Bigbluegal

it is ridiculous to have an expiration of

1 year when cruises have only recently resumed with limitations.  We had two cruises scheduled and can only cruise during school breaks so two in one year is not necessarily possible.  

3 hours ago, beerman2 said:

You actually think people will cruise with a mask or even cruise lines will enforce it? Cruise lines don't enforce some of their policies NOW!

 

it will be literally impossible to Social distance on a ship. Will they have a person at each end of a corridor so pax can't pass each other.

 

In light of what is happening are pax willing to accept possibly being quarantined  if cases breakout?

 

This whole thing isn't a matter of 1+1=2. Moving parts that isn't going to end or make people happy!

If I can go to a trump rally without a mask....why not a cruise?  Last week at our hotel we had to sign a waiver, why can't the same be done on a cruise ship.  At this point everything, including a trip to Wal-Mart is at your own risk.

On 6/17/2020 at 10:12 PM, wolfie11 said:

Disney and the airlines are requiring everyone to wear masks... many cruisers have stated they won't cruise if masks are required when you're outside your cabin.

We were on a flight last week and people took their masks off once on the plane.

We just flew this past week.  Passengers were asked to wear a mask to board the plane, once on board several people removed masks throughout the flight.  Didn't hear or see anyone make a request to put them back on.  In the airport itself...again masks appeared to be in the minority with mostly gate workers/security.  Even food service workers were mask free.  We flew from Nashville to Panama City, Florida.

3 hours ago, js said:

Im sure you know but now everyone in the cabin gets the “free” perk of the alcohol package. I have five in an H4 on Encore, which includes adult kids, and for the cost of the gratuities, I was able to add three more people, total of five, for the alcohol package. I did not have to pay full price of package just the gratuities for them. 

Did you have to rebook your cruise at the current rate at the time?

The 30% discount equates to +$2000 added to the price of my original booking....certainly no discount.

6 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

Buckle up or be seated first, ready - this is very new, just started rolling out recently.  Multi-user plan/discount does NOT apply to the unlimited social media plan @ $14.99 per day.

 

These prices are based on a typical 7 nights sailing - single user discount are $5 lower on longer sailings (13 nights or longer, as I recall ... could be "wrong" on the # of days)

 

Unlimited Premium WiFi streaming/VPN -

$34.99 per day - 1 user  x  # of days

$51.98 per day - 2 users at the same time ($25.99 x 2 users) 

$62.97 per day - 3 users

 

Unlimited WiFi 

$29.99 per day - 1 user x # of days

$41.98 per day - 2 users

$56.97 per day - 3 users 

 

A sample calculation -

2 users on the basic, unlimited WiFi plan = $51.98 x 7 days = $363.86 

(you are allowed to buy on Day 2 for 6 days worth = $311.88)

 

Less a possible $125 trade-up credit if you have the "Free 250 minutes WiFi" as part of a booking promotion ****, reducing it to just $238.86 

Or, do this on Day 2 and only charged for $186.88

 

The premium plan does NOT unlock or yield faster speed nor bandwidth, it unblock tcp/udp ports - typical speed, when not "congested" during peak periods, is about 2 Mb download and 3 to 4 Mb upload ... not really optimal for HD streaming (i.e. Sling TV recommend a 2.8Mb for a high quality connection to stream contents, 1.8 Mb would be adequate for medium quality video).  

 

**** assuming that the upgrade credit is valid for the multi-user plan.  

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you.....good information.  Will we be able to purchase online or is it available only on board?

Any information on the multi-user plans?

On 11/23/2019 at 10:03 PM, brookie848 said:

 

I wonder if this could be done on the ship. My husband doesn't drink, but we don't want to switch him to #3 on the cabin for insurance purposes (we travel with a friend in a 2-bedroom suite). We carry outside insurance because my husband is on a transplant list and if something would happen we wouldn't be able to go on the cruise, we'd want the insurance to cover the price we paid for him, not what we paid for our friend (which was nothing except for taxes and fees for this cruise).

 

We'd love to have our friend be able to have the beverage package. If anyone has had any luck changing this on the ship, let me know.

On our first time NCL trip, we were in the Haven also and didn't even realize the positions made a difference as we booked last minute after our RCCL trip was cancelled due to a hurricane. Neither myself or my mother drink and they did move my son to position #1. I kept position #2 to order virgin drinks.  In addition , they even transferred my dining perks to my younger son and his girlfriend.  They just re-keyed all of the cards.  We have since traveled again this past summer but we had everything in order this time as I had a year to plan.  Hopefully they will be just as accommodating for you.

