NCL Mastercard FAQ

[MagnoliaBlossom]

On 3/9/2024 at 11:41 AM, kismetique said:

I don't know but i suffer from it.  If I can do it on line,  I'm going to do that over a phone call.  I think it has to do more with getting CSRs that don't soak good English and having a slight hearing deficit.  Those two issues make for excruciating phone convos!!! 😊

I have a 50% hearing loss and fully understand the difficulty of telephonic communications with people who do not have a good command of the English language.  If I need to make a payment, book dining or such things I will always opt for doing it online, but having dealt WP and their sporadic ahenigans with cabin assignments, up I’m willing to put up with hold time, Muzak, and foreign speakers (if they’re too difficult I just ask to be transferred to another agent) in order to assure that cabin assignment is to our liking.  It’s I,portent to us and I don’t want to trust it to the cyber gods to get it right.

 

[FFTB]

For anyone that has booked through costcotravel, when using the NCL CC, does it show as an NCL direct charge (3x points)? Or as a regular travel purchase (2x)?

[Thunderbird19]

If you bought through Costco and used your Costco credit card then you get the Costco 2% travel purchase back  ( not sure if it’s on total purchase price as well as any excursions, etc. also bought or if it is just on the cruise cabin fare)

[alwalaska]

17 hours ago, FFTB said:

For anyone that has booked through costcotravel, when using the NCL CC, does it show as an NCL direct charge (3x points)? Or as a regular travel purchase (2x)?

Interesting question.  I'm curious to see if you get an answer.  For other travel agencies that I have used, the charge comes through as an NCL charge. 

[julig22]

On 3/4/2024 at 4:10 PM, julig22 said:

Well, new information for solo cruisers. You can now use your points to upgrade the solo categories - so solo OV to solo Balcony for example. Although I'd been told that before, only to get my points returned, the rep verified that it can be done now. And I have a confirmation from NCL, so pretty sure it's all good.

An interesting fly in the ointment. The price on my solo booking went down, so I called the main NCL# over the weekend and was told there wasn't a price drop. They were trying to adjust based on the balcony I now have, not the original OV. Tried 2 different reps, got the same answer, 2nd rep did go to a supervisor, same answer. Told me to go through my PCC.

So I called my PCC today, no problem getting the price adjustment. So either the NCL reps aren't well trained or a PCC has better tools.  Note, I've never had an issue before, the issue seems to be with the solo category.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I think the solo category is new enough territory that they’re still uncertain what to do with it.  Which will lead to all kinds of bizarre occurrences.

[julig22]

3 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

I think the solo category is new enough territory that they’re still uncertain what to do with it.  Which will lead to all kinds of bizarre occurrences.

Exactly why I've been posting my "adventures" - because if you don't know what to ask, you can't really ask, especially since it seems to be a moving target.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

1 minute ago, julig22 said:

Exactly why I've been posting my "adventures" - because if you don't know what to ask, you can't really ask, especially since it seems to be a moving target.

That’s the beauty of these forums.  Thanks for keeping us informed.

[alwalaska]

16 hours ago, julig22 said:

Exactly why I've been posting my "adventures" - because if you don't know what to ask, you can't really ask, especially since it seems to be a moving target.

We're looking into the solo category for my MIL for an upcoming trip, so I appreciate your posting your adventures.  Any other threads I should check out?

[julig22]

7 minutes ago, alwalaska said:

We're looking into the solo category for my MIL for an upcoming trip, so I appreciate your posting your adventures.  Any other threads I should check out?

I haven't seen too much posted about the solo category. Still new so not much feedback, seems as if NCL is still working out the bugs.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

22 hours ago, julig22 said:

I haven't seen too much posted about the solo category. Still new so not much feedback, seems as if NCL is still working out the bugs.

Which they will do in their usual prompt way 😉

[7Contraveler]

Can any1 help me out.. looking at a cruise for next year and would like to use my points to upgrade to a Balcony from an Oceanview... there are various options of OV.. port hole, picture, which room type should i book to guarantee an upgrade? Any help would greatly be appreciated.   

