Im not missing anything am I??

[hawkeyetlse]

I thought it had to be prepaid prior to March 1.

That's what the initial announcement said, but either those announcements were wrong or NCL decided to drop that rule, because all of my upcoming bookings still offer the option of pre-paying $12/day (which I am not going to do until just before sailing).

[Demonyte]

That's what the initial announcement said, but either those announcements were wrong or NCL decided to drop that rule, because all of my upcoming bookings still offer the option of pre-paying $12/day (which I am not going to do until just before sailing).

 

 

Not the initial announcement, but the info sent to TAs only. For direct customers that info was never given in any shape or form, direct info from NCL never stated anything about a deadline as long as DSC was prepaid.

[DebJ14]

I guess we were lucky. We booked the suite we wanted for Jan 2016 when the perks were the only the OBC and UDP. When they came out with the better offer including UDP, UBP, OBC and DSC I asked my TA to see if we could get it. Apparently, NCL had to cancel the initial reservation and then reinstate it immediately. The NCL rep looked at our ages and asked if we were AARP members and added that promo to the booking, so our cabin price went down too. It was enough to also drop the insurance cost, so we ended up saving $151 AND got all 4 offers and we got to keep the cabin we wanted. On our cruise the value of the perks is $1378.

Edited March 13, 2015 by DebJ14

[zqvol]

The OP booked before March 1, so their DSC is $12/day ($168 for the week) if they pre-pay it anytime before sailing. That is the amount they would avoid paying by rebooking now with the promo. Anyway, on paper, they still come out ahead by rebooking. The question is whether they will enjoy the UBP and UDP enough to make it worthwhile.

 

 

That is incorrect. It had to be paid prior to March 1, 2015 to get the lower rate.

[hawkeyetlse]

That is incorrect. It had to be paid prior to March 1, 2015 to get the lower rate.

That is incorrect. Do you have any upcoming cruises booked before March 1? If so, you can check for yourself on MyNCL. If not, you'll have to take my word for it or ask around for confirmation: the old rate of $12/day is still available for pre-payment. In fact, it is the only rate offered, so even if I wanted to pre-pay at the new rate there would be no simple way to do it.

I guess we were lucky. We booked the suite we wanted for Jan 2016 when the perks were the only the OBC and UDP. When they came out with the better offer including UDP, UBP, OBC and DSC I asked my TA to see if we could get it. Apparently, NCL had to cancel the initial reservation and then reinstate it immediately. The NCL rep looked at our ages and asked if we were AARP members and added that promo to the booking, so our cabin price went down too. It was enough to also drop the insurance cost, so we ended up saving $151 AND got all 4 offers and we got to keep the cabin we wanted. On our cruise the value of the perks is $1378.

You could have gotten an even better deal by adding a few random strangers from CC to your booking for free. :D

[punkincc]

I'm basing this on NCL rates vs. RCL. I'm booked on the BOS in a D1 Balcony with $200 OBC and paid gratuities. I priced the comparable stateroom on NCL for the same itinerary, some time-frame, and it was $600 less and I can choose one: either $200 OBC, UBP or UDP. However, if I use that $600 savings and apply it to a NCL suite, I get all three deals and have paid no more money that what I have booked now. So yes, I think NCL has not inflated their base rates in comparison to RCL.

 

Well, yes, that may be true. And that is why (among other reasons) we haven't sailed with RCL in years, and choose NCL instead. It sounds likea no brainer for you to choose NCL over RCL.:).

 

But, the OP paid $600 less for his cabin when he originally booked, and he will lose $100 in OBC. It may not be true across the board for NCL, but many passengers who were already booked when these promos came out reported that the price for their cabin had gone up significantly in order to cover some of the promo cost to NCL.

 

Each person has to look at the fare increase vs the perks to determine whether a rebooking really makes sense for them. For some it does, others not.

[Brandywine_101]

It stands for "service charge". DO NOT ASK WHAT THE "D" STANDS FOR :D See the FAQ, here.

LOL, Thanks!

[Brandywine_101]

 

You could have gotten an even better deal by adding a few random strangers from CC to your booking for free. :D

 

Yes, I volunteer as tribute!

[nyc2theworld]

OMG, what is a Freestyle Cruise Reward? I swear I love this site, I learn so much every single day!

 

This is a 250.00 electronic voucher (meaning its attached to your latitudes #) that you purchase on ship to use as a deposit for a future cruise in the next 4 years. However, there is an ongoing promo that they will give you a 100 On Board Credit for purchasing this electronic voucher bringing its actual cost down to 150.

 

The best part of this is that this is considered your "Deposit" for a cruise. So for example if a cruise normally has a 400 deposit; your FCR e-voucher acts as your deposit and the difference (400-250) is added to the remaining balance of your cruise.

 

Here's a Breakdown Math Example:

 

Cruise Cost is 1500

Normal Deposit is 400

Balance due before final payment is 1100

 

With the FCR e-voucher

Cruise Cost is 1500

FCR e-voucher redeemed for 250

Balance due before final payment is 1250

 

As you can see, you still pay the exact same fare, but instead of having to come up with a deposit when booking, you can use your FCR and book a cruise.

[hawkeyetlse]

The best part of this is that this is considered your "Deposit" for a cruise.

I agree that this is a convenient feature of the FCR, but the best part is still saving $100 :p

[Demonyte]

However, there is an ongoing promo that they will give you a 100 On Board Credit for purchasing this electronic voucher bringing its actual cost down to 150.

 

 

It is not "an ongoing promo" but a key element of the whole FCR deal.

 

Sometimes they have had something on top of that (Lifestyle collection or smth - just a "special access" to an overpriced mail order catalogue) but the OBC (also usually remeedable as $125 casino credit) has been there "always" (at least as long as we've cruised with NCL).

Edited March 17, 2015 by Demonyte