NCL Mastercard FAQ

[NCyeller]

Basic facts:

 

- Earn 4 Points for every $100 spent on Norwegian Cruise Line purchases*

- Earn 3 Points for every $100 spent on purchases*

* I've always received this in a % of purchases, thus you don't have to spend $100 to get 3 or 4 points, rather you 3% or 4% of your purchases (take your total monthly purchases, multiply by 3% for your monthly points earned. Add 1% for any NCL/NCLA purchases.

 

Got a letter yesterday saying Compass rewards will change to WorldPoints that will accumulate at 1% rather than 3% when applied to cruise fares:(

 

The cash card % is even worse.

 

I'll be looking for a better card deal. I like NCL, with 19 cruises they treat us like royalty, and really loved having points paying for the lions share of our past 8 trips.

[NCyeller]

I just received the letter today.

 

If you read a little closer' date=' we are receiving 1 point per dollar spent and 2 points per NCL dollar spent as compared to 3 or 4 points per $100 on the card now. That being said we have no idea what the "gift" structure looks like. Plus there is no limit to the number of points you can earn per tear. That means we no longer need 2 cards.

 

We shall see.

 

PE[/quote']

 

He is "gift" structure:

 

https://wwwa.managerewardsonline.bankofamerica.com/RMSapp/Ctl/link?eid=D14BCCDF

 

1/3 of what it is now!

[MagnoliaBlossom]

In the past travel must take place prior to the expiration of the certificates. This would pose a problem for us since we're pretty booked upfor 2009 and will have 6 certifidates by Dec. :eek:

 

I called NCL this morning, expecting to get several answers but surprisingly got the same answer from 3 ladies. One of whom read me

a letter to all the PVPs. It appears you now will be able to apply your certificates prior to expiration but do not have to sail by expiration.

 

If that is indeed the case :rolleyes: if will be much nicer for all of us (and a better deal for NCL, as well).

 

Anyone else had a similar conversation? Usually there are as many answers as there are agaents aat NCL.

[mbisson]

Now it is just for you....I received the letter today.

 

PE

 

The program is more exclusive than ever---I'm still in ;)

 

 

 

I called NCL this morning' date=' expecting to get several answers but surprisingly got the same answer from 3 ladies. One of whom read me

a letter to all the PVPs. It appears you now will be able to apply your certificates prior to expiration but do not have to sail by expiration.

 

If that is indeed the case :rolleyes: if will be much nicer for all of us (and a better deal for NCL, as well).

.[/quote']

 

Let's all cross our fingers for that!!

[GROOVERS]

I sure wouldn't want to get stuck with a balance of points on that card, with Compass Reward Points, as they will become worthless. The World Points thing is no where near as good as Compass Rewards, maybe NCL will change, there was sure a lot of us using those points...

I just canceled a World Points Card, it had 7000 points on it, they sent me a check for $12.00.:mad:

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Okay my PVP who is a great chatty guy just called and he tells me there was a meeting of all the agents at NCL yesterday and they were given very specific Q&A sheets and talked about scenarios.

 

One of the specific questions was when sailing must occur and the sail date does not matter so long as the certificates are applied prior to expiration.

 

This is good to know. Makes my life a bit easier and as he said NCL knew they didn't want a glut of "free" passengers on board in a short period of time.

[98Charlie]

I sure wouldn't want to get stuck with a balance of points on that card, with Compass Reward Points, as they will become worthless. The World Points thing is no where near as good as Compass Rewards, maybe NCL will change, there was sure a lot of us using those points...

I just canceled a World Points Card, it had 7000 points on it, they sent me a check for $12.00.:mad:

Wowzer! Spend $7000 and get a free Drink of the Day:rolleyes: What a deal:p

 

Charlie

[starkarlis]

We just got our card a couple of months ago. We have accumlated 197 points, although I am sure after the next billing statement it will be over 200. What will that get for us. I do not quite understand the upgrade portion of the program.

