NCL Mastercard FAQ

[603NHCruiser]

On 10/15/2022 at 4:00 PM, Russiamomm said:

I booked the 16 night TA this week. Was the lowest category inside with FAS.  I booked through CAS and got an incredible deal. I then used a meta upgrade and booked into a BB.  I was surprised that we got the extra meal with the upgrade.  Now if we can win a bid into the Haven we’ll be two happy cruisers!

@Russiamomm it was a paid fare through CAS however, correct? not a free cruise? do you recall the discount percentage amount they told you off the fare? Other have reported issues upgrading a CAS reservation with WP, but maybe if you just getting a discount and not a free room they will still allow it.

 

Thanks for any follow up info!

[Russiamomm]

20 hours ago, 603NHCruiser said:

@Russiamomm it was a paid fare through CAS however, correct? not a free cruise? do you recall the discount percentage amount they told you off the fare? Other have reported issues upgrading a CAS reservation with WP, but maybe if you just getting a discount and not a free room they will still allow it.

 

Thanks for any follow up info!

Hi there.  Yes, it was just a discount, not a comp.  I got 20% off the fare for both of and I also had another 20% coupon that only applied to my fare from a previous cancelled cruise.  I had no issues getting the meta upgrade.  Took five minutes on the phone.

[603NHCruiser]

9 hours ago, Russiamomm said:

Hi there.  Yes, it was just a discount, not a comp.  I got 20% off the fare for both of and I also had another 20% coupon that only applied to my fare from a previous cancelled cruise.  I had no issues getting the meta upgrade.  Took five minutes on the phone.

Perfect. Thank you for getting back to me. This is a fairly decent deal then. Especially if you pair it with an AMEX cash back offer!!

[mscloyd]

Sorry if this has been asked already. I'm looking at the current Mastercard ad and it gives several options for using your points but they all say "this is a cruise only offer" and does not have an option for a credit on the card. I have final payment in 3 weeks and was considering opening a card to pay my final payment. I have read through the comments and had decided to request an account credit as opposed to an onboard credit but that doesn't appear to be an option. Does anyone know if this is correct? We aren't frequent cruisers so a credit is our best option. And do I need to request a certificate for that?

https://www.ncl.com/world-points/terms

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Yes, there is a statement credit or cash back option.  You can’t see it on the page you linked to because that only contains the NCL options.  There are also options for gift cards and other travel discounts.   I have never used any of those options, but the point calculator shows that it is a 1% reward.

Edited November 3, 2022 by MagnoliaBlossom

[MagnoliaBlossom]

[mscloyd]

Thank you! I would rather just get a statement credit as opposed to having to mess with the timing of requesting a cruise certificate for onboard credit.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Mscloyd, we have found that using points for cabin upgrades is the best way to maximize bang for the buck.  That may not interest you, but if you haven’t looked into it closel, you might check it out. Enjoy your cruise.

[mscloyd]

14 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Mscloyd, we have found that using points for cabin upgrades is the best way to maximize bang for the buck.  That may not interest you, but if you haven’t looked into it closel, you might check it out. Enjoy your cruise.

Thanks but I have booked connecting balcony cabins that would be pretty difficult to upgrade. I always book the cabin I want and then watch for price reductions along the way so got a really sweet deal (6 price reductions). If I had know about this card earlier I might have tried that but will keep that in mind if we decide to book another cruise again anytime soon. At least I know i have the option and can wait and request the account credit anytime and not have to use it for this cruise as an onboard credit! 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

12 hours ago, mscloyd said:

Thanks but I have booked connecting balcony cabins that would be pretty difficult to upgrade. I always book the cabin I want and then watch for price reductions along the way so got a really sweet deal (6 price reductions). If I had know about this card earlier I might have tried that but will keep that in mind if we decide to book another cruise again anytime soon. At least I know i have the option and can wait and request the account credit anytime and not have to use it for this cruise as an onboard credit! 

When you upgrade with points it’s not like bidding on an upgrade where they assign your cabin, this way you choose your own stateroom.  But you can only upgrade to a BA, you can’t go for club balconies or suites.  Enjoy your cruise.  BTW, I noticed the card now offers 25,000 points.  They go back and forth between that and 20,000.

[mscloyd]

28 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

When you upgrade with points it’s not like bidding on an upgrade where they assign your cabin, this way you choose your own stateroom.  But you can only upgrade to a BA, you can’t go for club balconies or suites.  Enjoy your cruise.  BTW, I noticed the card now offers 25,000 points.  They go back and forth between that and 20,000.

Good to know! We are already in a BB on deck 11 so could upgrade to a BA if there were connecting cabins available. I will definitely check into it.

[pjtjmn]

Hi all, 

 

I just booked my second cruise ever, and first with NCL.  I put $100 down payment  with AARP in order to get $100 OBC.  The ship sails 1/28/23, so the final payment is due. (Although AARP says I don’t have to pay it until sometime in January.)
 

Now, I looked at the NCL website, and I see an offer for the MC.  I’ve tried to check all the fine print, and this is what I think I can do.  I’d greatly appreciate if one of you experts can please confirm my understanding, and help me avoid any loopholes I may have missed. 
 

I have a balance of $2,264 + 244 service fees due. Total $2,488

 

Thinking I can pay the balance, and get the sign on bonus of $250.  Then, I believe I’m eligible for an additional $74 dollars for charging on NCL.  Total of $324

 

We are not frequent cruisers, so I’d prefer to get the cash back, or OBC.  We are not typically big spenders, so the OBC might be fun to be able to spurge and feel like “It’s free!”  😉

We are going on the Escape to the Caribbean, staying in a “large balcony” cabin.

