I love credit cards so much!

[Lain]

Not sure if you saw yet but maybe the Cat 8 pricing doesn't come out until Mar 2019 now. So a little more time to decide, maybe, unless you're trying to beat out the peak pricing that might get turned on sooner. (but who knows with Marriott. not even they know what's going on)

I saw the original post on reddit a few days ago, and hence the FOMO. If Cat 8 and peak pricing kicked in on 1/1/19, I don't think I'd bother. But now I'm going to be spending the next 2-3 months agonizing what to do with my Marriott points before they devalue.

I CAN say from personal experience that that part of Bora Bora is AMAZING, possibly the most amazing place we have been. But you definitely need to be prepared to just “chill” which we do not usually do on our vacations. We stayed at Le Meridien this past Aug, which I am pretty sure is right next to St. Regis, so similar view/location/etc. We actually tried to get over to St. Regis for a meal but they told us they weren’t taking reservations from people outside of the resort (sometimes they will it just depends how busy). Le Meridien definitely had mixed reviews and I was definitely worried about how our stay was going to go, but it was great. I think sometimes people must just be looking for something to complain about!! It was supposed to be a once in a lifetime thing, but I can see this one being repeated in our future...

Sounds like heaven. Our vacations are usually go-go-go, even though we go on vacation to escape the hustle and bustle. I definitely need a vacation where I can just chill. Unfortunately, I pitched the idea to my wife last night, and she was like, uh... our kiddo will be bored out of her mind (I didn't think so), and the consequence will be hardly relaxing; and suggested a week or two in Japan instead, where we can hit up Tokyo Disneyland (let's not put this to a vote, because I know which one my kiddo will pick), meet up with some friends who live in Kanagawa, Shinkansen it down to Osaka, and then spend a relaxing few days in Kyoto. Her plans have me .

Lucky just did a review of this hotel on omaat.

Yeah, I saw that and he compared it very unfavorably to the Conrad Bora Bora. I guess if I miss out on a good redemption at the St. Regis before Cat 8 and peak pricing kick in, I have options with Hilton in a few years.

 

[Lain]

They would work at any Marriott brand. It won't work at the "new" SPG brands yet (and vice versa). So even if you buy it at a Fairfield you could use it at a Courtyard.

I read a few days ago that legacy SPG properties have been integrated into Marriott's reservation system: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a55vkb/daily_discussion_thread_december_11_2018/ebkal6t/ Wondering if that means you can finally use Marriott-branded gift cards at SPG properties.

Tagging @StephPlum.

 

[striker1064]

Thought I'd post a couple snippets while P2 gets ready for the day:

The St. Regis is beautiful. We are absolutely blown away. The front desk was going to give us an upgrade to a Deluxe room because of P2's Platinum status, but they had a Madison suite available for the weekend and gave us that instead. It's way way more than we need and we won't even spend that much time in here, but it's so luxurious we almost feel out of place. It's wild.

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-rooms/details/nycxr-the-st-regis-new-york/onbe/

Also, Wicked was incredible. The merchandise stand was selling a snow globe of the Defying Gravity end scene and I was far too tempted to buy it.

 

[Lain]

Thought I'd post a couple snippets while P2 gets ready for the day:

The St. Regis is beautiful. We are absolutely blown away. The front desk was going to give us an upgrade to a Deluxe room because of P2's Platinum status, but they had a Madison suite available for the weekend and gave us that instead. It's way way more than we need and we won't even spend that much time in here, but it's so luxurious we almost feel out of place. It's wild.

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-rooms/details/nycxr-the-st-regis-new-york/onbe/

Also, Wicked was incredible. The merchandise stand was selling a snow globe of the Defying Gravity end scene and I was far too tempted to buy it.

Love, love, love the old New York glamour of that suite.

Space is the real luxury in NYC hotel rooms.

Wicked is awesome! I first saw it back when I was still living in NYC around 2003 (?), when Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were starring. Who knew they'd go on to have such big Hollywood careers?

 

[Lain]

Yayy goals!

So for 2019 I’m going to focus on MS. I want to max 3 CIPs at 150,000 at get 1,350,000 URs. If I could do this it would be huge. I’d cash out and my wedding would be paid for without dipping into savings. I also want to max the Amex Gold 4x at grocery stores.

Just beware of Amex FR: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a63w1x/daily_discussion_thread_december_14_2018/ebt3lx5/

I put about $4.5k on my Amex Gold last statement and about $3.5k on this month's statement, mostly $500 GoC and VGC/MCGC deals, not to mention groceries for holiday get-togethers, and I felt like I was pushing it.

