I love credit cards so much!

[Jen and Ashwin]

My understanding was UR was basically Expedia. To my knowledge, I can't use gift cards to pay for something I booked on Expedia. Not 100% sure though.

So cruise bookings are probably handled differently. When you call a TA to make an additional payment on a cruise booking, the payment gets processed directly with the cruise line, not through the TA. When I booked with Costco TA, I was able to apply RCI cruise discount certificates to my booking many months after the initial booking date. When I tried to make my final payment on the cruise, they took my card information but couldn't run the transaction because RCI's payment processing system was down. Costco ran the transaction the next day instead and it showed up on my credit card as RCI, not Costco. This is the way it has been handled with every TA I have ever worked with. So for gift cards, a TA (even Chase/Expedia) should be able to process it directly with the cruise line since it is a valid payment method. But you probably always have to call to get this done.

 

[havaneselover]

So cruise bookings are probably handled differently. When you call a TA to make an additional payment on a cruise booking, the payment gets processed directly with the cruise line, not through the TA. When I booked with Costco TA, I was able to apply RCI cruise discount certificates to my booking many months after the initial booking date. When I tried to make my final payment on the cruise, they took my card information but couldn't run the transaction because RCI's payment processing system was down. Costco ran the transaction the next day instead and it showed up on my credit card as RCI, not Costco. This is the way it has been handled with every TA I have ever worked with. So for gift cards, a TA (even Chase/Expedia) should be able to process it directly with the cruise line since it is a valid payment method. But you probably always have to call to get this done.

Edited my quoted post but the FAQs say points or chase cards to pay. It's not really just another TA in my opinion.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

last time i tried using my citi premier card, it wouldnt let me.

So you tried to make a payment on a cruise purchased through Chase via phone and they refused? Just trying to be clear on my options

To apply additional payments, you would have to call in to Chase Travel. I have no way to do this online for my current cruise booking. I have a feeling that on the phone you can give them any credit card you wish to make the payment. Only way to know for sure is to try it though.

So once you book a cruise thru Chase, you can call to make payments? Does the info show on your Chase travel portal? (My current trips show there)

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Ok so base on @havaneselover post, I probably can't use multiple forms of payment thru Chase. But I probably can thru Costco, although they only take Visa so Barclay Arrival Plus wouldn't work because it's MasterCard.

 

[havaneselover]

Ok so base on @havaneselover post, I probably can't use multiple forms of payment thru Chase. But I probably can thru Costco, although they only take Visa so Barclay Arrival Plus wouldn't work because it's MasterCard.

I believe Costco travel accepts mc too.

 

[Albort]

I believe Costco travel accepts mc too.

costco.com accepts all(amex, discover, etc) i believe. Im not sure how/why.

 

[nhgirl]

Ok so base on @havaneselover post, I probably can't use multiple forms of payment thru Chase. But I probably can thru Costco, although they only take Visa so Barclay Arrival Plus wouldn't work because it's MasterCard.

The last cruise I went on I used a Disney TA. They let me apply Disney GC's as payments. At first I used the DVA to accumulate my Disney GC's but after I read negative posts about DVA I closed it and used what was in that account to make a payment. You can put all your Disney GC's onto one card up to $1000 so that you aren't giving the TA a ton of GC's. I payed off my balance using a new CC to get minimum spend. I hope this helps.

ETA: I got an on board credit for using the Disney TA. I think it was $300

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

So you tried to make a payment on a cruise purchased through Chase via phone and they refused? Just trying to be clear on my options

So once you book a cruise thru Chase, you can call to make payments? Does the info show on your Chase travel portal? (My current trips show there)

My cruise reservation does not show up under "Trips" in my Chase travel portal. I only received an email confirmation for my booking.

ETA: I am tempted to call Chase and try to make a small payment on my reservation using an Amex or Capitol One card. Maybe I will do this later and report back.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

The last cruise I went on I used a Disney TA. They let me apply Disney GC's as payments. At first I used the DVA to accumulate my Disney GC's but after I read negative posts about DVA I closed it and used what was in that account to make a payment. You can put all your Disney GC's onto one card up to $1000 so that you aren't giving the TA a ton of GC's. I payed off my balance using a new CC to get minimum spend. I hope this helps.

