Booking/discounts question

[hallux]

I know some here are TA's here (though they can't say and advertise it, I know), I have a question regarding booking and discounts.  I currently have on my Latitudes account a 10% off voucher (auto loaded on my account, my sister has one as well) and a $100 gift for sailing during the "great cruise comeback" (sailed in March of this year). 

 

I'm planning on booking a cruise for next March (to be clear, I'm not asking anyone here to be my TA to book it). I'd LIKE to go in a balcony but as a solo it's almost $2k right now, a bit rich for me when I consider I need to fly down and get a hotel for the night before.  If I book a studio (a more manageable cost at the moment), with the discounts applied, does that 'lock in' my discounts?  If I decide, even after final payment, that I want to move to a balcony can I have those savings applied to that room instead or do I lose them?

 

I'm feeling like booking right now would be foolish as the $300 or so that I'd save with the discounts NCL is offering me is WAY less than I'd save if I wait until the solo supplement is discounted before I book.  BUT - if I can 'lock in' the discounts on a booking and then upgrade to a different room (while keeping the discounts) I could save a little more.  Since the sailing is more than 120 out, I could always book with the discounts and my CruiseNext deposits (so there's no money out of pocket yet), then if I change my mind before FP I can just cancel and get my CND's back on my account and lose the discounts.

 

Yes, I know I can likely do a one-time category upgrade if/when there's a price drop, or get OBC for 25% of the difference in the cost of the room (apparently not as common of an offer anymore though).

 

Your wisdom is MUCH appreciated!  Thanks

[ChiefMateJRK]

You can apply the 10% without making final payment.  I would just wait and use the $100 at time of final payment.

[hallux]

5 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

You can apply the 10% without making final payment.  I would just wait and use the $100 at time of final payment.

Except the discounts have expiration dates.  The $100 has to be used by tomorrow, the 10% by the end of the month.

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by hallux

[julig22]

From my experience, both the 10% and $100 coupons remain, as discounts against fare.  I have repriced in the past and everything has remained.  I always do a mock booking however so that I know what the price (and promos) will be before the discounts so I can verify.

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, hallux said:

Except the discounts have expiration dates.  The $100 has to be used by tomorrow, the 10% by the end of the month.

 

That would have been useful information to share in the OP.

[hallux]

55 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

That would have been useful information to share in the OP.

apologies, I thought I had it in there.

 

56 minutes ago, julig22 said:

From my experience, both the 10% and $100 coupons remain, as discounts against fare.  I have repriced in the past and everything has remained.  I always do a mock booking however so that I know what the price (and promos) will be before the discounts so I can verify.

So you're saying if I put a studio cabin on hold now using the discounts, make final payment then decide to upgrade to a balcony when prices drop I would retain the discounts?

[julig22]

5 minutes ago, hallux said:

So you're saying if I put a studio cabin on hold now using the discounts, make final payment then decide to upgrade to a balcony when prices drop I would retain the discounts?

Haven't done an after final pay upgrade with that scenario but I believe they would stay.  My 10% stayed when I got an on-board adjustment (room upgrade & price drop) - but before FP.

I had fcc from a previous price-drop and was able to do a paid upgrade after final pay, cost for the upgrade was based on the original price (before fcc).  But I did lose my 3x points.

 

But it might not be a bad idea to confirm, since there may be some restrictions with the offers you have - you might not be able to combine them for starters.  In my case, somewhere buried in the fine print it says you can't use courtesy fcc with a 10% coupon from a cancelled cruise for example.

[hallux]

14 minutes ago, julig22 said:

But it might not be a bad idea to confirm, since there may be some restrictions with the offers you have - you might not be able to combine them for starters.  In my case, somewhere buried in the fine print it says you can't use courtesy fcc with a 10% coupon from a cancelled cruise for example.

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to figure out.  I may need to just call NCL or email a couple TA's (emailed one already but I happen to know they're on a TP to Australia right now, according to their FB page) to see if they can help.  These offers aren't cancelled cruise rebate/FCC, they were just added to my account (all 3 of them!) so I have no idea what restrictions might apply to them other than likely the 10% and 20% can't be stacked if I wanted to book a Canada/NE cruise as I was thinking of doing.

[Sixtytwo]

One thing to consider...a studio is for 1 occupant. If you upgrade to a cabin that is meant for 2 or more, I believe you will have to pay for the "ghost" second passenger as well. Might want to be sure what the rules are. 

[hallux]

1 hour ago, Sixtytwo said:

One thing to consider...a studio is for 1 occupant. If you upgrade to a cabin that is meant for 2 or more, I believe you will have to pay for the "ghost" second passenger as well. Might want to be sure what the rules are. 

I'm fully aware of the solo supplement situation, I even mentioned it in my first post...

[hallux]

I decided to wait.  $1300 (including taxes, port fees, dining gratuities and trip insurance) seems a bit steep yet for a Studio.  I'm going to roll the dice that I can get a balcony for that price shortly after final payment time AND maybe still be able to use 2x CND's.

 

I'm almost certain that by waiting I can save more than the $300 I'd save today using the 10% and $100 coupons NCL added to my account.

Edited September 12, 2022 by hallux