Sapphire Loyalty questios.

[TNcruiser501]

One of the perks is Concierge service to assist in reservations.  Where is the concierge for the loyalty program if you are not in the Haven?  How do you contact the Dedicated Precruise Service Desk?   Priority Entrrtainment seating.  Is there a special line for loyalty members?

[JGmf]

Others will chime-in, but the concierge service is pretty much a phony perk.  No dedicated phone line or dedicated person behind a desk somewhere that's focused on Sapphire and above. 

[FLAHAM]

I found on my two recent cruises (Bliss and Prima) that the CruiseNext Desk was happy to get me entertainment reservations—even to “sold out” performances—as a Saphire latitudes member.  Also signed me up for dinner with officers, ship tour, etc.  Suggest going to CruiseNext desk after lunch on embarkation day.

[All-ready2cruise]

What @JGmf has advised is quite accurate.  I've been Platinum/Sapphire since 2017 and never found the Concierge service to be useful unless in the Suite or Haven area.  

[TNcruiser501]

2 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

I found on my two recent cruises (Bliss and Prima) that the CruiseNext Desk was happy to get me entertainment reservations—even to “sold out” performances—as a Saphire latitudes member.  Also signed me up for dinner with officers, ship tour, etc.  Suggest going to CruiseNext desk after lunch on embarkation day.

Is the Cruise Next desk in the atrium next to Guest Services?  I'll be on the Joy, sister of the Bliss.

[FLAHAM]

I have always found it to be in, or adjacent to, the Atrium on all ships.  Ask any crew member.

[TNcruiser501]

4 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

I have always found it to be in, or adjacent to, the Atrium on all ships.  Ask any crew member.

Thnx

[Viajera7]

1 hour ago, TNcruiser501 said:

Is the Cruise Next desk in the atrium next to Guest Services?  I'll be on the Joy, sister of the Bliss.

I was on the Joy in Jan-Feb. If I remember correctly, they are across each other.

[FLAHAM]

CruiseNext desk also gave me Saphire Latitudes pin.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

What everyone else has said.  Diamond here and I’ve never had a concierge help me or return a call.   Not that I have asked often, and certainly not after the first two attempts back when they falsely listed it as a platinum Perl (when that was the top tier)

[mking8288]

Never heard a beep or seen an email from the so-called pre-cruise concierge help desk (not on-board help) on our last 3 out of 4 sailings post-Covid returning, 2022-23 /now.  Not even a pro-forma welcome back email, nothing about priority check-in, etc.  

 

The one and only time we heard was when we actually last-minute booked the Joy, May 2023 with 2 Family Insides 2 BR "suite" with the water-downed perks.  Requested dining reservations with our preference and was acknowledged, supposingly forwarded to the onboard team & advised via email to check with them once on the ship.  Suffice to say, restaurant help desk had no record of our requested reservations except for 1 evening but at the wrong time of 8:30 pm instead of 5:30 pm, absolutely useless.  We did get the name of the concierge/his team available with certain, limited help - but otherwise, directed to see the CruiseNext team - wasn't sure if that had more to do with our "suites" than anything else, like being Sapphire, LOL.   I believed we're cruising then at 70% capacity but Haven being sold out due to all the upgrades done - wasn't really expecting much, but decided to give it a test run.  Epic failure, IMHO.  

 

Like everyone else, pretty much written them off as a joke - misleading and false promises that NCL never delivered upon - either omit & delete the fake "benefits" and/or revised & live up to the pledged offers.  

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, TNcruiser501 said:

One of the perks is Concierge service to assist in reservations. 

I see this:

But I can't find any explanation of the purpose.  Where did you read that it is to assist in reservations?

[UKstages]

 

10 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I can't find any explanation of the purpose.  Where did you read that it is to assist in reservations?

 

you mean, apart from the dictionary definition of "concierge?"

 

it's on the NCL website on the latitudes benefit page: "concierge service to assist you with specialty restaurant, entertainment, and shore excursion reservations."

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

 

you mean, apart from the dictionary definition of "concierge?"

 

it's on the NCL website on the latitudes benefit page: "concierge service to assist you with specialty restaurant, entertainment, and shore excursion reservations."

Yes.  Exactly.  I asked a simple question.  I can't find your text on this page:

 

Latitudes Rewards Program Overview | Norwegian Cruise Line (ncl.com)

 

Can you?

