WickedRed

Honestly I think the 3 tiers of CN is fairly new.  First I had heard about it was on the Escape back in October, but there was nothing about them on my Gem cruise last May.  Not that that excuses her from not explaining you cannot use them on shorter cruises.  Though I have found the CN staff to be not completely knowledgeable on how they work.  BTW you can use them on last minute cruises.  7 day cruise for $279 and you have $500 in CNCs.  Well, it's almost like getting a free cruise at that point.

This was wonderful!!!  Thank you so much for sharing. 

Thank you so much for this trip report.  I'm doing a shorter version of this next February.  Your review makes me so excited!  Yet frustrated I have to wait almost a whole year to go. 

Last time I did the NCL shuttle from FLL to POM I had to move my luggage from the side of the bus to the porter who was about 15' away.  It wasn't just handled for me.  One thing to keep in mind is there can be a wait at the airport for the shuttle to either fill up or for one to return and load up.  Same with the return trip.   Other than that, it works well enough.  The waiting just gives you a waiting warm up for when you get to port.  lol.

I always bring snacks.  Sometimes they get eaten, sometimes they don't.  Bring your favorites just in case the munchies happen.

don't-use-real-name I think it was more a matter of it being a liquid than anything about alcohol.  Doesn't matter what the liquid is water, booze, coffee, iced tea, liquid cough syrup security will most likely confiscate it upon boarding especially at a foreign port. 

Though on that same cruise and port.  I watched security return a small @  2" folding pocket knife to a passenger with a warning to leave it in his room or else security would have to confiscate it if he sees it again. 

I'm generally a walking pharmacy when I travel.  Allergies, migraines, general clumsiness...  Need to be prepared.  lol

Just a word of warning.  Do not buy a bottle of liquid NyQuil at port and try to bring it on the ship.  Or try with the knowledge it may not make it onboard.  I watched a guy argue with security last may trying to bring some on in Bermuda.  His wife was sick.  He was livid when security told him he couldn't bring it on, and it had to go in the naughty liquid bin.  I felt for the guy. 

I'll be on that cruise as well.  Currently looking for a small easy to pack costume.  Not sure if I'll find something as time is running short.  How did October get here so quickly!?!? 

Lbicklel.  Thanks for posting that pick of the old Dailies. 

I was able to print out my edocs yesterday for my Oct 27th sailing.  Make sure sign in is finished for everyone sailing with you.  Maybe that is the problem?

2 hours ago, newmexicoNita said:

you are right but it isn't really cranberry juice but more of a punch. MY 20 % juice. 

True enough.  I should have said a cranberry concoction.  Works well with the free sparkling wine.  lol.

There's usually a cranberry juice as well.  Think it is only available in the mornings though. 

Yeah.  I've heard some say it's not bad.  However I think it definitely need a mixer like orange juice or cranberry juice. 

Book as a solo!  I've met a number of married solo cruisers through the years.  They for whatever reason cruise without their significant others.  IF he decides to come later, you can either add him OR tell him to get his own room if any are available.  lol!  Also NCL has solo gatherings every night.  Might be worth a visit to one of those, so you want to meet more people on the ship.  Making a new cruise friend to cruise with in the future if DH doesn't really like to cruise. 

50 minutes ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

If that were the case I don't think they would be listed as Sold Out, maybe Not Available.  I check all the time, never have I seen them pop up.

IDK.  I just grabbed a half a dozen cruises in Feb. 2021 and all of them had SailAways as "sold out" and then did the same for 2020 and all had SailAways available.  Just seemed to be something I had noticed.  I don't plan that far ahead, so I have little experience with future cruise planning.  Seems whenever I do look far ahead when I'm bored and dreaming, SailAways aren't available which lead me to believe they don't release SailAways till closer to 16 months out.  Looking last minute, SailAways are always available (unless the cruise is actually sold out because it leaves in a week) regardless of destination.  I could very well be looking at the wrong ones.  Just something I noticed and thought I'd throw it out there. 

28 minutes ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

I couldn't tell you about my Sail Away savings because every cruise I have ever price has been sold out of Sail Away balconies.  I'm looking at cruises 18 months out that are already sold out.

I'm not sure they offer the SailAways that far out.  For giggles have you ever checked those cruises after your purchase and seen SailAways pop up as available?

1 hour ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

  (Do manual transmission cars still have a pedal clutch, or is that elsewhere these days?   I haven't driving an "only manual" transmission car in decades; our cars now have an *optional* "manual-type" transmission with little [what do they call 'em] on the steering wheel, to shift up or  down one at a time, etc.)

 

 

Yes manual transmission cars still have a pedal clutch. 

I was on the Dawn in 2014, 2016, and 2017.  Same shows Rock of Ages and Elements.  Love both of them!  Even the skits by Second City were the same.  Not sorry to see S.C. go.  It really is common for shows to stay on a ship for years to come.

I was above the theater in an inside on the Dawn once.  Overall it wasn't a bad place to be.  Though I could faintly hear the louder parts and feel the shows that were going on below.  Usually at night during the last performance of the day probably Rock of Ages and Elements, if I was in my room early.  It wasn't enough to make me say I'd never stay in those room in the future. 

15 hours ago, mking8288 said:

$21.99 per lb!!!!  I was thinking the precooked lobster I grabbed on a whim last week at the grocery store was expensive at $10.95 for 1.5lbs.

OP your son is going to have so much fun with all the new foods that I'm sure he won't miss not having lobster.  He sound somewhat food adventurous, so that is good. 

I eat lobster at home, but I would never order it on a cruise.  Sounds like you guys need to take him on a New England & Canada cruise so he can have some lobster at one of those ports. 

I purchased the soda package onboard the Gem last month and they reprinted me a room card with SODA written on it.

Maybe hit up the roll call for the group leaving today to see if someone can look?

5 minutes ago, PortFees45 said:

To get to the forward Deck 14 sundeck you'd need to take a small staircase right between the bali bar and the entrance to the forward elevators where you go in for to access the spinnaker lounge. Did you notice doors or barriers on those staircases? 

I don't recall a staircase there.  Sorry I 'm not more helpful.  Went through my pictures and they made me remember that a lot of the time upper decks  were roped off due to high winds.  Could be I saw it, but it was blocked off for that reason so I didn't make a mental note of it. 

I was on the Gem for the first time last month and don't recall a forward facing deck that I could access being a non-haven person.  Usually got my forward facing viewing via the Spinnaker Lounge.  There did seem to be some awkward ending to one deck going forward, but I'm so used to the Dawn that strange deadends seem fairly normal to me.  Plus it was pretty chilly most sea days that the Spinnaker was the better way to go for that view. Could be I missed the access, but I find that unlikely.  Not even sure I saw a way to Deck 15 sundeck.  Again it was chilly on sea days and I tend to avoid the sun so the sundeck isn't something I look for.

robin13 speak for yourself.  I for one would be happy with a studio if I had booked a sailaway interior.  Chances are I booked the sailaway because it was cheaper than the studio.  A better solution would be to have someone at NCL call or sent an email to the solo traveler and ask if they would be happy with a studio instead of an interior.