Veteran's Discount - Another Question

[cruiser2015]

25 minutes ago, jack300s said:

Congratulations............I've found the 10% a nice chunk of change. 

Thanks. It is quite a nice feature for NCL.

 

At least I'll never have to go through that process again. The discount is there already for any future booking.

[ljandiernp]

Hi,

I stumbled across this thread looking for another topic. I called NCL and was told that I had already been linked and the 10% discount was already applied, however, she gave me the price drop! Saved me a little over $300.00, so it was worth the call.

 

Laurie

[cruiser2015]

26 minutes ago, ljandiernp said:

Hi,

I stumbled across this thread looking for another topic. I called NCL and was told that I had already been linked and the 10% discount was already applied, however, she gave me the price drop! Saved me a little over $300.00, so it was worth the call.

 

Laurie

Sounds good.

But I'm a bit confused.

Seems like there just happened to be a price drop that the rep gave you. Is that what happened?

BTW, if you're vet discount is set up and you do a new booking (or a mock booking) the page clearly shows that you have the discount factored into the pricing.

[banjineer]

My experience - Last week we booked a cruise 40 days out (well inside final payment date).  Today (33 days out) I called about applying the military discount to this cruise and they did it.   Well worth a phone call.

[cruiser2015]

4 hours ago, banjineer said:

My experience - Last week we booked a cruise 40 days out (well inside final payment date).  Today (33 days out) I called about applying the military discount to this cruise and they did it.   Well worth a phone call.

As it should have happened.

My issue was totally different. The cruise was booked months before (me not knowing that there was a vet discount). The problem stems from the cruise being fully paid already. Yesterday was day 105 pre cruise. It's when you've paid AND you're inside the 120 day mark that it's automatically blocked. As long as you register for the discount BEFORE booking, there's no issue.

[WarfRatWA]

I've used the veterans discount twice now.  I appreciate the perk.  I wish their sister line Oceania had it as well.

[ljandiernp]

On 9/30/2023 at 6:56 PM, cruiser2015 said:

Sounds good.

But I'm a bit confused.

Seems like there just happened to be a price drop that the rep gave you. Is that what happened?

BTW, if you're vet discount is set up and you do a new booking (or a mock booking) the page clearly shows that you have the discount factored into the pricing.

Yes, that's what happened. The purpose of my post was to encourage others to take a chance on calling. Laurie

[LatinaInTexas]

Just wanted to add at the very nice cocktail party you get an invite to there will be a photographer to take your picture. The next day the picture will be in your cabin.

We didn't know this and had gone to the event after doing the rope course so we both had windblown, messy hair for our pic lol.

[PaperSniper4]

I retired from the USN in 1994. Applied for NCL's Military Appreciation discount April 2023. Used "ID.me" to do that. I can confirm that Military Appreciation status when I look at my account at NCL.com.

 

Several months ago I booked an NCL cruise for March 2024. Received the 10% military appreciation discount.

 

Around June 2023 I purchased a $500 Cruise First certificate that expires in June 2026. (Off topic question below.....)

 

In a few days I am planning to book another NCL cruise for March 2025, about 17 months from now. I will likely book with the non-NCL TA we usually use. Probably cabin category MA if that matters.

 

Question 1: I assume I do not need to re-apply for the Military Appreciation discount every year; correct?

Question 2: How can I verify the 10% discount before making my deposit?

Question3: How is the Cruise First certificate used for booking? Does the certificate amount ($500) go toward the deposit and as an additional payment for the cruise if the deposit is less than the certificate amount? I have heard that all NCL deposits are non-refundable....I don't want to lose my Cruise First money if we have to cancel.....we are old folks.....gotta be realistic.🙄

 

 Doug

[RocketMan275]

30 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

I retired from the USN in 1994. Applied for NCL's Military Appreciation discount April 2023. Used "ID.me" to do that. I can confirm that Military Appreciation status when I look at my account at NCL.com.

 

Several months ago I booked an NCL cruise for March 2024. Received the 10% military appreciation discount.

 

Around June 2023 I purchased a $500 Cruise First certificate that expires in June 2026. (Off topic question below.....)

 

In a few days I am planning to book another NCL cruise for March 2025, about 17 months from now. I will likely book with the non-NCL TA we usually use. Probably cabin category MA if that matters.

 

Question 1: I assume I do not need to re-apply for the Military Appreciation discount every year; correct?

Question 2: How can I verify the 10% discount before making my deposit?

