Platinum Benefits Mayhem...

[NoDayButToday00]

So want your take:

 

2 Platinum Cruisers sailing in a Suite on the Dawn having a dinner at Cagney's.

 

We were charged $24.97 after using our Platinum Certificate. We were told no sides were included because we had a $20 and $25 dollar entree. We each had a soup, salad and 2 entrees. We split a 3rd side. We were told by the server because of the price of our apps that no sides were included. While we intended to pay for the extra app and side, we never expected to pay for all because of the cost of our entree. It was not our first time using the benefit nor what others have experienced when redeeming their benefits. At the end of the day $25 is not a lot on top of our cruise bill I was annoyed at the discussion where in any galaxy that they think it is okay to serve entrees with no sides.

[AlexandNessa]

Boo. That's ridiculous; I'm scratching my head trying to understand the correlation of the price of the entree and the whether or not sides should be included in your platinum benefit. They need consistency across the entire fleet.

[KeithJenner]

Others have reported on here of being told that the platinum meal doesn’t include sides.

 

I don’t recall hearing of your specific situation where they seem to have taken the $25 entree limit and included sides in that. I guess that’s what happened anyway.

 

We currently use that platinum voucher in Le Bistro, and pay for Cagneys with the SDP due to the potential for these problems in Cagneys.

 

 

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[emcelh]

Does it say anything on the certificate?

[KeithJenner]

Does it say anything on the certificate?

 

 

 

The details on the website say that you get one app, one entree up to $20 and one dessert. No mention of sides, so going by a literal reading of this, no sides are included.

 

It seems that different members of staff are interpreting this in different ways. I have heard of people being charged for sides regardless of what else they order. On the one occasion I used the certificate in Cagneys, we were charged nothing for sides.

 

Luck of the draw I’m afraid.

 

 

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[newmexicoNita]

We use ours for Le Bistro :(one) and the other for Cagney's. We have always ordered what we want at Le Bistro but never ordered more than an appetizer, and entree at Cagney's. Or I take that back, I have switched the dessert for a salad. I think, what they will let you order with no extra charge depends on the mood of the wait person. Yes, the policy is just one entree, one dessert and one appetizer. It sounds to me like someone and it wasn't you, was nit picking.

[lakelivin2]

I'm afraid this is the new way of it. We avoid this issue by using Le Bistro with our certificate. On another note, we went to La Cucina to use our other certificate and when my husband ordered a caesar salad (as well as an app) they told him they would be charging for the caesar (we laughed when it came because it is identical to the caesar salad you get in the main dining room for free). In any case, the service was so slow that the main came out and the side fries took another 10 minutes to arrive, that they took the salad charge off the bill. Gotta smile :rolleyes:

[All-ready2cruise]

I had no problem in Cagneys using my Platinum certificate. Went there the 1st night on the Sun from San Francisco. Each of us had an app, entree and dessert. I was charged $1 b/c my guest ordered the bison steak ($21). But, we had 3 sides total and the only charge was the overage + the tip (for the whole meal not just the $1).

 

Seems to me it's more about NCL's inconsistency than anything else. They really do need to make it plain for all to see, including the staff.

[Norway97]

Just off the Dawn. I specifically asked about sides because of the questions raised on cruise critic and the response was that it is based on the cost of the entree. I was told I could get one (not 2) because rack of lamb was 17.99. Never case under old program or on Jade in April.

 

 

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[garycarla]

It is beyond common sense that the plat dinner is different than the meal plan. Or that you can not have soup and salad plus one side in a "fancy" restaurant. Or as someone said, the same salad you can get in the dining room for free is now a charge.

 

It is nuts. We had a great server, but trying to understand what we order or not puts a damper on the meal experience.

 

Paying $1 for a meal is really nuts.

[NoDayButToday00]

Now I understand the post that was made tongue in cheek several weeks ago about stopping by the buffet and picking up a plate of sides on the way to dinner. I might try that next time. [emoji23]

 

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[gwsster]

One reason why I skip the Specialty restaurants with NCL....Good heavens for the price of a .50 cent potato they tick off customers. I spend the specialty $$$ while in port at restaurants, then use the MDR or Buffet for other meals. Penny wise, pound foolish.

[All-ready2cruise]

One reason why I skip the Specialty restaurants with NCL....Good heavens for the price of a .50 cent potato they tick off customers. I spend the specialty $$$ while in port at restaurants, then use the MDR or Buffet for other meals. Penny wise, pound foolish.

 

Slightly different situation, though agree about ticking off customers. The Platinum dinners were totally free up until just recently when they made changes to the loyalty levels and benefits.

 

The Specialty Dining package includes, AFAIK, anything you order except an add'l entree, correct me if I'm wrong please.

 

The Platinum dinner I shared would have cost $67 + 18% grat. plus the cost of the wine which I would guess to be around $22-25 or $9-12 on land, again plus 18% grat.

 

IMO I think it would be better to just put a total cost allowance for the Plat. dinners. That way, someone like me could have their apps and starters, entree with multi sides and no dessert. Get rid of the wine, the selection is pretty poor anyway, why bother? I know some will disagree, that's ok.

