CruzinMel

Ok, now I have to do that one! Thanks°°

I wonder. . . sea grass comes to mind. I was doing some continuing education about environmental offsets for corporations, and it suggested that the Bahamas (being the major owner of most of the sea grass areas) was selling the rights to their sea grass. Bahamas got a revenue boost, and corporations got credits to offset against their carbon footprints, happy happy happy, and maintaining the sea grass meant that the corps had to look out for sea turtles, too, because the sea grass was their main diet and they were vital to the food chain, etc. SO - that said - perhaps NCL is offsetting somewhere/something else for any damage they might do to reefs to build the dock?

I forgot to mention. . . . . . one thing that I won't do again is the Wine tasting that you pay for. (Thanks to very good planning and a little luck, we got triple Latitudes points on this one and made Platinum, so Wines Around the World, here we come!) I've been wanting to do one of the wine tastings (I don't like whisky enough for those), and for some reason, I never could figure out HOW. Well, here's how: make the reservation in Headliners when you go to get your dining sorted out. There was a crew member with a table at the back of Headliners, where you could reserve a spot at the experiences. There is a small chance that you can show up and get in, but at the one we attended, no luck - it was full. We did wine and cheese, and . . . meh. Our card wasn't charged until we actually got there, so that was good. The Cellar was packed full, and each setting had 4 glasses with maybe a swallow or two of wine, and 4 tiny bites of cheese. Now, I'm here to tell you, a Pouilly-Fuisse with a bite of Gruyere was indeed a revelation, and unlike some of the other folks, I enjoyed the Ice wine (they thought it was like drinking sugar.) An actual sommelier led the experience, and he started out a wee bit snooty but warmed up as it went on. . . but it was over in 20 minutes. Maybe it lasted 22 minutes, so we paid $1 a minute for 4 swallows of wine and 2 bites of cheese. For me, not worth it. YMMV. What was big fun was my first ever Bachata dance lesson. Yeah, I looked stupid, and no, DH refused to participate, so I ended up partnered with a truly lovely lady (really - she had the most gorgeous blue eyes and white hair, and a sweet spirit to match.) But it was fun (if hot) and I would totally do it again. I just wish I'd looked like the couple next to me, who were clearly born to bachata. I also forgot to tell you about Disembarkation. After surviving the gauntlet of the parking deck in our very large truck, DH was determined that we would get out early. How early? HE WOKE ME UP AT 5 AM. We were in the buffet when it opened at 6 (limited menu, but the omelet/egg station is hopping), and back in the room by 7, rolling our suitcases out to O'Sheehan's on Deck 7, where all the tables had been pushed back against the walls and rope lines set up for the exit. Honestly? It was as easy as a Haven exit - we were on the interstate at 7:45, headed back to Georgia, and we were home by 2. Folks I spoke with who left later got stuck in traffic jams getting out of the parking deck/terminal area, so despite it being a Very Long Day, DH made a good choice.

We did, and thank you!! I'm looking forward to learning a new ship - I love Escape, but I think 3 trips on her are enough. She really has the best crew, though.

A few pics, and then I'm done!

One of the other posters told us - it was probably from a crew lounge at the forward part of the ship. It was never terrible - I just noticed it.

That was my original plan for the cruise I just got back from (myself and DH in the big bed, DD22 on the couch.) The sleeping arrangements would have been fine, and I think clothes storage would have worked as well - we'd have had the balcony to spread out on if we were all in the room at the same time, so I think it'd be ok. We are not skinny people, either. Once through the bottleneck of the door, the cabin felt spacious with DH and myself, and I don't think the 3rd person would have compromised that. I did have some misgivings, though, about the bathroom, and everybody's "stuff". This cabin had a little less in terms of storage than I'm used to, and if we'd been navigating around each others' stuff, that would have started to feel cramped. For a week on a ship, though, with an adult child who likely would have found things to do without us, and a port-intensive itinerary, I'd have done it. Going from the Club Balcony to a Haven 2 BR suite would have been a rather large chunk of money.

