NCL Gift Cards Beware

[AJ1996]

Just got off the NCL Breakaway - NYC to Bermuda ,   Crew and ship were great… Weather not so much,   But my Dw was given a NCL gift card just prior to Covid for one of the 2 cruises that ended up canceled.  She goes to use the gift card with an expiration of 2026. To only find out the card value had diminished because the card was not used within the first year and the Bank “Discovery” had imposed 3 dollar a month service charge for the card not being used.   Despite no NCL cruises for 18 months and the 2 cruises we booked during that time being canceled , The bank still penalized her for not using the NCL gift card within the year my daughter purchased it.  My recommendation to anyone thinking about getting a  NCL gift card. Is don’t , give cash or another card that has no hidden fees instead

[hallux]

Should be no surprise if you do a little research - https://www.ncl.com/giftcard/terms

 

I should add that this isn't a new concept with gift cards, and even if this link wasn't printed on the card it took less than 5 seconds to find it with Google...

Edited November 2, 2021 by hallux

[AJ1996]

Can’t use the card , if there are no cruises to book ,, But yes I pointed out the same website to my wife afterwards.. Then  why then  have an expiration date on it?   But then again how people read the back of a shampoo bottle and know to “rinse and repeat”☺️

Edited November 2, 2021 by AJ1996

[Turtles06]

10 minutes ago, hallux said:

I should add that this isn't a new concept with gift cards,

 

Yes, unfortunately, it's true of many gift cards that their value diminishes over time.  And unfortunately it's also true that many purchasers don't know this.

 

But I think it's a very different situation when it's impossible to use the card.  It's too bad NCL can't or won't do anything.

 

(BTW, I was on the same cruise as the OP, and it was fabulous with the ship at only 38% capacity.) 

 

 

[Oakman58]

NCL gift cards are a major rip off in my opinion.  Most the major retailers, at least the ones I deal with, did away with dormancy fees years ago.  Even Carnival no longer charges a dormancy fee on their cards.

[StolidCruiser]

1 hour ago, Oakman58 said:

NCL gift cards are a major rip off in my opinion.  Most the major retailers, at least the ones I deal with, did away with dormancy fees years ago.  Even Carnival no longer charges a dormancy fee on their cards.

 

I agree.  Any gift card retailer that still charges a dormancy fee should be avoided.  

[ColeThornton]

Just a reminder from previous discussions, dormancy and expiration fees are not applicable in all states.  While there is a federal law that covers these things there are also state laws that take things further.  Google your state and gifts cards for more info.

[MoCruiseFan]

2 hours ago, AJ1996 said:

Just got off the NCL Breakaway - NYC to Bermuda ,   Crew and ship were great… Weather not so much,   But my Dw was given a NCL gift card just prior to Covid for one of the 2 cruises that ended up canceled.  She goes to use the gift card with an expiration of 2026. To only find out the card value had diminished because the card was not used within the first year and the Bank “Discovery” had imposed 3 dollar a month service charge for the card not being used.   Despite no NCL cruises for 18 months and the 2 cruises we booked during that time being canceled , The bank still penalized her for not using the NCL gift card within the year my daughter purchased it.  My recommendation to anyone thinking about getting a  NCL gift card. Is don’t , give cash or another card that has no hidden fees instead

 

All fully disclosed in the T&C of gift cards.

[Oakman58]

16 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

All fully disclosed in the T&C of gift cards.

 

In my opinion that's no excuse for pilfering money from a gift card simply because it hasn't been used.  Also according to federal law the amount of the fee must be clearly disclosed before the gift card is purchased.  The recipient may not know about these fees.  And please, who reads the small print on the back of a gift card.  This is just another way for a business to steal money legally.

[AKR2011]

I totally understand your frustration, OP. I bought one off Ebay from someone who had a canceled cruise. I applied it to my booked cruise before the 1 year of inactivity...then that cruise was canceled. My saving grace was that because it had been used, it was not inactive. However, getting the money put back was time consuming and difficult since I was not the original owner of the card. In the end it all worked out, and I applied it to my cruise that was not canceled. I will still seek out discounted cards, but it was not an easy situation.

[MoCruiseFan]

5 hours ago, Oakman58 said:

 

In my opinion that's no excuse for pilfering money from a gift card simply because it hasn't been used.  Also according to federal law the amount of the fee must be clearly disclosed before the gift card is purchased.  The recipient may not know about these fees.  And please, who reads the small print on the back of a gift card.  This is just another way for a business to steal money legally.

 

 

It is fully disclosed on the Gift Card web site.  The person who is in the contract with the bank is the purchaser.  It is not the bank's job to send out email to everyone who might ever get an NCL Gift Card from someone else to inform them of the fee.

[Seany527]

22 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

All fully disclosed in the T&C of gift cards.

I think you missed the point 

[MoCruiseFan]

The point is that the OP was WARNING about Fees that were fully disclosed on the NCL page and that anyone who does due diligence prior to purchasing would already know.

https://www.ncl.com/giftcard/terms

[Oakman58]

3 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The point is that the OP was WARNING about Fees that were fully disclosed on the NCL page and that anyone who does due diligence prior to purchasing would already know.

https://www.ncl.com/giftcard/terms

 

The vast majority of normal folks don't do due diligence on everything, especially something like a gift card.  Sheesh!!

