I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[LynnTH]

Trying to catch up here on our flight home but still 50 pages behind.
Some churner highlights and low points from our trip:
Status upgrade at Hyatt to high floor, nice views. Had to walk down 32 floors during fire alarm.
Free drinks and extra legroom on AA flight due to seat upgrade paid with BOA TR credit. Free internet in flight with Aviator MC credit.
First lounge visit with PP from Hilton Amex. (DH might have been tipsy after booze in lounge and on flight, just sayin)
Upgraded room with points at Westin Vancouver, giving us Executive Premium room with harbor view.
Booked 3 cruise excursions with URs. 2 were awesome. Saw a bear, whales, moose, seals, the Yukon, sled dogs, etc. Lost 51k UR when I canceled the floatplane excursion due to recent crashes, further compounded by having to pay DCL $650 for one of their excursions. At least I used Disney GCs at 10% off.
Misplaced Global Entry cards (obtained with CC Rewards) and had to go thru security and customs like a peasant.
Overall, we had a fabulous time both in Vancouver and on the cruise. I would cruise again, but only for the right ports at a good price. Not really a Caribbean cruise kind of person though I’d be tempted to do a HOTHS or Christmas cruise there only I’m not allowed to take of work at the right times.

What excursions did you book? Going on an Alaskan Cruise June 2020 and so lost on this as we normally do Caribbean. I have no clues on Alaska (besides it will be colder and rainier..)

 

[miztressuz]

*cringe moment warning*

AmEx is having a MR redemption GC sale. Seems it may be somewhat targeted but it's easy to see if you are. Just head to the GC section and there's a banner


It's only these cards on sale, but all are 20% off normal MR prices.


So iTunes and Walmart are still less than 1cpp, but they get closer than they were. The rest really are 20% off where you'd get a $100 Home Depot 8,000 MR.

We had debated about cashing out for some HD GC's or using the Lowe's 10% offer as we finished up another project on the house. If they'd have had this sale last month I know where my MR would have gone

 

[amalone1013]

My AF Upgrade posted from going to the Bonvoy Brilliant.

I was expecting the AF upgrade to come to around $90 net... Looks like they only charged one month so I got charged $37.50 and got $7.91 back for my personal fee. Made my Dolphin cost after AMEX credits $106 for 2 nights (plus had to charge ~$50 to room to trigger second AMEX credit).

Nights 2-3: Dolphin, $500 room + $89 annual fee from upgrade - $380 AMEX credits = $209 net

 

[elgerber]

I just watched Patrick dougall’s video of the Harry Potter tour in London and I feel like I have to go. Dh did say he wanted to go to the UK next. I don’t really have any interest except for the tour lol. What do you guys think? Should we go to the UK next?

Oh yes!!! My dd spent a semester there, we visited for 9 days. It was wonderful. And the HP tour is amazing!!!!

 

[amalone1013]

I just watched Patrick dougall’s video of the Harry Potter tour in London and I feel like I have to go. Dh did say he wanted to go to the UK next. I don’t really have any interest except for the tour lol. What do you guys think? Should we go to the UK next?

The WB HP studio tour there??? IT IS AMAZING... IT IS LIKE A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE FOR POTTER FANS

WHAT. I NEED MORE INFORMATION ON THIS IMMEDIATELY.

RIGHTTTTTT????
We did sea lions on our honeymoon which was really fun. I do want to do dolphins but couldn't bring myself to pay DCL excursion prices when so many places do dolphins now for $100+ less than what DCL wanted.
https://www.riverventures.com/swim-with-manatee

 

[LynnTH]

How did you get Bellagio for $50 a night? That seems like a sweet deal!

That sounds like an awesome deal. Was looking to go to Vegas in March over Spring Break as DS will turn 21 in February, so extended family and us were going to go. Kept looking at prices and they were ridiculously high (like $250-$400 a night for basic room). I then googled to see if there were any conventions there that week. Sure enough - there is a Construction Expo with 2,700 venders and estimating 129,000 people in attendance. No wonder they are so high. So now we may go in May right when they get out of school. Those same rooms for that week are like $40-$80 a night for Luxor, New York and Paris. Much better deal... And will probably get 2 rooms as to put 4 adults in 1 room costs pretty much the same as 2 in each room (except for the extra hotel fees)

 

[elgerber]

The WB HP studio tour there??? IT IS AMAZING... IT IS LIKE A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE FOR POTTER FANS

RIGHTTTTTT????
We did sea lions on our honeymoon which was really fun. I do want to do dolphins but couldn't bring myself to pay DCL excursion prices when so many places do dolphins now for $100+ less than what DCL wanted.
https://www.riverventures.com/swim-with-manatee

I may have cried when I walked into the final room on the HP tour, with the castle model
I LOVE Manatees, but not snorkeling :-(

 

[vanjust14]

I've chatted with @MrPTato about first class lie-flat seats from BOS>HNL on Hawaiian previously:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...t-page-for-addl-details.3729982/post-60402220
https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...t-page-for-addl-details.3729982/post-60537814
Here are Hawaiian's award charts: http://hawaiianair.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2218/~/hawaiianmiles-award-chart

It seems the going rate for one-way first class seats is 130k HawaiianMiles. I don't think I've ever seen saver award availability for first class on Hawaiian, but it might be worth setting up expertflyer. For 4 people, roundtrip, that's a lot of points! If you had to pick, it's 11 hours to Hawaii, and 9 hours back to BOS. The flight to Hawaii takes off from Boston in the morning and arrives in Hawaii in the afternoon. The return flight is a red-eye that departs in the afternoon and lands around 5 or 6 am ET.

