RCI credit card

[vacationbound]

Just wanting to know people's opinions about the card is it really worth it? Is it a hassle to redeem reward offers?

[spoheat]

We are charter cardmembers (got the card the second it came out). We contact the company with our booking # from RCCL and they mail you a certificate to fill out and return to them. We get onboard credit or credit on the card toward the cost of the (already booked) cruise. Can also redeem for a cruise if you have enough points but have always opted for the $500 credit toward our existing booking. It is not difficult or complicated and we have used it several times. At first you had to have your travel agent fill something out and it was a bit of a hassle but it is no big deal now.

[avdeuph]

I signed up, got 10,000 bonus points on my first purchase and redeemed ASAP for a $100 credit on my cruise coming up this week.

One piece of advice, make sure that the cruise you plan to take is at least 2 months in advance, because they try to draw out the redemption process as long as possible in the hope that you will not make it in time for a pre-existing reservation and therefore be tempted to purchase another.

[peter l]

Avdeuph, we did the same thing a year ago prior to our last cruise and also took advantage of the on board credit..We are now adding points that we will use next year if we cruise. We like the card and it kept us with the same bank we were with.

Peterl

[Sonny V]

I've had two free 4 night cruises so far. I have friends that have gotten free cruises also. When you use the card to book a cruise you get double points. I think the card is perfect for us.

Sonny

[Dave]

It is a good card and program. I got double points for my Oasis booking, and my onboard charges since it was all on the RCI Visa card. Counting the shareholder credit I was able to get $600 in onboard credits for our Grandeur cruise last June. Since then I've accumulated enough points for $400 in credit. Just call them up, tell them what you want to redeem, they send the certificates, you fill them out and mail them (Kansas City I think). All done.

[Maurine]

You get 2 points for every dollar spent on RC (cruises, onboard the ship, excursions, etc.) and 1 point for every non-RC dollar spent.

I've had it for a couple years now. I use it for everything I buy. I'm saving my points for a free cruise.

I think it's a good deal.

[Maurine]

Someone on a recent cruise said they've gotten two free cruises because they put their rent, kid's college tuition on it. I guess they had another loan or something to pay off the bill since they said they pay it off each month.

[Jim1012]

Forgive me if I'm wrong (they say the memory is the second thing to go-forgotten what the first was)but I thought that I read here last year that either Dave or Sonny V weren't that impressed with the credit card program-NOT that it was a ripoff, but just not really worth the hassle.
I applied for one, and IF approved, I'm going to use it to pay off the rest of my upcoming cruise, and then see what happens.
Did I missread, or just forget what I read?

[Dave]

Not me. We did have some messages about the new Carnival credit card which is a huge step down from their previous one.