[mscdivina2016]

On 11/2/2021 at 12:31 PM, AJ1996 said:

Just got off the NCL Breakaway - NYC to Bermuda ,   Crew and ship were great… Weather not so much,   But my Dw was given a NCL gift card just prior to Covid for one of the 2 cruises that ended up canceled.  She goes to use the gift card with an expiration of 2026. To only find out the card value had diminished because the card was not used within the first year and the Bank “Discovery” had imposed 3 dollar a month service charge for the card not being used.   Despite no NCL cruises for 18 months and the 2 cruises we booked during that time being canceled , The bank still penalized her for not using the NCL gift card within the year my daughter purchased it.  My recommendation to anyone thinking about getting a  NCL gift card. Is don’t , give cash or another card that has no hidden fees instead

Go online and register the card in your name.

 Fill in the address and make it a Florida address. Make it up, it don't matter.

 

Call them up and tell them you are a FL resident and that they cannot take monthly dormancy fees or have an expiration date because that is not allowed under florida statute.  They will refund it all back to the card.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/501.95

 

Steve

[yamiangie]

On 11/2/2021 at 12:45 PM, AJ1996 said:

Can’t use the card , if there are no cruises to book ,, But yes I pointed out the same website to my wife afterwards.. Then  why then  have an expiration date on it?   But then again how people read the back of a shampoo bottle and know to “rinse and repeat”☺️

 

You mentioned Discovery so really its NCL themed debit card and the expiration date is so it can be run as  a debit card.  Visa gift cards are the same way. 

[MoCruiseFan]

4 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Go online and register the card in your name.

 Fill in the address and make it a Florida address. Make it up, it don't matter.

 

Call them up and tell them you are a FL resident and that they cannot take monthly dormancy fees or have an expiration date because that is not allowed under florida statute.  They will refund it all back to the card.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/501.95

 

Steve

The card company is not in FL and it is where they are that matters.

[MoCruiseFan]

24 minutes ago, yamiangie said:

 

You mentioned Discovery so really its NCL themed debit card and the expiration date is so it can be run as  a debit card.  Visa gift cards are the same way. 

Actually it is a themed DISCOVER card (not discovery).

[tinkr2]

13 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The point is that the OP was WARNING about Fees that were fully disclosed on the NCL page and that anyone who does due diligence prior to purchasing would already know.

https://www.ncl.com/giftcard/terms

I am in Florida . I thought that dormancy scam had been outlawed forever ago. I don't think Ive ever read the terms on a gift card. I appreciated the info as most gift cards are just that ...gifts. Most don't research a gift.

[MoCruiseFan]

5 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

I am in Florida . I thought that dormancy scam had been outlawed forever ago. I don't think Ive ever read the terms on a gift card. I appreciated the info as most gift cards are just that ...gifts. Most don't research a gift.

 

It isn't research to fully understand what you are buying.  It is do common sense to do so.  The cards are sold from a bank in Iowa therefore the laws of Florida are not relevant.

[tinkr2]

1 minute ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

It isn't research to fully understand what you are buying.  It is do common sense to do so.  The cards are sold from a bank in Iowa therefore the laws of Florida are not relevant.

As I stated most gift cards are gifts. you're working really hard to defend NCL on a questionable system even when ships were sailing. There is a reason dormancy fees are illegal most places, they are shady. The business already got the money, they don't get to take more. Gift cards are awesome for business as only 40% are redeemed. 

[mscdivina2016]

9 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The card company is not in FL and it is where they are that matters.

Doesn't matter. It can be sold or issued in the state. It can also be received.

The key is registering it to prove jurisdiction.

Did you look at the link I posted above.

 I have purchased cards from eBay and have gotten it restored.

 

[mscdivina2016]

5 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

It isn't research to fully understand what you are buying.  It is do common sense to do so.  The cards are sold from a bank in Iowa therefore the laws of Florida are not relevant.

That would not make sense from a business perspective.

Why would a company based out of Florida want to hook themselves into having to comply with no fees from all 50 states simply because where they are located? They would not be able to charge a fee from the start and have to deal with a no expiration date cards and the records they will need to maintain for possibly 20 years?

Versus a company anywhere in the USA having to deal with only 1 States law? 

 

 

[Montanagirlalways]

18 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Go online and register the card in your name.

 Fill in the address and make it a Florida address. Make it up, it don't matter.

 

Call them up and tell them you are a FL resident and that they cannot take monthly dormancy fees or have an expiration date because that is not allowed under florida statute.  They will refund it all back to the card.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/501.95

 

Steve

ah ha- very interesting. I was a victim of this gift card stuff too. I actually won a card from NCL. Put the money on a cruise in 2020 that was cancelled. They said they would refund the money back to the card. I recently went to use it and the TA said there was nothing on the card. So I got a hold of the gift card company and they said money can not be reloaded onto the card and quoted me a balance of about $80 less then what it should have been. They said there was a monthly charge but they would put the full amount back on a new card ( I am now a florida resident). Im still waiting on the card, its only been a week, but that explains why they are putting the full amount back on the card. (use to live in Indiana).  Thanks everyone for this info

[MoCruiseFan]

12 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

That would not make sense from a business perspective.

Why would a company based out of Florida want to hook themselves into having to comply with no fees from all 50 states simply because where they are located? They would not be able to charge a fee from the start and have to deal with a no expiration date cards and the records they will need to maintain for possibly 20 years?

Versus a company anywhere in the USA having to deal with only 1 States law? 

 

 

 

 

The company that sells the cards in not based out of Florida.  It is in Iowa.