olemissreb

The Vibe sounds so nice, but is it really worth it on a cruise with 7 ports in 7 days? We may only do half day excursions, so we'd get at least a 1/2 days use out of it...plus I've been to St. Thomas, so may just stay on the ship. Sailing Viva in March '25.

Great! Thank you! I've got time before I can even book. Since I only have 2 credits, I'll have to decide where I want to eat and if I should add more credits.

So are the "flat fee" restaurants not covered by Free at Sea? 1st time NCL cruiser and 1st time ever having a dining plan.

I need to look at my AMEX...I'm still paying off my '25 Viva cruise. An extra $250 would come in handy!

Look at the 2025 sailings on the Viva. My sister and I had a Celebrity Summit cruise booked and when it was cancelled, we booked the Viva which was only $500 more per cabin. So while we have to wait for what feels like forever, we'll be on an 18 month old ship for only an extra $500. I can't wait!

Go with the flow and collect the baby dolls and use them in homemade king cakes at Mardi Gras...same thing.

Great! Thank you for all your knowledge!

OMG Now I'm even more excited to board her in 536 days! She'll be so majestic sailing by El Morro.

Thanks for that info. Good to know if we get something in the port area we have nothing to worry about. So if we book a taxi in the port area to take us to Maho Beach, how do we detemine licensed taxis when we get ready to head back to port? Or will our original driver meet us there at a designated time?

If getting a taxi at the cruise ship pier, how can you tell if they are licensed or not?

Thanks Bird! I do like a strawberry daquiri poolside (of course those are out because my boyfriend is allergic to strawberries), but usually have wine while relaxing or having dinner.

OMG I think I just found the place where my boyfriend will be. He LOVES Blantons and has been wanting to try Elmer T Lee. Upgrading to the Premium beverage package will help lessen the sting a little I guess. 🙂 Can you get other libations in there? If not, can you bring them in? I'm mostly a wine drinker, but I do also like Blantons and sure wouldn't mind trying the Elmer T Lee. Of course we don't sail on the Viva till March '25, so prices and selection are subject to change...I just hope it won't.

Thanks. I still have plenty of time to plan and I guess there is still time for NCL to change port times.

I can't speak to the advantages/disadvantages of HAL vs NCL, but after 7 cruises I can truly say I book for the itinerary and ship/line/amenities is second. My sister and I will be on the Viva in March '25 and while I get to cruise out of my favorite port, I also get to experience 4 new ports on a very port intensive cruise (7 ports in 7 days). The Viva is brand new. I'm excited about that, but I'm also hoping that we won't be cruising with a bunch of families...we're all in our 60s and just enjoying our empty nests before grandkids start coming. 🙂 Just couldn't beat the itinerary though, so we'll make the best of it.

Found a Magic Mangrove Paddle in Beef Island Lagoon excursion offered through Viator (more expensive) or Ground Sea Adventures. Has anyone done this excursion? How rigorous is it? I've never been kayaking before - is it easy to pick up? The ship is in port from 8am to 5pm and the tour would start at 8:30am - can I make that? The only other tour offered is at 1:30pm and would finish at 4pm which cuts it a little too close to all aboard time for me. Also found a Taste of the British Virgin Islands excursion that is 3 hours long. Has anyone done this excursion or one like it? Was it worth it at $140pp?

I've stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites across from the Convention Center with my sisters...2 full beds and a pull out sofabed. I've also dtayed at the Embassy Suites in the same area. Sorry can't remember the names of the streets. Neither are actually in the Quarter, but the walk there isn't too bad.

When was the last time you were there? When I was in Slidell a year ago, my high school classmates said something about the mall being demolished and so the Cafe du Monde in the mall was no longer there and everyone had to go to the original on Decatur St.

My next cruise is still 18 months away. I usually book that far out so I can pay it off over time, get the cabin I want, pay for any upgrades as well as the independent excursions that I spent researching....not to mention airfare! By the time I get on board, it's just about an all-inclusive and all I have to worry about is souvenirs.

No Latitudes anything as this will be my first time on NCL.

I hope you'll do a "Live From"...I've got 550+ days till I'm on the Viva.

Thank you! Hate that, but oh well...maybe I can gift (aka buy) my sister the dining upgrade.

Y'all have convinced me that a specialty restaurant (probably Cagney's) for my embarkation dinner is the way to go. Couple questions though: How long does dinner at Cagney's usually take? We are on the Viva sailing from San Juan at 7pm and I definitely want to be on deck for sail away. Thinking dinner after sail away may be the way to go rather than before. Other question - I may upgrade my Free at Sea to the Free at Sea Plus which gives us (my boyfriend and I) 2 extra specialty meals. Is it possible to use one of those meals for my sister and her boyfriend - kind of like paying for their meal if we were on land? She currently has the Free at Sea and I'm not sure if she'll want to upgrade. If we are able to "spring" for a meal using one of our 2 extras, that would be nice.

Thanks for the great review. I had looked at something like this, but since my sister can be very clumsy (she has a knack for tripping on air) and my boyfriend has ankle problems, I think we'll skip the tour this time.

We are booked! We got the Free at Sea and paid gratuities for the Beverage Package and the Dining, For the Dining package, how exactly does that work? I figure we'll try to go to Cagney's, Onda, Los Lobos, Le Bistro (I've got to get my escargot) and maybe something else. How many are open for lunch? Oh so much to do and so little time.

Well then I'm glad we didn't get the air add on...gives us more flexibility. Thanks!