Levanah

So helpful, John - thanks!  We very much appreciate any and all information.  We did have a bit of difficulty with bags on an older train in France a few years ago.  I suspect we’ll be fine at Waterloo and Southampton.

For a 14 May journey, how far in advance to you suggest purchasing tickets.  This will be a Saturday trip.

Cynthia

Great information here!  We will be sailing from Southampton on NCL on Saturday, May 14.  We have traveled in Europe before with luggage and were fine, but we are getting older and must consider luggage handling.  I read something about ramps at the Waterloo station so that a person can just roll luggage onto the train rather than step up with a piece of luggage.  Is this true?  We are looking at timetables and costs for a mid morning train on the 14th and it all looks reasonable and promising,

Does anyone know which berth NCL has at the cruise port?

Really looking forward to this cruise and we will be in London for three nights prior.

Cynthia

Thank you!  I did see this and it is a great relief to hear!  This sounds hopeful.

I am hearing that Omicron has been surging in the Netherlands.  Is this true?  This is so challenging not only for individuals and families, but for all of society.  Whether we are able to visit your country or not, my thoughts and wishes are with everyone for health and healing very soon.

Cynthia

Hello,

We are scheduled on a May 14 NCL cruise from Southampton which disembarks in Amsterdam on May 24 where we plan to stay 3 nights before flying back to the US.  We are both fully vaccinated and boosted and may even be able to get a second booster shot before May.  We will be tested before we exit the ship but concerned about entry into restaurants, museums and other venues during our visit.  Our vaccination proof is in the form of paper CDC cards which apparently cannot be used successfully to get a digital certificate. We have emailed the Dutch government for information but no reply yet.    Apparently, we can get tested to stay but then need a test every 24 hours!  We are wondering if we will even be able to stay in Amsterdam for 3 days even though we have booked a hotel (can be cancelled).   Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Thanks so much!

Cynthia

I thought about microblading for about a year and then did my research carefully before finally deciding where to go.  I had brows done about 20 years ago before the term "microblading" and was very pleased, so I knew what to look for.  My brows have thinned with aging and I knew that some natural microblading could make a significant difference in framing my face.  Natural looking brows was key.  I looked carefully at before and after photos on the website and I discussed the experience and approach before proceeding.  Once I was very confident with the practitioner, I went ahead and booked.  I am very, very pleased with the results.  We were to have a second appointment to fill in last week, but I knew a cruise was coming up at the end of this week, so we rescheduled post cruise.  I had no problems whatsoever and the practitioner was very thorough about post procedure care.    My best advice is to do your research and to interview potential candidates.  If they are professional and skilled, they will not mind.  If they balk at your questions, move on.  I would also add that she was very careful in choosing dye colors to make the brows look natural using two or three different colors and blending.

We also prefer the smaller ships and really love the Great Outdoors. We've not sailed on the Jade yet and are really looking forward to her upgrades, the Great Outdoors and the refreshed observation lounge -- all the elements we enjoy the most!

Some people love sea days. Others really don't like them at all. For those who love them, there are many reasons and they are often very individual. I love the laziness and the feeling that nothing needs to be structured or routinized. I tend to sleep in just a bit before going to breakfast. I love being able to have a very leisurely breakfast with nowhere I need to go. I load up my Kindle and have a lot to read. I take a nap if I feel one coming on. I practice tai chi and meditation -- both are wonderful at sea. If there is an observation lounge as there is one the Jade, I often hang out there while reading. I participate in scheduled activities if something appeals to me. I walk the promenade every day. We also usually share a table at meals to meet other people. It's fun to take in a late show knowing that I don't need to be up early. Love sea days! :cool:

We've done a TA on the Star and really enjoy the smaller ships. We have avoided the Epic due to the cabin layout and the split bathroom, but this may not be an issue for you if you are cruising solo.

AHA!!! Yes it's there

Yes! I hadn't thought it to be a repositioning!

I am doing various searches on the NCL site to find this particular cruise by ship, dates, transatlantic, etc., and this cruise doesn't come up in the results unless I specifically sort by the Jade. While I may be generating some search errors, I'm not feeling optimistic about this cruise happening.

