Holland America Line Rewards Visa® Card review – August 2018

A credit card made for Holland America Line cruises regulars.

30-second take

• Get this card if you spend heavily with Holland America Line cruises.

• Pick something else if you want a general travel rewards card.

• Apply with good to excellent credit score of 680 or higher.

The basics

This card is relatively light on perks, but for the Holland America Line regulars it may have a great value. It costs nothing to own the card and you get to earn points on your purchases. Plus the signup bonus is a quick reward — just make your first purchase and get $50 worth in statement credit toward a Holland America Line onboard purchase.

The perks

• Signup bonus.

  After you make your first purchase, you’ll earn 5,000 points. That’s enough for a $50 onboard credit on a Holland America Line cruise.

• No annual fee.

  The card costs you nothing to own it.

• Earn points.

  Earn 2x points for Holland America Line purchases. For everything else, earn 1x points. Redeem points for Holland America Line crusies or partner cruise companies, for onboard amenities, gift cards and merchandise or redeem points for airfare statement credit.

You’ll also like …

• Intro APR for balance transfers.

  Get 0% intro APR period for the first fifteen billing cycles for balance transfers that post to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that, an APR of 15.74%, 20.74%, or 25.74% variable applies.

• No foreign transaction fees.

  Use your card internationally without incurring fees. Other cards have up to 3% fee for every transaction.

• Concierge service.

  Get assistance with dining, travel, hotel and entertainment reservations.

• Fraud liability protection.

  You’re not responsible for unauthorized charges that you report to your bank.

What to watch out for

• Balance transfer limitations.

  To use the intro APR period for balance transfers, post your transfers within 45 days of card membership. Each balance transfer will cost you either $5 or 3% of the amount, whichever is greater. Also, transfers that don’t exceed your credit limit can be processed. In case it exceeds your credit line, the bank may cancel the transfer or accept a partial amount.

• Potentially high APR.

  You could have a purchase and balance transfer APR as high as 15.74%, 20.74%, or 25.74% variable . This is relatively high when compared to other cards.

• Penalty fees.

  If you make late or returned payments, you’ll pay up to $37. Luckily, the card doesn’t have a penalty APR.

Consider other cards if…

• You want a general travel rewards card.

  Consider the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card where you get a decent signup bonus and you get to earn miles on every purchase. Similar cards you may consider are the Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card and the PenFed Pathfinder Rewards American Express® Card.

  The PenFed card has one of the lowest APRs when compared to other travel cards. You also get to earn a large number of miles and you get annual $100 travel credit among its many perks.

• You want cash back.

  If you prefer no-annual-fee cash back cards, the PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers 1.5% back on all purchases or 2% for PenFed Honors Advantage members. Similar cards are the Cash Magnet™ Card from American Express and Chase Freedom Unlimited® credit card both getting you 1.5% back.

  However, if you don’t mind paying an annual fee, you can get up to 6% back on groceries and 3% back on gas and select department stores up to $6,000 per year. After that 1% back applies with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card.

• You want a low APR.

  The Barclaycard Ring™ Mastercard® offers a variable APR on purchases, balance transfers and cash advances of 13.74% variable. This is one of the lowest rates you’ll find when compared to other cards. In addition, the card has no annual fee, no fee on balance transfers and no penalty APR.

How does a balance transfer work with this card?

Post your balance transfers within 45 days of account opening to use the 0% intro APR period for fifteen billing cycles. After that, a variable APR of 15.74%, 20.74%, or 25.74% variable will apply.

If your requested transfer amount exceeds your credit limit, Barclays may decline your request or they may accept a partial amount. Keep in mind that Barclays won’t accept balance transfers you request from another Barclays account.

For each transfer you make, you’ll pay either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater. That makes a $1,000 balance transfer cost $30 in fees. Wait at least four weeks for your balance transfers to post to your account.

In case you changed your mind, you have 10 days from the day your card is approved to cancel any balance transfers you initiated. Just call the number on the back of your card.

What should I know before I apply?

To apply for the card, you must be at least 18 years old and a US resident. Residents of Puerto Rico and US territories are not eligible.

Also, you need to provide information, such as:

• Full name and contact information
• Employment and financial information
• Social Security number, date of birth and mother’s maiden name

Barclays usually pull your credit from TransUnion.

What credit score do I need?

Apply with a good to excellent credit score of 680 or higher to get the best APR and a high credit line.

What do customers say about the Holland America Line Rewards Visa® Card?

The Better Business Bureau accredited Barclays in 2001 and rated the bank with an A+. At the moment of writing, 53 customers have given the bank a composite score of 3.77 out of 5 stars. Most reviewers at the BBB complain about the bank’s customer service.

How to apply for the Holland America Line Rewards Visa® Card?

1. Go to the Barclays website and find the Holland America Line Rewards Visa® Card. Click Apply Now.
2. Complete the application with all the required details.
3. Review your application and submit it.

How long will it take to get my Holland America Line Rewards Visa® Card ?

Barclays usually makes an immediate decision on your application. In some cases, you may have to wait a few days to a few weeks until Barclaycard manually approves your application.

Once approved, expect your card to arrive in 7 to 10 business days.

I got the card. Now what?

• Download the Barclays app. Get access to your free FICO® score, set up automatic payments and alerts, enroll to receive paperless statement and more.
• Make minimum payments. Or you will not earn points for purchases.
• Avoid interest. You have a grace period of 23 days to pay your balance. Try to make your payments by then to avoid paying interest on your purchases.
• Customer service. If you have questions, contact Barclays customer service at 866-928-8598.

Bottom line

Whether this is a good card for you comes down to how much you spend with Holland America Line. If you’re a regular cruiser, you’ll quickly accumulate points you can use for future trips — and not just for Holland America Line cruises, but for other cruise companies as well.

If you don’t travel with Holland America Line often, you may be better off with a general travel rewards card.

Frequently asked questions

• Does the card have a signup bonus?

  Yes. After you make your first purchase, you’ll get 5,000 points, worth $50 for Holland America Line purchases.

• If I qualify for the signup bonus, when will I receive my points?

  You’ll receive the points at the close of the billing statement after you make your first purchase or balance transfer.

• Do points expire?

  As long as you keep your account open and in good standing, your points won’t expire.

• Is there a minimum I have to spend with Holland America Line to use points as statement credit?

  Yes. To use statement credits, you must spend at least $50 with Holland America Line.

• Does the card have an annual fee?

  No, the card has no annual fees.