Preds

The amex HH can also be used for certs off for ncl or most cruise lines. The certs for ncl are still cheaper than using the BOA card. Of course I don't know for sure since I have not rcvd any info on the changes in our NCL BOA cards.:confused::confused::confused:

Using Hhonors points for cruises are NOT the best use of points. In fact they're a poor use at best.

You only have 2 options, a VERY limited selection of off-peak Carnival cruises, or to redeem certificates at 1/4 the value we used to get from Compass Rewards, AND you MUST use a specific TA (Cruises Only).

http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/rewards/cruises.do

Cruises

 

When it's time to get away, reward yourself with an unforgettable cruise vacation. Hilton HHonors provides exciting cruise rewards for even the most discriminating traveler.

 

CruisesOnly

 

Carnival Cruises

 

CruisesOnly

 

Set sail with CruisesOnly, America's largest cruise agency. CruisesOnly works with every major cruise line in the world and offers up to 75% off on over 6,500 sailings. It's a whole new way to see the world with your points. Dream up your favorite destination, search for available cruises and redeem your HHonors points for a CruisesOnly reward certificate.

 

Reward Certificate - Total Points Needed Reward Code

$250 - 120,000pts CRON1

$500 - 240,000pts CRON2

$1,000 - 480,000pts CRON3

 

Embark on your next luxurious adventure today.

 

Carnival Cruises

 

Ready to recharge? Choose the fun-filled activities of the Carnival "Fun Ships". 'Today's Carnival' features expanding dining choices, children's programming, spa facilities plus shipboard wedding options. Carnival rewards are outside cabins with an ocean view and are available through April 2, 2009.

 

Reward cruises are only offered on specific sail dates. Please click here for the reward options and sail dates. Subject to availability.

Please if someone could confirm if the HH AMEX card for points or cash back.

The Hilton Hhhonors AMEX card is purely Hhonors points. No cash back.

That said, the Hhonors points can be valuable. I typically average over 4.1 points per dollar in spending with the bonus points (that'll likely drop a tad with the loss of the restaurant bonuses). Thus, $10,000 in spending averages about 40,000 points or so , which is a a free night at a class 6 hotel ($300+ in value).

The Hhonors AMEX also has a special discount code (AXON) which allows 4 nights at a category 5 or 6 hotel for 125,000 points. Normally that'd cost 140,000-160,000 points.

As an example, I have a 4 night stay at the Embassy Suites Waikiki booked for Easter using the AXON code. Had I paid for that room, it'd be over $1,100 with taxes. Instead it was 125,000 points which equates to about $31,000 in spending which is actually a tad better than we got with the Compass Rewards card.

Thanks so much for the info but I haven't been able to find anywhere on line that the Amex HH has changed as you specified. I just got off the phone with Hilton Honors and they told me there haven't been any changes. They told me that the Citibank HH pays 6 points which I knew. But if you are correct it will be a bummer not to have restaurants included. Unless maybe you have some insider information. Please let me know. Thanks.

The change in bonuses was related to us as a change in terms in our account statements this month. There is a lot of discussion on it at the FlyerTalk Hilton Boards.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/904730-hhonors-amex-point-change.html

I just have converted my Delta Amex (with annual fee) and Citibank card which I haven't used in a long time to Hilton Honors. Amex HH (no annual fee) pays 5pts for Hilton stays, gas, drugstores, restaurants, US postal service, wireless phone, grocers (not sure if Target and Walmart Superstore apply they may need to be standalone grocers you will have to check. 3 pts for everything else.

You will receive three additional Hilton HHonors bonus points (for a total of six Hilton HHonors bonus points) for each U.S. dollar of Eligible Spending at the following categories of merchants, excluding warehouse clubs and superstores: supermarkets; drug stores; stand-alone gas stations; and home telephone, wireless, cable, satellite TV, and Internet service providers.

 

You will receive three additional Hilton HHonors bonus points (for a total of six Hilton HHonors bonus points) for each U.S. dollar of Eligible Spending on the Card at any Hilton Family hotel worldwide (excluding Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare purchases and package sales)

While they increased the bonuses to 3 points instead of 2 (a total of 6 instead of 5), they took away a couple categories, including a HUGE one in RESTAURANTS. The USPS is the other category taken away.

