Advice from experienced CCL Mastercard users, please

[NHLady]

I am taking myself & my best friend on a 3-day cruise to celebrate our big

"4-0" next May. I'm hoping that you fine folks that have used thier points towards cruises can answer my questions. I know I should try and deal withthe CC company, but you folks are so much friendlier and usually, right more often!!

 

1) Can you use more than 1 savings certificate (can I redeem my points for an inide to outside upgrade then later redeem more points for a $$$$ off certificate??)

 

2) Along the same lines, can I use a $200.00 off certificate now and use another one when paying the final balance?

 

3) If I redeem points for an inside to outside switch how does that work? If I pay for a 4D do I switch to a 6D? or would I possibly go to a 5A or a 6A (in which case, why not just book a 1A cabin?? For that matter if I book a 1A cabin do they put me in a 6A??)

 

I'm sure I have more questions, but those are the basics. I've got enough points to do an inside to an outside and $200.00 off, but I use my card for all my monthly bills and so the points add up and I will definitely have enough for more $$ off by the time final payment is due. The more I get free on the fare, the more $$$ for fun 7 sun!!

 

Karen

[cruiser92804]

Don't do the inside to outside upgrade. They will make you buy a 4b and upgrade to a 6b assigned cabin. Always take the money. Some travel agents will try to discount your discount but don't let them because it is money and it doesn't reduce their commission. They will just be stealing your money. I don't know if you can apply multiple discounts but I would be interested to find out. If you can you would be smart to apply 5 $200 discounts instead of 1 $1000 discount. It is 45000 points for 5 $200 discounts and 46000 points for 1 $1000 discount.

[steveaaaa]

I am taking myself & my best friend on a 3-day cruise to celebrate our big

"4-0" next May. I'm hoping that you fine folks that have used thier points towards cruises can answer my questions. I know I should try and deal withthe CC company, but you folks are so much friendlier and usually, right more often!!

 

1) Can you use more than 1 savings certificate (can I redeem my points for an inide to outside upgrade then later redeem more points for a $$$$ off certificate??)

 

2) Along the same lines, can I use a $200.00 off certificate now and use another one when paying the final balance?

 

3) If I redeem points for an inside to outside switch how does that work? If I pay for a 4D do I switch to a 6D? or would I possibly go to a 5A or a 6A (in which case, why not just book a 1A cabin?? For that matter if I book a 1A cabin do they put me in a 6A??)

 

I'm sure I have more questions, but those are the basics. I've got enough points to do an inside to an outside and $200.00 off, but I use my card for all my monthly bills and so the points add up and I will definitely have enough for more $$ off by the time final payment is due. The more I get free on the fare, the more $$$ for fun 7 sun!!

 

Karen

1,Yes

2,No,only 1 reward ($200,500,1000) can be used

3,No and you must be carefull. You can only go from a 4B to a 6B!

 

Just wait until 2 weeks before final payment to redeem the $ off.

Steve

[TropicsR4me]

I just redeemed my points on the next 2 cruises that I have booked. I paid for both cruises in full not knowing that I needed a number to give my PVP so the money would be taken off when the bookings was made. Long story short, the promo department at Carnival said they would apply the money as a credit to my Carnival Master Card since I had fully paid for the cruises. I know how it works now and won't make the same mistake again. I must say Carnival was very nice when taking care of this for me.

[NHLady]

I Knew this was the right place to get the scoop! I thought as much for the use of the discounts, but I thought that I read somewhere that someone used a $200.00 and a $500.00 discount on the same cruise, so that's why I asked!

 

Karen

[NHLady]

When you use your Carnival card to book a cruise, do you also get points for that $$$ spent?? thanks!

 

Karen

[steveaaaa]

When you use your Carnival card to book a cruise, do you also get points for that $$$ spent?? thanks!

 

Karen

Yes!

STeve

[cjalphonso]

Don't do the inside to outside upgrade. They will make you buy a 4b and upgrade to a 6b assigned cabin. Always take the money. Some travel agents will try to discount your discount but don't let them because it is money and it doesn't reduce their commission. They will just be stealing your money. I don't know if you can apply multiple discounts but I would be interested to find out. If you can you would be smart to apply 5 $200 discounts instead of 1 $1000 discount. It is 45000 points for 5 $200 discounts and 46000 points for 1 $1000 discount.

 

The TA's commission is most definately reduced, it even says so on the pamphlet that comes with the card. So your only option is to book thru Carnival or upset your TA by getting the best price and then springing on the coupon. I know cause this is exactly what happended to me, boy was my TA mad, and I didn't even mean to cut his commission, but it does. It actually reduces the base price of the cruse to the TA, and since there commission is based on that price, there commission is reduced.

[jerseygirl3]

CJ is correct; the use of the coupon does reduce the agents commission. And it does say so right on the brochure that accompanies the credit card and lists the rewards.

 

I always let my TA know up front that I will be using it, even if I don't yet have enough points accrued (I figure by the time we pay the final balance, I will). He always rebates back to me half his commission, and he always tells me that if, down the road, I will be using the coupon, he won't be able to rebate as much of his commission as on the original invoice. That is no problem, it just means that the coupon worth $1,000 might be worth $50 to $100 less than face value. I feel I'm still getting a good deal, because my TA does still charge less than Carnival.