Loyalty Level perks?

[Oxo]

These are the additional perks when you move up from Platinum:

 

Sapphire ( 150 - 349 )
± Priority Restaurant & Entertainment Seating (subject to availability)
± Dinner with Officers

 

Diamond 350 - 699
± Exclusive Sail & Sustain Mixology Experience
± One-time Free Cabin Upgrade

 

Are these worth the loyalty and cost to cruise with NCL?
 

I cruise NCL and other cruise lines NOT  for the perks!

[cruiserbear55]

19 minutes ago, Oxo said:

These are the additional perks when you move up from Platinum:

 

Sapphire ( 150 - 349 )
± Priority Restaurant & Entertainment Seating (subject to availability)
± Dinner with Officers

 

Diamond 350 - 699
± Exclusive Sail & Sustain Mixology Experience
± One-time Free Cabin Upgrade

 

Are these worth the loyalty and cost to cruise with NCL?
 

I cruise NCL and other cruise lines NOT  for the perks!

 

     Once you hit platinum, if you're a tier chaser, it's not worth the chase!!

[Oxo]

20 minutes ago, cruiserbear55 said:

 

     Once you hit platinum, if you're a tier chaser, it's not worth the chase!!

Agree 100%. 

[RumRunner2021]

I highly doubt you'll find anybody here who will suggest that the pursuit of anything above Platinum is worth any real effort or cost. 

[BirdTravels]

NCL's loyalty program is pretty much crap. There is no recognition of loyalty. 

[julig22]

extra 5% on excursions at sapphire - more valuable to me than priority seating or dinner with officers (that doesn't happen anyway) - but not necessarily worth chasing points.  Same with the cabin upgrade - I already get that with my world points.

[Oxo]

Do we think they just tried to fool us into believing they were giving us something for our loyalty?

Vote now.

1. YES

2. HECK YES!

SMH

[phillygwm]

I'll make Sapphire after my next cruise in October.  It's nice to have, especially because I doubt I'll ever make Diamond.  I don't sail NCL for the points, I sail because it's the best value for my money.  When that changes, I'll go elsewhere.

 

As for the benefits, I doubt I'd care to dine with the officers (for those who do, feel free to convince me otherwise!) 🙂

 

Maybe priority restaurant seating could come in handy.  Does it actually work, or is it like the "concierge service" that Platinum members get? 

[Sand and Seas]

Not worth chasing.    We never planned on reaching Platinum (now Diamond).

 

We won't be going out of our way to use them, but I'll use some of them just because they are there.  Happy enough with using one of our Diamond 'one-time' upgrades.   The Sail & Sustain Mixology will probably be worth a one-time try, but can't imagine going every cruise.

[MoCruiseFan]

We continue to sail NCL because we find them to offer superior service, food, accommodations, and cruises overall in general.  The points we get are merely an added benefit that comes with the territory.  We don not sail simply to get points, I doubt much of anyone does.  It is just a nice added freebie that comes with being loyal to NCL.

[blueslily]

5 hours ago, Oxo said:

These are the additional perks when you move up from Platinum:

 

Sapphire ( 150 - 349 )
± Priority Restaurant & Entertainment Seating (subject to availability)
± Dinner with Officers

 

Diamond 350 - 699
± Exclusive Sail & Sustain Mixology Experience
± One-time Free Cabin Upgrade

 

Are these worth the loyalty and cost to cruise with NCL?
 

I cruise NCL and other cruise lines NOT  for the perks!

Are these all of the perks? This is it? 

[complawyer]

free bag of laundry, extra 15% off shore excursions, extra bottles of water, not overwhelming, no major reason to choose ncl, by these 3 by themselves aint bad,

 we've had 19 sailings with ncl through CAS, and never once did i take point levels into consideration.

 

may make diamond sometime in 2024 but there is nothing at that level that has anymore value to me than what we have now.  i really have no great, burning desire to have dinner with any of the officers. pass on that one,

[PATRLR]

10 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

NCL's loyalty program is pretty much crap. There is no recognition of loyalty. 

100% agree.  

In my opinion, the "loyalty" is one way.  Unfortunately, it seems most of the cruise lines have similar attitudes.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

We are Diamond and will likely never make, or even aspire to be ambassador.  However, I think a side ny side comparison to other lines puts NCL ahead in the loyalty race.  They were further ahead before the reduced platinum level specialty dining to per stateroom rather than per person.  No, it’s not worth chasing.  On my Star sailing last week we had significant issues with food quality in CGneys and LeBistro, and sent a detailed letter to Manny, F&B manager and never heard from him.  60% capacity, 3 ambassadors and 5 diamonds onboard, most with issues but he couldn’t be bothered.   No, “status” means nothing to NCL these days.

[Oxo]

7 hours ago, blueslily said:

Are these all of the perks? This is it? 

No, I only posted the additional perks at each level. Here is a link to see all.

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

Edited August 29, 2022 by Oxo

[Oxo]

37 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

.  They were further ahead before the reduced platinum level specialty dining to per stateroom rather than per person.  .   No, “status” means nothing to NCL these days.

