FYI - $250 cruisefirst

[Serengeti228]

7 hours ago, Liljo22 said:

I previously asked about price drops and losing the full value of the CFC.  Wanted to update that I just called in for a price drop on my cruise and the full $500 was still applied to the reservation.  

 

I did lose my double latitude points since its no longer offered on this cruise but the $400 price drop was more important.  

I repriced 2 bookings (before final payment) last week and the CF face value remains to stay. However, the Latitudes promo code had been adjusted according to the prevailing promo. I believe as long as the same booking reference is maintained and there is no action to cancel and rebook (the same itinerary), the CF face value can continue to sit peacefully therein. 

[dmam]

I read everything about CruiseFirst and I do understand the part of "not for cancel/rebook". However, it also says that "If a guest with an existing reservation cancels and rebooks …, the additional value of the CruiseFirst certificate will be removed."
Did anyone actually did this (book with a CF, cancel and rebook the SAME cruise SAME, date because of a price drop, i.e. like 350$) ? What happened to the value of the CF? Was it back to what you paid originaly (my case = 150$) or down to 0$?
Did anyone actually did this? Thanks for helping me understand ...

[UKstages]

it goes down to what you originally paid for the certificate, either $150 or $250... the "additional value" is indeed "removed."

[JillK]

2 hours ago, dmam said:

I read everything about CruiseFirst and I do understand the part of "not for cancel/rebook". However, it also says that "If a guest with an existing reservation cancels and rebooks …, the additional value of the CruiseFirst certificate will be removed."
Did anyone actually did this (book with a CF, cancel and rebook the SAME cruise SAME, date because of a price drop, i.e. like 350$) ? What happened to the value of the CF? Was it back to what you paid originaly (my case = 150$) or down to 0$?
Did anyone actually did this? Thanks for helping me understand ...

Hi dmam.

 

Will share with you my recent experience.

 

I purchased a $500 CF to deposit on a cruise in February. In June the price had dropped by $450 so I called my TA and asked for a price adjustment as we were a few weeks before final payment. I ended up with the new price but only realized afterward that they had moved me to a different cabin (though I was not told of this change) so I imagine it was a cancel/rebook that the agent enacted in order to get me the savings.

 

We retained the full $500 value of the CF even though I had only paid $250 to acquire it. 

 

Happy cruising.

[dmam]

8 hours ago, JillK said:

Hi dmam.

 

Will share with you my recent experience.

 

I purchased a $500 CF to deposit on a cruise in February. In June the price had dropped by $450 so I called my TA and asked for a price adjustment as we were a few weeks before final payment. I ended up with the new price but only realized afterward that they had moved me to a different cabin (though I was not told of this change) so I imagine it was a cancel/rebook that the agent enacted in order to get me the savings.

 

We retained the full $500 value of the CF even though I had only paid $250 to acquire it. 

 

Happy cruising.

Thanks JillK, thank you for your response.

I tried to explain to my TA that a CF does not go to 0$ when you cancel and rebook. The worst that could happen is it would go to what I have paid (loose the additional value). But my TA (and her boss), insisted that NO, I would loose everything, so she would not do it. Now the promo sale (included gratuities) is gone. I still have my reservation, but I could have save at least 200$. I just hope now that another promo will come and then, I will change TA.!

Thank you!

[tonyfall1]

I just booked my first cruise on NCL through a PCC. He offered me a $300 certificate for $150 that I could use for my deposit.

[JillK]

38 minutes ago, dmam said:

Thanks JillK, thank you for your response.

I tried to explain to my TA that a CF does not go to 0$ when you cancel and rebook. The worst that could happen is it would go to what I have paid (loose the additional value). But my TA (and her boss), insisted that NO, I would loose everything, so she would not do it. Now the promo sale (included gratuities) is gone. I still have my reservation, but I could have save at least 200$. I just hope now that another promo will come and then, I will change TA.!

Thank you!

 

Humm.... sounds like they don't understand the CruiseFirst program well and/or they themselves did not wish to do the change for whatever reason. 

 

I do have an NCL PCC that I book through occasionally. Generally the fare is the same as offered elsewhere so the only benefit to going this route (because essentially it is costing me more to loose the value of additional perks like OBC that another agent may offer) is that she is seasoned and can get things done quickly. I have found that when booking through outside TA's, sometimes you have to advocate and push them to do things you know from the CC community are possible. 

 

Best of luck! 

 

[JillK]

11 minutes ago, tonyfall1 said:

I just booked my first cruise on NCL through a PCC. He offered me a $300 certificate for $150 that I could use for my deposit.

