What is the advantage to purchasing Cruise Next certificates

[eileeshb]

23 hours ago, mistertomatoe said:

 

Yet when I'm ready to book, the promo isn't running. Maybe I cruise too much and my timing is off. Anyways, for me CF works better. I actually was talked into CN but ended up getting a refund. Full disclosure, I was a little drunk when I stopped by the CN desk. At least I didn't fall for the free OBC trap. They really do confuse everyone including their own people with how they set up CN. Just look at the posts in this thread.

I usually book very early and I book a studio, on my upcoming cruise(Oct ‘23) I could only use one CN at the time of booking (Jan ‘22) but I managed to apply a second one about a month ago when there was a promo running. 
I’m currently using my second batch of 4xCNs, I wound up passing one from my first batch to a friend as it was about to expire thanks to covid. The transferability of the CNs is one of their benefits if you re not a frequent cruiser, I’m doing well to cruise once a year so I push the expiry dates to the limit. 

[smillerholmes]

During my first cruise I bought 8 Cruise Next based upon the double up offer at the time.  I like to always have two in case I want to go somewhere the Casino won't let me (Hawaii) or on a newer ship (Prima).  Now since most of my cruises are via the Casino I have been utilizing the Cruise First because I typically get offered Insides and $500 covers *most* of my costs.

 

And then they throw a monkey in the wrench and offer the Triple Up!  It was a very short time frame, but unlike unicorns, it surely existed.

 

 

[MoCruiseFan]

On 5/18/2023 at 4:47 PM, Oceansaway17 said:

Wonder if this practice is next to be cut.

If I buy at $500 and it doubles then you would think everyone would do this

 

Not everyone, just the smart people.

[dbrown84]

4 minutes ago, smillerholmes said:

During my first cruise I bought 8 Cruise Next based upon the double up offer at the time.  I like to always have two in case I want to go somewhere the Casino won't let me (Hawaii) or on a newer ship (Prima).  Now since most of my cruises are via the Casino I have been utilizing the Cruise First because I typically get offered Insides and $500 covers *most* of my costs.

 

And then they throw a monkey in the wrench and offer the Triple Up!  It was a very short time frame, but unlike unicorns, it surely existed.

 

 

yes, if they start offering the triple up more often, it will be a game changer.  I also travel thru the casino and just use the CF since I never have a need to cancel/re-book since the cruise fare is not an issue.  I would switch back to using CN if they start offering the triple offer more often.  I already have to come up with things to add to the reservation to get the bill up to at least $500.  I'll really have to come up with things to get it up to $750, but I'm sure I can make it happen. :)

[smillerholmes]

9 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

yes, if they start offering the triple up more often, it will be a game changer.  I also travel thru the casino and just use the CF since I never have a need to cancel/re-book since the cruise fare is not an issue.  I would switch back to using CN if they start offering the triple offer more often.  I already have to come up with things to add to the reservation to get the bill up to at least $500.  I'll really have to come up with things to get it up to $750, but I'm sure I can make it happen. 🙂

Yeah, on my recent casino cruise on the Sun port fees and taxes were $576.42 alone.  I'll be monitoring carefully for double/triple offers in the future.

[hallux]

On 5/19/2023 at 11:52 AM, cruiseny4life said:

Never, ever believe what a Cruise Next person tells you. Ever.

On my last cruise I intentionally sat in on part of the CN presentation, curious how it would be presented.  The CN Manager explained it just as it should have been - he was very clear that the 'OBC' you get just offsets part of what you pay for the certificates.

[mthayer295]

I was also disappointed with my CN experience.  I bought 4 CNs ($1000 worth) last summer.  I visited the desk twice for an explanation and was told that I could use multiple CNs on balcony and above.  I just booked a Pr1ma Haven cabin for a cruise that is less than 100 days away.  I was shocked to learn that NCL would only allow me to use one $250 certificate.  I was told that what the CN sales person must have been referring to was a “promotion” that is no longer available.  I am shocked that NCL has gotten away with this type of bait and switch selling.  I am also shocked that they would do business like this with Platinum clients who are spending significant money to buy their highest end product - a Haven on their new ship….in fact I would think they would reward those who are taking cabins off their hands at last minute and paying in full at time of booking.  I will never ever buy another CN cert and after I use the ones that I have, I might not ever book with NCL again.  

[dbrown84]

Just now, mthayer295 said:

I was also disappointed with my CN experience.  I bought 4 CNs ($1000 worth) last summer.  I visited the desk twice for an explanation and was told that I could use multiple CNs on balcony and above.  I just booked a Pr1ma Haven cabin for a cruise that is less than 100 days away.  I was shocked to learn that NCL would only allow me to use one $250 certificate.  I was told that what the CN sales person must have been referring to was a “promotion” that is no longer available.  I am shocked that NCL has gotten away with this type of bait and switch selling.  I am also shocked that they would do business like this with Platinum clients who are spending significant money to buy their highest end product - a Haven on their new ship….in fact I would think they would reward those who are taking cabins off their hands at last minute and paying in full at time of booking.  I will never ever buy another CN cert and after I use the ones that I have, I might not ever book with NCL again.  

yes, the rep made it sound like you could always do two certs knowing the whole time that it's only during promo periods.  You actually can use two CNs right now, but you have to book 120 days out.  So the reason they didn't let you was more likely because your cruise is too close.  

