NCL master card question

[gettingready]

I did a search and this seems like a good idea - although the main card I use gives us airline tickets on any line, any time but this also sounds good! I have a question - there is a 25% payback on your first purchase would transfering a card balance count?

 

I would like to sign up, transfer my balance (just paid for a cruise for 4) and use it as my first purchase. Thet way I'll get both the miles AND the cruise points. Has anyone done this?

 

Alex

[gettingready]

Also, if I apply online, antone know how long it takes to get the card?

 

Thanks

 

Alex

[hardel]

I'm pretty sure you can only earn points with purchases. Balance Transfers, cash advances, and those checks they send you do not earn pioints. But the card is great! I just sent in certificates for $1,500 that will be deducted from my final payment on my cruise. I always make sure I purchase my cruises and pay for my on board charges with my card and earn 4% on them.

[hardel]

I'm pretty sure you can only earn points with purchases. Balance Transfers, cash advances, and those checks they send you do not earn points. But the card is great! I just sent in certificates for $1,500 that will be deducted from my final payment on my cruise. I always make sure I purchase my cruises and pay for my on board charges with my card and earn 4% on them.

[98Charlie]

I would be amazed if they gave any credits for balance transfers. I hadn't heard anything about a 25% credit on the first purchase. If it is true, there must be an upper limit.

 

We've had ours for just over 2 years and get the max ($1000) credit each year. I have no problem making a $1 purchase when I know that I'm going to pay it off at the end of the month and it all adds up to cruise money :D

 

Charlie

[Crusin'Cousins]

We applied for the card, on-line, 4 or 5 months ago. I believe our cards arrived in about 2.5 weeks.

 

I believe the 25% you are referring to is simply getting your first 25 points (sort of a jump-start) of the 500 points needed to apply toward the purchase of your first cruise, if that's your choice. The points are simply given to you once you activate your card. You will receive the standard points for any use of your card, above and beyond the initial 25 points. (Not for cash advances or using the checks.)

 

We use the account for nearly every purchase that will accept a credit card. The points are adding up quickly! We are pleased with the service from MBNA up to this point.

 

Can't wait to get to use the points!

[zimmerjulie]

I can verify that you do not get points on balance transfers. Also, the 25 numer is the bonus for the first time you use the card (within the first billing cycle or some similar restriction), as Crusin'Cousins pointed out. Our cards arrived within about 10-14 days of my application by phone.

[dyslexic pirate]

I called MBNA and got my first $500 voucher sent to me in less than 2 weeks. I didn't pay extra for rushed mailing I just had them send it regular mail. I took the certificate to my TA yesterday (before I misplaced it!) and it was handled just like cash. I then used my card to pay off the remaining balance on my cruise.

 

The MBNA card is awesome! I've never participated in a rewards program before and in fact had all my cards paid off and was handling my finances on a cash/check/debit card basis only until I found out I could be putting my money to work for me. We've only had our cards (DH and I each opened up seperate accounts so we could earn 2000 credits per year combined) 3 months and pay our accounts off each month. It's incredible to think that together we've already racked up almost 1000 points. Next fall our reward for good behaviour will be a free or nearly free cruise.

 

25 bonus points the first time you use your card on a regular retail purchase. Balance transfers and cash advances don't earn points. Charge EVERYTHING it is amazing how quickly it all adds up! ;)

[98Charlie]

I forgot about the bonus points. We got the same 25 when we opened our account a couple of years ago.

 

I agree that it piles up fast. $8 purchase is only 24 cents towards a cruise. But at the end of the month it's fun to see the numbers on the bottom of the statement.

 

There is a max per month and per year. So if you are going to use it for some larger one time purchases/payments (like college tuition) or will charge over $33K per year, his and hers cards are an additional bonus.

 

Charlie

[Lemk85]

Can anyone tell me if there is a maximum amount of certificates you can use for a specific cruise? I have one card, my wife another and the kids another and we charge everything!! By year end we will have accumulated the annual max on all three cards ($1,000.00 x 3). I seem to remember reading on the boards that there is a $3,000.00 max credit per cruise but cannot find that info anywhere in the cc brochure. Thanks!!

[Mekamax]

I can be wrong but I think they only allow one coupon (for point awards) per cruise booked. At least that is what CCL did. I'm on hold with NCL now looking at cruises so I'll ask them. Debbie

[Hockey19]

I have had no problem using multiple certiicates towards cruises-I have redeemed $1000 each time for my last two cruses. Check the MBNA web site for the fine print regarding details-it has all the legal mumbo jumbo about redemption. You do not need the certificates at booking but when redeeming, MBNA cautions 6-8 weeks for delivery so factor that in on your payment schedule.

