NCL Mastercard FAQ

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Re: changing acct. numbers.

 

When I talked to BoA about this they said that they are upgrading their system and in order to do that they had to change numbers. This didn't make sense to me and she said nothing about a security breach, but that actually makes sense. I have six cards so it will be a real pain for me. I have only gotten one acct. changed so far and she said the others will be done as the phttp://boards.cruisecritic.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=23439392rocess continues.

 

However, since they now have no limit on points you can earn per year it doesn't make sense for me to have this many accounts. Think I'll just combine several of them.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Maybe ya'll have posted this and I've missed it but . . .

 

Final payment for our Baltics cruise is due next month $1600 and since I had 164,000 points I called today to have them applied to our balance.

 

TA at NCL called back and said there is a maximum of $800 allowed per cruise per cabin :eek:. You are allowed 1 each of $500, $200 and $100 certificate per cabin towards cruise cost. You are also allowed another $800 as OBC. However, since we don't do excursions, don't drink much and don't shop onboard I would have a hard time using up that much OBC.

 

I am really bummed since in the past we have cruised essentially for free using points. There had never been a cap. TA says this info was in the original documents we received and while I remember there would be 3 categories of certificates I don't remember a cap on each. Oh well.

 

Do any of you know if you do not spend all of your OBC, whether you can receive the rest in cash/check the final night? Seems someone posted that but I'm not sure. Of course, I'm not sure of much of anything anymore :mad:

[mbisson]

Maybe ya'll have posted this and I've missed it but . . .

 

Final payment for our Baltics cruise is due next month $1600 and since I had 164,000 points I called today to have them applied to our balance.

 

TA at NCL called back and said there is a maximum of $800 allowed per cruise per cabin :eek:. You are allowed 1 each of $500, $200 and $100 certificate per cabin towards cruise cost. You are also allowed another $800 as OBC. However, since we don't do excursions, don't drink much and don't shop onboard I would have a hard time using up that much OBC.

 

I am really bummed since in the past we have cruised essentially for free using points. There had never been a cap. TA says this info was in the original documents we received and while I remember there would be 3 categories of certificates I don't remember a cap on each. Oh well.

 

Do any of you know if you do not spend all of your OBC, whether you can receive the rest in cash/check the final night? Seems someone posted that but I'm not sure. Of course, I'm not sure of much of anything anymore :mad:

 

We have been able to get cash at the casino (and it was charged to our onboard account-and offset by existing onboard credit). I believe there may be some daily limit though

Edited March 25, 2010 by mbisson

[drinkingsilk]

Under the new rewards for worldpoints, it lists an inside to oceanview or oceanview to balcony upgrade for 30k points, and a 4 cat upgrade for 20k points.

Does anyone know if you have 50k points if you can redeem both of those? For example, use the one upgrade to go from an oceanview to balcony, and then use the 4 cat upgrade to get a higher cat balcony? (excluding mini suits of course)

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Drinkingsilk - hmmm - in the old days I've had said you could do it - but w/ the new program it's hard to tell. Do let us know when you find out.

 

mbisson - I'd forgotten about charging casino bucks to your cabin - guess it's because I've never done it - seems as though there was a surcharge for it though - am I mistaken about that?

 

Okay I've calmed down a little bit because I've been on the worldpoints home page and realize that once you are over 25,000 points you can redeem cash of $250, which is the same ration for the $500 certificates.

Actually a more flexible way of doing things - but I still think it's a bad PR move on NCL's part (yes, I know it's BoA's program but it's sanctioned by NCL).

 

I have been through all the paperwork I have received, as well as what is currently on line about the terms and conditions and no where does it say you can only use one certificate per cabin. I think they just make this mess up as they go along. I called NCL and found there is one lady (poor soul, we should pray for her) who handles the NCL M/C program at NCL home office. I left a message for her but did not hear back. I'll bug her some more tomorrow just to verify the info my TA got.