[graphicguy]

I was always steered to the Cruise Next desk any time I asked about Latitudes Concierge Services.  Given that desk was about 25 feet from the Restaurant booking desk, it’s just as easy for me to do it myself.  They will give you Latitudes pins, though.

[JGmf]

14 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

They will give you Latitudes pins, though.

 

NCL should probably amend the Latitudes perk description from "Concierge Service" to "Priority Pin Distribution Service".  Staff at the Cruise Next desk would probably be OK with that.

[Beaver1975]

17 hours ago, JGmf said:

Others will chime-in, but the concierge service is pretty much a phony perk.  No dedicated phone line or dedicated person behind a desk somewhere that's focused on Sapphire and above. 

Personally I have found the exact opposite of your observation.  The actual perk for non-haven guests, that need the assistance of a concierge, is provided by  the General Managers (HD) secretary.  Occasionally the HD will put you touch with the actual concierge and you will be treated the same as any Haven guest.   Personally I have received much better service from the secretary than I have from most concierges

 

As for pre-cruise concierge access that is strictly for Haven guests.

[phillygwm]

17 hours ago, FLAHAM said:

I found on my two recent cruises (Bliss and Prima) that the CruiseNext Desk was happy to get me entertainment reservations—even to “sold out” performances—as a Saphire latitudes member.  Also signed me up for dinner with officers, ship tour, etc.  Suggest going to CruiseNext desk after lunch on embarkation day.

Very interesting!  I've heard stories about the CruiseNext staff feeling put upon or otherwise being unhelpful.  Maybe I'll give them a try on my next sailing.  Interesting, to OP's point, that NCL advertises the concierge service but doesn't tell people where to find it.  If I didn't read this board, I'd never know.

[spanishguy1970]

On 4/7/2023 at 3:46 PM, JGmf said:

Others will chime-in, but the concierge service is pretty much a phony perk.  No dedicated phone line or dedicated person behind a desk somewhere that's focused on Sapphire and above. 

We completely agree, only once on the Epic Bruno, the Concierge,  he help us book dining and entertainment venues, there's no number for latitude members and we are Diamond. Bruno did give us his card.

Edited April 8, 2023 by spanishguy1970

[graphicguy]

7 hours ago, Beaver1975 said:

Personally I have found the exact opposite of your observation.  The actual perk for non-haven guests, that need the assistance of a concierge, is provided by  the General Managers (HD) secretary.  Occasionally the HD will put you touch with the actual concierge and you will be treated the same as any Haven guest.   Personally I have received much better service from the secretary than I have from most concierges

 

As for pre-cruise concierge access that is strictly for Haven guests.

Cruise Next has always been nice to me and accommodating any time I've asked for their assistance.  That said, if there's something I can do easily myself (like walking a few paces to make my own SD reservations), I just do it.  Cruise Next/Concierge has resolved some issues a few times (i.e. helping with excursion issues, which are also right next door to the Cruise Next desk) when The lines were way long.

[TNcruiser501]

Thanks for all of the info.   I was just curious of these loyalty perks, because they had no specific explanations or contact info. 

 

[Pitzel]

10 hours ago, Beaver1975 said:

Personally I have received much better service from the secretary than I have from most concierges

Agree! We have been connected with the GM’s secretaries on a few cruises and they have taken incredible care of us. 

[Beaver1975]

16 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Cruise Next has always been nice to me and accommodating any time I've asked for their assistance.  That said, if there's something I can do easily myself (like walking a few paces to make my own SD reservations), I just do it.  Cruise Next/Concierge has resolved some issues a few times (i.e. helping with excursion issues, which are also right next door to the Cruise Next desk) when The lines were way long.

To what purpose did you quote me?

 

Plus Cruse Next is not a "concierge".  I do find them to very helpful people and if they happen to do something that the concierge should do that is a bonus.

[graphicguy]

24 minutes ago, Beaver1975 said:

To what purpose did you quote me?

 

Plus Cruse Next is not a "concierge".  I do find them to very helpful people and if they happen to do something that the concierge should do that is a bonus.

?????????

[graphicguy]

16 hours ago, TNcruiser501 said:

Thanks for all of the info.   I was just curious of these loyalty perks, because they had no specific explanations or contact info. 

 

Yeah…the whole Latitudes Concierge perk has always been a bit nebulous.  I think if you’re expecting someone who is dedicated to Latitudes members, that’s not the case.  But, the Cruise Next desk has been identified as the place to go for concierge type services.  That desk is just very limited in what services they can provide to us.

 

Certainly isn’t anywhere near the level of service as the Concierges in the Haven provide.