HAL credit card - do points expire???

[hugger]

I was just reading an older post that mentioned that the points earned on HAL credit card expire after 5 year's.

If this is true many of our points have now been put into expiration period being we've not been able to cruise for 

a couple year's. 

 

If, in fact, they do expire in 5 year's.  I thought I'd read somewhere on the BarclayUS site that the points don't expires.

Does anyone have insight on this?

 

Also, I read on the site that it is possible to use the credit for all Carnival Corp. cruise lines?  \

Wondering if we still get 2.5% exchange rate at the higher levels on the other cruise lines. Asking this because we do have a Princess cruise that we just made final payment on.  Our next cruises on HAL are paid for as we'd left the money on the books for cancelled cruises.  In order to gain the 25% bonus for doing so.

 

Wondering how to spend or save all our points?

Edited September 15, 2021 by hugger

[hugger]

Also is there a sweet spot (you get a better value) where we should use our points

for the cruise credit on our statement.  I know it's best to do it after a cruise if we are attaining the next 10,000 increment of points.

 

I see people talking about getting a free cruise - how do we do that?

At what point level?

[78232]

Approximately 2 years ago I was told they stayed in place al long as the card was being actively used.   Recently someone at the credit card ompany said something vague that led me to believe that I needed to use them now rather than wait for final payment on our cruise so I redeemed my points as credit on my current bill.  Later on next year after final payment is reflected on the credit card statement I will do the redeem the accured points in the same way

[FlaMariner]

I have had the card for years....here is the fine print from their website about points expiring.....

 

As long as your card is open, active and in good standing, your points do not expire.

[FlaMariner]

Again, from their website, here is the answer to the sweet spot....The best redemption value:

 

Holland America Line cruise transactions with a value of $4,001 or more offer the best redemption value. For example, 200,000 points may be redeemed for a $5,000 statement credit toward an eligible Holland America Line purchase.  Holland America Line purchase amount ($50 or greater) within last 180 days = Redemption points value
 $50 to $499.99 = 1%
 $500-$1,499.99 = 1.25%
 $1,500-$2,000.99 = 1.50%
 $2,001-$4,000.99 = 2%
 $4,001+ = 2.50%

[FlaMariner]

For earning, you get 2 points for HAL purchases and 1 point for everything else.....

 

We are winding down using the card.....We have another card with a higher cash back.......It's not generous enough, IMO but as they say....YMMV

 

The annual fee is zero.

 

Hope this info helps......

[FlaMariner]

oh, another answer.....Can I use it on other Carnival brands....again, from their website

 

Redeem your points for statement credits toward travel purchases of $50 or more made in the last 180 days on Holland America Line cruises, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, The Cunard Line, The Yachts of Seabourn, P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, Ibero, and Aida or for airfare. Statement credit redemptions start at 5,000 points.

[FlaMariner]

Here is the link to the public page about the card/thru Barclays'

 

https://cards.barclaycardus.com/banking/cards/holland-america-line-rewards-visa-card/

[dianew138]

On 9/16/2021 at 9:39 AM, FlaMariner said:

We are winding down using the card.....We have another card with a higher cash back.......It's not generous enough, IMO but as they say....YMMV

Which credit card did you find with a higher cash back?

[FlaMariner]

Bank of America Premium Rewards VISA Card

 

https://creditcards.usnews.com/bank-of-america/bank-of-america-premium-rewards-visa-credit-card#:~:text=How to Earn Rewards with the Bank of,1.5 points per dollar on all other purchases.

[zgscl]

On 9/16/2021 at 6:37 AM, FlaMariner said:

Again, from their website, here is the answer to the sweet spot....The best redemption value:

 

Holland America Line cruise transactions with a value of $4,001 or more offer the best redemption value. For example, 200,000 points may be redeemed for a $5,000 statement credit toward an eligible Holland America Line purchase.  Holland America Line purchase amount ($50 or greater) within last 180 days = Redemption points value
 $50 to $499.99 = 1%
 $500-$1,499.99 = 1.25%
 $1,500-$2,000.99 = 1.50%
 $2,001-$4,000.99 = 2%
 $4,001+ = 2.50%

Thank you for posting this! I have been struggling to find the redemption values. It seems one would have to sail with HAL a lot to make this card worthwhile. 

[FlaMariner]

Yep, agree.....I'd have to spend $100,000 at Holland America Line (200,000 points) to get the best value of $5,000 in free cruise....While that is a great return on my money spent..5% return...that would take me quite a while....For the Pinnacle/Neptune folks or if I was buying the world cruise, maybe worth it.....but down in steerage where we hang out,  it would take me 20 years!

 

 

[zgscl]

On 9/18/2021 at 5:57 AM, FlaMariner said:

Yep, agree.....I'd have to spend $100,000 at Holland America Line (200,000 points) to get the best value of $5,000 in free cruise....While that is a great return on my money spent..5% return...that would take me quite a while....For the Pinnacle/Neptune folks or if I was buying the world cruise, maybe worth it.....but down in steerage where we hang out,  it would take me 20 years!

 

 

 

Don't worry, you could spend $200K on other stuff and still get a 2.5% return 🤣. We usually travel in a Neptune suite and have 4 cruises booked over the next year and I absolutely would not consider signing up. I think repeat world cruisers and people who virtually live onboard are about the only people this would make any sense for. 

[FlaMariner]

7 hours ago, zgscl said:

 

Don't worry, you could spend $200K on other stuff and still get a 2.5% return 🤣. We usually travel in a Neptune suite and have 4 cruises booked over the next year and I absolutely would not consider signing up. I think repeat world cruisers and people who virtually live onboard are about the only people this would make any sense for. 

 

Exactly.......Again, not worth it for us...other cards give a much better return.

[islandwoman]

The example of 200K for $5,000 is confusing.  The way I read it, I would only have to spend $4,001 to get a 2.5% return.

If all of that $4001 is spent on Holland America, I would earn 2 points per dollar spent for 8,002 points..  Wouldn't that actually be a return of 5% on each dollar spent?

Edited September 4, 2023 by islandwoman

[islandwoman]

edited to include "follow topic"