WickedRed

Met a couple guys who had camels tattooed onto their big toes.  They seemed very happy with them. 

First time I've ever seen one was early this year, so it's a fairly new thing for NCL to do.  About April or May I had a couple pop up one was 10% off any cruise and another was 20% off any Europe cruise taken this year.  I was able to apply the Europe one to a sailaway interior room.  Sailaways always seem exempt from extra discounts, so that was nice.  Guess to answer your question is this random coupon phenomenon is too new to say if it happens often or if NCL will continue to do them. 

Crazy as this may sound, as we all know NCL's website is never flawed nor full of glitches, I think it's a website bug.  I tried to mock book a couple different cruises yesterday and had the pink bar appear at the top saying the cabin I tried to book was no longer available.  This was between different ships and different room types.  They added Aqua and broke something. 

I don't cruise 'till February, sent my information in a couple months ago as I'm platinum on NCL, and they gave me status on VV.  Send the information in anyways because I think they extended the program, but the website is confusing.

I was a single mom back at that age.  She probably doesn't have the ability to take the time off from work nor is a cruise an approved reason to pull a kid out of school.  Sure you could say it was educational to see other parts of the world, but we all know that's stretching things.  All my vacation time and some was pretty much dictated to me by daycare.  I couldn't afford to pay daycare's vacation time plus someone else to actually watch my son so I could work. Nah, I'd vacation when daycare vacationed.  Plus 4.5 months isn't a lot of time for a relationship.  What if next month she decided the relationship isn't working for her, but now she'd feel guilty breaking up with you because you spent extra money on a future vacation.  She'd probably feel trapped in the relationship.

You probably don't need to break up, but you do need to adjust your expectation on what she can do.  I don't gamble so the idea of picking Atlantic City over a cruise seems silly to me.  Then again, spending that amount of money on one cruise also seems silly to me.  Hey, you do you.  My 50th is in a couple years, and I'm eye balling a Greece cruise.  Will go alone if no one else is willing to come along.  Definitely not inviting any man I may be dating at the time to come along.  If there is such a person, then he can get his own room and pay for it.  They only clean rooms once a day now, so a spare bed may not be a bad idea.  HAHAHAHAHA!

4 hours ago, BethesdaSC said:

My VL was cancelled. Considering the VL switch out of San Juan on Feb 3. Does anyone know the specific itinerary? It no longer shows and won’t be available to book till 9/11. Thank you!

I'm on this itinerary.  The route is San Juan • Oranjestad • Willemstad • Fort-de-France • Basseterre • San Juan.  Assuming they don't go completely crazy and change that up.

Just received notice that my 2/3-2/10 Brilliant Lady cruise is still on but will be on Valiant Lady instead.  Only thing changing is the ships name according to the email I received.

If you have access to full Adobe, you can edit/fill in the form on your computer.  Also if you have a ReMarkable, you would also be able to fill in the form without printing it.  NCL really should get with the times and make a form you can just fill in on your computer though.

I also do not own a printer. 

I also use the big G as well.  Sometimes it seems like the only reviews are from 20 years ago.  Some current reviews would be nice.

2 hours ago, Grimix said:

Wait, but its only about a 5 hour drive from Rome to the city... Oh... you mean Rome Italy, not NY.

New York, probably the only place on Earth where you can drive from Rome into Mexico in about an hour...

You can do that in Maine.  Takes 58 mins to drive from Rome to Mexico and you can make a pit stop in Peru on the way.  Founding fathers weren't all that original with names for new towns and cities were they.

Feel like I've been getting my Air Confirmations once a week since they were assigned.  Brightside, I haven't received any emails about watching the muster drill again yet.  Still have 9 days so that can change.

12 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I don't suppose there was a dia de los muertos parade the day after Halloween? Now that would be epic! 

 

 

There was not on my sailing.  There was trick or treating for the kids.  A costume party for adults.  They turned a venue into a haunted house that was a lot of fun.  Plus all the pumkin/watermellon/other things that were elaborately carved along with other decorated stations around the ship.  It was just very carefree and fun.

