pr0pel

We just got off the Jewel - a balcony cabin in Alaska. I can't imagine going with interior up there - we had some pretty cold weather and spent a lot of time in the cabin/on the balcony just watching Alaska go by while wrapped up in a big blanket. Not sure I would have been comfortable doing that on deck. For me, half the point of being in Alaska is the view.

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No idea why you're calling it a scam but I used 30K points to upgrade from a OF to a BC (Aug cruise to Alaska) without problems, saving a few thousand. If you oblige by the rules, it can be beneficial. Perhaps try calling back and speaking to someone else to see what the comparable balcony you can upgrade to buy buying a comparable inside.

I agree that using the card for non-NCL purchases are a horrible idea. At minimum, you should be earning miles or some other method of rewards than worldpoints since worldpoints are worthless at the way it accrues points.

Is it doable to go to Moscow when your ship is in SP?

Probably if you're willing to fly and stay overnight in Moscow. No way you can drive both ways, just check Google Maps. I'm not even sure if you're able to even hop on a flight with a visa (probably able to) but since you need a tourist visa to enter the country, it's best to talk to a tour operator to figure out your options.

Going to say the same thing.. went to SPB last year with a 8 and 6 yr old and couldn't imagine staying on the ship. Both kids stayed out until 11pm the first night and had a full day of touring the next. We were super exhausted after but the tour (private) was well worth it.

If you're thinking about an independent glacier landing, let me tell you my experience. We're cruising in mid August and I just booked our helicopter tour last week and got the last 2 seats for the entire day. This is roughly 6 months in advance. Flights, I booked 7 months in advance since fares were low but I'm sure they might get lower with a sale or two.

I've found that Nassau prices were cheaper than stores on shore like Sephora but that may change from brand to brand. Make up was a few dollars cheaper due to taxes not being levied. Pretty sure all fragrances would be cheaper due to taxes saved but ymmv.

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What's going on? There was a blast on the SPB metro last April and we still cruised in August. You can't leave the ship without a visa which can only come from an organized tour. You will be fine.

We were scheduled to dock in Stockholm last summer and missed it due to high wind so there is no guarantee. Definitely spend lots of time searching the baltic forum as there is a ton of info there.

Pretty sure this post is a joke.. nothing to see here. Move on.

So confused.. you know you're going on a 14 day cruise, did the math and it adds up correctly, then post here asking us if it's right?

To echo what others have said, 2 words, Chase Sapphire. If you can afford the annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is the one to get, especially if you have a large purchase coming up, like an upcoming cruise. You get a $300 travel credit yearly which offsets almost all the annual fee. For the first year, sign up for precheck or global entry and you get that credited back. If you sign up for global entry, that;s $100 back. So in your first year, your annual fee is essentially $50 and you get 50K chase ultimate rewards points good for either gift card or miles or $750 in bookable travel through chase portal. The triple points for dining and travel are pure bonus.

https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19/JARIQFWTZO

DW and I both have this card and would NOT choose any other. Did I mention you also get Priority Pass lounge access AND car rental insurance coverage is primary, not secondary like almost all other cards, especially Amex ones.

Don't bother with a reservation. Towards the end of the cruise, they're practically begging people to cough up the fee to go in

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I'm not sure everyone is eligible. There are probably some rules that determines who can bid. On my last 2 cruises, I never got the bidding emails and we're from the US. We also book through a TA so perhaps they got the email and never sent it to us. I did check my ncl account every other day and never saw the opportunity there either.

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Thank you. I don't get that involved in rewards. Sounds like I am missing out.

I have purchased Norwegian air tickets in the past using a different card (I have only had the NCL card about 6 months) and never had a foreign transaction fee from them.

I sell online myself, selling all around the world and my many hundreds of international customers pay me on my site in dollars and I have never had one complaint about this fee (I am 100% certain they would)

I think it is just plain wrong of BOA to do this - I will complain to their Customer service director (as the supervisor couldn't care less and just said it is policy) I will also make NCL aware - but as it doesn't seem widespread, I am sure they wouldn't care either - Personally, it would be nice if NCL dropped BOA for another bank.

Anyway if BOA do this to me, anyone who buys from a NON US company could face a "foreign transaction fee" When I asked the supervisor how I would know when on a US site (.com) if I could get this fee she said she didn't know. I just won't use the BOA (NCL) card again - but think it should be told just in case it happens (or potentially can) to someone else. It seems to me from what the supervisor said, I will always get a foreign transaction fee on my card if I use a foreign company - even if I pay in dollars. One can only then assume that as NCL is also a foreign company then a "foreign transaction fee" will apply. I am not taking a chance and will pay for my next cruise on the card I always used before changing to NCL card.

