A 'Free' cruise is basically $200 + taxes/port fees

[fstuff1]

i've been going on 'free' CAS cruises since 2014 (see sig).

a 'free' 7day cruise is ~$200 admin fees + taxes/port fees (varies on city + destination).

 

i always thought regular cruises was the price listed on ncl.com + admin fees + taxes/port fees.

 

today, doing a mock booking for a $379 balcony on Getaway to carribean, i realized regular cruise prices didnt have the stupid 'Admin fee'.

 

So basically 'free' cruises actually costs $200! :cool:

 

btw- That Getaway cruise was $379 cruise fare + $140 taxes/port fees = $519 :eek:

so you can view it as $179 cruise fare + $200 admin fee + taxes/port fees. (and without the casino drink card.)

Edited September 9, 2016 by fstuff1

[monkeybone]

I did a comped casino cruise on RCCL and Carnival. Neither charge the admin fees.

 

Both came with free drink cards in the casino.

Edited September 9, 2016 by monkeybone

[SeeUsoon@Sea]

But it can work also the other way on more expensive cruises. My 9/2017 NCL Spirit 11 days Med/Venice cruise is only $695 Total. And I didn't have to pay double occupancy. The cruise would have cost me over $4800 in an OV room if paying regular price. Oh, and that's also with insurance added on.

It was so cheap I decided to extend my trip B2B 10 days more for only $680 Total .

So traveling Europe going to 18 ports for 21 days under $1400 is pretty DARN cheap to me.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[monkeybone]

But it can work also the other way on more expensive cruises. My 9/2017 NCL Spirit 11 days Med/Venice cruise is only $695 Total. And I didn't have to pay double occupancy. The cruise would have cost me over $4800 in an OV room if paying regular price. Oh, and that's also with insurance added on.

It was so cheap I decided to extend my trip B2B 10 days more for only $680 Total .

So traveling Europe going to 18 ports for 21 days under $1400 is pretty DARN cheap to me.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I absolutely agree. CAS is great, I was just pointing out that other cruise lines don't charge the admin fee for comped cruises....yet anyway!

[NLH Arizona]

But it can work also the other way on more expensive cruises. My 9/2017 NCL Spirit 11 days Med/Venice cruise is only $695 Total. And I didn't have to pay double occupancy. The cruise would have cost me over $4800 in an OV room if paying regular price. Oh, and that's also with insurance added on.

It was so cheap I decided to extend my trip B2B 10 days more for only $680 Total .

So traveling Europe going to 18 ports for 21 days under $1400 is pretty DARN cheap to me.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It has always worked great for me. My best was an 11 day cruise in an aft penthouse and it only cost a little over $800, obviously I spent way too much in the casino the cruise before that one. I've got a 9 day cruise booked in an aft penthouse and it would have cost me $4,500 and I got it for only $900 which includes insurance, free gratuities, UBP, SDP and 250 in internet minutes. Edited September 9, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[Thrilled2012]

But it can work also the other way on more expensive cruises. My 9/2017 NCL Spirit 11 days Med/Venice cruise is only $695 Total. And I didn't have to pay double occupancy. The cruise would have cost me over $4800 in an OV room if paying regular price. Oh, and that's also with insurance added on.

It was so cheap I decided to extend my trip B2B 10 days more for only $680 Total .

So traveling Europe going to 18 ports for 21 days under $1400 is pretty DARN cheap to me.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I wanna be you! That is amazing. Enjoy :D

[CRAustin]

Yep my best deal is coming up 3 in Penthouse forward 7 day on the Dawn. With insurance 280 ea includes SDP, UDP, INTERNET, free service fees Then on board 100 food credit and 125 spa credit plus from CAS plus 100 OBC for being stockholder plus platinum dinner. Love CAS and NCL. It isn't always this good and I paid for this in advance with my last cruise [emoji857]

[SeeUsoon@Sea]

It has always worked great for me. My best was an 11 day cruise in an aft penthouse and it only cost a little over $800, obviously I spent way too much in the casino the cruise before that one. I've got a 9 day cruise booked in an aft penthouse and it would have cost me $4,500 and I got it for only $900 which includes insurance, free gratuities, UBP, SDP and 250 in internet minutes.

