laur371

Cruising on the victory this weekend. Where can I buy one milkshake? This ship doesn't have the Shake Bar. I don't have (nor do I want) the Beverage program. Just one milkshake. 

Thanks!

Hi All,

Can guests who have not paid for a spa treatment use the sauna (specifically men's sauna) on the Carnival Victory? Is it free for public use or only with purchase of a spa treatment?

Thanks!

Why do you need a shot in hell? Costs you nothing to make a phone call to customer service, explain what happened and see what they say. Stop having a defeatist attitude. Be polite, reasonable and you might be surprised they may give you something. Also, as someone else stated look at the credit card used to see if they have some sort of travel insurance.

Hi, The credit card has nothing to offer in terms of recourse/insurance/anything. I spent multiple hours on the phone with them. Also, I already called customer service and got escalated to many supervisors. I was polite and to the point. They mentioned I write a letter to guest services, which I did. I have to wait 15 days for a response. The reason I asked that question is just to know the likelihood from other travelers on Cruise Critic. 15 days is a long time to wait. My letter is already sent. Now, I want to know others experiences! From the few I read, it looks like my chances are slim to none.

My MIL was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had to cancel a suite on the POA. NCL was very sympathetic, but still applied the cancellation policy and she lost 75% of the fare. Port charges, prepaid gratuities, and the 20% service charge of UBP and dining package were reimbursed at 100%.

 

They were able to use trip insurance through a credit card to recover the cost of one of the airfares. Too bad they didn’t use the same credit card for the cruise fare.

 

A hard learned lesson: DW booked her flight on United. MIL was booked on Delta. United allowed cash reimbursement for the death or terminal illness of a family member. Delta only allowed for a credit for a future flight within a certain number of months. MIL passed away less than four months after she was supposed to go on the cruise.

 

Edit: I recall that both airlines charged a change fee for the cancellation so they were both out of pocket.

I just wanted to say I am sorry your family had to deal with a diagnosis and a cruise cancellation. That is so stressful . It reminds me to count my blessings that my parents cruise was cancelled because of an airline, not health reasons.

Sorry your parents missed their cruise. Can't imagine how disappointing that must be but... Are you sure it wasn't bad weather that caused flights to be cancelled

I am now positive it wasn't weather related. Spirit told my parents it was a pilot issue (he didn't report to work and they didn't have a backup, or something like that)

Have they checked with the credit card they booked it with to see what kind of trip insurance they provide? I've seen multiple people suggest that but haven't seen a response on that yet.

Sorry for not responding. Yes, they checked. Their credit card doesn't offer any protection or insurance or reimbursement. I realize most cards do.

Since your parents are in NJ maybe they can take a cruise to Bermuda? That really stinks they missed the cruise

Well, their vacation budget was just spent on a cruise they can't take. NCL doesn't give them credit unfortunately.

Spirit that bad?

 

We have scheduled a Spirit flight Boston to Ft Lauderdale in January the day before the cruise, should I be worried?

Hi, I live in Boston as well! I am the Above Poster. My parents live in the NJ area. Anyway, yes. I warned/begged/pleaded my parents not to take Spirit and they didn't listen. Now I warn/beg/plead with you. Spirit notoriously delays trips and cancels them. I never thought they'd flat out cancel, but nearly 100% of the time I've flown them, they do delay, ESPECIALLY during bad weather (like Boston in January!) If I were you, please look into trip insurance and see if it fits your budget to add on. Other airlines, if they cancel, sometimes help by putting you on another airline's flight for free. Spirit barely even answers their phone. Sorry.

I am so sorry you ran out of all options.

I can understand your parents' disappointment. Perhaps another time, they can make up for this by going from a closer port? Bayonne, Baltimore, New York. I cannot find anything from a closer port (within the next 2-3 weeks) at a good price, but NCL has a 4 day cruise going out of NY next April, starting at $450 ish, and many others. Can you talk to some kind hearted person at NCL to see if their cruise credit can be switched/transfered to a new cruise? I know it seems impossible, but you never know. Good luck, don't give trying.

 

 

I agree, the $1000 flight from Philly would have been more expensive that the cruise itself. I would have suggested putting them on a train, but that would be another 18 + hours and perhaps quite uncomfortable.

Thank you, Arzeena. It is clear how kind hearted you are. A cruise out of NJ/NY looks like a great idea. You mentioned a cruise credit, and I wanted to clarify that they were not offered a credit. NCL didn't offer them anything. I spoke to Guest Relations. I will also be writing a formal letter, as others on this thread suggested, to try to convince Guest Relations to offer a credit. If you have any insight or past experience on how to compel Guest Relations to offer one, please let me know.

When is the cruise? Is it tomorrow?

 

Not a very practical option at this hour, but just an attempt: Flight to W Palm Beach today at 10:57...Trenton Mercer Airport? Frontier.

 

Cutting it REALLY close but if you are in the area?

That could have potentially worked if they thought to look earlier. Now they live too far to make it. It was a good suggestion and thank you for taking the time to look. Very kind of you. There was one flight from PHL but it was $1000 which is too much for them at this point in time.

you may be left with just writing a persuasive letter to customer service and hoping for the best.

Has anyone ever seen this work? I will do anything to make my parents happy, including the most heartfelt letter of all time! But I want to know there is a shot in heck of it working first though.

If it was a non-weather cancellation, the airline should have rebooked them on another airlines. That’s what they should have demanded yesterday.

