The HfP chat thread – Thursday 9th September

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• CarpalTravel says:

  9 Sep9 September 14:40

  Page 12 so thought it worth a quick update:
  Creation is still not allowed on Curve.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    9 Sep9 September 15:02

    Or is it …

    • Ben W says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:14

      No more Bendy Expert Medicals for the Beardy Creationists. The Seagull has landed.

      • mr_jetlag says:

        9 Sep9 September 16:35

        That’solihull, folks!

        • The Savage Squirrel says:

          9 Sep9 September 18:45

          Best comment so far 😀

    • CarpalTravel says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:23

      Have to turn to page 13, to be sure. 🤭

• Kevin C says:

  9 Sep9 September 14:45

  Email from Capital On Tap.

  They are introducing a fee-free plan. You get 1% cash back but can’t exchange for Avios.
  The current £99 plan is staying for Avios collectors (for now at least)

  • Rob says:

    9 Sep9 September 16:43

    That was my thought too.

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    9 Sep9 September 18:47

    Yes. I did the maths and valuing Avios at 1p it still makes sense for me to take tax-free Avios rather than 1p cash even with the £99 fee. Weirdly though and utterly illogically, despite being no worse off, I still feel poorer now that I have to pay £99 and those taking cash don’t. 😀 😀

• memesweeper says:

  9 Sep9 September 14:45

  Sorry to distract everyone from the minutiae of the interplay between card providers with a travel-related question… but any tips on where to eat in Porto?

  I’m likely going to do Pastel de Nata at Manteigaria Chiado for breakfast… but need to schedule two decent lunches and dinners. Good wine by the glass and fish would ideally feature heavily. 🙂

  • K says:

    9 Sep9 September 14:59

    Taberna dos Mercadores. On Rua dos Mercadores, no: 36. I think they’re now open Wed-Sun, but only about 5 tables, so you MUST book, even if calling on the day. Very good on fish.

    Cantinho do Avillez, Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira 166 – modern and good quality food.

    The restaurant of the hotel called Casa de Companhia – right on Rua de Flores, if weather is good, great place to eat and watch the people go by. Pedestrian area.

    • memesweeper says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:05

      many thanks!

    • meta says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:12

      All of the above, but also there is also Castro for pasteis de nata. I prefer them to Manteigaria. For breakfast/brunch, you should also go to Majestic for the old-school experience. Also Mercardor Cafe which is open for breakfast and brunch only.

      I second Cantinho do Avillez. Traça is also good.

      Mid-range to higher end
      Torreão (my personal favourite)
      – totally outside all the tourist spots, but great authentic experience with excellent views of Porto from above, linked to Old English Club of Porto
      – some waiters don’t speak English, but it adds to authenticity and the food is great and plentiful

      Eskaulduna Studio
      – if you can get a table and it’s Japanese-style counter eating, so limited guests each evening

      • meta says:

        9 Sep9 September 15:16

        To add – Yes, you can get good seafood and wine everywhere. When in Porto, my diet consists of pasteis de nata, octopus in various reiterations and wine either port or plain white and of course porto tonico.

        Also if you don’t mind travelling further towards the sea, there’s Casa de Chá da Boa Nova sitting on a rock.

        • memesweeper says:

          9 Sep9 September 15:35

          the Casa looks smart for a last gulp before the airport home — cheers

    • Dan says:

      9 Sep9 September 16:56

      For one of the lunches you must try “the” sandwich at Voltaria, R. Afonso Martins Alho 109. Highly rated restaurant and highly rated Francesinha sandwich. It’s a small restaurant and they don’t take bookings. I was there three days and had it twice!

  • Ali says:

    9 Sep9 September 15:54

    Hire bikes cycle down the river and then up the coast to Matasinhos. Whole row of casual restaurants, all with fresh barbecued fish. Have been to several of them – all amazing.

    • mr_jetlag says:

      9 Sep9 September 16:37

      +1 for Casa de Companhia. Also worth a stay with some very smart suites overlooking the cathedral.

