Celebrity branded credit card...

[poeticlicensed]

Does any have one? Just got an offer for 30k points. Im pretty adept at using travel cards to collect points for air travel. 30k doesn't seem like a good value, but there was a vague statement about discounts, upgrades and other goodies when using the card when booking and using on board. I'm skeptical. Any experience with these "goodies"?

[kruzerci]

It’s a good offer for that card but it is not a good card overall. Very limited benefits exclusive to RC and Celebrity and low point earning ratio per dollar spent. 
 

There are tremendously better travel rewards cards you can use with any brand and that have a much higher return. 

[cruisestitch]

Most here will tell you that it’s probably not the best travel card but if you plan to cruise on celebrity a lot and then perhaps it is a good one for you. You can redeem the points for onboard credit or for a reduction in the price of the cruise.

[thebutlerdidit]

The 30K points will reap $300 of on board credit. I haven’t seen a better offer than the 30K points you mention, and wish I’d snagged that offer. It was 10K when I bit a year ago. 🫤 

[lola2013]

I have the card and use it exclusively.  Points add up and soon I can deduct $$$ from my cruise balance…typically $300 per sailing.  I usually have enough OBC so choose to redeem the points to pay down the cost of the cruise.  

[paulh84]

It's a very poor card on both fronts for earning points and the value of the points themselves. 

 

Virtually any other non-branded travel card out there will be a better value depending on where you spend the most. 

[zitsky]

5 minutes ago, paulh84 said:

It's a very poor card on both fronts for earning points and the value of the points themselves. 

 

Virtually any other non-branded travel card out there will be a better value depending on where you spend the most. 

I just did some reading.  I have a Chase / United Explorer card.  What card lets you transfer points to a cruise line?

[poeticlicensed]

3 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I just did some reading.  I have a Chase / United Explorer card.  What card lets you transfer points to a cruise line?

None as far as I can tell. I have several non branded travel cards that allow me to build points quickly. I use the transfer partner option to move the points to airlines and hotels. When cruising I typically pay for hotels and airfare with the points. I was curious if there was any other benefit to the celebrity card other than points. Their earning rates are not good. 

[paulh84]

1 minute ago, zitsky said:

I just did some reading.  I have a Chase / United Explorer card.  What card lets you transfer points to a cruise line?

 

The best right now is Virgin Red points which you can redeem for a Virgin Voyages cruise for 62k points. You can transfer points from Amex, Cap One, Chase, Citi and Marriott to Virgin with a 30% bonus.

 

You have far fewer options with specific branded credit cards. Card that earn transferrable points are where the value is. Although probably not the best value, you could book a cruise through Amex Travel or Chase Travel using points although both are generally not recommended. You're stuck with United miles with your card however you can book other Star Alliance airlines on United's site using your United miles. Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines would be what I would watch for business class to/from Europe from the US using United Miles. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

Other than the intro bonus, the card is pretty pointless (had to!).  You have to spend so much to gain so little.  If you have or are willing to get a Costco membership, their cash back card gives you so much for your spend without an annual fee.  You can do far better if you're willing to play the points game yet that isn't for everyone

 

[bikerunner]

I ended up upgrading to chase sapphire.  Well worth it.  As it has trip insurance and a yearly 300 travel credit.  All travel is 3x points and easy to add up for great deals on rooms etc.  can’t remember when I paid for a pre or post stay from a cruise yes the yearly fee makes you think but I get over 1200-1500 back in rewards easily a year probably more tbh since I don’t add the trip insurance I don’t have to buy in 

[zitsky]

2 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

I ended up upgrading to chase sapphire.  Well worth it.  As it has trip insurance and a yearly 300 travel credit.  All travel is 3x points and easy to add up for great deals on rooms etc.  can’t remember when I paid for a pre or post stay from a cruise yes the yearly fee makes you think but I get over 1200-1500 back in rewards easily a year probably more tbh since I don’t add the trip insurance I don’t have to buy in 

What is the limit on trip insurance?  How much can you buy?  How much does it cover?

Edited June 22, 2023 by zitsky

[bikerunner]

3 minutes ago, zitsky said:

What is the limit on trip insurance?  How much can you buy?  How much does it cover?

