Mix up redemming RCI/BOA Visa points

[waterbugohio]

OK, I am new to this but wanted to let everyone know what I just experienced.

 

First I want to say that I am very happy with the BOA card and have earned points for over $600 in just 8 months.

 

I called July 3 and ask for certificates. I had 35000 points in my name, didn't understand exactly what I needed but the lady told me I could get one 25000 certificate and two 5000 certificates.

 

Hubby had 25000 points and he got one 25000 certificate.

 

I was hoping to take all certificates and apply $600 off the balance due on our cruise.

 

Well, just received certificates, no place to check for apply credit to balance due, called RCI points center. I was told that you can only redeem in certain increments. I can redeem $150 off or should have waited till I got to 50000 points (the next increment is $500 off) So I had to take $150 off the cruise, and $100 OBC for my 25000, the same thing for hubby's 25000.

Then the two 5000 I had to take in OBC.

 

I am ok with this, but would have preferred to have it all off balance. This is in no way RCI's fault and the lady on the phone was great. It was just that I didn't understand all this before calling and asking for the certificates. I could have waited longer and used them differently.

 

I am still happy and still getting to use the free money in OBC. Just wanted to let everyone know to make sure they understand how/when they can use them before ordering.

 

Hope this all makes sense.

[cruisenfever]

OK, I am new to this but wanted to let everyone know what I just experienced.

 

First I want to say that I am very happy with the BOA card and have earned points for over $600 in just 8 months.

 

I called July 3 and ask for certificates. I had 35000 points in my name, didn't understand exactly what I needed but the lady told me I could get one 25000 certificate and two 5000 certificates.

 

Hubby had 25000 points and he got one 25000 certificate.

 

I was hoping to take all certificates and apply $600 off the balance due on our cruise.

 

Well, just received certificates, no place to check for apply credit to balance due, called RCI points center. I was told that you can only redeem in certain increments. I can redeem $150 off or should have waited till I got to 50000 points (the next increment is $500 off) So I had to take $150 off the cruise, and $100 OBC for my 25000, the same thing for hubby's 25000.

Then the two 5000 I had to take in OBC.

 

I am ok with this, but would have preferred to have it all off balance. This is in no way RCI's fault and the lady on the phone was great. It was just that I didn't understand all this before calling and asking for the certificates. I could have waited longer and used them differently.

 

I am still happy and still getting to use the free money in OBC. Just wanted to let everyone know to make sure they understand how/when they can use them before ordering.

 

Hope this all makes sense.

Shouldn't you have gotten $250 OBC for each 25,000 points?

[waterbugohio]

Yes I could have, but I wanted to take the points off the balance of the cruise instead of OBC. My mistake. Just wanted to make others aware of it.

 

I ended up with $300 off the cruise and $300 OBC

[cruisenfever]

My suggestion, and what I have done, would be to go to the RCI website and then click on the site for the Visa card. There it will list how you may use your points........print this off and keep it for a quick reference.

 

Getting $$$ off your cruise and then still having $$$ to spend is still a good deal.:)

[Jimbo]

Yes I could have, but I wanted to take the points off the balance of the cruise instead of OBC. My mistake. Just wanted to make others aware of it.

 

I ended up with $300 off the cruise and $300 OBC

 

$300 off cruise and $300 OBC equals to the same thing $600 off the cruise.

 

Because you can go to the Casino and just hand over your SEA PASS card and ask for $300 Cash.......

 

so it equals the same in the end...when are people going to understand OBC is like cash? You do not have to buy anything on the ship to get your money.

 

 

 

Jimbo:)

[brennan5!]

Can we elect to pay the tips from an OBC? That is what I am planning on doing with my accumulated points - applying the obc for tips. Can I do that?

 

Lisa.

[waterbugohio]

Yes I understand the obc is the same as money and that I can get it out in the casino. Was just hoping to lower what is owed when my balance due comes in September.

 

And yes Patty, that is exactly what I should have done. I am hoping with this thread it will atleast get one person to read before they call and redeem. The money is the same, just not how I anticipated on using it and when.

 

Again, RCI redemption service was great and I am still happy with the $600 no matter when/how I get it. Just should have read the "fine print"!!!

[cruisenfever]

$300 off cruise and $300 OBC equals to the same thing $600 off the cruise.

Because you can go to the Casino and just hand over your SEA PASS card and ask for $300 Cash.......

 

so it equals the same in the end...when are people going to understand OBC is like cash? You do not have to buy anything on the ship to get your money.