 

Happy evening to all,

Magnolia

[mbisson]

mbisson - I'd forgotten about charging casino bucks to your cabin - guess it's because I've never done it - seems as though there was a surcharge for it though - am I mistaken about that?

 

 

Happy evening to all,

Magnolia

 

We did it on the Pearl in November and at least then, there wasn't a surcharge

[Got Tequila?]

We have been able to get cash at the casino (and it was charged to our onboard account-and offset by existing onboard credit). I believe there may be some daily limit though

 

I believe the daily limit is $2,000 per cabin. No fees as of January 2010....hopefully they won't mess with this. :)

[mbisson]

I believe the daily limit is $2,000 per cabin. No fees as of January 2010....hopefully they won't mess with this. :)

 

If I get near that kind limit, please send someone out to knock some sense into me, cause I'm not a high roller at all.

[jon46]

I just made my final payment on my epic cruise with my BOA card. Does anyone know if i can turn in my world points for on board credit. I should have about 10,000. I sail in July. How close to cruise date can you use your points. Thanks John

[Birdnutty]

Yes, you can redeem 10K for a $100 OBC, or 5K for a $100 slot play (this is a pretty good deal, if you like to play the slots) There's other variations on the theme also.

 

Just give yourself enough time, since it sometimes takes a few phone calls before you run into someone who remembers what to do and how to do it, The BOA people sent me back to NCL, who sent me back to BOA and this went on until I finally found a BOA rep who knew what to do. At least, that's what I think happened. I honestly don't remember, but I'm pretty sure it ended up at BOA.

 

Once the points show up on your statement, they're yours for use.

 

I redeemed my points as late as 2 weeks before we cruised. But I don't think I'll wait so long next time. Be sure to print out the email you receive with the redemption info you'll receive, and bring it with you, as sometimes things get "lost" in the system and you might need it as proof. There was a poster on this board who'd had this problem. I've used it twice however, with no problem at all.

 

When is your cruise?

[jon46]

Im on the July 10 Epic. John

[MagnoliaBlossom]

If you are using the cash back feature you can do it online.

You need to set up a checking acct into which your $ will be

transferred. I redeemed 25,000 for $250 cash.

 

The website is somewhat cumbersome and it took me a while because

I kept getting into a loop - but once it got over it's snit, it was pretty

painless.

 

I've decided the way to go is to abandon the certificate approach

like in the old days and just pay w/ my NCL M/C and get double

points, then just have the cash back issued. Since you can only

redeem one each of the certificate levels, this has no limit and I don't

have to deal with any (okay, as many) inept people this way (just me!)

 

Happy charging!

ga

[lhall85917]

I really miss the Compass Rewards!! Not only were the benefits better, they were so easy to redeem. It took me over an hour and 7 different customer service representatives plus 3 different phone numbers to redeem points for onboard credit!:eek: If anyone needs it, the number is 866-954-4077.

It probably would have been much easier to redeem for cash but I like having an obc when we cruise.

[lhall85917]

I really miss the Compass Rewards!! Not only were the benefits better, they were so easy to redeem. It took me over an hour and 7 different customer service representatives plus 3 different phone numbers to redeem points for onboard credit!:eek: If anyone needs it, the number is 866-954-4077.

It probably would have been much easier to redeem for cash but I like having an obc when we cruise.

 

Yep, I was way too confident yesterday. My TA says that they show points redeemed but not applied to my cruise. I'm at the 20 minute mark with my 3rd representative so far today

[mbisson]

Yes, you can redeem 10K for a $100 OBC, or 5K for a $100 slot play (this is a pretty good deal, if you like to play the slots) There's other variations on the theme also.

 

If you don't mind I've a question...just how does it work for the slot play? Am I safe in assuming that they load $100 onto a card that you just use, and after $100 in play you can then cash out if you wish?

 

And if that's it, is the card delivered to your cabin or do you go to the casino to pick it up?

