NCL Mastercard FAQ

[c breeze]

I have used AE Blue cash card for quite a while, and it is one of the better programs available. The best places to use it are gas stations, grocery stores, and drug stores. Use it anywhere else and it is no better than anyone else's program.

 

One psychological drawback for me is that I automaticaly receive a credit to my account, for my points, once a year. Unless I look carefully at my statement I don't even notice it. Even though my credit one year was over $900, it just got lost in my credits and debits that month. Even if I earn the same amount on my Blue Cash card as my NCL card, psychologicaly, it is not the same as getting a free cruise.

 

 

I understand this psychology completely!!!! This is why I keep searching for a really good and flexible card that I can cruise with! The AE Blue Sky seems to allow all this, you earn a point for every dollar and $7,500 is worth $100 of travel credit, as long as you pay for the travel with the AE card.

[Margery]

Have you looked at the Chase Freedom card?

[Sea Hound]

Please forgive me if this has been asked and answered but I need to know before I do something I might regret!

 

Here's the issue: To get enough points for the next $500 certificate, I need to go ahead and pay off my June 09 cruise (the deadline is not until Feb) with my TA. If I pay the cruise off now through my TA, what happens when I get my two $500 certificates and send them in?

 

Thanks for your replies!

 

Sea Hound:D

[Host Kewlguy]

 

Here's the issue: To get enough points for the next $500 certificate, I need to go ahead and pay off my June 09 cruise (the deadline is not until Feb) with my TA. If I pay the cruise off now through my TA, what happens when I get my two $500 certificates and send them in?

 

Thanks for your replies!

 

Sea Hound:D

 

The money will then be credited to your NCL credit card.

[Sea Hound]

The money will then be credited to your NCL credit card.

 

Thanks, kewlguy! And excuse my ignorance but, who will do the crediting? I send my certificates to NCL (with a copy to the TA) and then NCL notifies the TA that I've overpaid and the TA credits my account? Is that right? I'm just trying to understand the mechanics of the transactions.

 

Thanks!

 

Sea Hound:D

[Marlissa]

Thanks, kewlguy! And excuse my ignorance but, who will do the crediting? I send my certificates to NCL (with a copy to the TA) and then NCL notifies the TA that I've overpaid and the TA credits my account? Is that right? I'm just trying to understand the mechanics of the transactions.

 

Thanks!

 

Sea Hound:D

 

Think it may depend on who does the initial charging. When you make a payment to the TA, does the charge come thru as NCL or TA? I'd think whichever did the original charge would do the credit.

[Sea Hound]

Think it may depend on who does the initial charging. When you make a payment to the TA, does the charge come thru as NCL or TA? I'd think whichever did the original charge would do the credit.

 

Thanks, Marlissa. I think so, too, but I'm not sure. I used a cruise rewards certificate for my deposit so I really haven't paid the TA or NCL anything yet. I'll make my final payment to the TA and they'll pay NCL for the cruise.

 

I've used the certificates before but it was always when I'd booked directly with NCL. This is the first time I've used a TA and I'm not sure who puts the credit back on my card.

 

Thanks for any replies!

 

Sea Hound:D

[Marlissa]

Thanks, Marlissa. I think so, too, but I'm not sure. I used a cruise rewards certificate for my deposit so I really haven't paid the TA or NCL anything yet. I'll make my final payment to the TA and they'll pay NCL for the cruise.

 

I've used the certificates before but it was always when I'd booked directly with NCL. This is the first time I've used a TA and I'm not sure who puts the credit back on my card.

 

Thanks for any replies!

 

Sea Hound:D

 

It'd be better if your TA would 'pass' the info to NCL and let NCL do the charging. Otherwise, you'll only get the 3%. For the 4%, the charge must come from NCL and not the TA.

[Sea Hound]

It'd be better if your TA would 'pass' the info to NCL and let NCL do the charging. Otherwise, you'll only get the 3%. For the 4%, the charge must come from NCL and not the TA.

 

Yes, I know that but I'm kinda at the mercy of the TA since this is a group booking and (I'm pretty sure) the TA has already paid NCL for a block of rooms. In essence, I'll probably just be paying back the TA for a suite they've already purchased. I'll check with the TA on that issue.

