Total Rewards (Harrahs) free NCL cruise giveaway

[jrsegrl]

We are Platinum Latitudes members. If we book one of these 'free cruises' do we still get our platinum benefits?

[johnjovi]

We are Platinum Latitudes members. If we book one of these 'free cruises' do we still get our platinum benefits?

 

yes! :)

[texasreb]

"

Quote:

Originally Posted by garycarla

This has probably been said before, but....

 

These are based on AVERAGE DAILY PLAY and are not based on tier.

 

If you play enough, they want you aboard. Even a Diamond player might not get much.

 

Average daily play.

 

100% correct

 

But as already stated, these aren't that great of a deal.

 

If you want a cheap inside cabin, just wait until fairly close to cruise time and you will usually get one."

 

I think a lot of these TR offers are related to the dominant casino property you play in. For instance, no coupon sent to me with 45,000 tier points played in April and May.

Also last year I noticed some Diamond getting these for inside rooms. Again I did not. I just waited until closer to cruise date and booked outside room for same total cost using my TR and NCL casino group. I verified this cost situation with one of the casino players that was on the same cruise.

 

I did Jewel Dec 2013 and again April 2014.

[againin13]

"

Quote:

Originally Posted by garycarla

This has probably been said before, but....

 

These are based on AVERAGE DAILY PLAY and are not based on tier.

 

If you play enough, they want you aboard. Even a Diamond player might not get much.

 

Average daily play.

 

100% correct

 

But as already stated, these aren't that great of a deal.

 

If you want a cheap inside cabin, just wait until fairly close to cruise time and you will usually get one."

 

I think a lot of these TR offers are related to the dominant casino property you play in. For instance, no coupon sent to me with 45,000 tier points played in April and May.

Also last year I noticed some Diamond getting these for inside rooms. Again I did not. I just waited until closer to cruise date and booked outside room for same total cost using my TR and NCL casino group. I verified this cost situation with one of the casino players that was on the same cruise.

 

I did Jewel Dec 2013 and again April 2014.

 

 

I am so confused, if you get the free cabin and all your having to pay is the port fees and taxes which are between five and $600 for two people. Then how can a person book through TR and NCL Casino group. For the same price. Unless you receive the cabin free. Isn't the port fees and taxes added to the price of the cabin. Example you go on the website and it says inside cabin $449.oo per person double occupancy don't you then have to add that five or $600 to that.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[garycarla]

I am so confused, if you get the free cabin and all your having to pay is the port fees and taxes which are between five and $600 for two people. Then how can a person book through TR and NCL Casino group. For the same price. Unless you receive the cabin free. Isn't the port fees and taxes added to the price of the cabin. Example you go on the website and it says inside cabin $449.oo per person double occupancy don't you then have to add that five or $600 to that.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Not exactly sure what you are saying, but I think you were quoting the poster before you that said you could get...

 

I think the poster was blending in many different things. Such as sometimes you can get a better room through CAS by waiting until the last minute. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I think the price that CAS figures in will vary based on many factors:

 

1 - Your average play onboard from past cruises

 

2 - The current selling prices of cabins, which will move up and down for regular cruisers, and still some for CAS.

 

3 - Demand for the cruise in question

 

4 - Current drive from the CAS Sr. Mgmt to get more gamblers onboard vs less demand to get more gamblers on board.

[canadiancruiser23]

They are a great deal as you get the HIGHEST inside category..when you get the deals from the cruise line it is for the lowest.. the cost is about 580.00 for two people and all the drinks in the casino are free...so you get a cruise in the best inside room and all drinks in the casino for under 300.00 each.....

[texasreb]

Port fees and taxes. I can never figure them out. It is like a game they play. I just looked up NCL Jan from N.O. balcony BA category. Taxes and fees for TWO $216.

 

The situation kind of remnds of a "FREE" Carnival coupon I have. It is for inside room. Taxes and fees are $358 for the free inside cabin. I can go online, upgrade to outside cabin. Taxes are less ??? and total for upgrade is only $300 more. Go figure. It is a game.

