CruiseNext Confusion

[Smitheroo]

The 8 CruiseNEXT Certificates ($2,000) I purchased onboard my recent cruise came with $1000 OBC. (they advertised it as Free Money)  In the past I understood this was OBC you lost if you didnt use it on the cruise you bought the certificates on.   This was not the case on this particular cruise. I dont know if its a permanent change or not but as it was explained to me by the CruiseNEXT rep was  "Many of our most frequent NCL cruisers come on board with their expenses all prepaid so this offer didnt benefit them much"  It seems that now if you dont use the Free Money it comes off the price of the CruiseNEXT certificates.  I had to crunch the numbers for a long time in my account for it all to make sense but  it finally did. I did have some shipboard expenses but if I hadnt, the $1,000 would have come off the total cost of the 8 CruiseNEXT certiicates making them $125 each.    My travel partner bought 2 CruiseNext certificates at $500 (2 x 250) and got $250 back, making them $125  each.  Was this just another marketing game?  I think I may have actually lost money because the $1,000 Free Money enticed me to try some spa options that I would never have done otherwise. Thinking about it, I probably would have been better off doing as my partner did (buying two CruiseNEXT certicates and applying the $250 rebate to my $140 service charges  Maybe in that case the remainder would have been lost if not used.   Please tell me I am wrong.

[shof515]

its just another marketing game to get people to buy a ton of certificates. i only need 1 or 2. that's all i need, dont need more. whenever i try buy, they always do various upsells to try to get me to buy more

[Smitheroo]

8 minutes ago, shof515 said:

its just another marketing game to get people to buy a ton of certificates. i only need 1 or 2. that's all i need, dont need more. whenever i try buy, they always do various upsells to try to get me to buy more

Doesnt it occur to them that people dont like to discover they've been tricked?  So over time it will come back to bite them. I guess by that time they will have thought of a new one.  It will entice me to cruise more so I guess all is not lost but it sure doesnt make me feel good.   They have a double up promo going on until tomorrow. Im wondering if they have a triple promo for Black Friday?  And they can also be transferred so its not the end of the world but you can be sure I wont do that again. Not because I lost a lot of money but because I dont like realizing I am a sucker. btw, I did explain the 70% off 2nd person- 35% off cruise  confusion to someone  waiting behind me on line and told her I came to the conclusion that all I need to be concerned about is the bottom line and if I am willing to pay it or not. That it is just a marketing strategy

Edited October 31, 2023 by Smitheroo

[FLAHAM]

It has always been that you got the value back if you didn’t spend it on board.

[Smitheroo]

3 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

It has always been that you got the value back if you didn’t spend it on board.

It was my understanding that the obc was what was considered "nonrefundable" OBC and was lost if not used.   That it was good to pay off ship board expenses incurred  on the cruise.   I guess another thing i was clueless about

[Russiamomm]

I’m afraid you fell for the gimmick.  What they don’t explain clearly is that the “OBC” can be used to offset the cost of the certificates.  Bottom line is that as long as you buy two, they cost $125.  The return is less if you only buy one.  I’m afraid you did what they wanted you do - buy stuff you wouldn’t have otherwise bought.  
 

The certs are a good deal.  I’ve used them extensively over the years and always try to have four in the bank.  But I really hate how they market them.  

 

 

[ziggyuk]

30 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

It was my understanding that the obc was what was considered "nonrefundable" OBC and was lost if not used.   That it was good to pay off ship board expenses incurred  on the cruise.   I guess another thing i was clueless about

 

You could never be in that situation, it can never be lost, because you just bought $2000 of cruise next, the $1000 free money can never be lost as it pays off half the $2000 you owe, it's always been the case.

[Smitheroo]

33 minutes ago, Russiamomm said:

I’m afraid you fell for the gimmick.  What they don’t explain clearly is that the “OBC” can be used to offset the cost of the certificates.  Bottom line is that as long as you buy two, they cost $125.  The return is less if you only buy one.  I’m afraid you did what they wanted you do - buy stuff you wouldn’t have otherwise bought.  
 

The certs are a good deal.  I’ve used them extensively over the years and always try to have four in the bank.  But I really hate how they market them.  

 

 

Since I love cruising I'm not very upset. As far as spending some of the OBC on services I would never have bought otherwise, oh well, it was an experience. No wondering now, I know I would never spend anything in the spa again.  My hair cut was nice and the process seemed luxurious but honestly, it feels just as nice at my local beauty school for $9.  Whatever floats your boat I guess

[Smitheroo]

15 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

You could never be in that situation, it can never be lost, because you just bought $2000 of cruise next, the $1000 free money can never be lost as it pays off half the $2000 you owe, it's always been the case.

I dont understand this because on a previous cruise I sat and listened to the presentation with interest. And it was very clear to me that if you did not use this obc on that particular cruise it was gone.  That it was ideal for paying off a large shipboard account.  

 

Exactly what is "nonrefundable obc"

[ziggyuk]

6 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

Exactly what is "nonrefundable obc"

 

Exactly that, use it of lose it, but as you just spent $2000 you already used the $1000 to pay half your bill so you can't lose it.

[schmoopie17]

This CruiseNext thing is the most confusing marketing fiasco ever.

 

So, let me get this straight. If I buy two CN certificates for $500, where does the $250 "OBC" go? Is it non-refundable credit that I lose if I don't use it on that cruise...or does it get refunded to my credit card? If so, how is that "non-refundable"?

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by schmoopie17

[FLAHAM]

CruiseNext is not non refundable.  You get it back if you don’t spend it on board.  It has been like this since the beginning.  I have never spent it on board and I have always received a full refund. 

