No more AARP & Great Stirrup closing for a while.

[esm54687]

I'm scheduled for a stop at GSC on 8/25/16....

 

If it's true that the stop will ce cancelled due to "updates", this will be the first time I've not made it.....my last 5 cruises that included CGS have all been able to tender in.

 

Also, I booked a cabana for 8/25 earlier today - before I saw this post - and it the site allowed it. Did I just miss the notice on My NCL?!?!

 

Has anyone found anything official about GSC?

[sjbdtz]

I just wish they would bring back real sushi rice that they had 2 years ago. The cheap stuff is supermarket crap.

 

 

AARP member? :D

 

 

.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

This is what the knowledgable chengkp75 said about building a pier: It would take not only a pier and dredging, but also a breakwater to shelter the pier from what I can see of the topography of both GSC and Coco Cay. Lots and lots of money.

 

Maybe FDR can take a pay cut from his $320,000,000 food for thought lol

[sjbdtz]

Maybe FDR can take a pay cut from his $320,000,000 food for thought lol

 

The only way he can do that is if the stock price tanks. I'd rather it didn't.

 

So....no pier for you!

 

 

.

[hun]

Did you call or just try to do it on the website? You need to either call NCL or your TA to combine the two.

 

Maybe it was a glitch with the cruise I was looking at - but -

Today was the first day that there was no option to click AARP member (in the section with active/military, what state I live in?) so there was no separate price shown for AARP member on the pricing page.

I've always booked the cruise on the phone when the time comes to actually book it and know that to get the AARP discount and promo, I need to speak with a rep.

Edited April 27, 2016 by hun

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Maybe it was a glitch with the cruise I was looking at - but -

Today was the first day that there was no option to click AARP member (in the section with active/military, what state I live in?) so there was no separate price shown for AARP member on the pricing page.

I've always booked the cruise on the phone when the time comes to actually book it and know that to get the AARP discount and promo, I need to speak with a rep.

 

I've had that experience before--I don't always see the option for an AARP rate. But, when I've called either NCL directly to book or through a TA, there's been no problem getting the discount. Of course fro what people:( are reporting that will end soon.

[Gershep]

OP thanks for the information. I for one will miss the AARP discount.

[NayRN]

Has anyone found anything official about GSC?

 

I called NCL and my TA called NCL....we both spoke to different people and both had no knowledge of any updates being done on GSC. Being as my cruise is the first one effected....I would think I would (or my TA) receive some sort of official communication!

 

Could someone post a link where they got the information??

[EllieinNJ]

No more AARP rate when I did several mock bookings.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

No more AARP rate when I did several mock bookings.

 

On Monday when I booked my cruise for Sept 2017, I had the option to check three boxes: AARP, Latitudes, and Military. I just looked based on your post and indeed the AARP box is no longer there.

 

The date folks have mentioned is the end of the month for the discount to no longer be available. I wonder if you can still call and get it until the end of the month or if people had the date wrong.

 

I'm glad I booked Monday! It saved me about $60. :D

[Mistizoom]

The cruise price tracking website I use emailed me today that all AARP rates are now gone for my March 2018 cruise.

[jennmaybe]

So, we joined AARP last year ONLY to get a discount on our upcoming NCL cruise. (We saved $160 :)) I know they won't increase the price of our cruise, but, our final payment is in July and our membership needs to be renewed in June. Does anyone know if they will run our membership when our final payment is due since they are no longer offering the discount? We do not want to remain AARP members and if they are not going to follow-up on our membership, then we don't want to pay to renew in June. Thoughts?

[Mistizoom]

So, we joined AARP last year ONLY to get a discount on our upcoming NCL cruise. (We saved $160 :)) I know they won't increase the price of our cruise, but, our final payment is in July and our membership needs to be renewed in June. Does anyone know if they will run our membership when our final payment is due since they are no longer offering the discount? We do not want to remain AARP members and if they are not going to follow-up on our membership, then we don't want to pay to renew in June. Thoughts?

 

My assumption is they run it at booking and won't run it again, but that is just an assumption. I have no plans to renew next year.

[LMaxwell]

So, we joined AARP last year ONLY to get a discount on our upcoming NCL cruise. (We saved $160 :)) I know they won't increase the price of our cruise, but, our final payment is in July and our membership needs to be renewed in June. Does anyone know if they will run our membership when our final payment is due since they are no longer offering the discount? We do not want to remain AARP members and if they are not going to follow-up on our membership, then we don't want to pay to renew in June. Thoughts?