The loss of restaurants is a huge blow, and IMO the extra bonus point in the other categories doesn't nearly make up for it. Keep this in mind when deciding which card to use.

Also, warehouse clubs and superstores (i.e. Target, Walmart, etc) are explicitly excluded.

I still think it's a very good card, but for restaurant purchases, I'll likely use another card.

I see now where my post didn't make sense. Of course that makes sense that now you will start to accumulate new points from the purchases starting the 20th to the 31st. If you need more points to get a certificate, are you going to attempt to accumulate them with purchases from the 20th to the 31st?

My statement date is at the end of the month, so the point is moot for me, but I'm curious how many of you trust that points can still be attained AFTER your Dec. statement date.

I'm depending on 250 points to post from 12/13 to 12/31. I have a printout of the NCL website stating that points can be earned up until 12/31. I'll also fight the 90 day notification rule if need be.

Honestly, I think they'll pay out Compass Rewards points through 12/31 as NCL's site indicates. The fact that NCL aleady adjusted their website to specifically state they will pay through 12/32 after initially stating through the Statement date is an indication that they and BOA realized they were opening themselves up for a class action suit they were guarenteed to lose.

We're 2 for 2 in making it to GSC, both times in August, once on the Spirit in 2006, and this past Aurgust on the Sky.

Personally, I'd take Key West or Nassau over it any day.

I just finished squeezing 1 last $500 certificate out of the program before it dies. My statement closed yesterday with 250 points earned for the month, and I just made my final 2 charges ever on these cards for another $8,330+ to net the final 250 points for the $500 certificate. That's it, the new program is a waste and BOA won't get my business. Too bad as I like their website and instant posting of pending charges.

I'm going to really miss this program, and pulling out a pic of the Dawn every time I paid for something. Just having a Starwood AMEX, Hhonors AMEX, and US Airways MC looks so different in my wallet!

Oh well, it was a fun ride while it lasted. With this final certificate, in the end I'll have netted $16,000 in savings over the past 4 years. I'm REALLY going to miss this program!

Thank you.

 

So let's recap: Right now, we can earn $500 off any NCL cruise by charging $16,666 to our Compas Rewards card. As of January 1, 2009, with tne " exciting, new and improved" World Points program, we can earn $500 off any NCL cruise by charging $50,000 to our World Points card.

 

So, unless you cruise on NCL a lot - several times a year - and can earn double ponts on those cruises, why would anyone want this card??? If a card is basically offering 1% rewards, then doesn't make sense to just use cash back cards?

 

Has anyone found a card that offers more than 1% travel rewards, and allows you to use those points on ANY cruise line for any cruise? It looks like Amex Blue Sky provides this flexiblity but still earns 1% (plus the bonus for sign-up), but Amex is not accepted everywhere. HAS ANYONE FOUND A MASTERCARD OR VISA THAT OFFERS MORE THAN 1% IN TRAVEL REWARDS, AND ALLOWS YOU TO USE THOSE POINTS FOR ANY CRUISE LINE FOR ANY CRUISE? I am not interested in using points for hotel stays, car rentals, or airline tickests.

The Charles Schwab Signature VISA is a card I'm seriously considering.

https://investing.schwab.com/secure/cc/products/banking_lending/credit_card?cmsid=P-2013298&lvl1=products&lvl2=banking_lending&

It gives 2% cash back into a SchwabOne Brokerage account (which I already have). You can then transfer the cashback into the Schwab HY Checking and do with it what you want. Plus according to posts on FlyerTalk, like Capital One, it has no foriegn transaction fees... which can save you 2-4% on purchases made outside the US.

It's still not the 3-4% we used to get on NCL, but 2% back on all purchases is the best I've seen so far.

What is the link where this info is posted?

 

This is just like all their other cruise cards. Bye, bye BOA!

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=WorldPoints

As expected, the Worldpoints program blows. I'll be consolidating down to one card and probably then change that card to a different program with BOA (though they all pretty much suck now). BOA/NCL just lost $165k+ in annual charges from my business. That $165k used to net me $5k in Compass Rewards points per year. Now it'd get me a measly $1,650 or an outside Caribbean or Mexican Riviera cruise (woo hoo). They gutted the value of the program by 2/3s.

