The Suite life.....How can anybody afford it.

[kcwingwalker]

That IS even better! Can you work in your PJs? Even even better!!!

 

 

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Have been working in my PJ's for years. Love the freedom and it allowed me to be at stay at home Mom. Drove the kids to school (no there was not a bus)

and picked them up. Scheduled my work around my family and it was great!

Always have had a desk in my kitchen so even if I had do some work Mom was still there!

 

And this is how we were able to have great vacations, private school and put two kids through college without loans. Now it's more for the fun stuff and it helped out with our first suite.

 

I did kind of miss the balcony cabin and would have no problems going back.

[Cruisin'cockney]

In our case we booked 12 months ago in a BD - our usual accommodation. Over the course of the last 6 months prices have dropped so considerably that, with the aid of our PCC, we have upgraded through the grades until we now find ourselves in a H5 for barely $400 more with the added benefit of free UDP and UBP. This makes it pretty cost neutral for us.

 

I am not sure we will be this fortunate again so intend to make the most of it but it's gonna be difficult to revert back to our usual standard balcony in the future.

[Vicki'sMom]

I am intrigued how the OP and others are getting such generous OBCs??! :confused:

 

I have the $300 OBC for the 2 cruises we currently have booked, but I would certainly like to do better than that for any future cruises we book! ;) We are NCL-loyal and love the Suite Life! I always seem to run into "not combinable" offers! lol

 

What are some of the secrets to scoring the greatest amount of OBC?! Thank you! :D

[SissasMomE]

I am intrigued how the OP and others are getting such generous OBCs??! :confused:

 

I have the $300 OBC for the 2 cruises we currently have booked' date=' but I would certainly like to do better than that for any future cruises we book! ;) We are NCL-loyal and love the Suite Life! I always seem to run into "not combinable" offers! lol

 

What are some of the secrets to scoring the greatest amount of OBC?! Thank you! :D[/quote']

 

I think it just all depends on what they are offering at the time, and who you book with. We got $450 from NCL and $600 from our TA.

[LrgPizza]

......

 

 

 

And this is how we were able to have great vacations, private school and put two kids through college without loans. Now it's more for the fun stuff and it helped out with our first suite.

 

 

 

I did kind of miss the balcony cabin and would have no problems going back.

 

 

The fact that you had a job allowed those things, right? Not the fact that you worked from home?

 

 

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[kcwingwalker]

The fact that you had a job allowed those things, right? Not the fact that you worked from home?

 

 

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Exactly it's still a job whether you work from home or go to a workplace:)

[medicalma'am]

So is the consensus that booking with a TA will give you more $ in OBC? :confused: I have always used a PCC. I know that in upgrading after final payment, that is the way to go, directly with NCL. I have only called once after final payment when I saw the price go down. They were going to upgrade us from a BA to a mini-suite on the Epic, but those cabins were sold out so we got $225 in OBC instead. But I am now thinking that a TA can do just as well for us, from all these posts.

 

Since I usually book the cabin that I want originally and have never depended on being upgrading, I think that a TA can get us more in perks and OBC. What is everyone's experience in that? Maybe I have been missing out all these years booking with a PCC. :eek:

[SissasMomE]

So is the consensus that booking with a TA will give you more $ in OBC? :confused: I have always used a PCC. I know that in upgrading after final payment' date=' that is the way to go, directly with NCL. I have only called once after final payment when I saw the price go down. They were going to upgrade us from a BA to a mini-suite on the Epic, but those cabins were sold out so we got $225 in OBC instead. But I am now thinking that a TA can do just as well for us, from all these posts.

 

Since I usually book the cabin that I want originally and have never depended on being upgrading, I think that a TA can get us more in perks and OBC. What is everyone's experience in that? Maybe I have been missing out all these years booking with a PCC. :eek:[/size']

 

Yes, definitely. Also, I was upgraded for free, after final payment, using a TA ... so you definitely do not need a PCC to get upgrades.

[medicalma'am]

The most I have gotten in OBC is $450 and that was booking a suite. Are you able to use your purchased Future Cruise Credit when booking with a TA?

[jmele999]

The best OBC that you can get through NCL is $450 ($300 for booking the suite in advance and $150 for latitude promotions if available). A TA can give you additional OBC and we have received up to $150 more from the TA.

 

The best OBC we received was when NCL was running the American Express promotion ($500) and we combined it with a latitudes promotion. Then NCL cancelled our cruise (chartered) and we received additional OBC.

 

I would say that on the average you can get anywhere from $450 to $700-$800 if you book with a TA.

[jmele999]

The most I have gotten in OBC is $450 and that was booking a suite. Are you able to use your purchased Future Cruise Credit when booking with a TA?

