Credit Card Rewards

[phillychick]

Hi everyone.  Does anyone know if you can use RCCL credit card rewards points on a Celebrity Cruise?  If not, is there a Celebrity credit card?  Thanks. 

[rsail203]

Yes and yes.

[peanut head]

The Celebrity credit card is a Visa through Bank of America.  You can find the information on the home page of the Celebrity website (scroll down).  They are currently running a promotion.

[kathynorth]

Just a heads up for those with RC or Celebrity sponsored Visa cards. When I called I was informed that Points scheduled to expire will not be extended even if you have trouble using them for a cruise or OBC. I was also told that I would lose the OBC if I changed cruises and the booking # is changed. The representative advised me to book a cruise in 2023 that I was likely to take. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

These points aren't worth more than 1 cent each, which is what you would get with even the worst cash-back card – and cash never expires and is welcome everywhere.  So what is the attraction of cruise-line branded cards?

[hcat]

We had both cards for many years:  Royal  BOA and Celeb BOA(?).  

The Old Celeb card morphed into a non Celeb rewards card so we  used up our remaining cruise points, now  rarely if ever use it.

 

We have enough unexpired  points on the Royal  BOA card  to reduce costs for our next  X cruise ( if it happens) and also some OBC.  When all the cancellations started we did not use it very much..As mentioned, by Jazzbeau, our cash back card  is a better deal and not limited to cruise rewards.

 

[txflood33]

11 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

These points aren't worth more than 1 cent each, which is what you would get with even the worst cash-back card – and cash never expires and is welcome everywhere.  So what is the attraction of cruise-line branded cards?

while I don't disagree with you, everybody has different financial disciplines. 

[NMTraveller]

13 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

These points aren't worth more than 1 cent each, which is what you would get with even the worst cash-back card – and cash never expires and is welcome everywhere.  So what is the attraction of cruise-line branded cards?

This.  We have not paid for an overseas flight for years now and get most of our hotels on points also.  The Points Guy can tell you which cards have the best return and how much points are worth.

Edited April 17, 2021 by NMTraveller

[Host Jazzbeau]

25 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

This.  We have not paid for an overseas flight for years now and get most of our hotels on points also.  The Points Guy can tell you which cards have the best return and how much points are worth.

The Points Guy also points out that airlines continually devalue your accumulated points by raising the points cost of flights, and many airlines make very few seats available for points.  My experience has been that Hilton points are worth less than The Points Guy estimates.  It's also very complicated keeping track of which card to use for which merchant [I do this, and DW follows my stickers, but it is complicated and changes every quarter] – so my advice to people who want to keep it simple but get almost the best deal is to get the Citi Double Cash MasterCard.  It's free, and it gives 2% back on every purchase.  [The only downside is that it has a Foreign Transaction Fee, so you can't use it abroad.  Thankfully the Costco Visa card, also free if you are a member, gives 3% on travel without any FTF (also 4% on gas and 3% at restaurants).  Those two cards are all you need.]

[NMTraveller]

32 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The Points Guy also points out that airlines continually devalue your accumulated points by raising the points cost of flights, and many airlines make very few seats available for points.  My experience has been that Hilton points are worth less than The Points Guy estimates.  It's also very complicated keeping track of which card to use for which merchant [I do this, and DW follows my stickers, but it is complicated and changes every quarter] – so my advice to people who want to keep it simple but get almost the best deal is to get the Citi Double Cash MasterCard.  It's free, and it gives 2% back on every purchase.  [The only downside is that it has a Foreign Transaction Fee, so you can't use it abroad.  Thankfully the Costco Visa card, also free if you are a member, gives 3% on travel without any FTF (also 4% on gas and 3% at restaurants).  Those two cards are all you need.]

The sign up bonuses on some of the travel cards can be rather lucrative.  For two years I have had Companion Pass on Southwest Airlines due to credit cards and I have 10 roundtrip airline tickets paid for with points x 2 for this year (mostly from sign up bonuses).

 

I agree with you on the devaluation of points.  It does happen over time.

 

I also have the two non travel cards you mentioned but don't use them all that often.

Edited April 17, 2021 by NMTraveller

[FlyerTalker]

16 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

These points aren't worth more than 1 cent each, which is what you would get with even the worst cash-back card – and cash never expires and is welcome everywhere.  So what is the attraction of cruise-line branded cards?

 

Folks THINK that this is a way to get a "free" cruise or other benefits.  They don't really poke their nose under the hood to find out what they really get, and end up with a so-so product,

[FlyerTalker]

Be aware that a number of TPG recommendations have affiliate relations with the credit cards recommended.  I would NOT blindly take any recommendations, even from myself.  Primarily, one needs to determine what THEIR OWN aspirational goals are for the programs.  Then find the program that best meets THEIR needs for redemptions.  For myself, the main goal is business and first class international air travel.  I have no interest in hotel redemptions, so hotel programs are out, with the exception of Marriott which has an extensive list of airline partners for attractive transfer rates.  Cash back is nice, but I can regularly get redemption value for business class air of at least 4% per dollar spend.  Can't get that with cash back.  Further, one needs to know what programs give you the best redemption bang for the buck, on the routes one wants to use.

 

Caveat emptor.

[NMTraveller]

21 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

My experience has been that Hilton points are worth less than The Points Guy estimates.  

Regarding Hilton they use dynamic pricing for points.  Some hotels are priced ridiculously high for points and others ridiculously low for points.  You probably would not use Hilton points in Steamboat Springs or Tahiti.  It is not a good value.  I think that TPG's numbers are in the ballpark,  but real life will vary based upon the hotel.