Most of my CC charging has already moved over to the Starwood and Hilton Hhonors AMEX's. I'm going to explore some cash back cards like the Schwab Visa which gives 2% cash back into a Schwab brokerage account, which you can later cash out fairly easily I believe.

Sigh, the Worldpoints program is about as bad as we expected.

5,000 $50 on–board credit

 

10,000 Up to a 2–category upgrade on a 7–day cruise

10,000 $100 on-board credit

10,000 $100 off any cruise

 

20,000 Up to a 4–category upgrade on a 7-day cruise

20,000 $200 off any cruise

 

25,000 $250 on-board credit

50,000 $500 off any cruise

50,000 $500 on-board credit

100,000 $1000 on-board credit

 

3- or 4–day Bahamas cruise for two:

70,000 Inside Stateroom

90,000 Outside Stateroom

25,500 Balcony Stateroom

60,000 3rd – 8th additional guest

 

7-day Caribbean or Mexican Riviera cruise for two:

157,900 Inside Stateroom

227,900 Outside Stateroom

137,900 Balcony Stateroom

40,000 3rd – 8th additional guest

 

Your FICO score will be negatively impacted by closing available credit (thus reducing your debt to credit ratio).

Also, the longer you have a credit line the better it is according to FICO. I have a citi card with over 20 years of history, I never use it, but if I closed the account, it would have a significant impact on my score. Instead I recommend to consolidate newer lines into older accounts if they share the same bank and you want to reduce the number of cards you have.

Also, if this is your only credit card, do not close it and leave yourself with no revolving credit, that will also negatively impact your score.

Here's a scenario to consider:

 

Lets say I have, at the end of the year, 800 points on one card and 800 points on another card. I should get from BOA two $500 certificates and six $100 certificates.

 

Now here's the question: If you were NCL and you received from a wonderful customer (who had booked a suite with no possibility of an upgrade) two $500 certificates and five $100 certificates, would you discount the cruise $1,500???

 

What would you do?

 

Sea Hound:D

What you're likely to recieve is 1 $500 certificate (500 points) and 1 Two category upgrade for first person and one category upgrade for second person in stateroom (300 points) for each of you. There are no $100 certificates.

I've never seen the cabin upgrade certificates before, but I doubt they have a dollar or even point denomination on them.

Yours is one of the many gray areas where we just don't know how NCL will handle things as the program comes o an end.

USPS is the only carrier that will deliver express, or registered, etc to a PO Box.

For all other carriers the street address is needed, and from past experience they seem to post quicker by most reports than when using the PO box.

Check the back of you certificates, to see if the address is the same.

The address on the back of the certificates is a PO Box. Most courier services (ie. FEDEX, UPS, DHL, etc) won't deliver to PO Boxes.

The address I listed in the FAQ is NCL HQ's street address, and that is the address to use if you're using a delivery service (which I advise since your're essentially sending cash in the mail). Further, they go straight to accounting which is where they need to go for the certificates to be credited to your account.

I usually send them via FEDEX with the SuperSaver 3 day rate.

Just wanted to confirm that this is still the correct address to mail the certificates to with delivery confirmation since it was posted in July of 2007.

 

Getting ready to send out my last certificates.

 

Thanks.

Yes that is the address to use. I just FEDEX'd certificates to that address last week and they were posted to my account within 48 hours.

Let the charging begin~

LOL... fortunately I run a business and our purchases easily exceed those numbers every month!

Yes I can! My cut off is the middle of each month, so if I earn 250 each month, I can still earn up to 250 the last half of December (the last cycle is not prorated) so it can be done, if I pay the tuition for spring in increments ahead of time.

FWIW, I too will squeeze another $500 certificate out of the program between mid November and December 31. It can be done.

My anniversary year renews November 12th, thus as soon as the 12th statement closes, I'll start using the card again and will put $8,317 in charges on it from 11/13-12/12 to get the first $250, and then another $8,317 from 12/13-12/31 to get the second $250 and 1 last $500 certificate!

When all is said and done, that last certificate will take my lifetime rewards in the program to $16k over 4 years! :D

Man I'm going to miss this program!

Just received a letter from BOA this morning. It looks like the compass rewards program is in fact coming to an end.

:eek:

Can you expand on what the letter specifically states?

That will really suck if true!

