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Precruise I have three days in Vancouver. We are planning on taking the 6:30 Amtrak Cascades to Seattle for the day and then returning that night. It will be a long day but I think a nice way to get a bit of the coast line and Seattle. Is there anything you would point out as a problem with this plan? I know we will need a taxi to the terminal which doesn't open until 6 am as the local trains will not be running that early on a Saturday. I am expecting to walk to the Main Street Science Center Station to get back to the hotel. What am I missing?

Where did you find the soaps in Ketchikan?

Yes please I would also like to know

Can you tell me if you took the inside passage or went out to sea?Thanks

We are supposed to finalize our reservations this morning and were told last night by NCL that the Jewel out of Seattle does the inside passage? After reading through the posts on here it seems at least in May 2016 the Jewel out of Seattle DID NOT do the inside passage? Can someone who recently went tell me what it did? If it is not going to go into the passage we will need to change to a Vancouver departure.

That part has not actually changed. Even under the previous system, at Cagney's and Le Bistro, only one entrée was included in the cover charge.

True, but we never saw it enforced and now it is.

As long as you are using the package there is no cost. The only change we saw with the package was that there is no ordering two entrees for one person.

I would be interested in this also if anyone knows?

I am so sorry I dont have time to read it all but was wondering what camera you used for these photos? I am sure someone asked already as they are AMAZING.

Just an FYI - I am cruising in December and as I have earned $100 on board credits I have called and exchanged the 10,000 points for the $100 OBC. I have done this 5 times with no problem. Today I called to do another exchange and the NCL rep told me that they just got off a conference call with BOA and that there can now only be one redemption of each type (ie: 1 $100 OBC per person)

The NCL rep said that they were doing this to discourage people from cashing the points in piece meal (Like I was ) Anyway, I thought she was full of it as I had done it five times previously. I hung up and called back and got another rep who said she could do it but then when she tried to apply it to the reservation it wouldnt apply.

We were able to work around it by putting 1- $50 on each of the people on the reservation (mine and my husbands). Anyway... I guess just heads up. I certainly could have waited and exchanged them all at once but since no one said you couldn't do it I liked seeing the OBC building up and I wanted to be sure nothing happen to those points.

Anyway.. hopes thats clear. Yet another reason BOA sucks!

That's so strange... we have three accounts and two have expired since the program changed and I got the exact same account and card back in the mail with just an updated expiration date.

You get an email message from Bank of looks like this...

Items redeemed:

Quantity: 1Item points value: 10,000Description: Imagine earning up to $100 in on-board credit simply by purchasing the things you were going to purchase anyway. Use your credit on whatever you wish - spa treatments, Shore Excursions, or any other splurge.

SIMPLE SIMPLE... call the number for NCL and they apply it to your reservation as OBC right then. It is instantly done you dont have to wait for the certificate etc. like before.

Has anyone tried to get an award on the new card yet?

 

For the OBC, do you have to book with any particular travel agent, or can you get OBC applied to cruises that you are currently booked on (through NCL or some other travel agent)?

 

Also, has anyone tried the slot or table game credit. On the table games, it sounds like the $100 is a single $100 bet!

 

Thanks!!

You just call the regular NCL number and tell them. There is no more mailing of certificates they take the points right then and put the OBC on your reservation.

I have been successful in doing that very thing.... not a problem at all. I booked through NCL directly so that might be one of the reasons it was so easy. I know last time I had a travel agent and the whole certificate thing was MUCH slower as far as when they were applied and a lot more of the run around....

I do the same but I booked with Smartcruise this time and they were very upset with me for sending the certificates to NCL directly. They said their prices are group bookings and so when I sent the certificates it decreased the group total making book-keeping a nightmare. I was told if I was still going to do it that way that I needed to be sure I told smartcruiser before and after I did it.

For what it is worth : )

OK... I pulled the trigger and ordered the certificates. I talekd to two more reps from NCL and they both told me the same thing. They said that 18 cabins of BB balconies just came available so there are 28 total. That makes me a bit more comfortable. I had them sent priority mail and will overnight them to get a definate answer. I'll definately let you know.

OK... heres another version :confused: I called NCL several times and Bank of America several times. They all said the following... each and every time. I should be suspicious just because they all finally agreed on something.

To upgrade from inside to outside is 200 points a couple. To upgrade from outside to balcony is 300 points a couple.

I didn't ask past there as I dont have the need for a mini.

I was told you can upgrade more then once as long as you treat each move seperately. So I guess moving from inside to balcony without a stop at oceanview on the way is the problem... SO silly but just the way it goes I guess.

I am so scared to order th points and try to move. We are cruising on the 13th of July and there are only 10 balcony rooms left so I would have to get a move on.....

what does anyone think?

Just want some opinions-

Am I better doing A or B

A - Mailing a 500 $$ certificate to NCL on a reservation that is paid in full for a sailing in July. I have paid $800 of reservation in cash so there is money to credit me back.

B - Mailing the 500 $$ certificate to NCL on a reservation that is not paid in full for a sailing in July in our teenage daughters name that I would have to add her as a signer on the card for.

Which is less of a problem, quicker to see the refund for etc...

So if I have PIF for trip and on next months statement I have the 500.00 and get the certificates..I can send them to NCL even if it's after my trip on March 23rd?

I dont think if it is AFTER your trip that it will work. I have never tried that. Someone posted no retroactive submission will work earlier on this thread.

SassyJ-

After reading through this entire thread one more time I think that Smeyer actually summarized it best and also had hit the nail on the head about the deposit. I know people keep saying you wont get an "overpayment from points" back. That is a true statement as I understand it. BUT.. and this is the catch I just figured.. you can get the amount of the deposit back as a credit if you apply points certificates to cover the balance due and some (or all )of the deposit. Make sense??

If I understand its like this:

I paid $800 in deposits on our next cruise. I owe $2900. If I submit $3500 in certificates I will get a credit for $600 (because I paid $800 originally and I am getting a portion of that back).

Same scenario though IF

I paid $800 in deposits on our next cruise. I owe $2900. If I submit $4000 in certificates I will only get $200 back as a credit as I was only ever $3700 out of pocket. In this case I lose the $300 I overpaid.

ANYWAY... long way of saying that you will get credit back for whatever amount you were actually out of pocket (you actually ever gave them money for). I have had this card for 7 years and used over 7K in certificates and just caught this after reading Smeyers earlier post several pages back.

Hope that helps...

Hmmm.

here's a question that I don't think has been asked, and in light of the above previous posts I am curious.

Has anyone redeemed their points when booked as part of a group booking??? I hope I can do this because I'm thinkiing my next NCL cruise may be a group cruise. It would suck if I can't use my rewards points. :eek:

Does it depend on the TA????? :confused:

I booked with a TA as a group. I sent the certificates as explained on earlier threads and had no problems. The only thing was since I sent them to NCL directly my TA said to be sure I told her so that she could note my account with her.

anyone know?

It all depends. There is no hard and fast rule. There use to be a survey/poll on here and at the time it was pretty even (if I remember). That being said I have overpaid with certificates and both times I got a credit on my credit card for the difference. I was not PIF when I did that though. They last 3 years (really 4 if you time it right) so I if your thinking of cruising in the future that might be the safest route.