 

Cheers

[ray98]

Too complicated. If you are going to give a meal voucher then make it a meal. If you want to limit the cost the make it a voucher for a certain dollar amount.

[NLH Arizona]

I think the voucher needs to specify exactly what the person could have. I kind of understand why they put limitations; I've seen folks in the past load up on everything; 2 or 3 entrees, entree, 2 or 3 sides and a couple of desserts. I see no reason why it can't be either 2 appetizers, entree, 1 side and 1 dessert or 1 appetizer, entree, 2 sides and 1 dessert. No one would go hungry with the above. Maybe if folks wouldn't have been so gluttonous, it would have been left the way it was before the change.

[wdsted]

It would be a lot simpler on everybody if they just added two SDP's. We've yet to have any drama with the platinum meals, with one exception at Le Bistro about a year ago. They were going to charge for a second starter and I said that was fine but kind of cheesy; no charges though when the bill came. I completely agree that it should be simplified and made clearer to avoid issues, both from our and the servers' perspectives. Who wants to get pissed off over a nice perk?

[Shawnino]

Too complicated. If you are going to give a meal voucher then make it a meal. If you want to limit the cost the make it a voucher for a certain dollar amount.

 

Amen.

[All-ready2cruise]

I guess the thing is, there's no consistency. One ship charges based on total amount consumed, another ship doesn't charge anything extra except any overage for the entree.

 

No matter which way they do it, they need to fix it and make it clear and concise fleetwide. JMO

[dexddd]

The cert says what is included. So do the T&Cs for the dining package. Thing is the staff on the ship can't seem to understand that and put on various other restrictions. IMO it is subtle direction by management.

 

So they get people upset over a couple bucks. People then choose to sail other lines.

[Linda the Book Lover]

I am with the great idea of making the vouchers for a dollar amount. This way everyone knows going into the restaurant what they have to spend. When it goes over you pay the difference or when under the amount the diner will receive a credit on your onboard account.

 

While the wine is not to my taste I manage to drink it anyhow. ;)

[newmexicoNita]

I'm afraid this is the new way of it. We avoid this issue by using Le Bistro with our certificate. On another note, we went to La Cucina to use our other certificate and when my husband ordered a caesar salad (as well as an app) they told him they would be charging for the caesar (we laughed when it came because it is identical to the caesar salad you get in the main dining room for free). In any case, the service was so slow that the main came out and the side fries took another 10 minutes to arrive, that they took the salad charge off the bill. Gotta smile :rolleyes:

Glad you could smile: I don't think I would. As for slow service, we did La Cucina on the Jewel, I think it was a few years ago: there were 8 of us and yes, I realize the larger the group the worse the service plus we have one person who often cruises with us that can be very picky and demanding. She slows things up: anyway I don't remembering anything about extra charges for anything but yes, the service was awful. the last 2 times we have cruised, the service has been fine. We are cruising with the group of 8 again, next week. I am not planning on using La Cucina and including her in our group.

[newmexicoNita]

Slightly different situation, though agree about ticking off customers. The Platinum dinners were totally free up until just recently when they made changes to the loyalty levels and benefits.

 

The Specialty Dining package includes, AFAIK, anything you order except an add'l entree, correct me if I'm wrong please.

 

The Platinum dinner I shared would have cost $67 + 18% grat. plus the cost of the wine which I would guess to be around $22-25 or $9-12 on land, again plus 18% grat.

 

IMO I think it would be better to just put a total cost allowance for the Plat. dinners. That way, someone like me could have their apps and starters, entree with multi sides and no dessert. Get rid of the wine, the selection is pretty poor anyway, why bother? I know some will disagree, that's ok.

 

Cheers

I basically think the idea of a flat amount would be ideal. It was solve all this; who does what and what can I get or not get. As for the wine though, all HELL would break lose if the bottle of wine was no longer offered. Think about how many people on here bitched because we only get one per cruise for 2 platinum members now, compared to 2 before the new package, even though they have added some decent other platinum perks. Think they have to keep the wine.

[Linda the Book Lover]

I basically think the idea of a flat amount would be ideal. It was solve all this; who does what and what can I get or not get. As for the wine though, all HELL would break lose if the bottle of wine was no longer offered. Think about how many people on here bitched because we only get one per cruise for 2 platinum members now, compared to 2 before the new package, even though they have added some decent other platinum perks. Think they have to keep the wine.

 

Oh yes...keep the wine, I can imagine the brouhaha taking it away would cause. The cost would include the wine bottle so one can choose not to use the money on the wine and maybe upgrade the meal. Flat dollar certificate to be used as the recipient chooses. Unused certificates cannot be credited to Platinum's account.

[logan25]

Except for a glitch back in the spring, I have been able to order one side with my entree at no charge on multiple ships. As for the glitch, restaurant manager later told me the NCL guidance was to include one side at no charge.

 

Personally, I would raise a stink.

[Aldeya]

The idea of spending time in the specialty restaurant trying to figure out what we can and can't have is not appealing to us at all.

 

We are new Platinum and I think it would be embarrassing to us, to a waiter and would spoil the evening for sure. We might just order what we want and pay the difference.