in the downtown pier.

As for restaurants, we ate at Jose Enrique the last time and loved it. They have a reputation as one of the top restaurants on the island. I just found this place which looks excellent also. It looks like you need to appreciate good (and unusual) food if you're going to eat there. They do a $75 5-course menu.

Cocina Abierta

If OSJ, Marmalade is the top place, but they charge $135 for their price fixed menu. 

37 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

 

Internet: Read and ignore if you don't like something.

I hate people who use that excuse for sending garbage emails and then telling you to delete it if you don't like it.

I expect garbage posts on social media cruise groups. Not on CC.

4 hours ago, RTShaker said:

Methinks this is a little outdated  CelebrityCenturymenus(October1998)-1.pdf

Apparently it was supposed to be someone's idea of a joke, which causes over 100 of us (and counting) to download it and waste time looking at it. I don't consider wasting my time to be funny.

And before someone says "but it says 1998", that piece does not show up in the download name of the post.

5 minutes ago, wineoclock said:

That was a direct shot across the bow and should have made X execs sit up. 

And if you read the Celebrity social media groups, there are MANY current (and loyal, Elite and up) Celebrity customers who are booking VV cruises to give them a look, and it's primarily because of the food (not the tattoo parlor or drag brunch). I'm one of them. My wife was apprehensive at first, but now she reads me posts that she's seeing daily from people doing the same.

13 minutes ago, Cap_D said:

Nothing about the announcement shows a desire to do little or big things that are meant to meet the needs of customers or wow them.  Instead the conversation is about restoring basic items most mid tier restaurants stock in some form.  Nothing about quality, adding grab and go options for other day parts, room service improvements, innovation, or anything PR worthy.  Something chocolate every evening in the menu is Restaurant 101.   Pathetic. 

 

What bothers me is that this is presented as some sort of upgrade. It isn't, unless you consider putting things back the way they were before they broke them an upgrade. It reminds me of the "New Coke" debacle of decades ago. Make a chance and screw things up, then take credit for putting them back the way they used to be.

30 minutes ago, Kbwhat53 said:

Where can I see this? I have written three emails to the executive staff after the horrible food selection on our recent sailing. I have always chosen celebrity because the food was good…this time they dropped the selections to seven with three being pasta or vegetarian, I won’t sail with them again until menu gets back to what it was!

The video is in the first post. And they sent it in an email on Wednesday.

5 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

Sorry. That was my apparently poorly worded point. I don't know that I'll see the difference in the MDR if I'm eating in Luminae.

Were there problems in Luminae? You seem to be thinking that they're upgrading the food in the MDR, when in reality all they are doing is rolling back their poorly thought-out reductions which they discovered they could not get away with.

25 minutes ago, DoubleEntry said:

Somewhere in Miami, there is a person yelling at the top of their lungs at everyone down the "C" suite hall.  Let's find that person and call out an atta boy. 

What do you suppose happened when Virgin sent out the email a few weeks ago referencing cutbacks on other cruise lines that everyone knew was referring to Celebrity?

29 minutes ago, markeb said:

We get on Equinox on the 11th. We're in the Retreat, so we'll see. We're doing 10 days, and the menu has something interesting (to me at least) every night at this time. Given that they were on the Equinox, there's a reasonable probability they'll move mountains to make changes there as soon as possible...

Sorry, but what are you going to see if you're hidden away in The Retreat?  Were the menu choices ever reduced there? If I am mistaken, I will be happy to admit that I'm wrong.

3 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

2022 menu = 10 total entree choices. 7 rotational and 3 every night classics

2023 menu = 7 total entree choice, 1 item was often a previous classic

When I looked, it seemed like the 2023 menu was 4 the same every night and 3 unique.  But I guess that I could be wrong. Either way, the new "upgrade" is merely fixing the self-inflicted wound.

31 minutes ago, Live2Cruise4ever said:

Mostly cruising HAL now and the food is great, even the buffet. I know all the lines had problems with the pandemic and we will stay with Holland America Line. 

Have not been on HAL for almost two years, but the last time we sailed the choices had been reduced and appetizers started repeating after three days. Has it improved? We're doing a Virgni cruise in February, and MSC Yacht Club in March (but an inside cabin, for a price comparable to a Celebrity balcony) and the food on both is supposed to be excellent (especially Virgin).

4 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Short of the F&B, we're going back in time to 2022!  They're reversing the 2023 cutbacks including bringing back the dedicated everyday classics 

And making it seem like an upgrade without acknowledging that they made a major mistake by reducing the choices.  But weren't the everyday classics still there, just listed under the daily menu to disguise the reduction in those choices?

7 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Thought “costs low” was for a tour.  
Retail therapy is a totally different exercise, therefore one’s girls would deem shopping as being outside of any tour spend peramiters.  

Best to ask the girls what they would like to do….
Designer Retail Outlets or ?.  

Anyway, one is on holiday with family and bean counting is not allowed.😉

The outlet stores aren't going to be any cheaper than at home, and to honest it will probably be more since Puerto Rico sales tax is 10.5%. And then you have to fit it in your luggage for the trip back home.

In general, outlets are not a bargain anymore, anyway. But that's a different topic.

On 9/25/2023 at 6:47 PM, cyntil8ing said:

 

This thread made me check reservations for our port stop in San Juan in December. Unfortunately, we will also be there on a Monday, so our very favorite restaurant, Jose Enrique, will be closed. Bah!

That is unfortunate for you. We ate there last time we had a port visit in San juan and really enjoyed it. We're taking a cruise out of SJ in February, and are staying a couple of nights in Condado before the cruise, and Jose Enrique is actually walking distance from the hotel. But there are also several other highly rated restaurants in that area. And Uber is cheap.

1 minute ago, Spencer71 said:

I ended up buying kites on Amazon before we went, we flew them at the fort for an hour or so. Gave the kites to some other kids once we were done, walked through old San Juan, and went to Escambron beach. Didn't cost me much and we had a great time.

Win-win with the random act of kindness :).

On 10/16/2023 at 10:57 AM, PORT ROYAL said:

There is no such thing as a decent low cost tour in SJ.

But, consider a day of spend/save retail therapy, head for Fortaleza Street to find designer outlet stores and other shopping opportunities.  Think one’s girls may find this option attractive.

 

It could end up being cheaper to take a tour than to let them go shopping for the day. Note where it says, "I'm interested in keeping costs low." in the first post.

Maybe do the free Old San Juan walking tour at https://www.osjfreetour.com/? The meeting point is under ten minutes from the pier, but it starts at 10am, so you'd need to get off the ship within the first half hour. The other option is just walking along the water towards the forts. There are a bunch of carts selling local food and crafts along the way. Even if you're not into history, the forts could be interesting to see.

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

I was in San Juan for a quick work trip a few weeks ago and just used Uber-- super easy and you can go on the app right now and get an idea of what the cost would be. Went from the airport into town and then back to the airport the next day-- was about $18 each way which I believe is less expensive than a traditional taxi there. 

Agreed, Uber is the way to go. When we were in SJ a few years ago on a cruise, I asked a taxi driver for the price to a restaurant not in OSJ and was told $15. Uber cost me $6. We're going to be there again in February (this time for a cruise starting there) and priced Uber to my hotel in Condado from the airport and then to the OSJ pier, and each was $10-15. 

On 10/15/2023 at 6:49 PM, AndyCapn said:

It's been five years since the last post. Neither Priceline nor Hotwire have bids anymore. It's time to unpin this thread.

Those were the days.