CHANGES TO CRUISE LINE LOYALTY PROGRAMS - CONTINUED


In 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) implemented several significant changes to its offerings. It's important to note that these were not all part of a single loyalty program overhaul. Instead, they involved two key areas: the Casinos at Sea® (CAS) program for players in early 2024 and the line-wide "Free at Sea" to "More at Sea" transition for all guests in late 2024.

Here is a breakdown of the key changes made in 2024:

🎰 Casinos at Sea® (CAS) Program Changes (April 2024)

In April 2024, NCL updated its Casinos at Sea® program, which primarily affected how players earn benefits based on their tier status .

  • Tier Threshold Adjusted: The points required to reach the entry-level Pearl status were lowered from 5,000 to 4,000 tier points, making it slightly easier to achieve .

  • Perks Removed for Lower Tiers: For Pearl-level members, two key perks were eliminated :

    • Onboard Credit (OBC) : The $100 onboard credit previously offered to Pearl members was discontinued.

    • Casino Drinks: Complimentary drinks (like bottled water, Red Bull, and espresso) served directly in the casino area were also removed.

  • No Grandfathering: These changes took effect immediately for sailings from April 1, 2024, onward, with no grandfathering for cruises booked before the announcement .

🍷 "Free at Sea" to "More at Sea" Transition (October 2024)

Later in the year, NCL replaced its long-standing "Free at Sea" booking promotion with a new program called "More at Sea," which applies to all guests .

This change enhances several included amenities but comes with an updated cost structure. The table below summarizes the key differences for bookings made under the new program for sailings after January 1, 2025 :

Perk Category"Free at Sea" (Previous)"More at Sea" (New)
Beverage PackageStandard open bar; premium brands required upcharge.Upgraded: Includes more premium brands and 100+ specialty cocktails. 
Specialty DiningNumber of meals varied; menu items could have surcharges.More Meals: Additional meals based on cruise length. More Flexibility: Now includes up to 3 appetizers and 3 desserts per meal. 
Wi-FiMinutes were per person, but often for only one device/user.More Access: Now includes 75-150 minutes of Starlink Wi-Fi for every guest in the stateroom. 

  • Important Transition Note: While the "More at Sea" benefits are enhanced, the associated gratuity charges are higher than under "Free at Sea." For example, on a 7-day cruise for two, the gratuities for the new package increased significantly, reflecting the higher value of the included items .

🤝 NCLH Loyalty Status Honoring Program (Announced 2024)

In addition to the direct NCL program changes, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), the parent company, announced a new initiative. Starting in October 2025, members of NCL's Latitudes Rewards program will have their loyalty status recognized when sailing with the company's other brands, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises . This allows loyal NCL guests to enjoy reciprocal benefits across the entire family of cruise lines.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hawaii - Honolulu Elks Lodge 616 on the Ocean

Image
Honolulu Elks Lodge 616 is located in Waikiki, right on the Ocean. If you are an Elk and find yourself on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu you have to visit  Elks Lodge 616 located in Waikiki.  It is near to near the zoo. Stunning setting, right on the ocean. Enjoy a drink while listening to the waves. Or take a dip in the pool.
Read more

What Happened to our Booking? And our Ship?

Image
A month or so passed and we were busy doing our everyday routines.  Finally a question came up on a Sunday morning about our cabin on the upcoming Hawaii Cruise. So I went on line to pull up our reservation.  It came up as an unrecognized reservation. The travel agency was closed  on Sunday, so I decided to just pull up the ship and look at the room we had booked. It was an Ocean View. I could not pull up the ship. Finally I called Norwegian Cruise Lines directly. They informed me that the ship had been renamed Norwegian Sky and was reallocated to an Asian itinerary. I was  dumbfounded. Needless to say, the first thing to do on Monday morning was to get ahold of the travel agent.
Read more

Grand Cayman Island Vacation - November 2009

We drove to Portland the day before our departure, as we typically do when catching an early morning flight out of Portland Airport. We use park and fly hotels, since they are typically a better deal than parking at the airport. We have become fond of staying at the Staybridge when flying out of Portland.  www.staybridge.com  Not only do they have very nice rooms at a reasonable rate; but on Tuesday through Thursday they had a complimentary meal in the evening. With Wine and Beer.  In the morning they have a buffet breakfast, though we typically have flights that leave too early to allow for breakfast. This trip was an exception in that our flight did not leave Portland until about Noon. We were flying on American Airlines so we had a layover in DFW on the way to Miami.  For those that are wondering; yes we were using our frequent flier miles with American Airlines.  The Layover was brief and we arrived in Miami at 10:30pm.  After retrieving our lugg...
Read more