Upgraded Latitude Levels?

[Starry Eyes]

It's a metaphor, dude. :rolleyes:

 

It sounds like sour grapes and it is. Giving people with a quarter of the points we have earned (based in this new system) the same recognition, makes that recognition meaningless and does not reward the loyalty of their most loyal passengers.

 

Not trying to whiz in anyone's sand box. If this had happened eight years ago, I'd have been as psyched as everyone else here...

 

OK, so you have 19 cruises. That is wonderful...and shows loyalty...and no doubt NCL values you. Great. Still, you only made Platinum 5 cruises ago. During those 5 cruises, there were other passengers with far, far more cruises than you, yet they were only getting the same Platinum benefits as you. Should they have been bitter toward you? Neither they nor you had any room for advancement in the old Latitudes program.

 

NCL has decided to reward those who have booked longer cruises and suites in the past. and NCL wants to reward early booking and latitude promos in the future. I too would like another level and more rewards to anticipate. there was not one before. there is not one now. What have you lost? nothing, but you have gained the chances at milestone gifts. I hope they are nice.

[SuiteCruiser]

It's a metaphor, dude. :rolleyes:

 

It sounds like sour grapes and it is. Giving people with a quarter of the points we have earned (based in this new system) the same recognition, makes that recognition meaningless and does not reward the loyalty of their most loyal passengers.

 

Not trying to whiz in anyone's sand box. If this had happened eight years ago, I'd have been as psyched as everyone else here...

 

 

There seems to be 3 new perks for Platinum, but maybe they actually gave them before:

 

Sparkling wine

Chocolate covered strawberries

Concierge Access

 

Just wondering if they are really new. If they are, then at least it's "something" for you guys. I get that everyone's cheering and you guys are the only ones that didn't get anything out of it.

[Diana68]

There seems to be 3 new perks for Platinum, but maybe they actually gave them before:

 

Sparkling wine

Chocolate covered strawberries

Concierge Access

 

We had the Concierge, but the wine and strawberries are new. I'm really excited about this, and the chocolates on the pillow and pins being back! :D

We used to get the strawberries, but lost them when they added laundry and the ship tour...I missed them...:o

[SuiteCruiser]

We had the Concierge, but the wine and strawberries are new. I'm really excited about this, and the chocolates on the pillow and pins being back! :D

We used to get the strawberries, but lost them when they added laundry and the ship tour...I missed them...:o

 

I'm glad that they did add back some things for you guys :)

 

Enjoy your New Years Day sail away, I'll be on the Gem enjoying mine :) I will turn platinum on the Gem, since the points are based per day, it will be interesting to see if I only switch after the cruise the way it works now. Would be nice to be on board for the switch :)

[sjnyc323]

See attached

 

I misspoke when I said rewards remain the same. I wish I could copy the document, but this is the best I can do

 

Latitudes Rewards Benefits

BRONZE

Benefits available on sailungs of 5 days or longer.

Monthly Latitudes Insider Offers which feature an onboard credit of up to $250 on select saiings.

Offer varies for international guests

Complimentary Online Latitudes Rewards Magazine featuring Norwegian Cruise Line offers, news and

contests

Priority Check-in to expedite embarkation

Onboard Latitudes Rewards Representatives to assist our loyal guests on board

Onboard Discounts: 10% discount at Duty Free Shop: Free work of art for attending art auction; 30 free minutes

with 250-minute internet package purchase; 15 free minutes with 100-minute internet package purchase

Members Only Cocktail Party on board to meet fellow Latitudes Rewards members and onboard crew

Not available on Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway or Norwegian Getaway 5

Ship Pin given onboard your sailing as a souvenir

Ship pins will be delivered on members' sailing starling January 2012.

SILVER bronze plus

Discount on Photos for Latitudes Rewards members: 15% Silver members, 20% Gold members, 25%

Platinum members

Discount on Spa Signature Services during port days: 15% Silver members, 20% Gold members, 25%

Platinum members

Nightly Chocolate on pillow as part of turndown service

Exclusive Onboard Gathering to meet our ship's officers

GOLD bronze and silver plus

Priority Tender Tickets to get to our ports of call faster

Priority Disembarkation to expedite the disembarkation process

Early disembarkation is only available to U. S. citizens and benefits vary for international guests

Fruit Basket to enjoy in your stateroom

PLATINUM --ALL ABOVE PLUS

Chocolate Covered Strawberries to be delivered to your stateroom the first evening

Concierge Service access to assist with making dinner reservations or arranging shore excursions

