LauraAnneC

Long before Covid I was on a Celebrity ship with a norovirus outbreak snd it seems the precautions were exactly the same. Luckily we didn’t come down with it but the poor crew who have to do so much extra work cleaning everything so much more than they usually do. 

Hi, I’m new to Cunard but have bought NCL shares in the past. Can you tell me how many shares are needed and what credit you get for a 14 night cruise? 
 

thanks in advance!

Laura

I’m on this sailing too but no luck in getting a Vibe pass 😭

Looking forward to reading the rest of the review !

Now I’m a little depressed because I have to wait to read it! 😟🤷‍♀️

I’m already enjoying your review. Thank you for posting. Looking forward to the rest of it!

Bon voyage! Have a wonderful trip. I’ll be looking forward to all your photos. I’m leaving from Ireland tomorrow but in the other direction. Heading for the Prima in Barcelona on Friday. 

Did you know in Italy you can be fined if, upon leaving a shop where you paid in cash, you don’t have a receipt for the transaction? I know Irish Italians that this has happened to ! 

For the most part, everyone pays with either a card or their phone nowadays, especially post Covid. It’s more rare to use cash. As for tipping, we do usually tip but nothing like the way tipping is done in the US.  Make sure you have a code for your card. No one signs anything here!

6 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Love the pub pics and reviews!

 

For those who haven't been to the UK, you can find neat pubs in the smallest of towns, or just randomly near a country road intersection.

 

Hopefully Ireland will be the same.

Ireland is definitely the same! 

Thank you for posting your pics. I’m really enjoying your posts! 

Wow, ship looks fantastic! Enjoy every minute!!!

34 minutes ago, LouChamp said:

Aloha.  Lol. I have been doing it about every six weeks for 10 years. I generally fly premium economy and a few times first class but that is a waste because I sleep most of the time. By the way, if you are flying Hawaiian home they have On The Rocks Mai Tai. It is probably as close to a real Mai Tai as you can get. Liquor stores now sell it. Restaurants cannot make a good Mai Tai on the east coast and most cruise ships either. They use grenadine and in Hawaii they do not. I have yet to have a Mai Tai in Hawaii I did not like. Enjoy!

Now that’s a bucket list goal - to have a Mai Tai in Hawaii! 🤣

8 hours ago, eileeshb said:

For those wondering.. as Irish citizens we have to apply for the US ESTA permit which remains valid for 2 years. I already have one from my last trip to the USA, but AC just got one for the first time. I did notice there’s now an app for the esta application so I have that loaded on my phone in case CBP start asking for proof. We will complete immigration and customs here in Ireland so we are treated as domestic travellers when we reach Boston.

Back when I was doing regular business trips I once had a connection in Newark that was about 30 minutes and when I got off the flight for Ireland, the connecting flight to Phoenix was at the gate directly across from the gate I walked out from. This time around it will be a 4 hour layover in Boston en route to Seattle. We will be flying with Aer Lingus to Boston and then with Alaskan to Seattle. 
 

Looking forward to reading your review. Thanks for the info on the app for the ESTA. Didn’t know about that. Since I’ve a new passport I’ll need a new visa before December. Hope you have a wonderful cruise! Safe Travels!

8 minutes ago, NJGeorge said:

It was 11 hours nonstop from Newark. 

Was offered a first class upgrade for 300.00p.p......jumped on it.

 

I would too!!

1 hour ago, carohs said:

Oh man getting out of the airport and checked in took longer than expected. Among the delays, the hotel couldn't find our reservation. But we did check in eventually and even managed to find lunch. Simple sandwiches but tasty. Found an unusual bathroom situation. Why limit access to the women's but not the men's? Anyway now we're waiting on Lyft to head to Pearl Harbor. 

Really enjoying reading your report so far. Excited to see all of your exploits. Hopefully I’ll get to Hawaii someday …..

9 hours ago, LouChamp said:

Aloha.  We love Hawaiian.  Hope you will also.  About ten years ago they started flying nonstop JFK to Honolulu which I love because I can sleep on the plane and the return to NY is a redeye. I find their service commendable and generally on time except if JFK is messed up lol. They will be getting 787s soon and am looking forward to flying in them soon. Looking forward to hearing about your Hawaiian Airline experience as well as your trip. Have a super special time!

Just curious as to how long the flight is from JFK to Hawaii?

Bon Voyage! Looking forward to reading your report!! I won’t be too far behind you on the Prima!

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

You know, I still find ways to limit what I pack.  I rely on the soap and shampoo on board.  I know some who think that whatever the ship has is inferior to their favorite brand at home.  I don't know if it is, or isn't.

 

In the Haven it's something called l'locitane (sp)?  Sounds fancy.  Could be Ivory soap as far as I'm concerned.  As long as it gets me clean, I don't care what its name is or what it smells like.  That's just a couple more things I don't have to pack.

 

These toothbrushes are smaller than normal, and work every bit as good as my big honkin' toothbrush at home.  Again, save a little space and weight.

 

Point is, all these little things don't seem like much individually.  But collectively, if you make a point of scaling size and weight where you can, it all adds up to a significant amount, and allows me to shrink my luggage.

 

And, I guarantee I don't smell any different than anyone else on the cruise that bathes.  My hair looks as good (maybe better) by using cruise ship shampoos.  My teeth are just as bright, and my breath is just as fresh as anyone else's (exception being after I have garlic escargot).

 

That's why I chuckle when I see people talking about bringing coffee pots, play pens, etc.

 

Heck, I even cut down on the thickness of my socks.  

 

 

L’Occitane is very nice. You might even see one of their stores when you’re strolling around Marseille!

I looked at a YouTube video to see what Marseille is like. They really seem to have revamped the old port area. It looks like a lovely place to stroll around now. I’m going on the Prima in less than three weeks and it’s one of our stops. 😆

43 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

I do very much want to cruise in February and/or May ‘24.  But, I must resist.  First because I don’t want to be beyond final payment when NCL introduces their “for your convenience “ ‘24 changes.  Last year, we had two cruises in Q1 ‘23…that changed significantly from booking till after final payment.  Side note:  Delta just gutted their loyalty program “to make it easier (to follow, certainly not earn)”…mega uproar.

 

But the larger driver of this self-inflicted pain…NCL cruise prices are too high. And their European itineraries are too long for those who can’t afford (time or cost) of 10+ day cruises.

 

So here we sit, patiently (not) waiting for mid-January to book that NCL cruise we have earmarked in our vacation planning, all the while checking a viable competitive cruise line (MSC).

 

Time will tell.

 

Okay…I realize this post is an op-ed (loved the daily home-delivered newspaper).  I also know we could book and request FCC…but, not convinced NCL is our cruise line for 2024+.  
 

This post is as much for us NCL loyalists as it us for the NCL corporate monitors.

 

 

 

 

 

I agree. I’ve been looking at cruises for the first 3 months of next year and as a solo traveller the prices seem crazy! So much more than this year. Waiting patiently to see what the future holds! 

2 hours ago, Ottawa Lynne said:

@YVRteacher I miss your posts! I find myself wondering how the new teaching/library gig is going?

I’ve thought exactly the same!

4 hours ago, rodndonna said:

Won't matter in the end (what's his is mine!!!).. but odd how it was assigned for us. 

What’s his is yours and what’s yours is your own!

Thank you for your review. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you for posting such a great review!