[MagnoliaBlossom]

4 hours ago, 7Contraveler said:

Can any1 help me out.. looking at a cruise for next year and would like to use my points to upgrade to a Balcony from an Oceanview... there are various options of OV.. port hole, picture, which room type should i book to guarantee an upgrade? Any help would greatly be appreciated.   

It will depend on the ship, some have more options/categories than others.  Let’s walk this backwards, though.    Do you have a specific balcony you want?  I,e, do your u want a BA which is the more centrally located, do you like to be forward or aft for more motion?  (Note: you cannot use points to upgrade to aft balconies or club balconies). If you need a BA then call WP and ask what you need to book in OV to get you there.  Generally speaking, if you book a OD. That puts you in a BD, but that is not true on older ships that may only have BA and BX balconies.  Also, if the cost of an OA is a bit tight for yu budget wise look at BB,BC,BDs,they may work for you.  The cabin itself is the same,the category only gives you location on the deck. See what fits, then book your cabin,then upgrade.

 

IMHO, you should book your upgrade by phone, not online.  You will have more flexibility when speaking to a human.  Also, before calling check out the deck plans and make a list of cabins that are your favorites, those that are no way Jose (next to service area, above the theater,etc) so when you are picking a cabin you can ask if your particular cabin is available or if they offer you a cabin yu can see if it’s a Jose.

 

enjoy your upgrade, check back if you have questions, we’re a friendly bunch, happy to help.

MB

[7Contraveler]

22 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

It will depend on the ship, some have more options/categories than others.  Let’s walk this backwards, though.    Do you have a specific balcony you want?  I,e, do your u want a BA which is the more centrally located, do you like to be forward or aft for more motion?  (Note: you cannot use points to upgrade to aft balconies or club balconies). If you need a BA then call WP and ask what you need to book in OV to get you there.  Generally speaking, if you book a OD. That puts you in a BD, but that is not true on older ships that may only have BA and BX balconies.  Also, if the cost of an OA is a bit tight for yu budget wise look at BB,BC,BDs,they may work for you.  The cabin itself is the same,the category only gives you location on the deck. See what fits, then book your cabin,then upgrade.

 

IMHO, you should book your upgrade by phone, not online.  You will have more flexibility when speaking to a human.  Also, before calling check out the deck plans and make a list of cabins that are your favorites, those that are no way Jose (next to service area, above the theater,etc) so when you are picking a cabin you can ask if your particular cabin is available or if they offer you a cabin yu can see if it’s a Jose.

 

enjoy your upgrade, check back if you have questions, we’re a friendly bunch, happy to help.

MB

Thank you very much for the wonderful advice. 

[Jack Durden]

On 3/10/2024 at 6:40 PM, FFTB said:

For anyone that has booked through costcotravel, when using the NCL CC, does it show as an NCL direct charge (3x points)? Or as a regular travel purchase (2x)?

It shows as NCL direct charge (3x points).  I just bought an NCL cruise through CostCo Travel and it's showing the following on the Bank of America website Rewards section for the transaction: 

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES - MIAMI, FL

BASE: NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE - MIAMI, FL

BONUS: Triple Points for NCL specific purchases

 

[FFTB]

*DISCLAIMER* - *The following is strictly a Thought Experiment and is in no way intended to be advice or be attempted as it may have issues with your bank/taxes*

 

I think I figured out how one could "buy points" to use on an upgrade for substantial savings.

 

The casinos on the ships charge 3% to take cash out, that is then charged to your on-board account.

 

Hypothitically (and for ease of math), if one were to get $9709 cash out + the $291 fee, it would equal $10k total charged to your NCL card at 3x = 30k points = 1x Meta Upgrade.

 

Obviously, depositing the cash after the cruise and using it directly to pay off the card.  

 

This is definitely one of the more expensive itineraries to upgrade (25day Panama), but an example to illustrate that for a $291 fee (and some legwork moving around cash), one could get an upgrade valued at $3300...

 

 

Again... *DISCLAIMER* - *All of that is strictly a Thought Experiment and is in no way intended to be advice or be attempted as it may have issues with your bank/taxes* 😅

[julig22]

10 minutes ago, FFTB said:

*DISCLAIMER* - *The following is strictly a Thought Experiment and is in no way intended to be advice or be attempted as it may have issues with your bank/taxes*

 

I think I figured out how one could "buy points" to use on an upgrade for substantial savings.

