New Latitude Tiers

[NLH Arizona]

 

I do like some of the additional/new benefits, but I don't believe the structure really incentivizes staying with NCL after Platinum. So if you like the NCL product, keep cruising NCL. If not, move on.

If you only cruise a line for their loyalty perks, then you are correct, but not sure how many just cruise a line because of their perks.

[jmele999]

Like I said, I knew I would not get sympathy from fellow Cruise Critics.

I've observed latent "class envy" on other CC threads and aanticipated it on this topic, as well. But, I did get the short end of the stick and NCL's new plan intentionally left 500 mile posters high and dry.

 

The NEW Platinum Plus group kicks in at 175 points, while I have more than 3 times that level with 500+ points which NCL officially created as a recognized Latitudes Level. The NEW program simply abolishes that 500 point level.

 

While my assumption turned out to be wrong, I had a reasonable expectation that NCL would use its existing and recognized mile posts of 250, 500 & 700 points. NCL should have set 250 points for Platinum Plus, 500 points for Ambassador, and 700 points for Ambassador Plus.

 

So, to put it another way, it's not your "End of Story". It's me learning the new rules and coming up with a new game plan. What really ticks me off is the "Leaked" Roll Out on a Friday leaves me only 4 work days to come up with a plan and implement it and eliminated my ability to get "official" assistance in setting up a plan over the week end.

 

Not sure if you saw my previous post, but NCL is just following what the competition (RCI) has done by setting two additional tiers at 175 and 700 points.

[lakelivin2]

I wonder what happens if you've booked shore excursions and paid in advance for end of February sailing... Will I get a 10% refund or OBC (as in new tier perks)?

[Mumblez82]

So I've been planning to book a cruise in a couple months, but with all these changes I am planning on calling my PCC this week and setting up two 7-day cruises before the 2/3 deadline.

 

I'm currently sitting at 21 points and Silver status. So if I book now and get double points for being 9 months out it would get me 28 points. In the old program this would put us into Gold status. In the new program it wouldn't. Wondering if they would honor the old program?

 

Also, does anyone know if I book two rooms on a 7-day cruise (one for my wife and i and another for a friend) would we get points on both rooms?

[cdnsteelman]

Also, does anyone know if I book two rooms on a 7-day cruise (one for my wife and i and another for a friend) would we get points on both rooms?

 

You will not get points for the room you book for your friends - they will automatically get Latitudes numbers in their names and get those points. Who pays is irrelevant - it's who sails and stay in the stateroom and, since you can't stay in two staterooms you will only get points for one in your name. I know this from experience having bought cruises for my parents in the past.

[jeffw67]

From NCL website

 

LATITUDES REWARDS LOYALTY PROGRAM

2017 ENHANCEMENTS

 

 

At Norwegian Cruise Line, we value and reward our loyal guests. We have listened to your feedback and have been working to enrich our Latitudes Rewards program. As such, we are excited to announce updates on all sailings from February 3, 2017.

 

We are adding two new exclusive tier levels, Platinum Plus and Ambassador, for our most frequent cruisers who've earned 175 points and above. These new elite tiers recognize our most loyal members with a premium status and benefits we have never offered before, including a complimentary 7-day cruise for our highest tier.

 

We have enhanced the benefits at all tier levels to make the cruising experience with Norwegian even more rewarding. New benefits include a bottle of sparkling wine for all tiers, bottled water and complimentary Internet minutes. For greater exclusivity and to provide more exciting benefits we have also updated the point structure of each tier. Unless you are joining our two new tiers, your current Latitudes Rewards status will not be affected; the current tier level of all of members we will honored in the updated program.

Yes, all currant levels will be honored but my problem is that I was to go to Platinum after our next cruise but now they have raised the bar so to speak for us and now we will still remain at Gold being 1 point short of Platinum

[Uniall]

Not sure if you saw my previous post, but NCL is just following what the competition (RCI) has done by setting two additional tiers at 175 and 700 points.

 

Yes, I did see your post. You are correct that NCL adopted to point levels of RCI but there are several major differences in benefits.

1. RCI allows double points for booking a Junior (Mini) Suite but NCL does not.

2. RCI has private Diamond Lounges for Diamond & Diamond+ members and Councierge Lounges for Pinnacle & Diamond+ members. These lounges have daily 4 hour open bar and lavish appetizers.

3. NCL's new perks give a free cruise for Ambassador (700 points)

But, RCI gives:

a) 7 Night Balcony stateroom for 700 and 1050 cruise points

b) 7 Night Junior Suite for 1,400 and every 350 cruise points thereafter

 

There are other differences but I don't want to stray to far from the main topic.

[NLH Arizona]

The reason I ask if you can get extra points for both suite and inside offer ia because of the wording used at the bottom of NCL's new tier benefit spread sheet: "One point per cruise night and an additional point per night if booked in a Suite or in The Haven or booked with a Latitudes Inside offer."

If it said book a suite or in the haven and booked with a latitudes insider office, wouldn't that mean you would have to do both to get the extra point. I think it is pretty clear that if you book in a suite you would get 1 extra point and then if you book a latitudes inside offer (either in a suite or non-suite), you would get an extra point as well.

