a suggestion re: Platinum free dinners

[gooch47]

The complimentary platinum dinners can be used for restaurants that charge up to $20. It would be nice if you could just get the $20 applied toward the steak house or Teppenyaki and pay the difference.

[bguppies]

So the free dinner for Platinum cruisers is for ANY dining venue under $20?

 

I had thought I'd read that it was a dinner for two, specifically at Le Bistro...

 

I know our upcoming cruise will be my Parents first as Platinum and they would probably prefer the Italian restaurant...

 

Now if they both turn Platinum this cruise, do they each get a free dinner for two, or just one dinner for the cabin?

 

As for the OPs thought, I agree you should be able to just pay the difference to eat at one of the more expensive venues. (although NCL might intentionally set that threshold, to keep everybody from not choosing Tepanyaki, which sounds like it is tough enough to get a reservation, without having a bunch free meals hogging the reservations)

 

Bill

Edited January 30, 2014 by bguppies

[tokidoki]

I too will be able to eat in Bistro, and in small print it says or Italian/Asian!:cool::cool::cool:

[gooch47]

We ate at le bistro, Moderno and La Cuchina (twice) on our b2b earlier this month. Can't remember the exact wording, but the certificate spelled out it could be used in any $20 or less venue.

 

Each platinum member gets a certificate for dinner for two for each cruise.

Edited January 30, 2014 by gooch47

[cruiserssandr]

The complimentary platinum dinners can be used for restaurants that charge up to $20. It would be nice if you could just get the $20 applied toward the steak house or Teppenyaki and pay the difference.

We were able to do this a few years ago. We just paid the difference at Cagneys. Now it has to be used at Le Bistro or some place with the same or lower cover charge.

Edited January 30, 2014 by cruiserssandr

[jakeT]

Thay will get diner for two for each of them.. Two diner for two have choice of restaurants u $20 or under

[kmc86]

Platinum free dinner includes dinner for two and a bottle of wine. It says lebistro but actual invite on ship gives option of several other restaurants, we had a great meal in la cucina...

[dasmonkey]

Directly from the Latitudes levels page,

 

http://www.ncl.com/latitudes-rewards/rewards-points-and-benefits

 

 

* Ship pin and onboard discounts are available on all sailings. All other benefits are available on sailings 5 days or longer. Welcome Gift, Chocolate-Covered Strawberries and Sparkling Wine are delivered as one per stateroom. Le Bistro benefit can be used at our Italian or Asian specialty restaurants. Restrictions apply. Latitudes Rewards internet minutes cannot be combined with other internet promotional offers.

[bakerintn]

Your parents won't get platinum benefits if they were not platinum level when they booked. The next cruise does not gain points until it is completed.

[gooch47]

What it says on that page and what we actually received is different.

[johnsak123]

There is a spot on the latitudes page that says you can substitute the free dinner at le bistro for the Asian place or la cuccina.

[njhorseman]

There is a spot on the latitudes page that says you can substitute the free dinner at le bistro for the Asian place or la cuccina.

 

The vouchers we have received on our last few cruises also permit the free dinners to be eaten at Moderno.

[DGP1111]

The vouchers we have received on our last few cruises also permit the free dinners to be eaten at Moderno.

 

 

Ditto on that.

 

 

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[johnsak123]

Le Bistro, Moderno and La Cucina are in order of my faves

[Love my butler]

The last few years our certificates have been ship specific, different rules on different ships. Spoke to a couple different cruise consultants who confirmed this.

[KeithJenner]

Your parents won't get platinum benefits if they were not platinum level when they booked.

 

 

Just in case this confuses anyone, I don't think that bakerintn meant that exactly. It doesn't matter what your platinum level is when you book. It is what you are when you hoard that is important. If you get the points to go up a tier during a cruise then you get the benefits on your next cruise.

 

I assume the OP meant that his parents will be platinum for this cruise having qualified during their last one,

 

 

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[njsonja]

and if you buy the Ultimate Dining Package and you are platinum, the certificate to Le Bistro is worthless.....hoping they change that soon...

[johnql]

and if you buy the Ultimate Dining Package and you are platinum, the certificate to Le Bistro is worthless.....hoping they change that soon...

For what it's worth, this isn't completely true since the Platinum benefit includes a complimentary bottle of wine. So, you could always use the Platinum benefit first and then go to Le Bistro a second time using the UDP.

[Love my butler]

and if you buy the Ultimate Dining Package and you are platinum, the certificate to Le Bistro is worthless.....hoping they change that soon...

 

Really don't need to change anything. If you are platinum it usually doesn't make sense to purchase the UDP. Just pay ala carte like we did before the UDP.

[KeithJenner]

and if you buy the Ultimate Dining Package and you are platinum, the certificate to Le Bistro is worthless.....hoping they change that soon...

 

 

What would you suggest them changing it to?

 

Those of us who have no intention of using the UDP wouldn't want them to remove that perk.

 

The only thing I can think of is to reduce the cost of the UDP by $20 for each Platinum, but then it would only be a meal for one. If they gave a $40 discount per person then one person could use it for two meals themselves (not sure if that is a problem really).

 

Personally, I hope they keep it as it is as any change is most likely to benefit NCL. If they do change it then it will be in a way that will encourage us to take the package, probably to the detriment of those who don't want it and with fairly small benefit to those who do.

 

 

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[njsonja]

maybe give more choices? i don't drink...i always give that bottle of wine away....i enjoy eating in all the specialty restaurants every night....so i like the UDP....they could offer more internet minutes, another free laundry, a spa treatment....

[LOVEMYMO]

The complimentary platinum dinners can be used for restaurants that charge up to $20. It would be nice if you could just get the $20 applied toward the steak house or Teppenyaki and pay the difference.

 

It seems this post got very side tracked. I agree with the OP - it would be nice to use the $20 as a credit towards dinner at Cagney's or any other dinner venue that costs more.

[NMLady]

So the free dinner for Platinum cruisers is for ANY dining venue under $20?

 

I had thought I'd read that it was a dinner for two, specifically at Le Bistro...

 

I know our upcoming cruise will be my Parents first as Platinum and they would probably prefer the Italian restaurant...

 

Now if they both turn Platinum this cruise, do they each get a free dinner for two, or just one dinner for the cabin?

 

As for the OPs thought, I agree you should be able to just pay the difference to eat at one of the more expensive venues. (although NCL might intentionally set that threshold, to keep everybody from not choosing Tepanyaki, which sounds like it is tough enough to get a reservation, without having a bunch free meals hogging the reservations)

 

Bill

 

They must already be Platinum at the start of the cruise to get the dinners: two per Platinum member.

[monteman]

Really don't need to change anything. If you are platinum it usually doesn't make sense to purchase the UDP. Just pay ala carte like we did before the UDP.

 

Totally agree. Both of us being platinum, my husband and I will have two dinners (on two nights) free. We like to eat at the MDR a couple times. That leaves five dinners. The UDP isn't such a bargain for five dinners. I like the perk of the freebies. :-)

[newmexicoNita]

The complimentary platinum dinners can be used for restaurants that charge up to $20. It would be nice if you could just get the $20 applied toward the steak house or Teppenyaki and pay the difference.

 

you know that would be a great idea, but it might get a little confusing. We are happy with what they offer because we love Le Bistro (or we did, not so much the last cruise) and we love Modernos. (spelling)