Benefits of booking future cruise onboard?

[riggins]

Hi guys-

We're sailing on our first NCL cruise in June. We've been considering booking NCL for our summer 2010 Europe cruise. Are there any benefits associated with booking a future cruise while onboard? We've done this before with Disney and got 10% off the future cruise plus onboard credits.

 

Thanks

Leslie

[SnootieTootie]

Hi Leslie, as far as I know, they no longer book cruises on board the ships. They do however offer what is called Cruise Rewards, and here is how it basically works. You purchase for $250 a certificate that you intend to use toward booking a future cruise, to be booked within a cetain amount of time, and used in a certain abount of time, from the date of purchase.

 

In return for purchasing the $250 future cruise certificate, NCL give's you an immeadiate $100 on board credit for the cruise that you are on at the time.

 

You can read about it here: http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=CruiseRewards

[98Charlie]

If you will need more than one cabin you can purchase more than one Cruise Reward also.

 

Charlie

[njhorseman]

The $250 also serves as the full deposit toward the next booking, rather than the usual $500 for two people that is required. (It does not serve as the full deposit for the higher-end suites that have much higher deposit requirements and more punitive cancellation penalties.)

[SnootieTootie]

Thanks Charlie, I was wondering about that. We are leaving Saturday, and I planned to purchase 2 future cruise rewards if allowed.

[garycarla]

You can purchase plenty of them, but only one can be used per future cabin.

[NJ2+3]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but can that $250 be used even on an inexpensive NCL cruise, such as a one or two night cruise to nowhere? I haven't noticed any mention as to a minimum cruise price that may be required to take advantage of the offer. But it would be great to cover such a big chunk of a lower-priced trip as a treat for a special occasion weekend!

[arlee]

My husband and I just sailed on the Dawn (March 21) and we booked for a future cruise. We got $100 towards our on board credit. We have quite a while to book and sail for our next cruise.

[veggie59]

You have 24 months from the date of purchase to book a future cruise and 30 months from date of purchase to sail.

[arlee]

Right - it's a good deal, I think. This past cruise was our first one, so we really can't compare any other cruise lines. We like the idea of freestyle. It worked out well for us.

[SnootieTootie]

It can be used on any cruise. We just booked a 4 day with the dreaded DMIL in November on the sky, and we used the future cruise $250 toward the cabin.

[CruisnGram]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but can that $250 be used even on an inexpensive NCL cruise, such as a one or two night cruise to nowhere?

 

Yes it can be.

 

CG

[NJ2+3]

Yes it can be.

 

CG

 

 

Thanks for the reply! This is our first time cruising with NCL (next week on the Pearl), so if we love it as much as we hope we will, that may turn out to be a very tempting offer!

[graysladymurphy]

What happens if you change your mind and don't book another cruise in time. Do you lose the deposit and do you have to pay back the $100?

[smrtypnts]

Yes it can be.

 

CG

I like that! That's pretty nifty. We live in NY and can drive into the city and do a 1 nighter almost anytime. That said, this is a great deal for that alone. Do you think they allow you to do the same thing on a one nighter? Buy the certificate for $250 and get a $100 OBC?

[ande54]

Actually you have 12 months from the date of purchase to book the cruise and 30months from date of purchase to sail. A good deal. Just keep an eye on the book by date because you lose it if you don't use it.

[veggie59]

Actually you have 12 months from the date of purchase to book the cruise and 30months from date of purchase to sail. A good deal. Just keep an eye on the book by date because you lose it if you don't use it.

 

It had been 12 months ........for new purchasers it is now 24 months to book and 30 months to sail.

[sealuber]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but can that $250 be used even on an inexpensive NCL cruise, such as a one or two night cruise to nowhere? I haven't noticed any mention as to a minimum cruise price that may be required to take advantage of the offer. But it would be great to cover such a big chunk of a lower-priced trip as a treat for a special occasion weekend!

 

I used my cruise certificate to book our 2 day CTN out of Vancouver to Seattle. Looking forward to spending some quality time with my sailor that is coming home!!! Oh, yeah and the kids too!

[caribbeanboy]

Actually you have 12 months from the date of purchase to book the cruise and 30months from date of purchase to sail. A good deal. Just keep an eye on the book by date because you lose it if you don't use it.

 

That is NOT true. I bought one in Nov 2007 when I was on the Pearl and when they called me a few months ago why I haven't used it yet, I told them I wasn't ready b/c I'm waiting for the N.Epic prices to come out and he said no problem as long as I use it before it expires (30 months or 36 months?)

[jocap]

We paid our deposit in Feb. on Jade, and thought the Maiden voyage of Epic was in Europe, but it's only the pre-inaugurals. So now we're looking at the cheap Jade from Barcelona week-£369 if booked by May 31st, plus we took a new credit card from a cheap UK airline which gives a free Med flight if you spend £500 in 5 months. If we use the $250 deposit, pay for the Jade with the credit card, we should be well on the way to a holiday in the sun for the price of a weekend in Blackpool!-jocap.

[Arwenmark]

Actually you have 12 months from the date of purchase to book the cruise and 30months from date of purchase to sail. A good deal. Just keep an eye on the book by date because you lose it if you don't use it.

 

Mine said 12 mo as well so I called the Latitudes rewards desk and asked directly and this is what I was told, while they are not advertising it you now have the full 30 mo to book and/or take the cruise. So even though my letter says 12 months my account says by May of 2011 for both booking and cruising.

They said they made this change do to the economy. So it may go back in the future.

 

To the person that asked what happens if you don't book in time or change your mind about taking a cruise later, you are out the $250. and no you don't pay back the $100 because you already paid the full $250.

[monilein]

:):)

My Husband and took advantage of the rewards brogram last year when we weare on the Pearl it is well worth it because you get $100.00 on board credit right away, but our cruise reward deposit is only valid from reservations made within 12 months from the date of puchase but are are valid dor sail dates within 30 month. It beats putting $800.00 down.

 

Monika

[smeyer418]

sorry about that

[smeyer418]

wrong place...sorry but I do use the future credit its a great benefit with its lower deposit and now 2 years to book...besides the $100 free

[calicruising]

It is a great product because you get the $100 onboard credit and your $250 gets applied to ANY NCL sailing. Please note though that there are some very important restrictions with these Cruise Rewards. They sell them to you on the ship saying that you can apply them to your deposit on your cabin, but remember.. you can only use 1 Cruise reward per cabin!! This means that if you are part of a couple and you think that if you each buy one that you will get $200 onboard credit and be able to use both cruise rewards on your next cruise that you are going on together, you cannot use both on the same cruise unless you are getting 2 cabins. If you plan on taking 2 NCL cruises in 30 months, by all means.. buy 2:) Also, keep your Cruise Rewards letter in a place where you remember it because while they tell you on the phone that you do not have to book within the initial time frame and only have to book and sail within the 30 month period, when you try and apply the cruise reward to a sailing AFTER your reward has expired, they will not be able to locate it since it is out of the system after that expiration date. This just happened to me, so I know. I had to fax them a copy of my cruise reward to get credit. Just keep all of this in mind and all will be glorious!

Enjoy:)