Trying to figure out the 20% Off Math

[Jason82]

 

So I bit on the 125% credit + 20% off and booked a future cruise. The language specifically says "will receive an additional 20% discount off any published price."

 

I booked through the PCC, as the website wasn’t allowing me to use the 20% for both passengers. My booked price seems better than 20% for the same category when I compare to the current price on website.

 

The analyst in me wonders why, whether they are working off a different price points, best "published price" point in past X days, or if something else is up. I will say the booking statement doesn’t specifically list a deducted 20% discount, but some discount  clearly took place. 

 

Everything looks correct, including the stateroom category.

 

Anyone else (who hasn’t jumped ship) have similar experiences or insights? 

 

 

[Jason82]

UPDATE: It looks like this is due to how they applied the credits. Rather than apply the additional credit, it appears the fare price was reduced. 

[bluesea777]

It’s 20% off the base guest fare only.

 

The taxes, grats, insurance, pre-paid DSC are non-discountable.

 

 

[Jason82]

After doing some calculations, I have figured it out.

 

It appears they applied the additional 25% FCC Credit to reduce the fare further prior to booking, rather than apply it as a payment at/after booking.

 

That is an interesting account piece and one I hope doesn’t come back to hurt later as it looks like I never had the 25% credit, just a much lower booking fare. 

[hoopslover]

30 minutes ago, Jason82 said:

UPDATE: It looks like this is due to how they applied the credits. Rather than apply the additional credit, it appears the fare price was reduced. 

After I asked my TA to make sure the 20% was taken off we got a really strange cost with very little FCC left.  My TA had to get on a phone call with NCL with me on the phone and NCL didn't reduce the price by 20% but used the FCC to reduce the price.  They said the 20% was already reflected when the TA held the cabins.

 

My TA told me that every NCL agent is doing things differently.  What a mess.  I am happy with the price and now understand what NCL did.

[sanger727]

8 hours ago, Jason82 said:

After doing some calculations, I have figured it out.

 

It appears they applied the additional 25% FCC Credit to reduce the fare further prior to booking, rather than apply it as a payment at/after booking.

 

That is an interesting account piece and one I hope doesn’t come back to hurt later as it looks like I never had the 25% credit, just a much lower booking fare. 

 

I think this is strategic and done for 2 reasons.

 

1. If the published price goes down, I think it will be hard to apply any price drops since rather than you paying $1,250 for your cabin, you now paid $1,000 so I would assume the price would have to drop below $1,000 for you to get a price match

 

2. If this cruise was to get canceled you wouldn't be able to get the 25% twice. You only paid $1,000 so you would be back to $1,250 FCC instead of showing that you paid $1,250 and now have $1562.

[TeresaJ]

I agree, it is confusing! My new booking happened like this: 20% discount on base cabin fare then they applied my 50% bonus fcc to the base cabin fare (we were cancelled day before cruise so we received higher bonus).

Then after taxes, fees, and drink/dining pkg, and service gratuities were added, they applied my 100% FCC.

Yes, the base cabin fare appears low, but theoretically, can't we make changes up until final payment is due. I.e. if you see the cruise at a lower price, ask your pcc to lower it for you then reeaply your bonus credit and so on.  

[DuckTollerFans]

Our agent took care of this for us - and in her email subject line was  "OK, Norwegian doesn't make this easy..."

That might be quite the understatement!  She explained in detail how she got to the final number for our new booking and quite honestly it was much better than when I tried to figure it out myself!

 

(and this is why I'm glad to use a TA)

[TrumpyNor]

I had a cruise that NCL cancelled that was supposed to start May 1st. Before I received the FCC I booked a new cruise for September 2021 through my NCL cruise consultant, that turned out to be at a very good price. First got the 30% discount that was promotional offer for "everyone", and then after the FCC was added I received on top of that 20% extra discount because of the FCC, then  the extra 25% FCC became deducted directly from the cabin price. Plus that there is a current promotion on where it allows you to use two CruiseNext vouchers for any type of cabin, so there I got a value of $500 for something that originally I paid $300 for (2 x $150).

