Fifi1910

@amygutman I either get a pot of tea and fresh milk delivered to the room or ask the bar staff for some in the lounge. Always get strange looks from others as I sit and have a cup of tea and perhaps a slice of cake from the courtyard, not quite afternoon tea but a nice pause from the alcohol for a few minutes. The water from the coffee machine tastes (unsurprisingly) of coffee. 

2 hours ago, janusk said:

Oh yeah, here is the huge difference. They will do stuff for you, if YOU write them. 
What they won´t do is send you a welcome letter/email, welcoming you onboard, which I find quit interesting..... 

In your post, where you assuming, that I just made up the email I was qouting from conierge desk??

No I wasn’t doubting what you said at all, NCL never give clear answers or reasons, they make it up as they go. I think if I remember  I’ve received one welcome letter and luggage tags in the post in 9 years so they’re not consistent. 

I think NCL employees just make up random reasons why they can’t be bothered to do something. 

2 hours ago, janusk said:

If you are a non-US pax you will not receive luggage tags nor Haven letter. Actually, they won´t even send you an email. Still wondering why we Europeans are being treated like this by NCL. 
We are travelling on NCL Getaway in Haven July 12th, and this was the answer I got from the Concierge desk after asking them : 

Hi Janus,

We apologize for the inconvenience. Because of time differences, long distance calling, and limitations in assisting with your reservation due to foreign currencies, we do not reach out to international guests. However, your Concierge and Butler will be happy to assist with all your needs once onboard. 

****************** 
So apparently the time difference makes it difficult sending an e-mail to your best paying customers telling them that you are excited that they chose you as their vacation choice..... Go figure....

I’m not sure that’s correct. We’re from the UK and I’ve emailed the haven concierge a few times and they have made dining reservations and set up my bar preferences in the owners suite. 

Just got off of the Getaway 12 day Port Canaveral to Lisbon TA. Fantastic trip. Calm seas. Sun everyday except Great Stirrup Cay where we had torrential rain. Loved all the sea days. 

I love the spa but every time I get a treatment they try and sell me Botox or fillers. Every time I come away depressed about how I look. I didn’t think I looked that bad for an old bird 🤣🤣. At a captains party in the Haven on my last cruise I told the Spa manager that it wasn’t good that they were doing this whilst someone’s trying to have a relaxing treatment, he thought it was funny. It certainly puts me off. 

48 minutes ago, pcakes122 said:

Again, this seems like an NCL staffing issue.

 

I have posted my thoughts on this many times before. NCL has conditioned their customers to expect and ask for less (people concerned about the "poor crew members") which ONLY serves to increase NCL profits. If NCL felt the heat of customers expecting and insisting upon their marketed product (especially Haven), they would HAVE to hire more people (which TRULY helps the crew!)

I’m not sure it’s a staffing issue. How could they foresee a guest needing to be served by 6 people. I’ve certainly not been conditioned into expecting less, I make use of what I’ve paid for but not at the expense of others. Yes I feel sorry for the poor staff being treated like a piece of s*** there’s no excuse for that however much you’ve spent on your holiday. I think NCL feels plenty of heat from certain guests demanding what they expect, I’ve stood behind them at the concierge desk while they make their feelings known. As I think someone else mentioned if you go to a 5* restaurant you certainly wouldn’t be allowed to act that way. We often dine at Gordon Ramseys in The Savoy London and wouldn’t dream of asking them if we could have food from somewhere else, I can just hear Gordon’s answer to that one 🤣😂🤣

I don’t wish to inflame this topic anymore than it already has been but I have personally experienced slow/ no service because numerous guests were requesting items from other restaurants. On the Epic in July this year two separate groups of guests had staff running around getting food from all over the ship, their butlers bringing stuff from lord knows where. Restaurant managers trying to calm them all down when it wasn’t done fast enough or it wasn’t quite what they wanted. Small children at 9.30 at night needing blankets as they were cold and wanted to sleep, the poor staff explaining that they don’t have blankets but offering them tablecloth’s. They were served multiple glasses of wine from other bars and still left it all untouched on the table. At one point there were 6 members of staff at one table. Luckily we’re chilled so didn’t make a fuss about our meal taking a bit longer but you could see the staff’s frustration, when they apologised to us you could see they were waiting for us to start complaining. I’m sure there would have been guests complaining. This happened every time we dined in the Haven and at breakfast. 

