BOA Visa free cruise redemption

[MaskedTurtle]

Hello Cruise Critic!  It's been a while.  Anyway, I have a question about redeeming a free cruise from the BofA Visa card.  I had enough points for a free 3 or 4 night cruise for 2, and a big chunk was going to expire soon, so I redeemed them with the intent of booking very soon.  I've had many questions, most of which have been answered by RCCL, although some responses have not been timely.  The rewards agent I spoke to when redeeming didn't seem very knowledgeable, so I couldn't really ask him questions.  The main question I have now is in regards to pricing and combinability with the redemption.  In other words, what prices do I go by...the original prices, or the sales that pop-up when you check RCCL's website.  I know that there are promos and discounts that you cannot use the free cruise in combination with, like the C&A discount.  I heard that you can combine the redeemed cruise with the buy 1 get 1 50% off offer.  Can anyone confirm this?  Does anyone know if there are any other sales I can use the free redeemed cruise with?  Any information from anyone who has redeemed and booked a "free" cruise from the My Rewards program would be helpful.  Thanks.

[KAA951]

So- I hope I can answer your question.  We have applied to points to several cruises and just did a 7 day on points from the RCI card.

 

The way it worked was I booked online with RCI.  I then called into the RCI Visa Rewards number and had them apply the points to the reservation.  They explained that the cash value of the redemption was the rate that day for an ocean view cabin on that cruise.  That amount was then taken off of our booking, which was for a balcony.  So, actually I guess if you want to game the system then find the date that ocean view is highest and then watch for the lowest price for the cabin you want up to the final payment date.

 

This is time went much smoother than my last redemption, and RCI Visa actually has a webpage that helps quite a bit in giving all the options.

[Clarea]

Also note that the redemption acts as a one-time price reduction to whatever category you have at the time of the redemption.  In other words, if you change categories, ship, or sailing date, you will lose that redemption.

[MaskedTurtle]

Thanks so far.  I've been watching the prices fluctuate, as they tend to do,  and it dawned on me that I was looking at sale prices and I didn't know which prices to go by.

[Clarea]

3 minutes ago, MaskedTurtle said:

Thanks so far.  I've been watching the prices fluctuate, as they tend to do,  and it dawned on me that I was looking at sale prices and I didn't know which prices to go by.

 

When the continuous fake sale era started back in May 2014,  the redemption people did use the fake base prices to compute the credit, and then applied the fake discount.  They later figured out that it was better for them if they used the fake sale prices to compute the credit.

[skiiergirl]

On 7/28/2019 at 1:49 PM, Host Clarea said:

Also note that the redemption acts as a one-time price reduction to whatever category you have at the time of the redemption.  In other words, if you change categories, ship, or sailing date, you will lose that redemption.

Even if you  originally booked with the "refundable" pricing?  What if you use "current refundable pricing" for the "difference"?  Once you redeem the points,  it says you have 180 days.    So does the cruise have to be within 180 days or does it just have to be applied within 180 days for a cruise 12+ months out?  Can you redeem points (totaling enough for a "free cruise" ) t keep points from expiring....but then not apply to a specific cruise for awhile?  

[Clarea]

Just now, skiiergirl said:

Even if you  originally booked with the "refundable" pricing?  What if you use "current refundable pricing" for the "difference"?  Once you redeem the points,  it says you have 180 days.    So does the cruise have to be within 180 days or does it just have to be applied within 180 days for a cruise 12+ months out?  Can you redeem points (totaling enough for a "free cruise" ) t keep points from expiring....but then not apply to a specific cruise for awhile?  

 

Where do you see the 180 days rule? That sounds like when they used to issue paper coupons that had to be mailed to RC.

[MaskedTurtle]

13 minutes ago, skiiergirl said:

Even if you  originally booked with the "refundable" pricing?  What if you use "current refundable pricing" for the "difference"?  Once you redeem the points,  it says you have 180 days.    So does the cruise have to be within 180 days or does it just have to be applied within 180 days for a cruise 12+ months out?  Can you redeem points (totaling enough for a "free cruise" ) t keep points from expiring....but then not apply to a specific cruise for awhile?  

I was told the 180 days is just when you have to make a booking and request the application of the redemption.  So, you could be cruising in 2 years, 5, whatever, as long as you make a reservation and apply the redemption within the 180 days.

[Pumbaamd]

42 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Where do you see the 180 days rule? That sounds like when they used to issue paper coupons that had to be mailed to RC.

Shore glad those days are over!

[skiiergirl]

56 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Where do you see the 180 days rule? That sounds like when they used to issue paper coupons that had to be mailed to RC.

In the terms and conditions on BofA website. 

 

40 minutes ago, MaskedTurtle said:

I was told the 180 days is just when you have to make a booking and request the application of the redemption.  So, you could be cruising in 2 years, 5, whatever, as long as you make a reservation and apply the redemption within the 180 days.

Thanks. 

[Clarea]

31 minutes ago, skiiergirl said:

In the terms and conditions on BofA website. 

 

Thanks. 

 

I think that is old info that has not been updated since the paper coupons went away.

 

I don't know of a way to make a redemption without also applying that redemption to a specific cruise.  Redemptions are via website now and you choose the redemption type and the cruise to which you want it applied.

[MaskedTurtle]

2 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I think that is old info that has not been updated since the paper coupons went away.

 

I don't know of a way to make a redemption without also applying that redemption to a specific cruise.  Redemptions are via website now and you choose the redemption type and the cruise to which you want it applied.

Actually, it is current.  For free cruise redemption, you are instructed to call directly.  When you redeem, you are given a redemption confirmation number, and the redemption stays in the system.  While I am told it is easier to have a cruise planned first, it is not required.  Once a booking is made, you call the same number you did to redeem the reward, and they will apply it.

[Clarea]

16 minutes ago, MaskedTurtle said:

Actually, it is current.  For free cruise redemption, you are instructed to call directly.  When you redeem, you are given a redemption confirmation number, and the redemption stays in the system.  While I am told it is easier to have a cruise planned first, it is not required.  Once a booking is made, you call the same number you did to redeem the reward, and they will apply it.

 

I don't understand the logic of making a redemption without immediately applying it to a cruise.   The only situation that comes to mind is if the points are expiring (which takes 5 years) and someone wants to get 6 more months out of those points.

[MaskedTurtle]

5 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I don't understand the logic of making a redemption without immediately applying it to a cruise.   The only situation that comes to mind is if the points are expiring (which takes 5 years) and someone wants to get 6 more months out of those points.

Logical or not, that's how it works. Perhaps for some folks, details about the cruise are still up in the air when they redeem, and the extra time given is enough to straighten things out.

[skiiergirl]

10 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I don't understand the logic of making a redemption without immediately applying it to a cruise.   The only situation that comes to mind is if the points are expiring (which takes 5 years) and someone wants to get 6 more months out of those points.

That is our exact issue.  We have a decent number of points expiring within the next few months.  However, we don’t have any cruises booked we can apply them to as all of our closest upcoming bookings (next 14 months) are for sailings that don’t “fit the parameters”. 

10 hours ago, MaskedTurtle said:

Logical or not, that's how it works. Perhaps for some folks, details about the cruise are still up in the air when they redeem, and the extra time given is enough to straighten things out.

Thanks.