Prepay Service Charge still showing at $12 per day???

[vince_g]

For a US booking, if the OBC comes from NCL Master Card World Points redemption does it cover the service charge or not?

 

We have $275 OBC and other than planning to try Food Republic, and purchase tickets for the St. Thomas Skyride (about $40 for 2) I don't really have anything else to spend the OBC on.

 

If I can't use the OBC for the service charge can I cash out the OBC in the casino?

 

I do know the OBC from world points is non-refundable. Never tried to cash it out in the casino, so I don't know if it has any cash value.

[crusincouple8]

I just cruised in September and I had $350 OBC from world points. It did not go towards my casino charges. I tried to charge $200 to my room and I still had $350 OBC. Ended up having to buy some cruise next deposits to use the free OBC.

[LMaxwell]

I just cruised in September and I had $350 OBC from world points. It did not go towards my casino charges. I tried to charge $200 to my room and I still had $350 OBC. Ended up having to buy some cruise next deposits to use the free OBC.

 

So I've got 200 in World Points and $75 as a gift from Travel Agent. Will either of those be able to go against service charges? I mean, if I can't use it as intended I'll find a way to spend it on something, but I don't really need t-shirts or liquor...

[snow bunny]

Mine are showing at $12.95 a day. So I should probably prepay them then.

 

 

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That is the price I prepaid mine at. Of course being at $1.111 for the exchange made it a no brainer! Right now if I go to buy USD I have to pay about $1.36 per dollar!:eek:

 

snow bunny

[Cubechick]

I booked my upcoming cruise 22 months out. I pre-paid my DSC at the grandfathered rate this month.

 

I recall the confusion when the email went out (it was how it was worded). I had a friend who paid the DSC on all of his upcoming cruises and was upset when he realized he just had to do so prior to sailing.

 

I am confident that your rate is legit.

[bonvoyagie]

Does anyone remember when the charge increased? Wondering what we will be charged next week.

 

The first increase was in April of 2014, they went up a second time a few months later. Our recent cruise was booked in Dec 14 and we got the $12.00 rate.

 

As for another question, TA Purchased OBC can be used against the DSC.

 

Not sure about the casino.

[supergran]

We only booked in June this year for a cruise next week. We have the drink package but only $50 OBC. Just wondered if it is worth paying the charge now or waiting until onboard. Not sure it wil be much difference. Not going to need much OBC for anything else. We do our own excursions and don't use the casino.

[Demonyte]

We only booked in June this year for a cruise next week. We have the drink package but only $50 OBC. Just wondered if it is worth paying the charge now or waiting until onboard. Not sure it wil be much difference. Not going to need much OBC for anything else. We do our own excursions and don't use the casino.

 

 

No difference and most likely your OBC is non-refundable and hence won't even be applied to DSC.

 

I usually prepay purely to remove clutter from the onboard account statement to make monitoring other charges easier.

[hawkeyetlse]

The first increase was in April of 2014, they went up a second time a few months later.

You mean 2015, right?

 

The first increase (from $12.00 to $12.95 for non-suites) was announced in February 2015 and took effect on March 1, 2015.

 

The second increase (from $12.95 to $13.50 for non-suites) was announced in July 2015 and took effect on August 1, 2015.

 

Prior to all that, the rate had stayed at $12 since January 1, 2009. (And before that, it was $10.)

[Jana60]

If you have that much OBC, then why not just wait? Use their money, this difference is under $20. Right?

 

 

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Problem with that idea is that most of the onboard credit that is given for instance by your travel agent or stockholder benefit specifically State they cannot be used for the daily service charge. I don't understand why this is and I wish they would change it and allow you to use the onboard credit the way you wish.

 

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[Jana60]

As for another question, TA Purchased OBC can be used against the DSC.

 

Not sure about the casino.

 

Definitely not true of all travel agent onboard credit. Please see the onboard credit terms and conditions given to me by Travelocity:

"The onboard credit may not be used in the casino or towards gratuities." I copied this quote from my Travelocity Cruise invoice.

 

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[edawn]

I'd like to see it in writing before committing to prepay.

 

 

When the service charge changed we received an email stating that if you prepaid before boarding the old fee would apply. I don't think it actually stated that the new fee would apply if paid after boarding but it seemed clear to me.

 

 

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[LMaxwell]

Regarding use of World Point redemptions the only thing I can find regarding use of the points in the T&C's is this

 

"How You Use Your Points: Redeem points for travel, cash and gift cards. Rewards begin at 2,500 points. The number of points required for an Air Reward will be determined at the time of redemption. Cash rewards shall be issued for a U.S. dollar sum in the form of a statement credit, a check, or an electronic deposit to a Bank of America® checking or savings account, or a contribution to an eligible Merrill Lynch Cash Management Account®"

 

There is a link for further T&C's but it just takes you to another website with the same exact T&C's. If there's something out there stating what the points can or can't be used for, meaning once you convert it to OBC can you use it for service charge or cash it out, I'd like to know. Just want to minimize surprises and know clearly what to expect.

[vince_g]

I just cruised in September and I had $350 OBC from world points. It did not go towards my casino charges. I tried to charge $200 to my room and I still had $350 OBC. Ended up having to buy some cruise next deposits to use the free OBC.

 

I did not think it could be used in the casino, or for OBC.

 

Probably due to the fact that 20,000 points redeemed for cash, would only give you $160 cash back. If you redeemed less than 10,000 points, you'd only receive 50 cents for each point. Only when you redeem 25,000 or more points for cash, do you get a full dollar per point. When you redeem for OBC you get a 1 to 1 exchange. I could definitely see this as one reason it cannot be used for DSC or casino.

 

You would have been better off if you redeemed points for $350 cash. I have about $600 worth of points I'll be redeeming for cash for my cruise in 6 weeks.

Edited October 16, 2016 by vince_g