NCL Mastercard FAQ

[Warm-Water Diver]

Thanks. I'm going to have to check into that expiration thing. If you have to register per quarter that's not too bad as it would only be 4 times a year.

 

I've been searching on the No Hassle Ultra card and found that the reward amount is based on the price of the ticket. I'm not crazy about that.

 

For example. A $400 ticket costs 35,000 miles. Basic free cards give you up to $400 towards the ticket for 25,000 miles but usually don't require an annual fee??

[kdg51]

Warm-weather Diver

You just might be on to something good. :D:D:D Looks like you need to book through a certain website. Prices seem to be a little less than NCL but you have to request a price quote so I am not sure what taxes or fees might or not be included.

Also not sure if Cruise Rewards would apply since I read you need to pay for cruise w/Discover.

 

I recently got my Discover card when they were offering $100 Bonus for charging so much in a set period of time. Didn't realize I had to sign up for 5% on gas so missed out on some bonus money but I'm ready for the groceries in a few weeks. Holidays tend to add loads to my grocery bills. I will keep thinking....Cruise money! Final payment for that one should be due sometime in Feb or March...so I'll be thinking next cruise!

 

Just did some math and $200 for my 12 day cruise would require me to spend $2000 which would have given me $60-80 in Compass points. Hopefully they won't realize what a good deal this is....that's when they tend to change things!

[Warm-Water Diver]

KDG, more info please.

 

how did you find out about having to book the credit through a certain travel agency.

 

I called discover to acquire about details regarding the voucher/gift-card and what it can be redeemed for and if there are restrictions regarding how many to use at a time etc. and the rep said I'd have to call NCL about the restrictions and more info! So I called NCL, they know NADA!!

 

So I'm thinking that whatever the voucher/credit is for has to be redeemed through a certain travel agent.

 

Can you share what you found Please??

[kdg51]

Warm water Diver...I signed into my Discover account and went to "rewards". Then I went to the one that specified "reward partners". The middle drop down menu had Norweigian and when I clicked there it said...

Norwegian Cruise Line

Freestyle Cruising

Important things to know before you set sail:

Reservations MUST be made through the Cruise and Vacation Desk at 1-877-835-8738.

Receive the lowest available fare offered by Norwegian at time of booking!

Certificates are subject to room category and length of cruise - see offer details below.

There are NO BLACK OUT DATES!

GET A FREE QUOTE at http://www.cruiseandvacationdesk.com/dcbb

If you have any questions about the Norwegian Cruise certificate please call the Cruise and Vacation Desk at 1-877-835-8738 BEFORE you make your selection.

 

Restrictions apply, please see Norwegian Cruise Line Terms and Conditions for details.

 

I went to the website and filled in my choice for cruise but then it wanted all my info to send me a quote so I decided to wait until I at least have more than my $1.98 in Rewards. :D If anyone does contact them for a price I am curious to know what is added on as taxes or taxes and fees. Once someone gave me a price that was $100 less than what NCL was asking however that other $100 was added to the taxes and port charges and their price was actually more than NCL.

 

Now that I've started using the card I am wondering if when I get my $100 bonus if that will come in the form or a REWARD or Credit to my account? I also have a Rewards Certificate from my last cruise to use as a down payment so I am assuming that I can use it but remember reading somewhere that the cruise needed to be paid with my Discover Card. 1st quarter of year is 5% on travel and cruises!!! :D

[c breeze]

The Discover Rewards just keep accumulating until you decide how you want to take them. When you decide, you can apply the reward for gift cards, cash back, credit to your account, or I guess directly to this NCL program, which I may have to look into. :D I don't like that you must use their travel agency, though, since they can always manipulate the price... :(

 

Now that I've started using the card I am wondering if when I get my $100 bonus if that will come in the form or a REWARD or Credit to my account? I also have a Rewards Certificate from my last cruise to use as a down payment so I am assuming that I can use it but remember reading somewhere that the cruise needed to be paid with my Discover Card. 1st quarter of year is 5% on travel and cruises!!! :D

[kdg51]

I've discovered that the fine print will try to get you everytime. I earned enough on one credit card for $150 airline travel. So excited, booked a trip that came to a little over that amount and billed it to that card as instructed, I asked. Airlines listed it as two $75 charges and they would only pay $75 toward my tickets. I needed another $150 (minimum you can use) credit if I wanted the other half for free. :mad: That's why I always felt that the Compass points were to good to be for real.