We stayed in 118....While it was a different room type, the location was quite convenient.  Also, do not recall any outside noise.

6 hours ago, SlipperyVic said:

If you weren't impressed by the Haven lounge in NYC then your really going to be let down by the lounges in Miami or Boston.

The lounge in Seattle is awesome.  Very comfortable and roomy.  

Any updates to the staterooms during the dry dock?

On ‎7‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 7:25 PM, cruisingator2 said:

I have been on those ships including the one in the video. I recall that some of the windows slide open for ventilation. A child that age would have to be helped up to that height.

Agree....in addition, the windows are tinted green making it easier to tell when they are in the open position.  Regardless, this is such a tragedy.  Can't even imagine the pain of this family.  Prayers for all:(

1 hour ago, rattanchair said:

Dear Big,  That is just great and what I expected as well, but was told 'No' by the maitre d' and the concierge. All I asked for was the 3 cheese ziti on the MDR menu, pre-ordered at lunch for dinner.  I feel I was cheated out of my Haven experience that you all raved about in the Haven Restaurant on our June 9th sailing on the Breakaway.  Thank you for your reply.

Sorry your experience was less.  We have been in the Haven on the Bliss and the Escape, both were equally enjoyable.  Hopefully your next experience will be better.

6 hours ago, smithop said:

Wait, you pay all those big bucks so your mother can eat grilled cheese and pizza up there in the haven?

I thought the hoi poloi were dining on caviar and lobster up there.

Just another reason I won't be wasting my money on haven suites or passes.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 

Yes I do or anything else she would like in which they are willing to accommodate.  She (nor I) for that matter like caviar or lobster. My boys on the other hand love trying new things.   Why would what we are choosing to eat have an effect on your eating experience?  She did like the desserts and coffee if that makes you feel better.

4 hours ago, amygutman said:

Glad to hear about everyone's different experiences - 

I bumped into a few folks today on the Dawn that I recognized from a past Haven sailing - they are avid CC stalkers but not frequent posters (shout out to Joanne (sp?) or Jacklyn (sp?) from NY 🙌. They noted about a 50% success rate with special requests - different boats, different Havens, different concierge. The one thing they confirmed was a 100% denial rate for the sushi restaurant. 

Interesting too: they said on their last cruise on the Escape (last Nov) their friends were unable to get a meal from another restaurant ordered at the Haven, so either the butler or concierge got them a free meal credit at Le Bistro for another night. Granted - I am getting the tale 2nd hand, but still good info. 

Now...most importantly...cornbread...where can I get cornbread on the Dawn?????

Amy

Not sure about Dawn but you can get cornbread on the Bliss at Q but it is quite different than what we make at home.

1 hour ago, rattanchair said:

Dear Big,  Like WHAT will they accommodate not on the menu? We were on Breakaway last week and they refused to bring us anything not on the Haven Menu. Yes, anything on the menu could be cooked to order. A $ 50 tip did not change things. Do not tell us your fairy tales ! I will give you and Miss Amy the benefit of the doubt and the NCL policy on the Breakaway Haven has changed since you were on board as well. We had to pre-order at lunchtime for dinner and because we pre-ordered it would take our service longer (for no salt request) each evening. Not that we had anywhere special to go, mind you, but by the end of the cruise we started to order straight from the menu, salt and all.

We were on the Bliss not the Breakaway....but some examples would be....we had a gentleman in our party who had to have sugarfree ice cream.  While they didn't serve that in the Haven it was provided for him from the garden café.  My mother also requested grill cheese and fries on one evening as we do not eat seafood and she was not willing to try some of the other items that others might see as cuisine.  They brought up pizza one night as well.  We were also offered any of the menu items from the other dining areas(not specialty).  We would trade lamb for soup beans and cornbread any day of the week but we had to wait to get back home for those.  

8 hours ago, elwood_98034 said:

Variations of this are popping up all over the YouTube travel agents' channels:

 

"NCL has just opened up the Haven. Anyone on the ship can use its bar and restaurant now. They are advertising it on their website. You can save big $ by not booking the Haven. Just get a standard cabin, and head on up and join the fun. It will be especially good on viewing days as the Haven has THE best views! Burn up that free drink credit in the poshest bar on the ship hanging out with the Gucci crowd, and watch the glaciers slide by."

