NCL Mastercard FAQ

[gtalum]

An NCL representative once told me that passengers need to use NCL insurance if they want to protect the value of the Compass Rewards points.

 

I emailed InsureMyTrip.com, and this is correct. If I purchase insurance through any of their companies, I can only protect the actual cash value that I paid for the trip for reimbursement. I would have to buy insurance through NCL to cover the value of the Compass Rewards points. I'm still going with an InsureMyTrip policy, though, as the coverages are better for all other aspects of the policy and for me personally, reimbursement for the Compass Rewards points is a very low priority. I'm much more concerned specifically about medical coverage, emergency medical evacuation, and car rental insurance.

 

Thanks for your help!

[Birdnutty]

Question? I have a $500 certificate and 4 $100 certificates. When we got the certificates because the old rewards program was being changed to the new program.

 

There is a statement on the back of the $100 certificate that says that the certificate could be for an onboard or upgrade, but for only what was on the front. The front had four upgrades.

 

I was already booked on a cruise for January 2010 on a BA category balcony. I asked them, what do I do with the upgrade credits as BA was tops in their category. They said that I could book a lower category balcony and then move up, but I might lose the room.

I did not want to lose the room and asked if the certificates could be changed to OBCs.

They said, after, checking with other staff (Managers I assume) that I would have to call Bank of America. Bank of America said that only NCL could do it.

 

My wife and I will take a cruise a year and have always used NCL excepting one cruise that we did with others who chose not to go NCL. I am not sure that I want to go with NCL again as they will not put anything down in writing, call Bank of America to get an answer. This is not customer service for someone who makes NCL the Cruise Line of choice.

 

What has happened with some people is that if they booked the highest cabin in their category, then sent in their 100 POINT -not dollar - upgrade certs, they would get some money either back or applied to onboard credit. Some were rejected. But it doesn't seem to have a rhyme or reason. Seems to vary somewhat. Maybe upon who receives it in the accounting department or what kind of mood they're in that day. I do believe you need to tell them you want to stay in your room

I have the same deal, and I really don't know how they'll handle it. My cruise isn't until January, so I won't send in the certificates until after final payment, but I do not want to switch cabins. Especially since the prices have gone up significantly for my cabin since I booked it. I'm hoping that they'll give me just an onboard credit or a reduction in rate. We'll see....

[MagnoliaBlossom]

re: insurance covering your Compass Point investment.

 

In the past there have been some posters who said their insurance, even when purchased through NCL did NOT cover Compass Points as it did not have an actual cash value. Everyone's story was the same. Of course, things change but you may want to double check.

[Dannie138]

Has anyone tried to get OBC's with the new card yet? How easy is it and how far in advance do you recommend doing it?

[x2tpd]

SIMPLE SIMPLE... call the number for NCL and they apply it to your reservation as OBC right then. It is instantly done you dont have to wait for the certificate etc. like before.

Edited July 20, 2009 by x2tpd

[Dannie138]

SIMPLE SIMPLE... call the number for NCL and they apply it to your reservation as OBC right then. It is instantly done you dont have to wait for the certificate etc. like before.

 

That's fantastic. Do you get an email confirmation or such? Does it matter if you went through your own TA? :) Thanks for the info!

[x2tpd]

You get an email message from Bank of looks like this...

Items redeemed:

 

Quantity: 1Item points value: 10,000Description: Imagine earning up to $100 in on-board credit simply by purchasing the things you were going to purchase anyway. Use your credit on whatever you wish - spa treatments, Shore Excursions, or any other splurge.

[pcreek]

So, you have to have a LOT of points to get anything onboard?

My dh just looked at last statement and we have only 900 something.

Not worth anything, yet - right? :confused:

 

As we're going on Epic 10/10 - can we still accrue points to use on that sailing? :rolleyes:

 

Thanks for the info!

[c breeze]

Click here: NCL Credit Card | Cruise Vacation Credit Card Points | Norwegian Cruise Line

 

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=WorldPoints

 

As you can see, the new program is worth labout a third less of what the old program was worth, and with far less flexibility.....

