Pro's and Con's RCCL credit card

[booze brothers]

We cruise about 2 weeks every year on RCCL and are considering the RCCL credit card. Anyone have one and care to share their opinions. We currently have an American Advantage, $50. yr. Thanks

[sueinphilly]

zero annual fee. If you pay for your cruise with their card you get double points. You get 2500 points the first time you use it. So more than likely if you get the card and pay for your cruise with it, you'll be darn close to getting your first $50 on board credit.

 

I just applied for mine (and no I don't work for them although I sound like I just wrote an ad for the card)

[lori450]

that's it exactly. Each time you purchase something you get points. If you purchase from RCI you get double points. At 5000 points you can start redeeming them for things like on board credits, towels, t-shirts, backpacks, cabin upgrades, free 3-4 day cruises, etc.

 

It's not any more spectacular than any other point system credit card.

[Bellalago Breeze]

I love our card! We charged our daughter's wedding on it. She got married on the Sovereign, so we got double points for everything! We also just moved into a new house and we charged everything we needed to furnish the house. Throw in a couple of cruises for good measure over the past couple of years and it all adds up. We now have enough points for a FREE 7 day cruise plus a FREE 4 day cruise on the Sovereign!!! Life is good!!!:D

 

Only possible downside is that the credit card company is being bought by Bank of America at the end of this year. There's some talk that they will do away with the points. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Then there'll be no advantage to having the card.

[cruisinfanatic]

 

Only possible downside is that the credit card company is being bought by Bank of America at the end of this year. There's some talk that they will do away with the points. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Then there'll be no advantage to having the card.

I've heard no talk of any such thing. At least not from anyone who knows what they're talking about. All credit card companies have these kinds of cards. It's unlikely any change will occur. No need to be spreading unfounded rumors.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I compared the Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL cards a couple years ago to decide which had the best deal. By far the NCL card, issued by MBNA, had the quickest way to discounted or free cruising.

 

For instance, to get a $500 discount, you'd need to charge $16,666 on the NCL card, $23,000 on the Carnival card and $50,000 on the Royal Caribbean card.

 

I know Carnival now has a new bank handling their card so these figures may have changed. And certainly the double-points earned by purchasing products from your preferred cruise line changes the equation. But you should compare all of the majors before deciding.

 

BobK/Orlando

[Bellalago Breeze]

No need to get in a snit! What information is it that you haven't gotten? That Bank of America is buying them out? It was in the business section of the paper a few weeks ago as well as on the TV business news. I received this information directly from the credit card company. The company rep said that it is a possibility that the points might be discontinued... nothing definite, but could happen. When a new bank comes in, they get to make their own rules!

[cincicruisers]

I will post as time goes on.. I just got the card and charged my surgery on it. Planning on cashing in for onboard credit for our April cruise.

[maren91]

Applied for the RCCL card about two weeks ago, waiting for it to book my cruise. Just curious how long it took for most people to receive their cards, website says up to 30 days. Is it really going to take that long?

[cincicruisers]

I got mine in 5 days.

[Dihead]

wish this card was available to canadians... :(

[sross6019]

We purchased our cruise through a company on the internet. If we used the card would we get double points?

[bearette]

If it was a Royal Caribeban cruise and they paid to RCCL then yes. I had heard about some TA's charging it themselves and then paying the cruise line themselves. In that situatuion you won't get the double points so just make sure they pay directly to the cruise line.

[Case1096]

Took a month to get my card because MBNA ran out of card stock, but they said that is unusual. Although they were nice enough to offer to overnight the card at their expense since it wasn't my fault and they obviously wanted me to start spending!

[MGilly]

The first thing we charged on our RCCL card was a cruise on another line! Sorry, but it was less expensive and to ports of call we hadn't visited before. At least we're banking point for a future RCI cruise! <grin>

[sherry7]

I use my RCCL card for some of my purchases, since it only gets 1% back, and 2% on RCCL purchases. I have another card that gives me 5% back on groceries, gas, and pharmacy purchases, so I switch over for those.

 

Bellalago Breeze, thanks for the heads up that the card is being bought out by Bank of America. Hopefully, they don't do away with the card. I'm looking on the bright side...maybe they'll actually improve the rewards. ;)

 

KingBobOfTheNorth...those are interesting figures you have on the different payouts amounts on RCCL, CCL, and NCL credit cards. The NCL card sounds VERY interesting. :) At the rate we charge, I could probably have a free cruise in 2 or 3 years.

[MickyBridges]

In the Banking Industy, which I know a little about, they spend a fortune trying to get new credit card customers ... err, you may have received a few solicitations your self :rolleyes: . It would seem highly unlikely to me that BoA having spent a fortune to acquire MBNA would then alienate the asset they've acquired (the customer, not the piece of plastic). On average it costs over $200 to acquire a new credit card customer and they can walk any hour of any day they choose.

 

For example, I use a CitiBank American Airlines card for everything but have become so disillusioned with the ability to redeem the miles that soon as I finish typing this I'm applying for a BoA RCCL card :D. I charge over $25K a year so they will make $375 off the 1.5% transaction fee (average) they choose in the first year alone even if I pay off the balance every month.

 

Bank's make their money on the transaction fees, interest and late fees ... so don't worry the RCCL points aren't killing them.

[kenandlaura06]

I have been happy with my RCCL cruiseline card so far. We have enough for $100 in onboard credits and are 11 months out from our next cruise. I hope Bank of America doesn't take away any of the benefits. I wish that the points were better or similar to NCL, but we don't like NCL so that card wouldn't work for us.

[booze brothers]

Thanks for all the info. Looks like we'll apply for the card. Do they give anything extra for diamond or diamond plus?