OCBC VOYAGE offering $250 MBS Destination Dollars sign-up bonus

OCBC VOYAGE has launched a new sign-up offer for April 2023, which features a tie-up with Sands Rewards LifeStyle (SRL- did anyone tell them Lifestyle isn’t meant to be Camel case?), the loyalty programme of Marina Bay Sands (MBS).

New cardholders who spend at least S$2,500 within one month of approval will earn $250 Destination Dollars, spendable within the MBS complex on dining, hotel stays, attractions, entertainment and retail. 

OCBC VOYAGE x MBS sign-up offer

Apply Here

From 1-30 April 2023, customers who apply for an OCBC VOYAGE Card or OCBC Premier VOYAGE Card will receive $250 Destination Dollars when they:

• Pay the S$492.50 annual fee
• Spend at least S$2,500 within the qualifying period

The qualifying period refers to “one full calendar month from card account opening month”. For example, if the card opening date is 5 April 2023, then the qualifying period will be from 5 April to 31 May 2023. In other words, you should apply as early as possible to give yourself the most time to meet the minimum spend.

You will be eligible for this offer provided you do not currently hold a principal OCBC VOYAGE or Premier VOYAGE Card, and have not cancelled one in the past six months prior to application. For avoidance of doubt, holding other OCBC cards, in and of itself, will not render you ineligible. 

While this offer is guaranteed to all OCBC VOYAGE Cardholders who meet the eligibility criteria, there is a first 200 cap for OCBC Premier VOYAGE Cardholders. There’s no way of knowing at the time of application whether you’re still eligible, but hey, it wouldn’t be an MBS tie-up without some gambling, right?

Even though it’s not mentioned explicitly on the website, OCBC has clarified with me that applicants will still receive the regular 15,000 VOYAGE Miles for paying the annual service fee. I’ve requested them to add it to the T&Cs or website to make it explicit.

When will the sign-up bonus be credited?

Eligible cardmembers will receive an SMS notification with details to furnish their 9-digit SRL membership ID for the fulfilment of the $250 Destination Dollars. 

This will be sent within three months from the end of the qualifying period, i.e. by 31 August 2023.

What counts as qualifying spend?

A full list of exclusions can be found in the VOYAGE Card’s T&Cs (at point 1.4), but the key ones to highlight are:

• Charitable donations
• Educational institutions
• Government transactions
• GrabPay top-ups
• Insurance premiums
• Public hospitals
• Utilities bills

For avoidance of doubt, CardUp spending will count towards the minimum spend. CardUp is currently offering the following promo codes: 

• OCBC15: Enjoy a 1.5% admin fee on your first-ever payment with an OCBC VOYAGE Card (any version), valid till 3 January 2024
• VTAX23: Enjoy a 1.75% admin fee on a single income tax payment with a Visa card, valid till 19 April 2023

However, if you intend to meet the minimum spend requirement with CardUp, you might be better off considering the following offer instead:

OCBC VOYAGE offering 30,000 miles sign-up bonus to CardUp customers

Terms and Conditions

You can find the full T&Cs of this offer here.

How do Destination Dollars work?

Destination Dollars are the rewards currency of SRL. You might think that $1 Destination Dollar would be equivalent to S$1, but it’s not so straightforward. 

For spending at hotel stays, Banyan Tree spa, attractions, entertainment, gift shops and participating restaurants at MBS, all SRL members can redeem $1 Destination Dollar for S$1.

For spending at retail outlets within MBS, the value of a Destination Dollar depends on your SRL tier:

• Elite: $1 Destination Dollar = S$1
• Prestige: $1.10 Destination Dollar= S$1
• LifeStyle: $1.20 Destination Dollar= S$1

In other words, unless you’re a Sands Rewards Elite tier member, you’ll be better off redeeming your Destination Dollars for non-retail outlets.

Is it worth it?

For context, here’s the last two sign-up offers we’ve seen for the OCBC VOYAGE:

• 1 February to 31 March 2023: 30,000 miles for paying the annual fee and spending S$2,500
• 1 October to 30 November 2022: 30,000 miles for paying the annual fee

With this offer, you get 15,000 miles (for paying the annual fee) + $250 Destination Dollars (for meeting the minimum spend threshold). These $250 Destination Dollars are worth at most S$250, or less if you use them for retail spending within MBS, so if your value per mile is more than 1.67 cents you might not find it compelling. 

Overview: OCBC VOYAGE Card

Apply Here
Income Req.	S$120,000 p.a.	Points Validity	No expiry
Annual Fee	S$492.50	Min. Transfer	1 VOYAGE Mile (1 mile)
Miles with Annual Fee	15,000	Transfer Partners	SIA
FCY Fee	3.25%	Transfer Fee	S$25
Local Earn	1.3 mpd	Points Pool?	No
FCY Earn	2.2 mpd	Lounge Access?	Yes
Special Earn	N/A	Airport Limo?	Yes
Cardholder Terms and Conditions

OCBC VOYAGE Cardholders earn 1.3 mpd on all Singapore dollar spending (1.6 mpd for Premier VOYAGE), and 2.2 mpd on foreign currency spending (2.3 mpd for Premier VOYAGE). Card benefits include unlimited access to Plaza Premium Lounges, complimentary airport limo transfers, as well as periodic invitations to 1-for-1 dining events.

Unfortunately, the limo benefit was nerfed at the start of February. Cardholders now need to spend S$12,000 per quarter to unlock two rides, with the maximum number of free rides cut from 24 to 8 per year. 

While transfers to KrisFlyer used to be free, they now attract a S$25 fee (though the minimum transfer amount remains at just one mile).

OCBC has said that it will be adding eight new airline and hotel partners including Asia Miles and Marriott Bonvoy, but the timeline for this remains uncertain. 

Conclusion

New OCBC VOYAGE and Premier VOYAGE Cardholders can now enjoy a sign-up gift of $250 Destination Dollars when they spend at least S$2,500 within one month of approval. 

Before you jump on this, do consider the alternate offer from CardUp as well, and weigh which one makes more sense for you.