 

 

 

Jimbo:)

Unfortunately she will be charged a 3% service fee if she draws money out of the Casino. I would go see the Pursuer and withdraw against the SeaPass Account.

 

Can we elect to pay the tips from an OBC? That is what I am planning on doing with my accumulated points - applying the obc for tips. Can I do that?

 

Lisa.

Yes, you can. Mid-way through your cruise you will get a sheet in your cabin that will ask if you would like gratuities added to your SeaPass Account.

[Jimbo]

Can we elect to pay the tips from an OBC? That is what I am planning on doing with my accumulated points - applying the obc for tips. Can I do that?

 

Lisa.

 

 

Yes, Because your OBC will show as a credit on your Sea Pass account. About midway through the week you will get a slip of paper from your cabin steward asking if you want to pay your tips through your sea pass account. You will fill out that paper with your names, cabin number and sea pass account number and drop it off at the pursers desk.

 

Night before tips are due you will get paper vouchers for each employee you have to tip, vouchers will come with envelopes also and you hand them out the last night before you get off the ship.

 

Jimbo:)

[Jimbo]

Unfortunately she will be charged a 3% service fee if she draws money out of the Casino.

 

Since when? We have never seen that on any of our cruises in the past:confused:

[cruisin4kicks]

Unfortunately she will be charged a 3% service fee if she draws money out of the Casino. I would go see the Pursuer and withdraw against the SeaPass Account.

We just came back from the Enchantment last week. I used my SeaPass card and got $400 at the craps table to gamble with. 3% of $400 would have been $12. I've got my statement right in front of me and there's no $12 charge anywhere on it so I don't know if the above statement is true.

 

Tim

[DarthCruiser]

Unfortunately she will be charged a 3% service fee if she draws money out of the Casino.

Is this a recent change? Or is it only true if you withdraw cash at the cage? On all my recent trips I've taken out money at the tables without a fee being applied. Of course I did play -- so they got another kind of fee. ;)

[Bakincakes]

Pax on recent cruises have reported the 3% charge for getting cash in the casinos.

 

Maybe they don't charge if you are at the tables? My DH uses cash to gamble with and never uses his Seapass .

[cruisenfever]

Since when? We have never seen that on any of our cruises in the past:confused:

 

We just came back from the Enchantment last week. I used my SeaPass card and got $400 at the craps table to gamble with. 3% of $400 would have been $12. I've got my statement right in front of me and there's no $12 charge anywhere on it so I don't know if the above statement is true.

 

Tim

 

Is this a recent change? Or is it only true if you withdraw cash at the cage? On all my recent trips I've taken out money at the tables without a fee being applied. Of course I did play -- so they got another kind of fee. ;)

It has been posted that changes are happening and that when withdrawing money against your SeaPass account in the Casino (at the window)............you are being charged a 3% service fee. Some have actually reported a rather fancy black sign up at the window stating such. If you are purchasing chips at a table, you are not charged.

 

Unfortunately or fortunately, whichever way you want to look at it..........it is not consistent on every ship.

[mpbmark]

On some ships, if you draw cash from the casino, it is treated as a cash advance and it is subject to a service charge. Shouldn't be, but is. By the same goofy logic, if you take the cash at the purser's desk, it isn't subject to the fee. No rhyme of reason, just ship's policy.

[Merion_Mom]

$300 off cruise and $300 OBC equals to the same thing $600 off the cruise.

 

Because you can go to the Casino and just hand over your SEA PASS card and ask for $300 Cash.......

 

so it equals the same in the end...when are people going to understand OBC is like cash? You do not have to buy anything on the ship to get your money.

 

 

 

Jimbo:)

 

Yes I understand the obc is the same as money and that I can get it out in the casino. Was just hoping to lower what is owed when my balance due comes in September.

 

And yes Patty, that is exactly what I should have done. I am hoping with this thread it will atleast get one person to read before they call and redeem. The money is the same, just not how I anticipated on using it and when.

 

Again, RCI redemption service was great and I am still happy with the $600 no matter when/how I get it. Just should have read the "fine print"!!!

 

Unfortunately she will be charged a 3% service fee if she draws money out of the Casino. I would go see the Pursuer and withdraw against the SeaPass Account.

 

 

Yes, you can. Mid-way through your cruise you will get a sheet in your cabin that will ask if you would like gratuities added to your SeaPass Account.

 

Yes, now you will pay a 3% fee to access YOUR OWN MONEY if you do it through the casino.

 

Apparently RC is oozing this out across the line, one ship at a time, like a seeping black miasma of deadly larceny.