ETA: I got an on board credit for using the Disney TA. I think it was $300

I have a friend who is a Disney TA, I messaged her to check on using multiple forms of payment. If I buy a $100 Disney Giftcard once a month thru 2018 I will save some $ (plus more if warehouse clubs are a bonus category for Discover or Chase) Then erase some charges with Arrival plus. Lastly I can use UR points for statement credit if need be (not best use of points but my goal is free travel of any kind. )

On that note, I have decided to buy $150 of Walmart gift cards to earn 10x UR points plus $100 of the money is from my ComEd rebate. Will try it use for Disney GC at Sams (hopefully friend will let me use her membership)

 

[havaneselover]

costco.com accepts all(amex, discover, etc) i believe. Im not sure how/why.

I believe Costco travel only accepts visa and mc (and gift cards).

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Ok I'm full of questions today

My CSP AF will come up 9/1. Want to PC to CF. should I wait until AF posts, then SM? Or before it posts?

Also based on everything above (thanks for all input) I plan to try for Barclay Aviator, Arrival +, and Hyatt cards. Any specific order you'd apply in?

 

[Alexle2007]

Proud new owner of the CIP to my complete surprise! I had called last week when I got the denial notice since the report they pulled still have my AU accounts on it that Equifax removed 3 days later. My first call the girl was basically having me complete a whole new app when my cell phone lost the connection. The second girl was going to remove them from and reconsider but I lost the connection. And that point I decided to give up since I had work to do and just try again in Sept. Surprise, surprise an envelope arrived today with my name on it! Now to start meeting the spend!!!

 

[gottalovepluto]

So excited! Large spend just came up for work in the next month or so that I can put on a personal credit card! Time to work up the courage to apply for that Citi AA Business card using my eBay "business"...

 

[amalone1013]

Has there been any more talk of the Marriott/SPG merger? I was thinking about the Marriott card but would plan on transferring the points to SPG to use either in January or maybe September 2018...

 

[gottalovepluto]

Approval for my Citi AA business card! (With a wonderfully high credit limit- too bad it won't apply towards my credit utilization ratio, especially because after 3K in spend I'm sock drawering it!)

 

[Albort]

Has there been any more talk of the Marriott/SPG merger? I was thinking about the Marriott card but would plan on transferring the points to SPG to use either in January or maybe September 2018...

nothing but people speculate that it SPG would probably be gone next year.

Currently working on MSin... its... quite an adventure...

 

[lark]

Ok I'm full of questions today

My CSP AF will come up 9/1. Want to PC to CF. should I wait until AF posts, then SM? Or before it posts?

It shouldn't matter, so long as the product change is complete before the due date of the statement on which the annual fee appears.

If this is your first year having the card, there is one thing to be aware of. Some have reported that you cannot change CSP to Freedom in the first year. You must change it to the no fee Sapphire. And then, after a couple of days, you can change it again to the Freedom or Freedom Unlimited. I did it this way a couple of months ago, all by sm.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

It shouldn't matter, so long as the product change is complete before the due date of the statement on which the annual fee appears.

If this is your first year having the card, there is one thing to be aware of. Some have reported that you cannot change CSP to Freedom in the first year. You must change it to the no fee Sapphire. And then, after a couple of days, you can change it again to the Freedom or Freedom Unlimited. I did it this way a couple of months ago, all by sm.

I got it in 2015. Kind of opened my eyes to the credit card bonus world. I used the bonus as a statement credit, not best use, but have learned since then.

 

[gottalovepluto]

It shouldn't matter, so long as the product change is complete before the due date of the statement on which the annual fee appears.

If this is your first year having the card, there is one thing to be aware of. Some have reported that you cannot change CSP to Freedom in the first year. You must change it to the no fee Sapphire. And then, after a couple of days, you can change it again to the Freedom or Freedom Unlimited. I did it this way a couple of months ago, all by sm.

FWIW Chase will refund the AF for 30 days so that's how much wiggle room you'll have for whatever you do first @CyndiLouWho (I promise I tried to find your original post but failed miserably, it's entirely possible I've had too much wine to be DISing tonight but let's keep that between us and my adult aged family with whom I was drinking My 30 days AF refund is solid info though, DoC says so!) Personally I plan on waiting just over a year and will then attempt to PC my CSP to a CF, but that won't be until next year.

 

[Albort]

Ok I'm full of questions today

My CSP AF will come up 9/1. Want to PC to CF. should I wait until AF posts, then SM? Or before it posts?

Also based on everything above (thanks for all input) I plan to try for Barclay Aviator, Arrival +, and Hyatt cards. Any specific order you'd apply in?

I SM Chase a month before my due date. They basically told me to wait 3 more weeks... i asked 3 weeks later and it got downgraded asap. So i guess u just have to SM Chase whenever.