We love our shareholder benefit for Carnival Corporation. So imagine our excitement when we discovered that Norwegian Cruise Line’s 3 brands offer a similar benefit. While there are some limits and rules, similar to Carnival, the shareholder benefit can be lucrative for those who own NCLH shares.

Earn Benefits for Owning NCLH Stock!

Many new-to-cruise friends I speak to have no idea that cruise lines offer something called a shareholder benefit (also known as a shareholder credit). Norwegian Cruise Line Holding Ltd. offers up to $250 just for being a shareholder!

Some ask, “What’s the catch?” For Norwegian Cruise Line’s brands, you only need 100 shares of NCLH in order to cash in on the shareholder benefit. At the time of this writing, at the current share price of $15.66 ($NCLH live tracker), you would need to invest $1,566 for 100 shares.

Of course, that cost fluctuates with the market. NCLH hit a 52-week high this year at $22.75. An investment of 100 shares at that time would have cost you $2,275. However, had you purchased shares at the 52-week low of $10.83, this benefit would have only cost you $1,083 to invest.

What do I get for my investment?

In addition to the possible gains (or losses*) you receive as a shareholder, you also qualify for the following benefit:

As you can see in the table, the longer you sail, the more onboard credit the offer provides! Consider this, if you book yourself a Panama Canal Sailing or transatlantic, transpacific, or certain specialty sailings, those could score you $250 extra OBC just for being a shareholder. At today’s share price, you would need to sail just 6 times for the benefit to nearly “pay for itself.”

Of course, those of us who have to work likely aren’t able to jump on a bunch of 15-day+ sailings! Based on our sailing history, the majority of cruises would score the $100 OBC. Even still, at today’s share price, we’d need to sail just 16 cruises for the investment to have paid for itself.

While some stocks pay a dividend that provides added benefit, NCLH does not. In fact, cruise stocks suspended dividend payments during the pandemic, and, based on the whopping debt they had to take out to survive, we don’t see dividends coming back any time soon.

Not Just Norwegian Cruise Line!

When you hear Norwegian Cruise Line shareholder benefit, you might think that this only applies to NCL. Nope! Norwegian Cruise Line Holding Ltd. is made up of multiple brands. That means the Shareholder Benefit is applicable on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

You read that right: owning 100 shares of NCLH stock provides you up to $250 OBC on each of these cruise lines!

How do I get the credit?

Thankfully, Norwegian Cruise Line Holding Ltd. makes it easy to request your credit via email. For those who prefer the old-fashioned way, the lines also still accept a shareholder credit via mail. But here’s the most important thing to know that’s buried in Norwegian’s FAQs: All shareholder requests must be received at least fifteen (15) days prior to sailing. So if you choose to mail in your request, plan accordingly!

To request your shareholder credit, you will need to email the specific address provided for each cruise line (there is no central shareholder mailbox). Refer to the table below for quick reference:

In your email, you will include a Shareholder Benefit Request Form and a copy of a statement showing proof of share ownership. The Shareholder Benefit Request Form asks for:

• Name of shareholder
• Date of submission
• Ship name
• Date of sailing
• Reservation number
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address

In addition, Norwegian’s brands require you to attest that the information submitted on the Shareholder Benefit Request Form is accurate by both printing and signing your name.

In addition to the Shareholder Benefit Request Form, Norwegian’s brands also require you to submit either a photocopy of your shareholder proxy card or a current brokerage statement that shows proof of ownership of at least 100 shares. The cruise line does not specify how current the brokerage statement needs to be, however, on Carnival, they typically only allow statements up to 60 days old.

Tips for Shareholder Credit Submission

• When requesting your credit, download a copy of your most current statement to include with the request
• The investor statement must include your full name and that name must match the name on the reservation
• Redact any personal information (account numbers, information about other shares you hold, etc.) before sending your statement to the appropriate email address listed above

Is it worth the cost and effort?

We’re shareholders in all of the major lines and have used the benefit on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity. Across nearly 50 cruises, the shareholder benefit has earned us nearly $5,000 in onboard credit – that’s enough to invest 100 shares in BOTH Carnival Corporation and Norwegian Cruise Line Holding, Ltd.!! Plus, you’d still have more than $2,000 left over to begin buying Royal Caribbean shares (at current share price of $91.24, you’d be able to purchase 22 shares of $RCL with your leftover investment).

So, my answer is a resounding: Yes, it is absolutely worth it and we’re so glad to add NCLH stock to our portfolio to begin reaping the benefits of the shareholder credit!

Terms and Conditions Apply

Of course, as with anything, Norwegian Cruise Line has some fine print and disclaimers for this onboard credit offer:

• Only one shareholder benefit can be applied per stateroom. That means if both you and your cruise mate both own 100 shares, you can’t claim $500 in OBC on a 15-day voyage. You’ll have to rock-paper-scissors over who submits the benefit. Considering almost all of my sailing companions now are shareholders, my rock-paper-scissors game has really improved! 😉
• Shareholder Benefit requests must be received at least fifteen (15) days before sailing
• Benefit is not combinable with any other offer
• Shareholder must be sailing on current reservation (e.g., benefit is not transferrable to friends or family if the named shareholder is not sailing)
• Shareholder Benefit is not available to employees of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. or it’s subsidiaries (don’t feel too bad, the employee discount is fantastic and beats the Shareholder Benefit)
• The benefit is not valid for travel agents and tour operators
• OBC is not redeemable for cash and any extra that is left at the end of the cruise is forfeited
• OBC may not be used for pre-purchased activities
• *As with any stock purchase or investment, there is market risk. You could lose money with the investment. Additionally, as you buy/sell stock, there could be tax implications. Nothing on this page should be used to make an investment or tax decision and I retain zero liability for any decisions you may make

The terms also explicitly call out, “If you are requesting shareholder onboard credit for two or more separate staterooms and shares are held jointly, a minimum of 100 shares per stateroom booked must be held.” In layman’s terms: at least one person in each stateroom must own 100 shares of NCLH in order to qualify for the Shareholder Benefit.

Summary

As you can see, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Shareholder Benefit program can be quite lucrative, especially if you are a frequent cruiser! While there are some disclaimers and rules you have to follow, the cruise line makes it easy to submit your shareholder request via email. And, of course, like any offer, read the fine print.

Have you used the Shareholder Benefit on a Norwegian Cruise? Did it go according to plan? Let our readers know in the comments below!

All information in this article is current as of publication. Check out Norwegian Cruise Line Holding Ltd. to confirm program details.