 

I'm still trying to figure out the reward certificate credit thing.

 

Thanks!

 

Sea Hound:D

[Sea Hound]

I got my answer! The TA is just a pass-through and the charges are made directly to NCL. That means I'll not only get the 4% on my final payment, I'll get NCL to directly credit back my BOA certificates. GREAT NEWS!

 

Thanks for the replies!

 

Sea Hound:D

[halos]

for a fee free card it is packed with perks. Spend $125 in the first 2 months & get 2 nights FREE at Hilton hotels. Free companion airfare, free airport club assess, 3-5 points per $1 spent at grocery stores, drugstores, gas, 6 points per $1 at Hilton. So we changed our World MC Premium Pass at Citi for this Visa Signature.

 

I think if my daughter weren't an employee of The Marriott, I'd jump on that one.

[fyrmrs]

Can anyone help me out here. I am trying to max my points out before december to be able to get 2000 points. I am going to book a cruise for late next year. I need the double points to make my max. In order to make the points taht I need, I need to pay for at leats 3/4 of the cruise. Now, when I get my voucher in January for NCL's end of the original point system, it will put me about $1000 over. Will they give me shipboard credit for this overage, or will I loose it? Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank You.

[smeyer418]

Can anyone help me out here. I am trying to max my points out before december to be able to get 2000 points. I am going to book a cruise for late next year. I need the double points to make my max. In order to make the points taht I need, I need to pay for at leats 3/4 of the cruise. Now, when I get my voucher in January for NCL's end of the original point system, it will put me about $1000 over. Will they give me shipboard credit for this overage, or will I loose it? Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank You.

no ship board credit for any overage but if its less tha the cost of the entire cruise fare it will be credited back to your credit card...

[c breeze]

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2008/10/15/credit-card-companies-cracking-down-on-customers/

[Leafpeeper]

What date must we have either begun a cruise or ended a cruise to use the certificates? I didn't keep my BOA letter on file. I know the date is in January 2010 but not quite sure.

 

I am already over by $929 on one of our cards so I stopped using it and will cancel it this month. Wish I had gotten my BOA letter a month sooner. I had hoped I could transfer those extra purchases over to my other card to build points but they told me charges are not transferrable. I am trying to pay off anything I can between now and December. DH is getting his brake job and new tires now instead of waiting. Hey, we're also doing our part to help to stimulate the economy at the same time.

 

Looks like we'll be booking another cruise for next year to earn those extra points we need to get our other credit card up to the 500 points. Anybody else doing the same?

 

BTW, is there a specific date in December that points will stop accumulating?

[c breeze]

What date must we have either begun a cruise or ended a cruise to use the certificates? I didn't keep my BOA letter on file. I know the date is in January 2010 but not quite sure.

 

 

BTW, is there a specific date in December that points will stop accumulating?

 

It is my understanding that points will accumulate on all charges made and posted through December 31.

 

Another poster somewhere on this thread spoke with someone at NCL who said the certificates would not have the normal one year expiration. Scroll back and look for the details....

[Leafpeeper]

Thanks for the info. I think I should call my DD and ask if she kept her BOA letter. I guess I should just payoff everything in the next month so I know I have earned the points I need for my voucher.

[lucigo]

I just booked my first NCL cruise for 2010, and came here because I had heard such good things about NCLs CC, but it sounds like I'm a little too late. My credit union card gives $650 cash back for 50K points, so I guess we will stick with that. :rolleyes:

[lpglarry]

Please forgive me if this has been asked and answered but I need to know before I do something I might regret!

 

Here's the issue: To get enough points for the next $500 certificate, I need to go ahead and pay off my June 09 cruise (the deadline is not until Feb) with my TA. If I pay the cruise off now through my TA, what happens when I get my two $500 certificates and send them in?

 

Thanks for your replies!

