CruiseNext triple up for balconies: For 3 people in room, can you use 9 CN certs (if you book 4 months in advance)?

[fstuff1]

Current special: 3 CN certs if Balcony (or above) and 4+ months in advance.

 

So if 2 people in a room, can use 6.

but if 3 people in a room, can you use 9??? 

what if the 3rd person is 12years old?

 

(pre-planning to buy alot of cn certs for cruise next year)

Edited June 29, 2023 by fstuff1

[FLAHAM]

p

Per cabin, not per person.

[fstuff1]

46 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

Per cabin, not per person.

oh wow.

assumed it's per person. (I travel solo.)

 

yike at my elderly mom buying 8 cn earlier this year. 

she only takes 1 cruise a year with my sister. 😮

[YVRteacher]

You are going to have to convince your awesome mom to come on more cruises. I highly recommend you and your mom and sis join us on the Jewel to Alaska and back in April/May. If you book a suite you can use double CN deposits.

[YVRteacher]

I will entertain your mom while you win in the casino!

[julig22]

Not only can't you use more than 3, unless they've extended the offer, it expired 2 days ago.

[RocketMan275]

43 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

oh wow.

assumed it's per person. (I travel solo.)

 

yike at my elderly mom buying 8 cn earlier this year. 

she only takes 1 cruise a year with my sister. 😮

You can buy her excess CN.

[bluesea777]

I had a work colleague going big eyes and bought 8 CNs thinking she’d use em all at one when she booked a cabin on next cruise. That happened last year. 
 

I had to crush her hopes saying she can only use one or 2 per cabin each cruise. She didn’t listen well (perhaps she was a bit sloshed) when she was buying em. 
 

Luckily for her she rounded up her family, friends, etc to go on a cruise earlier this year using all the 8 CNs! She transferred some to others. 
 

 

[Middleager]

1 hour ago, bluesea777 said:

I had a work colleague going big eyes and bought 8 CNs thinking she’d use em all at one when she booked a cabin on next cruise.
 

(perhaps she was a bit sloshed) when she was buying em.

That's an idea.  NCL should set up wine tasting sessions, immediately followed by CN sale pitches.

Get you drunk, sell you more.

 

Oh, they already do that in the Latitude Cocktail parties.

[MoCruiseFan]

5 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

Current special: 3 CN certs if Balcony (or above) and 4+ months in advance.

 

So if 2 people in a room, can use 6.

but if 3 people in a room, can you use 9??? 

what if the 3rd person is 12years old?

 

(pre-planning to buy alot of cn certs for cruise next year)

The CN limit at any given time is per cabin not per person.

[MoCruiseFan]

6 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

Current special: 3 CN certs if Balcony (or above) and 4+ months in advance.

 

So if 2 people in a room, can use 6.

but if 3 people in a room, can you use 9??? 

what if the 3rd person is 12years old?

 

(pre-planning to buy alot of cn certs for cruise next year)

It is a good idea to have A LOT of CN in your account.

Edited June 30, 2023 by MoCruiseFan

[Sailing12Away]

The appeal of the CN certificates died down for us after our second time using them. Covid made it so difficult to travel anywhere let alone use or extend expiring or expired certificates it made us rethink how many we want on hand at any given time. It's always completely inconsistent with how they're issued/charged as well that it's too much effort to bother most times.

 

First time we bought it we were told we would get OBC for the current cruise we were on at that time. So we ran up a decent sized bill, only to find out my credit card had been charged $500 and we had $1000 worth of CN certificates in our account. No OBC at all. So $500 charge for the certificates plus a large debarkation bill to boot. 

 

Second time we bought 4 again as we were using them for a family trip, and all 4 came back when that was Covid cancelled. Along with the next 2 trips we tried to use them on that got cancelled as well. Don't remember if we got OBC or just another straight $500 cc charge for those.

 

Now we finally have none left (assuming this trip in September doesn't get cancelled for any reason). Might get 2 just to have as I think we'll take another NCL trip at some point in 4 years, but definitely do NOT want more OBC as we're going into that trip with over $1300 already in our pocket.

 

They're essentially a B1G1 free $250 gift card, usable only for new cruise bookings. I guess if you tend to book inside cabins they're a bigger deal, but our last few trips have been quite pricey Haven ventures, so that's barely a drop in the bucket.

[Agent999]

14 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

First time we bought it we were told we would get OBC for the current cruise we were on at that time. So we ran up a decent sized bill, only to find out my credit card had been charged $500 and we had $1000 worth of CN certificates in our account. No OBC at all. So $500 charge for the certificates plus a large debarkation bill to boot. 

 

For $1,000 in certificates you paid $500 out of pocket + $500 in OBC.

 

If you really think you didn't get OBC, then what paid the difference in the certificate charge and the value of the certificates?

[JandC_Cruising]

15 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

The appeal of the CN certificates died down for us after our second time using them. Covid made it so difficult to travel anywhere let alone use or extend expiring or expired certificates it made us rethink how many we want on hand at any given time. It's always completely inconsistent with how they're issued/charged as well that it's too much effort to bother most times.

 

First time we bought it we were told we would get OBC for the current cruise we were on at that time. So we ran up a decent sized bill, only to find out my credit card had been charged $500 and we had $1000 worth of CN certificates in our account. No OBC at all. So $500 charge for the certificates plus a large debarkation bill to boot. 

 

Second time we bought 4 again as we were using them for a family trip, and all 4 came back when that was Covid cancelled. Along with the next 2 trips we tried to use them on that got cancelled as well. Don't remember if we got OBC or just another straight $500 cc charge for those.

