Avid Cruiser, but First Time NCL Cruiser

[avril4111]

Hi! I will be sailing on the Breakaway (considered a distinct voyage) for 11 days in November with my best friend. I have been on a bunch of RCI cruises, but this will be my first NCL cruise! I have been looking around and reading up and have a few questions... 1. We received $200pp off round-trip airfare if booked through NCL. Does anyone know how that works and if it is a viable option? 2. I just opened a NCL credit card to get the $100 OBC, but read about some upgrade thingys and got myself confused with how many points are earned per dollar and how much it is to upgrade... we are in an inside room. 3. What are some of the best things to do on the Breakaway and are there any ship "secrets"? 4. Bidding for an upgrade, I am completely lost on what costs look like for that.

Thank you in advance and apologies for all the questions at once! :)

[BirdTravels]

Hi! I will be sailing on the Breakaway (considered a distinct voyage) for 11 days in November with my best friend. I have been on a bunch of RCI cruises, but this will be my first NCL cruise! I have been looking around and reading up and have a few questions... 1. We received $200pp off round-trip airfare if booked through NCL. Does anyone know how that works and if it is a viable option? 2. I just opened a NCL credit card to get the $100 OBC, but read about some upgrade thingys and got myself confused with how many points are earned per dollar and how much it is to upgrade... we are in an inside room. 3. What are some of the best things to do on the Breakaway and are there any ship "secrets"? 4. Bidding for an upgrade, I am completely lost on what costs look like for that. Thank you in advance and apologies for all the questions at once! :)

1. Read the terms and conditions for each of the Distinctive Voyages perks you have got below in RED

 

2. You always keep the perks with your original reservation when you upgrade.

 

3. Check out my live post on a recent Breakaway cruise for some ideas. Obviously, your itinerary is different, but the general types of activities on an NCL cruise can be found in the the dailies. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2504449

 

4. 80 days prior to your cruise, you will be given the opportunity to bid for an upgrade. The link will show you all of classes of rooms available for you to upgrade. There will be a "slider" bar that allows you to set your bid amount and provides some feedback on whether the bid is "poor" to "excellent".

 

120 Minute Phone Call Package

120 minute phone calls will be applied to the first guest in the stateroom. All guests in the stateroom will be able to utilize this offer.

Offer only valid on calls made from ship to shore on the fixed phone located in the booked guest's stateroom and not from the guest's wireless devices.

Subject to satellite availability onboard.

 

250 Minutes Internet Package

250 minute will be applied to the first guest in the stateroom.

Internet package is per stateroom. One login per stateroom.

Internet package is not available at Harvest Caye.

On Breakaway, stateroom receives an internet package of 250 minutes or 1000 MB of data.

Internet package includes activation fee.

 

$50 USD Per Port Shore Excursion Credit

$50 USD per port shore excursion credit is per stateroom.

Credit has no monetary value and is nonrefundable.

In the event a port of call or excursion is missed, for any reason, no refund or credit will be issued.

Shore excursion credit is applicable for each port, including debarkation port, and is not transferable to other ports. Use the credit or lose it.

Does not include embarkation ports. Overnight stays count as one port, except Bermuda sailings which can receive up to 3 individual days of shore excursion credit.

Shore excursion credit can only be redeemed by calling 1-866-625-1167 or booking onboard.

 

$200 USD Air Credit

$200 air credit valid for round trip airfare for guests 1 & 2 only. 3-8th guests pay prevailing rates.

$100 air credit valid for one way airfare for guests 1 & 2 only. 3-8th guests pay prevailing rates.

Air credit will automatically be applied when air is booked through Norwegian Cruise Line.

Air routing, scheduling and carrier are at the discretion of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Air subject to availability.

 

$100 USD Hotel Credit

Hotel credit is per stateroom.

Hotel credit will automatically be applied when hotel is booked through Norwegian Cruise Line.

Hotel credit is not applicable to bundles or cruisetours.

Credit can only be used on Pre or Post hotel, but not both. Maximum credit of $100 USD per stateroom.

Hotel subject to availability.

[negn]

You may do better booking your own air and hotel. Only certain hotels are used and it seems the price is more than if you book independently. Same for air. I was able to find air fare for less than paying balance if they booked. We did use internet but had some problems with that,too. If you use, make sure you log out as time continues to run even if not using

[newmexicoNita]

You may do better booking your own air and hotel. Only certain hotels are used and it seems the price is more than if you book independently. Same for air. I was able to find air fare for less than paying balance if they booked. We did use internet but had some problems with that,too. If you use, make sure you log out as time continues to run even if not using

We did just that only we didn't have the air as part of our package. It wasn't only the cost of the hotels but, as you say the choice. Our TA got us a better deal without taking the cruise choices. I will add though, according to our agent the choices are changing about the first of April if I remember right. OP, you can just check for yourself and decide.

 

Bidding on upgrades will not affect your original perks at all.

 

Hints about Breakaway, I think there are a couple of things that stick in my mind when we sailed her about a year ago: 1-make a reservation for the Manhattan room. It was very good, great service and a nice experience. and do the wine tasting show that is around noon on the last day if I remember right. we loved it.

[avril4111]

Thanks everyone! I am definitely less confused now :)