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

[Alexle2007]

I think @calypso726 was the one that told me we shouldn't pay more than $250 pp/night so I was really happy to get the price that we got. For the 7 nights, it will cost $211 for a verandah stateroom. We've never done a cruise so it will be really exciting. I have some research to get done!

I would check out the DCL thread. There is a lot of good info there and people typically post the menus, euc there. And keep in mind, they are very accommodating in the dining rooms. Our waiter realized DH really enjoyed the escargot and was able to get it for him every evening and would just check in with him at the end of that night’s meal to see if he would like them the next evening. And definitely try the Palo brunch. It is sumptuous! And the rainforest room is a hidden gem.

ETA: That is how I found the Disboards when we were going on our 1st DCL that I booked last minute and quickly needed to learn about them.

 

[Alexle2007]

Oh man, the public schools really are failing us these days.

Well here goes...When a mommy churner loves a daddy churner.........

Gosh, I can't do this...

But she can join the verandah club in a few short months...

 

[have2getaway]

Will it hurt our credit if I close a Disney Rewards card we have had for 3 years? We have several cards that are older. We are paying a $49 annual fee and not earning enough to make it worth keeping.

Also, we have recently opened 2 Chase Ink Preferred cards and are wondering if it will hurt our credit to close either (or both) before being charged an annual fee? I believe I read on this group that you should keep the card open for at least a year and, after the fee is charged, request that it be canceled. Is that correct, or should we do it sooner, or simply keep it open and pay a fee on a card that gets minimal use?

I understand much better how to yield rewards, but I’m still very green to how it word to close cards.

TIA

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Will it hurt our credit if I close a Disney Rewards card we have had for 3 years? We have several cards that are older. We are paying a $49 annual fee and not earning enough to make it worth keeping.

Also, we have recently opened 2 Chase Ink Preferred cards and are wondering if it will hurt our credit to close either (or both) before being charged an annual fee? I believe I read on this group that you should keep the card open for at least a year and, after the fee is charged, request that it be canceled. Is that correct, or should we do it sooner, or simply keep it open and pay a fee on a card that gets minimal use?

I understand much better how to yield rewards, but I’m still very green to how it word to close cards.

TIA

If you don’t have the no fee Disney card you could PC the $49 card to that....

Don’t close the CIPs until they are a year old...you are correct...you have 30 days to close and get a full refund.

 

[Lain]

I didn't get the survey, but I did get two emails from them, one reminding me that I could get an extra 35K cert for spending 60K.

I just paid my annual fee and also sort of accidentally spent $25 on the card.
There are so many good cards out there now. I don't see a need for anyone to want to use this particular card as a daily driver, but the possible upgrade to a 50K cert does interest me. Just not for a $60K spend. Maybe a higher annual fee?

The survey was consistent about keeping the $125 AF throughout all the different variations of benefits, which I thought was very generous with some of the benefits mentioned. Like the ones where you pay $125 AF for a guaranteed 50k FN cert on/after your cardmember anniversary and the ability to earn another 50k FN cert by spending $60k. I might not spend $60k for a second 50k FN cert, but the one that would come with your anniversary is worth way more than $125, especially when considering the current $125 AF gets you only a 35k FN anniversary cert. Of course, with Marriott moving to peak pricing, a 35k FN won’t be worth what it used to, and I made that clear to the retention specialist when I was trolling for a retention offer on my personal SPG and they tried to sell me that the 35k FN cert was worth the AF. But the increase from a guaranteed 35k FN to a 50k FN anniversary cert doesn’t incentivize more spend. It’s a benefit for just holding the card. While increasing the reward for spending $60k from a 35k FN to a 50k FN cert might motivate some to spend to that threshold, it’s still a lot of spend on a card that earns a neutered base rate at only 2x Marriott points, which is why I think increasing that rate on non-category spend to 3x is key. Even then, they’re thinking of capping the 3x rate to only the first $30k or $50k of purchases/year, which doesn’t get you fully to a FN cert — whether 35k or 50k — at $60k on 3x/$.