Complimentary Dinner for Two at Le Bistro, our romantic French Bistro, along with a complimentary

bottle of wine

Complimentary "Behind the Scenes" Ship Tour where you'll find out what it really takes to keep our

ships afloat

Complimentary Laundry Service to keep your wardrobe fresh

Complimentary Sparkling Wine for your enjoyment while in your stateroom

Latitudes Rewards.pdf

Latitudes Levels.pdf

[Diana68]

I'm glad that they did add back some things for you guys :)

 

Enjoy your New Years Day sail away, I'll be on the Gem enjoying mine :) I will turn platinum on the Gem, since the points are based per day, it will be interesting to see if I only switch after the cruise the way it works now. Would be nice to be on board for the switch :)

Thank you! Only 31 days!!!

It would be a lot of fun if you could "graduate" on board, but I have a feeling that it will only take effect on your next sailing...but it gives you something to look forward to, and Gold has some nice perks too.

[khall]

I think the perks look great! Nice to see NCL adding a few little touches back like the pins and chocolates... Nothing big or grand but when everything else is raising in cost and cutting corners are the rule, it's nice to see.

[EileenN]

We are booked for our 25th cruise which is a 17 day cruise... more than half have been more than 7 days and more than half were suites. However, some of the bookings with upgrades were made thru CAS, and I am wondering if this changes the count at all. We have been platinum for more than 4 years and cruised twice a year in suites since then. I also hope for higher levels than platinum.

In all our cruises, we have only cruised with another cruise line ONCE.

Love to see how this adds up.

[Uniall]

Great info. Will the 9month Early Booking points be retroactive or just in the future?

[insidecabin]

There seems to be 3 new perks for Platinum, but maybe they actually gave them before:

 

Sparkling wine

Chocolate covered strawberries

Concierge Access

 

Just wondering if they are really new. If they are, then at least it's "something" for you guys. I get that everyone's cheering and you guys are the only ones that didn't get anything out of it.

 

The fruit basket used to come with full bottle of wine from gold level.

[doodlesinkentucky]

It is, will be, what it is and after all is said and done just be happy you can be here worrying about what you may lose or hoping to gain something remember we are lucky, we like and can afford to cruise. I’m not saying the perks I receive I don’t enjoy and look forward to but it’s not a show stopper. I’m still Gold and I’m ok with that. If I cruised only one cruise line l would have a suite named after me. Cruise and enjoy:):):)

 

 

Wallygator, said perfectly!!!! Those whining that are platinum should be thanking their lucky stars they can travel so much!!!! Enjoy the journey and the cruises amd be happy! Life is too short to be crying over such silly things;).

[sjnyc323]

When you log into NCL.com now new info on latitudes appears when you click on latitudes rewards. I bumped up to gold and it says I am two points away from platinum now. Woo-Hoo!:)

[sjbdtz]

New Latitudes Info...Levels and Benefits

 

AWESOME! Thanks for posting. Not only did I make it to Platinum (not sure how many points, because I can't recall how many were books 9+ months early), but the benefits for platinum are increasing.

 

Seems like a win-win.

 

 

Someone earlier posted about upsells counting, etc. and I think that what we're seeing here is that NCL is starting an inventory management approach.

 

That is, they're deciding which cruises to make Monthly Specials, and giving cruisers an opportunity to gain an additional 7 points on a 7 night trip. Then, if they book 9+ months early, that's another 7 points.... but it's also 1 less cabin on a potentially slow-selling cruise, which needs to be upsold, or discounted post-final-payment.

 

It's really an approach toward increasing the rewards, but focussing the rewards on most-profitable prospects.

 

 

The thing I do NOT understand, is why the new program is opt-in, instead of automatic. That confuses me a little.

 

 

 

 

+1 to this ^^

After 19 cruises, I'm still Platinum, now with so many others ( no offense to the newly elevated).

 

I have never seen a loyalty program that ignores its most loyal clients so obviously.

 

I don't see any ignoring going on. You were platinum, and excited about the Platinum benefits to which you were entitled.

 

Those just got better!

 

 

Why should it disturb you that others have also reached the same level?

 

 

 

.

[insidecabin]

7 night regular cabin number of completed cruises needed has dropped.

 

silver 5->3

gold 9->7

platinum 14->11

 

You are one point into the next level with 3/7/11 cruises.

 

So a very much improved program except for those that do short trips.

 

Suites are 1/2 these so 2/4/6

 

I think this is a very generous change.