[Hockey19]

https://wwwa.mbna.com/creditcards/travel.html

 

https://wwwa.applyonlinenow.com/USapp/Ctl/redirect?CV_sourceCode=KR58&CV_MC=A000001Q2V

 

Not sure if the second link will work but is direct to the NCL card info-from the first link just scroll down to the NCL card and click.

[Soon2Bmtnest]

Can anyone tell me if there is a maximum amount of certificates you can use for a specific cruise? I have one card, my wife another and the kids another and we charge everything!! By year end we will have accumulated the annual max on all three cards ($1,000.00 x 3). I seem to remember reading on the boards that there is a $3,000.00 max credit per cruise but cannot find that info anywhere in the cc brochure. Thanks!!

 

You spoke of an annual max of $1000. But hardel says "I just sent in certificates for $1,500 that will be deducted from my final payment on my cruise. " So he used more? Any info on how it works would be appreciated also I have an account but my husband is not on it. Can I add him and go to 2000 or does he have to have a separate account?:confused:

[Hockey19]

The max amount($1000) is the amount you can accumulate by purchases each year. You can redeem in excess at any one time but it is restricted to $500 increments. So if you have $1250 in points you can only redeem $1000 and the remaining $250 remains to grow. In addition to the annual limit there is a monthly limit (I think $90) so if you can spread large purchases over months that works out (college tuition, etc.). Having two people on a card does not change your limits. The only choice would be separate cards but I do not know how NCL handles those redemptions.

[mbisson]

I can be wrong but I think they only allow one coupon (for point awards) per cruise booked. At least that is what CCL did. I'm on hold with NCL now looking at cruises so I'll ask them. Debbie

 

I've used 2 $500 coupons on each of my last two cruises. We're not quite getting free cruises, but it sure feels good to only have to pay a little cash out of pocket to go on a great vacation!!!

 

-Monte

[Lemk85]

The monthly limit on points is 250 which translates to a little over $8,000 in spending each month. Annual Max is 1,000 points which is alot of spending. I have three different accounts and have maxed out the first two at 1,000 points each. There was no problem in obtaining additional accounts even with the same names. The one question that has not been answered is, is there a limit to the number of certificates that can be redeemed for one cruise? If I happened to have 4,000 in certificates, can that be used for one cruise, or is there a maximum number of points to be used for one cruise? I have seen postings here where cruisers mention using 1,500 or 2,000 in points, but don't recall ever seeing anything above that amount. Thanks for any help!

[gary]

I just ordered $7000.00 worth of certificates to pay for 6 of us on the Star in Mexico in January. There is no limit whatsoever. I max out 4 cards each year and am waiting for two more that I just applied for.

[7SeasLover]

I love my NCL credit card! Got it before a 12-day cruise from NY to Caribbean. I use it all the time and the cruise that we're enjoying on 9/25 (Star: Vancouver to L.A.) only cost me $300 out of pocket for a mini-suite! That's great! I'm charging everything to my NCL card so I can have a good amount of credit toward the Oct. 9, 2006 sailing on the Jewel - 12 Day Mediterranean cruise. Love it! Highly recommend it.

 

It did take a good 2 weeks to get your certificates though. I ordered 2 $500 certificates.

Ginny

[flyingpirate]

Hey Dyslexic Pirate -

 

Are we snisuoc?

 

Hee hee hee! :D :D :D

[PA Cruisers2]

Gary

You said you have 4 MC cards. My DH & I each have our own cards. If we max them out in a year, can we get a different card under our names? I thought we could each only get $1000 (points) in a year toward a cruise. Do they let you start a new card? Any info is appreciated. I just sent for coupons for our January cruise. I check the mailbox every day...so excited! :rolleyes:

Also...should I send in my coupons right away, or wait until I am billed by NCL for the cruise (probably in November)? I just love using my MBNA card for everything! It also keeps my spending very organized. Everything I purchase is listed on my statement! I am a happy shopper! :D

 

Thanks,

PA Cruisers2

[immargaret]

You are allowed to open a new account, as long as you have good credit and they approve it. Once it is opened you can have some of the credit limit from the other cards adjusted if needed. My husband and I each have our own accounts, and we have one card with both of us listed. We max out at 3000 points per year, and manage 1 - 2 NCL cruises a year.

 

:)

[CruiswWithdrawl]

Can the credits also be used as an onboard credit too? So if you had $3000 in credits and the cruise only cost $2500, can you use the remaining $500 for onboard purchases while your on the cruise?

 

If not, what happens to the remaining $500?

[Soon2Bmtnest]

I believe it is only good towards the price of the cruise although I could be wrong. Just save the extra 500 towards the next cruise! The NCL credit card offers much better rewards than the Royal Carribean one.

[Host Kewlguy]

Unlike certain other cruise line credit cards (RCCL) you cannot redeem your Norwegian points for onboard credit. I have both cards and Norwegian is clearly the better deal.