Edited April 27, 2010 by mbisson

[Birdnutty]

If you don't mind I've a question...just how does it work for the slot play? Am I safe in assuming that they load $100 onto a card that you just use, and after $100 in play you can then cash out if you wish?

 

And if that's it, is the card delivered to your cabin or do you go to the casino to pick it up?

 

Yes, you've got the right concept. You need to go down to the casino (I brought my confirmation email as proof, just in case I needed it) and they loaded it onthe card. When you sit to play, insert the card and go thru the procedure they tell you, you can load as much as you want onto the machine. I usually did $20 at a time so I didn't blow the whole thing.

[Twelvevman]

Does anyone know if I can order 2 of the slot play certificates? I know it is one offer per person, but I didn't know if I can use my points to get one for me and 1 for my wife.

[Birdnutty]

Hmmm - I don't know. I guess the best way to find out is to give it a try. You gain nothing if you don't try, right?

 

Let us know how you make out!

[molly361]

Can you use mulitply money off certificates on the same sailing? My husband and I each have a card, actually he has two cards. Can we get 3 10,000 point certificates ($100 each) and use them for $300 off of one cruise? Thanks

[MagnoliaBlossom]

molly - nope, ya' can't. I just went through that a few weeks ago. In the good old days you could use as many certificates as you liked but now you can use a max of $800 (1 - $500, 1 - $200, and 1-$100). Really hacked me off but let not your heart be troubled - there is another way to point nirvana! And it's even better than redeeming for a certificate - use your M/C and charge the whole friggin' thing (getting double points of course) then have points transferred to your checking account as a refund.

 

You can do the whole thing via their website, thereby reducing the irritation factor and double/triple/quadruple wrong answer run around.

[molly361]

molly - nope, ya' can't. I just went through that a few weeks ago. In the good old days you could use as many certificates as you liked but now you can use a max of $800 (1 - $500, 1 - $200, and 1-$100). Really hacked me off but let not your heart be troubled - there is another way to point nirvana! And it's even better than redeeming for a certificate - use your M/C and charge the whole friggin' thing (getting double points of course) then have points transferred to your checking account as a refund.

 

You can do the whole thing via their website, thereby reducing the irritation factor and double/triple/quadruple wrong answer run around.

 

So if I have 10,000 and my husband has 10,000 we can transfer those points into $200 and have it put into our bank account as a refund?? Do you have the website address? thanks for the info

[flashdog_1]

If you are using the cash back feature you can do it online.

You need to set up a checking acct into which your $ will be

transferred. I redeemed 25,000 for $250 cash.

 

The website is somewhat cumbersome and it took me a while because

I kept getting into a loop - but once it got over it's snit, it was pretty

painless.

 

I've decided the way to go is to abandon the certificate approach

like in the old days and just pay w/ my NCL M/C and get double

points, then just have the cash back issued. Since you can only

redeem one each of the certificate levels, this has no limit and I don't

have to deal with any (okay, as many) inept people this way (just me!)

 

Happy charging!

ga

 

Thanks for the tip. I'd been dreading trying to find the right person to convert my points into OBC, but it was easy as pie to get a $250 bank transfer. Now let's see if my bank charges for it!

[MagnoliaBlossom]

molly - you are correct, each of you can redeem your 10,000 points for a cash transfer to your checking account. Just go to the BoA page and click on rewards, or something like that and it navigates you to the page where you can choose certificates, cash back, OBC, etc. I'd have to go look at it to tell you exactly but it's not hard to find.

 

My little hometown bank didn't charge us anything to receive the transfer.

 

ga

[Bigbe]

I am so glad I found this thread. I am going to have $600 and although I think we will spend tht much for a 7 day cruise, I like the idea of not having to worry and getting the cash.

 

Thanks for the info.

[davegv]

Just got off the phone with NCL. Very Slow Process. The BOA will only give $80 for 10000 points. Only the 25000 will redeem for $250. They also limit the number of transaction per category. One category per day.