Ambassador Level "Free" Cruise Benefit??

[DebbieCruises]

We happily achieved our Ambassador level status in early December.  After several phone calls and emails to the ambassadormembers@ncl.com address, as I was directed, I still know next to nothing.  The NCL website says you must take the cruise within a year.  The people from the email, said I have up to 2 years. They confirmed it MUST be a 7-day cruise (not 5 or 10 or anything else).  We normally cruise in the Haven on longer cruises.  When I finally found a 7-day to the Caribbean, they said they will apply the cost of a balcony cabin to the Haven suite we chose, but... we can not have any other of the current promotions.  The 30% discount, the drink package, dinner package, wifi minutes, etc. wold apparently cost extra.  It looks like it will cost more than booking directly or  with a travel agent.  Is that true.  Am I misunderstanding the benefit?  Has anyone else booked their 'free" cruise yet?

[MeHeartCruising]

I'm not Ambassador, but the perk is for a "Complimentary 7 Day Cruise".  It sounds like they have told you they will pay for a balcony cabin on that 7 day cruise.  I would not expect them to extend any additional benefit in conjunction with it since those are not listed as part of the benefit.  Since they agreed to apply that "price" to a Haven Suite, I would still not expect them to extend any additional benefits with it.  I think you'll need to pay for anything else you might want on top of the free cruise fare.

Edited January 20, 2020 by MeHeartCruising

[DebbieCruises]

1 minute ago, MeHeartCruising said:

I'm not Ambassador, but the perk is for a "Complimentary 7 Day Cruise".  It sounds like they have told you they will pay for a balcony cabin on that 7 day cruise.  I would not expect them to extend any additional benefit in conjunction with it since those are not listed as part of the benefit.  Since they agreed to apply that "price" to a Haven Suite, I would still not expect them to extend any additional benefits with it.  I think you'll need to pay for anything else you might want on top of the free cruise fare.

But a balcony cabin is with a 30% discount and the "Free at Sea" perks included.  If they offer the  $1345 for a balcony cabin, but charge full fare for everything else, how does that help.  I actually think it might  be less expensive or at the very least equal to get the suite with the current promotion instead of getting my free cruise.  Oh, they also charge extra for the taxes and fees for 2 people in the cabin and they are not part of the cost of the "free balcony" cabin price.  I guess I need to see what they are charging for the drink package, dinner package, WiFi minutes package etc. before deciding

[MeHeartCruising]

3 minutes ago, DebbieCruises said:

But a balcony cabin is with a 30% discount and the "Free at Sea" perks included.  If they offer the  $1345 for a balcony cabin, but charge full fare for everything else, how does that help.  I actually think it might  be less expensive or at the very least equal to get the suite with the current promotion instead of getting my free cruise.  Oh, they also charge extra for the taxes and fees for 2 people in the cabin and they are not part of the cost of the "free balcony" cabin price.  I guess I need to see what they are charging for the drink package, dinner package, WiFi minutes package etc. before deciding

 

Exactly.  You need to decide what extras you MUST have and decide if the free cruise makes you happy.  I personally would be happy with a free cruise with no perks.  But not everyone will be.

[Newleno]

8 minutes ago, DebbieCruises said:

But a balcony cabin is with a 30% discount and the "Free at Sea" perks included.  If they offer the  $1345 for a balcony cabin, but charge full fare for everything else, how does that help.  I actually think it might  be less expensive or at the very least equal to get the suite with the current promotion instead of getting my free cruise.  Oh, they also charge extra for the taxes and fees for 2 people in the cabin and they are not part of the cost of the "free balcony" cabin price.  I guess I need to see what they are charging for the drink package, dinner package, WiFi minutes package etc. before deciding

if the free cruise parameters dont meet your need,  well, if you can gift it we would be most appreciative 

[DebbieCruises]

1 minute ago, Newleno said:

if the free cruise parameters dont meet your need,  well, if you can gift it we would be most appreciative 

Sorry to say, no gifting allowed.  You would still have to pay the $385 taxes and fees. as well as the daily service charge for 2 people times 7, which would be another $210.  That's not too bad for a week in a balcony cabin though.  Of course, then don't forget to add on plane fare, hotel reservation, and any dinners, shows, and drinks that are not included.😞

 

 

[casofilia]

The information is that they will give you a 7 day cruise (each of course if you both get there at the same time) and that is it.  Just a cruise and it seems that it would be in a Balcony.

