Joining AARP

[casofilia]

I am considering joining AARP if only for the travel savings. That is probably the only use I would get from joining as we live in New Zealand. The 5% we would get with NCL sounds too good to miss.

However would that saving be allowed with other NCL benefits. We are Platinum and invariably also get the extra points for booking more than 9 months out. Would it affect any Freestyle Choice benefits?

 

I would be grateful for any comments, both positive and negative.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[cmdchiefthom]

Mike, I use AARP, Latitudes and Military discounts NCL offers when I book through my PCC. He then applies the single best discount, and applies it to my cruise fare. You'll only get one discount, which is the best deal out of those discounts you may qualify for. ;) We still accumulate Latitudes points for early booking, and booking a suite, but receive no additional financial benefits.:)

[pisenor]

I am considering joining AARP if only for the travel savings. That is probably the only use I would get from joining as we live in New Zealand. The 5% we would get with NCL sounds too good to miss.

However would that saving be allowed with other NCL benefits. We are Platinum and invariably also get the extra points for booking more than 9 months out. Would it affect any Freestyle Choice benefits?

 

I would be grateful for any comments, both positive and negative.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

Being a Canadian I have a CARP membership. I assume the same booking rules apply for AARP so the simple answer would be yes. When I book my cruises using my CARP card I always receive the current promos plus my discount. I always book through my PCC and she always makes sure all the promos are intact with my discount. However I am not sure if that experience varies for an on line booking so you may want to watch that if you do your booking on line.

 

Hope this helps.....

[triptolemus]

There's nothing in the AARP T&Cs that specifically prohibits it from being combined.

 

https://www.ncl.com/promo/aarp (scroll to bottom for T&Cs).

 

However, if you look at the Wave15 T&Cs, it does indicate that the Wave15 Promo, may or may not be combinable with any other promotional offers; AARP for example.

 

Offer and combinability with other promotional offers is subject to change at any time per Norwegian Cruise Line's discretion. Other restrictions may apply.

 

https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/wavenye15?hide_hf=true

 

Which means, as of today, AARP and Wave are combinable. Tomorrow is another day...

Edited January 3, 2016 by triptolemus

[Shawnino]

Hi Mike,

Being a Canadian I have a CARP membership. I assume the same booking rules apply for AARP so the simple answer would be yes. When I book my cruises using my CARP card I always receive the current promos plus my discount. I always book through my PCC and she always makes sure all the promos are intact with my discount. However I am not sure if that experience varies for an on line booking so you may want to watch that if you do your booking on line.

 

Hope this helps.....

 

Is the CARP discount pretty much the same as the AARP discount?

Thanks very much.

[pisenor]

Is the CARP discount pretty much the same as the AARP discount?

Thanks very much.

 

Yes it is. It is the standard AARP discount but they extend the olive branch to us Canadians by honouring our CARP member ship as one in the same.

 

FYI....there is no age restriction to join CARP either

[LrgPizza]

Yes, it can be combined with other offers. My husband joined recently (even though we are both in our 40's - we found out any age can join!), and our PCC was able to apply the discount to both of our existing bookings. Nothing on either booking was changed (unlike some promos which require you to cancel and rebook, this does not.)

[Gershep]

You will receive the AARP discount as long as you are booking more than 9 months in advance. We also got the extra latitude points for booking more than 9 months in advance and were able to get the promo in our case the UBP.

[tombec1]

I joined when I was 41 to get the AARP discount on my last cruise. :D

[NancyIL]

I am considering joining AARP if only for the travel savings. That is probably the only use I would get from joining as we live in New Zealand. The 5% we would get with NCL sounds too good to miss.

However would that saving be allowed with other NCL benefits. We are Platinum and invariably also get the extra points for booking more than 9 months out. Would it affect any Freestyle Choice benefits?

 

I would be grateful for any comments, both positive and negative.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

The 5% isn't off the total pre-tax fare. My $899 pp fare before taxes was $879 pp with the AARP discount.

[All-ready2cruise]

The 5% isn't off the total pre-tax fare. My $899 pp fare before taxes was $879 pp with the AARP discount.

 

I agree, I believe it says " up to 5%" so not always 5%, however, even if it's not 5%, it's still more than what you pay for AARP / CARP so you save some no matter what.

[M0rrie]

I am Canadian and use my CARP membership - the benefits are added to the current latitudes or other promotions... For instance, I just booked a trip on the Gem for next December using one of my $250 cruise rewards for deposit and received 5% discount on the cruise price and $100 OBC for CARP, the latitudes promotion of extra points for booking beyond 9 months, the current promotion of 2 packages ( we chose UDP and free wifi) and $100 OBC from my NCL PCC and all the other platinum benefits apply as well. We cruise twice a year so It is well worth the yearly CARP fee!

[comcox]

If you do travel a lot you may also benefit from other AARP discounts on hotels and car rentals. http://www.AARP.org/travel is a booking website for members and I have found some good deals on hotels even in foreign countries so you may find additional discounts as benefits.

