RCCL VISA Points Strategy

[ARCruisinNana]

DH and I have each received Capital One Venture card solicitations in the last week. However, the card offered provides 1.25 miles per $1 spent not 2x. If it were 2x I would jump all over it but I don't see how it is better than my cash back Costco AmEx which does provide elevated rewards for higher expenditures.

 

The offer we received has no annual fee however - perhaps that alters the rewards percentages.

 

I checked the Captial one cards on line. There is a Venture card and a Venture One card. One gives 2% and is free for the first year, fee thereafter. The other card gives 1.25% and doesn't have a service fee after the first year.

[kkpcruiser]

This is a great thread!! Very informative so thanks to all who have posted.

I've had the RCCL card since our first cruise. I've cashed in for many OBCs and $ off a cruise, but for the first time I am looking to book a 7 nighter using 125000pts.

Are there restrictions on the ship you book?

For example OASIS cabin prices are higher so you get more bang for your buck

Or am I misunderstanding the 7 night OV option?

Thanks in advance!

[Clarea]

This is a great thread!! Very informative so thanks to all who have posted.

I've had the RCCL card since our first cruise. I've cashed in for many OBCs and $ off a cruise, but for the first time I am looking to book a 7 nighter using 125000pts.

Are there restrictions on the ship you book?

For example OASIS cabin prices are higher so you get more bang for your buck

Or am I misunderstanding the 7 night OV option?

Thanks in advance!

No restrictions on the ship for a 125K reward. Here are the terms:

 

• 5-7 night Caribbean or Mexican Riviera sailing for two (minimum available oceanview, boardwalk view or central park view stateroom). Value of cruise vacation fare for 2 may not exceed twenty-five hundred dollars ($2,500 USD value).

Edited June 27, 2013 by clarea

[parrotfeathers]

To the person who was not approved for the RCL credit card online--yes, if you call and talk to someone personally it may help.

[temple1]

We were saving towards a Med cruise but decided to use up our points and change cards. I really like the up to $150 per person discount (2 for a cabin) for 15,000 points from Oct to April. When looking at cruises to use it on I look for the ones with the greatest price difference between the Inside and OV. We are getting $150 each off our Dec cruise on Brilliance in addition to our Diamond discount.

 

We are using 125,000 points for a 7 nighter out of San Juan next year. The difference between the Outside cabin and our balcony at the time of booking leaves us with less than $200 each to pay for the cruise.

 

One thing to always always remember - points start dropping off 5 years after they are earned. Although we have used 15,000 - 50,000 points on cruises over the years, we were to the point where significant amounts of points were going to start dropping each month so we had to book something.

[Ray in NH]

Another consideration is if you use a travel agent. If you use points to reduce the fare, the travel agent may get less commission, and then lower the perks they give you. If you use the points for OBC, it does not affect the travel agent.

 

Bob,

According to my travel agent, using points to reduce the fare does not impact the commission due to travel agent (he would know that). It works the same as if you sent a check to RCI for partial payment; the cost of the cruise remains the same, it is just the payment method is different.

Ray in NH

[LisaT91403]

Bob,

According to my travel agent, using points to reduce the fare does not impact the commission due to travel agent (he would know that). It works the same as if you sent a check to RCI for partial payment; the cost of the cruise remains the same, it is just the payment method is different.

Ray in NH

 

RCCL Visa Redemption told me otherwise. I am using points for a companion fare, but doing so after final payment. The redemption people required me to have the travel agent call them, and the TA had to agree to allow the points to be used later on. This conversation was noted in my reservation...that the TA knew about the reduced commission, and was okay with it. The TA also told us the resulting onboard credit would be reduced.

[molly361]

I was also told by a TA the one time I tried using one that the use of visa points to reduce our cruise fare would also reduce her commission, therefore they could not offer me the perks that they had originally offered.

[Ray in NH]

RCCL Visa Redemption told me otherwise. I am using points for a companion fare, but doing so after final payment. The redemption people required me to have the travel agent call them, and the TA had to agree to allow the points to be used later on. This conversation was noted in my reservation...that the TA knew about the reduced commission, and was okay with it. The TA also told us the resulting onboard credit would be reduced.

 

Is the Companion Fare changing the original booking? If so, then the commission would be in play.

In my reply to Bob, I was referencing using points to lower Final Payment amount, not changing anything in the original booking structure.

Ray in NH

[Ray in NH]

I was also told by a TA the one time I tried using one that the use of visa points to reduce our cruise fare would also reduce her commission, therefore they could not offer me the perks that they had originally offered.

 

Perhaps different TA's have differing agreements with RCI?

Gee, who would have ever thought that RCI would ever be inconsistent? :D

I am going by what my TA told me -- that his commission is not reduced by my using points to reduce final payment -- works for me. :)

Ray in NH

[Clarea]

Is the Companion Fare changing the original booking? If so, then the commission would be in play.