[Starry Eyes]

This seems to be your solution for everyone that shows any level of disenchantment when something NCL does something wrong. What a great ambassador you are for NCL. I am sure they really appreciates your efforts. As for everyone else who so happy to a Platinum Latitudes, with much less effort than some of us exerted, good for you and keep an eye on those perks. Remember a bean counter is still in charge of this company and they may realise that they are giving out way too many free dinners in LeBistro. Remember the uproar when they took away your mints on the pillow and your welcome aboard glass of bubbly? Oh, and remember that there is no latitudes party aboard the EPIC because they do not have a venue large enough to handle the large number of Latitudes members? Think about the size of the Captain's Cocktail parties with all of these new freshly minted Platinum members. See you in the funny papers.

 

So somebody who lives near the port and picked up 15 short, cheap last minute weekend cruises has earned Platinum (old system), but somebody who has taken, say, 12 long, expensive cruises in suites (new Platinum) has not earned it? Oh, come on, the later has spent way more nights and way more money and probably put in more thought than the former...But somehow because the rules are different, you decide they are undeserving?

I am sorry that you are disappointed. somebody was bound to be disappointed.

 

Personally, I agree there will soon be too many Platinum members if NCL keeps the huge 9 month early booking bonus. If they keep it, I will reach those milestone gifts faster, but I hope they scale it back.

[dagtoking1]

Although I was elated to find out I reached Platinum one cruise early, it seems a little less special after finding out people with only 10 cruises are platinum too. We have cruised a lot; love NCL but we love Princess too. We have been loyal to NCL but also because we like the way they do things. I am happy for everyone but think about it; what good are special benefits if everyone gets them? I can see it now; free dinner in the Bistro but you can't get a reservation (even with Priority reservations) because the entire ship is Gold and Platinum (free dinner for the Platinum members and priority reservations for the Gold members). A little far fetched I know but after waiting so long to reach the tier it is a little annoying that they gave it away to people with so many less cruises than we have. To add insult to injury there are no Latitudes benefits available on my next cruise because it is less than 5 days; not the best loyalty program in the industry I can tell you. Royal Caribbean's is better.

[Got Tequila?]

Cruise history, point level, and program explanation can all be found on the website this morning. :):):)

 

I'm almost to a milestone, but wasn't credited for 2 cruises where I was upsold to suites.

[sjnyc323]

Cruise history, point level, and program explanation can all be found on the website this morning. :):):)

 

I'm almost to a milestone, but wasn't credited for 2 cruises where I was upsold to suites.

 

 

 

make sure you let them know

[sjnyc323]

Cruise history, point level, and program explanation can all be found on the website this morning. :):):)

 

I'm almost to a milestone, but wasn't credited for 2 cruises where I was upsold to suites.

 

I got 26 points for my 13 night transatlantic in courtyard via upsell fairy

[njhorseman]

I'm a little disappointed that NCL didn't add another level above Platinum.

[SuiteCruiser]

Although I was elated to find out I reached Platinum one cruise early, it seems a little less special after finding out people with only 10 cruises are platinum too. We have cruised a lot; love NCL but we love Princess too. We have been loyal to NCL but also because we like the way they do things. I am happy for everyone but think about it; what good are special benefits if everyone gets them? I can see it now; free dinner in the Bistro but you can't get a reservation (even with Priority reservations) because the entire ship is Gold and Platinum (free dinner for the Platinum members and priority reservations for the Gold members). A little far fetched I know but after waiting so long to reach the tier it is a little annoying that they gave it away to people with so many less cruises than we have. To add insult to injury there are no Latitudes benefits available on my next cruise because it is less than 5 days; not the best loyalty program in the industry I can tell you. Royal Caribbean's is better.

 

Other than people who always took short cruises, most people felt that the old program wasn't fair, now it is.

 

The only benefit you lose on the Sky, according to the new documents, is the cocktail party. You still get everything else.

 

We have to remember that there are a much higher percentage of loyal NCL people on these boards than there are on the ships. People who are line loyal are more likely to turn up here. Will there be an extra 20 or 30 people on your ship that are platinum now, probably. Will the ship be full of platinums, no.

[Epic_Bear]

7 more points to platinum...guess that cruise I took in 1995 was too early to count.

[familyof4cruising]

I'm a little disappointed that NCL didn't add another level above Platinum.

 

me too!

[roger001]

Great info. Will the 9month Early Booking points be retroactive or just in the future?

 

Apparently it is only for future bookings, I guess made after this new program officially takes effect. I just checked my status and although I received one point per night for all cruises we've taken, I did not get additional points for those that were booked more than 9 months ahead.

[Gregor4500]

New Latitudes Info...Levels and Benefits

 

Nice, you always seem to have the inside scoop.