CruiseNext question

Can anyone tell me what the "extra free offer" is if you book your next cruise while on the ship?

Basically, you get a free upgrade to the next level up within a cabin type.

It doesn't work for most non standard categories (aft balconies, spa, large balcony rooms), and doesn't upgrade you to the next type (balcony to mini suite for example), so in practice it represents a very small discount or nothing at all, depending on what room type you want.

I actually just got off the Dawn and purchased 4 next cruise certificates. Four $250 certificates for $500. Buy two, get two free. I had never heard of this before. I explained I wasn't interested in any certificate that had an OBC value as I don't use it and this was an option that I couldn't pass up.

I actually just got off the Dawn and purchased 4 next cruise certificates. Four $250 certificates for $500. Buy two, get two free. I had never heard of this before. I explained I wasn't interested in any certificate that had an OBC value as I don't use it and this was an option that I couldn't pass up.

The deal you got is exactly the same as the deal they have always offered. It is just worded a different way.

Deal 1 - Buy 4 vouchers for $1,000 and get $500 OBC that gets used against the cost of the vouchers. Net cost to you is $500 for $1,000 of vouchers.

Deal 2 - Buy 2 vouchers for $500 and get 2 vouchers free with a value of $500. Net cost to you is $500 for $1,000 of vouchers.

Both are exactly the same. If the new deal that NCL are offering you is worth it then the old deal is as well.

We just did the buy $1000 get $500 back deal on the Epic last week. They tout it as being OBC, but it's not, because it is immediately applied to your current ship bill as is the $1000 charge. So essentially instead of my current ship bill getting a $500 OBC and my credit card outside of the ship getting a $1000 charge, my current sailing bill got a $500 charge and I have $1000 worth of cruise credits for future cruises at a net cost of $500.

Now, my question is about upgrades. We booked a 2020 sailing while on board and the 'free' gift is the free category upgrade. So for a balcony room, we paid the BF price, but are currently listed in a BA room at the same cost. Savings really wasn't that huge of a bargain, roughly $70/pp. I just got off the phone with NCL trying to see how much it would cost to upgrade to a B6 cabin instead. They are telling me I have to pay the full price to go from a BF (what I paid) to the B6, rather than the current price difference between the BA (the room I'm currently in) to the B6.

I have to wait until Tuesday to get a Cruise Next person on the phone to confirm this is correct, but it doesn't seem fair to me. By doing that I forfeit the $140 "value" of the "free upgrade" I'm entitled to. So I'm going to call and see if they can at least give that back to us in the form of an OBC. Anyone have experience with this? Or am I wasting my time trying to get the upgraded cabin at the discounted rate? If you want a room in a level that doesn't have upgradable tiers, do you just forfeit the bonus that you're entitled to?

I actually just got off the Dawn and purchased 4 next cruise certificates. Four $250 certificates for $500. Buy two, get two free. I had never heard of this before. I explained I wasn't interested in any certificate that had an OBC value as I don't use it and this was an option that I couldn't pass up.

This has been the standard offer for the past 3ish years. Basically commits you to taking 4 cruises in the next 4 years (or 2 cruises booked 6 mos+ in advance).

Cruise next certificates are a good deal but NCL sure does a slimy job of using deceptive language to sell them. NCL really loves deceptive language.

On the Jewel Will and Holly cut through all the official jargon about "Free Money" and tell it as it is; you actually pay the difference between what the vouchers say they cost and the rebate you get as a sweetener. Forget that NCL demands the use of the term OBC!!

$1000 value of vouchers will cost you $500. You folio will carry 4 charges of $250 and immediately following will be a rebate of $100, another of $150 and then two of $125.

Thank you for all the helpful info!

The deal you got is exactly the same as the deal they have always offered. It is just worded a different way.

 

Deal 1 - Buy 4 vouchers for $1,000 and get $500 OBC that gets used against the cost of the vouchers. Net cost to you is $500 for $1,000 of vouchers.

 

Deal 2 - Buy 2 vouchers for $500 and get 2 vouchers free with a value of $500. Net cost to you is $500 for $1,000 of vouchers.

 

Both are exactly the same. If the new deal that NCL are offering you is worth it then the old deal is as well.

I had not looked into the next cruise recently, so this was new to me. I had only known of the spend $250 and get $100 OBC for the cruise I was on.

Cruise next certificates are a good deal but NCL sure does a slimy job of using deceptive language to sell them. NCL really loves deceptive language.

I’ve use the cruise next certificates since 2012 and have never thought the language was deceptive. Understood it perfectly ever since my first purchase.

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I had not looked into the next cruise recently, so this was new to me. I had only known of the spend $250 and get $100 OBC for the cruise I was on.

It is still just $100 off of $250, but it has been $250 off of $500 for a few years now.

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I’ve use the cruise next certificates since 2012 and have never thought the language was deceptive. Understood it perfectly ever since my first purchase.

It is a pity that so few people are as perceptive as you. NCL still talks about "Free Money" and that it is "Non-refundable OBC". They are trying to con people into thinking that the refund has to be actually spent on board.

I’ve use the cruise next certificates since 2012 and have never thought the language was deceptive. Understood it perfectly ever since my first purchase.