 

I know when I tried to book a short, last minute NCL cruise on their website lately I had to choose between AARP discount or Latitudes discount or a promo. I could not combine them. However, I just booked a longer 2017 cruise through my TA last week and was able to get both the AARP discount and the free promo packages as well. So there must some variables in NCL bookings.

[Shawnino]

CARP info really useful guys. Thank you.

[pisenor]

CARP info really useful guys. Thank you.

 

No problem. Always glad to help when I can. If you are planning to stay with NCL going forward, the 3 year CARP membership is the best bang for the buck for getting the discount. Not that fees are high but every little bit counts. ;)

[NancyIL]

I agree, I believe it says " up to 5%" so not always 5%, however, even if it's not 5%, it's still more than what you pay for AARP / CARP so you save some no matter what.

 

The AARP discount is a flat 5% - but it is off the cruise fare after the port charges (NCCF) are subtracted. Our pre-tax cruise fare is $899 pp, and the NCCF is $500 pp (based on a travel agency web site). The 5% AARP discount on $399 is $19.95, and $899 - $19.95 = $879.05.

[tombec1]

From my perspective, so long as I save more than the annual fee, I'm happy. :D

[casofilia]

I am the OP and would like to thank everyone for the comments. They have all helped me in my decision. Will join up. :D

 

Signing off :D

 

Thanks again :D

 

Mike

[garnet115]

My membership was well worth the purchase fee. One thing that I wanted to add is that if you are booking online you may have difficulty combining promos, and so may need to call a PCC or TA to get both the AARP and other promos on your booking. When I did mock bookings online, it would only allow me to select either AARP or Freestyle Choice, but not both. My TA had no trouble getting me both the AARP discount and all promo perks. I also got my extra lattitudes points for booking early.

[mexico8]

I am considering joining AARP if only for the travel savings. That is probably the only use I would get from joining as we live in New Zealand. The 5% we would get with NCL sounds too good to miss.

However would that saving be allowed with other NCL benefits. We are Platinum and invariably also get the extra points for booking more than 9 months out. Would it affect any Freestyle Choice benefits?

 

I would be grateful for any comments, both positive and negative.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

 

If you are already Platinum why do you care about getting the extra points for booking more than 9 months ahead? We're also platinum so more points don't get us anything do they? I thought PLatinum was the highest level?

 

Wendy

[All-ready2cruise]

If you are already Platinum why do you care about getting the extra points for booking more than 9 months ahead? We're also platinum so more points don't get us anything do they? I thought PLatinum was the highest level?

 

Wendy

 

AARP benefits:

 

https://www.ncl.com/promo/aarp

 

GET AN EXTRA $100 ONBOARD CREDIT

Now, for a limited time, receive an extra $100 Onboard Credit per stateroom when booking a select cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line. This $100 Onboard Credit is combinable with the below Freestyle Choice Promotion, but must be booked by calling 866-234-7350.

 

UP TO 5% OFF ALL SAILINGS 9 MONTHS Out.

Many cruises in our most desirable locations such as Alaska, Bermuda, The Caribbean, Hawaii and Europe offer up to 5% off all cruises booked at least nine months in advance. Simply look for the sailings denoted by the icon to get your savings.

 

There are only a few cruises which give you a discount with less than 9 months out.

 

Sounds good, doesn't it?

[LrgPizza]

You will receive the AARP discount as long as you are booking more than 9 months in advance. We also got the extra latitude points for booking more than 9 months in advance and were able to get the promo in our case the UBP.

 

We joined AARP and added it to our already-booked cruise that was happening in 6 months. There doesn't appear to be any 9 month requirement.

[casofilia]

If you are already Platinum why do you care about getting the extra points for booking more than 9 months ahead? We're also platinum so more points don't get us anything do they? I thought PLatinum was the highest level?Wendy

 

It is, but with it being so easy to get to Platinum these days and the number of people travelling with Platinum the perks are starting to cost NCL lots. :eek:

There are unconfirmed rumours that NCL is considering updating Latitudes Rewards to decrease this expense. :eek: :eek:

 

Mike

[mexico8]

It is, but with it being so easy to get to Platinum these days and the number of people travelling with Platinum the perks are starting to cost NCL lots. :eek:

There are unconfirmed rumours that NCL is considering updating Latitudes Rewards to decrease this expense. :eek: :eek:

 

Mike

 

I hope not. We just got Platinum - hope we get the nice perks on our next cruise in November.

[don't-use-real-name]

YES it is true that getting to Platinum is easier and true at first not much happens right away when you reach that tier.

 

From the NCL site:

 

Milestone Gifts

As a Latitudes Rewards Member, you are rewarded even after you've reached the Platinum Tier. When you reach 250, 500, 700 and 1,000 points, you receive a different commemorative gift at each milestone level. Our way of saying thank you for your continued loyalty!

 

NCL may just up the ante - but I am sure that for customer relations that those with Platinum will be grandfathered.