[kdg51]

The website look very much like NCL but finding the cruise reminded me of other online TAs I've checked prices with. I Had planned to compared phone numbers but then I got interupted and never went back there.

[Warm-Water Diver]

Thanks KDG

 

I think you can forget about the Discover Coupons.

 

I called the agency and got the low down.

 

First you can only use 1 coupon per Cruise booking. Second they tie the type of cabin you need to book and cruise length to the amount of the coupon (Stupid!). 3rd you CANNOT combine the NCL discount coupon with the 5% cash back on the cruise payment (totally bogus!). You have to pick one or the other. Totally deflates the entire coupon program. The agent even mentioned that it's a small discount, nowhere near the old Compass rewards and is most likely NOT a better deal than just forgetting the coupon and getting 5% off the NCL booking and booking through any agent including NCL (of course during the quarter when travel is 5% off)!!

 

So there ya go. I'm going to continue my search for a replacement. The discover More looks good but I already have the AMEX costco to use for gas and it gives me 3% rest and 2% travel all year long!

 

Alas, I continue my search!

[c breeze]

Capital One No Hassel Miles Master Card for Ultra Professionals - the clear winner. :D (But still not as good as the old Compass Rewards program. :( )

 

Thanks KDG

 

I think you can forget about the Discover Coupons.

 

I called the agency and got the low down.

 

First you can only use 1 coupon per Cruise booking. Second they tie the type of cabin you need to book and cruise length to the amount of the coupon (Stupid!). 3rd you CANNOT combine the NCL discount coupon with the 5% cash back on the cruise payment (totally bogus!). You have to pick one or the other. Totally deflates the entire coupon program. The agent even mentioned that it's a small discount, nowhere near the old Compass rewards and is most likely NOT a better deal than just forgetting the coupon and getting 5% off the NCL booking and booking through any agent including NCL (of course during the quarter when travel is 5% off)!!

 

So there ya go. I'm going to continue my search for a replacement. The discover More looks good but I already have the AMEX costco to use for gas and it gives me 3% rest and 2% travel all year long!

 

Alas, I continue my search!

[Warm-Water Diver]

Cbreeze.

 

Only problem with the No Hassle Ultra is the 39 annual fee. I was trying to get rid of my annual fee Visa.

 

That said it is not a bad choice. Thing that appealed to me about the Discover More card is it's FREE!

[c breeze]

Yeah, free is always better. :D I bought $1,500 in grocery gift cards in December just so I could get an additional $500 off the cruise I am about to take. I have used all but $300 and I figure I could have paid NCL $500 or gotten $500 worth of free groceries. :D Boy am I gonna miss Compass Rewards!

 

Cbreeze.

 

Only problem with the No Hassle Ultra is the 39 annual fee. I was trying to get rid of my annual fee Visa.

 

That said it is not a bad choice. Thing that appealed to me about the Discover More card is it's FREE!

[kdg51]

Going back to Discover...are you saying that if you book through them in Jan 2010 and get a discount with your Reward Points you can't get 5% back on the price of the cruise and/or use Cruise rewards coupon that is suppose to be good anywhere for your deposit? I was booking a 12 day which should qualify for $100 to become $200 or does that also depend on type of cabin selected?

 

I've been using SW Visa for points but they have a $59 yearly fee. I forgot to cancel one before we left for our Alaska cruise so it billed the fee again but I will be cancelling mine this month. Next time they make me an offer I can't refuse I will reapply, pay my fee and turn it into another free ticket or 2. :D

 

I want my compass rewards back :( I "earned" $2500 in 2 years just for doing my favorite hobby/shopping and spending money. They never got a cent in interest from me however I did pay a fee to get payment there ontime the 1st month because of the after 5PM rule.

