Latitudes Rewards Cancelled Because of COVID

[CaptainBazz]

Latitudes rewards such as Wines around the World and Behind the Scenes Tour were cancelled on the last two sailings we took because of Covid. Has anyone sailed recently and can advise if they are still canceled? 

[phissy]

We sailed first week of May. Bliss to Alaska. 
We were advised that they would not be doing these on our cruise.

We did not inquire directly but were at CruiseNext desk to get our new pins.

At that time we were told that were not doing it .

She also told us she was putting $50 OBC into our account to compensate 

for this.  Nice she was so proactive.

[CaptainBazz]

32 minutes ago, phissy said:

We sailed first week of May. Bliss to Alaska. 
We were advised that they would not be doing these on our cruise.

We did not inquire directly but were at CruiseNext desk to get our new pins.

At that time we were told that were not doing it .

She also told us she was putting $50 OBC into our account to compensate 

for this.  Nice she was so proactive.

We are on the Bliss in Sept so I will make sure to enquire and hopefully get an OBC if they are cancelled.

[morrisretired]

We are Sapphire (used to be Platinum Plus) and also missed Dinner with an Officer, in addition to the Behind the Scenes Tour and Wines Around the World. I think all 3 should be worth more than the $50 OBC per Cabin.

[jkrislc]

When we did our meet and greet on the Gem in January, they were preventing the officers from attending because of COVID. However, three weeks earlier on Princess, at least a dozen officers and staff were at the meet and greet thanking us for supporting the industry and being some of the first back onboard.

 

I think a lot of this has to do with cost-cutting now instead of COVID protocols much like how hotels are no longer offering regular housekeeping unless requested.

[KeithJenner]

15 minutes ago, jkrislc said:

When we did our meet and greet on the Gem in January, they were preventing the officers from attending because of COVID. However, three weeks earlier on Princess, at least a dozen officers and staff were at the meet and greet thanking us for supporting the industry and being some of the first back onboard.

 

I think a lot of this has to do with cost-cutting now instead of COVID protocols much like how hotels are no longer offering regular housekeeping unless requested.

I doubt they are saving much money as they are giving out OBC to people who wouldn’t even be taking part in the missing things.

 

It takes a couple of people an hour to do a behind the scenes tour (plus a little bit of disruption to people working in the visited areas). Instead of doing that (and some other similarly time consuming things) they are giving out a few hundred dollars OBC each cruise.

[Suite Heart]

If I recall correctly, you have to go to the CruiseNext desk and inquire about signing up for those activities. They will tell you that the activities are not available, but "we will give you a $50 OBC." At least that's the way it was on the Joy in March 2022.

 

[Sailing12Away]

Wow... I got cheated. We were on the Star last week and at the CN desk they only offered us a total of $25 OBC. But we got platinum pins. Yeah I guess? Anyone want to buy them - they're on sale, 2 for $25! 😆

 

The guy there at the CN desk was a bit of a moron too. I was trying to find out if we had used any CN certificates on our upcoming trips for 2023, and if we hadn't, would we be able to apply them now before final payment date. He kept giving me wrong info left and right, and I got real grumpy with him and just ended up leaving.

 

He was trying to convince me that the only way you can use a CN certificate on an existing booking is to rebook at the current promos. I told him I didn't want to do that as when we booked we are getting 5 nights of specialty dining (15 night sailing), and with the new promo we would only be getting 2. "Oh, but that's ok because with the savings you can buy more dinners!". Yeah, why would I want to spend money on 2 more dinners when I am already getting 3 more for free? Then he was trying to convince me that if I rebooked my trip would be cheaper before the CN certificates were even applied - but the price he was giving me was 2K more than what my balance currently is. If I had internet connection I would have loved to pull up my actual remaining balance to show him how wrong he was, but it wasn't worth it.

 

And yes, the $25 credit was a day or two before I got snarky with him - so that's not why we only got 1 OBC instead of one each. 

[mking8288]

@Sailing12Away  Platinum received or were given $25 OBC only, attributed to not being offered the abbreviated 1 hour Behind The Scene tour only.  Sapphire/Diamond tiers were issued/given $50 OBC BTS tour, Dine w Officers & Wine ... all 3 not offered currently.  On both the Getaway & Joy recently, letters were distributed to the staterooms and NR OBC given only to folks that stopped by or visited the CruiseNext Desk by asking or presenting the letter in person ... not automatically given, for your convenience. In all fairness, you weren't cheated. 

 

As for now he tried to mislead, that's a different matter.  

