Purchased Spa Pass Early!?

[littleengine]

I grabbed this for my Getaway trip in September. For those that mentioned it listing a specific date and time, since you can only get the week long pass, the date defaults to the first day of the cruise, and the time defaults to 4:01pm since you can't use the spa facilities until after the muster drills are over.

 

I think it's great they're starting to offer more options online but I'm curious if doing so means more passes will be made available on each sailing (and the spa's thermal area will be more crowded as a result). Has anyone heard anything about this? I.e. If they used to only sell, say, 100 week long passes onboard for each sailing, are those 100 now available online and if they sell out there's none available for purchase on the ship that week? Or is it being split, 50 for pre-purchase and 50 available once you board? Or are they adding an extra 100 for pre-purchase in addition to the 100 they'd normally sell on board?

[Zippeedee]

I grabbed this for my Getaway trip in September. For those that mentioned it listing a specific date and time, since you can only get the week long pass, the date defaults to the first day of the cruise, and the time defaults to 4:01pm since you can't use the spa facilities until after the muster drills are over.

 

I think it's great they're starting to offer more options online but I'm curious if doing so means more passes will be made available on each sailing (and the spa's thermal area will be more crowded as a result). Has anyone heard anything about this? I.e. If they used to only sell, say, 100 week long passes onboard for each sailing, are those 100 now available online and if they sell out there's none available for purchase on the ship that week? Or is it being split, 50 for pre-purchase and 50 available once you board? Or are they adding an extra 100 for pre-purchase in addition to the 100 they'd normally sell on board?

I thought I read somewhere that the online offer was to make the system more fair because of the new assigned arrival times. I picked 9:30 so I could run to the spa, but friends on a different cruise date were assigned noon. This gives everyone an equal shot at them. I hope they don't add too many more!

[Linda the Book Lover]

I am thinking they will offer a few per cruise then take it offline. On Carnival my DD and I get the FTTF and it's there then it's not and sometimes reappears. I hope NCL continues with the offering the spa pass online. We have 2 sea days on my Jade cruise that I see the DH and I at the spa:D

[3monkeysbk]

if purchasing the spa passes online can we charge to our obc?

[vicocala]

if purchasing the spa passes online can we charge to our obc?

 

Yes, all charges on board go against your account which is where your OBC shows.

 

While I am happy others can pre-book I am one of those who is concerned that the numbers will grow. I have a spa balcony coming up over Christmas on Escape and I worry it will be to crowded, especially as the spa was crowded on our Getaway trip early this month.

 

Since I am paying for the right to the spa in my cruise fare I sure don't want to have to fight chair hogs for the thermal chairs on the Escape nor be crowded out so they can make a few extra dollars.

[Sotermarler]

Just bought our spa passes for the Dawn, and pre-paid our DSC at the old rate. But I could not find where to click to lose 15 pounds before the cruise… Have they removed this option? :p

 

Ha ha.. Yep they only have the gain ten lb option available. Lol

[janetz]

The spa pass is offered now online for our cruise. 179pp It is charged to your credit card. On the Royal Princess 10 day sailing the cost was 199 per couple limited to 60 people. It had the same amenities.

Edited June 30, 2015 by janetz

[brookie848]

Hi all...

Many thanks for this great information! Go CC!!!

 

I am sailing with my 20 y.o. daughter and her friend and I want to get them spa passes via this new and fabulous online option. The problem is that they are not booked in my cabin.

 

My question is....does anyone know if the passes can be transferred after purchase?

 

 

Thanks!

 

Click on the Gifts section and see if it is possible to gift this option. If not, you might be able to call and have this done. I've bought my parents gifts before for their cruise and you just need their reservation and cabin number.

[punkincc]

if purchasing the spa passes online can we charge to our obc?

 

The only way to use your OBC for the purchase is to make the purchase ON the ship. Anything you purchase pre cruise, will go on your credit card now.

[janetz]

The only way to use your OBC for the purchase is to make the purchase ON the ship. Anything you purchase pre cruise, will go on your credit card now.

 

Exactly right. Booking online is 179pp. Onboard, 199pp

Edited July 1, 2015 by janetz

[bangzoom6877]

The only way to use your OBC for the purchase is to make the purchase ON the ship. Anything you purchase pre cruise, will go on your credit card now.

 

This is a great business strategy by NCL. They have so many things you could pre-purchase, which your onboard credit would normally cover if you purchased them on the ship, but they give some incentives for purchasing ahead of time...$20 off each spa pass, bonus prints when you pre-purchase a photo package, a secure table in a specialty restaurant without having to worry about booking it on the ship and risking no tables available at desired time (for those without the UDP since you pay by credit card in advance), pre-pay the DSC and get $0.95 off per person per day, $5 off the UBP per day per person if you purchase it in advance (for those without the promo UBP). None of those purchases can be purchased with any OBC you may have received when you booked your cruise, nor could they simply be charged to your onboard account if you don't have any OBC. Therefore, passengers' onboard accounts will show a much lower balance than they would have if they bought these things once ON the ship instead of in advance (whether the passenger has OBC or not). In turn, it could make someone feel like they have more leeway and can spend more money onboard, when in reality they already paid for the onboard spending they would have done anyway, by purchasing in advance. This would negate any savings for the passenger. And NCL makes more money that way. Very smart business strategy by NCL. Doesn't mean every passenger will treat it that way, but I'm sure many will.

