NCL Mastercard FAQ

[karinad]

Yes, these points could pretty well be worthless for upgrades. The upgrades become unavailable. I just got off the phone with NCL Redemption points with wanting to go from outside (OB) to balcony. It wasn't available, even if I went to the higher cat. outside. It wasn't available to go to a balcony. I think I could get an upgrade with 20,000 into a higher cat. ouside or balcony, but I really don't see the sense of that. I'd rather just put the 38,000 points I have into $350.00 toward the cruise. So, I guess if I did that, I would lose 3000 points or do they just take 35,000 points and leave the balance in the account?

 

It's all a game and very frustrating with saving the points and thinking that you could use the points how you wish! Nop! Not in all cases!

[eiloo]

@karinad

You would only redeem the amount needed to get to your $350 credit, ie 35K points.  The remaining 3K would stay on your NCL credit card for you to do as you wish.  If you have other Bank of America credit cards that earn points, you might be able to transfer your points to that card if eligible.  That other card may have a better redemption rate for cash.  The NCL Worldpoints redemption for cash is horrendous!

[CPT Trips]

OK, I admit it. I only read the latest two pages and could not find the information I wanted. What's the number I call to get information  upgrades?

TIA

[karinad]

5 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

OK, I admit it. I only read the latest two pages and could not find the information I wanted. What's the number I call to get information  upgrades?

TIA

The phone # for NCL where they could let you know if you could upgrade with your points is: 1-866-954-4077. Good luck!!!

[CPT Trips]

Thank you very much for the information . . . 🙏

[b7440]

Ok I have spent about 1 hour reading back post, here is my situation. We have not been on an NCL cruise in a few years.

I have a little over 75000 points, my wife has over 125000 points. I just book an aft cabin on the bliss for Dec20, I also booked a balcony cabin for my daughter and her boyfriend. I need an accessible cabin (which) I have.

i know I can cash in points for onboard credit, but my question is can we use our points for my daughter since we are paying for both cabins?  Also how would the double meta work if I need an accessible cabin? If I booked an inside accessible could I do the two cabin upgrade to an aft?

 

Any one have any ideas, welcome all suggestions

 

Thank You

 

Brian

[CPT Trips]

On July 27, 2019 at 1:49 PM, karinad said:

The phone # for NCL where they could let you know if you could upgrade with your points is: 1-866-954-4077. Good luck!!!

 

Ah, NCL call center. FUBAR.

DW is on the phone with them right now using this number, which we discovered is on their website as the WorldPoints number. Waiting for the 4th representative after being told by three reps they don't know what she is talking about.

All the reps ask for a booking number. Do we need to book first and then try to upgrade?

It's a Vinnie Barbarino experience. "I'm so confused."

[karinad]

3 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

 

Ah, NCL call center. FUBAR.

DW is on the phone with them right now using this number, which we discovered is on their website as the WorldPoints number. Waiting for the 4th representative after being told by three reps they don't know what she is talking about.

All the reps ask for a booking number. Do we need to book first and then try to upgrade?

It's a Vinnie Barbarino experience. "I'm so confused."

Yes, you do need a booking #. My travel agent made a booking for me without a deposit so that I could ask them about the upgrade with the points.

[CPT Trips]

Thank you. 

 

Just got our answer after a long time on the phone from the 6th rep. If they let you upgrade from OV to balcony its to a guarentee. That's a deal breaker for us.

Edited July 29, 2019 by CPT Trips

[karinad]

11 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

Thank you. 

If we need to book an OV to move up to a balcony, do you know what category OV to go to B1?

This is confusing. Sounds like if I can't upgrade that I will need to cancel my OV.

I think it all goes on availability. I know you can't book the Sailaway rate. I had called them the other day and the rate they gave me to upgrade just wasn't worth it. The Sailaway was cheaper even with adding the perks on. The category they gave me to upgrade was the BF and that was only on the GTY. We'd go with the sailaway if we couldn't pick our cabin.

[CPT Trips]

I edited as you responded. Thank you again for the help.

[karinad]

4 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

I edited as you responded. Thank you again for the help.

You're welcome and it is very confusing!!! I think you get a different answer from different representatives, too! I get upset because you save these points to use for an upgrade and then you can't! I think it's 10,000 points to upgrade within the category, though. Maybe someone here knows more about that.

[CPT Trips]

OK. Now to my next question. If I use my points to buy obc, can I use that to pay the daily service charge or what ever they call the mandatory "gratuity" today?

