New Latitude Tiers

[biker@sea]

What if you booked while on a cruise on January 31, 2017, but just as you hit enter the ship crossed the International Date Line and suddenly it was February 1, 2017. Then what happens?

 

New rules started Feb. 3

 

.

[Uniall]

What if you booked while on a cruise on January 31, 2017, but just as you hit enter the ship crossed the International Date Line and suddenly it was February 1, 2017. Then what happens?

 

That sounds like a question I had on the Bar Examination 45 years ago. :p

[logan25]

If Platinums are being charged for sides at Cagney's, my husband wants to get his Platinum entrée to go. He doesn't care about the starters and just gets ice cream for dessert, which is available elsewhere.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Just an update I emailed the lattitude office they emailed me back virtually straight away to say checked my booking and it is latitude offer and I will get my extra points when I disembark plus other points so happy days. I will reach my platinum level at end of next cruise as I hoped I would.

 

The latitude rep onboard the Dawn last week told us that any bookings made prior to 2/5/2017, date of initiation of the new program, will receive the extra point if they booked 9 months in advance.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

If Platinums are being charged for sides at Cagney's, my husband wants to get his Platinum entrée to go. He doesn't care about the starters and just gets ice cream for dessert, which is available elsewhere.

 

On the Dawn last week we each received an appetizer, soup or salad, entree, one side, desert and a bottle of wine. I know that is not what is printed, but that is what we received.

 

Rules are not always applied evenly across the fleet.

 

We are plat plus so do not know if that made a difference.

[disneyg1rl]

The latitude rep onboard the Dawn last week told us that any bookings made prior to 2/5/2017, date of initiation of the new program, will receive the extra point if they booked 9 months in advance.

 

I just spoke with Corporate Customer Services and was told the same thing. As long as the Effective Date of the contract ("booking"... but really it is a contract) is prior to the initiation of the new program, the former points allocations are being honored.

 

:) Phew! Was I relieved!

[KeithJenner]

I just spoke with Corporate Customer Services and was told the same thing. As long as the Effective Date of the contract ("booking"... but really it is a contract) is prior to the initiation of the new program, the former points allocations are being honored.

 

 

 

:) Phew! Was I relieved!

 

 

 

You don't need to rely on verbal assurances. It states it on the NCL website.

[disneyg1rl]

You don't need to rely on verbal assurances. It states it on the NCL website.

 

@keithJenner - GREAT! Could you point me to it please? I spent a lot of time looking for that in writing and never found it. I (and I'm sure many others!) would like to be able to have that in our pockets. Thanks in advance!!

[TrumpyNor]

@keithJenner - GREAT! Could you point me to it please? I spent a lot of time looking for that in writing and never found it. I (and I'm sure many others!) would like to be able to have that in our pockets. Thanks in advance!!

 

Here is the link (FAQ from the Norwegian website, but the Latitude program is the same as elsewhere) - you just have to go to the part that is titled "Does the new program affect the way I earn points?", and there it states that

You will still earn one point per cruise night and an additional point per night if you book in a Suite* or in The Haven™, or if you book with a Latitudes Insider Offer. We will no longer offer the additional point for booking nine months or more in advance. For 2017 cruises that were booked prior to February 3, 2017, the additional point will still apply; any cruise booked on or after February 3, 2017 will not qualify for the extra point.

https://www.ncl.com/no/en/latitudes-rewards-program/faq

[KeithJenner]

From the FAQ's:

 

 

 

https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/latitudes-rewards-program/faq

 

 

 

"You will still earn one point per cruise night and an additional point per night if you book in a Suite* or in The Haven[emoji769], or if you book with a Latitudes Insider Offer. We will no longer offer the additional point for booking nine months or more in advance. For 2017 cruises that were booked prior to February 3, 2017, the additional point will still apply; any cruise booked on or after February 3, 2017 will not qualify for the extra point."

 

 

 

There is still the slight issue of this referring to 2017 cruises only, but that does seem to be an error.

[spanishguy1970]

I don't cruise for the perks, they are privilege not a right however i do have this to say, I don't get the whole dinner voucher for 2 per stateroom, it just does not make any sense. What if there are 3 people in a stateroom they all are Platinum or platinum plus does that mean one of the person's is left out of the dinner?