 

My assumption is they run it at booking and won't run it again, but that is just an assumption. I have no plans to renew next year.

 

I have been told more than once that they MAY ask for the card at check in to verify membership. I don't know if they will or if they ever have, but for that reason I am making sure my membership is still valid when I go to check in at the desk.

[booinla]

That's too bad about AARP - I am a lifetime member so of course I was one who appreciated the option. Oh well!

[brookie848]

We booked our 2018(!) cruise last night and were able to get the AARP discount. We booked over the phone with our PCC. I haven't seen our official booking paperwork yet, but I know the PCC did ask for our AARP number.

 

It is too bad that this is going away. We always used it when we booked our cruises.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

So, we joined AARP last year ONLY to get a discount on our upcoming NCL cruise. (We saved $160 :)) I know they won't increase the price of our cruise, but, our final payment is in July and our membership needs to be renewed in June. Does anyone know if they will run our membership when our final payment is due since they are no longer offering the discount? We do not want to remain AARP members and if they are not going to follow-up on our membership, then we don't want to pay to renew in June. Thoughts?

 

I can't answer your question with any certainty, but I suspect that you won't need it beyond the booking process. Here's why I think that...

 

I've had only two experiences with the AARP discount where I've already sailed. The first time, I booked directly with NCL and the person who booked me asked for my #. I didn't have my card on me when I was on the phone. He said to just call him back with it. I never did and at final payment I still had the discount. The second time, I booked online and selected the AARP rate. I was in a studio and no promos were offered for studio bookings on that sailing, so I didn't have to call to combine the AARP rate with a promo so just booked online I never gave them my AARP number and I never lost my discount. I was not asked at check-in or final payment for either cruise for my AARP card. The rate of the cruise doesn't come up when you check in so I think it would be odd for them to ask for your card. What if you didn't have it with you? Would they up the rate and make you pay it before you board? I can't imagine they would. Maybe at final payment?

 

I also have two bookings currently. They both have AARP discounts applied. I used an online TA for these, and both times she asked me for my AARP number. She has my number now, so why would she ask for it again?

Edited April 28, 2016 by Quilting_Cruiser

[Imalismom]

I know they DID check for my July 2015 cruise - I got a call that from NCL that AARP could not verify my name with an AARP membership.

 

I booked with the AARP discount, and when asked, I was told all I needed to do was have it before I cruised - as I currently was not a member. I explained that the the person I was talking to, and then said no, I had to be a current member so...

 

I had to join AARP the day NCL called me and call them back with my number within 24 hours, or NCL told me they would change my rate.

 

This was about 2 months after I had booked my cruise.

[Freckles_51]

Pfft!! And I just joined CARP (Canadian version of AARP) so I can benefit from the AARP offers :( Oh well, I get $50 OBC on my Sept cruise so it was worth it just for that :)

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I know they DID check for my July 2015 cruise - I got a call that from NCL that AARP could not verify my name with an AARP membership.

 

I booked with the AARP discount, and when asked, I was told all I needed to do was have it before I cruised - as I currently was not a member. I explained that the the person I was talking to, and then said no, I had to be a current member so...

 

I had to join AARP the day NCL called me and call them back with my number within 24 hours, or NCL told me they would change my rate.

 

This was about 2 months after I had booked my cruise.

 

 

Just goes to show that it "just depends." So often here on CC people say something to the effect of, "It didn't happen to me therefore it won't happen to you." Your and my experiences are very different, but neither of said our experience is the way it happens for everyone. Good that the OP gets more than one view of the issue!

 

:D

[Mistizoom]

I know they DID check for my July 2015 cruise - I got a call that from NCL that AARP could not verify my name with an AARP membership.

 

I booked with the AARP discount, and when asked, I was told all I needed to do was have it before I cruised - as I currently was not a member. I explained that the the person I was talking to, and then said no, I had to be a current member so...

 

I had to join AARP the day NCL called me and call them back with my number within 24 hours, or NCL told me they would change my rate.

 

This was about 2 months after I had booked my cruise.

 

But you didn't provide the AARP number when you booked, correct? I did, so if they had better not to charge me more when I embark (assuming I don't rebook before then).

[jennmaybe]

I know they DID check for my July 2015 cruise - I got a call that from NCL that AARP could not verify my name with an AARP membership.

 

I booked with the AARP discount, and when asked, I was told all I needed to do was have it before I cruised - as I currently was not a member. I explained that the the person I was talking to, and then said no, I had to be a current member so...

