What type of credit card do you use when booking cruises?

[Underwatr]

I do have a note in my phone that lists each card's rewards in various categories and their foreign exchange fees. It helps me mostly keep them straight. Worst case on any of them if I choose wrong is 1% cash back so it's not really high-stress. 🙂

[clo]

26 minutes ago, Underwatr said:

I do have a note in my phone that lists each card's rewards in various categories and their foreign exchange fees. It helps me mostly keep them straight. Worst case on any of them if I choose wrong is 1% cash back so it's not really high-stress. 🙂

I read on The Points Guy about a couple who have 17 cards EACH and use a spreadsheet to keep track!!!!!!!!

[Toofarfromthesea]

2 hours ago, clo said:

I read on The Points Guy about a couple who have 17 cards EACH and use a spreadsheet to keep track!!!!!!!!

 

My sister is like that, and compounds it by joining every 'loyalty' program under the sun and keeping meticulous records on each.

 

When I got the CSR I also got the Chase card where every quarter they change the types of purchases that get 5x points, planning to only use it on those 5x purchases.  But I found that it was more trouble than it was worth so now everything goes on CSR.  It isn't quite as simple as paying for everything with turnips, but it works for me.

[ducklite]

3 hours ago, clo said:

I read on The Points Guy about a couple who have 17 cards EACH and use a spreadsheet to keep track!!!!!!!!

And here I was thinking I was nutters for having six MC/V/AE cards.

[DarrenM]

Lifes too short surely

[clo]

4 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

But I found that it was more trouble than it was worth so now everything goes on CSR. 

Agree. When we get home we should have a new Chase UA card. But we got it for the points and no AF the first year with a reasonable spend with free checked bags (which CSR doesn't give). We'll cancel after the year. We also have an Alaska BoA card but we live in Reno and have family in SEA so we use that and get free checked bags. And points.

[Underwatr]

5 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Lifes too short surely

Too short for what?

 

17 cards is too many, granted, but I carry four and have at least four more locked away.

Edited February 3, 2020 by Underwatr

[DarrenM]

too short for keeping spreadsheets on your credit cards. Maybe I have too interesting a life, who knows.

 

But given I work hard, and spend a lot of time travelling for work, my non work time is way too valuable to do private spreadsheets. I see enough of them at work. And most of THEM are pointless.

 

Just to clarify, I am not a time traveller.

[Twickenham]

3 hours ago, DarrenM said:

too short for keeping spreadsheets on your credit cards. Maybe I have too interesting a life, who knows.

 

But given I work hard, and spend a lot of time travelling for work, my non work time is way too valuable to do private spreadsheets. I see enough of them at work. And most of THEM are pointless.

 

Just to clarify, I am not a time traveller.

 

It's a choice. Are the benefits worth it to you to put in the effort?

 

Now I don't have 17 cards. But I have put together spreadsheets for my various points at one time or another. SInce 2012 I have flown 3 round-trips in business class, 2 other times with one-way biz (once back after a TA on the QM2, and this time combined with a purchased economy flight), had several free nights in hotels on points (including 4-star hotels in Prague and Venice), not to mention other freebies gained through various points programs. As long as I can gain these kind of benefits, I will continue to play the points/cards game.

[DarrenM]

Well done you.

 

I barely remember to keep receipts. And if alcohol is involved I never remember to get receipts.

 

I remember the days of cash only. We were happier back then.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

14 hours ago, clo said:

Agree. When we get home we should have a new Chase UA card. But we got it for the points and no AF the first year with a reasonable spend with free checked bags (which CSR doesn't give). We'll cancel after the year. We also have an Alaska BoA card but we live in Reno and have family in SEA so we use that and get free checked bags. And points.

 

The Alaska card is tempting, if we weren't so loyal to Delta.  I'm guessing you use the companion pass?

[Stateroom_Sailor]

10 hours ago, Underwatr said:

Too short for what?

 

17 cards is too many, granted, but I carry four and have at least four more locked away.

 

We have 10, all of which are actively used, 5 personal and 5 business.  If you build slowly, or enjoy it, it is no trouble at all remembering.

[Hlitner]

You might want to also consider that having too many cards will have a major negative influence on your FICO score (credit rating).  In fact, a recently announced new policy from the company that derives the FICO formula will now put more emphasis on total credit limit.  In simple terms this means too many cards will have a bigger negative impact.

 

Hank

[DarrenM]

I am amazed these card firms still give out so much credit. It's like they never learn.

 

Or maybe they just dont care.

[pacruise804]

9 hours ago, DarrenM said:

too short for keeping spreadsheets on your credit cards. Maybe I have too interesting a life, who knows.