 

In my reply to Bob, I was referencing using points to lower Final Payment amount, not changing anything in the original booking structure.

 

Ray in NH

My situation was similar to what others have mentioned. I had to have my travel agent's approval to apply points for a fare reduction. However, the same point redemption used as OBC did not require the travel agent's approval.

[EuroDate20]

How do we compare rates to get the most of our 125,000 free cruise points? For instance, if I want an Oceanview Balcony on the Allure, should I compare the price of the least expensive OV cabin against the price of the OV balcony that I want to estimate what I should pay after redemption of points? What else should we know to get the most out of our points?

 

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread! Happy Cruising!

[Clarea]

How do we compare rates to get the most of our 125,000 free cruise points? For instance, if I want an Oceanview Balcony on the Allure, should I compare the price of the least expensive OV cabin against the price of the OV balcony that I want to estimate what I should pay after redemption of points? What else should we know to get the most out of our points?

 

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread! Happy Cruising!

All you can do is periodically check the price for the least expensive available OV, Boardwalk View, or Central Park View stateroom on your sailing. It does not matter what stateroom you booked.

Edited June 27, 2013 by clarea

[molly361]

How do we compare rates to get the most of our 125,000 free cruise points? For instance, if I want an Oceanview Balcony on the Allure, should I compare the price of the least expensive OV cabin against the price of the OV balcony that I want to estimate what I should pay after redemption of points? What else should we know to get the most out of our points?

 

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread! Happy Cruising!

 

If the lowest price OV is $1200 per person you would get $2400 off the fare. It does not matter what price the OV balcony cabin is.

[tomahawk246]

Who's on first, what's on second. That is the reason why Capital One is the way to go. You shop for your best cruise price and pay with Capital One Card. When the bill comes you pay with your points. Very simple process, you don't deal with people that don't even know there own rules.

Edited June 27, 2013 by tomahawk246

[curcurt]

Submitted a cruise discount redemption request online for some of my RCCL Visa Points last weekend and checked with my TA on Tuesday. My TA contacted RCCL and stated that RCCL had posted my points to my balance.

 

Didn't ask TA before redemption and she had no problem with it. Not sure if she lost out on any profits, as she didn't voice any issues with the redemption, which was for 100,000 points.

[Mommy4lyfe]

Very Informative thread; thanks!! I will soon have 125,000 points on my RCCL credit card and want to take advantage of the 7 day OV cruise for two. I also take advantage of the "On board Booking Bonus"; can I combine the two? If so how do RCCL account for my $100 deposit I gave on board? Do the 125,000 points cover taxes and port charges?

[karena1]

The Royal card is extremely easy to redeem points. We do it all the time. I just figure out which is the best bang for my buck. Normally, it is way better to do the companion fare-I get way more than 1% as a rule. But there are times when it is better to just take the $$ off the cruise. But whatever I decide it is so easy to do, especially now that it is all done online.

 

And I have done it after final payment. They just refund the difference to my credit card. They always leave $1 for the fare so that you get full credit for your cruise.

 

Piece of Cake.

[karena1]

Very Informative thread; thanks!! I will soon have 125,000 points on my RCCL credit card and want to take advantage of the 7 day OV cruise for two. I also take advantage of the "On board Booking Bonus"; can I combine the two? If so how do RCCL account for my $100 deposit I gave on board? Do the 125,000 points cover taxes and port charges?

 

No, points only cover the cost of the "base" cruise, so you have to still pay the taxes/port charges. yes, you can combine the On Board Booking Bonus. If you are getting the free cruise for 2, the $100 will just go against the amount due for your taxes/fees. They will leave $1 pp for a fee so that you get credit for the cruise.

[Mommy4lyfe]

No, points only cover the cost of the "base" cruise, so you have to still pay the taxes/port charges. yes, you can combine the On Board Booking Bonus. If you are getting the free cruise for 2, the $100 will just go against the amount due for your taxes/fees. They will leave $1 pp for a fee so that you get credit for the cruise.

 

Thanks!!!

[seeshore]

Where can I find the RC Visa points redemption choices in print? I don't mean here on CC where everyone's interpretation differs.

[Clarea]

Where can I find the RC Visa points redemption choices in print? I don't mean here on CC where everyone's interpretation differs.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/bofa_program_rules.pdf

Edited August 12, 2013 by clarea

[seeshore]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/bofa_program_rules.pdf

 

 

Thank You!!!!!

[CruisinDawn]

If there is a resident rate on the lowest OV at the time it is applied they will reduce the coupon even more. This really ticked me off but they wouldn't budge. :mad: It wasn't there when I booked but it was when I tried to apply the coupon. When we did this on the Allue/Oasis it was based on a C2 not lowest OV. Guess the C2 is generally cheaper then the OV, at least in our case it was?

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[Mommy4lyfe]

We always take a cruise for our anniversary which is in October. For Sept/Oct 2014, when is the best time to book? When I book, can I upgrade to a balcony at the same time?