 

I had to join AARP the day NCL called me and call them back with my number within 24 hours, or NCL told me they would change my rate.

 

This was about 2 months after I had booked my cruise.

 

Very good responses from everyone!!

 

I can understand that since you didn't provide them with your membership number at booking. I'm just curious to know if they follow-up again around final payment time. We provided our number already, so I don't expect them to call us asking for that. :)

 

I'm not sure why they would ask for the membership card when checking-in. If we have made final payment and our balance shows zero on our payment confirmation, they can't try to charge us at check-in. All payments, discounts, etc., having to do with the price of our cruise should always be taken care of before check-in.

[Gershep]

I have heard different answers regarding our AARP membership. Some people said it had to be an active membership when you sail and may be asked to show your card. Others never had to show the card.

 

When we booked with the AARP discount I gave our PCC the number. She applied the discount. A few weeks later I get an email with a new invoice showing the price of the cruise without the AARP discount because they couldn't verify my number. They said if I email them a copy of the active card they will adjust my invoice back to the AARP discount. And they did. I don't know if the people working at the dock would change your bill or be able to bill it to your account but I won't take any chances. I will make sure I have my card since I saved $200 with my discount.

[mking8288]

Our recent 5 year AARP renewal membership for 2 people was $50 USD, if I remember correctly - paid for itself many times over on hotel & car rental discounts, haven't used it lately for NCL cruise bookings as we typically hunt for last minute deals during off-peak periods based on availability. The membership # are issued & available easily upon payment, even if you book one before joining or validating your membership.

 

Now, the affinity with AARP is ending, that is that & over with ... other lines continue to honor their alliance. This could be a foolish move - down the road - on NCL's part, not so smart :rolleyes: :p - time will tell.

 

Perhaps - just guessing - NCL is going to phrase out most of the discounts, military and law enforcement/uniformed services are still offered on select sailings, I believe, but I haven't seen any for State of Residency in a while, as in a long time - we always check the boxes whenever doing a mock booking ... might as well get rid of that on the webpage, if & when their "competent" IT programmer get around to it, just saying :p OTOH, it's not rocket science to run an automated (AARP, AAA, etc.) membership verification check via a secured portal - remote/POS terminal @ the piers to the partner's server/network, all without needing to see or swipe the ID card(s) at check-in with all the necessary info already fed into the systems.

 

As for GSC, not going to worry or get all worked up on what it's going to become, fee-based extras of what not after it's done with this new scheme rolling out ... we've seen enough of it in the last 5 years, nice & all. Many folks don't even get off when it stopped there as scheduled with the tenders running, lots of "milky runners" just stay on the ship where it's less crowded - NCL can continue to do its nickels & dimes, quarters and silver dollars.

Edited April 29, 2016 by mking8288

[LrgPizza]

Our recent 5 year AARP renewal membership for 2 people was $50 USD, if I remember correctly - paid for itself many times over on hotel & car rental discounts, haven't used it lately for NCL cruise bookings as we typically hunt for last minute deals during off-peak periods based on availability. The membership # are issued & available easily upon payment, even if you book one before joining or validating your membership.

 

Now, the affinity with AARP is ending, that is that & over with ... other lines continue to honor their alliance. This could be a foolish move - down the road - on NCL's part, not so smart :rolleyes: :p - time will tell.

 

Perhaps - just guessing - NCL is going to phrase out most of the discounts, military and law enforcement/uniformed services are still offered on select sailings, I believe, but I haven't seen any for State of Residency in a while, as in a long time - we always check the boxes whenever doing a mock booking ... might as well get rid of that on the webpage, if & when their "competent" IT programmer get around to it, just saying :p OTOH, it's not rocket science to run an automated (AARP, AAA, etc.) membership verification check via a secured portal - remote/POS terminal @ the piers to the partner's server/network, all without needing to see or swipe the ID card(s) at check-in with all the necessary info already fed into the systems.

 

As for GSC, not going to worry or get all worked up on what it's going to become, fee-based extras of what not after it's done with this new scheme rolling out ... we've seen enough of it in the last 5 years, nice & all. Many folks don't even get off when it stopped there as scheduled with the tenders running, lots of "milky runners" just stay on the ship where it's less crowded - NCL can continue to do its nickels & dimes, quarters and silver dollars.

 

I don't have any reason to think they are phasing out discounts. I read they are doing away with the AARP in lieu of a different discount for seniors. I assume this is because people of any age can be members of AARP and get the discount, and they'd prefer it to be an actual discount for senior citizens, and not just anybody and everybody who wants a discount.