 

If each person cruised to earn those perks shouldn't it be per person not per stateroom? and why take away a bottle of wine, I feel some of these perks have been watered down, no chocolates, no godiva chocolates, one less bottle of wine and once you get to the Ambassador tier is not a big deal because you get the free cruise but once you do that you get the same benefits as the other Platinum cruisers :D:cool:

[Uniall]

I don't cruise for the perks, they are privilege not a right however i do have this to say, I don't get the whole dinner voucher for 2 per stateroom, it just does not make any sense. What if there are 3 people in a stateroom they all are Platinum or platinum plus does that mean one of the person's is left out of the dinner?

 

If each person cruised to earn those perks shouldn't it be per person not per stateroom? and why take away a bottle of wine, I feel some of these perks have been watered down, no chocolates, no godiva chocolates, one less bottle of wine and once you get to the Ambassador tier is not a big deal because you get the free cruise but once you do that you get the same benefits as the other Platinum cruisers :D:cool:

 

 

I'm hoping NCL expands the Ambassador perk on a par with RCCL which gives a Free Cruise to Pinnacle members and then another free cruise for every 250 additional points thereafter.

[tempus137]

So this is a weird sort of happy ending twist for us! We sailed Jan 29th, 2017 and came back Feb. 12th, 2017 and were silver on the cruise. My husband checked NCL after Feb. 12th and we were Gold!

 

We were prepared to be stuck in the Silver category, I guess we got lucky. We defnitely did not have enough points in the new tier category system to be bumped up to Gold. Glitch in the matrix??? I keep waiting for them to switch it back! :rolleyes:

 

I think the points you earn are based on the sailing date, not the debarkation date. So if you earned enough points as of Jan 29 to get to gold before the changeover date, you stay gold.

[KeithJenner]

I don't cruise for the perks, they are privilege not a right however i do have this to say, I don't get the whole dinner voucher for 2 per stateroom, it just does not make any sense.

 

 

 

My guess is that they wanted to change the restaurants that were offered, and have seemed to try to have two levels to it (Cagneys and Le Bistro are seen by many as being preferable to Moderno and La Cucina for example).

 

One of the only ways to be able to get couples to go to different places is to do it the way they have now (per stateroom).

 

It does get messy when there are either less or more than two platinums in the same room, but I suspect that such arrangements are very much in the minority.

 

As for things being cut back, as I said before, I'm just surprised that they haven't been cut back more. That is generally what happens with these things.

[KeithJenner]

I think the points you earn are based on the sailing date, not the debarkation date. So if you earned enough points as of Jan 29 to get to gold before the changeover date, you stay gold.

 

 

 

Yes, I imagine that as they had embarked before the 3rd, NCL have taken those points into account when assessing what latitudes level to put them into, based on the old tier levels.

 

It's a grey area, and they could easily have decided to go the other way.

 

It shows that they do sometimes give the customer the benefit. :)

[CruisinHarvey]

I'm hoping NCL expands the Ambassador perk on a par with RCCL which gives a Free Cruise to Pinnacle members and then another free cruise for every 250 additional points thereafter.

 

It may not be accurate, but I read there are only 43 ambassador members company wide. Not sure how many there are on Royal. But, it's surely not a large demographic on NCL. I think NCL just wanted to match Royal on the qualifications. 43 people can't be something they're concerned about to a large degree. They've been sailing them without any additional perks. I'd assume they'll continue to sail them now.

Edited February 14, 2017 by CruisinHarvey

[FSNA5861]

I don't cruise for the perks, they are privilege not a right however i do have this to say, I don't get the whole dinner voucher for 2 per stateroom, it just does not make any sense. What if there are 3 people in a stateroom they all are Platinum or platinum plus does that mean one of the person's is left out of the dinner?

 

If each person cruised to earn those perks shouldn't it be per person not per stateroom? and why take away a bottle of wine, I feel some of these perks have been watered down, no chocolates, no godiva chocolates, one less bottle of wine and once you get to the Ambassador tier is not a big deal because you get the free cruise but once you do that you get the same benefits as the other Platinum cruisers :D:cool:

 

I agree with your comments. The perks should be per member and not per stateroom. This is what membership is all about as we all have a separate distinctive Latitude number.

 

Once again, NCL corporate makes changes without seeking feedback from its patrons. You cannot have a system in place that pleases everyone. However, diluting individual Latitude membership perks is contrary to customer satisfaction and in my book, it is not ethical.

[CruisinHarvey]

I agree with your comments. The perks should be per member and not per stateroom. This is what membership is all about as we all have a separate distinctive Latitude number.