[ChiefMateJRK]

16 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

Wow... I got cheated. We were on the Star last week and at the CN desk they only offered us a total of $25 OBC. But we got platinum pins. Yeah I guess? Anyone want to buy them - they're on sale, 2 for $25! 😆

Don't send your money to @Sailing12Away!!  I also have week old Platinum pins and I'll beat her price by $10 (or whatever it takes).  😎 (jk)

 

I asked about the OBC and was assured that it would be automatically applied to my onboard account.  When I last checked it the morning of disembarkation, I didn't see it.  Of course, it also said they had billed my VISA which hasn't happened yet.  I think I was supposed to get a paper account summary delivered to my room, but that didn't happen either.  I couldn't  have missed it because they told us we had to be out of our room by 9:00 and, as a matter of principle, I closed the door at 9:01.  Neither DD or DW were really amused, but I was (which sometimes is all I get).  We then squatted in the observation lounge until 9:30 when they announced that everybody had to get their butts off the ship.  😒

[KeithJenner]

Yes, to confirm, they are giving $25 per cabin to platinum and €50 per cabin for sapphire and above.

[ace2542]

They have also got rid of the free champagne in your cabin and the free alcholic drinks in the mini bar

[MagnoliaBlossom]

No more sparkling wine?  Dang.  It was nice to use for mimosas at breakfast on the balcony.  Oh well.

[dexddd]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

They have also got rid of the free champagne in your cabin and the free alcholic drinks in the mini bar

Free champagne was only in OS and above, for Latitudes perk it was duc,, something sparking wine.  Free booze in mini bar, never recall that on NCL, please give details.

[All-ready2cruise]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

Free champagne was only in OS and above, for Latitudes perk it was duc,, something sparking wine.  Free booze in mini bar, never recall that on NCL, please give details.

Exactly, never heard of free booze in the mini bar. The sparkling wine, not horrible if served chilled with good OJ, I guess. 

[ace2542]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

Free champagne was only in OS and above, for Latitudes perk it was duc,, something sparking wine.  Free booze in mini bar, never recall that on NCL, please give details.

All I know was our fridge in the cabin this time was empty but for bottled water. And we are gold and got no champagne or sparkling wine bottle welcome back.

Edited June 1, 2022 by ace2542

[The P]

9 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Yes, to confirm, they are giving $25 per cabin to platinum and €50 per cabin for sapphire and above.

I was told those amounts and Latitude levels. I was also told per cabin, NOT per person.

[mking8288]

We had a Meet & Greet 4 or 5 years ago, several CC'ers contributed theirs as door prizes - almost couldn't get rid of them.  

 

Someone took them and said he's going to have a bubble bath in the tub as they're staying in a mini-suite, LOL.  Remember this ... trade or barter for 2 "cartons" of water anytime then, if the steward wasn't able to exchange it for something else.  Old days 👴

 

 

[KeithJenner]

2 hours ago, The P said:

I was told those amounts and Latitude levels. I was also told per cabin, NOT per person.

Yes, per cabin. It will be based on the highest level person in the cabin.

[Sailing12Away]

As for the free sparkling wine, we've had it on our last 2 trips waiting for us in the cabin - but those were special journeys in the garden villa, not sure if that made a difference. 

 

Moet waiting in the chill bucket, and this trip a few weeks back when we said we liked champagne with juice at breakfast there was a bottle of Prosecco waiting in the fridge with 2 full cartons of juice every day.

[insidecabin]

Dinner with officers was back on the Getaway last cruise( May 18-27).

 

Not stiped, but an entertainment team senior as a sacrificial "officer"

 

to early to have the real ones mixing with pax covid is endemic on the ships and no spares if they have to quarantine.

 

Latitudes party had the officers doing the thanks stuff(away from the people), a few give away's  then the cruise next sales talk.

[snorklinbarb]

Just off B2B2B Escape.  Unfortunately no Dinner with the Officers.  No Behind the Scenes, Wines Around the World Tasting or new (Diamond and Ambassador) perk Mixology Sustainable Class or whatever it is.

 

On Transatlantic, 3 Latitudes parties depending on deck.  Only 1510 passengers but just about everybody silver or above I guess.

 

On Greek Isles (only one day at sea, all ports), 1 party for everyone.  Drinks, cheeses, senior officers, musician, CN welcome & "pitch", nicely done.

 

Depending on latitudes level, $25 or $50 OBC per cabin as their loyalty gift in lieu of events.  The Latitudes letter says stop at the desk for a gift but does not specify what it is.

 

One of the best new things is we got a letter that first dinner voucher for 2 to be used at Cagney's or Le Bistro with wine.