I was on the Breakaway with 1400 passengers.  The staff kept joking how they out numbered the guests.  The biggest downfall is they often couldn't find enough volunteers to do some of the games.  Then the Star with 1300 passengers.  After that was the Prima booked at over double capacity.  Even at that I was almost always able to find a chair near one of the side infinity pools to curl up on to read a book, laugh at people who stopped mid way in one of the dry slides, and just enjoy some peaceful moments. 

I was on the Prima for Thanskgiving last year.  At the time the Prima had one menu for the whole cruise in the MDRs.  Think I heard they have since changed that, but I could be wrong.  They did however have a special turkey and sides option on the menu for Thanksgiving.  Not a fan of turkey, so I didn't choose that meal.  Honestly, I don't remember seeing any special decorations.  That said, I'm not sure I visited the buffet that day.  Pretty sure it was a port day as well.  The decorations couldn't have been inspiring if I don't remember seeing them, right.  So far Halloween is my favorite holiday to be on a cruise.  Those decorations I can remember.

Indulge Food Hall is amazing.  My biggest complaint is that it was always wicked crowded.  Finding a seat sometimes was impossible.  I enjoyed the Prima for the most part.  Is it my favorite ship, no.  Most of my complaints were due to over crowding.  It was a big wake up from what I had grown accustom to while covid rules were in effect.  I miss half empty ships...  The Donna Summers who was AMAZING!!  Make your reservations early for everything you'd like to do.  Have a great time!!

10 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Oh, I hope I see the raspberry salesperson! That would be amazing! Do you know which port this was?

I'm not sure at all. We stopped at Bergen,  Olden, Alesund, and Trondheim. All of my excursions required 6-8 hrs bus rides. If I had to guess I'd say Trondheim, because I feel like it was our last stop in Norway. Wish I could be more help. 

I recently had this issue.  Even used a picture I used for a cruise a few months ago.  After trying 3 different pictures, the app said they would take my picture at check-in.  Even without the pic I'm at 100% check-in.  Some in my sailings group switched from the app to a pc and said uploading a pic worked.  I'm just going to wait for check-in. 

Kids selling rocks.  That's awesome!!  Last year when I was on the Star in Norway there was a kid at one of the scenic turn out spots selling raspberries.  Lucky for us he was happy to take US $.  (We weren't suppose to go to Norway so none of us had local currency.)  Think he sold out thanks to our tour bus.  Probably the best raspberries I have ever tasted. 

When I did Iceland and Norway on the Star a year ago actually, the thermal pass was well worth the money.  It was chilly outside and it gave my friend and I a quiet place to sit, read, and watch the scenery go by.  Plus having a hot tub, indoor pool, and other spa fixtures nearby was nice too.  Pretty sure the Spice H2O is a new addition to the Star.  Maybe something they did during covid or around that time??  Hope you enjoy your time on the Star and feel better soon.  I'm looking forward to following along.

I was on the Star's Iceland/Greenland cruise last year that went to Norway instead of Greenland.  I also did a Prima cruise this past Thanksgiving.  Really is a toss up.  Though with the information that the Prima cannot use the lifeboats as a tender option...  my vote swings slightly to the Star.  Prima does have a forward observation lounge, but I'm going to imagine that will be very crowded.  We had a balcony room and the thermal pass on the Star.  Even in July it was chilly.  Side note: most people in Norway were joking about how they weren't getting a summer last year, so it may have been colder than usual. The thermal pass was worth every penny.  It was nice to be able to relax in a quiet area, watch the fjords pass by in the big windows, and be warm while doing it.  I did use our balcony some, but my friend didn't use it at all.  We're both from Maine and accustom to chilly weather.  The ability to watch the scenery go by as you're were sailing through the fjords shouldn't be missed.  IMHO.  It's breath taking. 

