Platinum and above

[Rob-Bob]

Does anyone have any information for the typical percentage of passengers that are platinum and higher?  There are perks like board first for this group.  I just wonder how exclusive this group is.  Do 50% fall in this group or 5%?  I just wonder how easy it is to use the perks.  If the number is 50% then you are competing with a lot of other guests. 

[graphicguy]

27 minutes ago, Rob-Bob said:

Does anyone have any information for the typical percentage of passengers that are platinum and higher?  There are perks like board first for this group.  I just wonder how exclusive this group is.  Do 50% fall in this group or 5%?  I just wonder how easy it is to use the perks.  If the number is 50% then you are competing with a lot of other guests. 

Like all cruising…”it depends”.

 

I’ve seen less Latitudes members on Spring Break cruises as the higher level Latitudes people know to stay away from those.  Same goes for shorter length cruises.

 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cruise with 50% upper level Latitudes.  But, the only way you’ll know is to ask one of the officers on the sailing or the “Cruise Next” Desk.

 

I’m Sapphire and get priority boarding (after Haven, Ambassadors and Mobility impaired).  I also get 2 Specialty Dining, some free laundry, and some other minor things I don’t recall.

[Rob-Bob]

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

I’m Sapphire and get priority boarding (after Haven, Ambassadors and Mobility impaired).  I also get 2 Specialty Dining, some free laundry, and some other minor things I don’t recall.

I guess that is why I am asking.  Is it better to go in the regular line if you are waiting for people who trump you in the priority line? How realistic is it to get a benefit if you are platinum?

 

I understand everything varies cruise to cruise but there may be trends or averages.  I was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge of the numbers or even any specifics for past cruises.

[KeithJenner]

It really does depend on the sailing.

 

For example, there are generally more repeat customers sailing out of Miami, so there will be lots of platinum and above there. In Hawaii there tend to be lots less, to the extent that at times they give higher levels VIP treatment. When we were there we were the only platinums onboard.

[Rob-Bob]

2 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

It really does depend on the sailing.

 

For example, there are generally more repeat customers sailing out of Miami, so there will be lots of platinum and above there. In Hawaii there tend to be lots less, to the extent that at times they give higher levels VIP treatment. When we were there we were the only platinums onboard.

Great point.  We typically sail out of Florida, although we did do POA once, so I guess my question should be directed at Florida departures.

 

We tried using priority tendering on our last cruise and it seemed like there was no such thing. 

[graphicguy]

So, the priority boarding goes, in order…

 

1.  Haven

2.  Mobility impaired

3. Ambassador

4.  (I think) Diamond, Sapphire and Platinum

5.  Gold, Bronze, Silver

6.  General Boarding starting with the assigned #1 (assigned at check in)

 

Not sure what you mean by getting  Platinum Benefits.  They are granted.  You have to use them (like showing up for the Latitudes Cocktail Party).  Some, like the Specialty Dinners will have a coupon you can use that should be in your cabin.  You have to give the restaurant the coupon when you arrive to dine.

 

Same goes for Laundry.   There will be a coupon in your cabin you can use to get that perk.

 

Is it realistic to get the perks?  Yeah…absolutely.   Some, like behind the scenes tours, “Wines around the World”, etc aren’t available yet since the COVID restart.  But, most perks are available.

[Rob-Bob]

20 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Not sure what you mean by getting  Platinum Benefits

I was specifically referring to priority boarding.

 

If the order goes as you listed it sounds like it makes sense to go to the area of priority boarding to beat some of the crowd although 1-5 does seem like it has to cover the majority of people.  I think bronze needs 1 cruise?

 

The only people in general boarding will be first cruisers.

[graphicguy]

8 minutes ago, Rob-Bob said:

I was specifically referring to priority boarding.

 

If the order goes as you listed it sounds like it makes sense to go to the area of priority boarding to beat some of the crowd although 1-5 does seem like it has to cover the majority of people.  I think bronze needs 1 cruise?

 

The only people in general boarding will be first cruisers.

They’ll call the different priorities for boarding.

 

As an example they’ll call for Haven Guests to board.  If a “non-Haven” card holder tries to board at the same time, they will be told to wait.  Same goes for Platinum.  The key card will show whether or not you’re Platinum (and they check the key cards during boarding).  

 

Not sure about this, but I think Latitudes levels are assigned AFTER the qualifying cruise has been taken.  So, if it’s a first time NCL cruiser, they will become Bronze AFTER their first cruise is completed.

