BaWBarmy

Why not...

I'm with Doug on this one.

The OP was worried that he may be tipping twice, then says he will take some cash so he can reward what he considers exceptional service, but isn't that tipping twice?

Try to increase the limit on your card if you're worried about going over. Save the cash for the ports. Never use your debit card.

There are no kiosks on NCL. I think you can add cash to your account at Guest Services but it's a bind, queuing etc.

It is possible to have a zero balance or at least a small one. We came off the Jade last year with a balance around £14. You'd need to really go nuts to have a big balance.

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Brewhouse is the same as any other bar. The drinks are covered under the UBP as long as they are under $15. You'll be limited to two drinks at a time but no limit in total, unless you are very drunk.

I'm not sure I've understood the second part of your question correctly so please forgive me if this info is rubbish. Your credit card is rooted to your keycard/room key, every transaction aboard is charged to your stateroom using the keycard. If you have any on board credit appearing on your account then that is usually used first.

Seems like Nassau is on almost everyone's list. Wonder why they still go there??

I like Nassau,

Favourite ports (not all with NCL)

Tallinn

St. Petersburg

Bergen

Copenhagen

Casablanca (I found it interesting)

Stockholm

Stavanger

Malaga

I loved Rome but not Civitavecchia and the distance to Rome. Also quite liked Naples but not quite as 'interesting' as Casablanca.

My stay on the ship days in future Grand Stirrup Cay and I am not keen on Port Canaveral now that I've seen Disney and Universal.

Get up real early and bag yourself a table at the Great Outdoors and enjoy a coffee and breakfast. That's my tip.

If you get the larger size budlights in those aluminium bottles with the twist off caps, they will open them but leave the cap so you can close it.

 

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Or bottles of Grolsch, if you like it, with swing top stoppers. They had these on the Epic but it was a couple of years ago.

I live in Portugal now but came from BaWBarmy's home county of Lincolnshire. Feel free to drop me an email if I can help with Spain & Portugal, or Civi.

 

Nice to see a fellow Yellowbelly on CC

We were just on the Spirit in December and in my opinion it is in need of a refurb. Our cabin was on deck nine and down from our cabin there was was a leak in the ceiling and the water (?) smelled throughout the hall. Others on board talked of leaks on their deck as well. There was a foul sewerage smell in the women's dressing room in the spa and we noticed it on other floors. They did replace the sofa sleep in our cabin and we noticed they replaces several on our floor. Several seats in the theater were broken. The sliding door on our closet was difficult to lock/connect with the magnetic latch. During rough seas the doors started slamming in the middle of the night. Our refrigerator rock during the rough seas to the point we put something under it to stabilize it. The room where the held karaoke was in deplorable condition. Drape hanging off the rods, sofa and chairs were filthy, tables badly nicked, and fabric coming off the furniture. Over all the room was very depressing.

 

 

Just my opinion.

Wow. We were on deck 9 too and disembarked on the day you embarked. Somebody must have gone round trashing the place between us getting off and you getting on. I will freely admit that maybe the Spirit needs a bit of TLC but I can't say I saw or smelled the same things that you did. I actually quite liked the ship.

Just a thought but have you considered a private transfer? Cost looks to be around 120 euros for two people, suitcases and bags to either airport direct from the cruise terminal. That is in a private car. You can probably get a minibus if you can find others who are in the same position

Although the cost may be more the advantages are that you don't have to lug your suitcases on and off various shuttle buses trains etc. and you may not have to be in such a rush to disembark.

I just typed in "shuttle from Civitavecchia to" into Google and it brought up the two airports and quite a few companies serving the cruise ships.

Hope this helps

Another question.

 

We have friends travelling at the same time - different deck. Not a problem, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that calls between suites are charged ($9.99 sticks in my mind). Is this correct?

No.

If you are using iConcierge on your mobile then it will cost each of you to have that facility included but just using the in cabin phones is free when phoning to another suite.

If you were on a UK Bank Holiday I'm guessing you booked Premium All inclusive. This means you can ignore all this stuff about the DSC (included in your fare) or gratuities on the UBP (included in your fare).

Photos are expensive BUT as a memento of your first cruise its worth buying one.

The food in the MDR isn't quite as good as the Speciality Dining but it's more than edible as is the stuff from the Buffet.

There are usually plenty of free things to do around the ship during the day and the theatre shows are free at night.

You have the UBP just make sure your drinks stay under $15 per drink. This is the only real 'trap' I can think of. Order glasses of wine at dinner rather than bottles.

Don't bother with the ships WiFi because it's bloody expensive. If you're cruising in Europe then your phone will work as normal once you are in port. When at sea just turn off the WiFi and turn on Aeroplane Mode.

Don't commit yourself to any Cruise Next Certificates unless you are absolutely sure you want to cruise with NCL again within the next four years. We always get some because we just absolutely love cruising.

I hope you really enjoy your cruise.

May as well just wait for your upgrade bid. If you don't get it then it's highly likely there aren't any available.

This is only my opinion, but if they had any available and you bid for an upgrade then you'd be more than likely to get the upgrade

Oh my gosh people! I really wish that I could delete this thread. As I’ve said over and over, I understand the rules and I am happy! My point was that the language of compensation was silly. I used that word! I am NOT UNHAPPY. Are all people on this board just looking to get offended for NCL? I did not say that I was mad or that they broke the rules or anything. I said the word COMPENSATION was SILLY!