 

Yes that is the Cruise First program that is being asked about on this thread. Occasionally they offer a $500 for $250 which is what I purchased in the late winter. The window for using it is shorter than a CruiseNext (which you buy onboard) but you can always transfer it to someone else should you not be able to use it. 

[UKstages]

there can be a difference in canceling and rebooking the same cruise (value can sometimes be retained) or canceling and rebooking another cruise for a different date and ship (additional value is usually forfeited). but the terms make no such distinction and simply state that the “additional value” will be removed when “rebooking.

[dmam]

11 hours ago, UKstages said:

it goes down to what you originally paid for the certificate, either $150 or $250... the "additional value" is indeed "removed."

Thanks Tonyfall1, that is what I said to my TA and boss, but they said I was completely wrong, even when I showed them the chat transcript done with NCL. They told me the NCL agent did not know what he was talking about...!

[dmam]

4 minutes ago, dmam said:

Thanks Tonyfall1, that is what I said to my TA and boss, but they said I was completely wrong, even when I showed them the chat transcript done with NCL. They told me the NCL agent did not know what he was talking about...!

Sorry, my mistake, I should have say Thanks, UKstages...

[JillK]

4 hours ago, UKstages said:

there can be a difference in canceling and rebooking the same cruise (value can sometimes be retained) or canceling and rebooking another cruise for a different date and ship (additional value is usually forfeited). but the terms make no such distinction and simply state that the “additional value” will be removed when “rebooking.

 

Good point - in the case I mentioned above, I had booked with a TA and regardless of whether it was a reprice or cancel/rebook, it was on the same cruise. 

 

That being said, last week I used my NCL PCC to make a change from a 2025 Med booking I had used a CF to deposit on to a cruise in 2024. The full value of the CF was transferred to the new booking but even though the cruise changed, the booking number stayed the same. 

[dmam]

And just to add to the confusion...

I just called NCL and ask the same question... The agent this time said I would not be able to use the certificat, not even the amount I put in, 150$. The certificat (300$) would go back to my Latitude account and stay there until I book a completely "new" cruise. I would have to give new $$ as deposit for rebooking the cancelled cruise... She said "her" understanding is that "additional value" is the certificat itself!

Why can't all NCL agents speak the same ????

Anyway, the promotion has ended, and I still have my original booking. I now just hope that if there is another price drop, it will allow to "reprice", so I can benefit of a lower price.

But I know for sure that I will not buy another CF to use on a cruise too far from final payment.

[julig22]

7 minutes ago, dmam said:

And just to add to the confusion...

I just called NCL and ask the same question... The agent this time said I would not be able to use the certificat, not even the amount I put in, 150$. The certificat (300$) would go back to my Latitude account and stay there until I book a completely "new" cruise. I would have to give new $$ as deposit for rebooking the cancelled cruise... She said "her" understanding is that "additional value" is the certificat itself!

Why can't all NCL agents speak the same ????

Anyway, the promotion has ended, and I still have my original booking. I now just hope that if there is another price drop, it will allow to "reprice", so I can benefit of a lower price.

But I know for sure that I will not buy another CF to use on a cruise too far from final payment.

In a minor defense of the NCL agents, I'm not sure it's always their fault. Not defending those who just barely function but in some cases I think it's corporate that's at fault. They seem to change things willy nilly, so what worked last week doesn't necessarily work this week. More experienced reps might have better knowledge of workarounds.  Same for TA's.  They read the "rules" and assume that their interpretation is how it really works. And we all know how convoluted those rules may be. So if you have a TA or PCC that's willing to try something, you are ahead of the game - it may work, it might not, just be prepared to accept the worst-case scenario.

[dmam]

5 minutes ago, julig22 said:

In a minor defense of the NCL agents, I'm not sure it's always their fault. Not defending those who just barely function but in some cases I think it's corporate that's at fault. They seem to change things willy nilly, so what worked last week doesn't necessarily work this week. More experienced reps might have better knowledge of workarounds.  Same for TA's.  They read the "rules" and assume that their interpretation is how it really works. And we all know how convoluted those rules may be. So if you have a TA or PCC that's willing to try something, you are ahead of the game - it may work, it might not, just be prepared to accept the worst-case scenario.

Yes, you are right... "plan for the worst and hope for the best"!

What I know for sure, is that I will enjoy my cruise !👌

[UKstages]

7 hours ago, julig22 said:

More experienced reps might have better knowledge…

perhaps.