 

The 2nd could be used at any specialty and was treated like SDP terms.  

In either case, no more surcharge for entrees over $35.  NCL apparently listened to the negative feedback from loyal customers who would receive $1.40 or $2.60 type "bills" for their entree overage.

 

With the new specialty entrees, just about everything exceeds $35.  The printed vouchers still state up to $35 max but they say the next batch will read differently?!  In any event, the only things that would incur a surcharge would be the lobster ($25 surcharge with SDP) and some other items (e.g. Cagney's crab cake app) depending on venue.

 

 

[TOMTOMRN331]

On 6/2/2022 at 8:07 AM, snorklinbarb said:

Just off B2B2B Escape.  Unfortunately no Dinner with the Officers.  No Behind the Scenes, Wines Around the World Tasting or new (Diamond and Ambassador) perk Mixology Sustainable Class or whatever it is.

 

On Transatlantic, 3 Latitudes parties depending on deck.  Only 1510 passengers but just about everybody silver or above I guess.

 

On Greek Isles (only one day at sea, all ports), 1 party for everyone.  Drinks, cheeses, senior officers, musician, CN welcome & "pitch", nicely done.

 

Depending on latitudes level, $25 or $50 OBC per cabin as their loyalty gift in lieu of events.  The Latitudes letter says stop at the desk for a gift but does not specify what it is.

 

One of the best new things is we got a letter that first dinner voucher for 2 to be used at Cagney's or Le Bistro with wine.

 

The 2nd could be used at any specialty and was treated like SDP terms.  

In either case, no more surcharge for entrees over $35.  NCL apparently listened to the negative feedback from loyal customers who would receive $1.40 or $2.60 type "bills" for their entree overage.

 

With the new specialty entrees, just about everything exceeds $35.  The printed vouchers still state up to $35 max but they say the next batch will read differently?!  In any event, the only things that would incur a surcharge would be the lobster ($25 surcharge with SDP) and some other items (e.g. Cagney's crab cake app) depending on venue.

 

 

Hi there - with the dinning voucher did you have any issues making reservations for either Cagney's or Le Bistro while on the ship?

 

We are sailing Jewel Jan 2023 and am curious if I can pre reserve our voucher or if I have to wait till we get on the ship. We only have one x SDP meal for our cruise so was looking forward to being able to enjoy a second venue. 

 

Thank you 

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, TOMTOMRN331 said:

Hi there - with the dinning voucher did you have any issues making reservations for either Cagney's or Le Bistro while on the ship?

 

We are sailing Jewel Jan 2023 and am curious if I can pre reserve our voucher or if I have to wait till we get on the ship. We only have one x SDP meal for our cruise so was looking forward to being able to enjoy a second venue. 

 

Thank you 

You can reserve whatever meals you want in advance.

[TrumpyNor]

On 6/2/2022 at 5:07 PM, snorklinbarb said:

Just off B2B2B Escape.  Unfortunately no Dinner with the Officers.  No Behind the Scenes, Wines Around the World Tasting or new (Diamond and Ambassador) perk Mixology Sustainable Class or whatever it is.

 

On Transatlantic, 3 Latitudes parties depending on deck.  Only 1510 passengers but just about everybody silver or above I guess.

 

On Greek Isles (only one day at sea, all ports), 1 party for everyone.  Drinks, cheeses, senior officers, musician, CN welcome & "pitch", nicely done.

 

Depending on latitudes level, $25 or $50 OBC per cabin as their loyalty gift in lieu of events.  The Latitudes letter says stop at the desk for a gift but does not specify what it is.

 

One of the best new things is we got a letter that first dinner voucher for 2 to be used at Cagney's or Le Bistro with wine.

 

The 2nd could be used at any specialty and was treated like SDP terms.  

In either case, no more surcharge for entrees over $35.  NCL apparently listened to the negative feedback from loyal customers who would receive $1.40 or $2.60 type "bills" for their entree overage.

 

With the new specialty entrees, just about everything exceeds $35.  The printed vouchers still state up to $35 max but they say the next batch will read differently?!  In any event, the only things that would incur a surcharge would be the lobster ($25 surcharge with SDP) and some other items (e.g. Cagney's crab cake app) depending on venue.

 

 

Did you participate in any CC Meet & Greet/Meet & Mingle during any of your three B2B cruises? I am organizing one on the Escape in August, and just would like to know if the senior officers came to the M&G to introduce themselves, like they used to do pre-covid.....?🤞 😊

Edited June 5, 2022 by TrumpyNor