TPG has some flight reviews:

Doing the 6-Time-Zone Shuffle: A Review of Hawaiian Airlines’ A330 in First Class From Boston to Honolulu - TPG

America’s Longest Red-Eye: Hawaiian Airlines’ A330 in Economy From Honolulu to Boston - TPG

The writer of both articles is the same, so you can read his perspective of flying BOS>HNL in first, and returning from HNL>BOS in economy.

There are some pretty good offers not the Barclays Hawaiian credit cards, which could buff up your HawaiianMiles, right now:

Barclays 60,000 Hawaiian Airlines Bonus – Annual Fee Waived First Year - DoC

Barclays 70,000 Mile Hawaiian Business Offer - DoC

But, as we know, Barclays has been randomly verifying people's "businesses," so there's a risk it might be a wasted pull.

I hope this helps get you started.

Thank you for this, as I am hoping to go to Hawaii for 2021 and never fly anything but southwest. I could do BOS to HNL, but I was thinking I might be better off flying into CA (not sure where exactly) then going to HNL. I def want to do first or business. I'll also have a 6 year old with me so I'm nervous about all the hours on a plane coming from the east coast.

 

[Haley R]

Oh yes!!! My dd spent a semester there, we visited for 9 days. It was wonderful. And the HP tour is amazing!!!!

Did you tour on your own? I’m not sure if I should plan it or go with a group.

 

[Haley R]

The WB HP studio tour there??? IT IS AMAZING... IT IS LIKE A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE FOR POTTER FANS

RIGHTTTTTT????
We did sea lions on our honeymoon which was really fun. I do want to do dolphins but couldn't bring myself to pay DCL excursion prices when so many places do dolphins now for $100+ less than what DCL wanted.
https://www.riverventures.com/swim-with-manatee

I’m an avid HP fan so I would love to go. Just watching his video made me excited. Did yo tour on your own or in a group? I knew coming to Japan it would be safe but I don’t know anything about the UK. I guess I have a new project to work on when we get home and settled after the move

 

[miztressuz]

Can someone invite me to that party? Another week, another day without my 80k Delta miles :-(

I know this has been going on for a while for you but I don't recall, are you still within your 90 days? If so, and I know you've already thrown extra money at it, but there are reports that people making up the spend AmEx appears to have glitched on are getting the bonus now.

I swear there was one this week or maybe it was last week but I'm having trouble finding it where it kinda confirmed this one where it worked:

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/bud910/_/epbx0wf

I'll poke around and if I can spot the DP I was thinking of.

 

[elgerber]

Did you tour on your own? I’m not sure if I should plan it or go with a group.

No way I would do that tour with a group, I want to be able to go at my own pace. We just went the 3 of us. You do need to book a fair ways in advance, it does sell out. You reserve a time slot, then once in, you tour at your own pace. You have a headset and a thingy with buttons, so you can listen to things.
We toured the rest of the UK on our own also, have never done a group tour. The trains make it easy to get around, once you figure out how their schedules work LOL. Trip advisor forums were very helpful.
York was my favorite city we visited.

 

[DisneyMandC]

RIGHTTTTTT????

I don't think I've ever told y'all how much I love manatees. I would straight up cry if I got to do this.

 

[DisneyMandC]

@Haley R I meant to comment on here and tell you that I was the one who commented about Memoirs of a Geisha on your Instagram haha. I didn't want you to think some random stalker was looking at your photos. Seriously loving keeping up with your trip!

 

[schmass]

Thank you for this, as I am hoping to go to Hawaii for 2021 and never fly anything but southwest. I could do BOS to HNL, but I was thinking I might be better off flying into CA (not sure where exactly) then going to HNL. I def want to do first or business. I'll also have a 6 year old with me so I'm nervous about all the hours on a plane coming from the east coast.

I'll have 5 and 7 year olds with me when I go next year, so hopefully I'll figure out a decent plan and can share with you!

 

[LynnTH]

We saw Nemo one time. It kind of freaked me out. I don’t know why. I barely made it through the show. It is one show I would never repeat! We never have seen American Adventure. We need to make it a priority for sure.
[/QUOTE]

We did not like the Nemo show either. Giant puppets with people and strings. Did see the American Adventure for the 1st time about a year ago. Was not impressed at all. Why do all the other countries get way cooler things than us. (And have never seen Hall of Presidents)

 

[elgerber]

I don't think I've ever told y'all how much I love manatees. I would straight up cry if I got to do this.

I am the same way!

 

[mamathompson]

Looking for flights to Italy and need some hand holding. Is it completely impossible to book 8 business class seats on awards? If so I need to rethink my strategy.

 

[havaneselover]

I don't think I've ever told y'all how much I love manatees. I would straight up cry if I got to do this.

We did Dolphin Discovery in Cozumel and at the end I got to "swim" with a manatee. That thing was ginormous. My kids looked at it and there was no way they were getting in the water. Let's just say it's crossed off my bucket list.

 

[calypso726]

Did anyone see that Hyatt and Lindblad are now partners? I haven’t found all of the details but points can be redeemed for Lindblad/NatGeo expeditions. Also 5 Hyatt base points are earned per dollar on Lindblad. Ugh! Why didn’t they do this last year when we booked Antarctica! I’m wondering what the value of Hyatt points will be when used for a Lindblad expedition. I’ve been eyeing Galapagos. Depending on how it shakes out I may be giving Chase UR more love than Amex MR. Heck, I might even be motivated to be loyal to a hotel chain for paid stays! Not that I do many paid stays. But still.