I just got home from a week in a Club Balcony - yes, this is correct. I have a dietary issue (gluten allergy) so our snacks were mixed fruit on 2 separate days, and I totally took advantage of the free bag of laundry.

I'm hesitant about this, because 600 days is a long wait and things change, BUT the Haven experience at the terminal has been the same for the last 2 years, so here goes: There isn't anything particular for Haven parking or porters (except your luggage tags, which are mailed to you after you check in). Whether you drop off luggage first, or park and drop off, it's all the same. Where the difference comes in is that Haven guests need to locate the tent outside the terminal to begin their process. (It is at the far right, if you are facing the terminal, but before the escalators.) The tent has a tiny sign to indicate it is for Haven; a representative will check your name off their list, and then direct you to go up the escalator to security. Haven guests have a separate security line; show your passports et al, then go through the metal detector. Once past the detector, you will be at the entrance to the terminal. If you are lucky, a Haven representative will pick you up and escort you to the Haven waiting area; if not, you will walk the entire length of the terminal, all the way down as far as you can go to the opposite end (it's easier to stick to the left side of the chairs lined up in the terminal.) Halfway down, you will see a gold "Haven" sign - keep going. The Haven waiting area will be on the left, at the end of the terminal, and by the time you get there, you should have an escort. Once there, it's all smooth sailing - you will check in at the desk, and then while you wait there is tea and coffee and juices, and danishes if I remember correctly. You have a separate waiting area, and will be escorted on first, through your muster station and straight to the Haven lobby itself. After a short wait, the concierge will make introductions, and then you are free to explore the Haven and the ship, and grab some lunch. You can drop off your bags in the room if you like, and wait in line for a concierge to assist you with reservations, etc. Enjoy!