[MoCruiseFan]

On 5/19/2023 at 11:52 AM, cruiseny4life said:

Never, ever believe what a Cruise Next person tells you. Ever.

 

 

You mean listen to what is being said and do not ASSUME things that you are not being told.

[PATRLR]

5 hours ago, hallux said:

On my last cruise I intentionally sat in on part of the CN presentation, curious how it would be presented.  The CN Manager explained it just as it should have been - he was very clear that the 'OBC' you get just offsets part of what you pay for the certificates.

By chance was this on the Encore recently?  The CN manager on Encore in November did a great job explaining it straight up.  It was the sales droids at the desk that do the lying.

46 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

You mean listen to what is being said and do not ASSUME things that you are not being told.

I'm not going to speak for @cruiseny4life but I agreed with what he wrote, exactly as he wrote it.  I've witnessed the CN sales people flat-out lying.  They tell lies as part of their effort to mislead the guests into buying more certificates.  Has nothing to do with ASSUMing anything unless you are referring to people assuming the NCL employee is telling the truth.

 

[hallux]

44 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

By chance was this on the Encore recently?  The CN manager on Encore in November did a great job explaining it straight up.

Escape in March.  The CN manager was from the US, I recall that much.

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

By chance was this on the Encore recently?  The CN manager on Encore in November did a great job explaining it straight up.  It was the sales droids at the desk that do the lying.

I'm not going to speak for @cruiseny4life but I agreed with what he wrote, exactly as he wrote it.  I've witnessed the CN sales people flat-out lying.  They tell lies as part of their effort to mislead the guests into buying more certificates.  Has nothing to do with ASSUMing anything unless you are referring to people assuming the NCL employee is telling the truth.

 

I have found the CN sales people less trustworthy than used car salesmen.  

[Oceansaway17]

15 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

Not everyone, just the smart people.

Why would they give away extra money?

makes no sense

[cmecruise1962]

My one issue is that they told me that I could use current OBC to pay for the CN certificates...and that wasn't true.  So I LOST $488 of OBC, since I did it on the final night of the cruise and had I known, I would have used the OBC at the gift shop.  And honestly, the way OBC is shown on the app...it's hard to figure out how much you have used and how much you have left (and I'm in finance!)

[julig22]

50 minutes ago, cmecruise1962 said:

And honestly, the way OBC is shown on the app...it's hard to figure out how much you have used and how much you have left (and I'm in finance!)

That I can definitely agree with!  I was on one ship where my balance/OBC numbers were different every time I checked, even though I hadn't bought anything.

At the beginning of my last cruise it appeared that my SH OBC had been applied to my CruiseNext purchase, despite all claims to the contrary.  However, there were a couple of excursion refunds later on that complicated the accounting, but the "unspent"  SH OBC was actually refunded at the end.  Hard to say whether that still would have been the case by the end of the cruise if there hadn't been excursion refunds to complicate things.

I usually make a point of getting a print-out a day or two before the end of the cruise, just to make sure I'm not leaving anything behind.

[PATRLR]

1 hour ago, cmecruise1962 said:

My one issue is that they told me that I could use current OBC to pay for the CN certificates...and that wasn't true.  

I'll bet this happens a lot.  And I know it would really, really piss me off.  

[complawyer]

so the lesson to be learned is never, ever bother to purchase the cruise next certificates. if you ask any one at the cruise next desk i guarantee you will never get the same answer/explanation twice. im not 100% sure they even understand the process. 

consequently, i have given up even listening to them.

 

as my sainted grandmother used to say "if it sounds to good to be true..etc"

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 minutes ago, complawyer said:

so the lesson to be learned is never, ever bother to purchase the cruise next certificates.

Actually, the lesson to be learned is to do your homework before the cruise and buy CNs that will benefit you.

[insidecabin]

17 hours ago, hallux said:

On my last cruise I intentionally sat in on part of the CN presentation, curious how it would be presented.  The CN Manager explained it just as it should have been - he was very clear that the 'OBC' you get just offsets part of what you pay for the certificates.

Same on the Star, CN manager presentation, you part pay for the CN with the OBC net cost.....

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Actually, the lesson to be learned is to do your homework before the cruise and buy CNs that will benefit you.

Yeah, not sure why anyone would advise not taking a $250 discount on your cruise.

 

Do your research in advance and just hand in the completed form. I have no idea whether the CN staff would try to mislead me because I never discuss CN with them.

[julig22]

2 hours ago, complawyer said:

so the lesson to be learned is never, ever bother to purchase the cruise next certificates. if you ask any one at the cruise next desk i guarantee you will never get the same answer/explanation twice. im not 100% sure they even understand the process. 

consequently, i have given up even listening to them.