[IAcruising]

1 minute ago, schmoopie17 said:

Is it non-refundable credit that I lose if I don't use it on that cruise...or does it get refunded to my credit card?

 

As ziggy just pointed out. You immediately use the $250 to pay 1/2 of the $500 charge.

 

[stinkyharriet]

I bought 4 CN credits earlier this month on the Escape.  I could see in my on board account that I was charged $1,000 and had 4 credits totaling $500.  I didn’t try to spend the OBC so my final bill was just over $500 because I had bought a couple of things and had some taxes for drinks while still docked in NYC.  

My sister bought one credit and I believe she only got $100 OBC.

[BirdTravels]

4 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

This CruiseNext thing is the most confusing marketing fiasco ever.

 

So, let me get this straight. If I buy two CN certificates for $500, where does the $250 "OBC" go? Is it non-refundable credit that I lose if I don't use it on that cruise...or does it get refunded to my credit card? If so, how is that "non-refundable"?

 

You use the $250 OBC to pay for the $500 you paid for the Certs.

[stinkyharriet]

4 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

This CruiseNext thing is the most confusing marketing fiasco ever.

 

So, let me get this straight. If I buy two CN certificates for $500, where does the $250 "OBC" go? Is it non-refundable credit that I lose if I don't use it on that cruise...or does it get refunded to my credit card? If so, how is that "non-refundable"?

 

It basically applies itself in your on board account.  If the only charges you incur on board is buying 2 CN certificates for $500, at the end of the cruise your final bill will show you owe $250 and that’s what will be charged to your card.

[schmoopie17]

4 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You use the $250 OBC to pay for the $500 you paid for the Certs.

So...I pay $500...get $500 worth of CN certificates...and at the end of the cruise, my credit card is only charged $250. Correct?

 

EDIT: I see @stinkyharriet answered my question, above.

Edited October 31, 2023 by schmoopie17

[destar]

I bought 8 CN certificates, $250 each, that is $2000 in CN deposits, my card was charge $1000 and also have $1000 in non refundable OBC

[Russiamomm]

2 minutes ago, destar said:

I bought 8 CN certificates, $250 each, that is $2000 in CN deposits, my card was charge $1000 and also have $1000 in non refundable OBC

Are you onboard now?  Either way, you will be charged $1000 for the certificates.  You do not have an additional $1000 of OBC.  That $1000 was used to offset the cost of the certificates.  

[RocketMan275]

The problem with cruise next is the used car salesmen wantabees they have selling these products.

They would sell more cruise next if they would simplify the sales pitch.

"Buy a $500 credit for your next cruise for only $250".

[Smitheroo]

39 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Exactly that, use it of lose it, but as you just spent $2000 you already used the $1000 to pay half your bill so you can't lose it.

Only because in this case (or so I thought) that it was a change to put the $1000 back on the certiicate purchase. In fact the rep who sold me the certs said that in the past you lost the "free money" if you didnt use it on board  on that cruise so now they were redirecting it back to the certificates.  He gave the example of NCLs most frequent cruisers coming on board with everything pre-paid so needed some enticement to buy the CruiseNEXT certiicates.  $1000 of free money was going to do much for them if they had very little in their shipboard account.

 

Its very confusing and I doubt very much I will ever buy 8 again when I could get as good a deal as buying 2.

 

[Smitheroo]

Just now, RocketMan275 said:

The problem with cruise next is the used car salesmen wantabees they have selling these products.

They would sell more cruise next if they would simplify the sales pitch.

"Buy a $500 credit for your next cruise for only $250".

how would that be any different than CruiseFIRST?   

[destar]

6 minutes ago, Russiamomm said:

Are you onboard now?  Either way, you will be charged $1000 for the certificates.  You do not have an additional $1000 of OBC.  That $1000 was used to offset the cost of the certificates.

Not onboard now, that's how they explained while onboard last time.

[Smitheroo]

4 minutes ago, destar said:

Not onboard now, that's how they explained while onboard last time.

That's how I understood it last time also.  And this time it had changed. But now that the others have explained how it really works it  seems so obvious.  So its only a good deal if you buy 8 certificates and not have any other charges on your account. UGH

[Russiamomm]

3 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

Only because in this case (or so I thought) that it was a change to put the $1000 back on the certiicate purchase. In fact the rep who sold me the certs said that in the past you lost the "free money" if you didnt use it on board  on that cruise so now they were redirecting it back to the certificates.  He gave the example of NCLs most frequent cruisers coming on board with everything pre-paid so needed some enticement to buy the CruiseNEXT certiicates.  $1000 of free money was going to do much for them if they had very little in their shipboard account.

 

Its very confusing and I doubt very much I will ever buy 8 again when I could get as good a deal as buying 2.

 

It’s not a change.  That’s the way it’s always been.  They just try to convince you that you have to spend the money on other stuff.  
 

I did have an issue on my first cruise post-covid.  Onboard they said I forfeited something like $160 of OBC.  Stupid me didn’t check the account closely enough before I got off the ship.  I noticed it the next day.  It took several days and multiple escalations, but finally talked to a CN supervisor in Miami.  Her reaction was “Of course you can apply the OBC to the cost of the certificates.  Why else would anyone buy them?”  It took two more phone calls, but I got my $150 back.

 

And I agree about buying 8.  Unless you’re planning a LOT of cruises in the future.  You can buy more on each trip.  I usually try to keep four on account.  I’m out at the moment and will buy four more next month on the Epic.