MagnoliaBlossom

On 10/14/2023 at 1:10 PM, BirdTravels said:

 

NCL Diamond and Ambassadors get lessons on how NCL uses leftover food (like rotten bananas) to make “sustainable drinks”. 

We did that program on the Star last year and it was awful 🤮. Only one of the flight of eight was drinkable, the others were overly sweet and a sip was all I could manage.  Plus they charge much more for these sustainable drinks than normal beverages.  Just a feel good way for the crew to waste time and tons of sugar.

We did a Southampton to Reyjakvik last year on the Star.  We did some of the ports you e listed.  We spent three days post cruise in Reyjakvik and tired with Nice Travels.  Can’t say enough good things about them.  They also offer a discount if you book more than one tour with them.  
 

we are doing the the same cruise as you on 5/29/25 and will spend at least three days to do more touring with them.  I started a roll call for that cruise if you’d like check in occasionally for updates.  Don’t know if you are sailing the same date but you may pick up some useful info.   

Thanks for posting this.  I remember it from last year but wasn’t able to use it as we were off cruising.  Okay, on mt calendar now and since we have multiple cards I can really wrack up some points 😍

Oh, so many.   But I think our first Baltic Capitals n the NCL Dream, who could traverse the Kiel Canal because it could flip its lid (stack) to pass under the canal bridges.  It was shortly after 911 and local folks lined the bridges waving American flags and after dark would also wave candles and tea lights.m it brings tears to my eyes still when I th No of that day.   We overnighted in St Petersburg and had two unforgettable days tour Catherine’s Palace, Peterhff, and the Church on Spilled Bld and so many more ther sites.

one of our British Isles cruises where we did the Overlord Tours Normandy Beaches tour that ended with a long visit to the American Cemetary.   I’ll never forget that day.  As a matter of fact we are taking our grandchiodren there next June so they will fully appreciate the sacrifices of their forefathers.

hawaii, sailing past the glowing lava as it spilled into the sea, the afternoon sailing by the Napoli Coast and helicopter flights over beautiful waterfalls.

iceland and Norway with their thundering waterfalls and geothermal wonders.

The Hgh Crosses in Ireland, the burial term at Newgrange, Canterbury Cathedral, Michael in Florence, the Pieta in the Vatican.  the beauty of cruising is you have so much choice in one sailing if you choose and plan wisely.  I could never have seen all these things on land trips only.

Mama Mia 🤭

12 minutes ago, Bonnie1222 said:

I get NCL emails to 2 different email addresses.  One is linked to my latitudes and log in; the other was one I used when CC used to do the daily entries to win a free cruise. I received an email today in my non-NCL account address offering me 25,000 point AND a free upgrade in status to Silver.  Has anyone seen this or done this?

 

I sent it to my TA who said that her contacts at NCL wouldn't be able to verify it and that I would need to call the CC company.  Maybe I am just paranoid but it sounds too good to be true.  And no, I did not click on any links within the email.

 

 

That’s an interesting scenario.  I’ve never gotten anything close to what you are talking about.  Not that I don’t believe it didn’t happen, but apparently they have expanded their marketing in some new ways lately, so that could well be.  Seems a good move to recruit latitude members who have already shown an interest in repeatedly sailing NCL.  Give them a call and let us know how it works out.

23 hours ago, mrfeeto said:

So I have called twice to see if they'd give me the other 5k. They moved the bonus back to 25k the day after I applied and my NCL app was actually always showing the 25k even though I knew it had dropped to 20k for a few months. I don't think I've ever had worse customer service than BofA. First the 10+ minutes of extremely frustrating IVR prompts (having to confirm repeatedly with different buttons that you want to continue holding?!) followed by a 30 minute hold. Then getting lied to repeatedly - saying it had to be NCL purchases in order get any sign up bonus, etc. Then she said she didn't have the authority. I ask for a supervisor that does and she actually had the nerve to try to come back on talking slightly louder pretending to be the supervisor. I really was excited to use the 30-60k for an upgrade, but I'm tempted to cash out for OBC and dump this horrible card for a proper travel card with decent support. 

I have had a few bad experiences with the WP folks but when I get a rotten apple, I just hang up and call back.  My experience has been I will get a normal human being and my problem is resolved.  Yes, you can dump the card, but IMHO the value I receive from those upgrades is worth more than my ego and time.  Cool off a bit before your u decide.  I find calling weekdays between 8-4 gets me the greater likelihood of a knowledgeable agent.

I think it’s odd that the Escape is still showing cruises fromGalveston in December of 2024.  Hard to believe they would move a ship to Galveston for just one month.  

On 9/25/2023 at 11:58 AM, How much longer? said:

that is probably it, thanks.  

 

Stands for World Points Discount

Just received a email advising cancellations of the Escape from 1/3. - 3/21/25.  So disappointed that Galveston will not have those 11 and 14 day itineraries.  Oh well, let’s see what else is out there. . .

