debenson0723

You don't need a reservation for the Taste MDR so I would cancel it and just get there after the show. By that time of night, it won't be busy. As far as LeBistro, that is another matter. Show reservations are released 10 minutes before it starts to the stand by line. In my experience a meal at LeBistro is not rushed. I would inform your server that you have the 9:30 show and they will try to speed it up but personally would either try to move up dinner or book the show on another night,

Enjoy your cruise!

I always take my dessert to go...the last couple of times they insisted on delivering it to my cabin. I was surprised to get a knock on the door and it was my server from the restaurant standing there with my dessert. It was great to see her again (she was awesome) but I thought someone else would be my delivery person. The only time I was denied 'takeout' of leftovers was in Food Republic last February on the Escape. I just couldn't finish the sushi rolls and was told because it was raw fish, it couldn't leave the restaurant due to the heat. It was a health concern and as tempted as I was to put them in my purse, it wasn't large enough. 🙂

Do a search in this forum for NCL Air and you will find many, many experiences. I personally would never use it except possibly for an international flight with a 2 day deviation.

You can also call their cabin from the phone in your cabin and speak to them directly or leave a voicemail.

Santorini Road Trips is who we used. We had a list of sites we wanted to see but also let our tour guide make suggestions while we were on the van, as he knows the area better than anyone. They were great to work with and our driver was awesome.

Not sure what this even means at all. Wi-fi is available all over the ship. Been on the Encore twice, pre and post pandemic and used the Wi-Fi in my room (as I have on every NCL ship).

Yes, this is what you will see. The deck 8 area is much wider on Prima than the other ships in certain spots. I was originally on deck 9 and was more concerned about people looking into my cabin from deck 8 than what I was seeing. So I moved up to 10 in an area that was not as wide on deck 8 (but due to the weather, there were only a few days when anyone was on deck 8 so for me, it didn't really matter).

I was on Prima in September/October and there were people with masks on, especially in elevators. You do what makes you comfortable.

BUT...if you look at @SeaSharkscreenshot, there are 4 options showing. Oceanview, balcony, club balcony suite and spa balcony. If you have a regular balcony booked, you can bid for a Club and Spa. I was in a studio on Escape...bid and won a Spa Balcony for the minimum bid (yes, times 2 but still way worth it). OP sorry to get off topic about bidding. As a previous poster mentioned, it might be a good idea to get a TA to help you with this, though I have sailed solo many times and did it all myself. Do what makes you feel comfortable. Enjoy your cruise!

Have you tried using the chat feature or calling NCL directly to change your dinner reservations? I have had success doing both, even for the Prima. If you can get the times you want for dinner before boarding, then I would either head for the kiosks as soon as I board to see if they are working and if so, book the production shows there...it just takes a few minutes. If it's the comedy shows you are looking for, then I would do that first, since the venue is so small in comparison to the theatre. Then go to guest services to check on the Vibe, since that could be the place without success, and book entertainment while in line there if the kiosks were not working I don't really stress about any of this stuff because once you are on board, things can be fluid. People don't show up for dinner or the production shows, so you can check back during the day for dinner and do the stand by line for the shows. Unless you have a large group, then this strategy won't work so well. But for 2-4 people, you should be fine. Enjoy your cruise!

We enjoyed Onda on the Encore, both pre and post Covid. Had a white pizza that was amazing. Ate on the Waterfront so didn't have the noise issue. But on the Prima, it was not so good. As someone mentioned, the decor seemed very cheap to me and the 4 of us didn't seem to have as much room at the table as on the Encore (4 people also). Loved the butterscotch budino on both ships.

The Joy does not have studio cabins or a thermal spa. There is an additional Starbucks in the Observation Lounge. Going on the Joy next month for the first time but have been on the Bliss 3 times. It is my favorite NCL ship.

NCL is now at the new Horizon port. Very close to several hotels but I personally would not walk it, especially in the rain with luggage.

Me too!

They can visit you in your room but cannot sit in the lounge. They can also eat in the Haven restaurant for a price of approximately $55 per person (this is what I paid on my recent Prima cruise...I tipped an additional amount).

Thank you for the wonderful review of the Joy. I am hoping to sail on her next month for the first time, as I really enjoy the Bliss and Encore. I like seeing the subtle differences in the Breakaway+ ships, Port of Los Angeles has always been a mess, 2nd only to New Orleans. Doesn't matter which line you sail from there...NCL, RCL or Princess...it has been a struggle. But the gift of the ship is waiting at the end. You are correct...no chocolates on the pillows for years and towel animals were starting to disappear just prior to the pandemic (but you can request one if you really want it...I have no need for them). After reading your review, I might have to add a Christmas cruise to my list,

You're going to get as many different responses as people on this board, LOL. Onda was my favorite both times I had it on Encore but it wasn't quite as good on Prima. Food Republic is always my favorite but I usually pay out of pocket for it. Los Lobos ended up being my favorite on Prima and I didn't really care for it on Encore. So you just never know what it going to work, depending on the chef on each ship. I never heard a bad word from anyone that ate at Palomar so you might want to try that one. Enjoy your cruise!

You will be on the Escape which has a 'real' Starbucks so will be able to use a GC or the app. The OBC is a good idea but if they use it for anything else, then it will lessen what they can spend in Starbucks. Enjoy your cruise!

Not too many things are the same now as they were 6 years ago... You have to know how to play the game. I am a solo traveler and looking at a cruise next month. I wait until the solo supplement is in place and typically book 3-4 weeks out. The sailaway inside is about $75 less than the sailaway balcony. The ocean view I prefer (forward facing) is $200 more than the balcony. Its not that important to me to pick my cabin so that option is out. I buy my own airfare (which I did a few months ago and will get a credit if I change my mind) for just under $200 r/t. $100 obc for being a shareholder will pay for my cocktails and the bottle of wine with my LeBistro platinum dinner will last me 2 nights. The $50 excursion credit will usually cover me if I decided to go ashore. While I am happy with this arrangement, I am going to wait a few more weeks to see if the rate drops more and I can get the FAS added for about the same price. If not, I will book the cruise and consider purchasing an internet package outright. Going to put my vacation days in the schedule when I go back to work on Tuesday and start looking for another cruise for the spring and fall.

This thread should answer most of your questions:

That is exactly what we did in February. We got to Disney Springs at 10:45.

Yes

This is what I do. I have a whole file with screenshots/photos of my passport, edocs, vaccines card, etc. I haven't printed out the edocs since the restart on 6 cruises. As long as my phone is on, I don't need data, wi-fi or anything else. Enjoy your cruise.

If you post your question on the West Coast departures board, there is probably someone there with recent experience: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/315-west-coast-departures/