BaWBarmy

I think the point here is that the OP is using days cruised as a measurement, this is incorrect. Each cruise garners a number of points, based on number of days and a number of other factors such as whether you are in a Haven Suite etc. At the end of the cruise you are awarded the points for that cruise. So the question is not when you achieved 150 days but did you have 150 points after the second portion of the cruise, if you didn't then you won't become Sapphire until after the cruise were you are awarded enough points to take you over 150.

Example. My wife and I achieved Sapphire status after our last cruise. We had amassed 137 points each from our previous cruises, on our cruise docs our status was indicated as Platinum, we embarked on a 10 day cruise but we received 20 points each at the end of the cruise because we'd booked the cruise as an insider offer. We were awarded the 20 points a day after our cruise had ended and we were then officially Sapphire. 

My point being status is based on points, these points are only credited at the end of a cruise. If you hadn't been awarded 150 points BEFORE the third part of your trip then you were still Platinum.

I would also add that the additional benefits of being Sapphire over Platinum are minimal so you must really want that dinner with the officers pretty bad to raise this as an issue.

1 hour ago, Two 2 Tango said:

My experience on NCL (first and last time) was that it is quite OK to go dressed as if you are going working on a building site. Baseball caps, scruffy shorts and tee shirts that you have been wearing all week.

I never really understand why people get upset by the attire of other diners. Surely you go to eat? Does it matter that the man seven tables over is wearing odd coloured socks with his sandals? Will this affect the quality of your food, or your dining experience? If it does then I would suggest that you change tables/restaurants/cruise line.

The reason that I choose NCL is the lack of formality. I'm on holiday, I am not going to let somebody ruin that because they don't like my choice of dining attire.

If it's a Schengen Visa then it should be valid for all Schengen countries. Thats the whole point of Schengen.

2 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

The food at Onda is prepared en masse in Miami then sent in bags to the ships so it just needs to be warmed up. (I expect people to argue this but it is true.) Soon, La Cucina will switch to Onda.  Did I love it? No. Is it better than my cooking at home? Yes.

I am going to argue.

How does this work for ships based in Europe?

9 hours ago, DaggoB said:

Bailey’s included in premium plus. In the duty free shop on the Bliss last week it was $26 for a liter. Amazing. 

In my local Tesco yesterday it was £10 a litre. So yes the duty free price is amazing, as is the fact they charge $16 for a glass on board.

Star (x2)

Spirit

Gem (x2)

Jade

Epic

Escape

Bliss

No upcoming cruises 😭

Instructions for getting a great cocktail on NCL.

1 Find the Sugarcane Mojito bar

2 Take a seat, catch the barpersons eye.

3 Order a Raspberry and Guava Mojito

4 Watch the barperson prepare this nectar.

5 Drink

6 Sit a while and wonder why you've never discovered this cocktail before

7 Order another one.

Star

6 hours ago, EvanBedar said:

Anytime I read a review by someone who absolutely hates everything right down to the buttered rolls, I give it a wide berth.   It sounds more like someone who just felt bad the whole time, and they just wallpapered it with negativity.  

To be fair we have just got off the same cruise and a lot of the complaints mentioned are quite valid. 

The entertainment was poor by NCL standards and we stopped going after Lifford Shillingfords first show, he could sing but his repertoire was a bit dull. A lot of the singing by the ships company was just shouting.

The dropping of Porto, although we were given plenty of advanced warning we were never told why. The Bordeaux day was poorly handled, as were shuttle facilities at most other ports. NCL can't be blamed for french industrial action or the weather round Guernsey.

There was no behind the scenes ship tour or wine tasting for platinums and above.

To counter some of the bad points. The food was excellent. The crew were excellent. The replacement ports were good. 

One last point the OP mentioned the Latitudes meet up just being lumps of cheese and poor cocktails, we didn't go to this one because on the previous cruises we've been on the latitudes meet ups have always been lumps of cheese and poor cocktails.

12 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

Whilst there are no longer extra points for booking early (if used to be one extra point if you booked 9 months out), there are still latitudes offers where you get an extra point.

 

Since covid there have been some very generous offers on extra latitudes points. We got triple points on both our cruises this year. I think those offers have all ended now.

I've got triple points on our next cruise, next week. Inside cabin. All depends on what is on when you book.

1 minute ago, LizikinsLivesToCruise said:

I would choose the Epic from Rome (not Barcelona). You get the big sights and swim in Cagliari, Mallorca and Ibiza.

And Cannes. There is a very small beach right next to the Tender terminal.

Great news.