 

NCL will refund port taxes and fees. Nothing else.

The airline only told them one hour before their flight. If they knew yesterday, they would have driven to port! (24 hour drive, but would have done it!)

What airport/airline?

Hi! It was from Newark, NJ airport. We quickly looked for any other airport they could fly from today (EWR, JFK, Phila, Boston, CT, Delaware, Maryland, etc). Nothing under $1000 one way that would get them there on time. We looked on ALL carriers.

The airline they originally booked was Spirit Airlines (Again, I know, I know. Never fly Spirit. I warned my parents but they didn't believe me how bad Spirit is).

I believe it was not weather related, but please educate me. If it was, does that give them more options?

If it was a non-weather cancellation, the airline should have rebooked them on another airlines.

 

NCL will refund port taxes and fees. Nothing else.

Thanks.

1) Airline re-booked them for a flight TOMORROW (which is not possible. ship sails). I also checked other carries, and 5 other airports for them to drive to to try to get there. Just nothing at this last moment.

2) As I said, NO OTHER PORT to fly into. Their port is Stirrup Cay. Last port is Bahamas, but that is the last few hours of the cruise.

3) Thanks for tip about port fees.

Hi All,

My parents had their first cruise this morning, They were supposed to land 15 hours before the cruise departed, because they wanted to plan for possible flight delays. What they didn't expect was the airline to flat out cancel the flight, with no flights for 48 hours.

Anyway, please spare me all the "you should have gotten travel insurance" comments, because obviously, yes they should have. I have learned for the future. Also, this was a NCL Sky weekend cruise stopping at private island, so there is no port to fly to.

But at this point, anything they CAN do? I assume not, and all the money is spent, but does NCL ever give credits for future cruise or anything? I assume not, but wanted to check.

Thank you and I hope this serves as a warning for others. It isn't just delays to watch out for, sometimes airlines CANCEL flights. Even when there is NO WEATHER issues. Weather is fine today. This was an airline issue.

Very often the itinerary is not repeated - an example is Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of 5he seas from Baltimore - alternating Bahamas with Caribbean itineraries. Ships on many Florida sailings from a given port will alternate eastern and western Caribbean —- so it’s being on the ship “back to back”, not covering the same ground.

OH! That makes so much more sense. Thank you for explaining!

I am new and just learned the term "back to back?" I am curious why someone would do this? I genuinely want to understand.

If someone wants a longer cruise, why not book one? Why repeat the same itinerary? Is there an added benefit cruise ships give back to back customers?

Thank you for explaining!

Laura

The MDR’s are complimentary.

I think I don't understand the terminology. When I read the NCL website they showed only one MDR but multiple complimentary restaurants .Are you using the word interchangeably?

Thanks for your patience. I am new here.

Thank you all! Another question:

Many of you are saying I don't need reservations in the MDR, but may in the specialty restaurants. What about the conpliemntary restauarest? Those are different than the MDR right? Or are they the same?

I am hoping someone who has been to GSC, will confirm but I believe everything is included

Wow! I had no idea that anything would be includes on the island! Thanks!

Thanks, both! My question on the port day wasn't clear.. Please keep in mind I've never cruised.

If one gets off the ship at 8AM, is it common to GO BACK ON the ship to eat lunch? I heard this was a Tender port so that may make it harder to go back on the ship for lunch and not waste time. Does that mean people buy food on the island? What would you do?

Hi all, I am posting for my parents, who are taking their first cruise (3 day NCL Sky from Miami). I have all sorts of basic questions:

1) Do they have to make reservations at the restaurants (non-specialty restaurants)? Even if they don't have to, would you recommend it?

2) How do most people eat breakfast on a cruise (I am sure it depends). Are the options the restaurant/cafe, the buffet and/or having it delivered to your room?

3) If my parents eat a restaurant, but for whatever reason are hungry and want to go to the buffet later, can they? Or is that not allowed?

4) How do most people eat lunch at their port day (Great Stirrup). I read its a tender port, so I guess its not easy to go back on the boat, right? So I guess they should buy lunch on the island?

5) I dont know what I don't know - anything else you'd recommend when it comes to dining on an NCL cruise for first timers?

Thank you in advance!

For reference, the cruise I am asking about is a NCL Sky 3 day weekend cruise from Miami to Bahamas.

Hi All, my parents are going on their first cruise, and are not computer savvy, so I am asking questions on their behalf. They do hope to be healthy and not eat too much, but they did ask an interesting question. If they made reservations for a sit down restaurant on the ship, and for whatever reason wanted to grab a snack off the buffet line a few hours later, could they do that?

Do you usually need to make reservations for breakfast and lunch? Website seems to only have for dinner.

How important is it to make reservations before the trip? (we are two weeks out now).

What do people do about lunch in port days? Do people go back on the boat to eat? Or pack a sandwhich from the buffet in their bag? Or just buy on the island?

For coffee, are there coffee makers in a room? How do people get their morning coffee if they want to drink it on their balcony?

Thanks!

Hi - I am sailing on the Breakaway over Christmas. This is my first cruise and we are a young (20s) married couple.

I have no idea what to expect about how crowded ship will be, but I heard it gets crowded. If we wanted to get in the hot tub, is it possible at all? How early (or late) do we need to get there? When are best times?

Can we pay for 1 day at the spa facilities? 1 week is too costly for us.

Thanks!