What is best rewards card besides Carnival Mastercard?

[okwriter]

I have been using the (Barclay) Fun Points card and accumulated enough points for about $300 off my next cruise, which I plan to use. But now I want to use another type of reward card where I can earn points for something other than Carnival cruises (i.e., airfare or lodging for Vegas or an AI perhaps).

 

What is the most flexible card in terms of how many points you get per dollar charged AND for how you use the points? I don't want to lock myself into one airline's card or a particular hotel chain, if that makes sense. Interest rate is irrelevant, as I pay the balance monthly.

 

Thanks!

[edbro]

I looked at the Carnival card but I seem to remember it only gives you 1%, redeemable only for Carnival. With my AMEX I get 1-3%, depending on the purchase. The AMEX reward comes as cash once a year. I can choose to spend the cash on a cruise or anything else. Much more flexible.

 

I've already told the wife that our yearly AMEX rebate is now our cruise slush fund.

[elcuchio24]

The CCL card isn't that great, other than the swell picture of a cruise ship on the front. We use a cashback of Amex Blue that gives much better cash and travel rewards, and not just for cruiselines.

[okwriter]

Thanks for the responses so far! I realize the Carnival MC program isn't (wasn't) great, but I was using it solely to accumulate points toward cruising on Carnival. I now want to broaden my travel options.

 

All other opinions on a rewards card will be greatly appreciated, too!

 

Thanks again!

[tef43]

The Barclays card is garbage. I'm currently using the AMEX Rewards Plus card.

[TBut50]

I love my Marriott Chase VISA card. Staying at the JW Marriott in Orlando free before my cruise in July.

[gtalum]

IMHO, the best all-around rewards card is the AMEX Blue Cash Card. It's offers 5% cash back on gas and groceries and 1.25% cash back on everything else, payable in a lump sum on your anniversary date. Use the cash for whatever you want.

 

Airline cards are also decent if you earn enough points for first-class tickets, but they generally have annual fees.

Edited June 16, 2011 by gtalum

[jaded99]

I'm not impressed with the CCL card either. They gave me a credit line way lower than any of my other cards and never raised it, it's not even high enough to book a cruise on the card, so it's ridiculously hard to accumulate points. It took me over a year to get $100 OBC. I don't even use it anymore.

 

I really like the Discover More card. It's 1% back on everything, plus 5% back on different categories every quarter. (last quarter was travel and restaurants I think). They also have the Discover Marketplace, where you buy things through opther online retailers (1800-contacts, florists, clothing stores, travel sites, etc) and you get 5-20% bonus cash on those purchases. You can even book cruises and get 10 or 15% in bonus cash back. Then you trade in the cash for statement credit, a check, or gift cards to popular merchants. No annual fee, competitive rates, and I get someone who speaks clear English when I call card Services.

 

I have only had the Discover card for like 4 or 5 months and I already have over $100 in rewards cash. I haven't changed my purchasing at all to do it, except that for their partner sites, I log in to their portal first and get redirected to the site I was going to buy from anyway. For some of the redemption options, you can even trade $25 for a $40 gift card, or $50 for a $100 and stuff. I'm really happy with it. Best credit card I ever had.

[okwriter]

I am loving the sound of the Amex card(s). Will definitely check that out. Thank you! :)

[marshalltp]

Pay for a lot of our flights this way....we essentially put everything on it that we can, and pay it off weekly sort of like it was a debit card.....Get a big mile bonus for signing up and then an annual free companion airfare (not really free since you pay an annual fee for the card)

lg_amex-platinum-delta-skyMiles-credit-card.bmp

[golfadj]

I have Carnival MC and use it for Carnival stuff mostly.

 

Have Fidelity Amex and get 2% back so that is my preferred card.

[luckycruzer]

Think I'll pay off one future cruise, and use the rest on tips for 2 upcoming cruzes. Then I'll ose the OBC for my Magic TA, in Oct....Has anyone done this also?....Do't really ean to use it anymore, but a basically free OBC, from paid cruzes already is/was a nice encentive..mixed with the other perks on this TA. That allows me some extra play $ after tips..on board. At least an evening at Cucina or other treets. Tx for any answers

[stargate fan]

I have been using the (Barclay) Fun Points card and accumulated enough points for about $300 off my next cruise, which I plan to use. But now I want to use another type of reward card where I can earn points for something other than Carnival cruises (i.e., airfare or lodging for Vegas or an AI perhaps).