 

They will board with their assigned group after Latitudes Guests (starting with Group #1).

Edited December 13, 2022 by graphicguy

[KarlChilders]

There is no priority check in/boarding for any latitudes level below platinum. We are now Gold and had to board with our assigned boarding group (15) and we checked in at 10:00a.

 

https://www.ncl.com/latitudes-rewards-program

[cruiseny4life]

17 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Not sure about this, but I think Latitudes levels are assigned AFTER the qualifying cruise has been taken.  So, if it’s a first time NCL cruiser, they will become Bronze AFTER their first cruise is completed.

You're correct. We were nothing's, also known as "prospects" when we were onboard in April. In September we were bronze. Later this month, we'll be silver, and in March we'll be gold. We're basically jumping one tier each cruise due to double/triple points. We're not sure the point arrangement in March, but it's possible we'll be platinum after that cruise, or just a couple points away. 

[graphicguy]

9 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

You're correct. We were nothing's, also known as "prospects" when we were onboard in April. In September we were bronze. Later this month, we'll be silver, and in March we'll be gold. We're basically jumping one tier each cruise due to double/triple points. We're not sure the point arrangement in March, but it's possible we'll be platinum after that cruise, or just a couple points away. 

COOL!  That's exactly how I climbed that ladder....booking cruises that offered 2X, sometimes 3X points.

 

I did that with Celebrity, during the restart.  They were offering multiple points for cruises.  Hit Elite with them with only 4 cruises by doing that.  In turn, that made me Diamond on Royal.  

 

And, with MSC, did a status match (their program to match elite statuses with other cruise lines) to their highest Diamond Level.  Yet, I've only sailed with them 2X.

[MoCruiseFan]

3 hours ago, Rob-Bob said:

Does anyone have any information for the typical percentage of passengers that are platinum and higher?  There are perks like board first for this group.  I just wonder how exclusive this group is.  Do 50% fall in this group or 5%?  I just wonder how easy it is to use the perks.  If the number is 50% then you are competing with a lot of other guests. 

 

No, no one here does at least.  Ther might be opinion and specualation but no one her has facts.

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

4.  (I think) Diamond, Sapphire and Platinum

5.  Gold, Bronze, Silver

6.  General Boarding starting with the assigned #1 (assigned at check in)

I don't believe that #5 is correct.  I've only seen them call lower than platinum once, and it was only gold.

[graphicguy]

8 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I don't believe that #5 is correct.  I've only seen them call lower than platinum once, and it was only gold.

You’re probably correct.  I’m making my way to the nearest bar while the Plebes are still at the gate.  j/k!

[FLAHAM]

On a couple of occasions, I have walked aboard as a Saphire while watching Haven passengers morosely sitting on a bench waiting to be escorted aboard.

[sassycruiser]

When we were in NYC in May the embarkation was a mess.  I saw the Haven people going and told my husband get ready we are next (Platinum). They never called us but they didn’t send us back either.   

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, Rob-Bob said:

Does anyone have any information for the typical percentage of passengers that are platinum and higher?  There are perks like board first for this group.  I just wonder how exclusive this group is.  Do 50% fall in this group or 5%?  I just wonder how easy it is to use the perks.  If the number is 50% then you are competing with a lot of other guests. 

Here's an example from our October cruise: Total passengers onboard were 2712 onboard (the Prima’s double occupancy capacity is 3100).
3 Ambassador members
23 Diamond members
196 Sapphire members

 

Last week, there were a half dozen Ambassadors on the Prima. I didn't get any other metrics. 

Edited December 13, 2022 by BirdTravels

[Rob-Bob]

16 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Here's an example from our October cruise: Total passengers onboard were 2712 onboard (the Prima’s double occupancy capacity is 3100).
3 Ambassador members
23 Diamond members
196 Sapphire members

 

Last week, there were a half dozen Ambassadors on the Prima. I didn't get any other metrics. 

So 222 out of 2,712 were Sapphire or above.  That is 8.2%.  I am assuming Platinum number will be higher than 196.  Say it is 300.  That is 522 out of 2,712 or 19.2%.  So we may be talking about 20% or more on a cruise just to get an idea.

 

How did you get those numbers?

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Last week on the BA there were no Ambassadore and 5 diamonds.   On the Star in August there were 2 ambassadors and 70 some diamonds.  Longer and non-US cruises usually have higher numbers of upper tier cruisers.