Will be great to see photos post dry dock. We have loved sailing on the Sun, but if they have removed the forward observation lounge, we may not sail her again. Removing popular public spaces may generate more revenue but make the ship much less attractive.

Thanks everyone -- this is really helpful. :) I've been mostly packed for a TA to Barcelona this Sunday and we will be in Spain and France for a week post disembarkation. I've been toying with actually removing some items from the suitcase. After reading here, I will definately do so. My capsule is mostly black and white with some color pops. I will be taking 6 scarves and wraps to change things up and add variety. Also lots of costume jewelry. Taking two pairs of shoes in addition to those I am wearing and they are all very comfy and made for walking. I know from experience that I will not wear a few items so working to eliminate now to make train travel from Barcelona as easy as possible. ;)

This is roughly what I packed for 10 days in Italy last fall, and will pack again for the same trip this year. 7 nights in a Tuscan villa plus 2 nights pre-villa and 1 night post-villa in Rome. Our sightseeing does not involve extensive walking as we've done the trip multiple times, and spend a lot of time just visiting wineries or strolling around small villages for lunch.

 

Travel outfit: black leggings, black cap-sleeved tunic tee, black wrap cardigan

Bottoms: 1 pr. dark skinny jeans, 1 pr. black cropped pants, 1 black skort

Tops: grey cap-sleeved tunic tee, B&W striped sleeveless, black tank, charcoal long-sleeved tee, lightweight 3/4 sleeve light grey crew-necked sweater

Misc: 1 black t-shirt dress, jean jacket, 1 bathing suit (villa has a hot tub), 1 extra bra, underwear, loose fitting yoga pants for lounging around the villa, 1 scarf that had some bright colors for a pop of color, villa and hotels provided robes

Shoes: 1 pr. flat sandals (wore on travel day) and 1 pair black wedges (could have left at home, only wore 1 night to dinner in Rome and the 1 day to a winery, might just take a 2nd pair of sandals this year)

 

Although this was only a 10 day trip, it's roughly what I'd pack for a trip of several weeks or a month as well; I don't have an issue with doing some laundry on a long trip. It wasn't a cruise, so no worries about dressing for dinner, although with what I packed, I had plenty of options for casual dinners if we HAD been on a cruise, or combined the trip with a cruise. If including a cruise, I'd probably add 1 maxi dress, and maybe 1 or 2 dressier tops to pair with the jeans/black pants here and there, and would definitely keep the wedges instead of a 2nd pair of sandals.

Days were typically cool in the morning but warm later on, evenings again a little cooler and largely spent relaxing on villa patio around fire pit.

With 2 sleeveless tops, 2 short sleeved tops 1 long sleeved tee and 1 3/4 sleeve light sweater I had plenty of layering options to pair with either the jean jacket or wrap cardigan. I took my all-weather jacket but never wore it and will skip it this year. We've rarely encountered rain and if I have to buy an umbrella on the spot I'll do so. If it was a longer trip with more questionable weather I'd keep the jacket in the mix and eliminate the jean jacket if necessary.

Everything was black/white/gray so mixed and matched easily.

 

For warmer days, I had the option of the t-shirt dress, or the skort or cropped pants with sleeveless or short-sleeved tops. Sweater or jean jacket if needed in early morning.

For cooler days I had the jeans or cropped pants with long sleeved tee or light sweater, or could wear leggings with the t-shirt dress or a tunic top, and add a sweater or jacket.

 

All of this fit into a 20" suitcase, and I also took a tote bag styled purse, and packed a small cross body purse for sightseeing. The suitcase was nowhere near the weight limit, and has expansion zippers, so if I added a few things I could just expand the suitcase a little and would still have been under the weight limit. 1 20" suitcase and a tote made it very easy to get through airports and on and off trains, which we did several times going to/from Rome/villa.

I'm wondering how much it will be for the 14-day TA upcoming on the Star. Anyone know?

