NCL Onboard Credit Questions

[newNCLcruiser2010]

Hello, 

It's been a while since I've taken an NCL cruise and I have some questions about using the onboard credit.

 

I have an NCL credit card that I will be cashing in points for onboard credit for. I also have stockholder onboard credit. I have 2 rooms booked. 

 

My questions are...

1. Is the onboard credit per stateroom? Meaning if I have onboard credit in my name from my credit card can I use it to buy my daughter a specialty meal package, go carts, etc. if she is on my reservation in my stateroom?

2. If someone on my reservation, in my stateroom charges something on the ship, will it come off of my onboard credit? 

3. I know I can't use my onboard credit to buy anything for my kids in the second stateroom, but can I put some onboard credit on their reservation when I redeem my NCL credit card points for onboard credit? It asks for name, reservation number and ship. 

 

I know normally onboard credit is by stateroom, not person, but I want to make sure because google's first answer says... "No you cannot use Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) onboard credit (OBC) to book entertainment for someone else in your stateroom."

This doesn't seem right to me but I haven't been on NCL in 5 years so I just wanted to be sure before I redeem all my credit card points for onboard credit. 

 

Thanks!

[julig22]

Stockholder credit is (usually?) split 50/50 between guests 1&2, regardless of who owns it.

 

If you are paying for everything, you can put everyone in the same room on the same credit card so it doesn't matter who makes the purchases. You can also choose to use separate cards.

 

I'm not sure if you can use your NCL cc OBC for another person - I could not use my points to upgrade a cabin that was not booked in my name - points are not transferrable, not sure if that also applies to OBC.

 

However, I would never use my points for OBC in the first place. You can buy OBC through NCL, then use your statement credit to pay the bill - if it's a gift for someone in another cabin.  You end up getting more points that way. Or just forget OBC, pay the bill with your NCL card, get the points.

[Russiamomm]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

 

 

However, I would never use my points for OBC in the first place. You can buy OBC through NCL, then use your statement credit to pay the bill - if it's a gift for someone in another cabin.  You end up getting more points that way. Or just forget OBC, pay the bill with your NCL card, get the points.

This.  Do not cash in your points for OBC.  Use your NCL card to settle the bill, get three points per dollar and then either save the points for a future upgrade or cash them in as a statement credit.  Cashing the points in for OBC is probably the worst use of the points. 

[hallux]

I agree with the other two.  You get WAY more benefit by charging all your onboard expenses to the card (those on-board spend $$ are worth 3x points) compared to cashing in for OBC.  I may have even seen a CruiseNext manager telling people this exact same thing!

[9tee2Sea]

20 hours ago, newNCLcruiser2010 said:

Hello, 

It's been a while since I've taken an NCL cruise and I have some questions about using the onboard credit.

 

I have an NCL credit card that I will be cashing in points for onboard credit for. I also have stockholder onboard credit. I have 2 rooms booked. 

 

My questions are...

1. Is the onboard credit per stateroom? Meaning if I have onboard credit in my name from my credit card can I use it to buy my daughter a specialty meal package, go carts, etc. if she is on my reservation in my stateroom?

2. If someone on my reservation, in my stateroom charges something on the ship, will it come off of my onboard credit? 

3. I know I can't use my onboard credit to buy anything for my kids in the second stateroom, but can I put some onboard credit on their reservation when I redeem my NCL credit card points for onboard credit? It asks for name, reservation number and ship. 

 

I know normally onboard credit is by stateroom, not person, but I want to make sure because google's first answer says... "No you cannot use Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) onboard credit (OBC) to book entertainment for someone else in your stateroom."

This doesn't seem right to me but I haven't been on NCL in 5 years so I just wanted to be sure before I redeem all my credit card points for onboard credit. 

 

Thanks!

I believe if you have all the charges go to your form of payment ( allows all the others to charge to your account), the OBC will apply to the purchases ( even if made by others, because you are the party paying the bill).  I also have an NCL CC. Im going to book a higher priced cabin, then ask for a statement credit ( I have about 144,000 points) of $1,000.  With so many points, I will see if I can get 2 statement credits, but I doubt it.

[newNCLcruiser2010]

18 hours ago, hallux said:

I agree with the other two.  You get WAY more benefit by charging all your onboard expenses to the card (those on-board spend $$ are worth 3x points) compared to cashing in for OBC.  I may have even seen a CruiseNext manager telling people this exact same thing!

Okay so I just just charge all the onboard expense to my credit card and then when I return and everything is posted use the points to request a statement credit?

[hallux]

1 hour ago, newNCLcruiser2010 said:

Okay so I just just charge all the onboard expense to my credit card and then when I return and everything is posted use the points to request a statement credit?

From a standpoint of earning more points, yes.

[ngrund]

2 hours ago, newNCLcruiser2010 said:

Okay so I just just charge all the onboard expense to my credit card and then when I return and everything is posted use the points to request a statement credit?

I just transfer the points balance to my bank account

[jds2001]

On 5/21/2024 at 4:51 PM, Russiamomm said:

Cashing the points in for OBC is probably the worst use of the points. 

Not only that. the OBC you get is non-refundable, which means you can't use it for gratuities or in the casino, and if you don't use it, you lose it. The statement credit/cash makes much more sense if you're not going to use it for upgrades.