 

 

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To ask for an upgrade because the price has changed even though you're past final payment, then complain because you got it but somebody used the wrong terminology when telling you that the upgrade was going through, then posting it on CC. Now you're complaining about being flamed.

Enjoy your cruise.

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I can't say I've heard of this problem before. I'm not sure where the problem is but I would call NCL and I'm sure they will send you documentation and luggage labels. I'm pretty sure they did for us.

Our first cruise was booked through a UK travel agent who then used a specialist cruise travel agent, we had no idea of edocs or special luggage labels until they arrived in the post via our travel agent.

If you booked through a travel agent it would be advisable to contact them.

I'm sure it will get sorted.

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I notice you have tried looking using an iPhone and a Kindle Fire. If you get the opportunity try to use a PC or laptop and use Internet Explorer or Chrome as your browser.

Hope this helps

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I was on the Gem about five years ago and I was in the MDR and I ordered a steak well done. The waiter brought it to me and it was well done. I said to the waiter that it was exactly to my liking. He said "That's rare" and I said "no. Well done" and he said Thanks and gave me a free glass of iced water.

I would have posted this sooner but I've been in a coma.

OK I haven't, but I have slept.

Can anyone tell me if there are outlets near the beds in the balcony cabins on the Bliss? I want to know if I will need an extension cord for my CPAP or not. Also is the Bliss serving the drink called the Speakeasy? Thanks!

I was on the Bliss Transatlantic in a balcony stateroom and I had my cPAP with me as always. You will need an extension lead. There are no sockets near the bed. The nearest socket(s) were on the opposite wall next to the socket for the coffee maker.

My advice is to connect everything up and plug it in overnight with your cPAP on the floor next to the bed. In the morning just unplug the extension from the wall and slide everything under the bed. I don't have distilled water with mine so it's quite compact and fits easily under the bed.

I think people are getting caught up in the words “better service”. It’s really pretty simple and translates to land based bars as well. Tipping the bartender or server simply makes them pay attention to you more. I will repeat one of my last examples. I’m laying out at the pool and a server comes over, I order a drink. Server returns with the drink and I provide a tip. This specific server will repeatedly come back often to see if I need a refill. I am not saying that they don’t make their normal rounds but they certainly check on me more frequently. This is standard protocol at any bar. Not just on ships.

 

 

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I think you forgot the words 'in the US', this behaviour may be standard protocol in the US but not in the UK and many other parts of the world. When you tip the waiter do ask him to give some of that tip to the barman? As far as I know the waiter returns to the bar and the barman prepares the drinks. If the bar is full of people directly tipping the barman, then the waiter you tipped may still have to wait a while for your drinks to be prepared. ;)

To the person who was on about half price cocktails. I would say that a strong pour in a cocktail will give that cocktail a completely different taste, and surely your tipped barman would be foolish to stop you considering a second drink and therefore halving his tips. :confused:

Last time I went fire sale cabin and bought my own drinks. I guarantee you- a folded bill held up with the cruise card will get you served first. Did you already pay your bar tip? Yup- as did the other 1000 people on board who took the bar package and are all standing around the bar looking for their unlimited drinks. Who does the bartender go to first? The person with cash money intended for them. Also- pro tip- if you are paying for your own drinks and have a cash tip for the bartender, you will get a double pour. Or, half price cocktails.

Odd that I've not noticed this. Every time I go to a bar I'm served in the order that I pulled up at the bar, if I'm sat with an empty glass in front of me I'm always asked if I want a refill. The service is always great and always with a smile and maybe if the bars not too busy, a bit of conversation. I have never had to surreptitiously filter $1 to the barman.

I have a question about half price cocktails too. How do you know? NCL's tills work on the premise that the bartender enters the type of drink and the amount for that drink is billed to your stateroom. Does he only enter for half a cocktail? Do you run as quickly as possible to your stateroom, stopping only to wave dollar bills at your "priority" elevator, as soon as you can turn your TV on and check that your account was only charged for half a cocktail.

If people feel they want to tip the barstaff because they enjoyed the service then that's OK with me, it becomes a problem when people think they are tipping for better service. If they got better service then it really would be a problem.

Uh, they do.

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In my limited experience I've found that once through the check in, embarkation is usually fairly quick.

I can only go from experience. As happened to us or rather my daughter.

You will get the points for booking over 9 months out. Also your Latitudes tier level will be as it would have been if you'd had the points added at booking.

We sailed on the Spirit for 10 nights in November 2017, we booked it November 2016 it was an insider deal when we booked. We got 30 points. Before cruising my daughter had 21 points which would be Bronze but she had already been grandfathered as Silver. She got the 30 points taking her to 51 which should have kept her at Silver under the new system BUT she was Gold because at the time of booking 51 points was enough for Gold.

Hope this isn't too confusing. It's confused me.

I wish NCL sailed out of Boston.

You will not be able to avoid it.

 

Watching paint dry is more exciting.

Oooh is it? Have NCL got the rights to show that too?

I would think it's all dependent on who is NCL's sports broadcast partner and what their rights are with regard to broadcasting World Cup matches. On the Bliss recently and the Spirit at the end of last year there were live Premier League broadcasts on the channel NCL was using. There were no other leagues broadcast. I missed most of the 2014 World Cup whilst cruising the Baltic with another line.

We are 100% checked in. Final payment was made months ago.

 

Guess I’ll have to call them. ☹️

 

 

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I think the only way is to log in on a laptop or a PC or whatever the Apple versions are. The mobile version is a bit temperamental.