 

The casinos on the ships charge 3% to take cash out, that is then charged to your on-board account.

 

Hypothitically (and for ease of math), if one were to get $9709 cash out + the $291 fee, it would equal $10k total charged to your NCL card at 3x = 30k points = 1x Meta Upgrade.

 

Obviously, depositing the cash after the cruise and using it directly to pay off the card.  

 

This is definitely one of the more expensive itineraries to upgrade (25day Panama), but an example to illustrate that for a $291 fee (and some legwork moving around cash), one could get an upgrade valued at $3300...

 

 

Again... *DISCLAIMER* - *All of that is strictly a Thought Experiment and is in no way intended to be advice or be attempted as it may have issues with your bank/taxes* 😅

I do this all the time to collect points, although not to that extent since I usually have enough credits already.

I rarely use cash in the casino, always figuring I might as well use my card. If I bring cash, it's just money out of my bank account.  If I use the card, I get the points equal to the service charge - so a wash in the long run, should I simply choose to use a statement credit.  But pretty profitable if I use it for an upgrade. My last 2 upgrades were worth over $2K each.

No bank/tax issues that I'm aware of, although you'd have to watch your CC limits - and the ship might have something to say about it - or possibly a daily limit?

[laudergayle]

27 minutes ago, FFTB said:

*DISCLAIMER* - *The following is strictly a Thought Experiment and is in no way intended to be advice or be attempted as it may have issues with your bank/taxes*

 

I think I figured out how one could "buy points" to use on an upgrade for substantial savings.

 

The casinos on the ships charge 3% to take cash out, that is then charged to your on-board account.

 

Hypothitically (and for ease of math), if one were to get $9709 cash out + the $291 fee, it would equal $10k total charged to your NCL card at 3x = 30k points = 1x Meta Upgrade.

 

Obviously, depositing the cash after the cruise and using it directly to pay off the card.  

 

This is definitely one of the more expensive itineraries to upgrade (25day Panama), but an example to illustrate that for a $291 fee (and some legwork moving around cash), one could get an upgrade valued at $3300...

 

 

Again... *DISCLAIMER* - *All of that is strictly a Thought Experiment and is in no way intended to be advice or be attempted as it may have issues with your bank/taxes* 😅

Hmmm. Interesting.  I don’t know I would want to have that much cash on hand when traveling…but certainly a creative way to earn credits.  Are you going to try it anytime soon?  Report back if you do!

[MagnoliaBlossom]

While this won’t get you anything but single points, I’ve bought WalMart gift cards because I knew as soon as that #500 or $1000 was processed, I still had the money for a place where I was going to shop anyway.   Of course, this is only good when you need a small amount of points, but it’s info for those who might not have thought of it.  I know some newbies to the cars struggle to get from the 20/25 K bonus to the 30k for upgrade.  

[kismetique]

On 3/20/2024 at 3:17 PM, laudergayle said:

Hmmm. Interesting.  I don’t know I would want to have that much cash on hand when traveling…but certainly a creative way to earn credits.  Are you going to try it anytime soon?  Report back if you do!

Wouldn't taking cash on the NCL BoA card be considered a cash advance and begin incurring interest immediately?  When I read this it sent red flags up immediately - only because I constantly have to stay on top of hubby when on vacation which card to use for what.  He's so used to using our credit cards for taxi's, meals, etc.  He tends to want to stick the same CC in the bank machine to get cash and I'm always like, NO NO NO NO!  That will incur immediate AND a higher rate of interest than purchases.  

 

I much prefer to get cash on my debit card while on board the ship and pay the 3% because I trust it so much more than machines in any town.

 

Here's what I found generically : Most cards do not offer a grace period for cash advances. You will begin paying interest from the first day the cash advance posts to your credit card. For most credit cards, the cash advance APR is significantly higher than the APR for purchases. Cash advance interest rates typically range from 17.99% to 29.99% APR.

 

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Credit Card's Additional Info

cash advance fee	5%
cash advance APR	21.24% - 29.24% (V)

 

I love the way you think and wished this were a workable way to get those points!  But I'm thinking not.