 

 

 

Now those are deals! The highest CAS has comp me was a mini suite and I did the upgrade to the Haven Spa Suite on the Escape. It was really nice! But I'm happy with any category on any cruise. Haha.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Sand and Seas]

We do love our CAS cruises, and I don't mind the Admin fee, but I have been watching it rise over the years. I've seen it go from 120 pp to 140 to 160 etc all for 7 day cruises.

 

The last one we booked in March of this year was $200 pp Admin. My son just booked a 7 day out of NOLA and it was $250 per person. Are you seeing it at $250 per person for other cruises too?

[SeeUsoon@Sea]

We do love our CAS cruises, and I don't mind the Admin fee, but I have been watching it rise over the years. I've seen it go from 120 pp to 140 to 160 etc all for 7 day cruises.

 

 

 

The last one we booked in March of this year was $200 pp Admin. My son just booked a 7 day out of NOLA and it was $250 per person. Are you seeing it at $250 per person for other cruises too?

 

 

 

You are correct. Every time I call it's a different number($) and it also depends on the person answering. One would give a high number then I'll call back and it's a lower number from someone else. One guy told me I had too many comps already and would only give me a 20% discount then I'll call back a few days later and was given a comp. Go figure?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rochelle_s]

I paid $375 and $400 admin fee for my B2B South America cruises next year. Not sure if that increase is because of the destination or the length of the cruises (15 and 20 days).

 

 

Rochelle

[hladygirl]

We got a cruise certificate through a local casino. Never go there and play much. We payed $1,000 total for two Boston to Bermuda next month. Included UBP and 4 night dining. Also included trip insurance. We are in a picture window ocean view. The trip in same cabin with everything would have been $3,000 so I am happy.

[Sand and Seas]

We do love our CAS cruises, and I don't mind the Admin fee, but I have been watching it rise over the years. I've seen it go from 120 pp to 140 to 160 etc all for 7 day cruises.

 

The last one we booked in March of this year was $200 pp Admin. My son just booked a 7 day out of NOLA and it was $250 per person. Are you seeing it at $250 per person for other cruises too?

 

Correction! My son's was a 9 day so perhaps that explains the $250 admin fee. Are other 7 day booking still $200?

 

And I'm so jealous of the fantastic B2B thru South America :D

[gl1200a]

All in at $989.96, western Med, 8 days Epic mini suite.

UBP, SDP, air, hotel, transfers and insurance.

Leave in 20 days. I'm not complaining about CAS this week :D

[pokerpro5]

i've been going on 'free' CAS cruises since 2014 (see sig).

a 'free' 7day cruise is ~$200 admin fees + taxes/port fees (varies on city + destination).

 

i always thought regular cruises was the price listed on ncl.com + admin fees + taxes/port fees.

 

today, doing a mock booking for a $379 balcony on Getaway to carribean, i realized regular cruise prices didnt have the stupid 'Admin fee'.

 

So basically 'free' cruises actually costs $200! :cool:

 

btw- That Getaway cruise was $379 cruise fare + $140 taxes/port fees = $519 :eek:

so you can view it as $179 cruise fare + $200 admin fee + taxes/port fees. (and without the casino drink card.)

 

The above is mostly correct, but I'll clarify.

 

First off, while I don't know fstuff1's situation with CAS, it sounds like he is using a certificate from a land-based casinos (such as Caesars) to cruise "free" on NCL. You must book this on your own via CAS, even though it's not based upon your onboard play. You are entitled to these even if you never set foot in the NCL casino, due to a marketing partnership between NCL and the land-based casino.

 

The "admin fee" is a new name for NCF (non-commisioned fare). It has always been charged for these land-based CAS certificates, but just had a different name. Prior to 2016, it was listed as "Guest Fare". Now it's listed as "Admin Fee".