 

But given I work hard, and spend a lot of time travelling for work, my non work time is way too valuable to do private spreadsheets. I see enough of them at work. And most of THEM are pointless.

 

Just to clarify, I am not a time traveller.

 

Thanks for the clarification (and chuckle) 🤣

[AlanF65]

2 hours ago, DarrenM said:

I am amazed these card firms still give out so much credit. It's like they never learn.

 

Or maybe they just dont care.

My credit score took a big hit when I got the CSR in December (9 points on 1, 2 on another, 0 on another), its disappointing, I was 850 3 across.

 

I have about 8 cards, I carry 3 when I travel plus a debit card with a limited balance with 0 foreign fees.

Credit is only dangerous if you don't know how to manage it. It took me about 30 minutes to decide on getting a CSR, that added $650 in cash back and about $500 in insurance savings this year. For $1,150 dollars, I will spend 30 minutes of my time. I pay my credit cards off every month, so if they want to put money in my pocket I will let them.  All consumers are paying the price for my cashback, its builtin to retailers prices.

 

[squick64]

I use my CSR card. I know they're increasing the fee, but it's still OK for me. We'll see how it goes, as they say.

 

Ramsey went broke using credit.  Why would anyone rely on advice from him on credit? 

 

This is my quote of the day. It demonstrates so well how one anecdote can lead to learning entirely different lessons. Maybe the lesson here isn't that credit is bad, it's that Ramsey's bad with credit. 🙂

 

Just glad here in the UK we still pay for things with turnips.

 

I've seen ads/adverts for cashback cards via UK television, I think. It's coming! But yes, this can be deliriously complicated if you want it to be. The most serious and committed engage in credit "churning", but even I, who have less than no life, don't have time for that. 🙂

[Stateroom_Sailor]

45 minutes ago, squick64 said:

 

This is my quote of the day. It demonstrates so well how one anecdote can lead to learning entirely different lessons. Maybe the lesson here isn't that credit is bad, it's that Ramsey's bad with credit. 🙂

 

 

Dave recently talked about his Disney Cruise, where he got  "Mickey Moused", shocked at the balance from all his room key swipes, a reminder of why he doesn't deal with credit cards.  Next Disney Cruise, he claims he'll probably do it again.

[ducklite]

22 minutes ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

Dave recently talked about his Disney Cruise, where he got  "Mickey Moused", shocked at the balance from all his room key swipes, a reminder of why he doesn't deal with credit cards.  Next Disney Cruise, he claims he'll probably do it again.

His fault.  You can check (and pay off) your folio every single day if you want.  Obviously he has a problem handling credit.  Those of us who don't reap the benefits.

[ilikeanswers]

5 hours ago, squick64 said:

I've seen ads/adverts for cashback cards via UK television, I think. It's coming! But yes, this can be deliriously complicated if you want it to be. The most serious and committed engage in credit "churning", but even I, who have less than no life, don't have time for that. 🙂

 

In America what is the minimun spend per month you need to qualify for cashback? In Australia the average is around $1000 a month on eligiable (refers to mostly retail) purchases. Though sometimes for the first three months you can get a deal where you only need to spend a few hundred.

[Underwatr]

No minimum spend. Sometimes there are annual maximums on the higher awards; for example the Costco visa returns 4% on gasoline purchases of up to $7000 per year.

 

But on the same card the 3% restaurant and travel benefit has no maximum. A few cruises per year add up.

Edited February 4, 2020 by Underwatr

[Toofarfromthesea]

7 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

Dave recently talked about his Disney Cruise, where he got  "Mickey Moused", shocked at the balance from all his room key swipes, a reminder of why he doesn't deal with credit cards.  Next Disney Cruise, he claims he'll probably do it again.

 

And people take advice from him? 

 

SMH

[Toofarfromthesea]

3 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

In America what is the minimun spend per month you need to qualify for cashback? In Australia the average is around $1000 a month on eligiable (refers to mostly retail) purchases. Though sometimes for the first three months you can get a deal where you only need to spend a few hundred.

 

Some cards have minimum amounts you have to spend in the first few months to get the bonus miles/points, but other than that I've never seen a rewards card in the States that has any minimum spend after that.  For example, on the CSR we have been discussing the current offer is 50,000 points (valued at $500 cash or $750  if spent through Chase's portal) provided you spend at least $4000 in the first 3 months.  But then you get your points on purchases no matter how little you spend in a given month.

[2wheelin]

6 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

And people take advice from him? 

 

SMH

And yet he’s the millionaire. How many of you are?

[Underwatr]

11 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

And yet he’s the millionaire. How many of you are?

I'd imagine that more than a few in this forum are, if millionaire is taken to mean net worth over one million dollars.