Turtles06

If I were going to pay for a special stateroom for the Canal, it would be one with a forward-facing balcony (and I've done so). But there are folks who have loved their aft-facing balconies for a transit as well. @CruiserBruce is absolutely correct that, wherever your balcony is located, you don't want to spend the whole transit there. You want to experience the transit from all over the ship; high, low, forward, aft. Keep in mind that the Canal is just one day of your cruise. You would likely enjoy your special balcony for the rest of the trip.

Overlord is fabulous, and books up early. Check them out on the France Ports of Call forum.

We've been in those forward-facing penthouses on the Gem and Jewel several times. Yes, I believe there's a sign about not being out on the balcony when the ship is underway. But, in practice, there's no issue being out there when the ship is at sea; in fact, the folks on the Navigation Bridge can see you out there. Never been a problem. Just be careful to have the sea door open and hooked to the bulkhead behind it. And *never* open your stateroom door when the sea door is open and the ship is moving. It's a mistake you'll only make once. 😂 [And don't let your fingers anywhere near the frame of the sea door when you are opening or closing it.] One of the most relaxing days I've ever spent was sitting out on that balcony during the sea day after we'd transited the Panama Canal, watching a bunch of Brown Booby birds flying around and landing on the ship, knocking each other off, etc.

Been there, done that. Depending on the other people at the table, it absolutely can be awful. Which is why we love NCL’s freestyle dining. It’s so popular that other cruise lines were forced to follow suit, adopting some form of “anytime dining” on ships that weren’t built to handle it.

The following is a (generally reliable but not always up to date) third party web site, not the official port site, but it shows the Getaway in Kusadasi on Sept. 2, 2024. (You didn't say what ship you are on.) https://www.cruisetimetables.com/kusadasi-ephesus-turkey-cruise-ship-schedule.html The site shows no NCL ship there on August 31, 2024, the date the OP said the VIVA was supposed to be there.

And for those who want to consult the official port web site (which, as discussed above, has the added benefit of showing whether a ship will be using the SeaWalk or tendering): https://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/cruise-calls/

I was going to suggest the same thing, especially if the OP wants a really large balcony.

The article says the dog “showed interest in the cabin,” and then, inside, they found the stash.

Henry, I’m looking forward to reading your reports; thanks for once again taking time out of your vacation to share them. And I have a friend who’ll be on board, so this will be a good way to keep tabs on her crossing too. Your visit to Normandy of course comes just prior to the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. Are you planning to tour the D-Day sites in this special year? (Very emotional visit in *any* year.) I hope you have good weather for the crossing and a safe and fabulous trip. Judith

Do you mean the Pilgrim Monument?

Thanks Charles. I was replying to someone who was talking about sailing out of NYC. Obviously, I did not catch their error about the OP’s departure port. 🙃

I hope folks don’t remain in their stateroom for sail away from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Yes, the port side would offer great views of Manhattan, but none of New Jersey nor of the Statue of Liberty. And one really should be up on a high deck when the ship sails under the Verrazzano Bridge. Altogether, one of the most magnificent sail aways in the world. 😊

I have disembarked at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal when no one with baggage to be retrieved was allowed to proceed into the baggage claim area (including guests with “priority”) until *all* of the baggage had been taken off the ship and placed in their respective color-coded areas.

I know this would increase the cost, and I know you mentioned having school-aged kids, but *if* there are two adults in the group, what about splitting up and taking two taxis?

We’ve eaten at churrascarias on land and several times at Moderno on different NCL ships. We’ve decided NCL just can’t pull this off, at least on the Jewel-class ships. (Poor quality meat, often cold, etc.) If you want to try a churrascaria for the first time, I wouldn’t do it on a ship. Hopefully you can find a Fogo de Chao or another churrascaria somewhere where you live. If you want meat, especially cooked a certain way, I suggest Cagney’s. Enjoy your cruise.