Woohoo! Finally I'm Platinum

[Yinster]

We finally reach platinum in our last cruise. It only took 4 cruises but 5 years (due to covid) Having only sailed Haven with NCL we get a minimum of double points per night. Our first  cruise was worth 3 points per night which meant we went straight to Gold in one sailing. The last one we received 4 points per night.

 

Just wondering how long other people took to reach platinum? 

[3kidsncats]

We are taking our 5th NCL cruise in a couple days, and will be platinum after completing that.  A combination of early booking, Haven and latitudes promos helped.

 

We are taking our 4th RCCL cruise next month, and will be Diamond after that (platinum equivalent).
 

Going much slower on Princess, and not likely to book with them often.  
 

Don’t imagine it will change our experiences much, but I’m sure the perks will be enjoyed 

[nhtravels]

We'll reach platinum after our Feb. cruise.  That will be our 4th cruise with NCL.  My husband was hoping to have a ship's tour, so we planned with bonus points to make sure we hit platinum before our Bliss Panama Canal cruise.  But we had 2 cancellations (who didn't, right?) this year.  And they aren't doing the tours now, so it's ok.   Once they are, our new status will be ready and waiting for him to see the ship!

[dexddd]

Glad for your excitement.  Sorry to be negative, but being PP (understand you are P) really not much benefit.  Laundry is probably the best perk.  Meal they limit you.  They can't cough up an extra side that is already sitting there for people who have spent tens of thousands of dollars over the years?

[Oxo]

What did it cost you to reach Platinum?

What are you really getting in perks for the price you paid?

I'm not really looking for an answer. Just throwing that out. 

We cruise many cruise lines and don't have a favorite. Each line has its pluses and minuses. 

Perks are subjective, too.

On NCL as a Platinum you receive dinner for two (per stateroom) in two Specialty Restaurants.

That is one of our favorites! 

 

RCI used to provide Happy Hour (530 - 830pm) unlimited drinks in Diamond Lounge. Now changed to 4, 5 or 6 drinks based on level.

 

Point, loyalty perks are decreasing every year. The cruise lines try to tell us they are enhancing our benefits.

How can that be true when they lost over 18 months of revenue? 

 

Enjoy the perks as we paid for them. 

Stay Safe and Happy Cruising!

[Rob_H]

6 hours ago, Yinster said:

Just wondering how long other people took to reach platinum? 

 

 

My first cruise ever was in November 2017.  Found I quite liked cruising, especially NCL, so I hit Platinum on cruise #9, a transatlantic, five months later.  Reached Platinum Plus after another six months.

 

Apart from a double points promotion on the transatlatic all were one point per night on mostly inside rooms.

 

 

[Travelicious]

It took me 7 cruises.  1 had double points, and one had triple points.

[phillygwm]

I got there pretty quickly as well.  They used to give double points if you booked more than 6 months in advance.  If I were starting today it would take me forever.

[melodyesch]

This Sunday we leave on the Encore and it will be our first Platinum cruise. It took us ten years.  🙂  We went on different lines early on but in the last few years we’ve been only NCL.  We only book standard balcony, though.

 

I’m not sure why it’s a little exciting, but it is.  I will be happy for the platinum dinners and the laundry, even though we don’t send our nicer clothes out due to an unfortunate tie-dye like incident with one of DH’s favorite cream colored shirts.

[ChiefMateJRK]

We just hit platinum after six cruises.  Not a big deal.  We get two extra specialty meals and that's really about it.

[oteixeira]

So, just for the "what's it worth" crowd, the best I can tell you is two specialty dinning meals for 2 people currently are 95.00 per person or 190.00 value.  That does not include the laundry perk.  I am still 2 cruises from hitting platinum, and will be happy when I do, if for nothing more then laundry and more dinning perks that we used to get anyway (they lowered the included "free at sea" perk over the years).

[JC5240]

I'll hit Platinum after my next cruise in 2022 (Prima, baby!). It took me seven cruises (six seven day cruises, one three day cruise). 

 

I received double points for two out of the six seven-day cruises, and received triple points for the cruise I just took (also seven day). 

