tsahall01

Have a wonderful cruise. I was on the last 2 TAs of the Epic, making for a total of 3 TAs on the Epic. I would have been on this cruise, but my husband and I are returning to Australia for a 3 week land trip (only Sydney and Melbourne, where he was born. Rotary convention there as well). My husband has not been back to Australia since 1990!! I snuck in a 9 day cruise on the Jewel in December of 2019 going to New Zealand and Australia--my first solo! Anyways, we met back in 2018 for the TA on the Star! I was traveling with the Canadians (Linda, Gwen and Jenny). I still cruise with the Canadians, and have a cruise line up with them in September. My husband and I are doing the TA on the Jade in November from Lisbon to NYC. TAs are my favorite!! Enjoy! Cheers! Susan

I was able to make reservations for Taste and Savor along with Manhattan Room. Once on board the ship, the reservations for Taste and Savor were NOT honored and had to wait in line for a table--many upset people who thought that they had reservations to only be told to go to the end of the line. Reservations for Manhattan Room and Speciality restaurants were honored. This was on the Getaway pre covid (October/November 2019). Don't know if this is still happening, but I have since made all my reservations for the Manhattan Room and avoided Savor and Taste for this reason.

Most of our excursions are independent--using Tours by Locals, Italy Tours EU, George's Taxi (Athens) and Viator. We have things booked for each port except for Naples. We have already been to Pompeii. I'm interested in Capri, but the tours there are very expensive. Just might wing it, or have a "down" day as we will be running pretty much nonstop once the cruise starts. I am looking forward to retuning to Malta--St John's Co-Cathedral is not to be missed! I'm sure that the Getaway was just a one off combination of unfortunate events. I took a cruise 6 weeks later in Australia and New Zealand--my first solo and first time on the Jewel--BEST cruise ever!! Love solo cruising. I'm retired, but my husband is still working and cannot cruise as much as I can. I'm sure the weather will be much better in the Med than what it is in the North Atlantic in October/November/December. After my last TA last December on the Epic, I said never again! LOL! Never say never, I'm booked on the Jade for a TA from Lisbon to NYC Nov 3rd!

The Canadians and I are doing this trip in September. Our ports are slightly different as well: Rome-Santorini-Athens-Mykonos-Argostoli-Valletta-Messina-Naples-Livorno-Rome. I have been to most of the ports, but the Canadians have not! I've been on the Getaway (did not care for it, LOL!), but not on the Breakaway--hoping things will be better. Lots of problems on the Getaway along with most of the passengers getting sick--October of 2019--It was surprising full even though it was a 19 day TA from Copenhagen to New Orleans. Very bad weather, so most of the Waterfront was closed off and we couldn't use our balconies. Long wait times for the restaurants, even those with reservations (they did NOT honor reservations in Savor or Taste--only Manhattan Room, which I thought was very RUDE--why allow reservations if you're not going to honor them!! MANY people VERY upset!) With the number of people getting sick, we were all thinking afterwards that it was pre-covid covid. My sister ended up getting pneunomia and whopping cough. MANY people coughing their heads off (both of our cabins as well, with my cabin mate also getting pneunomia). I was coughing for a couple of months later.... Anyway, that being said, we are looking forward to the cruise and following you on this one for hints and suggestions! Have a great cruise!!

Bird--this is the current list from A List Bar??? It shows Baileys at $13 and Bubly being on board. I thought that Baileys was more than $15 and is included in the Plus package, but not the regular. I also thought that Bubly was discontinued due to the fact that it is a Pepsi product--it also lists regular Pepsi products

It is possible to upgrade just one person and "share" the unlimited package (if 2 are traveling, the one not upgraded uses up their minutes and then starts using the unlimited package)--very easy to switch from one user to another.

We are on the cruise before you, the TA from San Juan to Lisbon. It has not changed. I tried to book your cruise and it showed up as a 10 day cruise from Lisbon to Rome. However, when clicking through, it says that the itinerary is no longer available and to choose another cruise. Charter maybe?

When I worked for American Hawaii Cruises, the ships in Hawaii were all American crew and union. I worked in Tahiti, we started out will all American crew, no union. American Hawaii didn't seem to know that if the ship has a foreign flag, it does NOT need to have an American crew--they learned the hard way. It was great for the first 8 months I was on the ship--then they started to bring in the indonesian crew--started serving fish heads and lots of rice in the crew buffet--they then allowed the American crew to eat at the regular buffet! We were paid $60/day/plus tips/plus bonus. The Indonesian crew was paid $10/month/plus tips/no bonus. We were not brought back at the end of our leave, as all the Americans were replaced with Indonesians. American Hawaii ended up losing the ssLiberte in less than a year of its deployment and they soon went belly up. NCL bought the Indy and the Coni--the Liberte was seized in San Francisco when it arrived there for dry dock (this was a couple of months after I left the ship) I loved working on the ship and considered it one of my best jobs! I love cruising even more!!

Bubly used to be included in the FAS beverage plan--I got it often on my post-covid cruises. Sometimes, I was lucky and they gave me the entire can, but most often, it was poured into a glass. When NCL switched to Coke products, it was discontinued as Bubly is a Pepsi product. I have not seen AHA or other brands of sparking flavored water since the switch over.

