ColdCruise

7 hours ago, LilRobot said:

Hello!  I am looking into booking the same suite, 11812.  My husband is worried about the slides being a bother during the day when trying to relax on the balcony.  Did you or anyone have issues with noise from the slides?  Do you know what time of day they are in use?  Any information would be appreciated. This is for my 50th birthday and really want it to work out well.  I'm an early riser so the separate bedroom is a must!  Thank you!

@LilRobot

did you even read or at least scroll through this relatively short thread before posting a question? Your post was #74, my response is #75. The next response will be #76 and flip the thread to a new page (4).
 

Room 11812 has already been answered  in a lengthy post part way up this page  (3 of 3) by the OP … with several eye catching photos. Also discussed on posts on page 1 & 2.  Found them all just scrolling and looking for “11812” - took less than a minute! The question concerning noise has been addressed by several posters on these 3 pages.

2 hours ago, doghog said:

I first downloaded the RC app January 2022. The one and only time I was forced to change my password was just the other day. No issues since. Works also for the website. 

2 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Same deal here.

@doghog & @OCSC Mike

reassuring to hear that all the previous posters recent logon issues are anomalous !  Thanks for sharing. In have one account makes you reset password if you don't logon within 38 or 30 days, big 🫓 

OTOH makes me wonder (since its your 1st event in over 2 years) whether Royal had a breech or some other issue and are forcing everyone to reset their passwords. Seems odd to all of a sudden have every one reset their password. Im skeptical… my accounts with government and industry have been hacked too often and I didn’t find out till many weeks ir months later In almost every case.
 

Me? I created a new password thats not been used before on any account (by me). 

I don’t understand (or wish I didn’t) … Royal app frequently forces you to change your password at random times? Not on a schedule like every 3,4 or 6 months? Just Randomly?  Is it after app software upgrades? 
 

That’s just a mind boggling way to do things,

Also seems like incompetence in the programming department with coding and testing.

I was forced to take a software update yesterday and then my account logon and password didn’t work. Sheesh, since I've only had the app and account for less than 60 days thought that very weird.

On 4/14/2024 at 8:15 AM, Rewind said:

We made it to Charleston - have to catch a tour soon but wanted to leave you with this:

 

 

 

Awesome! Ty

1 hour ago, Tina99 said:

I booked an OVB GTY for Navigator only a couple weeks ago for the 5/6 sailing.  I saw a CC thread about a week ago about the bar code trick and cabin assignment using Apple Wallet.  I tried it and it worked!  Great tip. 

Can you post a link to the thread?

@scubacruiserx2

you may want to repost all your lovely photos from Russia under a separate trip report with a Russian themed subject so people interested can find them. I don’t think people will look in an Antarctic themed report thread for Russia info and your photos are superb and would be well received.

Unfortunately, it’s highly unlikely I will ever travel to Russia now, although I would have loved to see St Petersburg and ride the Transiberian railway. Some things are not meant to be.

Want to mention, two of the benefits of breakfast at Cagney is 1) the steak & egg breakfast- the 6 oz strip was better than the ribeye I had for dinner in Cagneys…hands down. The 2nd is eggs Benedict all the time. Even when it wasn’t listed on debating day (used the “port day” menu I think @Sammae pointed out), I saw someone enjoying a final eggs benny as we left the restaurant.

Details in my trip report- check index near end for exact post. Thread post is linked several times in this thread (hate being redundant when the thread is only 3 pages, steady to find info if looking(

@roomba920 (and anyone else wondering) You used to have to provide your DD214 but now NCL uses id.me

sorry for late response- been traveling 🙂

Maybe but not entirely buying throttling. I saw the archaic devices they’re still using 

7 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

That's b/c whatever sale you were looking at has ended.

I realize that, not my first “it’s a sale” rodeo. I also suspect there to be another sale between now and December and am gathering data points on historical& (more germane) current pricing to prepare for that next sale if it occurs

and apparently semi-hijacking @DennysDad‘s  thread 🙂

20 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

Yes that’s how much itbs now.  Insane.  If prices don’t come down and your party is all adults, try the hideaway

It’s all adults except one almost adult (ie teenager), whose Mom is definitely heading to the adult section 😎 we have Hideaway passes but … originally trying to figure out crazy “dynamic pricing “ and what the “good” price ranges are.

Probably should have started to check prices earlier but busy planning other vacations working and getting on with life. Can’t wait till one of those three are less pressing 🤣

Thanks @Cruise a holic

id definitely take Coco Beach Club at $99 and probably pay for traveling companions, but right now my cruise is showing $265 on sale for $245.99 for December cruise.

You’re traveling … it’s best to be prepared. Money options are one of those preparations. But travel to Europe at least no longer requires you to walk around with a few hundred (local currency of the land - not everyone is on the €). 
 

in addition to Caribbean where dollars are apparently preferred (based on 14 days experience) , during recent travels both Ecuadorians & Argentinians also requested payment in USD in the past few years. Ecuador is dollar equivalent and Argentina has crazy inflation.

11 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

Book it at that price.  Watch the prices and if it goes down-you can cancel and rebook at the lower price-  Great food (lobster- Steak)  and ambiance- loved the beach club.  We also loved the Hideaway- however they offer "junk food"- but it is wonderful.  Enjoy your cruise.

 
@Cruise a holic I‘ll definitely be keeping an eye on prices. We may be going to Coco Cay in Nov, just traveling as a couple, in which case I definitely would like to try Coco Beach Club…for a decent price!

@rrraydon great deal for you! What were the other prices like?

I also noticed that all the discounts are down to 5% today, or gone altogether… 🤔 

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

removing the donna show? THE HORROR !

@complawyer

you gotta revel in the last solid production shows on Prima & Viva.
 