Question3: How is the Cruise First certificate used for booking? Does the certificate amount ($500) go toward the deposit and as an additional payment for the cruise if the deposit is less than the certificate amount? I have heard that all NCL deposits are non-refundable....I don't want to lose my Cruise First money if we have to cancel.....we are old folks.....gotta be realistic.🙄

 

 Doug

No, you do not need to reapply.  

Verifing your discount is a two step process. 

- First, log onto NCL and do a mock booking for the cruise you want to determine the fare with your discount.

- Second, log out of NCL and do not log back in.  repeat the first process without  the discount.

compare the two.

You heard wrong.  Not all NCL deposits are non-refundable.  You can get  a refund on any payments up till final payment which occurs 120 days prior to cruising.  After the 120 day mark, there is a sliding scale of refunds.

[PaperSniper4]

9 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

No, you do not need to reapply.  

Verifing your discount is a two step process. 

- First, log onto NCL and do a mock booking for the cruise you want to determine the fare with your discount.

- Second, log out of NCL and do not log back in.  repeat the first process without  the discount.

compare the two.

You heard wrong.  Not all NCL deposits are non-refundable.  You can get  a refund on any payments up till final payment which occurs 120 days prior to cruising.  After the 120 day mark, there is a sliding scale of refunds.

Thanks for your information. I didn't think I had to reapply for a military discount with NCL every year, but my TA (incorrectly) thought we did. However, in his defense, one of the cruise lines requires passengers to re-new their eligibility for certain OBC or discount each year. I can't remember what it was.....if not military, maybe AARP, stockholder? No matter; I'll figure it out before I book another cruise!😎

[Back to school]

12 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

No, you do not need to reapply.  

Verifing your discount is a two step process. 

- First, log onto NCL and do a mock booking for the cruise you want to determine the fare with your discount.

- Second, log out of NCL and do not log back in.  repeat the first process without  the discount.

compare the two.

You heard wrong.  Not all NCL deposits are non-refundable.  You can get  a refund on any payments up till final payment which occurs 120 days prior to cruising.  After the 120 day mark, there is a sliding scale of refunds.

RocketMan275 was right!

[cruiser2015]

18 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

No, you do not need to reapply.  

Verifing your discount is a two step process. 

- First, log onto NCL and do a mock booking for the cruise you want to determine the fare with your discount.

- Second, log out of NCL and do not log back in.  repeat the first process without  the discount.

compare the two.

You heard wrong.  Not all NCL deposits are non-refundable.  You can get  a refund on any payments up till final payment which occurs 120 days prior to cruising.  After the 120 day mark, there is a sliding scale of refunds.

As I recall, Cruise First payments are non-refundable.

As to the OP's question on the CF, yes, any amount above the required deposit is considered an early payment of the balance due (unless, of course you are booking less than 120 days out).

Also, the value of the CF, while non-refundable may be used on a different booking - meaning, you may cancel the original booking to which you applied the certificate and reapply to another reservation, as long as its within the rules as to dates. 

[sailingships]

On 9/28/2023 at 11:28 AM, cruiser2015 said:

I have not gone through the process yet but will shortly. I'm expecting that a photo of my DD214 will be all that's required. One more point of interest - I told the rep I have been on NCL cruises for over 20 years and never heard about this discount. She said it's only been around a few on months.

I hope this will work for you - and anyone else out there in CC land.

I didnt need to use my DD214 Just had to supply any day I was actually in the military. Was accepted right away. The 10% discount just started as of Jan 1st this year. It was announced online the week before Veterans Day last year. We booked for Jan 3rd right away and got it then.  It shows up in the NCL pages if you are signed up.

[dbrown84]

2 hours ago, cruiser2015 said:

As I recall, Cruise First payments are non-refundable.

As to the OP's question on the CF, yes, any amount above the required deposit is considered an early payment of the balance due (unless, of course you are booking less than 120 days out).

Also, the value of the CF, while non-refundable may be used on a different booking - meaning, you may cancel the original booking to which you applied the certificate and reapply to another reservation, as long as its within the rules as to dates. 

all payments, including CF, are refundable up until 120 days out.  So, yes you can use the CF on another booking (since it's refundable), but you don't have to do it at the same time as you're cancelling the current booking (if that it was you were saying).

[PaperSniper4]

4 hours ago, cruiser2015 said:

As I recall, Cruise First payments are non-refundable.

As to the OP's question on the CF, yes, any amount above the required deposit is considered an early payment of the balance due (unless, of course you are booking less than 120 days out).

