Latitude Club Perks??? Really?

[Georgia Buckeye]

More and more I believe that at least for NCL the Latitudes Club is a bit of a joke at least until you get to the higher levels.

 

 

On our last cruise on the Star out of LA they checked in everyone together- there was no special Latitudes line (I know there were probably more Latitudes members than first time passengers). When we got on board we discovered that the “deals” we got (added internet minutes, etc.) were available to everyone on their specials- so what is the big deal?

 

 

We are sailing on the Sun this weekend and have two cabins- one in my name and one in my Mother’s name, a first time NCL passenger. I just printed out both sets of documents and hers had a special set of coupons, while mine did not. I looked at the coupons and they are pretty much the Latitude Club member perks, and probably the on board specials if I am guessing right.

 

 

So again I ask why not wait to start this club until after you have 5 cruises- or are the perks as lame there?

[gottahavefun]

I think that they give the same and/or better perks to the first timers because they want to get their business. But I do agree with you that there should be exclusive latitude perks. That's actually a good idea to start the perks at 5 cruises. That way the newbies get the deals,NCL gets the customers and the dedicated/loyal customers get the rewards.

[Got Tequila?]

We've gotten great latitude discounts when booking cruises.....and that perk starts after your first completed cruise. It's usually a better perk/discount than the union discount, or AARP discount.

 

I do love the PLATINUM perks........free bag of laundry, behind the scenes tour, and dinner/wine at Le Bistro. :D

[Richie2pies]

NCL is not known for their "Latitudes largess". The program is a joke compared to other lines.

[Georgia Buckeye]

I really don't care to get anything. (though I wouldn't turn it down).. just hate the gaming that makes you out to be a bit of a putz if you really think you getting something and then find out the truth.

[newmexicoNita]

NCL is not known for their "Latitudes largess". The program is a joke compared to other lines.

 

I totally disagree with you. None of the programs offer that much until you reach close to the top and why should they. It is the same with the airlines. It is free, anything is better than nothing.

 

NCL: latitude party with door prizes from your second cruise. Nothing much else except an occassional discount or upgrade.

 

Princess: a massive party, with not much of anything else, no door prizes

 

Celebrity: a cocktal party (you can order special drinks if you know this, but they do, like NCL and try to push rum punch down your throat) the capt might be there and the coordinator: that is it.

 

So please advise which line offers that much more than another? I don't expect anything just cause I cruised a line one or two times.

 

Nita

[Georgia Buckeye]

Your missing my point-- it is not that I want anything for simply going on a couple of cruises.... it is that they PRETEND to be giving you something when in fact they are not- I find that to be an insult

[Happy HALer]

I totally disagree with you. None of the programs offer that much until you reach close to the top and why should they. It is the same with the airlines. It is free, anything is better than nothing.

 

NCL: latitude party with door prizes from your second cruise. Nothing much else except an occassional discount or upgrade.

 

Princess: a massive party, with not much of anything else, no door prizes

 

Celebrity: a cocktal party (you can order special drinks if you know this, but they do, like NCL and try to push rum punch down your throat) the capt might be there and the coordinator: that is it.

 

So please advise which line offers that much more than another? I don't expect anything just cause I cruised a line one or two times.

 

Nita

I don't understand. Why do you disagree with OP while agreeing that what the OP said is true with all cruise lines. They didn't say NCL was worse, or better, than anyone else. Take a happy pill.

[njhorseman]

Your missing my point-- it is not that I want anything for simply going on a couple of cruises.... it is that they PRETEND to be giving you something when in fact they are not- I find that to be an insult

 

As an earlier post pointed out, you should be getting a Latitudes discount after your first cruise.

 

Not all ports have a separate Latitudes check in line. Many do...so your experience appears to be port-specific, not something having to do with Latitudes.

 

As has a previous post points out, in general cruise lines' past guest benefits aren't very substantial until you hit higher levels.

 

Finding it to be an insult sounds a bit overly dramatic.

[njhorseman]

I don't understand. Why do you disagree with OP while agreeing that what the OP said is true with all cruise lines. They didn't say NCL was worse, or better, than anyone else. Take a happy pill.

 

The OP didn't mention other cruise lines...the complaint was specifically about NCL. You're assuming the OP knows something about other cruise lines' programs when he/she said nothing about them. If you look at the OP's cruise history, their last cruise prior to the two recent NCL cruises was in 1991...so it's not unreasonable to point out that NCL's program isn't much different than others, since the OP apparently has no personal experience with other programs.

