New Latitudes Rewards Program

[amore4paws]

Maybe I'm just being a big baby here, but we are not happy with the new NCL Latitudes rewards program changes, and let me tell you why. Whey my husband and I booked and paid for our upcoming cruise, we were at 60 points (with Platinum being 75). We've sailed 6 trips with Norwegian in the past 3 years and have stayed loyal, even though our trip on the Sun was not one of our better experiences. Now we've booked 16 days transatlantic on the Getaway for April and come to find out that with the changes in the Latitudes program, the new Platinum level is 80, leaving us 4 points shy of Platinum status. We were booked and paid for prior to the changes.

 

My beef with this whole thing is that first off, no notifications were sent out to anyone that changes were being made. I just happened to look and low and behold, new changes! Second, when I called the cruise line, their latitudes customer service number no longer exists. So you get someone who has no clue as to how this works. What I want is to be grandfathered in. We were so excited that we were going to be platinum after this trip and now I feel like a deflated balloon. I was told by 2 customer service agents that they would send an email to Latitudes to ask them and said that it would take 3-4 days for response. Well, that's been over 2 weeks now and still I've heard nothing. I was told that I could upgrade to Haven. Well, unless my tiny bid is excepted for Haven upgrade, I'm sorry...but I don't have another $6K to upgrade to the Haven!!

 

I feel hurt by the lack of caring on NCLs part. We've been loyal and love to sail on Norwegian, but let's face it, they are not exactly the critic's choice out there and there are a number of cruise lines who would love to have us as cruisers. I'm really surprised that they have just ignored my requests, as well as my feelings. I don't feel like I'm being unreasonable. We were booked and paid for and should have the benefits befitting what we should of had. Had we been notified, that would have been different, as we would have booked 2 separate trips this year and been platinum by year's end. And yes, before anyone says it...I do know that they can make changes at anytime without notification, but most companies send you something that tells you that.

 

Was wondering if anyone else was in the same boat (no pun intended) as us?

[C-line]

This topic was pretty much beaten to death when the changes came out. If you search the board you'll find a ton of opinions on it and a lot of comments by people in the same situation as you.

[casofilia]

I think most of us on CC found out about the changes here on CC. There have been numerous threads about the changes.

The main thing that people complained about was the possibility of going down a grade with the new level but that was grandfathered in, you cannot go down.

You had better check on board with the Future Cruise people if grandfathering was also to occur in your case. The major point will be "did you book before 3 Feb?". If "Yes" then you may well be grandfathered.

[kclaflin]

My husband and I couldn't agree more with all the changes NCL is making, we have been loyal customers as well, going on our 7th cruise with them. We agree all new programs are just a simple way of making more money, but in my opinion they are just steering customers to other ships. The upgrade advantage program is just a joke!

[amore4paws]

Thank you for the information. Yes, we were booked and paid for by Feb 3. I'll check on board and see what they say. It's just a big deflate when you think your finally there and then your told that you hadn't quite made it across the finish line yet!! And then absolutely no sympathy from anyone you talk to their response is either, take another cruise or upgrade to the Haven. Wish I had that kind of money to do both!!

[punkincc]

How far out did you book your cruise? If it was more than nine months pre cruise, you'll get 32 points, not 16.

[BostonGal35]

here's the thing. no matter where they made the point cut off, someone was going to be affected.

[amore4paws]

HI kclaffin,

I'm really surprised that they've been behaving this way since there are other cruise lines out there. And one's that have higher critic's choice awards then Norwegian!!. You can't speak to anyone in the Latitudes department. You can't email anyone. You call the main customer service line and you get someone who has no idea what's up. They're like...call Latitudes and here's the number...I'm like...that's the number I just called!! They just have no clue. Even in the past 3 years it's gone way downhill. Very frustrating since we've stuck it out with NCL and I feel like this is the thanks we get.

[Poipu04]

Write to V.P. of customer service Vivian Ewart: vewart@ncl.com I wrote to her about this issue and was very pleased with the resolution. They called me within 48 hours. Write a nice letter, explaining your situation, your loyalty and your disappointment. Keep the tone cordial. Fingers crossed.

[amore4paws]

Thanks to all of you for your posts.

 

I agree that they are grandfathering in those who are already Platinum under the old plan, but wouldn't be under the new plan. But what they should also do is anyone who was booked and paid for by Feb 3rd and who would have been the next level after their sailing, should be also grandfathered in. The fact that no notifications were ever made to existing members letting us know what was going on, is not good customer service and the fact that no one at Norwegian knew what was going on, is not good customer service.(both rep's I spoke to told me that they had just been informed a week before the program took effect) With all the cruise lines out there, you would think that NCL would want to hang onto those who are loyal.