 

[kmc8826]

If anyone plans on transferring Marriott points to Delta my data point from this week is that I initiated the transfer of the 60,000 Marriott points on Tuesday and the 25,000 Delta skymiles posted 48 hours later. I am pretty happy about that as when I initiated the transfer I got the email that it would take 6 weeks. 48 hours is actually quicker than the old SPG to Delta transfers which was more like 4 to 5 days.

Question on those who have gotten Marriott gift cards I was patient and the Springhill Suites offer showed up on DH’s SPG Lux this week. We have not redeemed the travel credit yet. If I can get a gift card there for $300 that should trigger both the credit reimbursement and the spend $200 save $40 deal as well right? And could we use that gift card to pay for any Marriott (like Residence Inn) or would it probably just be a Springhill Suite?

 

[speedyfishy]

Just beware of Amex FR: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a63w1x/daily_discussion_thread_december_14_2018/ebt3lx5/

I put about $4.5k on my Amex Gold last statement and about $3.5k on this month's statement, mostly $500 GoC and VGC/MCGC deals, not to mention groceries for holiday get-togethers, and I felt like I was pushing it.

Yeah I’m going to go slow. I thought about maxing the 25k this year but that’s too much. I’m probably going to try for $2500 a month and finish a bit early.

 

[Judique]

Thought I'd post a couple snippets while P2 gets ready for the day:

The St. Regis is beautiful. We are absolutely blown away. The front desk was going to give us an upgrade to a Deluxe room because of P2's Platinum status, but they had a Madison suite available for the weekend and gave us that instead. It's way way more than we need and we won't even spend that much time in here, but it's so luxurious we almost feel out of place. It's wild.

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-rooms/details/nycxr-the-st-regis-new-york/onbe/

Also, Wicked was incredible. The merchandise stand was selling a snow globe of the Defying Gravity end scene and I was far too tempted to buy it.

Opulent! You are making me want to plan a before Xmas trip! Stop it! I'm trying not to spend extra before I go to Florida because SFF has me on a budget although I haven't made a spreadsheet yet.

I've forwarded your post to daughter who also has the wild desire to stay at St Regis and anything Ritzy.

 

[amalone1013]

Few price increases for Disney Cruise Line in case it helps anyone. I have to go adjust my budget.

NEWS

Price increase for premium dining experiences and more on Disney Cruise Line

https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-storie...C-K7LYK5r28ctnBRWtKfHqlGsKh3bykBOJJ9N77XkIIVs

News

Increase in price in Disney Cruise Line transfers $35 to $39

View attachment 369890

There was also an increase in European transfers.

 

[amalone1013]

FYI - DOSH is offering 8% at Sam's Club this weekend. Good for me since I have to go there to buy gift cards.

Guess I better move my Sam's run to this weekend. I stopped earlier this week to get coffee creamer and to note the prices on a few things, especially block cheese. We got a food processor attachment for the kitchenaid mixer and DH has now decided he doesn't eat pre-shredded cheese

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

I saw the original post on reddit a few days ago, and hence the FOMO. If Cat 8 and peak pricing kicked in on 1/1/19, I don't think I'd bother. But now I'm going to be spending the next 2-3 months agonizing what to do with my Marriott points before they devalue

I’m psyched it’s extended until March. I am thinking Ritz Carlton Aruba either as a family in March or just DH and I for our anniversary. Aruba is the perfect mix of amazing weather, relaxing, safe, good food and things to do or just chill on the beach.

 

[Andysol]

Figured I'd mention something of interest on r/churning - I was having a nice PM chat with one of the new mods u/andysol1983. He and I have been "reddit friends" for awhile and I knew he liked Disney but didn't know just how much.

He's the guy that shot this video after Irma:

Neat to have another Disney supporting Mod (u/duffcalifornia is big on Disney too). From what I know, neither of those guys are active here on the DIS so they don't even know we exist. Not that I'd care if they showed up on our thread here...but I don't exactly try to invite people from r/churning to join us, LOL!

I've chatted with him a few times as well. He's a DVC owner too, had some good tips for that.

Hey strangers! I don’t post over on DIS much, and usually stick to magic (although don’t post over there a ton either). Really just enough to update this thread:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/quick-service-alcohol-selections.3656989

Which celebrates my two of my favorite things:
1) Going to Disney
2) Drinking at Disney

Hadn’t ever checked notifications but saw these, so thought I’d say hi. Keep up the good work folks.

But more than anything, let’s find a way for UR to be redeemable again like it used to be.