 

There is a small difference, in that the Admin Fee tends to be more of a round number, such as $200, whereas the Guest Fare could be anything, like $195. But it's roughly the same price.

 

Why did they change it? I think there was some legal concern that their "free, excluding taxes, port charges, and fees" was misleading, because it made it sound like the customer wasn't paying any fare, when in reality they were.

 

"Admin Fee" is much more clear that, yes, the customer is paying some kind of fare.

 

fstuff1 was also pointing out that, in his case, the certificate he had wasn't that much of a bargain. The NCL Getaway cruise he wanted would have been $379 with his "free" CAS certificate, and $519 if he just bought it normally, so he was complaining that he was only saving $140 on the whole thing.

 

Indeed, this happens sometimes on cheaper itineraries.

 

For example, in 2014, I sailed from Vancouver to Alaska on the Sun. I already had a certificate for a "free" (that is, highly discounted) balcony room, but I wanted a second cabin (an inside), as well. I waited until the perfect moment to book it (about 48 days before sailing), and snagged that inside room for just $104 more than I would have paid if I had a second certificate.

 

Note that certificates for balcony rooms and better tend to always be a decent savings, no matter which itinerary you take.

 

Bottom line: If offered a "free" inside cabin where you have to pay Admin Fee +taxes/port charges, do some price shopping and find out how much you're really saving. Unless you really wanted to take that cruise, it might not be worth it, because you might not be saving that much money.

[richstowe]

i've been going on 'free' CAS cruises since 2014

 

So basically 'free' cruises actually costs $200! :cool:

 

You have my deepest sympathies . If I were you I would definitely refuse to pay this outrageous amount !

In fact they should give you 200 to cruise with them . Plus they should fire Del Rio . How dare he .

[NLH Arizona]

You have my deepest sympathies . If I were you I would definitely refuse to pay this outrageous amount !

In fact they should give you 200 to cruise with them . Plus they should fire Del Rio . How dare he .

I'm with you, I saved $3,600 and only had to pay $900 for a 9 day cruise in an aft penthouse and I got insurance included and my port charges in that amount, plus free DSC, free UBP, free SDP and 250 free internet minutes.....darn that Mr. Del Rio, I say string him up for continuing to give us great deals through CAS.

 

I swear, if NCL gave some of the posters on here $1,000 in OBC, they would complain about where they could spend it.

Edited September 10, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[Mikkar]

We do love our CAS cruises, and I don't mind the Admin fee, but I have been watching it rise over the years. I've seen it go from 120 pp to 140 to 160 etc all for 7 day cruises.

 

The last one we booked in March of this year was $200 pp Admin. My son just booked a 7 day out of NOLA and it was $250 per person. Are you seeing it at $250 per person for other cruises too?

 

The administration fee for our upcoming 8 day West Mediterranean cruise was also $250 for an inside cabin but it also includes airfare, hotel, and all transfers, so it may have been higher because it includes those things.

[SNJCruisers]

So traveling Europe going to 18 ports for 21 days under $1400 is pretty DARN cheap to me.

But once you add on airfare, gratuities, drinks and excursions, the expenditure is 3500+.

[SeeUsoon@Sea]

But once you add on airfare, gratuities, drinks and excursions, the expenditure is 3500+.

 

 

 

Yes. Airfare is a must (not that great of a swimmer [emoji12]). Excursions can be found independently cheaper than the cruise lines. Gratuities is free with the latest promo on both my cruises. I don't drink alcohol but occasionally a virgin drink and bottle water with my free drink card. Bottom line......I stilled saved over 8K. Plus, since cruise is so port intensive I'll be too tired to gamble all my moolah. I never said my trip would be free....just significantly cheaper.

 

PS. I've been dreaming of this trip since I was little but it's so darn expensive. NCL has now made it possible for me. With the extra savings I added also an extra week to see Milan and Paris.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk