Looks like NCL slashed onboard credit for future cruises

[PatJim]

My DH did a search of 2015 and 2016 Gem cruises, some of which we've already booked, and found that suites booked 9 or more months in advance no longer come with $300 OBC; now it's $150. Glad we locked in our OBC, but we're contemplating booking 2 more Gem cruises in suites, and max OBC is $150. :(

Has anyone else noticed?

[SissasMomE]

My DH did a search of 2015 and 2016 Gem cruises, some of which we've already booked, and found that suites booked 9 or more months in advance no longer come with $300 OBC; now it's $150. Glad we locked in our OBC, but we're contemplating booking 2 more Gem cruises in suites, and max OBC is $150. :(

Has anyone else noticed?

 

Did you use the code SuiteOBC?

[Got Tequila?]

http://www.ncl.com/promo/suite-haven-obc

 

It's still on the website as $300.

 

I think if you are seeing a current promotion for a dash sale, that one will over ride the suite OBC on the website. You need to choose one or the other promotion, since you can't combine those two offers typically.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Got Tequila?

[rvsullivan]

My DH did a search of 2015 and 2016 Gem cruises, some of which we've already booked, and found that suites booked 9 or more months in advance no longer come with $300 OBC; now it's $150. Glad we locked in our OBC, but we're contemplating booking 2 more Gem cruises in suites, and max OBC is $150. :(

Has anyone else noticed?

 

Not sure where you found this? I just went to look for our Dec 2015 suite cruise and found either a $250 Dash offer or $300 for 9 month in advance suite offer. Of course you know which one I want.

Edited July 28, 2014 by rvsullivan

[skyfire53]

Did you use the code SuiteOBC?

 

 

I didnt see anywhere to put that code in when I was doing a sample booking for Dec of next year...where is the place to add a promo code...am I just missing it?

[skyfire53]

Not sure where you found this? I just went to look for our Dec 2015 suite cruise and found either a $250 Dash offer or $300 for 9 month in advance suite offer. Of course you know which one I want.

 

did you try a sample booking? It came up with an OBC of only $150...hmmmm...it has the colors for the $250 or $300 but when you actually try to book it, it only shows $150....hmmmmm...are you going early Dec again? I think we will try to go then too...

[PatJim]

Thanks for the responses, Got_Tequila and rvsullivan. Jim just did his usual search on NCL, looking at current cabin prices for our future booked cruises (5) and 2 more we're thinking of booking in '15 and '16 (price check in case any come down, but they are only going up at this point!), plugged in AARP and Latitudes criteria, chose the date and cabin type, and got...$150 OBC for the suites. He says there isn't a box to put in a code, for either a dash sale or suiteOBC.

[brookie848]

Is there any reason why you have to book online? We called our PCC last week and booked a cruise. We got the $300 OBC ($150/person), along with AARP discount. And our cruise isn't 9 months away -- more like 7.

 

Even thought this is only our second cruise, we've found that by building a relationship with our PCC has helped us out along the way.

[dobiemom]

Did you use the code SuiteOBC?

I made a dummy booking and put in the code. It accepted it but where do you see how much OBC you get? TIA! :)

[PatJim]

Is there any reason why you have to book online? We called our PCC last week and booked a cruise. We got the $300 OBC ($150/person), along with AARP discount. And our cruise isn't 9 months away -- more like 7.

 

Even thought this is only our second cruise, we've found that by building a relationship with our PCC has helped us out along the way.

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding. My DH wasn't booking a cruise--we use a TA for that--but looking at sample bookings to gauge prices of future cruises, and noticed that all OBC for suites is given as $150. He says it's been like this for past week. So we wondered if NCL has reduced OBCs across the board. But if some CCers still see the $300 OBC for suites, then we are relieved to know that. We're waiting for our Sept. cruise to buy more future cruise credits before booking 2 we're eying late '15 and early '16. While waiting, prices have gone up on those, too, negating any savings from the future cruise credit, BTW. So it would help to have $300, not $150 OBC.

[rvsullivan]

did you try a sample booking? It came up with an OBC of only $150...hmmmm...it has the colors for the $250 or $300 but when you actually try to book it, it only shows $150....hmmmmm...are you going early Dec again? I think we will try to go then too...

 

 

 

Yeah, we're doing the early Dec again this year and trying now to book for the first week of Dec 15. For the first time we are thinking of using a TA, got an offer right now for $300 NCL OBC and another $500 TA OBC. Looks good!!

[SissasMomE]

I made a dummy booking and put in the code. It accepted it but where do you see how much OBC you get? TIA! :)

 

On the right hand side, where it shows the total price of your cruise, it should tell you how much OBC you are getting.

[jaja]

did you try a sample booking? It came up with an OBC of only $150...hmmmm...it has the colors for the $250 or $300 but when you actually try to book it, it only shows $150....hmmmmm...are you going early Dec again? I think we will try to go then too...

 

I remember being told that if dash sale is running..that is default OBC. And since you can't have both...you must have a TA or NCL rep manually put it in..(not sure if still that way)....

[brookie848]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. My DH wasn't booking a cruise--we use a TA for that--but looking at sample bookings to gauge prices of future cruises, and noticed that all OBC for suites is given as $150. He says it's been like this for past week. So we wondered if NCL has reduced OBCs across the board. But if some CCers still see the $300 OBC for suites, then we are relieved to know that. We're waiting for our Sept. cruise to buy more future cruise credits before booking 2 we're eying late '15 and early '16. While waiting, prices have gone up on those, too, negating any savings from the future cruise credit, BTW. So it would help to have $300, not $150 OBC.

 

 

Ahh...okay. Just to let you know, I wasn't seeing anything when I did mock bookings, but we did end up with OBC. I think you can be fairly confident that you will receive the OBC, especially if you are not going to book online.

[casinoman1]

Is it not the whole package price that counts, better to pay $600 less than someone else who has $500 of onboard credit and have none yourself.

[casinoman1]

I don't think the drink prices are high. At least not for US sailings. They are comparable to what we pay in a restaurant. I think you guys have it worse though with the VAT. I can see how that would be very expensive.

 

There is never any VAT sales tax or other types of duties charged on drinks at sea with the exception of cruises leaving a spanish port as far as I believe, its why they have duty free shops on board, every penny above cost is in the cruise companies pocket. Personally I find cruise ship drinks prices to be fair or if anything a little cheap, the last thing they want to do for me is make it so cheap the place becomes a floating bar of drunks.

[SissasMomE]

They seemed to be giving the Haven away on the UK website, maybe they think a few English accents in there add a touch of sophistication.

 

I love English accents :)