The price slightly varies per ship-the Getaway was $14.99 per person for the week.

Congratulations on reaching your goal! I am going to check out the Greger app although I don't know to what extent the app and the WW app is usable while we are at sea. Anyone know?

That’s great!

I’m going to check out that Dr Greger’s app.

Agree - great thread here. Is is helpful to hear about others' experiences and to both give and receive support. Good health and good luck to all! ;)

Good Thread. I am also planning on it for a 21 day cruise coming up in a few weeks. I think with the freestyle, it will be a lot easier. I am lifetime, trying to get back to goal and I have liked the new plan. I hope it works. Have a great trip.

 

Also, on port days of every cruise we have been on(over 200 sea days), we have walked over 20,000 steps and even on the ship about 10,000. So, I think exercise is good, but diet is the main thing for me.

Thanks for the reminder about the "old school" paper tracking sheets! :cool: I will pick some up next week when I weigh in before we leave. Agree with you on the new Freestyle choices. They should makes things easier.

I would agree with all above posts. I am Lifetime but working my way back. I rarely gain on a cruise but I do make sure that I hit the gym for at least 30 minutes on the treadmill each day, unless it is an early port stop. The walking that is involved in the ports usually more than helps work towards those activity points. I think I logged 26000 steps the day we were in Gilbraltar. I focus on fruit, yogurt, occasionally eggs(now zero point so now I may opt for those). If the ship has those lovely crunchy rolls I treat myself to to with a slice of ham and or cheese. Lunches are usually salads. Dinner is lean protein, light appetizer. I do have my wine or Prosecco, but none of those sugary drinks because I really am not a sweet eater. I also usually pass on desert which drives my DH crazy but I would rather have other choices. I don’t deny myself and will try local and special items when on the menu. And yes, water, water, water! We are on the Baltic July cruise and have ever been here before so trying local cuisine will be a treat. I think the key is just not treating this as a food free for all. Unlimited food also means unlimited choices. I think Freestyle will make this an easier experience. And even I feel we can’t access the app we can go “old school” and use a paper tracker! I think you can still get those at a meeting.

After going off plan for several months, I am back at my lifetime goal weight and even 4 pounds under that. My goal before at TA in 10 days in to lose 1 more pound so I have a cushion ahead of the cruise. I feel SO much better. My plan is to focus on veggies, fruits and lean proteins. I've cruised before on plan so I know it is entirely possible. Thankfully, we do not consume much alcohol even at home but I do plan to enjoy a few small glasses of red wine during the cruise. I will get in walking and gym time every day and take the stairs versus the elevator. I am visualizing what I will eat and being successful. The one thing I am a bit concerned about is tracking. We plan to use the internet sparingly and I don't know to what extent I'll be able to use the WW app for tracking - anyone know? Tracking really keeps me on an even keel. We are spending some time in Spain and France after disembarking, so that leg of the vacation may be more challenging. I'm going to focus again on fruits, veggies, lean proteins and a lot of walking. I'm a tad bit concerned about that wonderful french bread and butter but I will treat myself within reason.

Keith, it was wonderful to read your comments about the Spirit and it brought back such fond memories. We did our first cruise on the Spirit about 10 years ago from Seattle to Alaska and we really love that little ship. We are looking at Mediterranean itineraries to sail her again. Thanks again for sharing your adventures!

Sitting on the terrace outside our hotel room in Barcelona with a bottle of wine after a very nice meal. I thought I would just make a few observations from the Spirit cruise that finished today.

 

Over the past few years I have done live reports, but I didn't bother this time as a lot of it would be going over the same old ground. However, I thought I would just make a few comments.

 

Firstly, the itinerary. I have to say that the Canaries are very nice, but a long way from my favourite of cruise itineraries. Other than Casablanca, we just walked around. All the ports are very nice. The highlight for us outside Casablanca was the Palmetum in Tenerife, a botanical garden which specialises in Palm Trees. A really nice place to wander round.