 

Did I miss anything?  Any other guidance/advice would be greatly appreciated! 
 

Thank you!  

 

 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

You will receive 25,000 points after you spend $1,000 in the first three months.  For any charges with NCL you will receive 3 points per dollar.  You can redeem those points in a variety of ways.

[Linsuesue]

I am booked with a group cruise. I booked an inside cabin and used 60,000 points for a double meta upgrade to a balcony. Since booking and getting the upgrade, the price for an inside cabin has dropped a couple of hundred dollars per person. Our group cruise planner said that because I used the credit card points, I am not eligible for any price drops, as any price drops are much less value than the upgrade to a balcony. Is this policy according to NCL, or is this how group cruises with planners work? This is my first use of points for a double meta upgrade and my first time in a group cruise with a vacation planner. 

[mscdivina2016]

12 hours ago, Linsuesue said:

I am booked with a group cruise. I booked an inside cabin and used 60,000 points for a double meta upgrade to a balcony. Since booking and getting the upgrade, the price for an inside cabin has dropped a couple of hundred dollars per person. Our group cruise planner said that because I used the credit card points, I am not eligible for any price drops, as any price drops are much less value than the upgrade to a balcony. Is this policy according to NCL, or is this how group cruises with planners work? This is my first use of points for a double meta upgrade and my first time in a group cruise with a vacation planner. 

I assume it's because if it's a true group cruise, rates are locked in. That's how the group leader gets their free cabin.

Perks are also based on the original rates.

Consider yourself lucky you were able to even do it.

Now if others are getting rate drops than that's a different thing.  Your using points is a separate deal with boa and NCL.

[Linsuesue]

2 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

I assume it's because if it's a true group cruise, rates are locked in. That's how the group leader gets their free cabin.

Perks are also based on the original rates.

Consider yourself lucky you were able to even do it.

Now if others are getting rate drops than that's a different thing.  Your using points is a separate deal with boa and NCL.

Thanks for the quick reply! I realize that dealing with NCL, a group planner, and a credit card company is a triple threat that I will never repeat! All others in the group received price drops, but I was the only one in the group using NCL credit card points. 

[mscdivina2016]

7 hours ago, Linsuesue said:

Thanks for the quick reply! I realize that dealing with NCL, a group planner, and a credit card company is a triple threat that I will never repeat! All others in the group received price drops, but I was the only one in the group using NCL credit card points. 

Makes no difference then.   Your TA has nothing to do with BOA. As far as the TA is concerned you have an inside.

 

Does your confirmation say "complementary upgrade"

[Linsuesue]

8 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Makes no difference then.   Your TA has nothing to do with BOA. As far as the TA is concerned you have an inside.

 

Does your confirmation say "complementary upgrade"

No, I don’t see that terminology anywhere on my paperwork, but my room # and category changed on the invoice- so I know I got the upgrade. 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Usually the complimentary upgrade verbage is in small print near the bottom of the invoice, but above the TC verbage.    I believe  msc is right that you cannot get a reduction because it is considered “a special rate”. 
 

recently I had a discussion with my PCC about rate reductions and it has changed over the years.  In the past for an inside and jumped to a balcony a rate drop in the I category would get you a reduction, assuming all perks and benefits were the same.  Now they base the reduction on the category you upgraded to.

 

I had her check the rates on my six booked cruises last week and while my paid rate was an I4, I was in a BA, and that is the basis for reduction.   All the balconies had increased in price so no price drops for me.  But six months ago I got reductions on three of the cruises, so the axe swings both ways.

 

I don’t see your estimation that you have a triple threat, it’s just the way it is.   Group rates will usually lock you in to whatever their arrangement is with the cruise line.  Some of your shipmates may have booked under perks that are different from your perks.  The offers (bar, dining,internet, % off, etc) must match exactly to het a reduction.  For instance I had a price reduction recently but couldn’t receive a drop because my offer was 45% off fares,band the new offer was 50% off fares.  
 

I think the boa card is a terrific program, and FWIW, you can have multiple cards.  I have six, so I could benefit from those bonus points.   You can transfer points within cards at no cost.

[Linsuesue]

Thank you MagnoliaBlossom for all of your insight! There are so many intricacies of booking, verbiage, and timing. I have always booked my own cruises and never gone on a group cruise or used a pvp. It’s a new experience and you have to learn the right questions to ask. 

Edited November 11, 2022 by Linsuesue

[Mikiejag]

So here is one, better to wait for a bid to a spa balcony that might not happen or just withdraw the bid and use 20k to BF to BA?

Edited December 1, 2022 by Mikiejag
fewer points for that

[mscdivina2016]

2 minutes ago, Mikiejag said:

So here is one, better to wait for a bid to a spa balcony that might not happen or just withdraw the bid and use 30k to BF to BA?

Change your booking to an OA and then use 30000 points for OA to BA.

Then still bid.

[Mikiejag]

3 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Change your booking to an OA and then use 30000 points for OA to BA.

Then still bid.

Too late for that one, past final payment and 70 days to go.

Just ran across this thread and didn't realize I had enough points.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

11 hours ago, Mikiejag said:

Too late for that one, past final payment and 70 days to go.

Just ran across this thread and didn't realize I had enough points.

FYI, the only advantage of moving to a BA is the midship location.  The cabins and balconies are the same size. We did bid on a spa balcony even though they are technically sold out.    If you are happy with the location of your current cabin you may want to save your points for another sailing or use the statement credit.

[Shadygap]

I just used my points this week for the first time. I used 60000 points to do a double meta upgrade from inside IF to BA for my 11 day cruise on the NCL Dawn leaving January 2; 2023.  I’m really excited now for my cruise!  Thank you for this forum! The cabin upgrades are the best uses of the points!