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On 1/24/2024 at 3:12 PM, BirdTravels said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic and Welcome to NCL. 

 

The following link is one of my recent Live Posts from the Joy. The intent of sharing this link is to allow you see a little bit about the ship, the daily programs (the type of activities offered on the Joy), example menus (they will have evolved by next year... just a little). 

 

 

What a fantastic over of your trip and the Joy!  You covered it all!   Thank you!

Welcome to the Boards!

We are newer to NCL but really have really enjoyed our NCL Cruises.   We have sailed on the Bliss and Joy and have upcoming trips this year on the Joy in March and then the Viva in September.

We are returning to the Joy primarily to due to the staff and also the addition of the thermal suite being currently added in the Rotterdam dry dock.  The Bliss, which is a very similar ship, has an amazing thermal suite and on our Bliss Panama Canal sailing we had a spa stateroom and used the facilities every day.   We're looking forward to seeing what this new space on the Joy is like.   You can no longer get a spa stateroom with access included but we're planning to purchase the duration of the cruise pass.   I mentioned the staff,  our first sailing on the Joy was a back to back Canada New England and then Bermuda out of New York for 14 days total.   Our experience with the staff on that sailing was fantastic!   That experience ranged from the bar staff in several bars, the bar management staff, the hotel manager and his staff, the ships wine educator, and a couple of exception dinning staff.   Several of those folks we have continued to stay in touch with and are returning because of them and looking forward to seeing them again.

We enjoyed the various alternative dining venues and tried them all.  Our favorites were Le Bistro, Cagneys and La Cucina.

The broadway style production shows on NCL are exceptional and some of the best shows we have experienced at sea. 

Hope you get lots of good information here and hear about many folks experiences.   Planning and dreaming is an awesome part of the journey!   Happy travels!

We just returned from a 14 day back to back cruise from Singapore on the Spectrum of the Seas.   We had stops in Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, Port Klang, Penang and Phuket.  We did an overnight in Bangkok and totally enjoyed it.   It is two hours into Bangkok from the port and at least 2 hour in Ho Chi Minh.  One of our days in Ho Chi Minh we went to the Mekong and it was more like three and a half hours drive.   But the drive times were worth it.   We used ToursByLocal guides in Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok and Penang.   They were all fantastic!  Our Bangkok guides were Tommy W and Ling.  Both were GREAT!  For our overnight in Bangkok we stayed at the Salil Riverside Hotel along the Chao Phraya river and it was very nice for about $120 a night.  If we stayed long we would pay a bit more for a pool or river view room.   What the city view rooms look out at is not great.  This areas was close to the grand palace and other temple sites which was great.   We had only been to Asia one other time and that was to Bali.   We totally enjoyed our time in each port and found travel in Southeast Asia much easier than we had anticipated.   The guides were careful to find us important sites and important (clean western) facilities. 😉  

Have an amazing trip.

We just returned from a 14 day cruise departing and returning to Singapore.   We stayed at The Clan Hotel and loved it!  The hotel is adjacent to an MRT station and right on the edge of Chinatown.   It was three blocks to a hawker center.   Great area!  We found the hotel a great choice for everything we wanted to do in Singapore.   Their rooms felt very high end, the breakfast was fantastic, many nice touches they provide at The Clan.

We also went to the Gardens by the Bay.   The prior response is correct that there is a good bit of walking to just get to the entrance of the Gardens.  The Gardens and the Cloud Forest are right next to each other but also inside each is a great bit of walking.   Both were beautiful and worth to walk!

Enjoy your trip!

We had no issue exchanging USD for Thai Bat in Phuket when we got off the ship.   There was an exchange right along the beach where we were dropped by the tender.   Not sure it was the best rate but we weren't exchanging a bunch of money.  Just always like have some local currency if you want to buy a drink or something else. 

We just returned from a back to back sailing on the Spectrum of the Seas and our last port was Phuket.  We did a 9 night sailing to Vietnam and Bangkok and then a 5 night with the last port of Phuket.   We did the Phang Nga Bay by wooden motorboat excursion and enjoyed the day!   We had planned a portion of the day in Bangkok in a longtail boat so decided to do the other boat here.   I have attached a photo of the boat we traveled in, which was comfortable, not super windy, and protected from the sun.   I have also attached a photo of a longtail boat we saw.  Not sure if this the one the cruise line uses.  There were all different sizes of longtail boats we saw during the tour.  It was a long drive but were all happy with the day.  Have a fantastic trip!

