Yet another question about RCCL Visa Points

[finnyfourcruising]

I am not sure if this question has been answered before, so I apologize if it has. We are planning on a cruise for Jan '07. If we book an outside cabin, use points to move up to balcony, but want a JS or GS can we simply pay the differance in price? We have been kicking around many ideas. I love the Radiance Class ships, thinking about the Jewel. Any thoughts, suggetions are greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

Big Red Boat 1996

Majesty 1998

Dawn Princess 2000

Enchantment 2002

Carnival Victory 2003

Radiance 2004

Voyager 2005

[just4kixx]

This is how I understand it. You need to book the category you want to stay in. There is a certain phone number used for the booking, but I don't believe you HAVE to use it. Make sure the reservationist (hence the advantage to booking through the given phone number) is aware that you intend to use your points. They will take note of the outside stateroom category price vs the balcony stateroom category price, and that is the credit that they will apply to your account when the voucher is redeemed. They use the difference between the LOWEST price oceanview category vs. the balcony category that you booked on the day you booked (to maximize your credit... ) up to $500. value! I'm not sure what effect being in a jr suite or higher would have... I imagine the credit would be lowest oceanview vs highest standard balcony

 

Since I asked this question in an earlier thread... here is a link: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=6492535#post6492535

 

A~

[Mofred]

I am curious about the RCL visa card. Every mailing I receive from RCL is telling me how wonderful the Visa card is, then in very very fine prints Canadians do not qualify. If we are customers of the Cruise Line why not. This in not a gripe just facts, Canadians are excluded most times on many of the bargins. When are we going to get a break. But I still love them. They are still a good /wonderful cruise line. Don't like to feel like the adopted child.

[Slam308]

Don't know how we lucked out. We had 125,000 pts. to use on our Visa card. Called our TA, asked for a hump cabin. Coincedentally, we were doing a back to back. TA found the same hump cabin available for both weeks so we wouldn't have to change cabins. We also had a C&A magazine coupon to apply to our cruise for one week. Also happened to find a NJ resident discount for both weeks.

End result, we got the C&A coupon applied, got the NJ resident discount applied, got the full $2500 MBNA discount applied.

First week ended up being less than $2500. We had the remainder of our MBNA credit applied to the following week.

After checking these boards, it seems we were very lucky. BUT...we asked for everything we may have been entitled to. And, we got everything we were entitled to.

End result, doesn't hurt to ask. Keep pushing. Use a TA you know and trust. They'll fight for you. Never could have afforded a back to back without all the discounts, but it worked for us.

Ask for everything you can.

[Mofred]

Read again everyone. It is not that I am not getting the points. The question is why is it Canadians are not entitle to the card, so that they too can get the benefits:( .

 

If you live in Canada you are not entitled. It is written in very fine prints.

If you live in the USA no problem. RCL should send another flyer to Canadians leaving out the RCL VISA CARD. :confused:

[Dem920]

:D you can use it for a Meditterean cruise??

[GeniRich]

Caribbean or Mexican Riviera only.

[cruisinfanatic]

Read again everyone. It is not that I am not getting the points. The question is why is it Canadians are not entitle to the card, so that they too can get the benefits:( .

 

If you live in Canada you are not entitled. It is written in very fine prints.

If you live in the USA no problem. RCL should send another flyer to Canadians leaving out the RCL VISA CARD. :confused:

Probably because they'd be getting way more points for purchases because of the exchange rate.

[Hey! Jude]

I believe the reason the Canadians (myself being one) do not qualify for a RCCl visa card is probably due to the bank it is connected to. Since there is no Canadian bank affiliated with the credit card, unless you have an address in the US and also a US bank account you do not qualify.

I do think it is only a matter of time before it is offered in Canada. Currently you can get Canadian visa cards (from 2 major banks) that you can use in the states and the bill comes in USD without the exchange. I can only imagine how many free cruises we would get with one of those RCCL visa cards!!

[conchqn]

Slam, I am surprised to read that you used a TA. I was told you had to book through RCCL. Since I also live in NJ, I was wondering how you managed to do that? Sounds like you have a great TA. Pat

[Slam308]

Slam, I am surprised to read that you used a TA. I was told you had to book through RCCL. Since I also live in NJ, I was wondering how you managed to do that? Sounds like you have a great TA. Pat

 

Pat,

I've used the same TA for all 8 cruises. Obviously, she's great! When we decided we wanted to turn in the points, I called her to see if we really needed to call the special number. She called MBNA and RC and got the scoop. She made all the arrangements, then I called MBNA to request the coupon. I sent it to her, she sent it to RC and everything went well. The fact that they applied the rest of the $2500 towards the second week was a huge suprise!

I know I can't give her info out on here, but if you want to e-mail me @comcast.net, I'll give you her name. Just put CC boards, Visa point question, or CC TA something or other in the subject so I don't delete your mail. She's about 15-20 min. from Great Adventure, but can do everything by mail (I imagine) if needed.

[sicsinohio]

You don't have to book through RCCL to use the Visa points. Last time, we used a TA to set up the trip but didn't redeem our points until later...we only had enough for $150 ship board credit. We just called the number on the back of the card and MBNA sent us vouchers, which we then filled out and sent to the RCCL address MBNA provided. A couple weeks later, I called RCCL to make sure that they had received the vouchers and applied them to our account, which they had. When we got our bill at the end of the cruise, there was a $150 credit on it.

 

Note: When you send in those vouchers, buy insurance from USPS...it's like sending cash through the mail. If your vouchers would get lost in the mail, you'd be out the savings.

[CAT GIRL]

I just called to get my certificate mailed to me. The operator told

me that once I redeemed the points I couldn't get them back which

was okay by me but I did ask her how long the certificate was

good for and she said she thought for a year. Well, I received my

coupon and and issue date was 6/03/06 and the expiration is

11/30/06--- five months. Wasn't a problem for me but just wanted

to let people know. Also, I did book with my normal TA but I made

sure I asked beforehand. She does all my cruises for me so it wasn't

a problem.

[just4kixx]

I just called to get my certificate mailed to me. The operator told

me that once I redeemed the points I couldn't get them back which

was okay by me but I did ask her how long the certificate was

good for and she said she thought for a year. Well, I received my

coupon and and issue date was 6/03/06 and the expiration is

11/30/06--- five months. Wasn't a problem for me but just wanted

to let people know. Also, I did book with my normal TA but I made

sure I asked beforehand. She does all my cruises for me so it wasn't

a problem.

 

I believe the expiration is the time within which you have to apply the coupon, not the time of the cruise. If you didn't have a cruise booked yet, it probably wouldn't be the wisest decision to request your coupon vouchers. Once you have a booked cruise, you request the vouchers and send them out upon their receipt... expiration time shouldn't be an issue... of course there are always exceptions ;)

 

A~