NCL Mastercard FAQ

[jasonfly]

12 minutes ago, alwalaska said:

You can bid on upgrades though.  I recently booked an interior. Did a double-meta upgrade on a 12-night cruise to a balcony and saved a lot of money. A lot more than if I had cashed it in for OBC or a discount on a cruise.  I was recently given the opportunity to bid on suites. I don't know if my price ranges were different since my original cruise price was so much lower than those you had balconies that they paid for.  My cruise isn't until Feb, so I don't know whether or not I will win a bid.  I'm guessing not since I made the minimum bid.

Seems the cruises are getting to capacity. I am going on the panama cruise next week and real-time upgrade bidding showing over 100 bids on each category.  But I appreciate everyones feedback. I will have to crunch some numbers and weigh cost/benefits!  Thanks again.

[alwalaska]

18 minutes ago, jasonfly said:

Seems the cruises are getting to capacity. I am going on the panama cruise next week and real-time upgrade bidding showing over 100 bids on each category.  But I appreciate everyones feedback. I will have to crunch some numbers and weigh cost/benefits!  Thanks again.

Where can you see real-time bidding?  My cruise to AU/NZ has tons of rooms left, nowhere near capacity.

[jasonfly]

9 minutes ago, alwalaska said:

Where can you see real-time bidding?  My cruise to AU/NZ has tons of rooms left, nowhere near capacity.

Within a few weeks before the cruise date I got an email that stated "Real-Time Bidding hsa Opened"  which basically starts a bidding war.  But it does show how many bids are on that particular category.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

17 hours ago, jasonfly said:

Within a few weeks before the cruise date I got an email that stated "Real-Time Bidding hsa Opened"  which basically starts a bidding war.  But it does show how many bids are on that particular category.

I got an upgrade email yesterday for my 2/2/24 cruise.  Seems a bit earlier than I remember, but I haven’t bid in so long I don’t remember.

[alwalaska]

On 11/30/2023 at 9:16 AM, MagnoliaBlossom said:

I got an upgrade email yesterday for my 2/2/24 cruise.  Seems a bit earlier than I remember, but I haven’t bid in so long I don’t remember.

It has been several weeks since I received my upgrade bid email for my 2/9/2024 cruise, but then again, there are at least 100 empty cabins on the ship by my best guess.  I can no longer find the site that listed how many empty cabins there were per category.

[julig22]

On 11/30/2023 at 6:16 AM, MagnoliaBlossom said:

I got an upgrade email yesterday for my 2/2/24 cruise.  Seems a bit earlier than I remember, but I haven’t bid in so long I don’t remember.

Bids usually open around day 110, if you check the plusgrade site. Timing of email notifications varies.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

On 12/1/2023 at 11:44 AM, julig22 said:

Bids usually open around day 110, if you check the plusgrade site. Timing of email notifications varies.

I couldn’t remember.  I won a few bids early on and the cabins were fine by DH is very particular about room locations so we stopped doing it.   

Edited December 3, 2023 by MagnoliaBlossom

[mscdivina2016]

On 12/1/2023 at 9:39 AM, alwalaska said:

It has been several weeks since I received my upgrade bid email for my 2/9/2024 cruise, but then again, there are at least 100 empty cabins on the ship by my best guess.  I can no longer find the site that listed how many empty cabins there were per category.

Just do a search for the largest cruise agency in the USA.

[mscdivina2016]

On 11/29/2023 at 2:04 PM, jasonfly said:

 

 

Not trying to beat a dead horse, but really trying to see if the credit card makes much sense for those interested in higher than a BA.

 

Thanks again!

It does to a point.  O

I no longer sail in anything but Haven but triple points gives me a statement credit.  So a $10,000 haven gets me 30,000 points which results in a $300 statement credit which is free money for doing nothing but charging and paying it off.

 

Steve

[7Contraveler]

On 11/29/2023 at 11:48 AM, jasonfly said:

Seems the cruises are getting to capacity. I am going on the panama cruise next week and real-time upgrade bidding showing over 100 bids on each category.  But I appreciate everyones feedback. I will have to crunch some numbers and weigh cost/benefits!  Thanks again.

Kinda curious, how do you look up the real time bids? 

[jimc_usa]

I am new to this board so please forgive me if this question has been answered already.

I have 25000 on my card, how do I exchange it for credit on my cruise?

[MagnoliaBlossom]

5 hours ago, jimc_usa said:

I am new to this board so please forgive me if this question has been answered already.

I have 25000 on my card, how do I exchange it for credit on my cruise?

There are several ads you can use points

OBC, wort use of points IMHO

Statement credt, better use especially f you got triple points for your onboard cruise charges

Cabn upgrade, best use unless you are happy with inside or ocean we.

there is also a free cruise option but it takes more points than most people can accumulate.

 

to use your points go to the rewards page and familiarize yourself with the points needed for each option.  Then you CAN do its online, but I personally prefer tocallWorldPoints (866-954-4077) and speak to an agent.  That way you can ask questions and be sure of what is transpiring, especially if you are upgrading.

 

The people here are very helpful, so come back and ask if you have questions.

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Been following & refreshed the latest shared tips & suggestions, thanks all.  Just called into WP desk, took about 25 minutes to complete the single Meta Upgrade, from OA to BB by a helpful agent, given a choice of available cabins to select, Deck 10 Mid on the new(er) ship next Spring - Deck 11 (AFT) available too but since our own upgraded cabin is Deck 10 ... Good use of 30,000 points, saved us $1,000 to $1,200 going from OV to Balcony and bypass bidding, waiting for price drop (almost at final payment/deadline to cancel or change)  

 

Happy holidays and safe travel - cruising and enjoy living.  

