jaapie

2 hours ago, hawkman402 said:

What do they do for frozen drinks like a Mudslide?

This past November on the Breakaway they did not give out straws. I spilled several mudslides - almost impossible to drink a mudslide without a straw without it whooshing out and covering your chin and chest. 

I was on the Millennium from Vancouver to Seward last August. Booked the train thru Celebrity before the cruise started. I don't remember the difference in cost between the train and the bus, the train was more expensive but well worth the extra. Fabulous. We saw glaciers and moose and scenery that was not visible from the road. Would do the train trip again in a heartbeat.

Last year my husband turned 70 while on a cruise. He didn't want a fuss made, in fact the reason we made sure to be on the cruise on his actual birthday was so that our children didn't make a fuss. Although we didn't ask for the event to be recognized, you can't hide your DOB from the cruise line and on his birthday a bottle of sparkling wine and a very elaborate cheese and fruit tray was unexpectedly delivered to our cabin. Nice touch!

Jamie, four days ago I noticed price changes for the cruise I am booked on next month. The price for a balcony was the same as I had paid for an inside. I called NCL and was upgraded to a balcony for no additional charge. Got to keep the UBP that I had selected when booking the inside, didn't get any additional perks but I am happy. Base price of balcony cabin is now $63 a day. 

We also only do anytime dining on NCL, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. When booking online for Celebrity and Royal cruises, if it says 'anytime' not available, I call and do the cruise reservation with an agent. When we get to the part in the booking when I am asked 'early' or 'late' dining, I say "anytime". Then I am told it is not available and I say "cancel the reservation" I am in the process of making as will only cruise with 'anytime' dining, then always miraculously 'anytime' dining becomes available to book.

I did a TA in Spring 2016 and the weather was wonderful, not too hot but certainly warm enough to sit at the pool every day except one. On a TA in Spring 2018 the weather was not as warm and many days needed a sweater to sit outside, also in 2018 it was very windy most of the time. 

I'm a happy camper. Today I noticed the cruise I am booked on for April has balcony cabins at the same price as I paid for an inside a month ago. I called NCL and they upgraded me to a balcony for no additional charge.

1 hour ago, hiccups said:

My husband's birthday is June 5th, so when he chose the June 1st itinerary I thought okay, I'll go along with his choice because then he can be on vacation on this birthday.  The irony is he doesn't like any attention surrounding his birthday (or our anniversary) and he will be very upset if I dare mention to anyone on board.
 

 

My husband didn't want any fuss for his 70th birthday last year so we booked a cruise for just the two of us. On the night of his birthday a bartender noticed his DOB when he ran my husband's ship card and the bartender disappeared for a few minutes and came back with a slice of cheesecake and wished my husband a happy birthday!

I wonder if basic bevvies means just soda, coffee and juice, or if it includes any alcohol, for example wine with meals.

How much OBC is typical given? And is the OBC for the current cruise you are on or for the future cruise being booked? 

Thanks.

Perhaps whether or not it is high tide or low tide makes a difference because when we went there on the ship's excursion it was very close to shore where we got off the cat, maybe about 10 feet away from the sand. Climbed about 4 or 5 rungs down a ladder and then into thigh high water but as the wave receded the water was only midway up my calf (I am only 5''2").

A couple of weeks ago I booked a guarantee inside on the Epic for an April sailing, category was listed as IF deck 9 forward. Same day as I made the booking I was assigned an ID deck 12 aft. So there really is no way you know in advance what you will end up with. But I am very happy with my cabin assignment. 

Not just bad news for Scotch drinkers, also bad news for wine lovers, many choices now moved to above the $15 limit, some substantially so.

When I cancelled a cruise recently the rep said to allow 48 hours for the cruise next certificate to post back to my account. It didn't take quite that long, however.

All specialty restaurants for the cruise I am booked on for this April show "not available to book" on the NCL website (they don't show certain dates/time not available as I have seen previously on other cruises). A couple of days ago I called NCL and was able to book restaurants with an agent without any problem. These reservations are for meals under my platinum perk but the agent did not ask any questions regarding whether or not I had the meal plan if they were platinum meals (I did not book Moderno).

8 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Forgive me for being dumb, but I'm not sure I'm fully understanding this. Hoping you guys can clarify....

 

1. The beverage package as it stands really has not changed at all. It's still the same price and covers drinks up to $15. Correct?

2. The drink prices themselves have increased, with many drinks now over the $15 limit. Correct?

3. Those that have the current drink package (either as a perk or purchased) are now finding that many drinks that used to be included are now over $15 and require an upcharge. Correct?

4. NCL are implementing a new premium drink package that will include those drinks that are over the $15 limit, but it is not yet available on all ships even though the pricing has increased. Correct?

 

So, if I have all of the above correct, I think I understand the basics. I have the package as a booking perk on my upcoming Bliss cruise. If I had needed to purchase it, I would not have done so as I don't drink enough to justify the high cost. Luckily for me, I drink mostly beer and white wine so I'm not affected (yet). However, my confusion lies with the upcharge and additional gratuity. Please don't misinterpret this - I am a firm believer in tipping and feel the bartenders do a terrific job. However, haven't we already paid the gratuity for that drink when getting the original package (even as a "free" perk, we still pay the gratuity)? I get that if you are having a more expensive drink you pay the upcharge, BUT why are you being charged the gratuity again? I feel like they are double dipping! Most of the drinks I get are around $8, but my gratuity should also cover a drink that is $15, so why would it not also cover a drink that was $20 (and I just pay the additional $5?) - it's still the same bartender doing the same job, regardless of how much the drink actually costs? Now I know, in the grand scheme of things, this is not the most important issue but it does seem like even more nickle and diming - basically you are being charged a gratuity twice.