[lanceholt]

I hope you are correct that I'm overthinking this. I've been working on this non stop for the last 15 hours with only 3 hours sleep. My PCC is not available. the Res desk agent refused to answer questions and talked down to me like a child and refused to put me through to Latitudes dept or his supervisor. My mangement contact is out of the office. I'm trying desparately to put a plan in place in the next 4 days that gets me to Ambassador status before my booked Apr/May sailings from Southampton. I know I won't get sympathy from most cruise critics but the folks who are getting the shortest end of the stick are those, like me, who booked and planned on the "milepost" level of 500 points being a new level unto itself. I assumed, incorrectly, that they would have 3 new tiers following the mileposts of 250, 500, and 700 points. I found b2b sailings that would have done the trick but I missed the 9 months by 2 weeks.

 

The reason I ask if you can get extra points for both suite and inside offer ia because of the wording used at the bottom of NCL's new tier benefit spread sheet: "One point per cruise night and an additional point per night if booked in a Suite or in The Haven or booked with a Latitudes Inside offer."

 

Get some sleep.

[denatravels]

Like I said, I knew I would not get sympathy from fellow Cruise Critics.

 

I've observed latent "class envy" on other CC threads and anticipated it on this topic, as well. But, I did get the short end of the stick because NCL's new plan intentionally left 500 mile posters high and dry.

 

 

 

The NEW Platinum Plus group kicks in at 175 points, while I have more than 3 times that level with 500+ points which NCL officially created as a recognized Latitudes Level. The NEW program simply abolishes that 500 point level.

 

 

 

While my assumption turned out to be wrong, I had a reasonable expectation that NCL would use its existing and recognized mile posts of 250, 500 & 700 points. NCL should have set 250 points for Platinum Plus, 500 points for Ambassador, and 700 points for Ambassador Plus.

 

 

 

So, to put it another way, it's not your "End of Story". It's me learning the new rules and coming up with a new game plan. What really ticks me off is the "Leaked" Roll Out on a Friday leaves me only 4 work days to come up with a plan and implement it and eliminated my ability to get "official" assistance in setting up a plan over the week end.

 

 

I cannot have "class envy" for someone that has none. I'm very sorry that NCL screwed you by not setting the points as you wanted-- I'm sure if you speak to management, they will revamp the program for you.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[lanceholt]

Like I said, I knew I would not get sympathy from fellow Cruise Critics.

I've observed latent "class envy" on other CC threads and anticipated it on this topic, as well. But, I did get the short end of the stick because NCL's new plan intentionally left 500 mile posters high and dry.

 

The NEW Platinum Plus group kicks in at 175 points, while I have more than 3 times that level with 500+ points which NCL officially created as a recognized Latitudes Level. The NEW program simply abolishes that 500 point level.

 

While my assumption turned out to be wrong, I had a reasonable expectation that NCL would use its existing and recognized mile posts of 250, 500 & 700 points. NCL should have set 250 points for Platinum Plus, 500 points for Ambassador, and 700 points for Ambassador Plus.

 

So, to put it another way, it's not your "End of Story". It's me learning the new rules and coming up with a new game plan. What really ticks me off is the "Leaked" Roll Out on a Friday leaves me only 4 work days to come up with a plan and implement it and eliminated my ability to get "official" assistance in setting up a plan over the week end.

 

What on earth is "latent class envy"????

[rocklinmom]

Lakelivin2, I was wondering about the new shore excursion discount perk as well. It says "onboard discount" so I think that means it only applies to shore excursions booked onboard, not in advance. If so, that's a bummer for me as well because I always prebook and prepay ours.

[Uniall]

The only milestone thing you are/were entitled to at 500 points is a photo frame which I am sure you will still get in the mail. It was your incorrect assumption on everything else and I honestly do not see how talking to anyone higher up on the ladder is going to change that for you.

 

You are correct that the 500 points entitled me to a picture frame (or a clock) but you are mistaken in your apparent belief that was the end of it. I need not go into detail.

 

But, the point being made, is not what the benefits were under the existing system. The point is the existing system adopted 250, 500 and 700 points as benchmarks. As conversation circulated for 4 years that new levels were coming, those conversations were usually in the context of the three existing mile posts leading to thee new tiers. The reality is the plans probably changed with the change in marketing strategies brought about by the change in management from Sheehan to FDR.

[cdnsteelman]

I was sitting here thinking about the wording "free" cruise at the Ambassador level and reflecting on this reward. If you started today at zero points you would have to do 50 seven-day sailings booked with a Latitudes inside offer in a non-suite category to achieve ambassador status. If you did these sailings in the cheapest inside staterooms and assume about $750 per individual per cruise for fare, fees and taxes, that "free" cruise will cost you $37,500 (and you pretty much need to do it with someone else or pay a massive single supplement unless you do studio sailings as a solo exclusively).

 

I hope that "free" cruise is at least in a balcony or mini suite ;)

 

Oh - and yes I understand there are hundreds of different calculations you could do to get a different number but the point I'm making is you have to spend a whole lot of money to get something for "free".