Both my air wrap and supersonic worked but at a much reduced capacity. Last time I thought I’d go with cabin hairdryer and bring Dyson corrale straightener but it didn’t work at all. 😩

My experience in the Haven has been a bit mixed regarding service from the concierge. I usually find their time is taken up with the more demanding passengers, which is fine as we are low maintenance. Last cruise on the Epic two weeks ago there were a few groups of very demanding passengers who took up the time of concierge, the restaurant manager’s and any other employees  they could complain to from the minute they boarded. It made for quite uncomfortable dining in the Haven restaurant with multiple servers, maitre D’s, the concierge and butlers constantly trying to please them. Everyone is different and perhaps expects different levels of service, I think perhaps the concierge prioritises the most demanding people first to avoid a major drama. 

24 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Updated Speciality Restaurant Booking Guide - Norwegian Cruise Line - Cruise Critic Community

 

It's in @KeithJenner's signature.

Thank you. 

13 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

But remember to book the set price ones first (assuming you have the dining package).

Hi Keith I remember you posted about which restaurants it was best to use your platinum voucher and which were best to use the free at sea dining. I know you did a whole thread about it but I can’t seem to find it.   
Thank you. 

In reference to the original question we did the chefs table on the Spirit and it was a very enjoyable experience. The food and wine pairings and the service were excellent. We’ve dined in many high end restaurants and often felt that it’s more about the chefs awards and stars than what the customer wants so the chefs table was a refreshing experience where it really was about the diner. Sad that they stopped doing it. 

36 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

From that do you think it is a reasonable to assume that other lines will drop the testing requirements in other countries.

The update was only that Greece needs negative test 24hour before embarkation. Elsewhere in Europe still need Negative tests 3days before embarkation. Considering that everyone gets off and does excursions in every port it seems daft really. Unless they test every day they’ve got no idea who has Covid, and now that UK and US doesn’t require neg test to fly back people will be getting on aircraft positive without knowing. 

12 hours ago, njhorseman said:

 

I think you're misinterpreting the requirement for Greece versus other countries. For Greece you need a test within 24 hours of embarkation as stated in your citation. However for other countries that do not have unique requirements standard NCL protocols, which include a negative test result, still apply. The difference is Greece's "within 24 hours" requirement.

 

  https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe 

 

Universal testing & Pre-Embarkation Protocols

*Rules apply for all guest above the age of 2

Unless otherwise stipulated by local regulations (Cruise Travel Requirements by Country) that would supersede our policy, at time of check-in, the following testing requirements would apply:

All guests above the age of 2 will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or NAAT test (I.e. PCR) result administered by a verified third party or via medically supervised home test:

Within 2 days prior to embarkation date for cruises departing from a U.S. port

Within 3 days prior to embarkation date for cruises departing from a non-U.S. port

I think you’re right there. 

Country Requirements

Travel requirements may vary from country to country in Europe.

Embarkation Requirements

For cruises embarking in Greece, all guests ages 12 years and older must have negative NAAT (PCR) or Antigen test 24 hours prior to embarkation. If guest does not show proof of a valid test conducted within 24 hours prior to embarkation, an antigen test will be administered at the terminal covered by Norwegian.

Vaccination Requirements:

France: In order to be eligible to enter France as a vaccinated person for guests who received a one shot vaccine (Johnson & Johnson), at least four weeks must have passed after the shot.

All guests age 12 and over must present proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.

EU Healthy Gateways currently defines individuals as "Fully Vaccinated" against COVID-19 if they carry proof of vaccination with at least 14 days and no more than 270 days passed since the last dose of the primary vaccination series or if they have received a third or booster dose. To clarify, guests that have received a booster dose can travel regardless of the amount of time that has passed since their booster dose. Booster requirements vary by country as follows:

Booster Requirements:

Northern Europe/Baltic Itineraries (Baltic, British Isles & Iceland) do not require a booster.

Itineraries that include Italy, Spain, Greece, France, and Portugal require a booster, for all individuals 18 years or older, if their original vaccine course was taken more than 270 days prior to embarkation.

For itineraries which require boosters, in lieu of a booster 270 days after the primary series, guests may present a government recognized or official medical Certificate of Recovery.

For European Citizens, this would include an EU Green Pass or comparable certificate.

For all others unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. US Citizens) a doctor’s note, plus a laboratory confirmed PCR test result with the proper information (i.e. Name, Date, Date of Birth, Positive Result, etc.) will be accepted.

Children and Teens between the ages of 12 and 17: Full vaccination protocol at least two weeks after receipt of the final dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or any WHO approved vaccine. Children under the age of 12 are not required to show proof of vaccination.

Guests who cannot meet the above requirements should not travel to the ship as they will be unable to board.

Face Coverings:

Effective on 5/7/22 and beyond masks are optional on all sailings, unless visiting ports in Greece or Italy. In these ports, masks are required while indoors.

Italian ports specifically require KN95/FFP2 type masks.

Adhere to local regulations when visiting ports.

Effective 6/12/22, guests will no longer be required to show proof of negative Covid test to return to the United States.

