NCL AmEx Offer Question

[JillK]

After what feels like 10 - 15 years of jealously reading people discussing the NCL AmEx offers they are receiving, I finally got one on my Canadian AmEx card and I'm trying to figure out how I can take advantage of it.

 

The catch of course is that I already have three cabins booked (one for this fall through a TA where I am getting more money in cash back than the value of this offer so not worth it to cancel and rebook in my opinion) and two cabins on a cruise way in 2025 for a special anniversary that was booked through an NCL agent over the phone. We do not have the capacity to take on another cruise at this time.  

 

The T&C of the offer are very specific to using for cruise bookings online (not shore ex, etc). 

 

My question is for those of you who have experience with the offer or have used it successfully is: to your knowledge, can it be used for a payment on the balance due on an existing booking on the NCL website? I have two cabins booked through an NCL agent for which I put down CruiseFirsts as deposit. No cash has been applied to these bookings to date. Can I use my card to make a $1000 payment through the cruise planner and would this qualify for the $250 credit? 

 

I don't see anything indicating that it has to be on new bookings only so think this could work but thought I would reach out to those of who have more familiarity with the offer. I have attached the Canadian T&C for reference which I am assuming is the same to the American one but you know what they say about assuming.... 

 

Thanks in advance! 

Edited June 20, 2023 by JillK

[laudergayle]

1 hour ago, JillK said:

My question is for those of you who have experience with the offer or have used it successfully is: to your knowledge, can it be used for a payment on the balance due on an existing booking on the NCL website? I have two cabins booked through an NCL agent for which I put down CruiseFirsts as deposit. No cash has been applied to these bookings to date. Can I use my card to make a $1000 payment through the cruise planner and would this qualify for the $250 credit? 

Yes, absolutely you can pay $1000 on your Amex for your existing 2025 cruise and get the $250 credit.  Be sure to accept the Amex offer before paying.  

[JillK]

11 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

Yes, absolutely you can pay $1000 on your Amex for your existing 2025 cruise and get the $250 credit.  Be sure to accept the Amex offer before paying.  

Wonderful thank you so much... thought it would be a little awkward asking the NCL agent!! 

[graphicguy]

39 minutes ago, JillK said:

Wonderful thank you so much... thought it would be a little awkward asking the NCL agent!! 

Do yourself a favor…….ask the NCL PCC if you can use the AMEX promo.  I’ve tried a couple of times to get their OBC + Specialty Dinner + bottle of wine promo if you book using the Platinum AMEX.  With my TA, I could.  NCL PCCs said I could not (twice).

[SpanishForker]

Does anyone know if these AMEX offers ever appear on the Delta Platinum AMEX?

[laudergayle]

10 minutes ago, SpanishForker said:

Does anyone know if these AMEX offers ever appear on the Delta Platinum AMEX?

We have several Delta Amex cards and we have never received them.  It has only showed up on our Amex brand cards…not Delta co-brand.  Wish that would change.

[UKstages]

amex needs to know from your travel history that you cruise. you won’t “qualify” for the NCL  amex offer if you haven’t made a cruise related purchase - on any cruise line - on your amex card. pro tip: even if amex isn’t your preferred credit card for NCL purchases, charge something, anything on NCL.com to amex. could be a deposit or an excursion or a final payment. once having done that, you can go back to using another card, such as the BOA NCL mastercard, if that’s what you prefer. a few months later, you may well get an NCL offer from amex.

[SEA DOGY]

14 hours ago, UKstages said:

amex needs to know from your travel history that you cruise. you won’t “qualify” for the NCL  amex offer if you haven’t made a cruise related purchase - on any cruise line - on your amex card. pro tip: even if amex isn’t your preferred credit card for NCL purchases, charge something, anything on NCL.com to amex. could be a deposit or an excursion or a final payment. once having done that, you can go back to using another card, such as the BOA NCL mastercard, if that’s what you prefer. a few months later, you may well get an NCL offer from amex.

OH really. Probably the reason I never had an offer. 

[GateGuardian]

I have a Canadian Amex and use their Amex offers all the time. The credit triggers base on whatever the credit card statement is regardless of what you're paying to NCL. So at long as you're paying that $1000CAD or more to NCL, it will trigger the credit.

