NCL Oceania Regent Loyalty Programs to be Consolidated

[Pcardad]

4 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

That's what makes the status levels irrelevant to us as well. Our sweet spot is 14 to 18 night cruises.  However the number of nightly tier levels, regardless of cabin category, are so high that only the true loyalists achieve the higher levels.  We like the Concierge and Penthouse levels which are not beneficial to accumulate Society status however they do include some of the perks of higher levels.

 

We've only sailed one NCL cruise in the late 1980's thus any reciprocal status from Regent could not convince us to sail them especially if we were a higher level Society member.

 

I'm wondering if you sail Regent, why would people want to drop down to a mass market cruise line? So is this combination really an incentive?

I am Titanium and I also travel many other lines because I am interested in things that Regent doesn't offer. I would travel on NCL more with this program.

[jjs217]

1 hour ago, Pcardad said:

I am Titanium and I also travel many other lines because I am interested in things that Regent doesn't offer. I would travel on NCL more with this program.

I have no children, so no grandchildren, and I have to admit, I'm old enough not to even have any great grandchildren.  You would have to pay me to step on board an NCL ship.  

[bookbabe]

7 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

I'm wondering if you sail Regent, why would people want to drop down to a mass market cruise line? So is this combination really an incentive?

We’re platinum with NCL but only bronze on Regent.  The combined program would be beneficial for us, since we are booked for the 2026 WC with Regent and would love the “boost” for that cruise.  
 

We do Regent as a couple, but do family/friend larger group cruises on NCL.  And we do a ton of Viking, where’s there’s no loyalty program at all.  The various lines each have their role in our travel styles, going different places in different ways with different groups of people.

[Pcardad]

1 hour ago, jjs217 said:

I have no children, so no grandchildren, and I have to admit, I'm old enough not to even have any great grandchildren.  You would have to pay me to step on board an NCL ship.  

It is definitely an age thing. I go to clubs and concerts and stay up until 3AM, etc.

Nice that we have choices though....🙂

[jjs217]

18 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

It is definitely an age thing. I go to clubs and concerts and stay up until 3AM, etc.

Nice that we have choices though....🙂

I can't remember the last time I saw 3AM.

[Kane]

The Regent loyalty program has been pretty much useless.

 

I remember being thrilled when we got free WiFi on our second voyage.  By the 3rd, everyone got this.

 

We sailed a lot of nights before we got to quit the laundry room battles and got 1 laundry bag a week.  Next voyage, everyone got it, and every day if they wished.  Lot more nights before we get dry cleaning, but at least we don't need to pack tuxes any more 🙂

 

The only thing that keeps increasing are the hours of ship-to-shore phone.  Pretty useless for us retirees.  Did receive a nice incognito leather luggage tag.

 

We still sail Regent because the competitive lines deliver an inferior product. 

[ChucktownSteve]

2 hours ago, bookbabe said:

We’re platinum with NCL but only bronze on Regent.  The combined program would be beneficial for us, since we are booked for the 2026 WC with Regent and would love the “boost” for that cruise.  
 

 

So what would the perks boost be on Regent that you wouldn't get as bronze? 

[ChucktownSteve]

2 hours ago, jjs217 said:

I can't remember the last time I saw 3AM.

Sometimes I get up at that time.  Other times 4am (rofl) if I'm on my regular time.  But  I always have. It started when I was working.  Ever try to get good coffee at 4am on a cruise ship?  Our coffee pot at home always starts brewing at 4am.

[2SailingNomads]

I agree that there is not much benefit from Regent loyalty.  IMO Seabourn, of all the lines I have sailed on, has the best.  7 day cruise after 140 paid days or 14 day after 250 days.  Heck I got free transfers from my house to/from the airport after 25 or so days on Scenic.

[bookbabe]

2 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

So what would the perks boost be on Regent that you wouldn't get as bronze? 

No way of knowing for sure, since they haven’t announced any details, but on straight nights combined instead of separate, but we’d start the WC as gold and be platinum after, instead of starting as bronze and ending as gold.  At the very least that’s an extra hour of phone time, a big help on a long cruise.

[Johnthesailor]

45 minutes ago, bookbabe said:

No way of knowing for sure, since they haven’t announced any details, but on straight nights combined instead of separate, but we’d start the WC as gold and be platinum after, instead of starting as bronze and ending as gold.  At the very least that’s an extra hour of phone time, a big help on a long cruise.

On Regent, once you step on the ship you are credited all the nights of your voyage so you would start the voyage at gold rather than bronze.  But you would end it the same gold.

[ChucktownSteve]

50 minutes ago, bookbabe said:

No way of knowing for sure, since they haven’t announced any details, but on straight nights combined instead of separate, but we’d start the WC as gold and be platinum after, instead of starting as bronze and ending as gold.  At the very least that’s an extra hour of phone time, a big help on a long cruise.

Thankx.  I can't think of anyone I really want to call while on a cruise though.  When I was running two companies, I took cruises so nobody could contact me and I could unwind. 😁  I left good people in charge in my absence.

[bookbabe]

54 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Thankx.  I can't think of anyone I really want to call while on a cruise though.  When I was running two companies, I took cruises so nobody could contact me and I could unwind. 😁  I left good people in charge in my absence.

We both have elderly moms that may need calling, or calling about.  We just aren’t in a life situation where we can be out of contact, but we also aren’t willing to delay all travel indefinitely.  We have to plan for all eventualities.

[KenzSailing]

11 hours ago, Pcardad said:

It is definitely an age thing. I go to clubs and concerts and stay up until 3AM, etc.