 

What is the most flexible card in terms of how many points you get per dollar charged AND for how you use the points? I don't want to lock myself into one airline's card or a particular hotel chain, if that makes sense. Interest rate is irrelevant, as I pay the balance monthly.

 

Thanks!

 

We love our Capitol One Visa. We charge everything. (And I mean everything.) So far, we have taken two free cruises with the points accumulated.

[firefly333]

I like my RCL VISA card. I dont charge much, so it doesnt add up very fast. I just ordered $150 to put as OBC on my next cruise. I like it because I can pull as little as $50 off the points and put it on a cruise.

[Cruzin2paradise09]

The CapOne Venture card is a good deal. You have a choice of no annual fee card or the $60 annual fee. Difference is, no fee, earn 1.25 miles per dollar you spend; pay a fee, earn 2 miles per dollar you spend. Miles can be used for travel, big ticket items, credit back to your balance, whatever. Miles do not expire and you don't have to go through them to book travel. You can book travel on your own, then you have 90 days to redeem for the air, hotel, rental car, cruise, etc.

 

It's worked well for us so far.

[Room Service!]

The CCL card isn't that great, other than the swell picture of a cruise ship on the front. We use a cashback of Amex Blue that gives much better cash and travel rewards, and not just for cruiselines.

Do the points expire? Thanks!

[Room Service!]

Please disregard my previous question. I see now that the card gives cash rewards.

[truchattycathy]

I love my Capital One Visa too. I can earn points (one for each dollar spent, and up to 10 for 1 at certain places). I can use points for any travel expense: airline, hotel, cruise, train, etc. It works great for me. There is more than one kind of Capital One Visa, so read the perks first.

[DaDivaMom]

We have several but use Amex for our monthly bills. Yep I pay all our household bills including mortgage, elec etc with it and then pay the credit card balance the next week out of my account just to accumulate the points. So far it's worked for us!

[dasmonkey]

I have been using the (Barclay) Fun Points card and accumulated enough points for about $300 off my next cruise, which I plan to use. But now I want to use another type of reward card where I can earn points for something other than Carnival cruises (i.e., airfare or lodging for Vegas or an AI perhaps).

 

What is the most flexible card in terms of how many points you get per dollar charged AND for how you use the points? I don't want to lock myself into one airline's card or a particular hotel chain, if that makes sense. Interest rate is irrelevant, as I pay the balance monthly.

 

Thanks!

 

http://www.cardratings.com/bestcards/

[Mjasp]

Chase Southwest Visa... go to http://www.southwest.com for info

 

I get at least 2 free tickets a year, and now there are no blackouts at all, if there is a seat available it's yours!

[TracyL]

I love my Marriott Chase VISA card. Staying at the JW Marriott in Orlando free before my cruise in July.

 

I agree, I love my Marriott Chase VISA card. You can also get $$ off cruises with the Marriott VISA points.

[okwriter]

Oh, I had forgotten about Capital One cards! Thanks for all of the additional input! :)

[UpstateCruizer]

Pay for a lot of our flights this way....we essentially put everything on it that we can, and pay it off weekly sort of like it was a debit card.....Get a big mile bonus for signing up and then an annual free companion airfare (not really free since you pay an annual fee for the card)

 

I signed up for the Delta Amex card because of the first bag flies free perk. It applies to everyone that is booked in your reservation up to 9 people. We flew Delta earlier this year and saved $150 round trip on luggage costs and the first year of the card is free. I will keep paying the $69 annual fee because it's already paid for itself for the next 2 years~!

[srq27]

I like my AMEX Blue Cash too. I replaced my AMEX Delta Skymiles card with Blue Cash years ago. No annual fees on either. I just got the Carnival MC while I was cruising and booking another cruise. Blue Cash is great and AMEX customer service is top notch, however you need another card as AMEX isn't accepted everywhere. Too bad Costco is getting rid of AMEX too!

 

Can you use Carnival MC on other cruise lines and still get x2 points?