Let's Complain About the 2017 Visa Perks

[Mommy O'Mara]

I've had the card since 2011, so I'm not exactly a newbie. I know all about the Disney Store discount and the vacation financing perks. But in the end, no one could help me redeem a single dollar of my rewards balance toward our cruise. I appreciate that others have had different experiences, but from this point forward, I will use Discover, which never charges an annual fee, gives me a higher reward percentage, and is always so very kind on the phone.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I've had the card since 2011, so I'm not exactly a newbie. I know all about the Disney Store discount and the vacation financing perks. But in the end, no one could help me redeem a single dollar of my rewards balance toward our cruise. I appreciate that others have had different experiences, but from this point forward, I will use Discover, which never charges an annual fee, gives me a higher reward percentage, and is always so very kind on the phone.

I respect your opinion, the only reason I am posting this is to let others know: You *do* have to transfer the points to a redemption card before you cruise. Maybe that was the problem? For us though, we've used the same redemption card for several years (parks and DCL ), so we can actually transfer points over the phone, and they load it immediately. In our case, we would not have to transfer points a few weeks before we sail, if that was indeed the issue, that you did not have a loaded redemption card.

 

[Dug720]

My Disney Visa Check Card got compromised less than 10 days before my trip. Knowing that I needed a card - and knowing that I couldn't get their express delivery without taking my life into my hands (seriously, the place you have to go to get a missed FedEx package is SCARY) and them not guaranteeing it via regular mail in less than 10 days, I just went with the plain blue one Chase can do in-house. And I can honestly say, the "perks" are not enough for me to go through changing my card number AGAIN on everything I need to change it on (I'm still not 100% sure that I hit everything as I haven't cycled through a month yet). So unless they improve greatly for 2018, I'll just do my plain Chase check card.

 

[mathgeek]

It's usable on any beverage purchase, not just alcoholic ones. That would be the specialty coffee, or even just soda, if you get it from a lounge/theater server or room service. Bottled water counts also, I believe.

I even bought the refillable beer mug just for a souvenir using the $50 beverage OBC. In fact, I think my Palo additional gratuity even counted toward it as well. Really, it seemed to me like anyplace you can buy a beverage qualified. My parents had a charge for popcorn from Preludes covered by it.

It becomes a moot point since I also probably won't be using any of the new perks. I already get my 10% off merchandise b/c of my Castaway Club status, and there's nothing else on the list I plan on using.

 

[Terrena]

I booked a November 2018 cruise and was told there are no stated Chase Disney Visa card on board credits this year but they were not sure if there would be one announced for 2018. I asked if I could get the 2018 credit since I was sailing 2018 if they announced one. She said probably not since I booked in 2017. Seems a bit unfair. I am sailing in 2018. She seemed to think they would announce a credit though. I guess we will see. She said November or December they would know.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I booked a November 2018 cruise and was told there are no stated Chase Disney Visa card on board credits this year but they were not sure if there would be one announced for 2018. I asked if I could get the 2018 credit since I was sailing 2018 if they announced one. She said probably not since I booked in 2017. Seems a bit unfair. I am sailing in 2018. She seemed to think they would announce a credit though. I guess we will see. She said November or December they would know.

I believe, in the past, if you had a cruise booked, say in 2016 for 2017, and the perks changed (as they did from 2016 to 2017), you got whatever the perks are at the time you actually take the cruise.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I booked a November 2018 cruise and was told there are no stated Chase Disney Visa card on board credits this year but they were not sure if there would be one announced for 2018. I asked if I could get the 2018 credit since I was sailing 2018 if they announced one. She said probably not since I booked in 2017. Seems a bit unfair. I am sailing in 2018. She seemed to think they would announce a credit though. I guess we will see. She said November or December they would know.

It is what it is. I booked our 2017 cruise in 2016 and didn't get the $50 beverage credit. But we did get the 10% discount on gift store purchases of $50 or more, 10% off Castaway Cay Getaway Pkg, which I think is a really good deal, there's a discount on a port day spa treatment, and we earned over $900 in Disney Reward Dollars, which we used towards air and on board purchases, and 6-mo interest free financing on everything, so I'm not complaining.

 

[lanejudy]

I booked a November 2018 cruise and was told there are no stated Chase Disney Visa card on board credits this year but they were not sure if there would be one announced for 2018. I asked if I could get the 2018 credit since I was sailing 2018 if they announced one. She said probably not since I booked in 2017. Seems a bit unfair. I am sailing in 2018. She seemed to think they would announce a credit though. I guess we will see. She said November or December they would know.

The agent was correct there are no onboard credits for 2017. The current "perks" are only dependent on listing the Disney Visa as payment for your onboard account. When or how you booked has no impact. So if the same is offered for 2018, you should be eligible for the onboard discounts as long as you use the Disney Visa to back your account. If they change the perk for 2018 - who knows what it will be or who will be eligible, but in prior years with an OBC offer it could be added at final payment so again it didn't matter when you booked.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[RedSox68]

The agent was correct there are no onboard credits for 2017. The current "perks" are only dependent on listing the Disney Visa as payment for your onboard account. When or how you booked has no impact. So if the same is offered for 2018, you should be eligible for the onboard discounts as long as you use the Disney Visa to back your account. If they change the perk for 2018 - who knows what it will be or who will be eligible, but in prior years with an OBC offer it could be added at final payment so again it didn't matter when you booked.

Enjoy your cruise!

I thought you only qualified for perks if you used the card to book the cruise.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

This year our Cruise Line card had a "DV" (Disney Visa) in the bottom right hand corner. We fully paid our cruise with that card. If there are perks next year it should show it on your cruise card if you paid with the Disney Visa.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I thought you only qualified for perks if you used the card to book the cruise.

You have to have the Disney Visa on your onboard account as back up (as opposed to cash or another card). We had so much OBC and Disney Dreams Rewards, we only ended up putting $37 on the Visa. But we still got all the perks bc we had that on our account.

 

[lanejudy]

I thought you only qualified for perks if you used the card to book the cruise.

Not for 2017. In prior years, you had to use the Disney Visa to book and pay for the cruise in order to get the OBC. But for 2017, the only requirement is that you list the Disney Visa as your payment method for the onboard charges.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[RedSox68]

Not for 2017. In prior years, you had to use the Disney Visa to book and pay for the cruise in order to get the OBC. But for 2017, the only requirement is that you list the Disney Visa as your payment method for the onboard charges.

Enjoy your cruise!

Good to know. By the time I finally can afford another Disney cruise, I'm sure this will all change

 

[Jen B.]

Good to know.