Now, I’m no slouch when it comes to cruising, or saving money! I’ve been on 21 cruises across 8 different cruise lines and I’m always on the lookout for a bargain.
I’m a little bit embarrassed to admit that I just recently discovered NCL Cruise First Certificates.
This is by far the easiest way I’ve found to save money on a Norwegian cruise. And the best part is that they are available to first-time NCL cruisers!
Ready to learn more about this money-saving cruise tip? Let’s dive right in!
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What are NCL Cruise First Certificates?

NCL Cruise First Certificates — also called Cruise First Credits, or CFC — are the easiest way to save money booking your next Norwegian cruise.
These certificates cost $150 but are worth $300!
During special promotions, you can choose to spend $250 to get a $500 Cruise First Certificate. Even more free money!
(**These prices are in USD. Cruise First Credits are also available in other currencies including CAD, AUD, NZD, MXN Pesos, and BRL Real, but values vary based on the currency.)
You don’t need to have cruised with Norwegian cruise lines to purchase one. All you need to do is create an account, and you can buy one.
When you are ready to book a cruise, you can use the CFC as your deposit! (Or a partial deposit, if you’re booking a suite.)
How to buy a Norwegian Cruise First Certificate
When you’re ready to book, head to the NCL web site. You’ll be prompted to log into your NCL account, or to create one if you don’t already have an account.
If they are offering the promo, you’ll see options in the dropdown menu to pick whether you want to buy a $300 credit or a $500 credit. Otherwise, it will only give the option for the $300 credit.
Fill in the requested information, enter your credit card info, and choose how many certificates you want to buy. (The maximum is 10 credits.)
After you’ve made your purchase, the CruiseFirst Credits will show up in your NCL account in the ‘My Coupons and Credits’ section.
You’ll also get email confirmations for your CruiseFirst purchases.
When you’re ready to book your cruise, let the NCL representative or your travel agent know that you want to apply a credit.
Important! CruiseFirst credits can be used immediately, but ONLY for new cruise bookings for cruises departing more than 120 days from the date of purchase. Keep track of your dates!
NCL Cruise First Credits Rules
While I’m not going to go through all the terms and conditions here, there are some important ones I’ll mention.
Some specific cruises may have different allowances for use of the CFCs, but these are the general guidelines:
- Cruise First Credits can only be applied to new bookings (cruises need to be 6 days or longer)
- Cruise First Certificates never expire (woo hoo!)
- These certificates can only be used on a cruise booking departing 120 days after the certificate purchase date. (So, you can’t buy a CFC today and apply it to a booking for a cruise departing within the next 4 months. Plan ahead!)
- Only one CFC may be applied to a given stateroom cruise booking.
- NCL CruiseFirst Certificates cannot be used with NCL Cruise Next Certificates (so you need to choose which kind of certificate you want to use).
- Norwegian CruiseFirst Credits can be combined with other NCL promos (such as More at Sea and discount coupons you may have as a past guest Latitudes member).
- CFCs are not refundable, but they are transferable
Please refer to the NCL Cruise First page for all the official program details.
Final Thoughts:
If you’re anything like me, you’re heading right over to buy some of these certificates right now!
Find out about more great ways to save money on a cruise — from owning stock in the cruise line to booking a transatlantic cruise!
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Lisa Garrett
Lisa Garrett is the founder of Waves and Cobblestones. She has taken 21 cruises ranging from a multi-generational Caribbean cruise to solo Alaska cruises to fabulous Mediterranean cruises.
She lived in Ireland for 4 months and has taken over a half-dozen multi-city vacations in Europe (primarily relying on train and public transit). Lisa helps people plan amazing vacations to Europe and popular cruise destinations.
Learn more about Lisa!