I paid for a 12 day cruise and I’m going to get my money’s worth!! OMG!! That made me LOL!!! Brought back fond memories of my Dad! He would fly over to Europe (on a military plane as he was retired military--he was also retired United Air Lines and could fly for just taxes, but the military plane was free, so...) He would always purchase the 14day Eurail pass (for seniors, of course) and he would ride the train for a total of 13 days, only getting off on day six or 7 to wash his clothes (he always stopped near a base so that he could stay for next to nothing). He did not have a sleeper car--slept right in his seat. NEVER got off the train for the 13 travel days, except to change trains--had to get his money's worth! After about 2 trips like that, my mother refused to go with him, so he traveled solo in Europe on the trains until his mid 80's Thanks for the memory!

oops--think I got that mixed up with gold status--I'm now platinum, so I get a free bag--gold gets one bag at half off. My husband will be platinum after this next cruise we take and I will be Sapphire, so we'll get 2 free bags of laundry! On our 19 day cruise in April, 2024, we'll each get 2 bags of free laundry (4 in total)

They usually have a special during the cruise where the bag of laundry is half off, so it would only be about 15 dollars.

On my last two sailings, the strawberries were moldy by the second day--never got to eat one! On my next sailing, those babies will be gone in no time on the first day!

Irish coffee IS on the regular "free at sea" beverage plan--I have gotten it many times with no upcharge. You can always order a coffee and a shot of your choice of liquor on the side--if you have to have the whipped cream, you maybe SOL--you can always add creamer, if you must & if they haven't run out of it!

I was on the December TA on the Epic. We were first supposed to be delayed 1 night in Lisbon, which we thought was cool--more Christmas shopping. Got on board, and it was announced later that night that we would be leaving Lisbon at 2 am and not staying over until 2am the next night. Darn! If I would have known that, I would have gotten back off the ship and done some shopping. Oh well! Of course, because of the dock strike (the original reason for delays--which they knew about long before), we missed our first port stop (out of 2) of Ponta Delgada--I am now 0 for 3 attempts to go there. Seas were rough, weather was cold--possible hurricane headed our way (December!). Then, the night before our second port stop, Bermuda, it too, was cancelled and another sea day added. So our 9 day TA with 2 stops turned into a 9 day non stop from Lisbon to NYC. I love sea days, but planned on doing Christmas shopping along the way. We were all given $200 non-refundable OBC per cabin--as a solo traveler, I got the $200 as well. We did NOT get any FCC %. It was very hard to spend that $200 in just 2 days! I really think that the gift shops removed all their lower cost jewelery and things before the announcement of the OBC--they had almost nothing to buy! Didn't want to buy liquor as I was flying and already had two high cost bottles of port packed away in my suitcase (they didn't take away liquor when we boarded!). My husband ended up getting cheesey NCL logo merchandice and I got a top that I would never have bought if I was paying for it ($100!!). I would have loved to use the $200 on a future cruise and gotten a % FCC! Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose--gotta smile!

Welcome to St Thomas, my home for the last 22 years!! Have a great time! Magens is one of my favorite beaches and is only 5 minutes away from my house--I can see it from my driveway!

On my last 2 cruises (September and December) they did not have any regular coffee, only decaf! I would bring my own pods to be on the safe side. I had to go to Starbucks every day to get coffee as I cannot drink the horrible ship's coffee

Yes, in the dining rooms (in the mornings) and buffet. But the coffee is STRONG and very bitter! I have tried to cut it with water, but it does not get rid of the bitterness (I drink my coffee black). IMHO it is undrinkable--I don't like Starbucks either, but it is better than the ship's coffee!

The last 3 cruises I was on, cruise #1 had both regular and decaf available, but ran out of regular mid cruise. Cruise #2 & #3 (September and December--both in Europe), NO regular but lots of decaf. For cruise #3, I was going to bring some pods, but ran out of time--this was also when they started charging for room service, so had to wait until I went to Starbucks before breakfast for my coffee. I have tried, but just cannot drink what they call coffee in the dining rooms! I will be sure to bring coffee pods for my next cruise--I would rather have too much coffee than having no coffee!

My GSC is Ponta Delgada. Hitting 0 of 3 times. Once was due to a hurricane in November and then again a hurricane in December! Third was bad weather in April. Maybe someday! I'll keep trying!

After booking, I always contact my PCC so that he does get credit, I just prefer doing my own booking with no pressure to upgrade or change unless it is something I want or need. But a good point. Those guys, for the most work really hard

Next to each elevator is a keycard sensor. Haven guests can use that to call an elevator for their exclusive use! Maybe it has changed since September as MANY guests were really pissed off about it and complained. September the Epic was full. Epic being Epic, there are only elevators in the aft and forward areas and not in the mid section. I was on the Epic in April, no problem (low occupancy) and again in December for the TA (again low occupancy). I think that the problem arises when there is high occupancy and an urgent need to get off the ship while in port or maybe to dinner. We complained to the front desk, but don't think anything will come of it. Again, this happened with high occupancy and prime time elevator usage. A lot of people gave up and used the stairs--not an option with us being elderly and one of us was handicapped.

To avoid problems with Haven Guests on the Epic hijacking the elevators (happened a LOT on my September cruise--3 of the elevators were in use for Haven guests. One time I was even on an elevator going down and the elevator stopped at a random level and said that the elevator was no longer in use and to exit!!!! This was after waiting a LOOOOONG time for an elevator) Most of the Haven guests are in forward rooms so the aft elevators don't get hijacked as much! I wouldn't mind so much if they had one elevator dedicated to Haven Guests, but to have the possibility of all the elevators in use by Haven Guests is just unacceptable!

I have booked many times where a cabin was not available to choose--it was NOT a guarantee, but last minute booking. I thought that bidding for upgrades might have had a play in the cabin selection. It DOES happen! I book all my cruises through the website and then contact my PCC for further details and questions. One time, he told me that for $15 I could choose my stateroom when that was not an option when booking which I happily did.

Welcome to my home!! I can see Magens from my driveway and Tortola and St John from my back deck. It has been cold and windy lately (for us island folks anyway). Have a wonderful visit and enjoy the island!