[mlammers]

Thanks, didn't know you could combine-we have a voucher for a ocean view Alaskan cruise, but they want almost 500 dollars EACH for port fees and taxes-another 390 EACH for balcony upgrade. The total for both of us is over $1700 WITHOUT tips or insurance. Don't think this is a good deal at all...

[emcelh]

Thanks, didn't know you could combine-we have a voucher for a ocean view Alaskan cruise, but they want almost 500 dollars EACH for port fees and taxes-another 390 EACH for balcony upgrade. The total for both of us is over $1700 WITHOUT tips or insurance. Don't think this is a good deal at all...

 

How much would it be for the same cabin without the voucher?

[texasreb]

Thanks, didn't know you could combine-we have a voucher for a ocean view Alaskan cruise, but they want almost 500 dollars EACH for port fees and taxes-another 390 EACH for balcony upgrade. The total for both of us is over $1700 WITHOUT tips or insurance. Don't think this is a good deal at all...

How interesting. I have a similar voucher and very same fees. Of course does not cover the gratuities that go up March 1, 2015. Nor the trip to Seattle.

Due to hit and miss weather on Alaska cruise. I got the deck 8 oceanview room.

First week of June as voucher was about to expire.

My post was 2 years old. Then some follow ups.

[texasreb]

How much would it be for the same cabin without the voucher?

 

That is a good question. Several ways to look at it. Just going to NCL and getting a quote. Calling in asking for discounts I would get. Upgrade to Balcony or staying with oceanview OA category.

The $390 each to upgrade from OA to BA was a bit more than online offer of $49 per day per person to upgrade from OA room.

The straight up online fees were $2000 not counting insurance and grats for the OA room.

 

I figured that voucher was worth $600-700 on the Alaska trip. Could be worth more or less from another port. The "taxes" fees NCF charge vary by port or market area. This very same voucher could have been used out of N.O. on a BA room for $500 total. I paid $900 for OA on Alaska trip.

[chasinraynbowz]

Not sure if this will answer your questions or not, but....

 

DH and I are booked on the Pearl in August to Alaska. I have a "free" cruise from CAS and used it on this cruise. With port fees, taxes and upgrades (I upgraded us to a balcony cabin), this cruise is costing me right at $2000 out of pocket. I then went in and did a fake booking for the same cruise, same cabin class, same dates, etc and the cost was upwards of $3400. So I figure I am saving $1400.

[garycarla]

Thanks, didn't know you could combine-we have a voucher for a ocean view Alaskan cruise, but they want almost 500 dollars EACH for port fees and taxes-another 390 EACH for balcony upgrade. The total for both of us is over $1700 WITHOUT tips or insurance. Don't think this is a good deal at all...

 

You could just go ahead and book it normally. How much would that be?

 

I chuckle when folks say it still costs them $$xxx, so it is not worth it. But, they never price it out normally.

[pokerpro5]

Not sure if this will answer your questions or not, but....

 

DH and I are booked on the Pearl in August to Alaska. I have a "free" cruise from CAS and used it on this cruise. With port fees, taxes and upgrades (I upgraded us to a balcony cabin), this cruise is costing me right at $2000 out of pocket. I then went in and did a fake booking for the same cruise, same cabin class, same dates, etc and the cost was upwards of $3400. So I figure I am saving $1400.

 

Sorry, but you aren't saving $1400.

 

You are saving $1400 at today's prices.

 

If wait until 14-55 days before sailing, when the prices fall (which they WILL for this Alaska Pearl cruise), you will get the balcony room for around the same $2000 out the door, meaning your savings will be almost zero.

 

I have warned people about this before.

 

These "free" certificates are not meant to be upgraded. If you upgrade, you will kill most of your discount.

 

They aren't completely useless. If you otherwise would have bought a balcony room even without this certificate, of course it's better to use it and not have to hassle with waiting until 14-55 days before booking.

 

But you're honestly not saving that much unless you leave them alone and accept the inside you're being given.