 

So, you have to have a LOT of points to get anything onboard?

My dh just looked at last statement and we have only 900 something.

Not worth anything, yet - right? :confused:

 

As we're going on Epic 10/10 - can we still accrue points to use on that sailing? :rolleyes:

 

Thanks for the info!

Edited July 21, 2009 by c breeze

[pcreek]

Oh, WOW.

Guess dh better do a LOT more CHARGING! LOL

He uses the card for this work expense account.. guess they're not having enough expenses! ha ha ha

 

Thanks for the info! Very helpful (cause I'm too lazy to research myself)

 

Enjoy your Dawn trip!

[Kylie]

SIMPLE SIMPLE... call the number for NCL and they apply it to your reservation as OBC right then. It is instantly done you dont have to wait for the certificate etc. like before.

 

Call the NCL number or the NCL credit card number?

[axelbay]

I sent in my useless 100 Point compass reward certificate to try and get some onboard credit and they just sent it back to me stating they can't use the upgrade certificate with suites.

 

The only reason I sent it in was because I noticed some people posted they received some OBC instead of the upgrade because they were ineligible for an upgrade. Oh well.

[jcc37000]

Hi!

 

I think i know the answer to this, but wanted some supporting views.

 

I recently sent in 2 x $500 Compass rewards plus 4 x 100 "point" certificates and I quickly got an email saying that my upgrade certs got processed and i got a great upgrade (yay). but no mention of the 1000$ credit to my balance.

 

1. Does anyone know if they process these separately? should I be concerned?

2. Any experience with what the lag should be between the processing times of the two types of certs?

3. any other comments I might not know...

 

Thanks

[c breeze]

Well..........the rule was that you could not combine the $500 certs with the upgrade certs. Some people here have been lucky enough to get some credit for the upgrade certs, but they are not obligated to do that. Log in to NCL and check your invoice, if you can. If they have not credited you $1,000 then you will have to make some phone calls about this. Hopefully you copied your certs before you mailed them and have the numbers on them. They should credited you the $1,000, but may take the upgrade away. They may also give you some sort of cash credit for the upgrade certs... or not. When is final payment due. You definitely want it straightened out before that!

Good luck!

Hi!

 

I think i know the answer to this, but wanted some supporting views.

 

I recently sent in 2 x $500 Compass rewards plus 4 x 100 "point" certificates and I quickly got an email saying that my upgrade certs got processed and i got a great upgrade (yay). but no mention of the 1000$ credit to my balance.

 

1. Does anyone know if they process these separately? should I be concerned?

2. Any experience with what the lag should be between the processing times of the two types of certs?

3. any other comments I might not know...

 

Thanks

[jcc37000]

Made some calls, my TA said it should get processed seperately because its a different department (accounting vs. upgrades?), but obv, i expressed my concern and asked her to try to contact and confirm.

 

ill keep posted.

[jcc&lnc]

Received a nice form letter from BofA informing me that they cut my credit limit from $17,000. to $500. In the past I would have to call to get my limit lowered. And they wondered why I am not using it as much now. I called and asked them how far I could travel on $500.

[ute_fan]

You get an email message from Bank of looks like this...

Items redeemed:

 

Quantity: 1Item points value: 10,000Description: Imagine earning up to $100 in on-board credit simply by purchasing the things you were going to purchase anyway. Use your credit on whatever you wish - spa treatments, Shore Excursions, or any other splurge.

 

I haven't looked at this thread forever, and don't feel like looking back through all the pages to see if this has been asked.

 

Does anyone know if you can use the OBC from the new program for tips, or are they excluded? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth is to apply any of our points for OBC since we're probably not doing NCL excursions this time.

[dandi]

When the old Bank of America/NCL program ended, I received one $500 certificate which I am going to apply towards the balance of our cruise. I also received five $100 certificates for upgrades. We had already booked the cruise and could not use the $100 upgrade as we had the highest type of cabin in our category. The certificates can only be used for upgrades.

