NCL MBNA Card - So Far Not Impressed

[shoreguy]

I have a few questions. Do you get points for "balance transfers" or "cash advances"?

 

Also, where can you get more information about the terms of the point system.? They really did not give you very much info about all this in the NCL web site. I applied for the card but during the process there were only terms and conditions for using the card but not for aquiring points. I know you get more points if you charge NCL stuff but that is about all I know so far.

 

Do you get points for "balance transfers" or "cash advances"? Nope

Points 3 % on non NCL purchases 4% on NCL purchases.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I've posted this before on another thread but I'll mention it again for those of you contemplating a Cruise credit card: With the MBNA card for NCL, you have to spend $16,666 in charges to get a $500 discount coupon. (Less if some of your charges are for NCL products.) To get a $500 discount with Carnival Cruise Lines credit card you'd need to spend $23,000. To get a $500 discount on Royal Caribbean using their affinity card, you'd have to spend $50,000! By far the NCL card is numero uno. BobK/Orlando

[uneamie]

Do you get points for "balance transfers" or "cash advances"? Nope

 

Points 3 % on non NCL purchases 4% on NCL purchases.

 

Thanks Shoreguy. I thought that might be the answer! :( Oh well...I will just have to pick up the tab at all family restaurant outings and let everyone pay me in cash. :D

[missjanet]

The quickest way to rack up points in this case (we did it with a frequent flyer Visa card) is to charge college tuition. Our daughters went to colleges that allowed us to pay the tuition in full on our credit cards, which we then paid off with a home equity check before incurring any finance charges. That was how we got to Hawaii & Alaska via Continental Airlines for next to nada.

 

Just a suggestion for those cruisers with college-aged kids.

[shoreguy]

The quickest way to rack up points in this case (we did it with a frequent flyer Visa card) is to charge college tuition. Our daughters went to colleges that allowed us to pay the tuition in full on our credit cards, which we then paid off with a home equity check before incurring any finance charges. That was how we got to Hawaii & Alaska via Continental Airlines for next to nada.

 

Just a suggestion for those cruisers with college-aged kids.

 

Worked for me with my oldest and by paying monthly never exceeded the max. My youngest's College wanted to add a 5% fee to use a card. Pointless:(

[SCHOOLBUS]

We have been using the MBNA card for about 4 years now. My math might be a little off, but I think we've saved $3000.00. I use it for every cruise we take.

 

LOVE FREESTYLING

[CTCruisers]

Worked for me with my oldest and by paying monthly never exceeded the max. My youngest's College wanted to add a 5% fee to use a card. Pointless:(

 

We ran into the same issue this year with paying our property taxes. The town imposed a 3% fee to use a charge card. So that is about $6,000 a year we can't charge.

[krystall]

We too love this card. Just sent in a $500 certificate for our upcoming Feb. cruise.

 

:D

[bubbletoes]

I guess we are out of our league! I thought we were doing well to use the MBNA for anything we'd charge or write a check for, and pay the balance each month. Groceries, b'day gifts and gas. But College Tuition! That is thinking outside the box, and gives me inspiration to think about how we can build up more points. It sure was rewarding to pay for 1/3 of our Majesty 9/17 cruise with a $500 MBNA voucher, but now I feel challenged to see how close to free we can get for our next trip, 2/3/08 on The Pearl! So Tom O., put a sticker on your calendar, a beep in your Blackberry or a string around your finger to pay that bill on time, and it'll all pay off with that big discount cruise. Cruisin's a dream, but cruisin's free's a fantaSEA!

[GoHuskies!]

We ran into the same issue this year with paying our property taxes. The town imposed a 3% fee to use a charge card. So that is about $6,000 a year we can't charge.

 

Yeow, that's why we moved to Arizona from Washington! :eek:

[kdg51]

missjanet...for us that would require having and raising another child to put through college. :eek: Been there 3 times....I'll take whatever points I can get spoiling the grandchildren! :D

[Frank Burns]

We use the card for college tuition too. They even let us pay our daughters full tuition with our cc and then sent us a check for the credit amount for a scholarship she had. Go figure! Just another quick idea for using the card for points if you haven't thought of this one. When we bought our last van, we negotiated our best deal, and then dropped the credit card bomb. We told them we'd only buy the car if we could put $6,000.00 on our MBNA credit card. At first they wanted to charge us the 3% fee, but we said no, and they buckled. Then a week later my car was stolen and after a 3 week waiting period we found ourselves buying another car and doing the same thing. Luckily the charges fell in different monthly statements! (of course we paid them off at the end of the month with other financing). We've been using NCL's designated card for about 13 years now and most of our 6 cruises have been almost free! It's a great program!!

[mailbroad]

I just used a $500 certificate for the final payment for our December cruiseon the Sun! I am very close to earning my next certificte:D I have a question that I know has been answerd but I do not understand the answers!!! lol

 

Is the year's limit of $1,000 from the time I requested the first certificate? I will be applying for another card but that means changing all the automatic bills!!!

[hotspur]

Is the year's limit of $1,000 from the time I requested the first certificate? I will be applying for another card but that means changing all the automatic bills!!!

I believe the $1000 limit is measured as 12 months from the date your card went into effect and then every 12 months from the anniversary date thereafter.

[Roadshow]

Does anyone know, if you use redeem 200 points, does that upgrade you in the same room type or do you move up a room type. For example, we are looking at the Jewel in March and we will have 1,000 off the total, but don't think we can get another 500 before final payment, but we might have an extra 200. If we booked a balcony, could we use the 200 to get a mini-suite or would those points just get us a higher level of balcony? Thanks!

[shoreguy]

Does anyone know, if you use redeem 200 points, does that upgrade you in the same room type or do you move up a room type. For example, we are looking at the Jewel in March and we will have 1,000 off the total, but don't think we can get another 500 before final payment, but we might have an extra 200. If we booked a balcony, could we use the 200 to get a mini-suite or would those points just get us a higher level of balcony? Thanks!

 

Higher Balcony and a waste of points - The is no sense cashing out less the 500 points. The 200 point upgrade is worth about $20:(