New Tier between Platinum Plus and Ambassador starting Jan 2022

[JohnIreland]

[Norway97]

15 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Just thinking about the priority boarding, it wouldn’t surprise me if it does still exist to some extent.

 

It does seem odd that it has been removed from the list of benefits, as there are lots of other fairly non existent things that are there, but I can certainly see there still being different check in queues for latitudes levels, and actual priority boarding is just a case of making an announcement so is likely to still happen in places.

 

That is unless there has been a specific instruction to stop doing this. Given how poor NCL generally are at keeping up with their own rules I suspect not.

I called the new Latitudes pre-cruise support # today, primarily for help completing dining reservations which continuously trigger an error message. He was completely unfamiliar with what can only be described as significant steps backward in higher tier benefits. Continued to say that everything is better than it had been. I emphasized that we viewed priority embarkation as the #1 Platinum Plus benefit and are quite upset that it is gone. Especially as we use this benefit to get Vibe passes, generally only available with priority embarkation. Dealbreaker during Covid. He was unaware, looked at list, found and emphasized priority disembarkation. Fake benefit, of course, since the implementation of walk-off and all colors called at same time as yellow priority! Eventually confirmed it was gone. I also expressed concern that the 60 minutes per person internet was now also gone, replaced with a discounted pay for minutes! Not an improvement in my mind! Confirmed that our prior confirmation that lists these minutes is now gone. I was initially excited to see Diamond added. We are one cruise away vs one lifetime for Ambassador. But now realize that with noted valuable losses, it’s no biggie at all! What spin!

[The Traveling Man]

33 minutes ago, Norway97 said:

I called the new Latitudes pre-cruise support # today, primarily for help completing dining reservations which continuously trigger an error message. He was completely unfamiliar with what can only be described as significant steps backward in higher tier benefits. Continued to say that everything is better than it had been. I emphasized that we viewed priority embarkation as the #1 Platinum Plus benefit and are quite upset that it is gone. Especially as we use this benefit to get Vibe passes, generally only available with priority embarkation. Dealbreaker during Covid. He was unaware, looked at list, found and emphasized priority disembarkation. Fake benefit, of course, since the implementation of walk-off and all colors called at same time as yellow priority! Eventually confirmed it was gone. I also expressed concern that the 60 minutes per person internet was now also gone, replaced with a discounted pay for minutes! Not an improvement in my mind! Confirmed that our prior confirmation that lists these minutes is now gone. I was initially excited to see Diamond added. We are one cruise away vs one lifetime for Ambassador. But now realize that with noted valuable losses, it’s no biggie at all! What spin!

Thank you for your comments.  I agree that the changes to priority embarkation as well as the internet benefit are now not as attractive as they were previously.  I just checked the NCL website for our upcoming Getaway cruise in April.  It still shows our Latitude benefit of 60 minutes each as well as our free 500 minutes (it's a long cruise).  I printed the page in case there is a problem once we're on the ship. 

[lgdesign]

18 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

Thank you for your comments.  I agree that the changes to priority embarkation as well as the internet benefit are now not as attractive as they were previously.  I just checked the NCL website for our upcoming Getaway cruise in April.  It still shows our Latitude benefit of 60 minutes each as well as our free 500 minutes (it's a long cruise).  I printed the page in case there is a problem once we're on the ship. 

Same thing here... so I called NCL about both the cruises I have booked with them and had them send me an Amenity Invoice for each cruise...  and the PDFs they just sent me show the same thing as well... 60 minutes for each of us.  I plan on bringing those with me on my cruises as well.

Edited January 12, 2022 by lgdesign

[The Traveling Man]

3 minutes ago, lgdesign said:

Same thing here... so I called NCL about both the cruises I have booked with them and had them send me an Amenity Invoice for each cruise...  and the PDFs they just sent me show the same thing as well... 60 minutes for each of us.  I plan on bringing those with me on my cruises as well.

It's good to know that there is at least one other realist (or are we pessimists?) who believes that forewarned is forearmed.  We always take a printed copy of our cruise contract, confirmation, and list of amenities just in case NCL manages to lose track of something.

Edited January 12, 2022 by The Traveling Man

[lgdesign]

Just now, The Traveling Man said:

It's good to know that there is at least one other realist (or are we pessimists?) who believes that forewarned is forearmed.  We always take a printed copy of our cruise contract, confirmation, and list of amenities just in case NCL manages to lose track of something.

