Check your American Express offers

[LMaxwell]

Both mine and my wifes available offers on American Express are $150 statement credit for $500 spent on Oceania. This would be $300 off of $1000 spent for us, nice little chunk there.

 

If you have it on your offers you must ADD TO CARD before redeeming.

 

If a friend or family member has it and you do not, they can make a payment FOR YOU and get the credit as well; just pay them back the net amount. They get the points and you get the savings. I have done this for family members before when they had a cruised booked and I did not.

[Caroldoll]

and it wasn't on my

Centurion or my Gold Card. It would have been good though.

[GeorgesGal]

Is this offer just for Amex Platinum? I don't have it on either of my gold cards. Just checked. It would have been a huge chunk of change on a $6000+ pp cruise next April!

[pinotlover]

So many loyalty cards, so many offers!

 

At some point, imo, one must choose the card they believe provides them the best overall advantages for their lifestyle and stick with them. Or, do as some and have 25 credit cards in their wallets/purses!

[Carol From California]

One of the perks we get from American Express Platinum is $300 OBC on our Oceania cruises. You don't have to book the cruise with Am Ex to get this. We book with our TA who gives us a large discount off the Oceania prices, but we also get the $300 OBC from Am Ex as we use the card to pay for the cruise. In addition to the OBC you get a free wine tasting on the ship, at which time you can select a free bottle of wine from a list of wines to enjoy on the ship. We have enjoyed this perk on our last three Oceania cruises and have also gotten it on other cruise lines as well. The Am Ex Platinum card also reimburses you for the fee to get "global entry" which is another great perk, and we have also used their "Fine Hotels and Resorts" program for hotels that we have stayed at pre and post cruise.

[Paulchili]

One of the perks we get from American Express Platinum is $300 OBC on our Oceania cruises. You don't have to book the cruise with Am Ex to get this. We book with our TA who gives us a large discount off the Oceania prices, but we also get the $300 OBC from Am Ex as we use the card to pay for the cruise. In addition to the OBC you get a free wine tasting on the ship, at which time you can select a free bottle of wine from a list of wines to enjoy on the ship. We have enjoyed this perk on our last three Oceania cruises and have also gotten it on other cruise lines as well. The Am Ex Platinum card also reimburses you for the fee to get "global entry" which is another great perk, and we have also used their "Fine Hotels and Resorts" program for hotels that we have stayed at pre and post cruise.

 

Caveat - this $300 credit cannot be combined with some other benefits (such as some OBCs).

Also, some form of Amex card (not necessarily the Platinum) MUST be used for some portion of payment for the cruise to be eligible for $300.

We use CCs to get points/miles to use for business class travel on international flights. Amex converts into Delta miles which require the highest number of miles for redemption - often 2 or3 times that of other airlines. Also, some cards give 3 points/$ used - Amex only 1:1.

Thus for us, Amex is not a good option.

As always, YMMV :)

Edited October 3, 2016 by Paulchili

[Hawaiidan]

So many loyalty cards, so many offers!

 

At some point, imo, one must choose the card they believe provides them the best overall advantages for their lifestyle and stick with them. Or, do as some and have 25 credit cards in their wallets/purses!

 

I consolidated all cards into just 2 1 for UAl airline and 1 for hotel Marriott/Starwood. and My wife has , with a different account # the same 2.

 

With these cards we only choose 1 airline and 1 hotel group. and over the years it pays off in all sorts of perks

While some jump from card to card offer to offer few make out as well as those who concentrate on 1 card 1 brand. Some times we pay a bit more sometimes a whole lot less. Loyalty has its rewards.

 

For shipboard perks we rely on a top class agent, not some card

 

We dont buy stock to get a discount on a cruise we buy stock to make long term investment returns far greater than short term discount.

[rallydave]

One of the perks we get from American Express Platinum is $300 OBC on our Oceania cruises. You don't have to book the cruise with Am Ex to get this. We book with our TA who gives us a large discount off the Oceania prices, but we also get the $300 OBC from Am Ex as we use the card to pay for the cruise. In addition to the OBC you get a free wine tasting on the ship, at which time you can select a free bottle of wine from a list of wines to enjoy on the ship. We have enjoyed this perk on our last three Oceania cruises and have also gotten it on other cruise lines as well. The Am Ex Platinum card also reimburses you for the fee to get "global entry" which is another great perk, and we have also used their "Fine Hotels and Resorts" program for hotels that we have stayed at pre and post cruise.

 

Just like airline flights, one size does not fit all for credit card use for large cruise purchases. While we once always used our Amex Platinum to pay for cruises and get the $300 OBC, the new Chase Sapphire Reserved reallly beats Amex Platinum depending on how much your cruise cost is and the other perks the Chase card offers that the Amex Platinum doesn't. Rumor has it that Amex will soon, possibly this week make some changes to keep up with the Chase Reserve. With triple points, at $7500 pp the Chase card is equal to the Amex with the $300 OBC except you don't have to spend the money on board plus other benefits such as $20K cancellation coverage, $100K evacuation coverage and a small health insurance, all included at no charge. And the points can be used for flights or simply cash to be spent as you choose and not limited stocking up in the boutique. And Paulchile, the full cruise needs to be paid for with an Amex card and you have to have the platinum while with Chase only a portion needs to be paid with that card. Do the calculation to see what is best for you as it all depends. One size certainly doesn't fit all.

[Paulchili]

I consolidated all cards into just 2 1 for UAl airline and 1 for hotel Marriott/Starwood. and My wife has , with a different account # the same 2.

 

With these cards we only choose 1 airline and 1 hotel group. and over the years it pays off in all sorts of perks

While some jump from card to card offer to offer few make out as well as those who concentrate on 1 card 1 brand. Some times we pay a bit more sometimes a whole lot less. Loyalty has its rewards.

 

This might have beeen the case in the past but IMO it is no longer so.

In the miles/points game today diversification is the best approach - much like in investments. For instance:

https://awardwallet.com/blog/the-best-points-miles-for-travel-to-europe/

Like Rallydave mentioned, one can earn miles/points at a much higher rate and use these points with several airlines and hotel programs.

That said, I do not wish to debate this in detail here as it is not the forum for it - only giving others reading here another point of view.

 

Dave - of course, you are correct about the Amex spending and $300 credit. It's been a very long time since I have used that option :D

[ORV]

Keep in mind here that the offer the OP is discussing is completely different than the one the conversation changed to from post 3 or 4 on.

 

It is not limited to any type of Amex card. Two people with the same card might get different offers.

 

PS, my Amex does not have this offer. It's a Platinum but not the one that you pay $450 a year for. It's the Delta Skymiles Platinum card.

Edited October 4, 2016 by ORV