[JillK]

14 hours ago, GateGuardian said:

I have a Canadian Amex and use their Amex offers all the time. The credit triggers base on whatever the credit card statement is regardless of what you're paying to NCL. So at long as you're paying that $1000CAD or more to NCL, it will trigger the credit.

 

Thanks. I have had my AmEx for about a decade and have taken advantage of many offers as well. For all of those the credits were applied pretty much immediately after the applicable purchase. This one is worded differently in that the credit will come at the end of the offer period once AmEx receives confirmation of the "qualifying" purchase from NCL. 

 

This the first time we get one for NCL but we already have three cabins booked so was hoping to get some input from people who may have used such a credit in the past to be sure that if I'm putting money down now for a cruise in 2025 that is currently booked with a CruiseFirst that I get the credit without having to cancel and rebook.

 

I cannot use it for my cruise in the fall as this was booked through a TA and the terms are very specific to vacation booking on the NCL website... unfortunately not applicable to shore ex, gift cards, anything pre-purchased for on board. Was originally thinking of booking ShoreEx for my cruise this fall when I originally saw the offer but then read through the T&C to learn this wasn't a qualifying charge.

 

I did reach out to my NCL PVP as a poster above suggested and she didn't have any insights at all. I chatted with an NCL agent on their site and he said that it should apply but if I could also reach out to AmEx. The T&C clearly states they credit back when they receive information from NCL about the qualifying purchase which to me means that it's up to NCL to say "yes" or "no" about whether the offer applies so don't see value in contacting AmEx.

 

Appreciate everyone's advice... 

[IsanTom]

On 6/20/2023 at 10:44 AM, laudergayle said:

We have several Delta Amex cards and we have never received them.  It has only showed up on our Amex brand cards…not Delta co-brand.  Wish that would change.

Same with me. I have Delta Gold AE and Hilton AE and never saw a NCL offer!

[ontheweb]

If the charge to AMEX shows NCL as it should, not the travel agency, there should be no problem getting it approved. We have used these offers on several cruise lines including NCL for our upcoming cruise while booking with a TA. They have always been approved.

[JillK]

Just wanted to circle back with an update. 

 

We used the AmEx to put $1000 down on our 2025 cruise via the cruise planner (booked through NCL via a PVP by phone a few months ago) and although the T&C says the credit would not be applied until the close of the offer period in August, the $250 credit is already showing on our account.

 

Thanks to all for the sound advice.

[graphicguy]

On 6/20/2023 at 10:31 AM, SpanishForker said:

Does anyone know if these AMEX offers ever appear on the Delta Platinum AMEX?

In Brief....NO!

 

As a caveat, I'm speaking of the $100 to $300 OBC, bottle of wine and complimentary dinner at LeBistro.

 

Those offers are available only on "non branded" AMEX Platinum and Centurion Cards.  

Edited July 1, 2023 by graphicguy

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

In Brief....NO!

 

As a caveat, I'm speaking of the $100 to $300 OBC, bottle of wine and complimentary dinner at LeBistro.

 

Those offers are available only on "non branded" AMEX Platinum and Centurion Cards.  

I've had the $100 offer (in fact I booked our present cruise with a $500 deposit even though only $250 was required for the cruise) on my everyday blue card.

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

I've had the $100 offer (in fact I booked our present cruise with a $500 deposit even though only $250 was required for the cruise) on my everyday blue card.

Not familiar with Blue offers.  AMEX offers some nice travel perks, all-in-all!

[ExArkie]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

In Brief....NO!

 

As a caveat, I'm speaking of the $100 to $300 OBC, bottle of wine and complimentary dinner at LeBistro.

 

Those offers are available only on "non branded" AMEX Platinum and Centurion Cards.  

To be slightly pedantic about it (because that’s who I am), what you are describing are benefits granted through the Cruise Privileges Program, which is ongoing and long-term, available when using the unbranded Platinum (or higher) card.

 

The offers are time-limited and have specific conditions attached (e.g., spend $xx at this certain vendor before the expiration date and get a rebate, extra points, or some other type of bonus). Offers may be made on any of the AmEx cards, including branded ones. The benefits are only with the unbranded card. My wife’s Delta Platinum AmEx card has received several offers from cruise lines (not NCL, to my recollection), but receives none of the Cruise Privileges Program benefits. 
 

