Financial institution of America® points two variations of the Celeb Cruises Visa Signature bank card, each of which have respectable rewards for followers of Celeb Cruises or its sister model Royal Caribbean. Nonetheless, neither card is a standout, even for many who regularly sail with these cruise traces.
For an annual charge, a number of common journey playing cards provide higher rewards charges, increased level values for redemptions, journey protections and numerous travel-related credit.
Alternatively, there are common cash-back playing cards with no annual charges that earn rewards that may be redeemed for money, which you’ll then put towards your subsequent trip.
Right here’s what you could know concerning the Celeb Cruises Visa Signature bank card.
1. There are two variations of the cardboard
There are two variations of the Celeb Cruises bank card, one with a $0 annual charge and the opposite that prices $69 a yr. The latter card comes with perks which might be absent within the $0-annual-fee model, together with a $50 annual airfare low cost, a one-time $300 low cost on a cruise (when you meet the spending requirement), and a ten% low cost on premium beverage packages and shore excursions.
Regardless of the distinction in annual charge, each playing cards have the identical rewards construction, baseline sign-up bonus and $0 international transaction charge.
2. Rewards are capped and expire
The Celeb Cruises bank card earns 2 MyCruise factors for each $1 spent on qualifying purchases with Celeb Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Every little thing else earns 1 MyCruise level.
Rewards earned with the Celeb Cruises card expire 5 years from the month the factors have been earned, and rewards are capped at 540,000 MyCruise factors per calendar yr. On condition that the cap is so excessive, it’ll seemingly be irrelevant to most cardholders. Nonetheless, if you need a $0-annual-fee journey card with fewer restrictions on rewards, take into account one thing just like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card. It earns a limiteless 1.25 miles per greenback on each buy, and people miles by no means expire. You can too use these miles towards a big number of redemptions. Talking of which …
3. Rewards redemption is basically restricted to future cruises
Shoppers preferring to redeem bank card rewards for a direct deposit or assertion credit score ought to in all probability go on the Celeb Cruises card. Excluding charitable donations, MyCruise factors may be redeemed just for future journey on objects comparable to cruises, stateroom upgrades and onboard credit.
Just a few different caveats to notice concerning rewards redemption:
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Cardholders should have no less than 1,000 MyCruise factors to redeem.
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A cruise reservation and deposit are required to redeem factors.
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Factors could also be redeemed solely towards journey on Celeb, Royal Caribbean and Azamara cruise traces.
One MyCruise level is usually price 1 cent, nevertheless it’s potential to get much more worth per level with room improve redemptions.
4. The sign-up bonus is nice
New cardholders will get 25,000 MyCruise factors, equal to $250 in onboard credit, after spending $1,000 throughout the first 90 days of account opening. A $1,000 spend threshold is increased than another playing cards that will require solely $500 price of purchases to get the welcome provide, however a $250 credit score is among the higher sign-up bonuses amongst $0-annual-fee playing cards.
5. There’s no break from curiosity
If you could finance your journey prices with a bank card, the Celeb Cruises card isn’t the most suitable choice as a result of it doesn’t provide a 0% intro APR on purchases. As of this writing, each variations of the bank card had APRs that might vary increased than 28%. That might get costly when you’re carrying a steadiness from month to month.
In contrast, the Uncover it® Money Again card has this intro APR provide: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and steadiness transfers, after which the continuing APR of 17.24%-28.24% Variable APR. It additionally earns direct money again, which means you possibly can redeem your rewards towards no matter you want.