 

Some of the channels have had as many as a million views in the past.

Interesting as we were in the Haven on the Bliss week of June 2.  On glacier day there were many more guests in the windows of the Haven restaurant blocking views of those eating.  One guest remarked and those folks were discovered as non-haven guests.  They were asked to leave.....at that time i did not realize that the topic of this thread was even an option but it could explain a few things.  On another day while in the horizon lounge taking a little snooze....I was awakened by loud conversation of a fairly large group of 6-8 folks being served by waitstaff.  I know at least some of them were not haven guests because of statements made such as....."did you go in and look at their rooms, if I had a tub like that I would stay in it and not worry about getting off the ship"  "you all have it made in this area"

On 6/15/2019 at 3:50 PM, perditax said:

Hmm, my dinners in the Haven restaurant on BA were absolutely nowhere near worth $100 for two people. They can keep trying to fragment their product into smaller and more exclusive bits, but the quality needs to be there.

We stay in the Haven but often eat in the other dining areas for the variety of the menu.  The Haven menu stays the same and gets old during a week long stay.  They will accommodate things not on the menu but it would be nice if the menu had more daily changes.

22 minutes ago, AtlantaAlly said:

Yes, may be the same woman. I think she may be from a Caribbean island. Not sure which. But was disappointed. If she was Guest Services staff, it’s probably best she stay there and not move to the Haven. 

Agree, she had a difficult time making eye contact. 

We have cruised Royal 3 times--Freedom Eastern Itinerary (Balcony), Oasis Western Itinerary (Suite) and Freedom Southern Itinerary (Suite).  We have sailed NCL 2 times--Escape Western Itinerary (Haven) and Bliss Alaska Itinerary(Haven).  We love both lines but .......

Overall Ship layout---Royal wins when considering the areas outside the Haven.  Seems more open and the middle stack of elevators is welcoming.

Food--We liked Royal best here as well even when comparing the Haven with the exception of breakfast.  On Royal we chose My Time Dining and we liked having the same table each night as it is much more personal.  The waitstaff had our beverages ready without needing to ask.

Drink Pkgs--For us Royal wins again as we do not drink and Royal gave us the option of the refresh pkg which included non-alcoholic cocktails and fresh squeezed juice (while it is annoying to have to go to the juice station to obtain this)

Internet--Royal again...the pricing is much more clear and pkgs with individual logins can be purchased.  On NCL  when one of us was on...we kicked the other off.  I believe you can purchase extra user logins but it is not advertised clearly.

Entertainment---I believe this would be dependent on the ship chosen.  We enjoyed both...Jersey Boys on the Bliss was exceptional.

Embark---Easy on both but exceptional on NCL as we were in the Haven so we had a lounge and received escorts to our rooms.  Getting on and off the ship at ports was easy as well as we were taken down a separate elevator.

Cabins--We have not been disappointed with any of our rooms albeit balcony, suite, or Haven.  Of course the Haven was the nicest but it comes at a price.

We will continue with both cruise lines and prefer the larger ships.

12 hours ago, AtlantaAlly said:

Yes, he is. He has been great in every interaction- although, he doesn’t recognize us/remember us. He was welcoming Haven guests through a priority line in Ketchikan and he moved our families over and did not recognize us, oddly enough. We flashed our cards, no problem.

 

The assistants leave a bit to be desired. One in particular. We asked if we could get reservations for Escape the Big Top, she told us the Box Office wasn’t open and we should go there at 2:30... I stood there in amazement. Then I asked if she would be able to call when they opened and let us know if she was able to get the reservation. She did. Maybe my expectations were too high that she would just take care of this rather than sending me down to the Box Office? I thought this was part of their standard service. Her title was “Guest Service Attendant” so I just chalked it up to the fact that maybe she was new at the concierge desk. Whenever we worked with David, it was always “Yes, absolutely I can do that for you.”

Agree, we were in the Haven June 2-9...David was great but one of the other ladies (short hair) not so friendly.  Seemed to be annoyed with questions.

Just got off the Bliss in a 2 bedroom Haven....it was a wonderful trip.  We had excellent weather.  Hope your trip is as enjoyable.

Will be Blissful in a couple of weeks....following

We are booked at the Hyatt Place Seattle-Downtown.  Anyone with experience there?  How far to the market mentioned?