There does not appear to be any discernible patterns on who gets which offers, but the Cruise Privileges benefits are well-defined in advance of being applied.

 

[ellenw]

On 6/20/2023 at 10:54 AM, UKstages said:

amex needs to know from your travel history that you cruise. you won’t “qualify” for the NCL  amex offer if you haven’t made a cruise related purchase - on any cruise line - on your amex card. pro tip: even if amex isn’t your preferred credit card for NCL purchases, charge something, anything on NCL.com to amex. could be a deposit or an excursion or a final payment. once having done that, you can go back to using another card, such as the BOA NCL mastercard, if that’s what you prefer. a few months later, you may well get an NCL offer from amex.

I have never used my Amex card for payment on a cruise prior to getting the offer for a statement credit. I made the required payment on a cruise already booked through a TA. The charge came through on my statement as NCL, not the agency

 

I have never received this offer again, even though they have come for Celebrity. I guess it is a one and done, which makes sense. 

 

I'm US based. The offers may differ based on where you are located. Hope it works for you!

[KKB]

9 hours ago, graphicguy said:

In Brief....NO!

 

As a caveat, I'm speaking of the $100 to $300 OBC, bottle of wine and complimentary dinner at LeBistro.

 

Those offers are available only on "non branded" AMEX Platinum and Centurion Cards.  

So JUST got the AmEx Platinum today--KICKING MYSELF FOR NOT DOING IT SOONER!

($695 was a tough pill to swallow)

 

As I perused benefits thoroughly today, it says that the NCL benefit is the OBC plus Le Bistro.

It doesn't mention a bottle of wine (other lines have that).

 

So to clarify...I need to book the cruise via the AmEx portal to trigger these benefits? 

(Obviously playing w/ the AmEx)

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, KKB said:

So JUST got the AmEx Platinum today--KICKING MYSELF FOR NOT DOING IT SOONER!

($695 was a tough pill to swallow)

 

As I perused benefits thoroughly today, it says that the NCL benefit is the OBC plus Le Bistro.

It doesn't mention a bottle of wine (other lines have that).

 

So to clarify...I need to book the cruise via the AmEx portal to trigger these benefits? 

(Obviously playing w/ the AmEx)

Yeah…that’s a tough nut.  But, cruising 2x/year, getting the OBC perk and the “French Dinner” (they must have dropped the bottle of wine) softens the blow.  There are also Hotel benefits (e.g. credits, restaurant credits, $15/mo Uber credits, etc), my fee is usually covered!

 

My TA always honors the AMEX perks.  I don’t think NCL PCCs honor the AMEX perks.  But, I haven’t booked through them in a while!  So, perhaps that’s changed!

 

Point being, you don’t have to book through AMEX travel to get the perks, but not every TA or PCC may honor the perks!

Edited July 2, 2023 by graphicguy

[KKB]

9 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Yeah…that’s a tough nut.  But, cruising 2x/year, getting the OBC perk and the “French Dinner” (they must have dropped the bottle of wine) softens the blow.  There are also Hotel benefits (e.g. credits, restaurant credits, $15/mo Uber credits, etc), my fee is usually covered!

 

My TA always honors the AMEX perks.  I don’t think NCL PCCs honor the AMEX perks.  But, I haven’t booked through them in a while!  So, perhaps that’s changed!

 

Point being, you don’t have to book through AMEX travel to get the perks, but not every TA or PCC may honor the perks!

So if I just add something to my ressie w/ AmEx I might get it?

[graphicguy]

29 minutes ago, KKB said:

So if I just add something to my ressie w/ AmEx I might get it?

In my experience the OBC and dinner perks were added to my portfolio after I boarded the ship!  That may be a function of how my TA books and bills it.  

 

How they do it, I don’t know!

[graphicguy]

This may help…

 

https://consumer-travel.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/cruises

[KKB]

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

This may help…

 

https://consumer-travel.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/cruises

Yes..combed thru that today...once I looked thoroughly at the perks I was smacking myself for waiting so long...

[emm126]

47 minutes ago, KKB said:

So if I just add something to my ressie w/ AmEx I might get it?

When it is booked, the platinum cruise benefit must be added to the reservation. And I had to put the payment on my platinum card. When you get the confirmation it will show what the benefits are. I can see it on my cunard reservation in august.