Want an easy way to double your cruise money? That’s exactly what Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is offering with a new CruiseFirst offer that’s ongoing through February 19.
With this program, you can buy a CruiseFirst certificate — essentially a gift certificate for a future cruise — at half-price. The voucher gives you $500 in credit for an upcoming cruise, at a cost of just $250.
In other words, you are essentially doubling your buying power with the certificate. What’s more is that this voucher can be used to stack with other promotions and sales, so you can make your dollar stretch even further.
For those that know they want to cruise again but aren’t yet confident enough to book a trip given the health crisis, this could be a way to take advantage of a great cruise deal without committing to a specific sailing.
To purchase, you will need to call the cruise line at 1-800-853-4566 to place your order.
But before you buy, there is some fine print you should know about.
Terms & Conditions to Know
Offer through February 19: The CruiseFirst offer is running only through February 19. If it’s something that you know you will want, then it is best to go ahead and book it now. There is always the possibility that the sale will be extended, but it’s not known for sure at this point.
Good for new reservations within three years: One good thing about the voucher is that it is flexible for when you sail. Norwegian says it is valid for new bookings within three years of the purchase date.
So if you buy now, you have until February 2024 to book your cruise. In other words, even if you don’t plan to cruise soon, you still have lots of time to use the credit. Also, the voyage date must be more than 120 days from the purchase date (mid-June 2021).
Limit of 10 certificates: Want to load up on CruiseFirst certificates? You absolutely can. The cruise line says there is a limit of 10. If you purchase the 10 voucher limit, you’d pay $2,500 for $5,000 in credit.
Only one certificate can be used per reservation: It’s tempting to think this deal essentially gives you a cruise at half price, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. NCL limits the use to one certificate used per reservation. So if you have a $2,000 cruise, you can use one credit for $500 off, but will need to pay the remainder out of pocket.
Not combinable with some offers: Norwegian says that the CruiseNext certificate can be used in conjunction with other offers and sales. However, the fine print shows that there are a number of exceptions. According to the terms, “CruiseFirst certificates are not combinable with CruiseNext, chartered sailings, employee discounts, friends and family pricing, Sailaway, interline and travel agent rates.”
Certificates are non-refundable: While getting $500 for $250 is a good deal, just keep in mind that NCL says the credit is non-refundable. So you want to be sure that you will use the voucher before you purchase.
Only valid on cruises of six days or more: Are you a short-term cruiser? Then this deal may not be right for you. The credit is good only on cruises of six days or longer. You won’t be able to use it for those three and four-day quick trips to the Bahamas.
Certificates are transferable: Know someone that could use a cruise? Or looking for a great gift? The good news is that the certificates are transferable at no charge. So you can buy multiple vouchers, use some for yourself and then be generous with the rest.
For more details, you can see the terms and conditions on the NCL website. If you want to book, you can call the cruise line at 1-800-853-4566
if I have a cruise book and am currently paying on it, can I purchase the $500 certificate and use it to pay towards my already book cruise.