Hi, I wonder if anyone knows--is the $1,000 annual limit on the rewards you can earn toward a discount subject to a calendar year, or is the year based upon when we got the card (February for us). I'm about to hit the $1,000 limit/maximum, and trying to figure out when to switch back to the NCL mastercard, January 1st or the later date. I called customer service and bless her heart, she even got on the line to ask my question and got back on and said she checked and there was no $1,000 annual limit. Since I did not believe that her answer was accurate, I'll attribute it to maybe I mis-spoke, or used the wrong word, so that they mis-understood. I guess maybe I mistook points for discount dollars off a cruise fare, and that confused them?

 

Anyone who can define when the "year" begins and ends, thanks in advance, and if there is no longer any limit, thanks for letting me know that, too.

It goes by your annual statement date, NOT by calendar year.

Also, there IS a 1,000 point cap on earnings per statement year.

We sent our certificates on Tuesday via Fedex. I know that they received them the next morning by tracking them and even got a fax with the signature. Haven't received any information as to if they have credited us for the $1,500.00 certificates. How long should I wait before panicking. Please advise. :confused:

You have no reason to panic. You have proof of delivery. Give NCL a week or so to post them, if they're not showing up at that point, give them the proof of delivery info and they'll be located and processed quickly.

Please help me oh wise ones...

The address listed on page 1 is a street address. The address on the back of the certificates is PO BOX 025403, Miami.

 

Is there a reason I should NOT use the address they show on the back of the certificates and use the street address instead? Just want them to get to the right people.

I have 1500.00 in certs and a balance of 1468. Will I get the difference credited back to my card? Want to send it by tomorrow if someone knowledgable can respond.

Thanks

The street address on page 1 is NCL's actual street address. Just send it there, Attn: Accounting.

The reason I listed that address is so people can use overnight services like UPS, DHL or Fedex since they won't deliver to PO Boxes. I highly advise you mail your certificates via some sort of trackable mail as you're essentially sending the equivalent of cash in the mail.

I've sent certificates on 5 occasions to that street address without any problems (generally via FedEx 2day).

As for the overpayment, it depends. Officially, NCL has the right not to credit you back the difference, particularly if your existing payment is solely the original deposit. That said, many have reported being refunded excess payments back to their cards.

ETA - sorry for the repeat of what ute_fan just posted, but we were essentially responding at the same time at ute_fan beat me to the punch! Well done LOL!

Thanks for answering my request HM! I think this should help new folks find the Roll Calls and increase the activity in them!

I've tried all the links and the NCL site and there is nothing about the NCL mastercard anymore. Does anyone know why? I can't locate any information about the program or how to cash in.

This link to the application still comes up off a quick google search.

https://wwwa.applyonlinenow.com/USCCapp/Ctl/entry?sc=FAAH6C&mc=A0000028IT

Hi guys, new member and another NHL fan here.

 

Couple of quick questions. Do you know if it's possible to convert an existing BOA credit card to the NCL card? I have an old NHL MBNA card that became a BOA card some time ago. It offered very little in the way of benefits, so I never used it and it's been sitting in my drawer for a long time. While I still believe that the SPG Amex is the best card available, I'm interested in diversifying my points earning, as well as looking for a secondary card when vendors won't take Amex. So the NCL card might fit the bill.

 

Also, I've never been on a cruise before...how does NCL stack up to the competition? If it helps, my wife and I live in NYC and are early to mid 30's with no kids yet. Thanks for any help!

I consolidated other BOA lines into the NCL Compass Rewards card without any problem, however, I'm not sure if you'd lose out on the 25 Compass Rewards bonus dollars (equivelant to abbout $833 in spending) without 1st applying for a new card.

You might be safer off applying for a new one, then consolidating the old line into the new line. You might end up with a bigger line as well.

As for the SPG Amex, I really need to find time and look deeper into it. I generally use the HHonors Amex as my other card, and think it's a great card as well.

Finally, re:NCL vs competition... NCL generally has newer ships and seems to hit all age groups well. Carnival is more of a party 24/7 atmosphere (drinking), but if you want, you could do the same on an NCL ship. I think the food on NCL is average, but that's pretty much the same for all the cruise lines IMO. The food in the specialty restaurants (added fee) is generally very good. The ships are great, itineraries are great, usually a fun crew, and I really enjoy the Second City improv shows on board each of the ships.