 

In Casablanca, we took an NCL tour to Rabat. In all of our cruises, we have only ever taken 5 NCL tours, two of which have been in Casablanca, as it isn't an easy place to DIY. Rabat was a nice place to visit, again without being spectacular. Our tour guise was good, but maybe didn't give the amount of background information that takes a tour to the next level. We were pleased enough with it.

 

I would happily do more Canary Islands cruises, but it isn't somewhere I feel particularly drawn to. Our Easter cruises tend to be more an opportunity to see the sun after a long winter rather than getting out seeing things, so it is a pretty good itinerary for us at this time of year.

 

Barcelona is fantastic, as always. We have had a quiet day today, but there is lots to do here. We visited Casa Mila today, which is fantastic, but not as good in my opinion than the other big Gaudi attractions in the city. I could walk round his buildings all day, but would recommend Sagrada Familia, Casablanca Batllo or Parc Guell for a first time visitor in preference.

 

As for the Spirit, we still love it. Raffles Terrace is a great place for breakfast or lunch and Henrys Pub is a superb venue for the evening.

 

We were lucky to have Pablo onboard, who plays guitar in Henrys Pub every evening, as well as elsewhere during the day. Probably my favourite entertainer on any NCL ship, and a great guy as well. We originally met him on the Spirit a few years ago and it was great to see him again. Unfortunately for those boarding soon, his contract is almost up, so is only onboard for a few more days.

 

The other staff are also great. Some excellent bar staff and waiters. A particular mention for Mangesh in Henrys Pub, one of the very best.

 

I also have to say that Armando Da Silva is the best Hotel Director, in my opinion. I rarely notice who is the HD, but Armando has been on the Spirit for many years and it really is his ship. He runs a great team.

 

One of the great things about a ship the size of the Spirit is that you rarely leave your room without bumping into someone, staff or passenger, who you can stop and talk to. It is a very friendly place and the size makes it much more of a personal experience than the mega ships (which I also really enjoy).

 

We ate mostly at the speciality restaurants, as we had the 4 meal SDP included with booking and two platinum meals. All very good, as usual. I also really like Shogun and went there a few times. The buffet is smaller than on other ships, but adequate for us.

 

Given recent conversations, I have to mention that at Cagneys our server encouraged us to order multiple dishes when using the SDP. I personally only very rarely order multiple dishes, and have never previously been told about any restrictions in advance (as I believe others have experienced), but this was the first time that we have been actively encouraged to order more.

 

Teppenyaki can't be booked in advance of the cruise on the Spirit, and we make our reservations immediately on boarding. I did notice that there were spaces showing as available on the day even late in the cruise, so it may be possible even if you aren't quick to book. Teppenyaki was also operating at lunchtime on some days.

 

One final observation. There were quite a few people on the ship who were first time NCL cruisers, or having not sailed many times with them beforehand. Quite a few were British and, based mainly on the comments on this board, I was expecting them to be fairly negative. However, I was struck by the number of people who were very complementary about NCL and the Spirit. I don't think I led the conversations where they said that, but obviously can't rule that out. I wonder whether the Spirit may be more attractive to the traditional UK cruiser than other NCL ships. If it ever gets to Southampton next year then maybe it will be a good match.

 

As usual, any questions, feel free to ask. I'll try my best.

Thanks, Carnac! Looking forward to this TA. The time advances are made much more manageable given the lazy sea days and opportunities for naps! ;)

On our upcoming TA to Barcelona, we’ll advance the clocks once between Port Canaveral and Bermuda (2 at sea days), four times between Bermuda and Funchal (5 at sea days), and one more time between Funchal and mainland Europe (1 at sea day before Cadiz). So I lose six hours of bar time in 15 days. Well, six hours of sleep.

It is unconscionable to turn a cruise ship into a construction zone during an actual cruise. Even more so during a transatlantic with a long stretch of sea days. I can't imagine not being able to access public areas and decks. Passengers pay for an experience on the entire ship, not to sail restricted to their cabins.

Thank you, BostonGal.

 

That list doesn't mention the pool deck replacement.

 

I'm hoping that IF they begin work while we're sailing, that they'll wait until we reach Europe and do work during the day when most people are off the ship.