I like to trust but verify... perhaps I'm a pessimistic realist? 

 

My general MO is to assume the worst but hope for the best.  This way I'm usually not disapointed but often pleasantly surprised when things actually do go according to plan. 

 

Hard copies and digital backup "paperwork" always go with us just in case.

[The Traveling Man]

Just now, lgdesign said:

I like to trust but verify... perhaps I'm a pessimistic realist? 

 

My general MO is to assume the worst but hope for the best.  This way I'm usually not disappointed but often pleasantly surprised when things actually do go according to plan. 

 

Hard copies and digital backup "paperwork" always go with us just in case.

Thank you for putting it so eloquently.  Earlier today I tried to express the same thoughts, but must have failed miserably.  Some responders seemed to think that I'm just an old curmudgeon.

[lgdesign]

3 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

Thank you for putting it so eloquently.  Earlier today I tried to express the same thoughts, but must have failed miserably.  Some responders seemed to think that I'm just an old curmudgeon.

 

I just consider it good common sense like carrying an umbrella... you probably won't need it, but when the down pour hits (or your promised OBC or internet minutes disappear), you'll be happy you had it. 

 

Having a copy of your Amenity Invoice is good advice I gleaned from this site many years ago from someone else.  Prior to that, I had no idea there was such a thing.

 

🙂

[Level six]

7 minutes ago, lgdesign said:

 

I just consider it good common sense like carrying an umbrella... you probably won't need it, but when the down pour hits (or your promised OBC or internet minutes disappear), you'll be happy you had it. 

 

Having a copy of your Amenity Invoice is good advice I gleaned from this site many years ago from someone else.  Prior to that, I had no idea there was such a thing.

 

🙂

And a  print out of your onboard credit! 

[casofilia]

@The Traveling Man  @lgdesign @Level six

 

The other thing that i always carry is a copy of P1 (&2 if necessary) of my latest "Confirmatory Email".

 

That carries all the important information you might need.   Each time I get a change I get a new one so check that nothing has got "lost"!!

 

Top right has the "PROMO CODES" showing what discounts, or perks you have received.   There is a list of these somewhere on CC which I downloaded to my computer.

Then it has all the financial details

At the bottom left of P1 (top of P2) there is a list of the "ADD-ONS" you are entitled to.

 

I treat this as a legal document between NCL and myself.

 

If there is a problem it helps no end.

 

Kia Kaha

 

Mike

[Level six]

Now the NCL website shows that priority embarkation is a benefit for Platinum and above......so strange. 

[SplashOfWater]

3 minutes ago, Level six said:

Now the NCL website shows that priority embarkation is a benefit for Platinum and above......so strange. 

I bet this was an oversight on NCL's part (maybe another proofreading error). This benefit costs NCL nothing, so it made no sense to me for them to remove it.

[casofilia]

I see it too 

Internet Package Discount				15%	20%	25%	25%
Priority Check-in/Embarkation
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries (per stateroom)

[casofilia]

Now we need to get back the 60 minutes Free WiFi and we can all be happy!!!   VBG

[mpk]

3 hours ago, Norway97 said:

I called the new Latitudes pre-cruise support # today, primarily for help completing dining reservations which continuously trigger an error message. He was completely unfamiliar with what can only be described as significant steps backward in higher tier benefits.

 

Priority embark is a nice perk.  It is nuts at embarkation.

Edited January 13, 2022 by mpk

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, Level six said:

Now the NCL website shows that priority embarkation is a benefit for Platinum and above......so strange. 

My guess is that it simply was an oversight to leave them off the new list of perks.  Once NCL discovered the omission, they tried to quietly sneak them back in there before too many of us noticed and complained.  Well, too late, the folks on CC were way ahead of that !!!

[casofilia]

So long as they don't stop the perk for those of us doing back to back of missing all the wait for re-embarkation if we don't want to leave the port.   We have had one when we were off the ship, through the "formalities" and back on the ship in 10 minutes; there were 6 of us to deal with!!!!

[The Traveling Man]

9 minutes ago, casofilia said:

So long as they don't stop the perk for those of us doing back to back of missing all the wait for re-embarkation if we don't want to leave the port.   We have had one when we were off the ship, through the "formalities" and back on the ship in 10 minutes; there were 6 of us to deal with!!!!