[Sue L]

Yes, now you will pay a 3% fee to access YOUR OWN MONEY if you do it through the casino.

 

I don't like to bring lots of cash and would rather take it on my seapass account. I guess they will be getting 3% less from me. I love RCCl but it is these little things that are getting annoying. :mad:

[bubbie617]

At the end of the cruise if you have any credit balance on your SeaPass account, they will issue a credit to your credit card that you gave them when you set up the account. It all works out in the end.

[cruisenfever]

Yes, now you will pay a 3% fee to access YOUR OWN MONEY if you do it through the casino.

 

Apparently RC is oozing this out across the line, one ship at a time, like a seeping black miasma of deadly larceny.

But is it YOUR MONEY? If you are getting a Shareholder's OBC.........that money is coming from RCI as is an OBC for booking on board.

 

So, in theory, yes, it is your money to spend............but you didn't put it on your SeaPass account.........THEY did........so they can charge you for taking THEIR money out and not spending it on THEIR ship.:p

[tbear2762]

I actually heard that it was the credit card companies that had caused this. Seems people were getting cash against their seapass rather than using an ATM thereby paying a fee for a cash advance. They got wind and started charging RCI or something like that read it on a thread here a while back.

[waterbugohio]

But what if I actually want to spend the money/obc to gamble????

 

will I still be charged the 3%, I play slots not tables

 

even if I don't have obc, I would rather use charge money to gamble to my sea pass card instead of having to carry a bunch of extra cash along to gamble with

[lady_cruiser]

OK, I am new to this but wanted to let everyone know what I just experienced.

 

First I want to say that I am very happy with the BOA card and have earned points for over $600 in just 8 months.

 

I called July 3 and ask for certificates. I had 35000 points in my name, didn't understand exactly what I needed but the lady told me I could get one 25000 certificate and two 5000 certificates.

 

Hubby had 25000 points and he got one 25000 certificate.

 

I was hoping to take all certificates and apply $600 off the balance due on our cruise.

 

Well, just received certificates, no place to check for apply credit to balance due, called RCI points center. I was told that you can only redeem in certain increments. I can redeem $150 off or should have waited till I got to 50000 points (the next increment is $500 off) So I had to take $150 off the cruise, and $100 OBC for my 25000, the same thing for hubby's 25000.

Then the two 5000 I had to take in OBC.

 

I am ok with this, but would have preferred to have it all off balance. This is in no way RCI's fault and the lady on the phone was great. It was just that I didn't understand all this before calling and asking for the certificates. I could have waited longer and used them differently.

 

I am still happy and still getting to use the free money in OBC. Just wanted to let everyone know to make sure they understand how/when they can use them before ordering.

 

Hope this all makes sense.

 

 

Am I the only one who is confused here? What is the OP trying to say?

[waterbugohio]

Sorry for the confusion.

 

to make a long story short. You can only use the points in certain increments.

 

I had 35000 points. I got a 25000 certificate and two 5000 certificates. I thought I could get $350 off my cruise. Instead I could only pick $150 or $500 off my cruise (only two increments they do) So I had to take $150 off cruise and $100 OBC.

 

I know the end result is the same money, just would have liked to have it taken off my balance that is due in six weeks.

 

Same thing with my hubby's points.

[lady_cruiser]

Sorry for the confusion.

 

That is ok. I get confused just getting up some mornings.

 

to make a long story short. You can only use the points in certain increments.

 

I had 35000 points. I got a 25000 certificate and two 5000 certificates. I thought I could get $350 off my cruise. Instead I could only pick $150 or $500 off my cruise (only two increments they do) So I had to take $150 off cruise and $100 OBC.

 

I know the end result is the same money, just would have liked to have it taken off my balance that is due in six weeks.

 

Same thing with my hubby's points.

 

Thanks for explaining this at again. Not that I will ever get that many points but I am glad that I now know that when I do redeem my points it has to be in certain increments.

[isles1]

We just applied and got approved for the RCCL Visa w/ 15,000 bonus points after first use. We maxed out in annual earnings on our favorite affiliate card (GM Card) so this was a good time to get the RCCL card.

 

The OP got me nervous since I thought they meant they could only redeem ONE certificate from ONE award increment level per cruise :eek: Thank you for clarifying OP.

 

We should be able to reach the 25-30K point level pretty easily with the bonus, using the card for everyday purchases, and making final payment for the cruise. I'm looking forward to having another $250-300 OBC!

 

Thanks for all the info on this card on this board...it was very helpful in deciding to apply.