 

 

[Pizzasteve]

Sorry if i missed this in the many pages, but are these credit card credits usable on Oceania and Regent or other NCL brands?

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Yu can use them anywhere that accepts MC but yu get triple points on NCL purchases.  You can redeem points for cruises on NCL, but not any other cruise line, even though they are owned by the same parent company.

Edited December 24, 2023 by MagnoliaBlossom

[nhtravels]

Maybe it's the migraine, or maybe I'm overthinking this.... But I've never used my points for an upgrade.  (Haven cruiser, but I've amassed a ton of points now!

 

We are looking at an Alaska cruise for 2025.  Our 3 adult children and their families, who will not be able to afford Haven.  But I have almost 190,000 points, so I think that would be enough to do 3 cabin upgrades at 60,000 each = 180,000 points.  (Unless the 60,000 points is per person, not per cabin, which is where I am confused).  

 

There is an almost $2,000 per person difference in price between an inside and a balcony.  That's a huge savings, if I have this correctly.  DH and I would happily gift our children the points for them and their children to be able to join us (then they just pay the inside price.)

 

Again, migraine/meningioma brain.  Sorry if I've made it confusing for you too!

[julig22]

1 minute ago, nhtravels said:

Maybe it's the migraine, or maybe I'm overthinking this.... But I've never used my points for an upgrade.  (Haven cruiser, but I've amassed a ton of points now!

 

We are looking at an Alaska cruise for 2025.  Our 3 adult children and their families, who will not be able to afford Haven.  But I have almost 190,000 points, so I think that would be enough to do 3 cabin upgrades at 60,000 each = 180,000 points.  (Unless the 60,000 points is per person, not per cabin, which is where I am confused).  

 

There is an almost $2,000 per person difference in price between an inside and a balcony.  That's a huge savings, if I have this correctly.  DH and I would happily gift our children the points for them and their children to be able to join us (then they just pay the inside price.)

 

Again, migraine/meningioma brain.  Sorry if I've made it confusing for you too!

Sorry, just tried to do this, gift an upgrade to family. Got a resounding NO. Points can't be transferred.

I actually booked the cabin, then changed the name, so I asked if I would have been able to do the upgrade while the cabin was still in my name.  They said it would have eventually kicked out the upgrade.

However, I've gotten misinformation from the WWP people in the past, so maybe you'd have better luck - wouldn't hurt to call and ask.

To answer your other question, the 60,000 points would be per cabin.

[nhtravels]

Thank you for clearing it up @julig22.  I'll have to figure out another way to help offset the costs for the kids!  

[peg013]

8 hours ago, nhtravels said:

Thank you for clearing it up @julig22.  I'll have to figure out another way to help offset the costs for the kids!  

You can always let them charge part of the cost on your card and then use a statement credit to pay for it. Not nearly the value of an upgrade but some help for the kids.

[alwalaska]

9 hours ago, nhtravels said:

Thank you for clearing it up @julig22.  I'll have to figure out another way to help offset the costs for the kids!  

They could get a credit card and you can transfer the points to them for free.  I transferred points from hubbies card to my card to do our upgrade on our cruise that is coming up.  I'm not sure what the limit is, if there even is one, but I'm sure it is in the terms and conditions of the card.  

[julig22]

1 hour ago, alwalaska said:

They could get a credit card and you can transfer the points to them for free.  I transferred points from hubbies card to my card to do our upgrade on our cruise that is coming up.  I'm not sure what the limit is, if there even is one, but I'm sure it is in the terms and conditions of the card.  

Now that's a thought.  Plus they'd get 2K or more in points...

[alwalaska]

5 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Now that's a thought.  Plus they'd get 2K or more in points...

Yep.  I believe it is usually 20k or 25k signup bonus if they spend enough in the allotted time.

[laudergayle]

1 hour ago, alwalaska said:

Yep.  I believe it is usually 20k or 25k signup bonus if they spend enough in the allotted time.

They could use the card to pay for the cruise to trigger the bonus…even if you paid off the card.  That would get them 30k of their own points.

[julig22]

3 hours ago, alwalaska said:

They could get a credit card and you can transfer the points to them for free.  I transferred points from hubbies card to my card to do our upgrade on our cruise that is coming up.  I'm not sure what the limit is, if there even is one, but I'm sure it is in the terms and conditions of the card.  

So I just spoke to BofA - no dice on transferring points to someone else. Maybe it's different if it's your spouse.

Also asked WWP if I could add them to my account - still a no.

Oh well, still options for a bid or price drop.

[alwalaska]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

So I just spoke to BofA - no dice on transferring points to someone else. Maybe it's different if it's your spouse.

Also asked WWP if I could add them to my account - still a no.

Oh well, still options for a bid or price drop.

That is really strange.  You can do it online without even talking to anyone.   I logged in, went to my NCL credit card, clicked on Rewards, and the Transfer option is right there.  All I have to do is put in the credit card account number that I want it to transfer to after clicking the button.  There is a Check account eligibility button, but I think that is because you are only allowed so many transfers in a specific time frame.  It might also verify that it is a valid WorldPoints credit card account. I can't find the terms of service anywhere, but that would clarify the rules.