Darcy03231

4 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Just my opinion, but there is no way I would pay in full 120 days in advance to any cruise line. I'd take my (very good) chances that there will be space available last minute. 

I'll pay via credit card so if NCL cancels the cruise I'll get my money back.  I have insurance to cover any other issues.  I bought this cruise and picked my cabin in July 2020.  Cost from what I paid back then has almost doubled.  I'm pretty sure I've covered all my bases so I have no issues with paying 120 in advance.  While there may be space available, it may not be the space I want or at a price I want to pay.

5 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

Check your date again. I have a cruise booked April 3rd and my final due date isn't until Feb. 2nd.

Final payment is due 60 prior to cruise for cruises departing through April 30th.  Goes back to 120 days for everything starting May 1st.

16 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

How could your final payment be due this month for a May cruise?

 May 1st so technically due Jan. 1st but I'll pay it by the end of the month.

I have final payment due the end of this month for a May cruise and intend to pay it.  DH and I just talked about it last night.  We're both vaccinated and got our boosters last week, and have travel insurance.  If for some reason NCL cancels the cruise we'll request our money back.

I've had several, all with Nationwide.

1st was for trip interruption and medical.  Primary medical coverage.  They reimbursed the hotel, meals, and medical expenses.  Just had to send in the receipts.  Also received a per port credit as the cruise changed from a western Caribbean to eastern due to a hurricane. (I don't think this type of insurance is even offered anymore).

2nd was for trip interruption.  Again just had to submit the hotel/meals receipts and we were reimbursed.

3rd was for medical.  Primary coverage.  Submitted the bills and we were reimbursed.

I priced mine out this morning.  My Caribbean cruise was about $500 more than what I paid and my Hawaii cruise is about $3,000 more.   Hope others have better luck!

Assuming that you don't plan to cruise until NCL drops is requirement for everyone to be vaccinated or until your children are eligible to be vaccinated, here's another vote for the Escape.  We did a multigenerational cruise on the Escape and everyone had a wonderful time.

We've cruised out of Tampa several times.   The airport isn't that far away from the cruise terminal.  We always fly in at least a day early and like to stay in the cruise port area.  There are several hotels that offer complimentary shuttles to/from the airport and to/from the cruise port.  Last time we stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites, which included airport and cruise port transfers and free breakfast.

I have a 10 day land-based vacation booked for next spring (Curacao), will be home for 4 days, then leave for a 7 day cruise.  Would it be better to get a yearly travel policy to cover both trips or separate insurance for each trip?  While we don't have anything else planned for 2022, if the right deal came along we'd probably do another trip in the fall.  We will need primary medical coverage as DH is on Medicare.

We've sailed out of Tampa multiple times and have been late getting back to port twice.  Once was due to fog and once was due to a freighter being stuck in the channel.   I always book a late afternoon/early evening or next day flight coming home from Tampa for that reason.

I'd switch.  Since you're in port every day on this cruise you really won't have a lot of time to spend out on the balcony anyway.  I'd use the extra money to take some amazing shore excursions or to spend a few days before or after your cruise in Honolulu.

42 minutes ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

Your situation definitely sucks and can be used as a valuable lesson to others. Most airlines charge for luggage now, and since Southwest kind of does their own thing, I think it’s best to expect to have to pay. As for Basic Economy, I hate that concept and don’t think it’s right for a company selling a package to stick their customers with it. If a person wants to choose it on his/her own, have at it, but otherwise, I think regular economy fare should be the default.
 

If you keep your current flights, at least you’ll have the benefit of many back-up flight options across the major airlines. I’ll never forget the Southwest Airlines reality show episode I watched years ago where someone missed his/her flight or it was canceled or something, and he/she asked to be rebooked on another airline and was told no because Southwest doesn’t partner with others. That person went to another airline to check the last minute fare, and it was outrageous; I can’t remember for sure but seems like it was $1,500 or something. Personally, I’d rather pay a little more to fly a major airline with a wide range of partner airlines; to me, it’s insurance. 

I wish you smooth travels and an awesome cruise!

We had a family cruise scheduled in August 2017 with 6 people scheduled on a Southwest flight on a Friday morning for a Saturday cruise departure.  Flight was cancelled due to weather.  To be fair Southwest wasn't the only airline canceling flights.   They were able to rebook 4 of the 6 on a later flight.  They couldn't get the other 2 on anything until after the cruise would have sailed. We even checked other airports within a 2 hour radius.  I was able to get the other 2 on my flight (Delta) at the cost of $1350 for 2-one way tickets.   We haven't flown Southwest since then.

I'm booked for May 2022 and am still in the watch and see category.  I have no problems with canceling if things don't look good by then.  

I use an agent for the extra perks.  Onboard credit, specialty dining, etc.

17 hours ago, osterbound said:

You cant book years ahead. Maybe 18  months but during covid not even that .

 I booked last fall (September) for a May 2022 and November 2023  cruises.

I've had travel insurance pay out for several things.  Insurance carrier was Nationwide.  Once it was a medical issue and the others were travel delays.  I submitted all of the proper documentation and received the checks quickly.

I prepay unless I have a significant amount of on board credit.  I just like to have everything paid for up front.

I'd cancel.  Not because I'm concerned about getting the virus as I'm fully vaccinated.  I'm more concerned over what would happen if there were an outbreak on the ship.   I really don't want to be confined to my cabin, miss ports of call, etc.

Same thing happened to me.   Luckily my bill was only $200.

Aft balconies are our preferred cabins.  Never had an issue with soot.  We have felt some small vibrations from time to time, but nothing major or anything that bothered us.

Our 2022 Breakaway cruise is now about $1000 more than we paid.

Our 2023 Pride of America cruise has doubled. 

I expect that they'll be some fluctuation in prices since we booked so far out, but we booked at a really low point so I'm hoping they don't get canceled.

3 hours ago, maryivo said:

Thank you!!! We're seriously leaning that way.  Do you also think it's a better itinery for teens?  We have a 15 and a 17 year old and we want them to have fun adventures!  

 My children are all young adults and much prefer the western itinerary over the eastern one.  We tend to be pretty adventurous and it seems like we just find more things that we like to do on the western side.

One of the best tours we did in Roatan was to charter a catamaran from West Bay Tours.   There were 10 of us and we had a ball!

We've cruised both itineraries several times and prefer the western over eastern.   St. Thomas is very developed and to us it doesn't really feel any different that going to Florida.  Roatan is one of my favorite ports so I would always choose to go there.

We plan to fly in several days ahead of our cruise.   On our way back (we're on the east coast), we're stopping in Las Vegas for a day or two before flying home.  

4 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I'm sorry, but too bad. If the price of controlling a virus is the forced vaccination of the unwilling, that's too high of a price. And I say this as a vaccinated person. I would humbly suggest that we do not, as a society, want to go down this road.

I agree.  While my immediate family is fully vaccinated, I have other family and friends who have opted not to get vaccinated at this time due to a variety of reasons and I respect their decision, as they also respect mine.   They also realize that they may be prevented from being able to do/participate in things that may require a vaccine and they're ok with that for the time being.