having one, i would say no. We used points for an upgrade and it was alot of hassle. I am used to dealing directly with Carnival and you can not do that when using points. You also need to accumulate alot of points to make anything worth while. I was very disappointed. I closed my card and lost what was left but decided to go with a card that would earn air miles instead.
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Sensation (without KathieLee) July 2001
Paradise (smokefree) March 2002
Valor (inaugural season) May 2005
Truimph May 2007
Fascination (1st time w/DD) May 2008
Pride (with DD & DS) November 2009
I am disappointed in mine also. Last cruise I took I had to book it through SeaMiles and it was more than what Carnival had quoted me, so I had to fight to get the same price. I still have the card, but this time around I booked through my travel agent and turned in my points for the air travel. Got a check for $125 in the mail about three weeks later. So that was worth something. But as far as using it to upgrade or $ off the cruise.....not worth the hassle or the wait...it takes too many points.
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Miracle Nov 2010
Legend Aug 2009
Destiny June 2007
Elation June 2006
Imagination Jan 2005
Pride Aug 2004
Victory Oct 2003
Festivale Oct 1989
Absolutely not worth the effort!!! I've had mine for several years and finally cashed in my points for a few bucks off the cruise but found out I would have done better on the price by sending them my DD214 (I am ex-military)!!
I keep the card only because I get a good rate.
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4/09 - Splendor to Mexico
6/07 - Sensation to Bahamas
11/06 - Pride to Mexico
5/05 - Glory to Western Caribbean
My suggestion is to compare it to other options. If you go on several cruises a year and use credit cards for everything, it may be worth it. For rewards cards your best options are the ones with the rewards you would use the most or a flexible rewards card that gives you options on how to spend points. Check around before committing.
Run like hell in the opposite direction! My husband and I got one and ( stupidly) put our cruise and wedding expenses on it, thinking we'd use the points to book our next cruise. Well, I lost my job, then he lost his. We got behind on our payments and lost ALL our points. They have been rude almost to the point of being abusive to us on the phone, and the interest rate is absolutely horrible. Do NOT do it!
I am primarily a Carnival fan, but I am going back to my RCI Crown and Anchor card. We have used each card for one free cruise, and got twice as much per thousand points with RCI as with Seamiles. Seamiles is totally useless unless you pay for the whole cruise with points, because the fare they start with is so much higher than what you would pay Carnival or any major TA that the "discounted" price is about the same as a what you would pay if you shopped for a good price.
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Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others. ---Groucho Marx
Navigator of the Seas 2005, 2006
Holiday 2005, 2006, 2008
Sovereign of the Seas 2007
Carnival Fantasy 2008
Carnival Fascination 9/14/09
Freedom of the Seas 11/28/10
Dan, that is absolutely untrue. It is a matter of understanding how credit cards work and how to use them both wisely and effectively. For many people, their first credit as an adult may be a simple $200 student credit card. When used wisely they increase their likelyhood of receiving other credit based accounts such as a home loan. The rewards cards are not to be used just to get the rewards. The rewards can be seen as the icing on the cake if there is a good interest rate.
Run like hell in the opposite direction! My husband and I got one and ( stupidly) put our cruise and wedding expenses on it, thinking we'd use the points to book our next cruise. Well, I lost my job, then he lost his. We got behind on our payments and lost ALL our points. They have been rude almost to the point of being abusive to us on the phone, and the interest rate is absolutely horrible. Do NOT do it!
I hate to say this, as it's going to likely come off as rude and I certainly do not mean it that way, but....most credit card companys are going to have the very same reaction to this situation. Why? Because many of the defaulters out there are not interested in getting caught up at all, nor did they ever really care how deep in debt they got. Sad, but true, and it makes it much harder for persons like yourself, who've found themselves in an unfortunate (and probably unforseen) situation.
I do have a Sea Miles card, it's recently replaced my Alaska Airlines visa. Why? Because 1) there is no annual fee (the Alaska card had one), and 2) either way it's going to be hard to use those rewards (the airlines are NOT making it easy to use frequent flier miles nowadays either). Along with the better rate, it was a no brainer to switch. So if it takes several years to make those rewards useable, it's not such a big deal to me. And on the vanity side of things, it makes me smile every time I pull the card out and see the ship on it.....
Don't understand why Carnival puts their name on the card. We had one and used it exclusively only to get $100 off airfare after three years . Prices are inflated on cruises and you can only book through them. So many other cards out there that are much BETTER.