We just returned from a cruise on Spectrum of the Seas out of Singapore.  We did a back to back and the first 9 night cruise included a overnight stop in Bangkok.   We were in Bangkok the beginning of March 2023.  We used ToursByLocals for five of our ports including Bangkok.  Our guide in Bangkok was Tommy W. (Wisawasompop).   He was fantastic!   He had a driver pick us up at the port and drive us to Bangkok where he met us.   It took about two hours for the drive.   We also spent the night in Bangkok.   We stayed at the Salil Riverside Hotel, fantastic hotel in the area of many of sights we wanted to see, right on the Chao Phraya River.  I think we paid $120 for the night.  Hotel opened in late 2022 so everything was beautiful and new.  We couldn't have been happier with that choice.   Tommy planned out every aspect of our day. He was open to any changes we wanted to make but we just trusted him with the itinerary for the day and it was great.  Tommy then delivered us to the hotel for a rest and refresh.  He then had another guide, Ling, pick us up and take us to dinner, (He had to take his visiting mother to the airport) then a sky bar along the river, tuk tuk ride.  Ling was also amazing.   She is also listed on ToursByLocals. Tommy and the driver picked us up in the morning and returned us to the ship in plenty of time for the ships departure.   We would definitely use Tommy and Ling again without hesitation.   We saw so many things, ate local food, had lunch at a Michelin Star Thai restaurant ($40 for the two of us).  Tommy's communication was fantastic during booking and subsequent follow ups.   He used What'sApp in country so we could communicate as long as we had some form of WIFI.   We used our cell phone service in each port without problem.  All of our TourByLocals guides on the trip were fantastic.   We did have one port canceled due to weather and had no issue canceling the tour and received a refund.   Have a fantastic trip!

I looked for a while on the boards to find this type of tour so I thought I would post my experience on our 3 day 2 night excursion to Machu Picchu in March 2018

We used Adventures to Peru (ATP) in March 2018 for a quick excursion to Machu Picchu from our Celebrity Infinity cruise. We had two nights and three days off the ship available for the adventure and was referred to ATP by a past guest of theirs that had done the same excursion. The ship was doing the same excursion but it was quite expensive so I decided to reach out to ATP.

From my initial contact Sean was very prompt in replying to my questions. He asked what was important to us. He asked what type of hotel we liked and what our interests were. He seemed truly interested in matching the trip to our interests and expectations.

There were many moving parts in a short period of time but ATP made sure there was adequate time for each connection and also to add room to encounter our surroundings as we went.

On our first day, we were picked up in Pisco, Peru by Jorge who drove our group, two couples, to Lima to the airport. He was mindful to stop for a restroom break at a place with new clean facilities that also offered snacks if wanted. Jorge then drove us to the Lima airport. He took us in and checked us in for our flights and made sure me made it to the security check point. We had plenty of time to make our flight to Cusco. Once in Cusco, we were met by Rene waiting with a sign as we departed the secure area at the Cusco airport. Rene and a driver took us from the Cusco airport to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred valley with a lower elevation to ensure we would acclimate to the elevation quicker since we were on a quick trip. We stopped along the way at a wonderful weaving establishment where the women share how they washed, spun, dyed and wove wool and alpaca fur into beautiful products. That was an unexpected highlight! We arrived in Ollantaytambo at our hotel after dark and a bit late. The hotel was so nice. It wasn’t until morning that we realized how beautiful the grounds and the setting were. With the mountains jetting up on all side it was amazing! The food at the hotel was wonderful and the staff were gracious and welcoming.