 

If you're taking this cruise simply because you believe it's "free" or "heavily discounted", you definitely don't want to upgrade, because you'll be paying the same as many people who book later with no voucher.

Edited February 15, 2015 by pokerpro5

[pokerpro5]

Thanks, didn't know you could combine-we have a voucher for a ocean view Alaskan cruise, but they want almost 500 dollars EACH for port fees and taxes-another 390 EACH for balcony upgrade. The total for both of us is over $1700 WITHOUT tips or insurance. Don't think this is a good deal at all...

 

You're mostly correct.

 

Not much you can do about the taxes. They are about $200/pp, and that doesn't go to NCL. It goes to the various ports.

 

NCL also hits you for around $250 in NCF (they call these "fees", but in reality it's actual fare, referred to as non-commissioned fare). This sucks, because it means your cruise actually isn't free -- it's $250/pp before tax!

 

So even with a "free" Alaska cruise, you are always paying them around $450 per person.

 

The $390/pp upgrade fee is lousy, but typical of them to do with vouchers like these. See my last post. Not worth it.

 

Honestly, wait until 14-55 days before your cruise, watch for price drops, and you can buy a balcony stateroom for about the same $1700 total.

 

So yeah, it's better than paying the fairly high prices quoted right now for booking that cruise, but you're not saving much over the people who will be buying them without a voucher once the price falls happen in the 14-55 day range.

 

You might want to wait until NCL runs a "free upgrade" promotion and book then. You will at least get an oceanview for no additional charge.

Edited February 15, 2015 by pokerpro5

[pgharea]

If it gets you on a ship at a price you want to pay then it's a win. Calculate however you might that's still the bottom line.

 

 

• Sent from my screen to yours.

[garycarla]

...Honestly, wait until 14-55 days before your cruise, watch for price drops, and you can buy a balcony stateroom for about the same $1700 total....

 

 

This assumes that there are rooms left. Sometimes there are. Sometimes there are not.

 

You also might get lucky by calling in late and if they have lots of rooms left, the CAS folks may be more willing to GIVE you a free upgrade.

 

Also, some people are offered balcony or even minisuites with these certificates. That is determined by your play at the land casino.

 

And, the biggest note - if you are a past CAS cruiser and have a decent play record, they will do better than these certificates anyways.

Edited February 15, 2015 by garycarla

[chasinraynbowz]

This assumes that there are rooms left. Sometimes there are. Sometimes there are not.

 

You also might get lucky by calling in late and if they have lots of rooms left, the CAS folks may be more willing to GIVE you a free upgrade.

 

Also, some people are offered balcony or even minisuites with these certificates. That is determined by your play at the land casino.

 

And, the biggest note - if you are a past CAS cruiser and have a decent play record, they will do better than these certificates anyways.

 

 

Last CAS certificate I used, I couldn't upgrade. The cruise was sold out. I booked 6 months ahead and the only cabin I could get was an inside at the front of the ship.

 

I am happy with my balcony and excited to be going to Alaska this year!!

[pokerpro5]

This assumes that there are rooms left. Sometimes there are. Sometimes there are not.

 

You also might get lucky by calling in late and if they have lots of rooms left, the CAS folks may be more willing to GIVE you a free upgrade.

 

Also, some people are offered balcony or even minisuites with these certificates. That is determined by your play at the land casino.

 

And, the biggest note - if you are a past CAS cruiser and have a decent play record, they will do better than these certificates anyways.

 

There are always plenty of balcony rooms left at the price drop time for NCL Alaska cruises, from what I've observed.

 

And we are discussing upgrading certificates in general, not just the inside to balcony situation. You just shouldn't do it if you want to get value out of them.

 

Yes, CAS gives their own offers for past NCL gamblers, but that has nothing to do with this discussion.

[AndyCapn]

 

Honestly, wait until 14-55 days before your cruise, watch for price drops, and you can buy a balcony stateroom for about the same $1700 total.