Excursions, or, Things We Did: As I said before, I was very, very lazy with my excursions. Usually I've scrounged through the Dailies and reviews, and I know what I want to do down to the minute. I could not be bothered this time; life was hard enough without overplanning (for once. I usually love overplanning.) Cozumel: Well. . . this is an important tip that in 8-odd cruises, I never got. LOOK AT THE MEETING TIME ON YOUR TICKETS. Don't look in the app, and don't "eyeball" it. Otherwise, you too will wake up the day after NYE, expecting to go cook and eat fun food, and show up 30 minutes late for your excursion and MISS IT ENTIRELY. (This is after, mind you, I groveled for it on embarkation day.) I was stupid. The app said the meeting time was 9:30; the tickets said 9:15. We showed up at 9:45. Also, remember that it takes a while to get off the ship and walk down most piers. I forgot that Cozumel has a long pier, and since I partied a little too hearty the night before, I could not bestir myself to leave earlier or walk faster. I was very disappointed, but it was my own dang fault and there was no one else to blame. Important note on money: We didn't get a refund, and we couldn't just go to the resort and join the excursion (I asked) because they did the head count on the bus, and we weren't on it, so we didn't get counted for the tour. I asked if we could get a refund, and the tour manager told me it depended on what he ended up having to pay the tour operator at the end of the day - ? Whatevs. I paid about $179 for both of us, and we got a $100 credit back, and that was that. We ended up ahead because we got a $60/each credit when the ship missed GSC, but such was the peril of missing the excursion. Norwegian generally says that you need to cancel excursions 24 hours before departure to get a refund, so I was happy with my credit. Cayman Islands: Well, after *that* debacle, DH took over our time management. We did "Discover Cayman", and it was a very enjoyable trip. GeorgeTown is a tender port, and one of the reasons I wanted to book an excursion was to avoid struggling for a tender time. This excursion is one of the shortest, at 2.5 hours, which I felt left plenty of time to explore or Uber over to 7 Mile Beach if we wanted to afterward. Our ticket time had us down in the Manhattan Room with a bunch of other passengers waiting for excursion tenders; they called us by groups, we loaded up, and marched out. (They call tour #'s based on the last couple of digits printed on your ticket; this wasn't obvious to me at first.) There was LOTS of marching, once off the tenders, which surprised me, but the port area is rather large and we had to get out to a parking lot where we boarded very comfortable, air-conditioned buses (none of St Thomas' open-air jalopies here.) Our driver, Blake, was a charming, well-informed and personable gentleman - we enjoyed chatting with him. He took us for a 15 minute stop in Hell, where I mailed postcards back home ("How the hell are ya? Oh, you need postage? Where the hell are you mailing this?") Then there was a 15 minute stop at (gasp!) a rum distillery with a rocky beach and surf spray behind it - beautiful! - and then a good 45 minutes at the Turtle Farm, which was just enough if you didn't lallygag. The rest was a driving tour around the 7 Mile Road, with narration - it was a nice taste of the island. Back at the port, Someone didn't want to chance missing the tenders back to the ship, so we were back early and spent the last couple of hours sitting out on the Waterfront, enjoying the views and (me) reading. Ocho Rios, Jamaica: GSC is always a crap shoot, although it's a fantastic beach day if you make it. Escape had not made it to GSC since Thanksgiving, and I was taking no chances on missing a beach day, so I booked Bamboo Beach VIP for this port. The tour is advertised as a 45 minute bus ride, then rum drinks, shots, and food served to you on a comfy lounger on a beach, with entertainment and music. The bus ride there was more like an hour, but the seats were comfortable and our guide, Kerian, kept us amused with information about Jamaica. The beach was short, but long and lovely - it's protected by a reef (with lifeguards to protect the reef from the visitors) and has really soft sand, but I enjoyed it. Some of us walked on the rocks in the water, but I really think this beach needs water shoes. The VIP guests get fed, although other guests do not, and the food is appetizers (fried shrimp, mahi mahi) and a Jamaican barbeque (jerk chicken, fried fish, rice, beets, cole slaw, fritter). My favorite part is that before we arrived, Kerian asked everybody about dietary issues, and my meal was adjusted so that I got nothing fried or cooked with flour. I'm told I missed out on some really good fish and bread pudding for dessert, but frankly, I was stuffed. I never left my chair - Kerian or one of the other servers brought everything to us and cleaned up afterward. I skipped the shot making, although it sounded fun, and the dancing reminded me of being at the Texas Roadhouse (the servers all lined up and danced to 3 or 4 songs), but we would do this one again. On the way back, the trip was much longer - Jamaican traffic is no joke - and much funnier (see: rum drinks). We stopped at a shopping area, and then got back to the port. (That part is blurry, because: rum drinks.) Once on board, our balcony neighbor told us he was on the same tour, but his bus got stuck in traffic so bad that they ended up with a police escort back to the pier - Escape did, indeed, leave a little bit late but it was all eirie. Great Stirrup Cay: at 7 am, our formerly unused in-room speakers came on so that the Captain could apologize because the operations folks would not let us go to GSC. Those rats! It would be a sea day instead and we'd all be getting new Dailies. We ended up getting a credit as well. I wasn't surprised, exactly, but a little bummed, and there's nothing like being awoken by an authoritative and pleasant Nordic accent booming out just above your right ear. By that point, DH had exhausted his enthusiasm for Crown Royal (shocking!) and I had exhausted my enthusiasm for crowds, so we spent the day on the balcony and I finished book #2. We packed up, bought our photos, picked up a new t shirt for me because I under packed (who DOES that?), and rested up for the sad ride home. Activities? Well, . . . I love Choir of Man. The end. Magician TJ Tana was enjoyable, although we only caught 1 show. The Levity comedians were big fun and we laughed like loons (although there was a Code Alpha called in the middle of it, which was a first - the performer initially didn't know what to do, and then wove it into his act, so we laughed about it while feeling guilty because someone was hurt, but he was funny. . . well, comedy.) Supper Club - I kept forgetting, and our meals were booked. You don't have to eat the meal to see the show, though. Although I promised myself we'd do Howl and play game shows and Bamboozled, and I'd drag DH to the Prom (no need to do the Rumours show, because we saw that last year and I'm not THAT much into Fleetwood Mac). . . except for NYE we could not keep our eyes open much past 9:30 and we missed most of the late night fun. Sigh. Football watching and Hockey watching at the bar outside O'Sheehan's is fun. Gambling - DH never felt drawn much to the tables, but I blew $40 on that dang thing you put the coins in and try to get other coins to fall out of so you have more coins. . . after losing $100 in 25 seconds to a slot machine, I am no longer allowed to gamble with real money and I am ok with that. Trivia - I suck at trivia, and it's still fun. There's also sudoku in the mornings, which I also suck at. I apologize to the ladies I met aft and convinced that the Movie Trivia on the last night was the funniest thing they would ever see - it was funny, but not that funny, and I can only claim I was hammered last year and that made it funnier. This was also Assistant Cruise Director Jeff's last one, because he's getting his own ship, but he does the best striptease ever. A cruise is what you make it, y'all. I'm not quite sure why two sets of random strangers chose to tell us how horrible their cruise was, how cold the food was, how terrible Norwegian was, etc. That wasn't our experience, and I can't wait to do it again!! Fair seas and safe winds to you all!