[Love my butler]

Yes, you only get the bare bones.  Nothing extra or promos.  As a final kick in the azz for being such a loyal customer to achieve Ambassador status, you get ZERO points on your free cruise.  Thanks NCL.

 

For your convenience of course.....

[DrSea]

Congrats OP! 

 

 

You are the first ambassador that I have seen ever. 

[PortFees45]

5 minutes ago, Love my butler said:

Yes, you only get the bare bones.  Nothing extra or promos.  As a final kick in the azz for being such a loyal customer to achieve Ambassador status, you get ZERO points on your free cruise.  Thanks NCL.

 

For your convenience of course.....

What good are more points once you hit Ambassador? 

[casofilia]

One thing that I found disappointing, not for us as we are a way off yet, but for people we knew on the last cruise who had achieved the status.

They were not even comped eating in the dining room used for breakfast and lunch for those in suites.

[mugtech]

3 hours ago, PortFees45 said:

What good are more points once you hit Ambassador? 

Bragging rights.  On RCI at the loyalty wine & cheese gig they always announce the cruiser with the most points and the amount of points.

[casofilia]

@mugtech

.

But on NCL the points mean nothing really.

 

In the old days you could get to gold and even platinum with 2 cruises and about 30 nights!!   Suite, Booked 6 months in advance and a third for Latitudes Special.

 

We have over 500 points and only 265 nights.

[mugtech]

2 minutes ago, casofilia said:

@mugtech

.

But on NCL the points mean nothing really.

 

In the old days you could get to gold and even platinum with 2 cruises and about 30 nights!!   Suite, Booked 6 months in advance and a third for Latitudes Special.

 

We have over 500 points and only 265 nights.

True, RCI also gives out an additional gift for every additional 70 points after hitting the top.  Made Platinum on NCL after cruising 39 nights in inside cabins, all doubled for booking 9 months or more before cruise, a lost benefit.

[Love my butler]

5 hours ago, PortFees45 said:

What good are more points once you hit Ambassador? 

 

If your supposition is correct, then why would NCL not grant you the points?  They are worthless right?  NCL being petty. 

The actual answer is the points could very well mean something in the future.  It was only a few short years ago when NCL revamped the Latitudes points system and those 'worthless' extra points sure mattered.

[Budget Queen]

Everything you’ve been told is correct.   It is no perk balcony cabin which you have to pay taxes and prepay grats.   You can NOT use a Cruise Next ( unlike CAS comped cruises).  And limited to 7 days.   

 

This is one time.   The benefits are an extra 40 minutes of internet.  

 

Unlike the shortcut claims above-  I earned most of my points by actually sailing.  😀😀.   The bonus was previously for cruises booked 9 months ahead- not 6.  I did have a few of those.   

 

I redeemed my Ambassador cruise on POA.  The highest value.   I can pick up Caribbean cruises on the cheap discount rack often,  so of no value to me.   

[littlelulu01]

Congratulations on the achievement!  The POA in a balcony sounds like a good idea.  Or catching the last sailing of Alaska season in a balcony and then tacking on a bigger journey in a suite?  Something like the Jewel from Vancouver to Hawaii?  You and Joan are the most helpful and organized travelers I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. I’m guessing should you choose to sail without a beverage your glass won’t stay empty. I knew you were an organized traveler.  Had no idea I was sailing around the med with a legend! Kim 

[roger001]

We'll never reach Ambassador.  However, to me that free cruse is just marketed wrong.  Ambassadors are going to be few and far between.  It should at least be at a suite level room and include all usually benefits whether they are being offered or not.  These extras (beverage, speciality restaurant, etc) cost NCL very little.  This being a one time thing for this very special and loyal customer should, for them, be a joy to receive, not this gift with all the restrictions and fine print attached to it.  That just ruins the happy effect it should have provided.  And NCL should even congratulate the Ambassadors with a public recognition.   That's marketing!  The positive spin would offer returns much greater than the small extra cost of doing it right......instead of what they are doing with it.  My opinion.  