 

So yeah, it's better than paying the fairly high prices quoted right now for booking that cruise, but you're not saving much over the people who will be buying them without a voucher once the price falls happen in the 14-55 day range.

 

This isn't bad advice, but not everyone can take advantage of a last-minute cruise offer. Whether it's booking time off work or making accomodations for the pets or children, many people simply can't pick-up-and-go on two-weeks notice. Having the cost certainty of a discounted price up front is much less stressful than waiting and hoping for the fares to drop.

 

The other part of the equation is the airfare. Booking a flight two-or-three weeks in advance is almost always more expensive than booking two-or-three months ahead. All the money you might save on a last-minute cruise could be wiped out by the increased airfare.

 

It's also worth remembering that most of the Caesars offers include a free drink card in the casino, which you normally only get after putting $7500 through the machines. If you're a low-roller gold-level member like the OP, that drink card in itself can be worth a couple of hundred extra dollars.

 

At the end of the day, while it may not be much cheaper than a last-minute deal, the Caesars "free" cruise offer is an excellent deal for a lot of potential cruisers.

[texasreb]

I have not ran across one of those in 2 1/2 years of waiting and looking. I have been on 7 NCL cruises during that time.

Might have something to do with ports or market area.

 

I have waited until two weeks to book some of these trips. Just can't do that with the ports I have to fly to. Some times a better deal shows. Sometimes not.

 

When I booked the June Pearl trip. The voucher was about to expire. Also I knew I had to book the air to Seattle. Nailing down the cruise date gives me time to look for an air bargain. Which I just finished at $640 RT total for two out of Love Field.

 

So far everyone of my INSIDE CABIN vouchers have gone in the trash. I have one still current. I think I will phone in and check the FEES for next Caribbean season. Maybe Rome or Barcelona cruise ?

[g35girl]

Sorry, but you aren't saving $1400.

 

You are saving $1400 at today's prices.

 

If wait until 14-55 days before sailing, when the prices fall (which they WILL for this Alaska Pearl cruise), you will get the balcony room for around the same $2000 out the door, meaning your savings will be almost zero.

 

I have warned people about this before.

 

These "free" certificates are not meant to be upgraded. If you upgrade, you will kill most of your discount.

 

They aren't completely useless. If you otherwise would have bought a balcony room even without this certificate, of course it's better to use it and not have to hassle with waiting until 14-55 days before booking.

 

But you're honestly not saving that much unless you leave them alone and accept the inside you're being given.

 

If you're taking this cruise simply because you believe it's "free" or "heavily discounted", you definitely don't want to upgrade, because you'll be paying the same as many people who book later with no voucher.

 

That's not accurate in our case. We upgraded to a mini suite for our Alaska cruise and even with the current price drop and promotions, we are still saving about $1400. I check the site daily and we have called CAS to see if the pricing is better, but not yet.

[texasreb]

Also, some people are offered balcony or even minisuites with these certificates. That is determined by your play at the land casino.

 

And, the biggest note - if you are a past CAS cruiser and have a decent play record, they will do better than these certificates anyways.

 

That is something I find troubling of late. True in past these vouchers could be for better cabins. The last 4 my wife and had been given since September were INSIDE. That's a 7 Star card and a Diamond card.

 

Agreed sometimes Casino At Sea will do a deal.

 

What a game we play with NCL looking for "the deal".

[garycarla]

I have not ran across one of those in 2 1/2 years of waiting and looking. I have been on 7 NCL cruises during that time.

Might have something to do with ports or market area.

...

 

If you are giving them any play while onboard, call CAS direct and NOT the number on the certificate. You may get a better deal.

[garycarla]

..True in past these vouchers could be for better cabins. The last 4 my wife and had been given since September were INSIDE. That's a 7 Star card and a Diamond card....

 

A few factors might be working against you. Overall, the offers have been backing down.

 

The other is that offers are based more on your ADT than on your tier. Average daily play is big factor. Some folks get to Diamond/7Stars with lots of lower daily play. Sometimes they are in line, sometimes they are not.