Anyway, the survey didn’t go that in depth into my thoughts on the proposed benefits: it just presented different options and asked how likely they would get me to spend more, and whether they made the card better than other cards. Should be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

[havaneselover]

@Haley R I don't know if anyone answered your questions about driving to the port or changing your onboard account. Parking at the port is really convenient. I would either park right at the port or take a Lyft. I found the options involving shuttles were a pain. And you can set your account up as a cash count and later add a car or call in and add gift cards to your onboard account. I haven't had a card on file for my last couple of cruises.

 

[WVMomof3]

I think it's smart to step back and evaluate. I opened and upgraded a lot of cards over the last 5 months. Some were good and a couple were mistakes{Delta Gold and BCP}. Did it save me money? Yes and no. I took a trip to Orlando I hadn't planned on {8 nights all on points} and I'm staying at much nicer accommodations on our Europe trip than I would normally stay at{Waldorf and Conrad}. I have enough points left over for 3 or 4 nights somewhere. I also have a lot of airline points that I don't necessarily need.

After I finish the MSR on the Marriot Biz I'm going to take a few months off and evaluate my next move. I know I want a CIP provided Chase doesn't pull the plug on that deal before I'm 4/24 in March. I really need Hyatt points. We want to go DC next year and there's a Hyatt Place near the Washington Mall that's 12k points a night.

I have stayed in that Hyatt. It was nice and an easy walk. But make sure you book it early. I have actually not seen it available on points every time I have looked. When we did stay it was a work trip for DH so booked through work.

 

[pinkxray]

I think I’m going to go for then CIP today. What is the number I call to check my statuses every hour?
Also can someone’s remind which message is good?
30 day days good? 7-10 bad?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I think I’m going to go for then CIP today. What is the number I call to check my statuses every hour?
Also can someone’s remind which message is good?
30 day days good? 7-10 bad?

You can call 1-800-432-3117
30 days ...the application has not been processed
2 weeks- good
7-10 days....could be ID verification or bad

Sending for a instant approval

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Hmmm ... trying to think of a job that would earn a lot of singles and fives ... that appropriate for DISboards

Sonic.
DD20 has worked there since she was 15.

 

[GusGus16]

No churning news, just working away on my CIP MSR. Another player 1 and I were able to exchange support links for the CIP and we had no problems. If you are a single player there are people you can swap for support clicks and hopefully be beneficial for both of you as well as reduce scrutiny by issuers.

Off topic-thanks @SouthFayetteFan, my life is now complete knowing there is a cat thread on reddit If I ever need karma I know where to post.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We are officially homeowners! It has been a LONG day but it was all mostly uneventful...except for the final walkthrough at noon, where we discovered that someone had managed to open one of the jankily installed windows and camped out in the master bedroom for at least a night or two. We found several burnt matches, some grubby clothes, and a "present" they left in the toilet . Obviously, a security system is now at the top of our shopping list.

I went with simplisafe in this current house. It is so easy to install and completely customizable. I saw an amex offer not too long ago for it too.

 

[happ]

Hey guys! So today I got an email from Amex with the subject line: Small Business owners – We’d like your feedback. It offered a $20 check for a 10 minute survey about possible revamps to the SPG/Bonvoy Biz. From DoC posts about similar Amex surveys, I knew I had to select that I was a business owner (and not just employed full time) in order to qualify. It also asked a little about my business, the hotels I’ve stayed at, which brands, how many times in the past year, and what loyalty programs I belonged to, etc., in order to be eligible.

The survey presented 12 different variations of new benefits on the Bonvoy Biz, while keeping the $125 AF and existing 4x bonus categories, and asked how likely would the benefit changes make me spend more on the card, and whether the benefits listed made the card better than other cards. What caught my attention were some card options included a $100/$125/$150 travel, Marriott or resort credit, while other versions included a token amount of Uber credit with your stay, capped at some number per year; some versions included a 50k FN anniversary certificate and the ability to earn a 50k FN cert by spending $60k, while others kept the 35k FN certs; the ability to earn Platinum Elite status by spending $75k; the ability to spend your way — something like $30k — to a room upgrade, higher % bonus points on stays, and late checkout (which seemed kind of redundant to me if you have a high enough Elite status); and 3x Marriott points on non-category spend (basically restoring the base spend value of the old SPG cards) but capped at either $30k or $50k a year, then back to 2x. There were a few options that bumped up Marriott category spend to 12x! I replied that I was most likely to increase my spend on cards with the 3x base rate and the 50k FN certs. The travel or resort credits are also interesting and would effectively negate the AF, but they don’t really encourage ongoing spend.