 

Sea Hound:D

 

HI

I HOPE I CAN HELP. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE 500 PTS IN ACCOUNT, CALL AND GET YOUR CERTIFICATE, IT'S GOOD FOR 1 YEAR AFTER U GET IT. SO WHEN YOUR LAST PAYMENT IS DUE YOU SEND IT IN WITH BALANCE

[AFT_LOVER]

as the credit cards arrived Next Day Air for us to start using yesterday.I even got on HiltonHHonors.com and we are Silver status & spend $20K a year & then we are Gold.

 

So Saturday we get to the airport early for our 9AM flight & have the CO Onepass club to wait in & get priority boarding & free drinks. So a geat cruise with a great send off at both airports in the CO club to enjoy. Then I get a call from HiltonHHonors that we have been an active couple with Hilton (20 years) so our rewards are doubled, so 10 points per $1 spent with Hilton, 6 for groceries, drugs, gas & 3 for everything else. So this is better than WORLDPOINTS & MC World that huband got us & they have promos for good stuff so we didn't close it.

 

I think if my daughter weren't an employee of The Marriott, I'd jump on that one.

[c breeze]

as the credit cards arrived Next Day Air for us to start using yesterday.I even got on HiltonHHonors.com and we are Silver status & spend $20K a year & then we are Gold.

 

So Saturday we get to the airport early for our 9AM flight & have the CO Onepass club to wait in & get priority boarding & free drinks. So a geat cruise with a great send off at both airports in the CO club to enjoy. Then I get a call from HiltonHHonors that we have been an active couple with Hilton (20 years) so our rewards are doubled, so 10 points per $1 spent with Hilton, 6 for groceries, drugs, gas & 3 for everything else. So this is better than WORLDPOINTS & MC World that huband got us & they have promos for good stuff so we didn't close it.

 

 

Can the Hilton Honors card points be used for cruises, and if so what is their value; is it one point= one dollar?

[MSUcruisers]

Can the Hilton Honors card points be used for cruises, and if so what is their value; is it one point= one dollar?

Yes. Check out http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/rewards/cruises.do

[ute_fan]

So, from my standpoint, it isn't any good for cruises as I'm not interested in any of the Carnival ones listed..... :rolleyes:

[c breeze]

Yes. Check out http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/rewards/cruises.do

 

Thanks, Natasha487! It appears that with Hilton Honors it would take a very long time to earn a Carnival cruise, even if at the higher earning rate.... Also, the reward program is set up like RCCL's, where they tell you which cruises you can use the points for. Note that there are no cruises out of NY on the chart, which is a big deal for us, because it elimates air travel and costs, and they are all Caribbean/Mexico sailings with no options for Alaska, Canada/NE or Bermuda. So IMHO, this is not the best card if you are looking for something that provides cruise benefits and flexibility, although it looks like it is very good for other travel benefits. If I am going to go with a card that only offers cruising on one cruise lines, they better have a great rewards program (like NCL USED TO) and offer cruises out of NY/NJ/Philly, otherwise I will go with one that allows us to select the cruise lines and the particular cruise we want to use the points on. The search continues....... AE Blue Cash or Blue Sky are looking like the best options, but they aren't accepted everywhere. Maybe a combination of one of those, my Discover cash back, and a good Visa/MC lthat may be listed in this thread, or perhaps keeping the BOA/NCL MC when the terms are spelled out more clearly, as a back up....

[TrinaLC]

I've seen this question asked but want to make sure that the answer is still the same ....

 

I have 1250 points. I have already asked that 2 500 certificates be sent to me.

 

I need to "earn" 250 more points to get another certificate.

 

I have a cruise for March, 2009. Making my final payment on that cruise (due in December), together with other charges I could put on the card, will yield me the additional 250 points.

 

SO -- if I pay in full using my NCL card, can I then (when I receive my next 500 certificate) send in all 3 certs and get a 1500 credit back?

 

Also, we've done this through an online TA if that makes any difference. I've seen others say that you just send the certs into NCL (even though you've fully paid through the TA) and get the credit.

 

Does it still work this way? Or is this risky?

 

EDITED TO ADD: I emailed the online TA (cquick) and got the following:

 

"Once your booking is paid in full per NCL they will not accept any bank coupons" which is discouraging!