Edited September 19, 2009 by kdg51

[Us2inFL]

Since I started using my CapOne card four months ago, I haven't used my NCL credit card.

 

I got a letter telling me they've cut my line of credit from 40K to 15K.

 

I had used four of these NCL accounts when the points accumulated quickly, the other three cards had lower limits, and at this point remain the same.

[kdg51]

c breeze..I thought I had used all my gift cards but found another one the other day. Our 1st few months expenses for this year were pre paid. BOA has finally fixed my "temporary" card crisis and my new silver colored NCL version arrived this week. My original cards still were not expired so it was stupid of me to activate them. I was ordering something in my daughter's name (for warranty purposes, it was a gift) at the time and some confusion arose when she had the same CC number as me. I decided to activate cards and use the new number and the whole thing backfired. My statement closed on non NCL worldpoints card and I did not get double points for my OB purchases. It took a girl there 3 weeks to get me my other points but still cannot get into NCL rewards to order my $100 slot play for Nov cruise. Seems like every day off lately has another crisis and more time on hold. :eek: I always order cards for my kids so that I don't have to ask the "do you have enough money" when I want them to get something when they are out shopping. Last Dec they got me points I needed.

 

I was making a deposit for work at BOA this week and cashed a check against my small personal account I have there and the girl told me how lucky I was...I was preapproved for a BOA credit card. :eek::eek:

[kdg51]

Made some purchases at Sears a few weeks ago and they were offering a discount if we charged it to Sears card. I gave mine back to them many years ago after they reported to my mortgage company that my payments were more than 90 days late on 3 occasions. They failed to notice that my balance was $0 all 3 times and had the nerve to suggest that they would correct the error and I would need to pay for another credit report. :eek: Wrong!

 

Well, $100 is too much to pass up. Of course I went for the rewards program and was reading the terms today and one would probably owe them money for a cruise dicount in the end. No discounts of any kind, or price changes, must book through Citibank Travel, no price adjustments and all kinds of penalties if you book within 60 days of cruise or try to cancel.

 

Almost a year later and we still don't have a program that comes close to our Compass Rewards. :(

 

Us2inFL...hubby and I each have one. I work part time and have a higher limit than he does. Haven't used his card since last December and he got call that someone was attempting to charge online purchases to his card last week. They issued him a new card. Guess it's a good thing that I have more credit?

Edited September 20, 2009 by kdg51

[Sandyshore]

Sorry if this has been asked already (this thread's too big to look for my question). You know how we were all charging like crazy last year to max out our old NCL card bonus? Like buying gift cards to supermarkets in December and planning on using them well into 2009?

 

My question is about the Discover card quarterly promos and the 5% cashback bonus in Oct - Dec on grocery stores, restaurants, and movies. Does anyone know if the strategy above applies to this? i.e. purchase a ton of grocery store gift cards during the promo period, get the cashback bonus ($400 max bonus on $8000, right?) and then use those cards to buy groceries as long as they last in 2010. Or even buy restaurant or movie gift cards to give as holiday gifts. Do gift cards count toward the bonus? I'll have to call Discover to see what they say, but I'm curious if anyone has ever done this, since I know those Discover promos have been around for a while.

 

Hope I've expressed this clearly. Thanks everyone.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Sandyshore
typo

[c breeze]

I am not sure about the answer to your question, but it is a good one! It would seem that if you buy gift cards of any type at a grocery store during the bonus period, you would earn the 5%. Now that's using you thinking cap!!:D Maybe this is another way to save for cruises buy working this bonus thing. Is the max per quarter or per year??

 

Sorry if this has been asked already (this thread's too big to look for my question). You know how we were all charging like crazy last year to max out our old NCL card bonus? Like buying gift cards to supermarkets in December and planning on using them well into 2009?

 

My question is about the Discover card quarterly promos and the 5% cashback bonus in Oct - Dec on grocery stores, restaurants, and movies. Does anyone know if the strategy above applies to this? i.e. purchase a ton of grocery store gift cards during the promo period, get the cashback bonus ($400 max bonus on $8000, right?) and then use those cards to buy groceries as long as they last in 2010. Or even buy restaurant or movie gift cards to give as holiday gifts. Do gift cards count toward the bonus? I'll have to call Discover to see what they say, but I'm curious if anyone has ever done this, since I know those Discover promos have been around for a while.

