Sandyshore

Sorry if this has been asked already (this thread's too big to look for my question). You know how we were all charging like crazy last year to max out our old NCL card bonus? Like buying gift cards to supermarkets in December and planning on using them well into 2009?

My question is about the Discover card quarterly promos and the 5% cashback bonus in Oct - Dec on grocery stores, restaurants, and movies. Does anyone know if the strategy above applies to this? i.e. purchase a ton of grocery store gift cards during the promo period, get the cashback bonus ($400 max bonus on $8000, right?) and then use those cards to buy groceries as long as they last in 2010. Or even buy restaurant or movie gift cards to give as holiday gifts. Do gift cards count toward the bonus? I'll have to call Discover to see what they say, but I'm curious if anyone has ever done this, since I know those Discover promos have been around for a while.

Hope I've expressed this clearly. Thanks everyone.

Thanks Sandy....there were several in that location so I was not sure which one it was. I will definitely check it out. ;)

I know the link took you only to a starter page but it's the only one I had. Not at all surprised you had more questions about which lot.

I've been trying to figure out how to pronounce your CC name and it just hit me....French, "A friend" right? DUH... :o

Thanks...sound like a good option for us...going in January on the Gem.

 

BTW....you don't remember the name of the parking lot by any chance do ya?

It was one of the ICON garages: 721-735 10th Ave. If you hover your mouse over each of the car icons, the address pops up (at least on my browser it does). We called to make a reservation, just in case. It's a garage, which I liked better than an open lot so we wouldn't come back to a car buried under snow. Like most NYC places, it's valet park, so you won't have the security of a park & lock, but our car was fine.

Wish I were going again in January! We have the Gem booked for 2011.

Wow...so you saved a $100 for doing this....did you use the "monthly" option? When I clicked on the link it wanted to know that.

How did your hubby get back to the pier? Pier 88....is that the NCL pier? If so...then I guess it's just a short walk right?

I'm pretty sure we used the "daily" option. Then picked the Theater District neighborhood (West 40's). Used the lot on W. 49th between 10th & 11th. Pier 88 is where the Gem was docked and it was a very easy walk for him, even on a cold day in Feb. When we disembarked, we didn't even bother with a porter. All our luggage had wheels, so we just pulled it behind us and crossed 12th Ave. I waited with the luggage while he got the car and in no time we were on our way up the West Side Hwy. :)

We sailed out of NYC in Feb 2009 on a 10-day which would have cost $300 to park at the pier. Instead, DH found an alternative at http://nyc.bestparking.com. You search by neighborhood. We parked on West 49th St. right across from Pier 88 and paid $200 for 10 days. It worked out great for us. He dropped me off at the pier with the luggage. After handing the big pieces over to a porter I got in line and waited for DH to join me. We'll do that again next time we cruise out of NYC.

The Citibank HH pays 6pts for Hilton stays, 3pts grocers, gas, drugstores and 2 pts or everything else. Also between January and Early April they will double points with their HH hotel card. These points can add up fast. So you can have a HH membership card + both credit cards.

Is this an Amex card? I have a Citibank Hilton Visa Signature card (no annual fee) that pays 6 pts for Hilton stays and 2 pts for everything else. Just in case yours is also a VISA card, I wanted to be sure I'm not missing out on the 3 pts for grocers, gas, drugstores. Thanks.

I'm about 6K short of getting a 500 voucher. Does anyone have any ideas how I can get to the 500 (approx. 16K charged) amount??

You're probably out of time, but if you don't mind having plenty of gift cards on hand for your usual purchases in 2009, I'd give it a shot. In my experience, grocery store gift cards post next day -- which literally gives you JUST enough time. Buy now and you can check your account online at BofA tonite and tomorrow. Tonite they'll show as "pending" and with any luck, they'll post tomorrow. Try grocery cards, gas cards, Home Depot, Loew's, Bed Bath & Beyond....wherever you'd normally shop in 2009.

One caution -- you might want to alert BofA if you're going to charge that much in one day -- otherwise, they'll flag your account figuring it might be fraud (did that to me when I charged $800 at a supermarket one day). Good luck!

Just keep in mind the pre-purchased OBC's are nonrefundable if you don't use them all!

LOL - thanks for the warning! I won't go crazy with the OBC. :D

Marlissa: thanks for the link. I'm going to check it out.

I've only had the card since August and am charging away like mad to get the 1000 points before year-end. My billing date in December is the 10th, so if I understand this right, if I can charge $8334 between Dec. 10th and 31st, I'll still get the 250 points, right? And I know not to cut it too close to the 31st due to posting time.

So here's my question: if I use the NCL MC to purchase OBC for my February cruise (and get the 1% bonus points), does anyone know if that will post now, or not until February, in which case it's worth nothing to me as points?

And part II: I booked thru an online TA. Can I call NCL direct to purchase OBC, or do I have to go thru the TA?

Thanks in advance. :)

For our Alaska cruise, I bought disposable handwarmers at Home Depot, the kind sold in little foil packs. They don't take up any room and can sit in your pockets till needed. When you open them, they activate and last for hours. We were grateful to have them when cruising the Hubbard Glacier on a very cold and wet day.