Just off the Sky a couple weeks ago and the 2 NCL in-house productions were not up to standard - just a string of old songs (mostly 70-80-90, predominantly 80s rock) with a very thin veneer of a story line gluing them together. Not awful but not great either.

I’d fine it acceptable in a 14 day cruise to have those IF  paired with one of NCL’s Broadway -style shows we’ve become accustomed to experiencing. However those 2 WERE the marquee shows, the rest were magic, juggling, comedy and a solo singer. And each of those seconds got 2 nights in the main theatre. They were good but ….

Sky’s Starlink (Feb/Mar 24)  was slower than Viva’s Starlink (Nov 23). They probably upgraded the satellite communications equipment but did not upgrade the ships total IT infrastructure. Speeds in our deck 7 forward OV cabin were noticeably slower than on open decks and public spaces.p; also it also dropped connections in the cabin.
 

I’ll check for the screenshots from both sailings and post.

On 3/27/2024 at 7:19 PM, yoolykeme said:

So here is a definitive answer:

 

Katty Byrd's office called me to say that they approved the downline, and that it's in the system.  I just need to confirm once I get on the ship.  Also, once I leave the ship at my early port, I can't get back on, so make sure that I have everything.  Also, I have to carry my own bags off.  I can also cancel the downline and finish the cruise, should I reconsider before my downline port.
 

Now, I need to read threads on how to get to Paris city from the port lol.

thanks for reporting back on your response from NCL

I have 2 great option … g “back home” or visit my brother. One’s in Ohio, the other in New York and both are less than 5 miles from the dotted line.

@JarsInColorado

Try the chat feature or call. I’ve been very successful doing that when I couldn’t book restaurants or entertainment online.took a couple call sometimes as different people are less than helpful but usually have been able to book on the 2nd attempt 

On 3/28/2024 at 9:07 AM, d9704011 said:

Try going to the bathroom with a credit card in hand.

The WC in the main Amsterdam train station has accepted cards for several years. 
While walking around Amsterdam a couple years ago, I had to use a restroom, couldn’t find a public pay one, so went into a coffee shop & asked. Then bought a cup of coffee afterwards - they would NOT take cash (€), so had to use my card. Of course in the US a lot f places won’t take credit card for a $3 purchase, but it was the preferred option in NL.

We spent 5 days in Norway in 22 and I got about $100 in NOK from atm upon arrival in Bergen. I ended up buying lunch and a lot of candy at the airport when we left to use it up. The preferred option was plastic.still I always get a little just to be prepared but mostly use plastic, and get more local currency from an atm if needed 

As a bonus, plastic has the advantage of tracking your spending.

well that plan has worked well in Europe for several years but on our recent 14 day Caribbean we went through so much cash…almost no one wanted or could accept plastic. They all wanted cash and excursions and transportation specifically stated USD, not local currencies. Such a throwback to the 70/80s.

Pull out, very comfortable for 1 adult, not so much for 2 I’d imagine. DH was sick a couple days so I slept on the sofa (we had 2 room suite!

On 3/29/2024 at 12:16 AM, kenmyfam said:

We are cruising on Sky on April 10 with departure from La Romana at 8:30 pm.

Our first port is Isla Catalina arriving at 7 am the next day.

I'm aware that this island is about 5 miles away so my question is to anyone on or just off the Sky,  what does the ship do from La Romana departure?...are we traveling really slow and doing "figure 8's" until the morning?

Just curious...

 

 

Precisely - goes out 12 mile so they can open casino and shops, makes MONEY, sails very slow, returns to Catalina.  Our ship anchored about 5:30 - we were on deck 7 forward and couldn’t miss the noise.

It’s a tender. 
 

about 10am look off to the starboard side of the ship. We saw 1 or 2 whales hanging out, easily viewed from deck or the beach by the pier.

nice beach but bring beach or water shoes, the sand is a light brown and gets scorching hot.

St Lucia was changed from a dock to a tender port, our paper work said dock, but found out at theater show the night before that it was a tender port. We had a private excursion arranged. It worked out, probably for the better as the other Norwegian Holdings ship was docked other side of harbor.

we loved it & prebooked similar itinerary for 2026 (2 different ports swapped in)

We plan to dip our toes in to the Hideaway beach club with the day pass ($55) because

1) it’ll be our 1st visit & can only get a feel from you tube and cruise critic and

2) bit nervous how much of a scrum it will be in the free areas with 11,100 or more visitors (2 ships - Wonder & Allure) and

3) I hate crowds.

plus we’ll be traveling with several other folks and getting a bed beach ($399 up to 4 ppl) might feel exclusionary to them and DH said the Coco Beach Club would be worse (205pp)

and prices went up since I booked the 2x Hideaway beach passes .. or I should say the discount went down. I’ll monitor for a dip in prices … but somehow I think with 11,000 potential customers that may be unlikely 

The offer from Royal seems very fair to me. We have a very tragic and difficult situation in Baltimore as a result of a shipping ACCIDENT that is unrelated to any of the cruise companies that sail out of Baltimore. They’ve had to make pretty significant changes that are probably incurring extra costs.
 

I just hope the federal, state & local governments involved can coordinate and quickly (relatively) clear the shipping channel without using this disaster as a way to score political points (in a major election year) OR pad the figures with unrelated pet projects which would add to costs the recover and rebuild. I have several coworkers who used that bridge to commute and their drives are way more complicated as a result of the bridge collapse. The government in Maryland is claiming 14,000 people’s livelihoods are affected or will be by the port closure. Plus there’s the 6 people who lost their lives, their families’ suffering to consider. 

My cruise planner shows $109 + tax (so about $130) for a 7 day cruise on Wonder next winter.

is that a typical price for a week?used to another line which is usually in the $300 range for a week (albeit with pools)