[SouthLyonCruiser]

If the 'free' seven day cruise is for any seven day cruise of your choice; go for a 7 day Alaska in July. That is one expensive cruise and if all you had to pay were port fees and taxes, it is still quite a perk. And, if you take the cruise out of Seattle instead of Vancouver, you say quite a bit on air fare.

[Double Jack]

For as much time and money it takes to achieve Ambassador level, NCL could do better.

 

As my grandmother used to say "the juice ain't worth the squeeze"

[TSUmom]

16 hours ago, DebbieCruises said:

We happily achieved our Ambassador level status in early December.  After several phone calls and emails to the ambassadormembers@ncl.com address, as I was directed, I still know next to nothing.  The NCL website says you must take the cruise within a year.  The people from the email, said I have up to 2 years. They confirmed it MUST be a 7-day cruise (not 5 or 10 or anything else).  We normally cruise in the Haven on longer cruises.  When I finally found a 7-day to the Caribbean, they said they will apply the cost of a balcony cabin to the Haven suite we chose, but... we can not have any other of the current promotions.  The 30% discount, the drink package, dinner package, wifi minutes, etc. wold apparently cost extra.  It looks like it will cost more than booking directly or  with a travel agent.  Is that true.  Am I misunderstanding the benefit?  Has anyone else booked their 'free" cruise yet?

Congratulations!!!  I would take one of the more expensive cruises in a balcony,  Alaska or Hawaii.  Will you still receive your 2 free dinners and 100 min internet which are tier benefits?

[armwinder]

10 hours ago, casofilia said:

@mugtech

.

But on NCL the points mean nothing really.

 

In the old days you could get to gold and even platinum with 2 cruises and about 30 nights!!   Suite, Booked 6 months in advance and a third for Latitudes Special.

 

We have over 500 points and only 265 nights.

It used to be per cruise and not per night, even a back to back was counted as only one cruise.  We had 16 cruises under our belt before reaching Platinum.  Most of those were 14 day cruises or 7 day back to back.  Nothing is free of course but on a few of our cruises the hotel director and or another senior Officer would invite us out for dinner with another 2 couples, either  owners suite or ambassador level cruisers.  

[PortFees45]

I thought there were like 20 ambassadors and they were all in their late 90's. 

[dexddd]

4 hours ago, roger001 said:

We'll never reach Ambassador.  However, to me that free cruse is just marketed wrong.  Ambassadors are going to be few and far between.  It should at least be at a suite level room and include all usually benefits whether they are being offered or not.  These extras (beverage, speciality restaurant, etc) cost NCL very little.  This being a one time thing for this very special and loyal customer should, for them, be a joy to receive, not this gift with all the restrictions and fine print attached to it.  That just ruins the happy effect it should have provided.  And NCL should even congratulate the Ambassadors with a public recognition.   That's marketing!  The positive spin would offer returns much greater than the small extra cost of doing it right......instead of what they are doing with it.  My opinion.  

I agree.

[dexddd]

39 minutes ago, armwinder said:

It used to be per cruise and not per night, even a back to back was counted as only one cruise.  We had 16 cruises under our belt before reaching Platinum.  Most of those were 14 day cruises or 7 day back to back.  Nothing is free of course but on a few of our cruises the hotel director and or another senior Officer would invite us out for dinner with another 2 couples, either  owners suite or ambassador level cruisers.  

OS level cruisers?  We've stayed in many OS and DOS and other than what came as part of a "deal" or Latitudes program have never had a meal comped by NCL because of room type nor asked to dine with Officers.  Actually, they like to point out restrictions at restaurants that don't exist, all for our convenience, of course. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by dexddd