Recommend looking it up.  Lots of info on web.   Only thing I add depending on trips I’m doing in the year is sometimes do add yearly trip medical thru geo blue.  Just for additional coverage.  You don’t buy it just have to pay the trip with the card it’s included.  

[NutsAboutGolf]

20 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

I ended up upgrading to chase sapphire.  Well worth it.  As it has trip insurance and a yearly 300 travel credit.  All travel is 3x points and easy to add up for great deals on rooms etc.  can’t remember when I paid for a pre or post stay from a cruise yes the yearly fee makes you think but I get over 1200-1500 back in rewards easily a year probably more tbh since I don’t add the trip insurance I don’t have to buy in 

 

I have several travel cards so for the past two years, I've been trying to downgrade the CSR to the CSP but they keep throwing retention offers; maybe next year will be the year

All the insurances are great and the best is the primary rental car insurance

Also, a lot of people don't know/forget, if you buy things like electronics with the card, you get an extended warranty but you have a very limited window to register the item with and upload the receipt

[poeticlicensed]

We have Chase Reserve. The annual fee is high but travel but the earn rate is high esp for travel. Good set of transfer partners. I haven't paid cash for a plane ticket in 5 years. 

[zitsky]

43 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

Recommend looking it up.  Lots of info on web.   Only thing I add depending on trips I’m doing in the year is sometimes do add yearly trip medical thru geo blue.  Just for additional coverage.  You don’t buy it just have to pay the trip with the card it’s included.  

Oh I can and will research.  I have the bad habit of asking questions.

[bikerunner]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I have several travel cards so for the past two years, I've been trying to downgrade the CSR to the CSP but they keep throwing retention offers; maybe next year will be the year

All the insurances are great and the best is the primary rental car insurance

Also, a lot of people don't know/forget, if you buy things like electronics with the card, you get an extended warranty but you have a very limited window to register the item with and upload the receipt

True rental is a great aspect, I find it a very useful card and use it for everything except for gas, which I have a chase freedom card for that I can transfer the rewards to the chase sapphire

[bikerunner]

34 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Oh I can and will research.  I have the bad habit of asking questions.

There is just so much info on the card that is probably better explained by the many sites than I ever could

[paulh84]

Preferred and Reserve have slightly different insurance terms. In terms of using in place of a traditional travel policy against a cruise, be careful. Reserve’s medical limit is $2,500 and you would have to have a claim denied by your primary insurance first. Lots of stories about how difficult and how long the process is to get a claim settled. If you’re someone who buys a separate travel insurance policy for peace of mind, credit card coverage is probably not a sufficient replacement. 
 

 

[goofysmom99]

An annual GeoBlue policy for medical and Chase Sapphire card have been an acceptable comfort (risk) zone for me.

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

Whenever this Celebrity branded card gets mentioned, I always point to the Wells Fargo Autograph card. 3x points on travel, among other categories, and no annual fee. For a no annual fee card, it's among the best out there for the travel category.

[Pennstatedj]

I had a card for years. During the covid outbreak I had five cruises that were cancelled, two of which had a total of $800 worth of obc was lost. Between BOA and X neither could find any trail of those transactions. Fortunately I had a copy of the transactions. Boa said it was an X problem and as you know X computer systems are not good. So after many calls and finally finding someone willing to search out by had I find out from that X rep she authorized credit for 600 of those dollars. So I lost $200. I was not happy and finally this year I pulled the plug and cancelled the card. It is just not worth it and we took 5 or more cruises per year. Your normal card may not be as good but safer. 

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

43 minutes ago, Pennstatedj said:

Your normal card may not be as good but safer. 

Define normal card please.

[Pennstatedj]

Visa card that gives points. I have a Merrill card from Boa and never have problems with points and them keeping records on any use of points. 

[poeticlicensed]

7 hours ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

Whenever this Celebrity branded card gets mentioned, I always point to the Wells Fargo Autograph card. 3x points on travel, among other categories, and no annual fee. For a no annual fee card, it's among the best out there for the travel category.

One of the best features of the chase card are transfer partners. I can transfer my points directly to certain airlines and get a higher value than going through the credit card travel portal. But of course the trade off is the annual fee. There is no best card for everyone. Its finding the card that meets your needs.