You know, I have no clue on this one - but keep looking on CC - other folks have cracked the code. Sorry!

NYE was BIG FUN. There are parties in the different venues, with music - we hung out in the Atrium all night, but each of the gathering places had their own thing going on (Skyliners, Spice H2O, etc). With your Daily, you will get an extra piece of paper that will tell you what parties are going on, where, and which musical act is playing at them. We scored hats and noisemakers, too - as the day went on, you saw more and more ladies in little play tiaras and men in plastic top hats. Free champagne for toasting, but no balloon drop. We dressed up a little bit - I had a sparkly top and I made DH wear khakis - but we saw everything from shorts to evening wear. There is a countdown in the venues, and I think my favorite part was seeing the crew enjoy it as well. After the countdown, we went up to Spice H2O for dancing, and pictures! 🙂 Jack (our cruise director) had the MOST AMAZING SUIT. I wished I had taken a picture, because it was fabulous! Last year, we missed all of it because we watched UGA play football on Spice H2O's big screen, and then got too cold so we went to the room. I'm glad we were out and about this year.

I forgot the name of the excursion, but I'm not surprised that you don't see it - it pre-books fast. It is NOT Salsa and Salsa - that was my second choice. This is something like "Mexican Cuisine Workshop" or something similar - you go to a resort, drink margaritas and cook a meal with a hilarious chef to guide you, then you eat the meal with the group and have free time at the resort afterward. It's a reasonably short bus ride away from the port, and it's well worth it.

Hey there - yes. I went first to Headliners, and the line was out the door, so I went back to Guest Services to book my excursion and that let the Headliners lines abate a bit. I didn't quite get my first choice of dining time for Cagney's - for some reason, everybody on this cruise wanted to go there - but I was able to make a reservation. I think you will probably be ok. Another thing, too, is that people like me make reservations for Cagney's, and then decide to eat elsewhere on the spur of the moment, and forget to cancel their reservation. So if you don't get a reservation, check the kiosk on the day, or just go to the restaurant - they'll work you in, if you don't mind a wee wait.

Kitty, I'm glad I could help! I want to be you when I grow up!!! The overhang is there, but it is beyond tiny - maybe 2 ft, 18 inches tops, or so tiny as to be negligible. By the time my lush self was out the sliding door, I missed the overhang entirely. I don't think it would be enough to hide the chairs, but then. . . thinking about the angle, maybe so, but you would be RIGHT up against the glass. In bad weather, the chairs do move a bit (DH said he heard them hitting the glass on our last, bumpier night), so be sure to push them back when you come in, lest they annoy. We chatted with our neighbors on either side, although the only way we could see them was to go right to the rail for conversation. The Deck 9 neighbors and above, though, might as well have been on the balcony WITH me. After I got used to the concept, though, it didn't bother me - how exciting is it to watch a middle-aged mama read a book? I was Very Boring, and it was one time I didn't mind being an invisible 50-year-old woman.