 

We are going on a cruise from 1/15/2010 until 1/30/2010. We want to book our 2011 cruise on that January 2010 cruise so that we might get a $100 onboard credit, but we must use the certificates for $100 before the end of January in 2010. It would be impossible to have those certificates used if we book on the ship in January of 2010.

 

I called Bank of America and they sent me to NCL; I called NCL and they tell me it is Bank of America's call. I called customer service at NCL corporate headquarters and they did not return my call. My question was, would NCL be willing to give me a $500 on board credit for the five $100 certificates. Who makes the call? Do I have a case? Why did they send me five $100 certificates and not one $500 that could have gone towards the January cruise?

 

Can anyone help?

 

Dan

[c breeze]

Did you have more than one NCL credit card? If not, you may have had four hundred and some points , and they rounded up to five hundred (but unfortunately they don't give you a $500 cert, but five $100s instead :( )

 

Can't help you with the rest.... I believe you must book and apply the certs by the end of January.

 

 

When the old Bank of America/NCL program ended, I received one $500 certificate which I am going to apply towards the balance of our cruise. I also received five $100 certificates for upgrades. We had already booked the cruise and could not use the $100 upgrade as we had the highest type of cabin in our category. The certificates can only be used for upgrades.

 

We are going on a cruise from 1/15/2010 until 1/30/2010. We want to book our 2011 cruise on that January 2010 cruise so that we might get a $100 onboard credit, but we must use the certificates for $100 before the end of January in 2010. It would be impossible to have those certificates used if we book on the ship in January of 2010.

 

I called Bank of America and they sent me to NCL; I called NCL and they tell me it is Bank of America's call. I called customer service at NCL corporate headquarters and they did not return my call. My question was, would NCL be willing to give me a $500 on board credit for the five $100 certificates. Who makes the call? Do I have a case? Why did they send me five $100 certificates and not one $500 that could have gone towards the January cruise?

 

Can anyone help?

 

Dan

[dandi]

Did you have more than one NCL credit card? If not, you may have had four hundred and some points , and they rounded up to five hundred (but unfortunately they don't give you a $500 cert, but five $100s instead :( )

 

Can't help you with the rest.... I believe you must book and apply the certs by the end of January.

 

Thanks for your info. I did have 965 points. They must have rounded up. My question would be how the they determine whether they would give me five $100 certificates for upgrades as opposed to on board credits. Can they make this call..and who makes the call, NCL or Bank of America?

 

Thanks again,

 

Dan

[c breeze]

On the old program, the 100 point certs were only good for upgrades, and not onboard credit. The new program allows for onboard credits.

 

Thanks for your info. I did have 965 points. They must have rounded up. My question would be how the they determine whether they would give me five $100 certificates for upgrades as opposed to on board credits. Can they make this call..and who makes the call, NCL or Bank of America?

 

Thanks again,

 

Dan

[ABC Cruisers]

Hi Dan,

 

Your certificates are not $100 ones, they are 100 POINTS. We have 13 of them. They sent us 4 $500 ones and 13 of these worthless ones. We are in a PH and they can't be used for upgrades for us. It really seems like NCL is shutting out their customers who book suites and the courtyard from using these. If we can't use them towards upgrades, we should be able to get a credit of some sort towards our cruise or at the very least an OBC with these things we didn't even request or want.

[dandi]

On the old program, the 100 point certs were only good for upgrades, and not onboard credit. The new program allows for onboard credits.

 

Why does the certificate have in the front "good for upgrade or on board credit" if they did not have onboard credit on that program?

[dandi]

To clarify my last post a bit. The reverse of the certificate said that it was an onboard or upgrade, but also said that it defaulted to whatever was on the front. The fron said upgrade.

[angeljt]

My two $500 certificates were applied one week after they received them, but they noted on my account that they would return the 5 $100 certificates to me.

I figured it was worth a shot since some people reported getting on board credit for them.

 

Dan, they sent one extra certificate for your point balance under 100 and I think everyone got that extra certificate. I also received 5 of them. Wish I charged enough to get that other $500 certificate.