These were the meal perks last year compare to now. Big reduction!

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Yep.  That is what happens when you do not have the capacity to provide thousands of FAS meals and service your loyalty passengers.   

[Seafan22]

I agree, after Platinum there is no real reason to chase anything.  This is why after my next NCL trip – which will move me to Sapphire – I will be on Royal Caribbean because it has an itinerary I want.  I have done the things on NCL I wanted, and they aren’t being creative with new itineraries, nor are they enticing me with tier incentives.

[graphicguy]

8 hours ago, complawyer said:

free bag of laundry, extra 15% off shore excursions, extra bottles of water, not overwhelming, no major reason to choose ncl, by these 3 by themselves aint bad,

 we've had 19 sailings with ncl through CAS, and never once did i take point levels into consideration.

 

may make diamond sometime in 2024 but there is nothing at that level that has anymore value to me than what we have now.  i really have no great, burning desire to have dinner with any of the officers. pass on that one,

I don't think any of the loyalty programs on any cruise line is worth chasing.  The only one worthwhile would be a free cruise at Ambassador Level.  But, highly doubt I'll ever hit that.

 

That said, I do like the specialty dinners and free laundry at Sapphire.

 

But, I cruise NCL because I like the product....not because they offer "perks".

 

FULL LIST OF LATITUDE PERKS...

 

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

Edited August 29, 2022 by graphicguy

[Montanagirlalways]

2 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

We are Diamond and will likely never make, or even aspire to be ambassador.  However, I think a side ny side comparison to other lines puts NCL ahead in the loyalty race.  They were further ahead before the reduced platinum level specialty dining to per stateroom rather than per person.  No, it’s not worth chasing.  On my Star sailing last week we had significant issues with food quality in CGneys and LeBistro, and sent a detailed letter to Manny, F&B manager and never heard from him.  60% capacity, 3 ambassadors and 5 diamonds onboard, most with issues but he couldn’t be bothered.   No, “status” means nothing to NCL these days.

thats very sad when "status" means nothing

[smillerholmes]

6 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I don't think any of the loyalty programs on any cruise line is worth chasing.  The only one worthwhile would be a free cruise at Ambassador Level.  But, highly doubt I'll ever hit that.

 

That said, I do like the specialty dinners and free laundry at Sapphire.

 

But, I cruise NCL because I like the product....not because they offer "perks".

 

FULL LIST OF LATITUDE PERKS...

 

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

I will be Sapphire after my December cruise - just kind of worked out that way with a few cruises with triple points. I usually do longer cruises so for me the laundry perk is something I will really appreciate when not willing to splurge for a club balcony. I fully expect to shift my booking strategy to primarily monitoring and purchase after final payment since I don't see value in reaching Diamond status.

[KeithJenner]

3 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

They were further ahead before the reduced platinum level specialty dining to per stateroom rather than per person. 

That made very little difference. One meal for two per person changed to two meals for two per cabin (more if there are more than two platinums). If anything the number of meals has increased as now a single platinum in a cabin gets two meals.

[KeithJenner]

I have to say that these discussions always confuse me a bit.

 

The talk is always of chasing status, but there is never any mention of actually using them. Apparently, some people feel that it is worth sailing NCL in order to reach platinum, but once you have reached that (and therefore get the most valuable benefits) then it isn't worth it any more.

 

I absolutely agree that there is little point booking NCL for the benefits, and that the Sapphire/Diamond/Ambassador benefits are particularly disappointing, but what is the point of getting to Platinum if you aren't then going to use those benefits.

[cruiseny4life]

I may be misreading the NCL loyalty program. I bet one of you (or more) will correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think I'm wrong, but maybe...once you hit Ambassador, you receive one free cruise. There's no additional free cruises, right? 

 

This is very different to RCL's Crown & Anchor Society. Once you hit 700 points, you receive a free cruise, up to $2,400. After another 350 points, you receive another free cruise, up to $2,400. Now I don't know many people who would hit more than one of these milestones except that Mario guy. 

 

If we're talking loyalty though, that would definitely keep me cruising RCL. Am I correct in thinking that NCL does not offer a free cruise after the initial Ambassador cruise?

 

Source: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/royal-caribbean-cruise-loyalty-program/

[KeithJenner]

45 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I may be misreading the NCL loyalty program. I bet one of you (or more) will correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think I'm wrong, but maybe...once you hit Ambassador, you receive one free cruise. There's no additional free cruises, right? 

 

This is very different to RCL's Crown & Anchor Society. Once you hit 700 points, you receive a free cruise, up to $2,400. After another 350 points, you receive another free cruise, up to $2,400. Now I don't know many people who would hit more than one of these milestones except that Mario guy. 

 

If we're talking loyalty though, that would definitely keep me cruising RCL. Am I correct in thinking that NCL does not offer a free cruise after the initial Ambassador cruise?

 

Source: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/royal-caribbean-cruise-loyalty-program/

I think there may be one or two things where the level of discount is higher for Ambassador and there is some sort of gift, but basically you are correct about there being little outside of the one off free cruise.

Edited August 29, 2022 by KeithJenner