You just didn't do your research, plain and simple. A search online shows the NCL BOA card has a 3% foreign transaction fee

https://wallethub.com/d/norwegian-cruise-line-credit-card-187c/?t

BOA even has a page for cards that offer NO foreign transaction fees

https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit-cards/no-foreign-transaction-fee-credit-cards/

Better yet, before signing up for the card, you agreed to the terms and conditions of the card. See the top of page 2 under Foreign Transaction

https://secure.bankofamerica.com/applynow/credit-card-printables.go?type=termsAndConditions&export=pdf&watermarkreq=false

3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each transaction (1) made in a foreign currency, or(2) made in U.S. dollars if the transaction is made or processed outside of the United States. This fee will be in addition to any other applicable fee.

http://norwegian.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/489/kw/credit%20card

By doing my own research prior to booking my JFK -> CPH flights for my baltic cruise last year, I booked my Norwegian Air card using a debit card and paid in NOK to save even more, with no foreign fees. Sorry, but you have no one to blame but yourself so stop bothering the BOA reps and escalating when it's clearly not a communication problem.

I learned my lesson a few years ago by using the NCL card in Montreal a few years ago.. every charge had a foreign transaction fee. I came home and realized it was my mistake for using the NCL card. That's why for all foreign purchases, I use my cards that don't have foreign fees, such as the Chase Sapphire ones.

I have a great travel agency and great agent, in fact her company offers " free gratuities" on cruises all the time, but if fluctuates, right now they are offering it for Royal Caribbean but i am still waiting for them to offer it for NCL cruises. The last time the company offered free gratuities for NCL was in December but only for caribbean cruises but i am waiting for Europe cruises specially Transatlantics. I will keep checking. Thank you everyone for your responses..:D

If RCCL isn't publicly offering free grats on their website, then your TA is rebating her commission in a form of free grats rather than OBC most likely. They can easily do this for NCL or any other line and will probably just market it differently next time and offer it for NCL and not RCCL.

The point I'm trying to make is that if a TA is aggressive enough, they will find a way to offer free grats whether or not the actual cruise line is offering it. I've seen TA's offer "free spa massages" or some other form of perk which is really just the TA giving an OBC to cover that perk.

When you book the inside and then do the double meta upgrade, will I be able to select my balcony cabin or do they assign you one?

You can pick one. Since you're doing the upgrade on the phone, they will tell you what rooms are available for your new cat so just ask for the one you want.

Like others said, free grats direct from NCL is rare but agencies who do offer it when NCL doesn't take it out of their commission. On our Aug Alaska cruise, we got all 5 perks + free grats booking an oceanview.

Sign up to be on various TA mailing lists and you will see who will be offering this... usually none of the large national TA's heavily rebate their commission.

Answer the second post, then spend a week searching https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Like others have said, it depends on your children. Mine loves cruising. We're bringing them to Alaska this August and they will be 9 and 7. Last year, we went to the Baltics when they were 8 and 6. We went on more every year before that. By now, they are such pros that they love the kids club and have no complaints at all.

My cruise in August posted around October.. they must be backlogged.

I used a NCL PCC on my first cruise ever and that was it. I didn't know any better... what you see on the website is what you pay. Since then, I always use a TA and if I don't get at least 8-10% of the fare back in perks, I call the next TA. There's absolutely no reason for me to use NCL directly. I do my own research and pick the rooms I want. It's an easy process for the TA to book my cruise because they do no work and get some $ out of it.. win win for both of us.

On the Getaway a few months ago, we asked the steward to remove it and he told me he has no where to store it and if putting it under the bed is fine so we told him yes. He just threw everything in to a large laundry bag and stuck it under the bed in the corner. It was fine for me...

Yes, you sit with others as you check in and are led to your table. They're sot of elevated booths off the main floor. Still great viewing.

As said, yes, you will get the points. I booked our last 9-day Baltic cruise 9 months out through a TA during Thanksgiving of 2016 which was an insider offer sailing and still had the extra point for 9 months out and got all 27 points, along with the same perks NCL was offering. Same weekend a couple of weeks ago, booked an insider offer sailing which will get me the 14 points for a 7-day sailing, and got 5 free perks, free DSC, and $200 OBC. Crazy how great of a value a TA can provide.

In short, yes, you will get the points assuming you meet the terms and conditions of the cruise which was posted above.

They'll probably run the 5 free for xmas/new years.