 

How about if you pre-paid charges on board, would they give you the cash back at the end of the cruise?  We never spend anything other than our gratuities, so if we prepaid them before the cruise and then put money on account somehow?  I'm not sure if it's possible as I've never thought to do it because we never spend a dime. Needless to say, we aren't the cruisers NCL likes to give bargains to! 🙂

Edited March 22 by kismetique

[smillerholmes]

On 3/20/2024 at 4:07 PM, julig22 said:

I do this all the time to collect points, although not to that extent since I usually have enough credits already.

I rarely use cash in the casino, always figuring I might as well use my card. If I bring cash, it's just money out of my bank account.  If I use the card, I get the points equal to the service charge - so a wash in the long run, should I simply choose to use a statement credit.  But pretty profitable if I use it for an upgrade. My last 2 upgrades were worth over $2K each.

No bank/tax issues that I'm aware of, although you'd have to watch your CC limits - and the ship might have something to say about it - or possibly a daily limit?

I do the same.  I was told there is a 5K limit per day for card charges in the casino.

[kismetique]

3 minutes ago, kismetique said:

 

How about if you pre-paid charges on board, would they give you the cash back at the end of the cruise?  We never spend anything other than our gratuities, so if we prepaid them before the cruise and then put money on account somehow?  I'm not sure if it's possible as I've never thought to do it because we never spend a dime. Needless to say, we aren't the cruisers NCL likes to give bargains to! 🙂

Oh - I see...my mistake.  We don't gamble so I wasn't aware you could make a casino charge!

Interesting.

[julig22]

4 minutes ago, kismetique said:

Wouldn't taking cash on the NCL BoA card be considered a cash advance and begin incurring interest immediately?  When I read this it sent red flags up immediately - only because I constantly have to stay on top of hubby when on vacation which card to use for what.  He's so used to using our credit cards for taxi's, meals, etc.  He tends to want to stick the same CC in the bank machine to get cash and I'm always like, NO NO NO NO!  That will incur immediate AND a higher rate of interest than purchases.

Nope. It's an "entertainment" expense, the 3% is a service fee. All under NCL as a purchase. And NCL is travel.  So a travel expense on your CC.

[smillerholmes]

4 minutes ago, kismetique said:

Wouldn't taking cash on the NCL BoA card be considered a cash advance and begin incurring interest immediately?  When I read this is sent red flags up immediately - only because I constantly have to stop on top of hubby when on vacation which card to use for what.  He's so used to using our credit cards for taxi's, meals, etc.  He tends to want to stick the same CC in the bank machine to get cash and I'm always like, NO NO NO NO!  That will incur immediate AND a higher rate of interest than purchases.  

 

I much prefer to get cash on my debit card while on board the ship and pay the 3% because I trust it so much more than machines in any town.

 

Here's what I found generically : Most cards do not offer a grace period for cash advances. You will begin paying interest from the first day the cash advance posts to your credit card. For most credit cards, the cash advance APR is significantly higher than the APR for purchases. Cash advance interest rates typically range from 17.99% to 29.99% APR.

 

 

Norwegian Cruise Line Credit Card's Additional Info

cash advance fee	5%
cash advance APR	21.24% - 29.24% (V)

 

I love the way you think and wished this were a workable way to get those points!  But I'm thinking not.

 

How about if you pre-paid charges on board, would they give you the cash back at the end of the cruise?  We never spend anything other than our gratuities, so if we prepaid them before the cruise and then put money on account somehow?  I'm not sure if it's possible as I've never thought to do it because we never spend a dime. Needless to say, we aren't the cruisers NCL likes to give bargains to! 🙂

I'm not sure if this was made clear or not, but you are not taking a cash advance on your card.  You are "charging" to your room which is in turn billed to your NCL card.  They charge you 3% for the convenience, but it goes on your folio as a charge and then you pay your total folio with your NCL card to earn the 3X points.

[smillerholmes]

Just now, smillerholmes said:

I'm not sure if this was made clear or not, but you are not taking a cash advance on your card.  You are "charging" to your room which is in turn billed to your NCL card.  They charge you 3% for the convenience, but it goes on your folio as a charge and then you pay your total folio with your NCL card to earn the 3X points.

Also, the 3% could be waived depending upon your CAS level.