 

I know we "paid" for the perks, but that's what loyalty is all about. I'm looking forward to some of the extra perks from Gold to Platinum!

[BennyBrun]

 Congratulations!!! Enjoy your perks!  I am still working on my platinum status… hopefully by the end of this year if the Japan cruise is a go on the Sun in March.  It does not look very good since Japan is very strict with their restrictions.  Fingers crossed.

[jskinsd]

I did it the old fashion way.  One cruise day and one point at a time.  Can't tell you when I made Platinum, but it was a while ago. Cruising on the Bliss on Sunday.  Just got my bid received and am now in a Club Balcony Suite.  I will be celebrating my 350th NCL sea day on Wednesday.  Half way to ambassador.  But it will take time.✌️

[lixogab]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

We just hit platinum after six cruises.  Not a big deal.  We get two extra specialty meals and that's really about it.

What about priority embarkation and disembarkation?
Does it really work?

[phillygwm]

3 minutes ago, lixogab said:

What about priority embarkation and disembarkation?
Does it really work?

Yeah.  I usually check in at the CAS line but platinum seems to be pretty short too.

I don't usually take advantage of disembarkation because I carry my stuff off in the first group.

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, lixogab said:

What about priority embarkation and disembarkation?
Does it really work?

I'm not sure what others have experienced.  In October, they called for Platinum and Gold right before Group 1.  Although we were Gold, we couldn't get to the boarding point because a ton of people who weren't boarding were crowding around for who knows what reason.  It didn't matter.  We were Group 1 and soon walked onto the ship.  I can't wait to do that again.

[Old & Retired]

23 hours ago, jskinsd said:

I did it the old fashion way.  One cruise day and one point at a time.  Can't tell you when I made Platinum, but it was a while ago. Cruising on the Bliss on Sunday.  Just got my bid received and am now in a Club Balcony Suite.  I will be celebrating my 350th NCL sea day on Wednesday.  Half way to ambassador.  But it will take time.✌️

Moving up to the suite life huh Jeff?  Keep plugging along.  Ambassador will be there before you know it.

[jskinsd]

1 hour ago, Old & Retired said:

Moving up to the suite life huh Jeff?  Keep plugging along.  Ambassador will be there before you know it.

Will I get double points for a successful upgrade bid?  We are talking about an extra 7 points.  It will get me closer.  Then only 340 more.  ✌️

[Sailing12Away]

5 trips for us, the most recent Alaska one on Encore was 4x points so that put us over the edge. The perks will be nice because now we get some of the benefits of the suites without having to book a suite. 

[Old & Retired]

1 hour ago, jskinsd said:

Will I get double points for a successful upgrade bid?  We are talking about an extra 7 points.  It will get me closer.  Then only 340 more.  ✌️

It's the journey, not the destination.  Enjoy yourself.

[jskinsd]

13 minutes ago, Old & Retired said:

It's the journey, not the destination.  Enjoy yourself.

You know it.  I was on the Bliss last month.   The Millennium in October.  And also going on the Panorama in January.  Give me a good price and I will cruise with anybody.  NCL just takes better care of me.  They even let me change my suite to one that better suits me one day before a cruise.  Not bad for a crazy hippie.😁✌️

[The Traveling Man]

It took us 8 cruises to reach Platinum.  Most were 7 day trips and only one gave us double points.  It only took us 5 more cruises to reach the next level, though, so more than half of our voyages have been as P+.  We're still almost 300 points shy of Ambassador, so I don't expect we'll ever get that free cruise.

[zmmrzm]

On 12/10/2021 at 7:03 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

I'm not sure what others have experienced.  In October, they called for Platinum and Gold right before Group 1.  Although we were Gold, we couldn't get to the boarding point because a ton of people who weren't boarding were crowding around for who knows what reason.  It didn't matter.  We were Group 1 and soon walked onto the ship.  I can't wait to do that again.

If two couples are sailing together and 1is gold and the other silver can they board together when gold is called?

 

[Travelicious]

On 12/10/2021 at 6:03 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

Although we were Gold, we couldn't get to the boarding point because a ton of people who weren't boarding were crowding around for who knows what reason. 

Probably for the same reason they crowd around when other groups are trying to board an airplane.  No one knows why.