My opinion between the 2 ships in general may be a bit tainted.  The Star had only 1300 passengers when I sailed and the Prima had well over double occupancy.  That in itself creates very different experiences.  My biggest complaint about the Prima was that it was so wicked crowded.  If you didn't book something (dining, shows, events...) on day 1 chances were you weren't doing it.  The Star didn't even open one MDR and there were still no wait times to be seated.  If I couldn't enjoy the outside, I'm not sure I'd book the Prima.  Maybe having the thermal pass for the Prima in such a location is needed.  For the Star, having the thermal pass was vital.  Though I'll be back on the Star this October for a British Isles cruise, and won't be getting the pass because it's a very port intensive itinerary.  Hoping that's not a mistake.

Either ship is bound to have its challenges and highlights.  I wouldn't hesitate booking on either.  Tough choice.  Best of luck.  lol!

4 minutes ago, kitkat343 said:

Are those itinerary changes related to weather or other emergencies outside of NCL's control?   Or are they to help the environment (which I totally support making changes for, but prior to final payment)?

All weather and safety related.  Safety first after all.  I'm the type of person who's going to roll with it.  Just happy to be away and not working.  2 of them involved more than one port and we were told either at check in or while we were leaving Miami.  Itinerary changes keeps things interesting.  lol.

16 hours ago, pmcx68 said:

I got an NCL email today with the monthly Latitude sale priced cruises.  I was excited to see a cheap Ireland cruise for the last week of September or the first week of October.  I then remembered the article I read yesterday and thought I would check on here.  Has the upcoming 2023 cruises changed?  I cant tell if this cruise has changed but I don't trust NCL to give the correct information.  If you call in I am sure they will just say the cruise is as posted.  For some reason I think i would get the updated itinerary after I make my payment.  

IDK if this will help you, but it does sound like the changes are for next year.  I am on a British Isles cruise this October with 2 ports in Ireland: Dun Laoghaire (Dublin) and Cobh (Cork).  So far there have been no changes.  If weather conditions are typically and issue for these locations starting in October, I expect any changes to be last minute.  Honestly, when it comes to cruises that are not Boston to Bermuda then I'm batting about 60/40 with 60% of the cruises I've been on have had a last minute itinerary change. 

OK.  I guess I should have added a winky face or an LOL or laughing emoji to show I was completely kidding.  Silly me thinking such a suggestion could only be in jest.

But I'm in a mood today, so here's a quick 5.  Just for fun.

1) What's the sound for an emergency?

2) Where are life jackets stored?

3) Should you return to your cabin for your life jacket and valuables if you hear the alarm while away from your cabin?

4) Where do you find information on where your muster station is?

5) Does your life jacket come with a whistle?

😆🙃😉🤗

I think there should be a quiz at port.  If you can correctly answer 5 questions you get a pass, but if you answer any wrong you have to sit through the drill.  Safety first.

1 hour ago, goldmom said:

They can send me a dozen e-mails if they want to, as long as I don't have to do the in person muster drill, I'm good!

My cruise back at the end of March into April.  Not only did I get the video link a half a dozen times, but I also had to do the in person muster drill.  It was just before they went back to just the video.  We were all laughing about it in the roll call and hoping it was a sign they were starting a week early with no in person drills.  No such luck. 

I've gone solo on a number of NCL ships big and small.  My advice is to go to the solo meet up.  Many times a good number in the group will all head to the MDR right after to eat together. If you get a good host they will even help people plan going to shows, we did the ropes course as a group on the Getaway one time, one helped organize a group to do the escape room if there was interest.  If you join the roll call, that is another way to connect with people who will be on your cruise.  Also, if you're on FB (the site that cannot be named) there's usually a page for your sailing there too.  Lately I have found it is more popular than the CC roll call and you could also meet other people there.  Really the best way I've found is to go to the solo meetings in the evening.  I've made a lot of great friends in the group.  Whatever you decide, have a great cruise.  If for any reason you're on the Escape for Aug. 13 - 19, let me know.  Going with a friend but you're more than welcome to join.

I once had NCL use JetBlue, and I wasn't able to pick a seat until check-in 24 hrs before the flight.  Iceland Air is a much different beast though.  It does sound like an airline policy thing.  Though I do believe JetBlue and Iceland Air have a partnership and sometimes JB flights to Iceland are on IA planes.