[98Charlie]

We just got our card a couple of months ago. We have accumlated 197 points, although I am sure after the next billing statement it will be over 200. What will that get for us. I do not quite understand the upgrade portion of the program.

It was back a page or 2 I believe. But, here it is:

• 
  
• Compass Rewards Points for Stateroom Upgrades
  
• 100 One category upgrade for first person in stateroom.
  
• 200 One category upgrade for first and second person in stateroom.
  
• 300 Two category upgrade for first person and one category upgrade for second person in stateroom.
  
• 400 Two category upgrade for first and second person in stateroom.

 

So your 200 will get you a one category upgrade. However, I don't believe that you will be able to book the highest oceanview and upgrade to a balcony or inside to oceanview.

 

Charlie

[starkarlis]

I guess I am confused how ONE person can be upgraded and not the other? I am in a BA room already, so if I understand, I can't be moved to a mini suite?

[nerd-guy]

Hi, I am like everyone else, concerned that the new program will be a bust. However, let's keep in mind that our program will be the *NCL* Worldpoints program, not the Worldpoints program; this according to the letter. We still do not know exactly what that program will do when we cash in for future NCL cruises. We are told that notification will come in Dec. explaining the new deal.

 

I am staying positive until given reason to be otherwise.

 

Race you to the buffet line, Howard

[98Charlie]

I guess I am confused how ONE person can be upgraded and not the other? I am in a BA room already, so if I understand, I can't be moved to a mini suite?

I never checked in to the upgrade part but it would seem that you would pay for the other persons upgrade.

 

Or maybe the steward short-sheets one of the passengers bed:p

 

Charlie

[*Wink*]

I guess I am confused how ONE person can be upgraded and not the other? I am in a BA room already, so if I understand, I can't be moved to a mini suite?

According to the terms you received with the card, it states suites are not included in the upgrade process. I don't know why a mini wouldn't qualify since it's basically a deluxe balcony, but it's not up to me. :-P

[GROOVERS]

Wowzer! Spend $7000 and get a free Drink of the Day:rolleyes: What a deal:p

 

Charlie

 

Hey, make that drink a COSMO, a double!:D

[AFT_LOVER]

reading all this. I spoke with a Supervisor I have known since MBNA days & all the stiffing of folks by Worldpoints with RCCL & Celebrity. He told me that the Worldpoints card is used as a fallback card when a company no longer wants to pay for special perks for their customers. He told me about their last adventure. A golf Course who had a card for its members. Many had over 250,000 points when the golf course decided to cancel the card & take the Worldppoints card for them. So folks with 275,000 got 65,000 Worldpoints. B of A Sups were going deaf with all the *itching going on. So they learned to have the company announce the change & what it will entitle you to.

 

So a call to NCL & to Amanda got me the version that NCL is giving us special awards based on our Latitudes level. SO bronze gets the 50,000 for $500 credit or OBC. She laughed that I was being hard on her which I wasn't just asking factual questions. I read her the awards stated on B of A web site on Worldpoints card. Nothing on if they are MC or VISA. She didn't have anything on that but was told that MC was NCL choice. MC gives awards as you see on TV ads. So the welcome package with our new cards will explain it all in detail.

 

So if it is bogus as RCCL & Celebrity was, then I will go with Signature VISA with all the perks with that card. It states PERFECT CREDIT to get it as the MC World is MC's version of it.

 

The Supervisor is sending us info on both so we can be ready to change to either since we are deserving of it as he stated.

 

Hey, make that drink a COSMO, a double!:D

[MagnoliaBlossom]

OK, so explain me this again, Lucy - maybe it's just the "umbrella" drinnks I've had to tide me over during this time of mourning, but I don't think I understood what Amanda tol' you.

 

If bronze gets you 500 pt/$50k :eek:

What do the other levels get ya'?