 

as my sainted grandmother used to say "if it sounds to good to be true..etc"

They each may give a different answer to obfuscate how it really works - and yes, some don't seem to quite get the real math behind what they are saying but the result is the same.  You are buying certificates for less than face value.  You really do get free money, just not necessarily in the way they present it.  

I've lost track of how many I've bought over the years but I'm guessing well over 30, using 2 on the majority of my cruises.  So over time, I've basically paid for another cruise or two with my "too good to be true" savings.  Your mileage may vary.

[PaperSniper4]

I've read these three pages and am now totally confused! Maybe you can help me get un-confused if I present my actual situation and ask for recommendations. We've never gotten an NCL certificate of any kind.

 

We usually do a seven day NCL cruise from NOLA in either October or March each year. We never book an OV or interior cabin. For our next booked cruise, March 2024, I have $175 OBC, all of which is not refundable. For my wife and I, we have the "2x unlimited Bar Package", "2x Two meal Specialty Dining Package:, "2x Internet Package <150 minutes", and "1x Shore Excursion Credit". Our packages do NOT include gratuities which I calculate will be about $280. If I don't spend that $175 OBC on board, it will go toward the gratuities. Right? In that case, I will have zero "OBC" in my account upon disembarking. My credit card would be charged at least $280-$175. We do not plan on buying anything on board such as at the casino, spa, shops, etc, etc.

 

Any non refundable OBC I'd get from buying a CN or CF certificate on board would go unused: making its value zero in my case. So I don't see any value in getting a certificate if it gave me non-refundable OBC.

 

Since we plan to cruise at least once a year on NCL, IYO which package would be "smarter" in our circumstances? And why?

 

Thanks for the help. We've never used either the CN or CF programs, but we used to use a similar program with Princess that was much, much less complicated!😎

 

Does anyone remember the days when you did not need to be an attorney to go cruising?😳

 

 Doug

[ggTexasGal]

@PaperSniper4  I hope this information helps clear up some of your concerns/questions...

 

If you have Non-refundable On Board credits, they cannot be applied to the daily service charges!

Only refundable OBC can be used for gratuities.

 

Also, regarding Cruise First certificates, they are purchased pre-cruise and only one certificate can be applied prior to Final Payment.

[insidecabin]

17 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

I've read these three pages and am now totally confused! Maybe you can help me get un-confused if I present my actual situation and ask for recommendations. We've never gotten an NCL certificate of any kind.

<snip>

.

</snip>

Any non refundable OBC I'd get from buying a CN or CF certificate on board would go unused: making its value zero in my case. So I don't see any value in getting a certificate if it gave me non-refundable OBC.

 

Since we plan to cruise at least once a year on NCL, IYO which package would be "smarter" in our circumstances? And why?

 

Thanks for the help. We've never used either the CN or CF programs, but we used to use a similar program with Princess that was much, much less complicated!😎

 

Does anyone remember the days when you did not need to be an attorney to go cruising?😳

 

 Doug

it would not go unused, it would go towards the CN certificates reducing the net cost.

for 1 cruise a year book in advance 2 or 4(at a push 6) to cover the forward booking window then topped up at each cruise depending on the forward schedule.

Edited May 22, 2023 by insidecabin

[dbrown84]

19 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

I've read these three pages and am now totally confused! Maybe you can help me get un-confused if I present my actual situation and ask for recommendations. We've never gotten an NCL certificate of any kind.

 

We usually do a seven day NCL cruise from NOLA in either October or March each year. We never book an OV or interior cabin. For our next booked cruise, March 2024, I have $175 OBC, all of which is not refundable. For my wife and I, we have the "2x unlimited Bar Package", "2x Two meal Specialty Dining Package:, "2x Internet Package <150 minutes", and "1x Shore Excursion Credit". Our packages do NOT include gratuities which I calculate will be about $280. If I don't spend that $175 OBC on board, it will go toward the gratuities. Right? In that case, I will have zero "OBC" in my account upon disembarking. My credit card would be charged at least $280-$175. We do not plan on buying anything on board such as at the casino, spa, shops, etc, etc.

 

Any non refundable OBC I'd get from buying a CN or CF certificate on board would go unused: making its value zero in my case. So I don't see any value in getting a certificate if it gave me non-refundable OBC.

 

Since we plan to cruise at least once a year on NCL, IYO which package would be "smarter" in our circumstances? And why?

 

Thanks for the help. We've never used either the CN or CF programs, but we used to use a similar program with Princess that was much, much less complicated!😎

 

Does anyone remember the days when you did not need to be an attorney to go cruising?😳

 

 Doug

You $175 OBC can not be used for gratuities because it's non refundable OBC.  so your CC will be charged the full $280.  You don't have to worry about using the OBC from the CN because it's used to offset the cost of the certificate.  So, you'd be charged $250 to your ship account for a CN, but given $125 OBC, so you'll only be charged $125 to your CC.  So, you just need to find something to spend the $175 OBC on, like excursions, spa treatments, or specialty dining, etc.