Anyway, Amex seems to be thinking about revamping the Bonvoy Biz! We shouldn’t expect to see all of the above make it onto one card, but they’re some of the ideas that Amex is considering.

I woke up to find the same email in my inbox. I wasn't too impressed with most of the options presented other than the resort credit, but I'm looking forward to the $20.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Lol yeah I was a little worried that someone had already activated it or something. I went through and made like 3 or 4 payments separately. It was kind of annoying, but oh well. It's paid for in full now!!! It's getting real haha.

I'm so jelly!
Maybe DD3 and I should do DCL at spring break while the boys do Steamboat.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Hoopla that I posted about earlier has a lot of older disney movies and documentaries. So if any of you are in the mood for Return to Oz, The Apple Dumpling Gang or Davy Crockett see if you have access to the same stuff. There's a lot of classic movies too, haven't looked for newer stuff yet since that's not what brought me to it.

I know nothing about digital book and movies from the library, but since you mentioned it I checked the website and ours participates in this and a bunch of other stuff. I am going to figure out how to set it up now. Thanks!

 

[happ]

Marriot sent me an email encouraging me to spend my points. It showed several properties. One was the Swan "from 40,000 points." I'm assuming that's the off peak pricing. Aside from just searching random dates, is there a better way to find the reduced rates?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

My parents' flight landed on time. It was so great to see them! I feel like I have to share this because I'm pretty excited and forgot to share earlier. My mom isn't a theme park person AT ALL. My parents took me to MK twice as a kid, but we didn't do it any justice. We spent one day there and didn't stay on site. I've been telling her for awhile that I think she would really enjoy Epcot and now that we live down here she should go. She told me after getting off the plane that she's interested in going this weekend for her birthday!

I need to look with her and see if there are any restaurants that interest her and my parents would need to buy a one day ticket. I had already made an ADR at Homecomin' thinking maybe she would like DS, but now I need to think about Epcot. She isn't a big rides person, but I think she would really like Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land.

It is so great going with parents like this. My parents joined us on our late may trip this year. They only took us once as kids...I was in 2nd grade. We did MK and Epcot. We stayed offsite as well.
They had a great time and I love that I have pictures of them riding and experiencing wdw with the grand kids. I don't know that they will ever go again, but I'm glad they did it once. They just aren't big travelers...other than visiting us in Nashville.
My dad did say they might come to the big celebration WDW is throwing for my 40th birthday in 2021.

 

[Haley R]

Ehhh you may want to skip it. lol Disney only added the less intense green version after people started experiencing chest pain and nausea from the ride requiring hospitalization. 2 or 3 people with pre-existing conditions actually passed away after riding the original version soooooo it isn't as exciting as it seems. There are so many disclaimers and pamphlets handed out while you enter and wait. There are even vomit bags on the ride. Green was actually made even LESS intense in 2017.

I'd recommend Spaceship Earth instead

I actually really like mission space orange. I’ve never done the green side but Dh and I always do the orange one

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Marriot sent me an email encouraging me to spend my points. It showed several properties. One was the Swan "from 40,000 points." I'm assuming that's the off peak pricing. Aside from just searching random dates, is there a better way to find the reduced rates?
View attachment 427525

I guess you can also get it down to 40k if you book 5 nights and get 1 night free. Could they also be referencing that?

 

[disfanforlife]

So as for my thoughts on the Barclays Hawaiian Airlines card --

- The Hawaiian Airlines credit card is currently offering 60,000 HawaiianMiles after a $2,000 MSR within the first 90 days of account opening, with a first year ($99) AF waived. This offer expires 9/4/19.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/barclays-60000-hawaiian-airlines-bonus-annual-fee-waived-first-year/
- The above is just about a best offer, but you may be able to do better by applying in-flight when the flight attendants come around with applications for this card. On our flight back in January, the in-flight offer was 60,000 HawaiianMiles after one purchase within the first 90 days of account opening. However, the AF was not waived. DoC covered this offer here:

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/6000...e-credit-card-bonus-in-flight-paper-app-only/
- But of course, you'll necessarily have had to pay for your flights to/from Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines in order to access the in-flight offer, which doesn't do you much good unless you have a plan to return to Hawaii on miles.

