Did I just encounter NEW online check in options?

I looked at my NCL cruise reservation (9/16 sailing on the Pearl) today and the timeline for check in progress had reverted from 100% down to 80%. When I went into the check in screen to find out what was missing, there were two new things.

• An opt in for $25 per person "Essentials Travel Protection" that I had never seen before. (It says it is "post departure travel protection" and includes Trip Delay, Accident/Sickness Medical Coverage, Emergency Evacuation, Repatriation, Baggage Loss, Bag Delay coverage. $25 seems super cheap so I'm not sure what you really get!)
  
• A place to submit credit card information for "onboard payment preferences."
  

I wasn't sure if this is NEW (I had thought we've always had to wait until pier check in to supply the credit card). Or if it's just something that's not available until a certain time before sailing.

I just found the same thing on our trip leaving this Sunday (9/9). I was at 100% yesterday and 80% today. I input my CC info and am now back at 100%. Hope it saves check in time at PoM so I can get to the free food in the Haven waiting area faster! :')

The Essentials Travel Protection has been offered post-final payment, but not part of check-in in the past. The credit card is new. We did not have to provide a credit card on our April 2018 cruise, but needed to do it for our June 2018 cruise. But, we just booked two 2019 cruises and the check-in did not ask for a credit card. Bottom line is that no two check-ins look the same right now.

Just checked the reservation for my significant other and myself - sure enough those options are there. It let me opt out of the travel insurance for myself, but stated that he needed to "login". As for the credit card. I added it under my check in tab but couldn't add it to his because I couldn't get past the travel insurance statement.

Also checked the reservation for my children - same thing, but couldn't add my credit card to cover their cost - you can only add a card for those listed in the room via the dropdown choices.

Ai yi yi! I hope this doesn't turn into a huge deal, I wasn't planning to add travel insurance via NCL and I had planned to add my credit card to both reservations at check-in. It's just a little disconcerting to think you are 100% with your cruise scheduled for 9/9.

This has been discussed in another thread and for me, it sounds great, since I love doing everything pre-cruise AMAP.

I hope it works out well for everyone.

Safe and happy cruising.

Cheers.

Just saw it on our 9/9 cruise. Hopefully this will speed up check in a little more

Just checked the reservation for my significant other and myself - sure enough those options are there. It let me opt out of the travel insurance for myself, but stated that he needed to "login". As for the credit card. I added it under my check in tab but couldn't add it to his because I couldn't get past the travel insurance statement.

 

Also checked the reservation for my children - same thing, but couldn't add my credit card to cover their cost - you can only add a card for those listed in the room via the dropdown choices.

 

Ai yi yi! I hope this doesn't turn into a huge deal, I wasn't planning to add travel insurance via NCL and I had planned to add my credit card to both reservations at check-in. It's just a little disconcerting to think you are 100% with your cruise scheduled for 9/9.

I was excited about this when I first saw it. Got passed the travel protection thing easily but it wont let hubby or I process the credit card. I tried to call but they are "having higher than normal" call volume and I do not sit on hold. My PCC is off today so guess I will try again tomorrow

Glad I read this and updated with my CC info!;p

I had read about the advance checkin with credit card. I did it in August and it worked. The next updating they are doing is keeping your picture on file from previous cruise so you won't have to take pictures when checking in anymore. This might just be for the newer cruise ships but not sure.

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I just found the same thing on our trip leaving this Sunday (9/9). I was at 100% yesterday and 80% today. I input my CC info and am now back at 100%. Hope it saves check in time at PoM so I can get to the free food in the Haven waiting area faster! :')

I am anxious to hear your report.I suspect that from a practical matter nothing will be any different. You will still have your CC swiped at the desk, and have your picture taken.

My 10/26 cruise isn't showing insurance or credit card information requests but I'll keep my eye out for it. Seems to me entering credit card information is a waste of time since the card will need to be run through at check-in anyway.

You would think that with all the problems people encounter on the NCL website, they'd work on fixing what's broken instead of adding new things.

I am anxious to hear your report.I suspect that from a practical matter nothing will be any different. You will still have your CC swiped at the desk, and have your picture taken.

Then whats the purpose of giving your CC info before hand?

Then whats the purpose of giving your CC info before hand?

That's a question you'll have to ask NCL...