[rocklinmom]

I also notice that it no longer lists the ship pins, nightly chocolates, and welcome gift (which was a box of Godiva chocolates). I guess those have all been phased out.

[Uniall]

What on earth is "latent class envy"????

 

To paraphrase the great song "the cowboy and the farmer can be friends" from the musical, "Oklahoma": "The Inside Cabin and the Suite guests can be friends" :D

[phillygwm]

True, the second meal also loses the second bottle of wine. It is also in Cucina/Moderno, which I love, but it seems are less liked by a lot of folks on these forums.

 

Less important if you have UDP which, if you drink on the ship, is usually the best of the free add-ons to choose. The sparkling wine and the bottle included with dinner aren't all that special. You're better off choosing something from the more expansive wine list, by the glass.

 

I've noticed that Cuchina is the most "hit or miss" of any of the specialty restaurants. We absolutely loved it on the Epic and Breakaway, less so on the Dawn and Pearl.

Edited January 28, 2017 by phillygwm

[brookie848]

Lakelivin2, I was wondering about the new shore excursion discount perk as well. It says "onboard discount" so I think that means it only applies to shore excursions booked onboard, not in advance. If so, that's a bummer for me as well because I always prebook and prepay ours.

 

 

I was surprised that no one else mentioned this before you. I read through the entire thread before I started posting again and this was first mentioned in post 103, but no one mentioned the on-board part until you did (I made a note to myself in case no one pointed it out :D).

 

First of all, we don't normally book NCL excursions and the one we will book for next year will be booked as soon as it is posted online (Escape to Jost Van Dyke). I'm sure this will benefit some people, but not us and that's okay.

 

I'm not happy about the lack of point for booking 9-months out, but other than that, the changes don't bother me too much. As long as they grandfather our 9-month+ bookings, we'll still be platinum after next year's cruise (we're at 49 points now).

[riddle]

So if I am platinum plus I can go to the officer's dinner and my platinum DH eats in the buffet?

[Uniall]

If it said book a suite or in the haven and booked with a latitudes insider office, wouldn't that mean you would have to do both to get the extra point. I think it is pretty clear that if you book in a suite you would get 1 extra point and then if you book a latitudes inside offer (either in a suite or non-suite), you would get an extra point as well.

 

The wording can be interpreted to mean you get a point for every night plus a single bonus point for a suite OR Haven cabin (Haven is all suites) or Inside offer (but not a second bonus point for the insider if you already have a suite)

 

I don't know what the reality is but I'd like an answer.

[Casino Comp Chick]

Like I said, I knew I would not get sympathy from fellow Cruise Critics.

I've observed latent "class envy" on other CC threads and anticipated it on this topic, as well. But, I did get the short end of the stick because NCL's new plan intentionally left 500 mile posters high and dry.

 

The NEW Platinum Plus group kicks in at 175 points, while I have more than 3 times that level with 500+ points which NCL officially created as a recognized Latitudes Level. The NEW program simply abolishes that 500 point level.

 

While my assumption turned out to be wrong, I had a reasonable expectation that NCL would use its existing and recognized mile posts of 250, 500 & 700 points. NCL should have set 250 points for Platinum Plus, 500 points for Ambassador, and 700 points for Ambassador Plus.

 

So, to put it another way, it's not your "End of Story". It's me learning the new rules and coming up with a new game plan. What really ticks me off is the "Leaked" Roll Out on a Friday leaves me only 4 work days to come up with a plan and implement it and eliminated my ability to get "official" assistance in setting up a plan over the week end.

 

I can see why you would think there would be "class envy" when your milestone signature changed from 535 to 562 since this morning.

 

:rolleyes:

[oteixeira]

So if I am platinum plus I can go to the officer's dinner and my platinum DH eats in the buffet?

 

LOL, your hubby has 2nd class problems. I would feel for him, but I am still steerage. :D

[Uniall]

I can see why you would think there would be "class envy" when your milestone signature changed from 535 to 562 since this morning.

 

:rolleyes:

 

My Latitudes Account just posted last months cruise points yesterday.

I need to have my points exact, as I make bookings, before the Feb 3rd deadline, to ensure Ambassador status before I do my Irish cruise in May 2018.

That cruise is intended to reclaim my ancestral throne as High King of Eire. ;)

[CruisinHarvey]

I didn't read through all the posts here. I just wanted to mention that this should eliminate getting to the port early for Vibe or Posh passes. Not an equal playing field anymore. If you're not Haven or Platinum, I'd think your chances of passes are almost nil.

[Casino Comp Chick]

My Latitudes Account just posted last months cruise points yesterday.

I need to have my points exact, as I make bookings, before the Feb 3rd deadline, to ensure Ambassador status before I do my Irish cruise in May 2018.

That cruise is intended to reclaim my ancestral throne as High King of Eire. ;)

 

Wow a legend in your own mind.

 

What I think is funny is you are complaining because you aren't getting your free cruise via "Ambassador" Tier but I get them for free all the time. I know who reallly has the "class envy".

Edited January 28, 2017 by Casino Comp Chick