• John says:

  9 Sep9 September 14:46

  I haven’t received a creation text but that’s probably because I’m on 3 and texts don’t arrive until hours after they are sent when my phone finally finds a tower

  • FFoxSake says:

    9 Sep9 September 14:52

    Hope you’re not roaming too. More bad news for you there…

    • CarpalTravel says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:24

      😂

    • Phil W says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:27

      🤣

    • John says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:43

      That didn’t come out the right way. Maybe I should have posted on the 3 article and pretended I hadn’t read the 600 comments

• JSemity says:

  9 Sep9 September 14:51

  Today summarised: “I GOTTA TEXT!” (love island style)

  • Benilyn says:

    9 Sep9 September 18:10

    like it

• Peter Taysum says:

  9 Sep9 September 14:55

  So was “excited” to see TP requirement is still 1125 for Gold AFTER my Tier Point year expired. However TP year is stating 8th Sep 2021 so looks like just IT cock up.

  Rob I think you have the same TP year end as I do; has yours updated?

  • Rob says:

    9 Sep9 September 16:47

    They are all still showing 1125. Question is whether they flip back on 1 July for everyone.

• Anna says:

  9 Sep9 September 15:05

  The more I read the Creation text, the less it makes sense! Why would they be processing Curve transactions with any other underlying card?

  • Rui N. says:

    9 Sep9 September 15:20

    It would make sense if they were talking about paying Creation using Curve, as suggested somewhere in this thread. So, no paying Creation with Creation, but paying Creation with Curve+non-Creation, OK?
    But yeah, very poorly written. If they wanted to stop supporting Curve they could have just said so in easier fashion.

    • John says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:46

      Barclays doesn’t let you pay it off with curve so it might make sense that creation doesn’t want you to – but creation lets you pay it off with another credit card.

      Let me share something that is hopefully new: I’ve been paying off creation directly with a non-UK credit card and it has been treated like a purchase so far, but only dared to do up to £500 a month as of August

      However I did it again yesterday and it was declined – not sure by creation or by my non UK issuer though

    • Rui N. says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:47

      Talking about poorly written… I meant “It would make sense if they were talking about paying Creation using Curve+Creation”

    • Roy says:

      9 Sep9 September 16:07

      Ah, that would make some sense. So, when Creation processes the transaction, if the merchant is “CRV*CREATION ONLINE PYMT” then they will refuse it – otherwise it’s fine?

      I think that may be wishful thinking, though.

      • Dan says:

        9 Sep9 September 17:01

        Might not be wishful thinking… the facts are probably that Creation is so open that this is (was) possible and given the talk on here I am sure some have been rinsing it!

        • Lady London says:

          9 Sep9 September 20:54

          On another topic, where’s Ali today?

  • Peter K says:

    9 Sep9 September 15:23

    It is poorly worded.
    All I can think is that it means that they will continue to allow you to pay off your creation card with another card via Curve.

  • Youllnever says:

    9 Sep9 September 15:55

    Also, what’s with the SMS? Why aren’t they sending out an official email or letter? A one-liner SMS to announce changes doesn’t seem too professional imo.

    • John says:

      9 Sep9 September 16:07

      Professional is not a word that describes creation

    • SteveJ says:

      9 Sep9 September 22:46

      Agreed, they have email addresses, maybe that’s the interns job tomorrow, to your out all the emails.

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    9 Sep9 September 16:55

    So curve just needs to change the text in the transaction reference?

• barrow bluebird says:

  9 Sep9 September 15:08

  data point,
  applied for amex plat 5th sept, ie quite a few days after the £200 dining credit offer went live.
  Activated card and the offer was available without any prompting within 30 mins .

  • Louise K says:

    9 Sep9 September 15:14

    Do you have any other offers?

    I have a BAPP and sup Blue card and have lots of offers on them, but only the dining offer on Plat that appeared about a weeks after I received the card.

    • Biki says:

      9 Sep9 September 16:02

      I had the £200 dining offer and 4 other ones appear this morning after applying on the 2nd. It seems to tie in with the first transaction i made clearing.

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