 

Is there any point in writing to anyone at NCL and asking whether they'll begin work during our sailing? I'd love to have "evidence" that there's no cause for concern. Just in case it turns out that there was plenty of cause for concern!

As we have had an upcoming TA on the Star scheduled for well over a year with full payment made in January, I'm following this situation more closely now. My husband and I are laid back and determined to have a good vacation. After several years of thinking that cruising was not for us, we have sailed only on NCL with mostly great experiences and service. It is incredibly disappointing to witness this kind of practice from NCL management. If the Star is turned into a construction zone on our TA, we will be looking at discontinuing sailing with NCL. I am hoping that NCL is learning from this situation. We'll have eyes wide open and I know we're not alone.

Thanks for posting

What a disgrace for NCL to treat its passengers like this. This was supposed to be a long luxury cruise and NCL apparently started dry dock maintenance while in the middle of a cruise. Closed pools, construction noise, dust, deck space used for construction storage, and all the paint and glue fumes. It really shows the disregard NCL has for its passengers. It used to be passenger's comfort was a priority. To pull this stunt is shameful. And to only offer a small discount on a future cruise? Its really outrageous. Its also a disgrace for anyone here to defend NCL on this one. Imagine saving up to take such a long cruise of a lifetime and have to deal with this. If I was the CEO, heads would roll on this one. But sadly I don't think NCL cares :(

The NCL corporate response actually makes it worse because its a false statement. They claim the construction is necessary and kept isolated and kept to a minimum away from passengers. LIE! Look at the photos and video. The passengers are majorly inconvenienced. When you are lied to, it makes things worse. Sometimes you tell your customers the truth and say...we messed up, we are sorry.

Good to hear there is still a Spinnaker Lounge! Whew!

I just got off of the Star this morning and stayed in one of the suites on deck 12 that previously was the observation lounge. The Spinnaker Lounge is now deck 7 aft and there not one on deck 12.

There is a large observation lounge (Spinnaker?) on the Star although it is not shown on the list lounges. (Hmmm...). We have been looking forward to hanging out in the lounge as we usually do and this was a factor in our booking this cruise. I am hoping this lounge doesn't turn into a construction zone during this cruise. The number of quiet public spaces are somewhat limited.

do a mock booking for a cruise after the dry dock it will give you some idea. Does it currently have a large public space forward Deck 12? It's becoming cabins. I would call your PCC or TA to discuss your concerns, I don't think I would want to be on the cruise.

My husband and I will be on the Star for the upcoming TA as well. While we are fairly laid back and very forgiving about reasonable maintenance and disruptions, I am beginning to feel concerned after reading the thread regarding the Sun's cruise disruptions. We were actually on the Sun a couple of years ago in South America and couldn't help but notice the large number of workers and work done on the ship during the cruise ahead of a dry dock. The thought of being at sea for multiple days if there is significant construction work going on is not what we had in mind for a long awaited vacation.

Will follow and await any information folks have about plans for the Star.

I'm on the Star TA on 4/22, my first NCL cruise. I only discovered yesterday that she's going into drydock after we arrive in Barcelona. And then I read through the entire Sun thread about the major work that's being done while she's on a PC cruise.

 

I have to say, it has me concerned. I sailed on the inaugural Carnival Vista sailing and the "new ship smells" caused major sinus and breathing problems (I have occasional asthma).

 

As a solo cruiser, and since I'm doing this cruise as the first leg of a TA B2B paired with Horizon, I'm booked in inside cabins, so it isn't easy to escape fumes if you don't have a balcony and much of the outside decks are closed off for repairs/renovations.

 

I'm hoping Star isn't due for the major work that Sun is undergoing. Can anyone provide details on what sort of renovations she's going to receive?

You are a lovely and generous woman, Marie. :halo: Your sense of style and adventure are wonderful. I'd love to add my name to the draw for the Coach bag as it would be a fine addition to my upcoming transatlantic cruise to Barcelona. Thank you for your thoughtfulness!