If I recall correctly, RCCL used to let us authorize a credit card online BEFORE checking in? But may be mistaken as that has been a few years ago. But for me? Anything that can be entered BEFOREHAND only makes the check in process at the port easier and faster and that is alright with me.

If I recall correctly, RCCL used to let us authorize a credit card online BEFORE checking in? But may be mistaken as that has been a few years ago. But for me? Anything that can be entered BEFOREHAND only makes the check in process at the port easier and faster and that is alright with me.

Yes, RCCL always required credit card information as part of their online check-in. But, they always took our credit card when checking in at the port to run it so there was no benefit and no time was saved.

I also could not get pass the insurance question for hubby. Finally had to get out and sign in with his account info. thankfully I found his password. This was 3 wks ago for our sailing Oct. 13th. First time ever that I had to give credit card info. Usually easy peasy doing check in, this time not so

One more thing, when I did the pre-check in with my card last month they did not put a hold on it until checkin, and then it was $300. This was on the Bliss, so that could be different on the Escape.

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We were on the 8/25 Bliss and it had us put our CC in when we originally checked in in July. But later, closer to the sail date, it added the ability to scan in our passports and add our own security photos. And we got an email about the $25 travel essentials (which I added because it seemed like a decent deal and I can't remember the part that I wanted from it that was lacking in the insurance provided by our credit card already..)

Adding the CC seems to just help with settling up your account on the last day. We didn't have to do anything.

Adding the passports and photos? I don't think it did anything. They still took new security photos on embarkation day and still scanned our passports at security just like everyone else.

We were on the 8/25 Bliss and it had us put our CC in when we originally checked in in July. But later, closer to the sail date, it added the ability to scan in our passports and add our own security photos. And we got an email about the $25 travel essentials (which I added because it seemed like a decent deal and I can't remember the part that I wanted from it that was lacking in the insurance provided by our credit card already..)

 

Adding the CC seems to just help with settling up your account on the last day. We didn't have to do anything.

 

Adding the passports and photos? I don't think it did anything. They still took new security photos on embarkation day and still scanned our passports at security just like everyone else.

I can't imagine what quality of images they got when they allowed passengers to upload their own security photo! [emoji102]

Hopefully this is the start of a more expedited boarding process. We sailed with Viking Oceans last Spring and during the online checkin you provided both the credit card number and a scan or photo of your passport. When we arrived at the pier, we were asked for our passport which were compared to what we had previously provided. Once confirmed, we were handed our card which already had our passport photo embedded. The whole process maybe took 2 minutes!

Ugh, while I think this is nice, it is a little frustrating in my situation. I was JUST at my parents' house over the Holiday weekend and helped them do their online check-in and print their eDocs while I was there, because they are not very computer savvy. Now their online check-in status has been reverted to 84%. While I have their My NCL log-in and can get in to decline the trip insurance, I don't have their credit card info and am loathe to ask them for it over the phone, because my dad is SUPER paranoid about identity theft. Now I will either have to wait for them to come to my house the night before the cruise (we are driving to NYC together) and make the updates and print their new eDocs for them or just risk the delay at the port for them not having their online check-in completed. Had NCL just implemented this a couple of days earlier, I could have done it for them while I was visiting this weekend!

Ugh, while I think this is nice, it is a little frustrating in my situation. I was JUST at my parents' house over the Holiday weekend and helped them do their online check-in and print their eDocs while I was there, because they are not very computer savvy. Now their online check-in status has been reverted to 84%. While I have their My NCL log-in and can get in to decline the trip insurance, I don't have their credit card info and am loathe to ask them for it over the phone, because my dad is SUPER paranoid about identity theft. Now I will either have to wait for them to come to my house the night before the cruise (we are driving to NYC together) and make the updates and print their new eDocs for them or just risk the delay at the port for them not having their online check-in completed. Had NCL just implemented this a couple of days earlier, I could have done it for them while I was visiting this weekend!

I'm sorry to say you won't be able to make any changes or print their eDocs the night before the cruise. That option is unavailable the day before the cruise.

I'm sorry to say you won't be able to make any changes or print their eDocs the night before the cruise. That option is unavailable the day before the cruise.

I guess we will be taking a little longer to get through check-in at the port then. :(

I guess we will be taking a little longer to get through check-in at the port then. :(