schmoopie17

We have Rome Cabs booked for both pick-up from the airport to the hotel and transport from the ship to the airport. We used them last time and they were great.

Yep...planning on getting, just in case.

By hoop-jumping, I'm referring to the confusion that most people have regarding the OBC when buying CruiseNext. With CruiseFirst, there is no such confusion.

Our internet TA is open seven days a week. In fact, we made our most recent booking on a Saturday.

Love when the naked girlfriend struggles with the pickle jar.

If you buy a $500 CruiseFirst for $250, you can avoid the OBC hoop-jumping of the CruiseNext. Plus, you don't have to wait for a CruiseNext Double up to use $500 on a future cruise. But you have to watch for when they go on sale (the $500 for $250 deal.)

Our TA routinely offers cash back or OBC. Every other month, or so, they also include paid gratuities on balcony and above. We also have an NCL PCC but he can't offer anything special, except immediate help/service.

Is that the famous Lifeboat cabin I've heard so much about?

A fellow "Seinfeld" fan. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Did you hear the big sigh of relief I just uttered? Thanks for that...

@cruiseny4life My friend, I take it all back. Somehow I thought you were saying I liked the NCL hockey pucks...which you obviously didn't. But those hash browns in the picture look like the REAL DEAL. Yes, they might be worth making the trip to Alaska (and Mrs. Schmoopie is an Eggs Benedict fan, so yet another reason),

But...but...I hate those greasy hockey pucks. They remind me of flattened tater tots (which are also little grease sponges). I don't eat them...however, I do make fun of all the posts about them (including mine).

Well...kind of hard to change the air reservations now. We'll have to knock on wood, carry a rabbit's foot, wish upon a star and cross our fingers...all at the same time. Having said that, I have read in the Rome forum of people having 10:30 flights and getting to the gate with a lot of time to spare. I guess we'll see and as always...OMMV.

We have always heard allow three hours at the airport in Rome. Our flight leaves at 11:50 (unless they decide to move it up...which they have been known to do.) Allowing for an hour ride to the airport, we think we'll be okay...especially since it seems many of the passengers will be embarking/disembarking in Barcelona. Of course, stuff happens...

It;s not nice to mock bookings. Bookings have feelings, you know. It's not nice to mock them. Okay...having gotten that out of the way, our very best cruise was a TA. Mainly due to the lack of tons of passengers. At about 60% capacity, drink lines were unheard of. Buffet was never crowded. Kids were essentially non-existent. Fighting/jostling over elevators never happened. It was sheer Bliss...even though it was the Escape.

Wow...those carrier pigeons are really slow these days. But seriously...We emailed our documentation and we received notification of the OBC a few days later.

The shareholder credit appears on your Summary page at the top. Then when you scroll down to where the add-ons and options are listed, you will also see it there. In our case, $50 is credited to Mrs. Schmoopie and $50 is credited to me.

Interesting. Multiple people have reported that they were successful in avoiding the surcharge for the liver goop on the Le Bistro filet. Maybe it depends on the ship. On the bright side, we have $100 of nonrefundable OBC that we need to use, so that may account for $10 of it. I'm sure Mrs. Schmoopie will find a way to use up the other $90.

Not necessarily. Starting price for a balcony: Pearl: $3744 Prima: $3064 Virtually the same itinerary. Three days apart. The only difference is Pearl goes to Dublin, Prima to Liverpool.

Welcome to CC. You're asking some very non-specific questions...both of which could have 1000s of answers (most of which have been discussed ad nauseum on CC in the past). Merely scrolling through the NCL page could provide more answers than you might receive here. Maybe if you were more specific, you might find more people jumping in to offer answers. Just a suggestion to a newbie...but good luck.

Actually, having already been on the Prima and (how do I say this nicely?)...well, other than the new ship smell and the nice stateroom...not impressed. Leaning toward the Pearl. But first we want to see how we like the Jade next month.

Is your real-life name Tom?

TAs are typically the least populated cruises...due to the length, as well as most TAs are "off season" it's primarily retirees or people with lots of time to kill. Very few, if any, kids. Our TA last November was probably 60% full and I recall seeing one toddler.

We have found the best steak on NCL to be in LeBistro (the French place. The filet, without exception, was better than anything else we had in any venue. And, after all, Filet Mignon is French, so it makes sense). We have LeBistro booked for our cruise next month. Now I have to see if I can get the filet without the nasty fois gras liver thing sitting on top (and also avoid the upcharge).

We've always seen these types of charges. On our first NCL cruise I went into our onboard account and nearly pooped my pants when I saw them. (Figuratively, not literally). I'm old, but not that old. Apparently they're CC preauth charges (aka "fake" charges that are sent to your credit card to make sure "real" charges will go through.) Goofy, I know...but they never end up sticking and always fall off before we disembark.