In order to best comply with local regulations, all guests who require proof of a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to their home country, will now have the following options:

Purchase an easy-to-use telemedicine kit onboard (subject to availability)

Visit a local clinic

For an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world, please visit www.TestForTravel.com.

MALTA FORMS

Going Ashore:

All Guests who do not hold an EU-COVID certificate and intending to go ashore will need to use VeriFLY.  

After creating a secure profile on their mobile device, passengers will upload vaccine information and other documentation as required directly into the VeriFLY app.

Under the "Add other" section, select "Malta arrivals". Once the information is completed and vaccine picture is uploaded, you have successfully submitted for review.

The VeriFLY app will verify that the passenger's information matches the requirements set by Malta and displays a simple pass or fail message.

Following that, the passenger will be guided to fill in the Passenger Locator Form for entry into Malta.

The VeriFLY app is available on Google Play and on the Apple App Store, and users shall be able to activate their “Trip to Malta” pass, which encapsulates the requirements for entry into Malta. It is highly recommended that guests download the app and complete the required information prior to embarkation.

The above will not be required for guests opting to remain onboard the ship and not proceed ashore.

NCL sail safe info has been updated today. In Europe only cruises from Greece requiring negative test before embarkation. 

 All vaccinated guests, regardless of age, must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or NAAT test (i.e., PCR) taken within 2 days of the embarkation date for cruises originating in a U.S. or Canadian port and within 3 days of the embarkation date for cruises originating from a non-U.S./Canadian port.
• All unvaccinated guests ages 2 through 11 will be required to bring proof of a negative NAAT test (i.e., PCR) result administered by a verified third party within 3 days of the embarkation date.

I read the above as vaccinated guests just need proof of negative test, and unvaccinated guests ages 2-11 need verified by third party test. I plan on doing one where you send a photo of negative test and they email you a certificate. That’s what I did in September last year. 

3 hours ago, cruiseaholic78 said:

Ok back again and read all your posts, I have a feeling that this is because they are just starting up but I can’t book ANY dining at all. They all show ‘ not available to book.Please check back later or once on board, NCL chat and my TA have both confirmed this so maybe this is because of the start up. Our cruise is within 21 days.

Rosalyn

Some ships at the moment aren’t able to be booked beforehand. 
We’re on the Epic next week and no dining is available to prebook. 
 

Are NCL still sending out luggage tags and welcome letters to guests from the UK?
We are 12 days out and haven’t received anything as yet.

Wondering when they will reach out regarding liquor selection as we are in a DOS, should I just contact them?

Anyone have the email address for the concierge?

Thanks in advance for any help. 

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Home test kits designed for travel include a QR code where you log the results online and receive a certificate to back-up the test results, there is no need for a video supervised test unless your destination requires that.
 

For us, a "return to the UK" test only needs to be a home antigen test so it's easy to take one with you, do the test overseas and log the results online (A PCR test is however needed 2 days after return).

 

Some countries need supervised tests (video), some require clinic tests and others allow home tests there is no standard, in each case the requirements need to be checked with the country or company (in the case of NCL) requesting it.

Yes this is what I meant as a home test.
I will order an antigen test to my home and upload the results online and the company will email me a certificate. 
It will save me a two hour round trip to my nearest boots, makes it easier for timing as well as we are staying at Heathrow the night before as we have an early flight.

NCL seem to keep changing their policy on this that’s why I asked them directly. 

Here’s a link to the transcript of the chat. I was very specific about the test question. 

transcript.txt

Just had an online chat with NCL regarding Covid test 72 hours prior to boarding.
I asked specifically if it needs to be done by a third party in a clinic they said NO it just needs to have  guest details and date of test. 
Makes it slightly easier that we can do home test and upload results online to get certificate for travel, saves a bit of money too. 

4 hours ago, Armadillo-girl said:

The following is taken from the NCL site - does anyone know when the 72 hour window closes, it is 6pm on the day or departure or to the time you check in?

Many thanks

 

Norwegian Cruise Line will assist with applicable expenses related to any mandatory quarantine that are not covered by a guests travel insurance only if the guest provides proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours prior to their sail date. Proof of negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours of sail date must show guest name, date of birth and date the test was taken in order to be eligible

I read it as 72 hours prior to embarkation. 
Italy require 48 hours prior to landing. 
We don’t usually fly in on day of cruise but we wanted to simplify the testing, our flight lands at 12 noon on the 29th. 
We’re going to get an antigen test done at a test centre on Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. 

Fingers crossed it goes to plan. 

We’re due on the Epic 29/09 from Rome.
Am I understanding the testing procedures correctly , NCL only accept a test done in a testing centre as opposed to a test done at home and sent by post or uploaded on internet. It’s so complicated.