[karinad]

53 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

OK. Now to my next question. If I use my points to buy obc, can I use that to pay the daily service charge or what ever they call the mandatory "gratuity" today?

I'm pretty sure you can. You could also use the points to pay for your cruise , You just have to do it so much time before you sail.

[eiloo]

Does anyone know if you are already paid in full and pay final payment, can you still use points to upgrade to a higher cabin if available?

 

Or does this only work before final payment?

[BSR]

I was told you can't use them to pay the DSC.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

We stopped using our Norwegian card years ago when they "updated" their point system. 

Originally you got 3 points for every one hundred dollars spent.

They Norwegian, in their wisdom decided to play the "more points" game.

You got one point for every dollar spent; so, that's 100 points per one hundred dollars.

After we did the math on what a "point" really was, it seems that the 3 points under the old system were worth three dollars; under the new system, one hundred points were worth one dollar.

It was good while it lasted; we saved $4500 on cruises before ceasing to use the card.

[eiloo]

Back in the day I thought it was 2 points per dollar.  Now they have it as 3 points per dollar on NCL purchases.

 

• Earn 3 WorldPoints^® points for every $1 spent on Norwegian purchases
• Earn 1 WorldPoints^® point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
• Redeem points for hundreds of rewards like cash, gift cards, hotel stays, car rentals, and Norwegian redemptions
• If you're a Preferred Rewards client you could get an additional 25% - 75% points bonus on every purchase, applied to the base earn of 1 point per $1

I don't disagree with you that the card is on its way out of my wallet.  Though I recently became a Preferred Rewards member and now I get 5.25 points per dollar spent with NCL.  That's hard to pass up.  I may just keep the card and pull it out when booking an NCL cruise.

[CPT Trips]

We only use the card for NCL charges. We do much better with the cash back on our other cards . . . more flexibility. 

DW just told me that we have points expiring so we'll probably spend more on board than otherwise.

[TifffanyD]

On 8/6/2019 at 9:51 AM, eiloo said:

Back in the day I thought it was 2 points per dollar.  Now they have it as 3 points per dollar on NCL purchases.

 

• Earn 3 WorldPoints^® points for every $1 spent on Norwegian purchases
• Earn 1 WorldPoints^® point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
• Redeem points for hundreds of rewards like cash, gift cards, hotel stays, car rentals, and Norwegian redemptions
• If you're a Preferred Rewards client you could get an additional 25% - 75% points bonus on every purchase, applied to the base earn of 1 point per $1

I don't disagree with you that the card is on its way out of my wallet.  Though I recently became a Preferred Rewards member and now I get 5.25 points per dollar spent with NCL.  That's hard to pass up.  I may just keep the card and pull it out when booking an NCL cruise.

 

I didn't even know about preferred rewards and I just signed up and am Platinum. Jeez, would've been nice to have the extra points, discount on foreign currency orders, and free stock trades all t his time. Thanks for your post!

[HCTiger9704]

Have anybody applied for this credit card and been denied?  If so, what reason(s) were you denied for?

[Tutone56]

Sorry if this this question was asked.  I have a mid ship balcony on deck 9 booked on the POA for next March.  Is it possible to get a better cabin for a double meta upgrade if I have enough points or should I just get OBC?  Thanks

[Clay Clayton]

Depends on what is a “better” cabin but it wouldn’t be best use of your 60,000 points. The highest one can go with a double meta is to a balcony so only thing it would do would be to change to a higher veranda category. 

 

If you haven’t made final payment yet, I would call and have it repriced at whatever inside category you need to keep the same room you have now. 

[karinad]

We have enough points for a single meta upgrade, however, going from a OV to balcony isn't available on this cruise. What is the story with using points for an upgrade within the same category? Is it possible to use it on a sailaway rate? We sailed NCL last yr and I used 30,000 to upgrade from inside to obstructed OV. It was a port intensive cooler temp cruise and didn't think we'd miss a balcony. I saved the 30,000 hoping to use it this yr. It sucks that you can't use the points how you'd like to! We're not booked yet, but looking at one.

[peg013]

10 hours ago, Tutone56 said:

Sorry if this this question was asked.  I have a mid ship balcony on deck 9 booked on the POA for next March.  Is it possible to get a better cabin for a double meta upgrade if I have enough points or should I just get OBC?  Thanks

 

 We upgraded from a BA mid ship balcony to a B1 Aft Facing Balcony on the Jewel for 10,000 points. Would be a great cabin for an Hawaiian cruise.