 

i’ve been playing cruise consultant roulette lately… just calling in blind and taking whoever i get. a few days ago, i added the second leg to a B2B that departs in 40 days or so. i told the rep i had a $500 cruise first (not next) certificate in my account and he should use that.

 

he said, “oh, geez, i’d like to, but that’s not gonna go through. the cruise has to be 120 days out or more. sorry.” i said, “actually, i’m pretty sure it’s 120 days from when the certificate was purchased, not the day you book the cruise.” he said, “well, I’ve been here eight years and i’ve never heard of this.” i asked him to humor me and give it a try. he did and, of course, it went through.

[drumming cruisers]

I guess I missed something, what's the difference between cruise first and cruise next?

 

Thank you 

[julig22]

15 minutes ago, UKstages said:

perhaps.

 

i’ve been playing cruise consultant roulette lately… just calling in blind and taking whoever i get. a few days ago, i added the second leg to a B2B that departs in 40 days or so. i told the rep i had a $500 cruise first (not next) certificate in my account and he should use that.

 

he said, “oh, geez, i’d like to, but that’s not gonna go through. the cruise has to be 120 days out or more. sorry.” i said, “actually, i’m pretty sure it’s 120 days from when the certificate was purchased, not the day you book the cruise.” he said, “well, I’ve been here eight years and i’ve never heard of this.” i asked him to humor me and give it a try. he did and, of course, it went through.

Experienced with respect to an extensive knowledge base.  Not necessarily a direct correlation to how long they've been with the company.  I fired a PCC who claimed to have 8 years or more experience.  He (and apparently his supervisor) couldn't even figure out how to add back an airport transfer if I had a flight deviation but wanted to go back to the airport and take the NCL shuttle. And a few other things.

Some people gain experience while doing their job, others never progress beyond what they were told during their initial orientation.

 

[JillK]

9 hours ago, drumming cruisers said:

I guess I missed something, what's the difference between cruise first and cruise next?

 

Thank you 

 

They are very similar. Both act as a deposit on your cruise without requiring additional money down.

 

Cruise Next are the certificates you buy on board. Sometimes there are "double up" promos so you can use more than one on your booking (ie - you can apply two to an inside cabin whereas usually you can only use one). They are valid for 4 years from purchase date. 

 

Cruise First are the certificates you buy on land - you can buy them anytime on the NCL site. The general value is $300 for $150 though throughout the year they do run promos for a value of $500 for $250. They must be used on a cruise of 6+ days in length and can be applied to cruises 120 days from date of purchase. They are valid for 3 years from the purchase date. 

 

Both CN and CF's are transferrable if you cannot use them to mitigate the risk of purchasing in case you cannot travel. You can give/sell them to someone who has a latitudes number. I have purchased them for gifting to my parents and the transfer process is easy. 

 

Hope that helps! 

[dbrown84]

as others have said, the TA (and her boss) were completely wrong.  I would suggest that in the future, insist that they do what you ask.  You are the customer.  If they absolutely refuse to do what you want, cancel and take your business somewhere else.  yes, you could have been the one that was wrong, but you'd accept costing yourself $$$ more than having them cost you $$$ because they won't do what you asked

[drumming cruisers]

7 hours ago, JillK said:

 

They are very similar. Both act as a deposit on your cruise without requiring additional money down.

 

Cruise Next are the certificates you buy on board. Sometimes there are "double up" promos so you can use more than one on your booking (ie - you can apply two to an inside cabin whereas usually you can only use one). They are valid for 4 years from purchase date. 

 

Cruise First are the certificates you buy on land - you can buy them anytime on the NCL site. The general value is $300 for $150 though throughout the year they do run promos for a value of $500 for $250. They must be used on a cruise of 6+ days in length and can be applied to cruises 120 days from date of purchase. They are valid for 3 years from the purchase date. 

 

Both CN and CF's are transferrable if you cannot use them to mitigate the risk of purchasing in case you cannot travel. You can give/sell them to someone who has a latitudes number. I have purchased them for gifting to my parents and the transfer process is easy. 

 

Hope that helps! 

Thank you!

[JillK]

 

Canadian NCL site is showing "Flash Sale" with $250 Cruise First value through the weekend for anyone waiting to purchase the higher value CF.

[tonyfall1]

1 hour ago, JillK said:

 

Canadian NCL site is showing "Flash Sale" with $250 Cruise First value through the weekend for anyone waiting to purchase the higher value CF.

US site showing the same.. I just booked 2 days ago with a $150 Cruise First. I wonder if they would allow me to change it.