[swedish weave]

Lattitudes is one of the many things that keep us going back to NCL. The platinum benefits are pretty substantial and worth the wait !!!

[travelerpair]

I am with you on this one. Platinum should be happy how many suites, days does it represent? We expected some advantage on boarding in Long Beach and got none Silver just doesn't make it and price shopping will always get you a lower price. The only time we truly felt appreciated for repeats was 2009 on the Star for a small cocktail party with the officers for Silver and above. 2010 no such thing. Marketing needs to do some work on this one.

[NMLady]

...The only time we truly felt appreciated for repeats was 2009 on the Star for a small cocktail party with the officers for Silver and above. 2010 no such thing.,,,.

 

The Sun had the VIP party for Silver and above on the cruises we recently finished. We moved from bronze to silver and were invited to the VIP party for the 2nd and 3rd of our b2b2b cruises.

Several of the ship's officers and crew members circulated among the guests at the VIP party. Much different than the Latitudes party.

[swedish weave]

I am with you on this one. Platinum should be happy how many suites, days does it represent? We expected some advantage on boarding in Long Beach and got none Silver just doesn't make it and price shopping will always get you a lower price. The only time we truly felt appreciated for repeats was 2009 on the Star for a small cocktail party with the officers for Silver and above. 2010 no such thing. Marketing needs to do some work on this one.

 

Platinum is after 14 cruises. I am surprised they didn't have a party for silver and above. That is unusual. I guess I have been lucky bacause they have had the party on all of my cruises.

[Happy HALer]

The OP didn't mention other cruise lines...the complaint was specifically about NCL. You're assuming the OP knows something about other cruise lines' programs when he/she said nothing about them. If you look at the OP's cruise history, their last cruise prior to the two recent NCL cruises was in 1991...so it's not unreasonable to point out that NCL's program isn't much different than others, since the OP apparently has no personal experience with other programs.

What??? Did you read my post as it applies to the quote I selected? The OP should be able to post their opinion that Latitudes benefits "suck" without being told they have no reason to do as much because all cruise line past passenger benefits are equally as bad. The person responding to the OP asked what cruise lines have a better program. If, as you say, the OP has not been on other cruise lines, is this not a provocative question? There is no need to attack someone for giving their opinion on a website that is here to critique.

[david_sobe]

I may have the minority viewpoint but here I go.

Everything in business and cruise business is marketing and making the customer feel special. If you call a free drink or a 5 second faster check in major perks you are kidding yourself. You cant go through cruises and life comparing what others are getting instead of you or someone got something better.

It is just a marketing thing that tries to lure back customers. It will get you a few dollars on board credit even if you are bronze (nice).

So unless you are platinum or gold, the perks are not that great. But you should never pick or select a cruise for marketing reasons.

Sure, it is nice to feel "special" but I cant help to get a kick out of latitude members who are always depressed about not getting free stuff or some sort of special treatment.

 

Here is your free $2 drink and piece of fruit and the "welcome aboard" is always free :)

Ok, that was my counterpoint ;)

[swedish weave]

I may have the minority viewpoint but here I go.

Everything in business and cruise business is marketing and making the customer feel special. If you call a free drink or a 5 second faster check in major perks you are kidding yourself. You cant go through cruises and life comparing what others are getting instead of you or someone got something better.

It is just a marketing thing that tries to lure back customers. It will get you a few dollars on board credit even if you are bronze (nice).

So unless you are platinum or gold, the perks are not that great. But you should never pick or select a cruise for marketing reasons.

Sure, it is nice to feel "special" but I cant help to get a kick out of latitude members who are always depressed about not getting free stuff or some sort of special treatment.

 

Here is your free $2 drink and piece of fruit and the "welcome aboard" is always free :)

Ok, that was my counterpoint ;)

 

I look at it as getting a little more "bang for the buck". I like NCL's prices and service, and the Lattitudes thing is the icing on the cake for me. We book cheap cabins, and when you look at the free laundry, two meals for two at LeBistro with wine, Behind the scenes tour, and the parties, you can hang a dollar value on that.

[njhorseman]

What??? Did you read my post as it applies to the quote I selected? The OP should be able to post their opinion that Latitudes benefits "suck" without being told they have no reason to do as much because all cruise line past passenger benefits are equally as bad. The person responding to the OP asked what cruise lines have a better program. If, as you say, the OP has not been on other cruise lines, is this not a provocative question? There is no need to attack someone for giving their opinion on a website that is here to critique.