JD & Coke

Bacardi & Coke

Coke and more Coke

Its been my only disappointment on NCL. I've had to endure Pepsi (I think its too sweet)

Is there a way you can arrange with NCL to store your bike somewhere on board for the duration of the cruise, then collect it when you disembark. My only other suggestion would be to carry the bike aboard in a bike box as luggage along with the various packs, bar bags, frame bags etc. and store it under your bed if possible. That has its drawbacks in that you would have to re-assemble your bike on disembarkation. I hope you manage to find a way because it sounds like a really good idea.

I've had four e-mails today urging me to book shore excursions on my April 19th cruise out of Athens on the Spirit.

There are two hopes of this cruise going ahead.

What if it goes up?

If you don't like the price then don't book.

17 hours ago, AlyssaJames said:

I’m low level aggravated with NCL most of the time for other reasons, but my sole complaint about Bliss is that the Escape has a superior buffet for some reason.

I thought it was the other way round.

Four of us on the inaugural transatlantic on the Bliss in two connected balcony staterooms, we all loved it, that ship is beautiful.

I've disembarked in NYC 4 times. My first tip would be to take the easy walk off, we had bags misplaced on our first two times in NYC. My second tip would be to get a taxi or an Uber rather than a shuttle if your hotel is in Manhattan. If you get a good porter they'll hail you a cab for a small tip. Got to be cheaper than a shuttle.

Would you wash them after you had used them for each item?

I'll say No.

On ‎2‎/‎15‎/‎2020 at 10:41 AM, CazV said:

The new itineraries are great and prices are very good if you're not a solo cruiser. 

Just booked. Prices are great. Balcony cabin for an April Greek Isles cruise out of Athens via Istanbul. Had a couple of Cruise Next vouchers and some compo from our November Star cruise plus there is still 30% off, paid gratuities up front plus the Free at Sea (Booze and Excursions). £720 per person

Can't wait.

The way I read it is that under the old tier system you had accumulated enough points to be Gold. When they changed the tier levels nobody was moved down. So you were Gold under the old  and even though technically you didn't have enough points you were still Gold under the new. NCL did not award you any extra points to make sure you were gold under the new system they just said OK you're Gold. If you check your points you should see that you have the amount you should have but it just requires more points to step up to platinum (was 76 now 80)

Not sure I've explained it brilliantly

Lets say you had 51 points. Under the old system that would have been Gold, but under the new system you need 55. NCL would not put you down a level so they allowed you to remain Gold but with only 51 points. That's the grandfathering. With 51 points you would have needed another 25 to be Platinum under the new system you would have needed 29.

One more thing. Although you are not awarded the points until you have completed the cruise they are valid from when you booked the cruise. So you may have booked the cruise under the old tier system but not seen them until after you cruised with the new system in place.

Hope that helps although it's confused the hell out of me.

1 hour ago, ScottnBobbi said:

What is in this drink?

Aperol, Prosecco and a dash of soda

Its bloody lovely, so much so that we went to the supermarket and bought a bottle of Aperol as soon as we got home.

1 hour ago, blcruising said:

It has been reported that Singapore has the second highest number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

China 24,363

Japan 34

Singapore 28

Thailand 25

Republic of Korea 18

Australia 14

Germany 12

Source : WHO Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) situation as of 05 February 2020, 16:00 (CET)

I'm not sure what the problem is with a connecting cabin, and yes I have been in one on the Bliss.

All these answers are great if the OP is from the US. The username suggests that the OP may be from the UK. If this is the case then I've not come across an instance whereby anybody has needed anything but a passport. The only other form of government issued photo ID is a driving licence, or military ID if in the forces.

The DVLA and the passport agency use the same photo as ID and the military usually warn against using military ID as it can obviously be used to identify military personnel who may not wish to be identified as such for their own security.

I would give NCL a call and ask them to clarify. My mother did this when she was told on line that her passport needed to be valid for six months after her holiday, on phoning NCL she was told that as the cruise remained within the EU and that the UK was in the EU, at the time, that it was not necessary to have a passport that was valid six moths after the end of the holiday. She renewed her passport anyway.

5 hours ago, JoLoca2208 said:

 

We became Platinum with NCL 3 years ago and haven't cruised with them since... Because of their prices - they doubled them up 3 years ago on their European website, hence they became unaffordable (i.e. 7 day cruise previously would cost €600-800 for inside cabin; and they hiked it up to €1200-1400). Last year we've booked Pearl for March this year and it was first affordable cruise we found with them in the last couple of years (€900 each for the balcony). Also, prices for the inside are "back" at €600-800. 

My guess is they lost a lot on the European market due to strong competition from MSC (which was also my choice instead of NCL).

 

The prices went up when they introduced 'All Inclusive' which was all they would allow Europeans to book. People moaned it was too expensive, which it was, and they dropped it in favour of the £99 Free at Sea deal. Et voila! prices dropped again.