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

2019 Plans
We just got CIC and Rose Gold (me) and arrival + DH. We both are 5/24 now.

Both drop to 4/24 in March
Me: CIU then wait a bit the Hyatt then move on and maybe abandon 4/24. Some AMEX MR cards, maybe dabble in Hilton, another venture or arrival +

DH: go more slowly to prepare for SW CP end of year. Will maybe get him Hyatt in spring when he falls to 4/24. Then another card falls off in June so back to 4/24 wait and do SW biz Novemberish f/b personal. In between maybe a few Amex biz cards to boost MRs or start collecting hilton

 

[Judique]

FYI - DOSH is offering 8% at Sam's Club this weekend. Good for me since I have to go there to buy gift cards.

And for those without a Sam's membership I think I read somewhere it is $35 today only?

But now I'm going to be spending the next 2-3 months agonizing what to do with my Marriott points before they devalue.

Devalue? Do you mean the high end Cat 8 or have you read something else?

If anyone plans on transferring Marriott points to Delta my data point from this week is that I initiated the transfer of the 60,000 Marriott points on Tuesday and the 25,000 Delta skymiles posted 48 hours later. I am pretty happy about that as when I initiated the transfer I got the email that it would take 6 weeks. 48 hours is actually quicker than the old SPG to Delta transfers which was more like 4 to 5 days.

Question on those who have gotten Marriott gift cards I was patient and the Springhill Suites offer showed up on DH’s SPG Lux this week. We have not redeemed the travel credit yet. If I can get a gift card there for $300 that should trigger both the credit reimbursement and the spend $200 save $40 deal as well right? And could we use that gift card to pay for any Marriott (like Residence Inn) or would it probably just be a Springhill Suite?

I got the lux credit plus $60 when they had the $60 deal on the same transaction. And it is good at a Residence Inn.

Hey....when does the $300 Lux credit turn over? Was just thinking if it's January I could do it on one of my $40 offers.

 

[Lain]

Does anywhere (a bank maybe) have MCGC that I could get in any amount - like $2000- $2500 so I can make Mortgage payment on 1 card? Or Can I use 4 different $500 MCGC's and Plastiq will only send 1 check. ( I don't want 4 different checks sent for Mortgage - don't want anything screwed up).

Maybe I can have DS and I sign up for Venmo and do some smaller transactions. His bank account is linked to ours online - so once he gets the $, I can go online in our account and initiate a transfer to my account (that would be OK right?)

I'm not aware of anyplace where you can get a MCGC in an amount more than $500, almost certainly not a bank with a credit card. I did forget to mention, but I'm glad you noted that paying your mortgage in $500 or less (b/c Plastiq's 2.5% fee will eat some of the balance) increments could cause problems if your mortgage company doesn't apply them properly to your monthly statement. I'm sorry this isn't much help.

As for Venmo, as long as you don't send $X to DS, then have DS send $X back to you over Venmo, you should be fine.

 

[GlamMistress]

2019 CC goals - play along if you like.

Great topic!

I want to better utilize the 4x grocery category (i.e. giftcards) on my Amex Rose Gold. I would also like to shift a focus to cash back. I haven't decided what that means exactly. Maybe the Schwab route, not sure.

 

[amalone1013]

So on our Nashville trip we could have, maybe should have, put everything on DHs SW cards. But we just put all food on his CSR and everything else on the SW cards. Guess that was a good thing because I just realized one of the places we ate was on the SW dining portal and we earned 200 pts. And then it put us over 1500 pts total earned, which meant we got an additional 500 pts.

 

[Alexle2007]

So on our Nashville trip we could have, maybe should have, put everything on DHs SW cards. But we just put all food on his CSR and everything else on the SW cards. Guess that was a good thing because I just realized one of the places we ate was on the SW dining portal and we earned 200 pts. And then it put us over 1500 pts total earned, which meant we got an additional 500 pts.

You know you can add additional CCs, correct? We went to Fogo de Chao for our team holiday luncheon and I didn’t realize they were on SW dining until I got the email. Nice bonus for their pricey meal.

 

[striker1064]

Love, love, love the old New York glamour of that suite.

Space is the real luxury in NYC hotel rooms.

Wicked is awesome! I first saw it back when I was still living in NYC around 2003 (?), when Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were starring. Who knew they'd go on to have such big Hollywood careers?

I'm so jealous of you seeing Menzel and Chenoweth! It's funny, I've talked about Hamilton a lot and I love it, but at the time I first heard about it I was only interested because I love history - I didn't give a rip about Lin Manuel Miranda at the time (but now of course I wish I could have seen him).

But Wicked? It's been a bucket list show for a while. I actually got the tickets on Reward the Fan at a big discount, which made it even better.

 

[amalone1013]

You know you can add additional CCs, correct? We went to Fogo de Chao for our team holiday luncheon and I didn’t realize they were on SW dining until I got the email. Nice bonus for their pricey meal.

Yes, I just hadn't sat down and added them since we got them Will do that this weekend. Since they're making me work again... even though we were supposed to be off.