I mean, where else can you have banana cream pie for breakfast 😋

That’s what I needed.  Yum love sea day brunch.  3 great meals to start the day.

We were on this itinerary (Galveston RT) in May and are doing it again on Saturday.  I know we had sea day brunch twice, but I don’t remember if it was available on the third sea day.  Anyone remember?

thanks

MB

I was so glad when NCL reinstated the MAP.  We used it extensively before they discontinued it around 2010.  It is a tremendous deal, Princess only offers $100 OBC, CCL has a 10%discount but only to active duty military (they used to give it to all veterans).   Now, if we could get them to reinstate the AARP discount, too 🤣

3 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Onboard right now.  It's at the bottom the NCL app as I scrolled thru

Never pass up a chance to earn a few bucks.   At least this one provides significant benefit to the passenger.

I’ve never seen NCL advertise their card onboard before.  Carnival has done it for years, always surprised me that NCL didn’t seize the moment, since they obviously will do anything for a buck.

Yes, I think I’m confusing Food Republic with Indulge.  Thanks for the clarification.

21 hours ago, fun_one said:

I see what you are saying but don't see an option to apply your credit to a cruise as OBC.  I would like to have mine put to OBC on a future cruise I am already booked on.  Can you do that?

Okay, they’ve changed  the site since I looked at it last, which I rarely do because I never ever use points for OBC, you leave too much money on the table.  But, here’s how to do OBC.

Click on the rewards tab.

next to the box with your point balance is a photo on the right side with a beach or ship or some other pretty picture, it changes from time to time, and says something like redeem points.  Click there.

You will see the option for OBC. 
Click that and you choose how many points you want to redeem.

But as someone else said, you’d do better to use your card onboard and get triple points, then when your statement comes use points for a statement credit.when you use points for OBC you lose the ability to earn those triple points.

We will be on the Prima in February and I’ve read confusing reviews about Food Republic.  I thought it was a free dining venue, but I’ve heard people talk about spending their OBC there.  Can someone give me scoop about that?  Thanks,

MB

On 9/20/2023 at 1:39 PM, eileeshb said:

There’s an Irish tradition for halloweeen that involves baking things into a cake.. ring = you’ll get married, pea = you won’t marry in the coming year, coin = you’ll be rich, stick = unhappy marriage, rag = poor . It’s a Barmbrack, cake or bread is in the eye of the beholder, it’s a fruit loaf that isn’t quite as sweet as a cake but is definitely sweeter than most bread.  I don’t think anyone’s going to start hiding all of those items around a cruise ship. 

I remember my grandmother talking about that, but I’d forgotten it until now.  I’ve been to weddings where charms are baked into the cake and have a ribbon attached.  Several young women are chosen to pull a charm.  Can’t remember what they were but cute little things.  

You should see 15,00 points plus whatever other charges you have on the card on your next statement.  The points will just be one number, meaning, “bonus points” is already calculated in.

Being a New Orleans girl, I recognized the babies right away.  Originally a dried kidney bean was placed in a king cake to represent the baby Jesus.  The person who got the bean in their piece of cake had to host the next king cake party.  As time marched on, the bean was replaced by small unpainted babies.  
 

when lawyers began running our lives, bakeries no longer baked the baby in the cake, but gave you one that you could insert yourself, if you so desired. 
 

of course, unless the cruise is filled with Louisianians, folks would probably be creeped out about it.  My granddaughter owns a Jeep and it is a thing with Jeep owners to leave ducks on fellow jeepers cars.  I didn’t know that but now I always look at Jeeps near me at stop lights and some are all ducked up!  Fun to watch.  We are taking her on a family cruise (first cruise) in June and she is looking forward to ducking about the ship.

Many fail to remember that young people are “immortal”, nothing is ever going to happen to them even though we read about bad decisions by youth resulting in bad consequences.  Add to that, peer pressure is huge in that age group and most likely they had friends who had sailed with BC only and no problem, and what young healthy person thinks they need insurance - that’s for old, sick people,mright.

So they made a poor decision to believe the sail sans passport, they failed to buy travel insurance, and they rented a scooter.   They had the trifecta of the decision/consequence lotto.

I feel for these girls.  Last I read one was discharged but the other was being held until her bill was paid.  She will get home and I’m sure there is a consulate in Mexico that will aid her getting her through immigration.  It will take time and time is going to be money for her.   
 

I

23 hours ago, MissP22 said:

So many things have changed in 16 years.

Are you in for a surprise. 🙄

 

Yes, I’ve been reading about the changes.  We are mostly  we are Diamond on NCL and CCL but it looks as though Princess is quite different than both of those.  We were feeling a bit bored with our cruise experience and decided to spread our wings and see if Princess was the great cruise experience we remembered..   of course, across the board, and especially post COVID so many things have changed.  Not sure many of the changes are for the better, but that’s “progress”.

On 9/15/2023 at 5:03 AM, jwp1963 said:

If you already have the card is there any way to use it somehow to get these signup point?

Apply for a second card.  I have multiples.