Prepaying for Shore Excursions

[bamabobb]

I am a 2nd time cruising, going on the Pearl in February. My first cruise was on the Carnival Holiday. Carnival allowed me to prepay for my shore excursions. I don't see that option on the NCL website. Does anyone know if they offer it? I'd really like to start (and end) the cruise as debt free as possible. Thanks in advance

[Retired not Expired]

I am a 2nd time cruising, going on the Pearl in February. My first cruise was on the Carnival Holiday. Carnival allowed me to prepay for my shore excursions. I don't see that option on the NCL website. Does anyone know if they offer it? I'd really like to start (and end) the cruise as debt free as possible. Thanks in advance

NCL will charge your on-board account for the shore excursions as you take them. An easy way to prepay is to take cash with you and put it towards your on-board account when you get on or to prepay an on board credit towards your account in the amount of the cost of your shore excursions.

[hawaiilvr]

you could also buy a prepaid visa or american express card at wal-mart (small service fee) and use that to pay for some of your onboard expenses. I used my debit card (visa) to pay for some of my expenses. the front desk had no problem separating my charges.

[Swells1]

How does one go about purchasing an OBC? Can you do it before you board?

[nonns]

You can call NCL at 1-866-625-1166 and order obc for yourself. I would not recommend ordering it by fax, as it took 6 weeks for my fax to be charged to my debit card. When you do it over the phone ask them to e mail you a receipt.

[rsinj]

Although I can understand wanting to do this, you are better off saving the money outside of giving to NCL for multiple reasons.

 

1. If by some unpredictable chance you are unable to take the cruise, you will have to do some work to get that money back. Maybe it isn't a big deal with NCL, but, in general, once you hand the money over to any company, it is going to take time, you are going to have to do some work to get it back, and when you do get it back, you only get what you paid or less.

 

2. If you have a personal emergency and need the cash, again, for whatever unexpected reason, you do not have access to it any more.

 

3. While you have the money, it could be sitting in a savings/money market account or CD earning you interest. Granted, it's not a ton of money, and you won't get lots of interest, but you are earning the interest for having the money, not someone else.

 

I'm certain there are other good reasons not to pay the money in advance. Again, I can appreciate paying in advance, and not having access to the money to keep from spending it yourself, but, I think there are many more negatives than positives to doing it.

 

Howard