 

Once again, NCL corporate makes changes without seeking feedback from its patrons. You cannot have a system in place that pleases everyone. However, diluting individual Latitude membership perks is contrary to customer satisfaction and in my book, it is not ethical.

 

While I don't understand their logic either, I suspect they more often have 1 platinum member in a cabin than 3. This is true specifically with the ships that have solo cabins. As result, there are more latitudes members getting more dinners than they did before.

Edited February 14, 2017 by CruisinHarvey
I can't spell

[Sand and Seas]

I wish they would ask our preferences about some of the benefits. It wouldn't be too hard to let us click a couple of boxes on our Latitudes profile. Now that we are Platinum Plus, shouldn't they be more interested in what we want? It sounds like some of the benefits are not being used by all.

 

I would gladly give up the bottle of wine for a 2nd delivery of chocolate strawberries.....and others would love that wine but let the strawberries go to waste:eek:

[NMLady]

It may not be accurate, but I read there are only 43 ambassador members company ...

In some thread someone said there were 68 Ambassador members.

That's still not very many.

[Cuizer2]

That sounds like a question I had on the Bar Examination 45 years ago. :p

 

 

 

So, how did you answer? Should they beheld to the January rules or the February rules?

[phillygwm]

I don't cruise for the perks, they are privilege not a right however i do have this to say, I don't get the whole dinner voucher for 2 per stateroom, it just does not make any sense. What if there are 3 people in a stateroom they all are Platinum or platinum plus does that mean one of the person's is left out of the dinner?

 

If each person cruised to earn those perks shouldn't it be per person not per stateroom? and why take away a bottle of wine, I feel some of these perks have been watered down, no chocolates, no godiva chocolates, one less bottle of wine and once you get to the Ambassador tier is not a big deal because you get the free cruise but once you do that you get the same benefits as the other Platinum cruisers :D:cool:

 

A lot of people agree. I expect that most cruisers at this level are husband and wife so both would likely have the same status. They net one fewer bottle of wine and the chocolates. However, they get their second meal in a slightly more costly restaurant and get the excursion discounts.

 

 

For me it works out because 1) I sail in my own cabin so now I and a friend get two dinners, not one; 2) I usually give the Godiva's away (though you'll have to pry the chocolate covered strawberries from my cold, dead hands;) and 3) I have the bar package so the wine is redundant (to put it politely) :-)

 

 

There are a couple benefits at Platinum Plus that people seem to be excited about, namely the dinner with the ship's officers. I'll reserve ultimate judgement until I read someone's feedback about the experience but that's probably not something I'd avail myself of.

 

 

So it's a matter of one's personal situation and, of course, opinion. And, to your point, it's a perk. I don't sail because I'm platinum, I'm platinum because I sail. If this is really horrible for some, chances are they have status (or are close to it) on another carrier and will vote with their feet.

[Uniall]

So, how did you answer? Should they beheld to the January rules or the February rules?

 

 

 

LOL .....

 

 

It's whatever date and time NCL says it is.

NCL uses the specific language for most everything with a date and time deadline or kick off:

"On XX - Month - 20XX 11:59 pm (or 12:01 am) Eastern Time"

[happy cruzin]

From the FAQ's: https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/latitudes-rewards-program/faq "You will still earn one point per cruise night and an additional point per night if you book in a Suite* or in The Haven[emoji769], or if you book with a Latitudes Insider Offer. We will no longer offer the additional point for booking nine months or more in advance. For 2017 cruises that were booked prior to February 3, 2017, the additional point will still apply; any cruise booked on or after February 3, 2017 will not qualify for the extra point."

 

There is still the slight issue of this referring to 2017 cruises only, but that does seem to be an error.

I hope you're right and that it still applies to my November 2018 Bliss booking that was booked on 1.11.17- it's the 14 day itinerary. ;) :D

Edited February 15, 2017 by happy cruzin

[logan25]

I would gladly give up the bottle of wine for a 2nd delivery of chocolate strawberries.....and others would love that wine but let the strawberries go to waste:eek:

 

 

 

I don't drink the wine and have asked to not receive the strawberries. Wish I could get something else. But not going to kid myself. Never going to happen. It's certainly not NCL's fault I don't care for those perks. They kindly provide, and I kindly decline.

 

 

The one new perk I can use is the internet time. So I'm choosing to look on the bright side.