[amore4paws]

Write to V.P. of customer service Vivian Ewart: vewart@ncl.com I wrote to her about this issue and was very pleased with the resolution. They called me within 48 hours. Write a nice letter, explaining your situation, your loyalty and your disappointment. Keep the tone cordial. Fingers crossed.

 

 

Bless your heart!!! Thank you so much! I will. Thank you

[SeaShark]

You can, of course, try but I don't expect that you will have much luck.

 

A couple of points:

 

-They did, in fact, provide notification before the program went into effect. It was posted on FB, there was a press release, emails were sent out (I received one myself), it was a hot topic here, and there were numerous articles posted about the changes...all in January.

 

-AFAIK, Latitudes has never had a phone number...just an email, so nothing has changed there.

 

-Latitudes has always been about when a cruise is completed, never about when it was booked and paid for.

 

-People were grandfathered into the new program. Anyone with 76, 77, 78, or 79 points was allowed to keep their Platinum status even though their point total fell under Gold. However, they can only grandfather the people who already earned the points, not the people who will earn additional points in the future after the new program starts.

[uneamie]

Does anyone know how to calculate this....right now I am 23 points away from "Gold". We booked our up coming cruise on February 2nd. It's a 14 day cruise.... I am booking over 9 months ahead and it's a 14 day cruise at $1800 per person for a balcony.....how many points will I accrue for this cruise? Thanks

[triptolemus]

Does anyone know how to calculate this....right now I am 23 points away from "Gold". We booked our up coming cruise on February 2nd. It's a 14 day cruise.... I am booking over 9 months ahead and it's a 14 day cruise at $1800 per person for a balcony.....how many points will I accrue for this cruise? Thanks

 

 

Under the old rules -- which you would presumably fall into according to info here on CC.

 

Booking nine months out: 14 points

One point per day: 14 points

 

You will earn 28 points per Latitudes member.

[amore4paws]

You can, of course, try but I don't expect that you will have much luck.

 

A couple of points:

 

-They did, in fact, provide notification before the program went into effect. It was posted on FB, there was a press release, emails were sent out (I received one myself), it was a hot topic here, and there were numerous articles posted about the changes...all in January.

 

-AFAIK, Latitudes has never had a phone number...just an email, so nothing has changed there.

 

-Latitudes has always been about when a cruise is completed, never about when it was booked and paid for.

 

-People were grandfathered into the new program. Anyone with 76, 77, 78, or 79 points was allowed to keep their Platinum status even though their point total fell under Gold. However, they can only grandfather the people who already earned the points, not the people who will earn additional points in the future after the new program starts.

 

 

Good Day,

If you have an email address for Latitudes, can you please provide that to me? I would love to get a hold of someone directly in Latitudes and since no one seems to be able to tell me how to do that, I would greatly appreciate the email address if you have it.

Thank you

[SeaShark]

Good Day,

If you have an email address for Latitudes, can you please provide that to me? I would love to get a hold of someone directly in Latitudes and since no one seems to be able to tell me how to do that, I would greatly appreciate the email address if you have it.

Thank you

Latclerical@ncl.com

[uneamie]

Under the old rules -- which you would presumably fall into according to info here on CC.

 

Booking nine months out: 14 points

One point per day: 14 points

 

You will earn 28 points per Latitudes member.

Thank you....that will give me enough to reach Gold status.....although I have no idea how good that is, but non the less it's progress! Thanks again! :)

[MCAT48]

I love the new program! Especially since I'm platinum now!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Poipu04]

Thanks to all of you for your posts.

 

But what they should also do is anyone who was booked and paid for by Feb 3rd and who would have been the next level after their sailing, should be also grandfathered in.

 

 

Write to the customer service VP email that I posted above and you may be pleasantly surprised.

[CruisinHarvey]

My husband and I couldn't agree more with all the changes NCL is making, we have been loyal customers as well, going on our 7th cruise with them. We agree all new programs are just a simple way of making more money, but in my opinion they are just steering customers to other ships. The upgrade advantage program is just a joke!

 

 

I really don't understand post. Why do you think the changes are joke? Who do you think is NCLs primary competition? It's Royal Caribbean. This upgrade was well thought out. Royal Caribbean loyalty program has 6 tiers. Sounds familiar? Here's what take to get to each Royal Caribbean tier , 3, 30, 55, 80, 175, 700. Anything ringing a bell yet? BTW Royal does not give double points for 9 months advanced booking either. SMH