 

 

I hear that, I'm up to 3 AM frequently.  Usually to go to the bathroom however. 😄

[Redtravel]

Not to worry. If it happens, it might be good for everyone.  It might just be a way to encourage some people to try another line.  When Azamara started, we had many cruise credits on Celebrity. Our loyalty level was recognized. Got same perks on both lines. It’s something for nothing. Since you have no control, accept whatever happens.  I don’t sail on a cruise because of loyalty perks.  Those perks make the trip nicer. If you get something for nothing, just say thanks and enjoy.  
 

[papaflamingo]

16 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

So what would the perks boost be on Regent that you wouldn't get as bronze? 

If they come in as Gold, Four log ins for WiFi and Early booking for Shore excursions and Dining Reservations, $100 OBC, are the big ones.  

The question is, what's the highest level that you can transfer to?  When we crossed our Diamond Plus status on Royal Caribbean to Celebrity, the highest level we could get was Elite, which, at the time (many years ago) equated to Diamond, which was one level below D+.

Also keep in mind that likely (at least RCCL did this) any cross program will start you with the status, but ZERO nights.  So to achieve the next level you'll have to sail the entire time on Regent.  

[ChucktownSteve]

21 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

If they come in as Gold, Four log ins for WiFi and Early booking for Shore excursions and Dining Reservations, $100 OBC, are the big ones.  

The question is, what's the highest level that you can transfer to?  When we crossed our Diamond Plus status on Royal Caribbean to Celebrity, the highest level we could get was Elite, which, at the time (many years ago) equated to Diamond, which was one level below D+.

Also keep in mind that likely (at least RCCL did this) any cross program will start you with the status, but ZERO nights.  So to achieve the next level you'll have to sail the entire time on Regent.  

Doesn’t anyone with no status on Regent get all you mentioned with Concierge suites and above except the $100 OBC?
 

However I do receive the NCL shareholder’s OBC and I’m not yet silver. It pays to book during the two category upgrade promotions. 
 

with the Celebrity-Azamara clubs before the spinoff, one cruise co-earned on the other. As soon as you hit Elite+ you were automatically Discoverer+. 

Edited May 28 by ChucktownSteve

[papaflamingo]

1 hour ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Doesn’t anyone with no status on Regent get all you mentioned with Concierge suites and above except the $100 OBC?
 

However I do receive the NCL shareholder’s OBC and I’m not yet silver. It pays to book during the two category upgrade promotions. 
 

with the Celebrity-Azamara clubs before the spinoff, one cruise co-earned on the other. As soon as you hit Elite+ you were automatically Discoverer+. 

Yes.  That's one of the big perks to Concierge.  So really not much of a problem in my opinion.  I doubt that offering a few perks like early excursion booking will attract an NCL or Oceania loyalist.  We were RCCL loyalists for years, but as I got older and was able to afford, both in time and cost, Regent, we began sailing itinerary based and found we love the all inclusive small ship cruises.  Not much in the way of loyalty perks would have influenced my decision. 

[pingpong1]

20 hours ago, Kane said:

The Regent loyalty program has been pretty much useless.

"...The only thing that keeps increasing are the hours..."

There's also one other thing I can think of that keeps increasing...the fares.  And not by just "a little bit".  🤪

[CardowMD]

On 5/27/2024 at 1:09 PM, Pcardad said:

It is definitely an age thing. I go to clubs and concerts and stay up until 3AM, etc.

Nice that we have choices though....🙂

The only time I am up at 2 or 3 is to catch an early flight to a cruise☺️

[Redtravel]

21 hours ago, CardowMD said:

The only time I am up at 2 or 3 is to catch an early flight to a cruise☺️

With new air schedules, you may find yourself getting up very early to catch a flight home.  Number flights post pandemic has decreased. Planes fly mostly full and not as often.  Recently we on Viking with air included.  When we got our air arrangements, I was furious.  We were to disembark at a port that had very limited air.  Viking put us on a plane that left at 6am.  Transfer from ship to airport was at 4 am.  No direct flights to USA. When I looked at available planes with connections that could get us home in one day, the flights that Viking chose were the only choice.

[CardowMD]

On my Navigator cruise, we end in Civitevecchia, cannot be confident of getting off and to airport for a 10 am international flight, and definitely not one of the even earlier ones( which are most of the US carriers) Going to stay overnight in Rome, then get a direct flight home the next morning at 945.

 

the times on both of my RSSC scheduled flights have been moved up earlier by 1-3 hours, luckily this means I will get where I am going earlier!

[Steve Q]

Our last 3 cruises have been with Regent. We have also sailed with Viking, Oceania, Celebrity, etc. This morning we received an email from Celebrity announcing their new initiative that will provide credit with both the Royal and Silversea Programs. A photo of the chart is below.

 

 

[Ladys Mom]

I suspect someone has mentioned this already but NCL’s action is in response to what RCL is doing as of June 5th.  They are merging RCL, Celebrity, and Silverseas loyalty programs.  Silversea has been part of RCL for years and their loyalty program was always separate.  Even when Azamara was part of RCL and its loyalty program Silversea was not.  Now they are merging.  Same as what Regent is doing to copy Silversea.  Could it be that the execs at NCL are looking at the stock price of RCL and saying that what they are doing must be the way to go.  I for one am not happy with the changes

[Steve Q]

Today’s WSJ has an article about Norwegian cutting costs both this year and in the future. They have evidently identified $100 million in immediate cuts and are working on $200 million in additional cuts. They are trying to pay down the outstanding debt on the books of the company. The Company also states that there will be “No Sacred Cows”.