Using visa reward

[darla723]

I just booked a cruise for next year with a travel agent company. I put $500 down, and final payment is not due until March 1st. I have 170,000 points on my Royal Caribbean visa. I am losing about three or four thousand a month, because we haven't used it in over 5 years. I'm thinking I should make final payment now with my remaining points so I don't lose anymore, but if I have to cancel I lose the $125,000 I'm thinking of using for a free 5 to 7 night cruise. Anybody else been in this position? We still gain about 3 or 4,000 with our current purchases a month, so it's not like I'm really losing them but I am! If you know what I mean! Thanks in advance!

[orville99]

We haven't had to deal with this all that often, but if I remember correctly, if you cancel the points go back into your account.

[Cherful59]

@darla723 Sorry no,  I never have that many points.  I use mine for cruise credit on my cruise.   Then purchase excursions, gamble whatever.  

[jcc1025]

We have used the points for cruises a couple of times in the past and also for on board credits but never though a TA. We would book the cruise for a balcony then use the credits for a cruise against the curruent cruise. The value they give you is for an inside cabin and you have to pay the difference for the upgrade. Again not sure how this works with a TA but we have done it a couple of times for 7 day cruises. 

[lovelife]

47 minutes ago, jcc1025 said:

We have used the points for cruises a couple of times in the past and also for on board credits but never though a TA. We would book the cruise for a balcony then use the credits for a cruise against the curruent cruise. The value they give you is for an inside cabin and you have to pay the difference for the upgrade. Again not sure how this works with a TA but we have done it a couple of times for 7 day cruises. 

Well heck. It used to be for an oceanview. Did it change?

[coachmike1959]

8 hours ago, darla723 said:

I just booked a cruise for next year with a travel agent company. I put $500 down, and final payment is not due until March 1st. I have 170,000 points on my Royal Caribbean visa. I am losing about three or four thousand a month, because we haven't used it in over 5 years. I'm thinking I should make final payment now with my remaining points so I don't lose anymore, but if I have to cancel I lose the $125,000 I'm thinking of using for a free 5 to 7 night cruise. Anybody else been in this position? We still gain about 3 or 4,000 with our current purchases a month, so it's not like I'm really losing them but I am! If you know what I mean! Thanks in advance!

I used to want. To save my points for the free cruise but found so many hoops to use it i know just take OBC. If you redeem points for that cruise now you will cease losing the points. They always use the first points in when you redeem. I found OBC to be the best way to cash. Out. If you wont use the OBC you can go to the casino slot machines and cash out

[darla723]

Thanks! I'm going to call them tomorrow and try and use 125,000 of the points to pay for the balance of the cruise I have booked. (Reward is a 5-7 nightcruise) If I take OBC for the whole 170,000 points it's only $1,700. But paying the cruise off is $1,800 Plus and I can use 125,000 points to pay that off. So it was still leave me with 45,000 points that I can use for OBC or save for later. We shall see if I am thinking like they are!!!)

Edited June 12 by darla723

[Cigar King]

I always use the 125k option.  One thing that has changed in the last few years is now they do not apply the credit until ~final payment time.  I find it very annoying.

[jcc1025]

On 6/12/2024 at 2:26 PM, lovelife said:

Well heck. It used to be for an oceanview. Did it change?

Sorry, no you are right but we always book balcony so anything without one is consiered inside to us. Our bad and I understand the difference just didn't occur to me. 

[lovelife]

Good to know, thanks!