 

Thanks,

Magnolia

[Cosmopolitan]

:)

Hey, make that drink a COSMO, a double![/quote

 

I vote "yay" for that;)

[elruth]

I thought the World Points memo said 1 point for every $ 1.00 spent. Why doesn't $ 500.00 spent = 500 points?? I hope someone can explain this in simple English to me. ( and to think I taught math to 6th graders years ago! )

[98Charlie]

I thought the World Points memo said 1 point for every $ 1.00 spent. Why doesn't $ 500.00 spent = 500 points?? I hope someone can explain this in simple English to me. ( and to think I taught math to 6th graders years ago! )

Yes, it is one for one with World Points.

 

The difference between what we have (or had:( ) with the NCL MasterCard and the W.P. is that the old card returned 3% for all purchases and 4% for any NCL purchase. Then 500 points equaled $500 off of a cruise. Charge $16,667 and at 3% you have $500 off.

 

Under WP as it is on their website you get 1 point per dollar but (big but) you need 50,000 points to get $500. So, if we stay with the card that they will be sending we will go from a minimum of 3% return on our charges to a 1% return.

 

Charlie

[GROOVERS]

Yes, it is one for one with World Points.

 

The difference between what we have (or had:( ) with the NCL MasterCard and the W.P. is that the old card returned 3% for all purchases and 4% for any NCL purchase. Then 500 points equaled $500 off of a cruise. Charge $16,667 and at 3% you have $500 off.

 

Under WP as it is on their website you get 1 point per dollar but (big but) you need 50,000 points to get $500. So, if we stay with the card that they will be sending we will go from a minimum of 3% return on our charges to a 1% return.

 

Charlie

 

Well, either way I'm done with that card with a picture of a cruise ship on it...DARN, I kind of liked making the charges, it always made me think about where we were going next! It'll sure be a loss with NCL, now we can pick our own cruise line, maybe Capital One has a card with a picture on it, and has good points!

 

Oh well, back to the Cosomo's...See ya'll on the ship!

[98Charlie]

Since none of us have recieved the information on the new card it may be different from other World Point offers.

 

OTOH I haven't found any indication that it's going to be worth more than 1 %.

 

Charlie

[chemist661]

We were thinking of getting the NCL card. No go. Even one of my no annual fee credit union Visas gets 1.25% cash back on everything plus 2% on groceries & 5% on fuel. (pays out every month!) Why should I go with the World Points card when we have other cards that are better?

[14ersco]

Somewhere buried in another thread about looking for a new credit card was mention of the American Express Hilton Honors Card. I applied this past weekend and just got the card. Perfect timing since this month's charges on the BOA card have now got us to 500 NCL points. The new card can be used to earn Honors points for hotel stays within the Hilton chain. Average points required to stay at a Hampton Inn or Homewood Suites is 30,000 points. The new AMEX card has the following rewards:

10,000 bonus points on first purchase

2,500 bonus points for each of the next 4 paid Hilton family stays = 10,000 total

500 bonus points for booking Hilton family hotels on-line

5 points per $1 spent at Hilton family hotels, gas, grocery, dining, drugstore, USPS, wireless

3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases

Automatic Hilton Honors Silver Level and Gold Level with $20,000 charged in a year

Plus all of the Buyer's and Travel protections of the Blue Card

 

So this appears to be one of the better rewards programs. Going to have enough points to cover the next pre-cruise hotel stay, and use the $500 certificate for the cruise. :)

[krsw44]

We might now start looking into more land based vacations even though we LOVE TO CRUISE, every year and we are PLATINUM MEMBERS with NCL. We have a Princess Card which "was' not as good, which we will now look at using and the Hilton one for land based. We are trying to get our last certificate up to 1000 before the deadline. Also spoke with the NCL rep that we deal with and she had no idea and asked us to read the letter to her. She was not happy either. She has many loyal NCL customers that she deals with that will not be happy campers. MHO

[packercruising]

How is it that NCL representatives seem no have no clue what's up? Surely they would have all been briefed on this rather major change.