 

I am the one who always book cruises for my husband and myself, so not that convenient for us if I can't see all of our FCC when I log on to MyNCL. As the FCC became divided in to two - half of it went of course to my account and half of it to my husbands account. But my PCC did an excellent job, as the balance that remained to be paid after the 25% extra FCC per person was deducted and the extra discounts for both of us were applied, was paid first with whatever what left of my husbands FCC and then just a small amount that was missing was taken from the FCC on my NCL account. Meaning that when planning future cruises, I have ALL remaining FCC listed in my account as my husbands FCC account now is "empty"....

 

[SplashOfWater]

6 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

I think this is strategic and done for 2 reasons.

 

1. If the published price goes down, I think it will be hard to apply any price drops since rather than you paying $1,250 for your cabin, you now paid $1,000 so I would assume the price would have to drop below $1,000 for you to get a price match

 

2. If this cruise was to get canceled you wouldn't be able to get the 25% twice. You only paid $1,000 so you would be back to $1,250 FCC instead of showing that you paid $1,250 and now have $1562.

I agree with both of your points sanger727. The bonus FCC is listed in my account as "Your 25% Single Use FCC Bonus Credit". It lowers the base fare and you can only use it once. 

[EleventyBangBang]

It seems like the extra 20% discount only applies to the first pax.  That seems odd, as if they are just ASSUMING this is a solo booking...  And the cancellation email definitely doesn't say that.

 

[numberguy]

52 minutes ago, EleventyBangBang said:

It seems like the extra 20% discount only applies to the first pax.  That seems odd, as if they are just ASSUMING this is a solo booking...  And the cancellation email definitely doesn't say that.

 

If you're doing a mock booking, it'll be that way because they don't know that your companion will also have FCC, even if you enter their name.  Once they are notified of this officially, both passengers will have the discounted rate.  That's what I found out by mock booking, then actually booking the new cruise (we booked using an NCL person on the phone).

 

--Michael

[TeresaJ]

I think the extra 20% only applies to past guests who were impacted by cancellations. When I do a mock booking logged into my account, the rate does not decrease for my 2nd passenger right away. When I get to the screen to add passenger names, I added my husband's information and then it automatically applied the 20% discounted price. Both of our FCC also showed up to use on the mock booking.

[SplashOfWater]

1 hour ago, EleventyBangBang said:

It seems like the extra 20% discount only applies to the first pax.  That seems odd, as if they are just ASSUMING this is a solo booking...  And the cancellation email definitely doesn't say that.

I had to book over the phone to get the 20% discount applied to my husband (he also has FCC). For some reason when I did the mock booking online it didn't recognize him when I typed in his info.

[Indykitten]

i agree this is very confusing. When they applied the 125% cruise credit they put about 75% of it my husband's account and then the balance on mine, which seemed odd, as he has never been the one to book. You'd think it would be 50/50. And when I went to do a mock booking it only showed the 20% discount on my booking, not his. It makes it hard t do the math to figure out a rebooking. 

[oldmanonaboat]

You want to have some real fun? Had a cruise in March cancelled, received the FCC and threw in a couple of CN coupons, and rebooked a cruise in mid June. That was cancelled last month. Was told that all credits and coupons would be returned on May 1. Have not seen anything. In fact, when I log into my account, it tells me my reservation is on "hold" and that I need to "make a payment". I and my wife are willing to be patient, but out of curiosity, I called them last week to inquire what was going on. I was told our situation was "complicated", and that it could take up to 90 days for the credits to be returned. I told them we were interested in booking an August cruise, but i wasn't willing to give them any more of my cash, I wanted to use the credits.....that i didn't have back yet. I was told i couldn't do that. I called again today and spoke with someone. Discussed the same scenario, was told that maybe a supervisor could make those arrangements to use those credits, but none was available at the time. I'll call again next week and see what story i get.......

[bonvoyagie]

While not during the POM or NCL cancelled sailings, I had some FCC from a price drop on a cruise after final payment but before the cruise. I found a good deal on a cruise that was on my bucket list, booked it in Nov and it was Feb before the FCC was applied to the new cruise. So it seems that even in good times it can take 90 days.