Also, the value of the CF, while non-refundable may be used on a different booking - meaning, you may cancel the original booking to which you applied the certificate and reapply to another reservation, as long as its within the rules as to dates. 

Yes, whether or not the Cruise First certificate is "refundable" is a big deal for us, especially booking something nearly a year and a half from now. I suppose being able to have it available to be book another cruise is okay, but having to select an alternate cruise when canceling the first would sometimes be difficult. I wonder how much time we'd have to do that; anyone know?

It would be more convenient to just have the certificate's value returned, with the original expiration date remaining in effect of course. I do not like booking at the last minutes because the best cabins and itineraries are gone, but it's tough to book so early also.

 

 Doug

[PaperSniper4]

2 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

all payments, including CF, are refundable up until 120 days out.  So, yes you can use the CF on another booking (since it's refundable), but you don't have to do it at the same time as you're cancelling the current booking (if that it was you were saying).

"..you don't have to do it at the same time as you're cancelling the current booking.." - Oh, that does sound better.I could probably live with that.

 

 Doug

[dbrown84]

1 minute ago, PaperSniper4 said:

"..you don't have to do it at the same time as you're cancelling the current booking.." - Oh, that does sound better.I could probably live with that.

 

 Doug

Yes, they will just put the certificate back into your account.  If course, it has to not be past the expiration date of the cert 

[PaperSniper4]

2 hours ago, sailingships said:

I didnt need to use my DD214 Just had to supply any day I was actually in the military. Was accepted right away. The 10% discount just started as of Jan 1st this year. It was announced online the week before Veterans Day last year. We booked for Jan 3rd right away and got it then.  It shows up in the NCL pages if you are signed up.

I can echo everything you said. I don't have a DD214 that I can read....mine is  a copy of a copy of a copy of a ..... you get the idea. I have no idea where the original one is located. When I did the "ID.me" form, which I did for other purchases, like my last car, I input the dates of my USN service. I think with some other cruise lines like HAL I used "SheerID"; which is probably the same thing with a different name? And yes, the military appreciation program at NCL is new, and I really hope it continues. Let's face us, we former and present military people are just so darned nice.😎

 

 Doug

[PaperSniper4]

5 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

Yes, they will just put the certificate back into your account.  If course, it has to not be past the expiration date of the cert 

Very good, thank you.

 

 Doug

[cruiser2015]

3 hours ago, sailingships said:

I didnt need to use my DD214 Just had to supply any day I was actually in the military. Was accepted right away. The 10% discount just started as of Jan 1st this year. It was announced online the week before Veterans Day last year. We booked for Jan 3rd right away and got it then.  It shows up in the NCL pages if you are signed up.

You're a bit late with this response to my post of 2 weeks ago. The process to register was clarified in subsequent posts, which I guess you did not read before commenting. 

[cruiser2015]

3 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

all payments, including CF, are refundable up until 120 days out.  So, yes you can use the CF on another booking (since it's refundable), but you don't have to do it at the same time as you're cancelling the current booking (if that it was you were saying).

Please be careful with your word usage.

Refundable means to get your cash back - in your pocket. That is a NO for the CF.

How about calling it reusable? Much more accurate.

In fact, the NCL T&C specifies the buy as non-refundable.

Edited October 12, 2023 by cruiser2015

[cruiser2015]

1 hour ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Yes, whether or not the Cruise First certificate is "refundable" is a big deal for us, especially booking something nearly a year and a half from now. I suppose being able to have it available to be book another cruise is okay, but having to select an alternate cruise when canceling the first would sometimes be difficult. I wonder how much time we'd have to do that; anyone know?

It would be more convenient to just have the certificate's value returned, with the original expiration date remaining in effect of course. I do not like booking at the last minutes because the best cabins and itineraries are gone, but it's tough to book so early also.

 

 Doug

The CF can only be applied to cruises 4 months or more in the future.

The certificate expires 3 years from date of issue.

[sailingships]

18 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

You're a bit late with this response to my post of 2 weeks ago. The process to register was clarified in subsequent posts, which I guess you did not read before commenting. 

Actually I answered the posts months ago. Where were you ?

 

 

[cruiser2015]

2 minutes ago, sailingships said:

Actually I answered the posts months ago. Where were you ?

 

 

I'm the OP, and I started this thread on 9/28.

So, if you commented about this months ago, it was on an older thread which I have not seen.

Questions do get repeated, especially if a lot of time has passed.