We woke up early and walked to the town square to see many men showing up hoping to be hired by hikers starting their trek on the Inca Trail. Ollantaytambo is beautiful. We could have spent a few days there. Rene was back, we checked our baggage at the front desk and from our hotel we walked no more than two blocks to board the Peru Rail train to Machu Picchu. We had requested an upgrade to the Peru Rail Vista Dome train and felt it was well worth the additional costs. The ride was a fantastic experience. Rene traveled with us and explained so many things along the way. Upon arriving in Aguas Calliente and a quick restroom stop Rene led us directly to pick up tickets for the bus up to Machu Picchu. Rene asked as we went what was important to us and was a remarkable host as we continued our adventure. Rene led us on his favorite path through Machu Picchu sure to include all his favorite view points and included so much information and history. At the end of the day we headed back to Aguas Calliente to Rene’s favorite restaurant and a wonderful late lunch. The only rain of the day fell as we sat in enjoyed our meal. We took the train back to Ollantaytambo, were greeted by a driver who then drove us, with Rene, back to Cusco. We spent the night in a wonderful little hotel about three block from the old town plaza.

We woke up early and had asked Rene if we could walk around the old town plaza and market before heading to the airport. He was pleased to oblige and met us at 7:00 am. As we entered the plaza, palm Sunday, there were hundreds filling the space, buying “ramos (branches) of palm fronds and rosemary in the form of a cross. These will hang in their homes for holy week to ward off unwanted spirits. Catholicism seems to be woven together with Inca culture to form a unique expression of their spiritual dedication and concern for the spirit world. Music filled the plaza from the Cathedral and many vendors sold crosses, candles, and special foods. We ventured into the city market that was teaming with activity. I love the experience of the culture being lived out all around you. Rene carefully explained so much that was happening around us. He was proud of his country and culture and glad to share them with us. Our driver picked up our bags from the hotel and met us outside the market and we were off to the airport. Rene had already printed our boarding passes and since we were only carrying on our backpacks he walked us to the security check point, we said our good buys, took a final picture together and said till we see you again.

After our hour and a half flight we were back in Lima with Jorge waiting at the exit from the airport secure area. Getting back in the van with Jorge, we had discussed Inca Cola on the way from Pisco to Lima on Day 1, so Jorge had purchased each of us an Inca Cola to try as we traveled to meet the ship at the port of Lima. Sean had done research on the ship shuttle meeting place and Jorge drove us right to the place and there was a ship shuttle waiting to take us through the industrial port back to the ship.

The entire adventure was amazing, well planned, well executed, personal, immersive and a fantastic experience. I would fully endorse Adventures to Peru. They know how to listed, plan and execute a special adventure. We hope to use them again in the future. Thank you Sean, Jorge and Rene!

We stayed, three week ago, at the Hotel Boutique Castillo Rojo in Barrio Bella Vista in Santiago and loved it. I think we paid $117 well in advance. Lovely boutique hotel. Fantastic location for restaurants, sight seeing and night life. Check out Patio Bella Vista in the evening. Live music, dancing, great change to enjoy the Latin culture. Wine reception in the lounge each evening, warm staff, lovely rooms. You can go wrong. Not a American hotel in a foreign city.

We, three week ago, stayed at the Hotel Boutique Castillo Rojo in Barrio Bella Vista and loved it. The neighborhood is fantastic for restaurants and nightlife. It is two blocks to the base of the funicular. Patio Bella Vista is so much fun at night. Live music, dancing, restaurants all within a couple of blocks.

This is a small boutique hotel. Wonderful rooms on the small side. Breakfast is included. Unique, charming, perfect. Wine served in the lounge each evening. Staff is warm and helpful. You can't go wrong.

I have used the same travel agent since our honneymoon fifteen years ago. I beleive we have almost always received some token of appreciation for our business.

I have also put together many groups that she has coordinated and booked for us. After returning home from one of those cruises she even sent us a lovely gift basket as a thank you for our business.

I have now joined an agency as an outside agent and am booking on my own. In a few weeks we will take our last cruise, a group of about 21 of us, that was booked through her about a year ago. She is aware that I have ventured out on my own and she is still providing the same service and I will not be surprised to find a bottle of wine or something in our stateroom with a note of appreciation.

I am now doing the same things that I have learned from her. I notice the little things and some of the folks I have booked this year have mentioned that they have appreciated the little momentos of appreciation and a wish for an unforgetable escape.

Your agent is paid from the booking. But if they are providing you service of finding great rates, getting you the staterooms you want, and helping with the details you may not have thought of aren't you just paying them for the job they are doing for you! A great agent is worth every cent!!!

Here's to many more unforgetable vacation adventures!!!