So far as I can tell, nothing in the new Latitudes tier benefits have any impact on B2B procedures.

[Norway97]

5 hours ago, lgdesign said:

Same thing here... so I called NCL about both the cruises I have booked with them and had them send me an Amenity Invoice for each cruise...  and the PDFs they just sent me show the same thing as well... 60 minutes for each of us.  I plan on bringing those with me on my cruises as well.

 

2 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

So far as I can tell, nothing in the new Latitudes tier benefits have any impact on B2B procedures.

Lucky you! Mine were removed by the New Latitudes Pre Cruise consultant when I was on the phone with him! I have amenity confirmation from prior to that conversation. He sent me new one with them removed. “That’s what you get for complaining lady!” He was not close to pleasant.

[lgdesign]

8 hours ago, Norway97 said:

 

Lucky you! Mine were removed by the New Latitudes Pre Cruise consultant when I was on the phone with him! I have amenity confirmation from prior to that conversation. He sent me new one with them removed. “That’s what you get for complaining lady!” He was not close to pleasant.

That's very unfortunate... I'm not really expecting mine to last but will hang on to them as Iong as I can.  I'm hoping that as long as I don't make any changes to my reservation, they just might stick around?  Who knows...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by lgdesign

[Norway97]

47 minutes ago, lgdesign said:

That's very unfortunate... I'm not really expecting mine to last but will hang on to them as Iong as I can.  I'm hoping that as long as I don't make any changes to my reservation, they just might stick around?  Who knows...

 

 

Right…don’t make dining reservations 😉the “dedicated pre-cruise service desk” (clearly equal counterpart to concierge) didn’t want to make those either…initially telling me to make them onboard. I really don’t think the high tier group is the one to alienate as they try to rebound from a pandemic. 

 

 

 

 

[weltek]

So glad priority embarkation is back! Yeah, would be nice to return those internet minutes instead of the discount, but I'm not overly broken up about it.

Otherwise, glad these are still there:
Priority embarkation
Priority tendering
(Before the "free" drink package became a thing, the cocktail party was always a nice spot to score some free drinks!)
Laundry Service
Free dinners
Free ship tour
Concierge service
Strawberries (they are a nice touch!)

 

LOL-I miss the bottle of wine (I'm one of the few who misses that! Nice to have in room and good for mimosas if nothing else!), but I'm excited to try the new wine tasting!
 

[casofilia]

@weltek

 

Great list, I fully agree, even with the bubbly comment.

[julig22]

42 minutes ago, weltek said:

So glad priority embarkation is back! Yeah, would be nice to return those internet minutes instead of the discount, but I'm not overly broken up about it.

Otherwise, glad these are still there:
Priority embarkation
Priority tendering
(Before the "free" drink package became a thing, the cocktail party was always a nice spot to score some free drinks!)
Laundry Service
Free dinners
Free ship tour
Concierge service
Strawberries (they are a nice touch!)

 

LOL-I miss the bottle of wine (I'm one of the few who misses that! Nice to have in room and good for mimosas if nothing else!), but I'm excited to try the new wine tasting!
 

As someone who is allergic to strawberries, that perk is useless.  I try my best to stop the delivery but it doesn't always happen, so in the trash they go (I usually travel solo and haven't usually found someone to give them to by the time they arrive).  I so wish NCL would allow a substitution. Bottle of water, can of pepsi, a non-fruity special dessert....

Couldn't drink the wine either, so no loss there- new wine tasting perk is also a pass, again because of allergies.

[The Traveling Man]

On 1/11/2022 at 11:39 AM, casofilia said:

@The Traveling Man

 

Thanks James; I look forward to hear how you are dealt with (or to!!).   Good luck.

 

Mike

NCL just sent me a confirmation for my Diamond-upgraded stateroom on the Getaway Transatlantic sailing this May.  All of the perks / benefits that I had booked prior to the Latitudes program changes are still on the new confirmation EXCEPT for the 60 minutes pp of free internet access.  We still have the 500 free minutes that came as one of the Free at Sea options, but my wife and I each lost our additional hour of online time.  It's a 14 day cruise, so 500 minutes may or may not be enough for us.  At least we can purchase additional minutes at a discount if we need them.  It took NCL two days to get he confirmation back to me, but we did get to select the new stateroom location, there was no additional charge, and the process went very smoothly.