 

It is a pity that so few people are as perceptive as you. NCL still talks about "Free Money" and that it is "Non-refundable OBC". They are trying to con people into thinking that the refund has to be actually spent on board.

I actually agree with this whole heartedly. I somehow managed to see through it, and did not "think" I had to spend an additional $500 as OBC when I purchased 4 CRUISE NEXT vouchers. I believe the representative I spoke with on The Breakaway did say it would appear I was fully charged $1000 for the four vouchers, but after 24 hours or so my account would readjust itself. I did pay close attention to my on board transactions to be sure I wasn't throwing away OBC and charged in full for those vouchers. They could stand to reword some of their offers. It just makes a person mad, which won't help their bottom dollar.

They could stand to reword some of their offers. It just makes a person mad, which won't help their bottom dollar.

That’s the point though. They have reworded this offer. That’s why people have been coming in this board to tell us about this amazing new offer that NCL have. Which is exactly the same offer that they have had for years...just reworded.

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But the "advertising" that comes from Miami to be used on the boat still talks about "Free Money" and "Non-Refundable OBC". The individual staff on the boats we have come across lately have tried hard to "sell" in the way we understand.

This has been the standard offer for the past 3ish years. Basically commits you to taking 4 cruises in the next 4 years (or 2 cruises booked 6 mos+ in advance).

Never thought to ask if I can apply it to a booked cruise in November. Do you know?

It is possible, you need to ask your TA or NCL directly. However it not supposed to be done.

Never thought to ask if I can apply it to a booked cruise in November. Do you know?

I just did this several weeks ago so it can be done. I originally booked the cruise which is in May 2020 a couple of months ago and had my CC apply the certificate in May.

But the "advertising" that comes from Miami to be used on the boat still talks about "Free Money" and "Non-Refundable OBC". The individual staff on the boats we have come across lately have tried hard to "sell" in the way we understand.

The official advertising I have seen lately shows both wordings. It isn’t just staff onboard selling it their own way.

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NCL has had this marketing since the mid 2000's when it was the $100 "credit" per certificate.

However, I see, no benefit in stockpiling them buying huge numbers, unless you are using most of them before sailing again.

Reason being- they can be purchased with nonrefundable OBC's which are ideal if you aren't spending on other items. eg- Stockholder benefits.

The bonus offer isn't so great. We just took advantage of this 2 weeks ago while on the Epic. We booked a balcony BA cabin, but it was at the price of a BF cabin. So we saved $140 between the 2 of us.

After getting home and looking things over, we decided we would prefer a B6 large balcony cabin instead - honestly didn't know about these rooms when we were picking out which room to take or we would have taken it then. The numbered categories are not eligible for any upgrades. I was hoping to pay the difference between the BA and B6, but they told me no, I would have to pay the difference between the BF I booked price-wise and the B6 that we want. Sorry, but an extra 20 sqft of balcony is not worth $180.

So depending upon which cabin you want, the 'bonus' offer isn't so great - if it's even there at all. Plus I just found out today on the phone with them that if I make any changes to my cabin at all, I forfeit the bonus completely as I am no longer on the ship. She told me I should have checked their website for full rules prior to booking. As politely as I could I pointed out that if NCL offered free internet to passengers I gladly would have went online and checked prior to being suckered into something that wasn't as great as they tried to make it sound.

So we're sticking with cabin 12103, whether we want it or not now :P

. She told me I should have checked their website for full rules prior to booking. As politely as I could I pointed out that if NCL offered free internet to passengers I gladly would have went online and checked prior to being suckered into something that wasn't as great as they tried to make it sound.

 

So we're sticking with cabin 12103, whether we want it or not now :P

The NCL web site IS FREE on the ship.

How? You have to create a login and there's 100 pop ups and signs warning you that you will be charged once you log in.

The bonus offer isn't so great. We just took advantage of this 2 weeks ago while on the Epic. We booked a balcony BA cabin, but it was at the price of a BF cabin. So we saved $140 between the 2 of us.

 

After getting home and looking things over, we decided we would prefer a B6 large balcony cabin instead - honestly didn't know about these rooms when we were picking out which room to take or we would have taken it then. The numbered categories are not eligible for any upgrades. I was hoping to pay the difference between the BA and B6, but they told me no, I would have to pay the difference between the BF I booked price-wise and the B6 that we want. Sorry, but an extra 20 sqft of balcony is not worth $180.

 

So depending upon which cabin you want, the 'bonus' offer isn't so great - if it's even there at all. Plus I just found out today on the phone with them that if I make any changes to my cabin at all, I forfeit the bonus completely as I am no longer on the ship. She told me I should have checked their website for full rules prior to booking. As politely as I could I pointed out that if NCL offered free internet to passengers I gladly would have went online and checked prior to being suckered into something that wasn't as great as they tried to make it sound.

 

So we're sticking with cabin 12103, whether we want it or not now :P

That’s not the information I’ve been told repeatedly. We have booked onboard in order to get the free upgrade and then turned around and essentially canceled to rebook on land through CAS to get the 20% discount offered as Caesars Diamond Member. Keep all the freebies and upgrade perks.

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