 

Hope I've expressed this clearly. Thanks everyone.

[Sandyshore]

I am not sure about the answer to your question, but it is a good one! It would seem that if you buy gift cards of any type at a grocery store during the bonus period, you would earn the 5%. Now that's using you thinking cap!!:D Maybe this is another way to save for cruises buy working this bonus thing. Is the max per quarter or per year??

 

I take it all back! I read the fine print more closely (thanks to my DS) and there's a cap of $400 in PURCHASES, not $400 in the bonus for the grocery promo. So the max cashback bonus is 5% of $400, or $20. That's not going to go too far LOL. Oh well, it was a nice thought. :rolleyes:

[c breeze]

Wow, you got me all excited about my next free cruise. :D $20 will get you dinner at a specialty restaurant. Back to Capital One Ultra....

 

I take it all back! I read the fine print more closely (thanks to my DS) and there's a cap of $400 in PURCHASES, not $400 in the bonus for the grocery promo. So the max cashback bonus is 5% of $400, or $20. That's not going to go too far LOL. Oh well, it was a nice thought. :rolleyes:

Edited September 20, 2009 by c breeze

[Dannie138]

Quick question for all of you that still have the card...

I logged into my BOA account to make my payment and my NCL account balance doesn't even appear now?...Is this a glitch or are they no longer BOA?

[mkad1109]

Quick question for all of you that still have the card...

I logged into my BOA account to make my payment and my NCL account balance doesn't even appear now?...Is this a glitch or are they no longer BOA?

must be glitch. I just checked mine and had no problem.....

[kdg51]

Lets go back. I have no idea where my Discover paperwork went (my guess is in the shredder...I've been cleaning) and no, I didn't read it but if they are doing these 5% categories by quarters and the max you can get credit for is $400 it just doesn't sound right. Only giving credit for ~$30/wk in spending. I can't remember the last time I spent that little for groceries. I spend more than that every time I walk in a grocery store. :confused:

 

I just charged the rest of my cruise on BOA so if anyone needs a balance, I'd be more than happy to give mine away.

 

Miss just having one card to keep track of. I thought I had all my cards programed to pay themselves off on due date only to find that I got payment to BOA on time because I checked for my extra bonus points and I paid another card twice. I guess that means that I am going on a shopping spree at Kohls? :D

[Sandyshore]

Lets go back. I have no idea where my Discover paperwork went (my guess is in the shredder...I've been cleaning) and no, I didn't read it but if they are doing these 5% categories by quarters and the max you can get credit for is $400 it just doesn't sound right. Only giving credit for ~$30/wk in spending. I can't remember the last time I spent that little for groceries. I spend more than that every time I walk in a grocery store. :confused:

 

That's what I thought! The $400 cap for 3 months of grocery spending is laughable. Which is exactly why I first thought it was a $400 bonus cap. But I'm sure Discover doesn't want to be giving out that kind of bonus money. Here's what it says on their site in reference to the Oct-Dec promo:

 

"Earn 5% Cashback Bonus on purchases made at grocery stores, restaurants, and on movie tickets and movie rentals from 10/1/09 (or the date on which you signed up, whichever is later) through 12/31/09, subject to a cap of $400 in purchases. These purchases must post to your account by 12/31/09."

 

The July-Sept promo on gas, hotels, etc. has a $300 cap on purchases!

 

You know what they say...if something looks too good to be true.....:(

[LadyBerard]

Has anyone applied a Cruise Reward Certificate, then switched their cruise to a date which was past the expiration date and on the certificate and been able to have that certificate applied to the new reservation and canceled the original cruise?

[gtalum]

This is why I use my AMEX Blue Cash card. After you spend $6500 in a year, the bonuses increase to 5% for groceries and gas and 1.25% for everything else. There's no cap. I just put a lot of business expenses on the card as soon as I start a new year to get past the $6500.