[luvtheships]

I thought I read somewhere that the online offer was to make the system more fair because of the new assigned arrival times. I picked 9:30 so I could run to the spa, but friends on a different cruise date were assigned noon. This gives everyone an equal shot at them. I hope they don't add too many more!

 

It also makes more money for ncl in the long run as you can't use obc for online purchases

 

A pax that buys onboard using obc doesn't pay anything more to ncl

 

But buying online allows ncl to charge your credit card

 

But if you have $100 obc and use it to buy a $100 spa pass and spend nothing more ncl has made zip but you got a nice perk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[3monkeysbk]

so if i buy the spa passes online ahead of time it goes straight billed to my credit card?

 

if i want to use obc to buy the spa passes, i would have to wait to get on the ship. but risk having it sold out by waiting...

[janetz]

It was 358 for two for the week online. 400 onboard. I have no issue with buying online. My OBC will be used

[punkincc]

so if i buy the spa passes online ahead of time it goes straight billed to my credit card?

 

if i want to use obc to buy the spa passes, i would have to wait to get on the ship. but risk having it sold out by waiting...

 

This is the other thing NCL accomplishes by offering certain things like the POSH passes, Specialty Dining and now the SPA passes for pre sale. Because they can only sell a certain number pre cruise to hold some for on board purchases, it creates a sense of urgency. Pretty soon the max number available for pre sale will be met and people will be breathlessly posting that they are SOLD OUT and others will quickly reassure that they can be purchased on board, but be sure to do it first thing! And people will begin to strategize on how to get there first!

 

Now the Spa passes were never offered for pre sale when we bought them before. We always wandered up to the spa after lunch and made our purchases. I doubt they ever completely sold out, but maybe. Now, with this new sense of urgency, and selling some pre cruise, they WILL sell out perhpas. I even had to talk myself out of making the online Spa purchase when I saw this news, and I previously had no intention of buying them at all for this next cruise.:rolleyes:. So their ploy is working!:).

[bangzoom6877]

It was 358 for two for the week online. 400 onboard. I have no issue with buying online. My OBC will be used

 

Oh I have no personal issue with this either, as my OBC will be used as well. DH and I will use it when we purchase drinks, which we normally do anyway (just not enough to cover the cost of the UBP so we didn't purchase one). We have $250 in OBC which we will definitely spend on our 7-night cruise.

 

This is the other thing NCL accomplishes by offering certain things like the POSH passes, Specialty Dining and now the SPA passes for pre sale. Because they can only sell a certain number pre cruise to hold some for on board purchases, it creates a sense of urgency. Pretty soon the max number available for pre sale will be met and people will be breathlessly posting that they are SOLD OUT and others will quickly reassure that they can be purchased on board, but be sure to do it first thing! And people will begin to strategize on how to get there first!

 

Now the Spa passes were never offered for pre sale when we bought them before. We always wandered up to the spa after lunch and made our purchases. I doubt they ever completely sold out, but maybe. Now, with this new sense of urgency, and selling some pre cruise, they WILL sell out perhpas. I even had to talk myself out of making the online Spa purchase when I saw this news, and I previously had no intention of buying them at all for this next cruise.:rolleyes:. So their ploy is working!:).

 

I sure it is working very well. I'm not sure if the spa passes sell out completely for cruise this time of year, but I'm sure they sell out quickly for winter sailings that leave from NYC since the outdoor decks cannot be used for a few days of those sailings. The spa is an option for those who still want to relax and have a great view, or go into a hot tub.

[janetz]

If you are going to purchase the pass regardless. Doing it online saves you money. Not everyone has OBC or enough to cover the spa. 😊

[punkincc]

If you are going to purchase the pass regardless. Doing it online saves you money. Not everyone has OBC or enough to cover the spa. 😊

 

True. But Many do. We should have quite a bit. We got the UBP when we booked, so won't be buying any drinks. If we pre book a Spa pass, a UDP and maybe a dinner show just so we can make reservations in advance, it leaves very little to spend my OBC on once I board. So it is either wasted or I buy more stuff I don't really want just to use it. So, sometimes it's better to forgo a little savings in order to be able to utilize that OBC for those things after I board.

[janetz]

I guess it just depends on ones circumstances 😊

[hawkeyetlse]

I have yet to experience this curse of "too much OBC" that burdens so many fellow posters, so I am having a hard time seeing this new development as another calculated money-grabbing strategy from NCL. In any case, they lost $40 on us by offering the discount.

 

On the other hand, on a different upcoming cruise, we have a spa balcony, so I suppose NCL has just devalued that booking by $40. So it evens out in the end for us. But maybe I will call and demand compensation anyway.

[roddy good boy]

I guess it just depends on ones circumstances

 

It really does. I do get the previous posters' point, however. Last year my husband and I were in the Haven and we had almost $1000 in OBC. It would not have been a good idea to pre book everything. This year, I am sailing solo for the first time, and only have $100 in OBC. While I do have the beverage package, and pre paid dining and the spa, I'm sure I can find something to spend my $100 on!!!

Edited July 1, 2015 by roddy good boy