- Barclays recently offered a 70,000 HawaiianMiles SUB on the business version of the Hawaiian credit card, but you know how YMMV Barclays is about their biz cards approvals after the fact.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/barclays-70000-mile-hawaiian-business-offer/
- I think the standard offer is now around 50k HawaiianMiles. It's crept up over the years because I remember when the standard offer was 35k HawaiianMiles and you had to do a dummy booking to get the 50k HawaiianMiles offer.

- The 50% off companion ticket discount or $100 off companion ticket discount every anniversary doesn't work with HawaiianMiles redemptions. ("Offer may not be combined with, applied to, or applied towards HawaiianMiles flight awards redeemed using HawaiianMiles.") So if you're just flying as a couple, P1 can't redeem miles for an award flight and then apply the 50% off or $100 off discount toward their companion's cash fare. ("Both passengers (primary cardmember and companion) must be booked for travel on the same flight record, fare and class of service, and must travel on all flight segments together.") I think you may even need to purchase the tickets using the Hawaiian Airlines credit card.

- If you pay for your ticket (or even award fees) with your Hawaiian credit card, you get a free checked bag.

- Just to be clear, the companion discounts are good on R/T coach between Hawaii-Mainland USA.

- Some pros in favor of the Hawaiian credit card are the primary cardholder can receive transfers of HawaiianMiles from anybody for free. This makes it very easy to pool HawaiianMiles into the primary cardholder's account. As a Hawaiian credit cardholder, you get access to Hawaiian's discounted awards (subject to availability).

So, what are HawaiianMiles worth?

http://hawaiianair.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2218/~/hawaiianmiles-award-chart
Hawaiian recently moved towards variable pricing. So although they still have an award chart, the award pricing will fall in a range and I think Hawaiian even increased the upper ranges of their award prices.

https://onemileatatime.com/hawaiian-airlines-award-chart-changes/
Again, having the Hawaiian credit card and booking from the primary cardholder's HawaiianMiles account will give you access to the "Discounted Award Amount." You could fly from the West Coast (e.g., Sacramento SMF) to Hawaii (e.g., Maui OGG) for as little as 35,000 HawaiianMiles R/T. I'm seeing a lot of 35k R/T availability for SMF-OGG departing late-February through about 3/5/20, and returning the following week on weekdays. Other dates are running about 43,750 R/T.

However, if the primary cardholder books with miles, you won't be able to use the companion discount; unless you have more than 2 passengers and can use the miles on passenger 3 and/or 4, and pay cash for you and your companion.

I don't know how HawaiianMiles compares with SW Rapid Rewards+Companion Pass, so it's worth comparing before opening a new (Hawaiian) card that'll count against 5/24.

Another option we've discussed is Hawaiian is a partner of Virgin Atlantic (VS). You can transfer Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards points to VS; and Amex occasionally runs transfer bonuses to VS that'll get you more value. (FWIW, Amex MR also transfers to Hawaiian and occasionally runs transfer bonuses, but it's not a particularly good value.) VS's partner award chart with Hawaiian has R/T economy going for 40,000 miles and first/business going for 80,000 miles.

https://www.virginatlantic.com/us/en/flying-club/partners/airlines/hawaiian-airlines.html
Lastly, cash. I did some searches on Hawaiian for R/T fares for SMF-OGG in March, and they're all coming up around $550+. That still seems high to me. I would definitely search Southwest now that they've entered the market. $300-400 R/T is a good price, if you can find it. Like I said earlier, spring break schedules will affect pricing. Local public schools are out March 14-22, 2020, and while not too many local families fly to the mainland for spring break, those that do will go during this time. Spring break will also see some local kids flying home or mainlanders with their kids out of school going for vacation, particularly in late March and early April.

Cash fares do dip though, for example:

https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Hawaii-fares-fall-13646288.php
Hope this helps!

Good luck!

Thank you! I don’t think I’ll go for that credit card because I have no idea how long it will be before I would go to Hawaii again. Transferring UR might work for us. I haven’t used any of them yet, so I need to figure out how to do that and what the best thing for us is. It might be easier for us just to use SW. I appreciate all the info and am going to do some more research.