 

Yes, you can use for FCC when booking when a TA. If you are booking a Haven suite, your FCC will count for $250 towards your deposit, and you have to pay the rest. If you booking a regular suite, the FCC will cover the entire deposit whether you book directly with NCL or a TA.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

No OBC for me. I book through CAS and don't get any OBC. I weigh out my options. The price for the suite I booked through either an online TA or NCL direct would cost $4,567. By booking with CAS my cost is $3,200 (I forget exact amount but was around this) so I guess a savings of about $1,300 works for me. I do get a casino drink card so that's an additional savings.

 

Got me card from NCL today welcoming me to the suite life. Woohoo.

[Out to sea!]

I honestly can't imagine going back to a regular balcony with my current situation, but I also know that if I had the ability to cruise multiple times per year, I'd trade the suite life for multiple cruises in a heartbeat.

 

I guess that's where I'm lucky. Both DW and I have 15 weeks of vacation a year (both work in the school system) and we live between 1.25 hours and 4 hours from 5 different ports so all I need is MORE money to book more cruises!

 

Any of you who do not have the time to cruise more often can send me money and you can cruise vicariously through me! :D

[Out to sea!]

Exactly it's still a job whether you work from home or go to a workplace:)

 

I don't know if working in your PJs is really considered a "job". ;) :D

[CasinoCruzGirl]

I don't know if working in your PJs is really considered a "job". ;) :D

 

 

 

As long as your getting a paycheck you can be naked and it's still a job

[Out to sea!]

As long as your getting a paycheck you can be naked and it's still a job

 

But aren't those jobs usually illegal in the US?? :D

[sdmike]

Yes!! LOL!

 

lol. me too. I work from my home office. Normally it's shorts, t-shirt. I always brush my teeth, but I can't say the same for my hair. :)

[SissasMomE]

lol. me too. I work from my home office. Normally it's shorts, t-shirt. I always brush my teeth, but I can't say the same for my hair. :)

 

I do brush my teeth ... every day LOL Some days I actually get dressed too! :D

[jmcookiemonster25]

We've had bad luck booking early. The price will drop substantially and NCL hardly does anything. We book last minute (as we are flexible and can go whenever) to get the best deals.

[mabones]

Do couples ever share with another couple (sans kids) to make it affordable? Is it worth the inconvenience for suites where there is only one bathroom (e.g., Family Suite)?

 

I'm not sure I want to share a cabin, but have considered it in order to enjoy the suite life.

 

Did it with a 2-bedroom Haven Suite split 4 ways. You have to remember that the 3rd & 4th person pays a reduced rate so it comes out very affordable.

[djmess]

I've always been a book inside or obstructed OV so we could cruise more often. This January I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fighting like crazy and only have 2 more chemo's left. WoooHoooo!

 

I say all this because, I've always wanted to cruise in a suite and had the Getaway booked for Jan 2015 to celebrate my 50th bday. Well, we are cruising with family. Had 2 insides booked for 5 people. 4 adults and an 11 y/o. We've even cruised 4 people in an inside cabin, so this will be awesome. We are splitting it equally for everyone. The family is giving me the Master bed and I will share with everyone. It is family, sister, mom, grandma. We don't mind sharing a king bed.

 

We've visited all the Islands multiple times, we are cruising to be with each other, the ship and now for the Haven Experience. We also took advantage of the "kids sail free" program, so really only paid about $200pp more and we are walking away with $850 OBC. I did use a TA to get that additional OBC.

 

After this cruise, when it is just my son and I, we will go back to those insides and obstructed OV, unless I hit the lotto. Well, beating this cancer is actually hitting the lotto, so I won't ask for more! Hope to see many of you onboard a wonderful NCL ship one of these days! Life is short, live it to the fullest!

[CasinoCruzGirl]

I've always been a book inside or obstructed OV so we could cruise more often. This January I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fighting like crazy and only have 2 more chemo's left. WoooHoooo!

 

I say all this because, I've always wanted to cruise in a suite and had the Getaway booked for Jan 2015 to celebrate my 50th bday. Well, we are cruising with family. Had 2 insides booked for 5 people. 4 adults and an 11 y/o. We've even cruised 4 people in an inside cabin, so this will be awesome. We are splitting it equally for everyone. The family is giving me the Master bed and I will share with everyone. It is family, sister, mom, grandma. We don't mind sharing a king bed.

 

We've visited all the Islands multiple times, we are cruising to be with each other, the ship and now for the Haven Experience. We also took advantage of the "kids sail free" program, so really only paid about $200pp more and we are walking away with $850 OBC. I did use a TA to get that additional OBC.

 

After this cruise, when it is just my son and I, we will go back to those insides and obstructed OV, unless I hit the lotto. Well, beating this cancer is actually hitting the lotto, so I won't ask for more! Hope to see many of you onboard a wonderful NCL ship one of these days! Life is short, live it to the fullest!

 

 

Di. God bless you and speedy recovery and most of all have a fabulous cruise