 

Yes, I read your post.

 

No one said the OP isn't entitled to their opinion. No one said you aren't entitled to your opinion...and as a result I'm entitled to express my opinion, which differs substantially from yours and the OP's, and my expressing that opinion doesn't qualify as an attack. Further, my pointing out some factual errors/omissions/misunderstandings that are in the OP's post (Latitudes discounts, prioity check in) are there because the OP is drawing conclusions based in part on invalid assumptions.

[LaWeezy]

Ah, come on now kids, try and get along.....:rolleyes:

[Lyman713]

I look at it as getting a little more "bang for the buck". I like NCL's prices and service, and the Lattitudes thing is the icing on the cake for me. We book cheap cabins, and when you look at the free laundry, two meals for two at LeBistro with wine, Behind the scenes tour, and the parties, you can hang a dollar value on that.

 

Pardon the partial hijack, but I think you answered a question above... If two plat. members are in the same cabin, do you each get a dinner for two at LeBistro, or is it one dinner per cabin?

 

Thanks!!

[Budget Queen]

 

line (I know there were probably more Latitudes members than first time passengers). When we got on board we discovered that the “deals” we got (added internet minutes, etc.) were available to everyone on their specials- so what is the big deal?

 

QUOTE]

 

This isn't true. All you have to do, is tell the attendent that you are latitude and you will get added minutes. You have to ask. (at least I have always had to do so, but also, ALWAYS get the bonus)

[Budget Queen]

Pardon the partial hijack, but I think you answered a question above... If two plat. members are in the same cabin, do you each get a dinner for two at LeBistro, or is it one dinner per cabin?

 

Thanks!!

 

You each get this perk of 2 free at LeBistro. Actually I got double on my last cruise in October. It was a 12 day, but I had two 14 day cruises within the prior year, without this. I have over 25 cruises with NCL, so I've been platinum for a long time. I used to frequently dine with the cpt. BUT, now platinum isn't anything special, and plenty of people are platinum.

 

I do find the perks have their good points, I am also Diamond on RCI, which has a daily cocktail hours with free booze, and Elite on Princess with free internet. :) I don't cruise for the perks, I cruise for the itineraries and bargain prices. :)

[swedish weave]

Pardon the partial hijack, but I think you answered a question above... If two plat. members are in the same cabin, do you each get a dinner for two at LeBistro, or is it one dinner per cabin?

 

Thanks!!

 

It is two dinners for two if both in the cabin are platinum. They changed that about a year or so ago. It used to be one per cabin, and I don't know what prompted the change, but I like it !!!:D

[Lyman713]

You each get this perk of 2 free at LeBistro. Actually I got double on my last cruise in October. It was a 12 day, but I had two 14 day cruises within the prior year, without this. I have over 25 cruises with NCL, so I've been platinum for a long time. I used to frequently dine with the cpt. BUT, now platinum isn't anything special, and plenty of people are platinum.

 

I do find the perks have their good points, I am also Diamond on RCI, which has a daily cocktail hours with free booze, and Elite on Princess with free internet. :) I don't cruise for the perks, I cruise for the itineraries and bargain prices. :)

 

Thanks for the quick reply! You mention how plenty of people are platinum - I was just thinking on our last cruise, how the latitude party was extremely crowded - more so than previous cruises. I think they said there were about 600 latitude members on board. I can only imagine that, in another few years, this number will increase further. On that cruise, the non-latitudes embarkation line was much shorter than the latitudes line!

 

Perhaps adding a Plutonium tier - for 30+ cruises, or something like that, would be useful as more and more folks reach Plat. level! The extra perk could be a glow in the dark NCL t-shirt!

 

Happy sails!!

[Got Tequila?]

Thanks for the quick reply! You mention how plenty of people are platinum - I was just thinking on our last cruise, how the latitude party was extremely crowded - more so than previous cruises. I think they said there were about 600 latitude members on board. I can only imagine that, in another few years, this number will increase further. On that cruise, the non-latitudes embarkation line was much shorter than the latitudes line!

 

Perhaps adding a Plutonium tier - for 30+ cruises, or something like that, would be useful as more and more folks reach Plat. level! The extra perk could be a glow in the dark NCL t-shirt!

 

Happy sails!!

 

LOL........I love the plutonium idea with t-shirts :D NCL had a survey done a few months ago and it looked as if maybe they were considering changing the program up a bit. :)