 

Or am I just getting this all wrong?

I hadn't thought about your last point but you are correct. If I order a vodka and pepsi, it is exactly the same amount of work for the bartender whether I request grey goose or accept titos. There should not be a gratuity on the upcharge, definite money grabbing by NCL in this scenario.

In August 2018 we did the train trip as well. Fabulous. We saw glaciers and moose and scenery that was not visible from the road. Would do the train trip again in a heartbeat.

My room steward would not accept it. She said NCL employees are not allowed to accept and it goes back into the general stores. However, the ladies who run the spa work for Mandara and they were thrilled to accept.

We had a similar experience. Last November gave it to our room steward who seemed happy to receive it. A month later on a different cruise offered it to our room steward who said they were not allowed to have booze in their cabins so we just left it in our cabin (no point drinking that plonk when you have the UBP).

Went to Cuba on the Sky a couple of weeks ago. Brought back 2kg of coffee, paid 14.45 CUC per kg, don't know what it is like because I don't drink coffee, will give it to my children when next I see them.

Cape Town is beautiful and well worth a visit for a few days. But it is not known for game parks which are mostly in the north of the country. However, I see this cruise spends a day in Port Elizabeth. There is nothing much to see in PE except nice beaches, however one hour's drive outside of the city is the Addo Elephant Park. It is about a thousand square miles so smaller than some of the parks up north (it is the third largest national park in the country) but worth considering to visit while in PE for the day. There are not only elephants there, also lions, rhino, buffalo, zebra, etc. Also there is no malaria there, unlike can be found in some of the northern camps. I lived in Port Elizabeth for the first 25 years of my life and since leaving there in the 1970s have visited PE every couple of years during the past 40+ years so know it well.

Yesterday I took the train from Seward to Anchorage airport and it was FABULOUS, far exceeded my expectations. I booked the train with Celebrity and only Celebrity passengers were on the train. There is another train you can book directly with Alaska Railroad that accommodates non-cruise passengers as well. Our train journey started from the dock in Seward, just a one minute walk from the ship. It took us directly to Anchorage airport. The last night of the cruise we had to put our luggage outside our cabins by 10pm, appropriately tagged, then the luggage was transported to the airport where we collected it inside the terminal. The train cars are one level but have glass domes and picture windows. Hot food and beverages are available for purchase on the train. It is only a journey of 114 miles but travels at a leisurely pace and takes nearly 5 hours. At first the train tracks are near the road, but then for several hours the tracks and road diverge and the train goes where there are no roads, 1,000 feet up in the mountains. We saw many wonderful sights - several waterfalls, lakes, rivers, eagles, a moose and her calf, two bison, six glaciers (none as spectacular as Hubbard as the largest was only a mile wide but still beautiful nonetheless). I would repeat this journey in a heartbeat if I ever return to that part of the world.

My experience with mosquitos was that they were noticeable when you went into a more natural area. Surprisingly, I don't recall being bothered on the nature trail in ISP...but in Juneau...we encountered mosquitos. So...if you are generally in town, on the water, or in the air...you should be fine...but if you are going to go on a hiking trail, then you probably want some repellent.

 

I was beyond pleased with my recent mosquito repellent purchase. Alpenglow. Made in Alaska. Not DEET. Worked very well for us.

 

I did see the brand in a store in Ketchikan...so you might be able to find it in stores in town. You might want to contact Alpenglow to see where you could purchase in store, as I think you might be too late to order it at this point.

 

http://www.alpenglowskincare.com

 

Or bring the one of your choice. We also encountered biting flies. So it would helpful for your repellent to also ward those off. Alaska has over 35 species of mosquitos so it's a very valid concern. I would be prepared if you are so susceptible.

 

Also...they seem to be less present when it's raining...or very windy...which makes sense.

 

Mom...would you agree about the mosquitos?

Thank you for the detailed reply, Anita.

Anita, we will be on Millennium next week. I am concerned about mosquitoes (if there is one within a hundred miles it will find me!). What was your experience with mosquitoes.

Be sure to spend a half hour or so at the little wild life area within the cruise port itself before or after you get a ferry or taxi to the town of Cartagena. There are peacocks, flamingos, toucans, monkeys, etc in the area around the gift shop, no charge to view and take photos of the creatures. On our first visit to Cartagena we took the ferry to the old town (a really nice trip in itself, Cartagena has modern condo buildings on one side of the bay, reminded me of a mini Miami, and the old town on the other side of the bay), then joined a walking tour around the old town for a couple of hours. On our second visit to the city we just visited the wildlife area and walked back to the ship (just a short walk but there are free shuttle buses as well).

Not sure how often it happens, but today I received an email from NCL notifying us that our February 2019 cruise on the Sun has one port substituted for another because of "

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