 

Now we finally have none left (assuming this trip in September doesn't get cancelled for any reason). Might get 2 just to have as I think we'll take another NCL trip at some point in 4 years, but definitely do NOT want more OBC as we're going into that trip with over $1300 already in our pocket.

 

They're essentially a B1G1 free $250 gift card, usable only for new cruise bookings. I guess if you tend to book inside cabins they're a bigger deal, but our last few trips have been quite pricey Haven ventures, so that's barely a drop in the bucket.

It seems as if you did not understand how the purchase of CN certificates worked.  Certainly there has been a bunch of conversation regarding how the CN salespeople "confuse" purchasers to think they are getting an even better deal...but the fact remains, if you are planning to cruise again (and you have the funds), buying CN certs are a good deal.

As you stated, you RECEIVED $1000 in CN certs your first time buying and were charged $500! 

You DID receive $500 in OBC....It was automatically used to reduce the CN certificate cost!

  

 

 

[julig22]

48 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

They're essentially a B1G1 free $250 gift card, usable only for new cruise bookings. I guess if you tend to book inside cabins they're a bigger deal, but our last few trips have been quite pricey Haven ventures, so that's barely a drop in the bucket.

Yes, you obviously didn't see through the sales mumbo-jumbo. You can call it BOGO, that works as long as you understand that you get charged the full price and the OBC you get is what you use to pay for the certificates.

You are incorrect in thinking that it can only be used for new cruise bookings.  Certificates can be used for payment towards any booking that isn't fully paid.  Whether that's because NCL considers anything not yet PIF to be a new booking (remember that you can always cancel and rebook prior to PIF) or they just don't enforce it is irrelevant - the point is that they can be applied to an existing reservation.

As to value, $250 saved is $250 saved, even if it is a drop in the bucket.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I really wish NCL would simply sell a certificate for half price, if you’re onboard, and stop with the “free OBC” nonsense.   It is so confusing and we have all heard people oohing over how they are going to spend their free OBC.   I mean, I know why NCL does it, but it’s deceptive, IMHO.

[JandC_Cruising]

40 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

I really wish NCL would simply sell a certificate for half price, if you’re onboard, and stop with the “free OBC” nonsense.   It is so confusing and we have all heard people oohing over how they are going to spend their free OBC.   I mean, I know why NCL does it, but it’s deceptive, IMHO.

That is absolutely true!  It is unfortunate that so many fall within the spectrum of confused to outright deceived.  

In the end the CN certs are a good deal, however, my advise to anyone who is considering buying for the first time is this:

1. Get the sales pitch within the first couple of days of your cruise AND WALK AWAY WITHOUT PURCHASING!  You are not getting the last car on the lot!  The same deal is available right up to the last evening of your cruise.  Walk away and come back another time after.....

2. Go back to your cabin and review all the material again

3. Ask fellow cruisers to explain it to you.  Preferably someone who has purchased/used in the past  -- a fellow cruiser has no skin in the game!

4. If you feel you understand it and want to participate, go back to CN desk and get the pitch again from another salesperson (particularly if you feel the first selling was not clear).  

5. Buy the CN"s if you are clear

 

Happy Cruising!

[Asawi]

2 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

I really wish NCL would simply sell a certificate for half price, if you’re onboard, and stop with the “free OBC” nonsense.   It is so confusing and we have all heard people oohing over how they are going to spend their free OBC.   I mean, I know why NCL does it, but it’s deceptive, IMHO.

Could not agree more! When I bought my first one I wasn't aware that the OBC actually counted towards the CN purchase price. I thought I had to use it for something onboard. Fortunately that was my plan all along (needed an Internet upgrade) so no harm done. But still I felt a little foolish. I know better now. 😉 

 

[Agent999]

1 hour ago, Asawi said:

Could not agree more! When I bought my first one I wasn't aware that the OBC actually counted towards the CN purchase price. I thought I had to use it for something onboard. Fortunately that was my plan all along (needed an Internet upgrade) so no harm done. But still I felt a little foolish. I know better now. 😉 

 

 

But why? I ask because it literally makes no difference. It is like trying to debate whether it should be 3+1=4 or 1+3=4. In the end, it does not matter one iota.

 

For example...

 

You have $500 of purchases to your onboard account.

You buy CNs receiving $1,000 in CNs and $500 in OBC for a $500 charge.

 

You will pay $1,000 to your onboard account ($500 purchases + $500 CNs) and use the $500 OBC to pay the rest of the CN cost of $1,000

 

OR

 

You pay $1,000 to your onboard account for the CN cost, and then use the $500 in OBC to pay for your purchases.

 

Either way, you pay them $1,000 and you go home with your CNs and your purchases.

[Asawi]

37 minutes ago, Agent999 said:

 

But why? I ask because it literally makes no difference. It is like trying to debate whether it should be 3+1=4 or 1+3=4. In the end, it does not matter one iota.

 

Well, I know that NOW! But back then I thought I had to spend the "free money! onboard. And I don't spend money onboard! Excpet that time when I needed to upgrade Internet. If I hadn't had that need I would have spent it things I really didn't want or need. Yes, I would have been wrong, but they really don't make this very clear when just reading about it. I doubt I'm the only one that has misunderstood this at some point when new to cruising and onboard accounts and what have you.

Why not just make it super-easy? "This voucher is worth 250 but you pay 125". Because that is what it is! 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

It is a very common misconception.  I think more people don’t understand it than do.