Dan, that is absolutely untrue. It is a matter of understanding how credit cards work and how to use them both wisely and effectively. For many people, their first credit as an adult may be a simple $200 student credit card. When used wisely they increase their likelyhood of receiving other credit based accounts such as a home loan. The rewards cards are not to be used just to get the rewards. The rewards can be seen as the icing on the cake if there is a good interest rate.
Wise use of any credit has fringe benefits. Business loans, car loans, home loans, personal loans, credit cards, ALL, used wisely, will have fringe benefits. Lower interest rates on loans is a reflection on your fiscal responsibility in any and all financial transactions. ONLY in that limited context is a credit card "beneficial."
I once had 25 or 30 credit cards, but in those days that was not a negative. Today, I have 2 credit cards and a credit rating above 800. Do not need, WILL not need any more.
Credit cards in and of themselves, do not provide a financial benefit EVER. Except to the issuer. All rebates, points, pay backs, etc. are very low interest savings plans . Some even negative interest plans.
If you want to save up some or all of a cruise cost. Open a savings account.
While Savings accounts certainly have their place, they are an impractical vessel in today's ever changing world. Besides, without at least a debit card, you are limiting yourself in what you can purchase in this world. I also understand both sides to credit cards, having defaulted on a couple of credit cards unintenentionally. I am in process now of paying these off and rebuilding my credit. Not an easy task but one that will get done all the same. I understand how difficult life is without a credit card and good credit. It is a matter of balancing the benefits you recieve with the benefits the creditor receives. I do not consider the chance for other credit accounts such as a mortgage or auto loan or the benefit of lower insurance rates to be fringe benefits of a credit card but rather the goal of having one.
While Savings accounts certainly have their place, they are an impractical vessel in today's ever changing world. Besides, without at least a debit card, you are limiting yourself in what you can purchase in this world. I also understand both sides to credit cards, having defaulted on a couple of credit cards unintenentionally. I am in process now of paying these off and rebuilding my credit. Not an easy task but one that will get done all the same. I understand how difficult life is without a credit card and good credit. It is a matter of balancing the benefits you recieve with the benefits the creditor receives. I do not consider the chance for other credit accounts such as a mortgage or auto loan or the benefit of lower insurance rates to be fringe benefits of a credit card but rather the goal of having one.
I never said, "Don't have a credit card." I said I have had many, and still have 2 AND I also have a debit card. What I said and meant was, "Do not look at the any credit card as anything but a convenience, THAT YOU PAY FOR, same as all other conveniences. IF you think you will SOMEHOW actually MAKE money with a credit card, you will not.
And there are much better ways to build a credit standing than the danger of credit cards. As a youngster I had a few hundred in the bank [checking] and no credit history, good or bad. I took $200. out of checking and put it in savings. Then borrowed $200 using the savings account as collateral. Paid it back ahead of time and then borrowed again. For the small cost of a few interest dollars, I had an excellent credit history. Without any temptation to over extend myself, SINCE I COULD NOT.
Don't understand why Carnival puts their name on the card. We had one and used it exclusively only to get $100 off airfare after three years . Prices are inflated on cruises and you can only book through them. So many other cards out there that are much BETTER.
The DW & I both got the SeaMiles card. Two things to note, 1) that was not a good idea, you can only use one card per cabin - so we were working against ourselves and 2) they actually have lowered their cruise rates to be in line with the Carnival website - amazing isn't it? Up until a couple of months ago the rates on the Seamiles site always looked like hotel rack rates compared to what you could book anywhere else. We are about to use our (one remaining) card for $250 off a cruse, combined with Carnival's Early Saver rates it will be a nice bonus.
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Bob
A Bad Day At Sea [with power] Always Beats A Good Day At Work
Alaska 2014 - haven't picked a cruise yet
Carnival: Glory 2004, Destiny 2008, Splendor 2009, Freedom 2011, Valor 2012
Celebrity: Summit 2011
Princess: Ruby 2010, Caribbean 2013
We use our sea miles card to pay for most things, then pay it off every month. We accumulate points, and never pay interest. We just used it to get $250 off plus an early saver rate, which was a pretty good deal compared to what I could get from the carnival website. For us, we use it enough that we earn $250 off once a year, but if you're not using it that often, probably not worth it.
I had no problems calling up and booking with my miles, I literally called on my way back to work from lunch, and it took 10 minutes tops.
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Holland America - Amsterdam - Sept 2002
Carnival - Pride - April 2007
Carnival - Paradise - December 2007
Carnival - Splendor - September 2009
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