Coastalbreezes

I am in the DOS for the September TA and will post photos if no one else does before.

I've participated in big slot tournaments before. In my case, upon arrival in my cabin there was a letter from the casino inviting me to a kickoff welcome party the first night. There they explained the rules similar to most on-board tournaments: you are assigned dates/times to compete, re-buy information (if allowed) etc. and then you just play at your allotted time. The top "X" number of people compete on the last day and then winners are announced.

Yes Horseshoe in particular has been crowded the last couple of months -- and swimming sometimes closed due to an abundance of jellyfish. However if you intend to go, get there as early as possible would be my suggestion.

Being under the gym can indeed be noisy (think people dropping barbells). I personally like being within the Haven area itself as it is close to the bar, restaurant, pool and sundeck. Getaway also has some nice Haven cabins on deck 15 and, if you don't mind the walk, some great aft suites.

Some here will disagree with me but there is no need to tip on the first day, nor do butlers expect it. Tipping is subjective and a search through these boards will provide many threads (and opinions!) about tipping. Personally I tip on service: Some butlers are amazing and others not so much. I've had butlers who went out of their way every day and others who pretty much ignored me. That is why I wait until the final day to tip. I would suggest (and again others will disagree) a minimum of $10-$20/day per person. I've tipped high and low depending on service.

You should receive an email either way.

Yes we both have Free at Sea however we booked this trip over a year ago and my TA said internet was not part of the promo at the time. I have to do some more digging...

My friend and I are on a cruise in September. I called my travel agent about us adding this new promo to our reservation and he told us that yes, we can get it BUT because this is her first cruise on NCL and on the original booking she did not have any internet minutes, she'd have to pay an additional $306 to upgrade internet. This makes no sense to me and seems stupid.

You can try booking online but if not available find out where they are taking dinner reservations as soon as you board (usually near or in the Atrium) and you can make your arrangements.

On my most recent cruises acqua panna was included with P+.

What I think is poor planning for the new terminal is that for Haven guests, you are sent upstairs to the "VIP/Haven" check-in. After, you go to a rather expansive Haven waiting area which is lovely. BUT, once boarding begins, you have to go back downstairs then have a long, long walk to the opposite end of the terminal passing multiple waiting areas. Why wouldn't they have put Haven in that more forward area downstairs in the terminal? Makes no sense to me.

I thought with P+ you could only get full bottles of wine at dinner? Is getting a bottle also at lunch new? I may have been missing out!

Encore is the least friendly ship for smokers. The outside smoking room on deck 8 is always packed and there is no ventilation. Cigarettes are not allowed in the humidor (cigars only). There is also a dedicated smoking area on deck 19 for Haven guests.

Thank you for a great and thorough review. I'll be on Sky in a forward suite in August. Is Efren still concierge? Did you find the bars and wine list fully stocked or were items missing?

FYI: I've been on several sailings this year (Escape, Joy, Breakaway) and all of them did have the Latitudes gathering.

That happened to me a few months ago and after double-checking I had verified my phone and email and watched the video etc I still couldn't get it to 100%. I ended up calling tech support with my reservation number and within minutes, problem solved. The number is 866-625-1160.

While the Wines Around the World Tasting is currently unavailable, ships that have The Cellars wine bar do offer several different tastings during your cruise. Cost is approximately $20+ pp and very enjoyable.

No more buckets.

My friends who were on Joy last week saw pallets of Coke products being loaded on board at their first stop in Virginia. NCL has had an exclusive contract with Pepsi for years and I believe this was a temporary fix.

Generally there are 70s, 80s and 90s parties, a Latin fest, glow party and a "Dress Up or Not" night.

No more chef's table but I saw this article (from March 2022) about the Meet the Winemaker dinner series. Not sure if they are really hosting them again but it would be fantastic. In the past I've attended a few. Several courses with wine pairings with the winemaker. Cost was around $75pp and well worth it. https://www.ncl.com/travel-blog/norwegian-meet-the-winemaker-cruise-series

For a 7-day cruise the Premium Plus upgrade charge is $243.00. I always use my OBC for it and upgrade as soon as I board. Note you are only allowed to upgrade on day one of the cruise.

There is also a nightly Solo Travelers Meet-Up usually at one of the bars. You'll see the time listed in the Freestyle. I'd suggest going the first night and possibly make some dining arrangements. I sail alone most of the time and never feel uncomfortable dining solo.

I use some of mine to upgrade to unlimited internet.

What I'd also really like to see happen is dropping the requirement for all crew to wear masks. They are all double (and some triple vaxxed) same as passengers.