margretha

Spoke with "agent" at HAL. Learned we have the AARP OBC on one cruise and will get the military OBC on the other because you can't get the AARP and Military both on the same cruise. Hey, free money so don't want to look a gift ship in the hold but that seems at odds with others have written. So no complaints here but glad to have gotten the reservation info from this thread and gotten the $$.

margretha

We were going to book a cruise and I jumped through the AARP hoop only to find our TA booked the cruise the day before I submitted the AARP info. She has a lot on her plate but losing out on the OBC did sting a little so I'm going to try that reservations email and see what happens. Also, was not aware you could only get some of the OBC once - like the military one. I jumped through that hoop only to be told we had already taken advantage of it on a prior cruise.

Sigh.

margretha

Tried the Google spreadsheet but it only opened to the first page.

Any other suggestions?

Thank you.

margretha

Fingers crossed!

Thank you so much sbrown5816! 

We are doing a back to back (Boston to Bermuda to Boston to Bermuda to Boston) Nov 4-11 and 11-15.

We know we have to each file 2 TAs - one for each trip out of Boston to Bermuda. How do we deal with the need for a 2nd test? Has anyone had to deal with this type of situation?

Gratefully,

margretha

We have gone multiple times out of Boston on this cruise and always in late October or November. We have gone when people are in hot tubs, pools, lounging on the Lido decks, just as if it were July. We have gone in driving rainstorms and pelting snow. We boarded during what turned out to be a raging nor'easter one year when we were literally whisked onto the ship (we were 4 hours before departure) and the captain announced that due to the storm as soon as the last couple of passengers boarded we were leaving Boston. Dinner started around 3:30 with the suggestion that people eat early and remain in their cabins. All the outer doors were locked so people could not wander around decks - although one couple did manage to sneak out and then,, hours later, had to be rescued by a line of HAL staff, holding on to each other for dear life as they dragged these idiots back from the railings where the couple, were glued amidst waves and the ship rolling...we were on the 10th deck and water came in our balcony during the night and soaked the carpet. But the next morning? Sea like glass, people in pools, temps in 80s...We go on the last Boston to Bermuda run or as close to it as we can because it is always exciting, the captain and staff always keep everyone safe (although there were some of us who felt putting the crew in danger to save the absolutely idiotic couple who "needed some selfies with the waves" should have just been left out there). This is one of the best cruises. And it ends with the last hint of autumn and available lobster meals in Bar Harbor!

I am always amazed at the variety of tones and lectures a simple question from someone trying to do a kindness provokes from people who prefer shouting to discussing. I thought the person was doing was giving a kindness to people who work so hard and so long. The snotty tone of some previous respondents remind me of a couple in a suite next to ours on one cruise. We were seated at dinner with them once and they spoke so highly of all the staff, especially the room stewards and the concierges who were just wonderful. They shared that because they had such good experiences on their last cruise on the ship, this time they brought onboard special gifts for some of the staff members. Frankly, when I saw the lovely wrapped gifts I felt like Scrooge since we were just putting cash in an envelope. Turns out the gifts were framed autographed color photos of the couple. Our steward and one of the concierges shared the "gift" with us as we were packing that last night. It was both hysterically funny (no one knew who they were and frankly the photo was not all that flattering) and unbelievably dim since the glass and frames were large and unwieldy.

Thank you skiing and others! Downloaded the form, submitted it late yesterday and this morning got the email that the $100 OBC was now ours. Printed out the email just in case but thank you everyone!

margretha

Our TA is online with HAL now, holding forever. She was not notified about the move either. When were you all notified? This is so not like pre-pandemic HAL.

margretha

So glad I stumbled on this thread. We are - or were - on the Eurodam cruise leaving Feb. 26th. I just checked our account and tah-dah!!! It has been pushed to departing March 4th for the Panama Canal and returning March 14th.  What is going on and why didn't we get notified?

Thank you Cat & Squid for starting the thread!

margretha

I don't know about the ravens but on a pre-pandemic cruise we brought some favorite snacks onboard to have a little sail away celebration on our balcony. Got called away for the muster drill and returned to find glasses knocked off the table and some smashed and a bottle tipped over and plates all over and an extended family of seagulls making themselves at home on our balcony railings and the arms of the chairs. And, of course, very few remaining cheeses, dips and chips anywhere. Lesson learned.  margretha

Off topic but still am asking: Are the Latitude rewards (free meals, free laundry, etc.) predicated on 7 days + and pro-rated for shorter cruises (4 days)?

Sorry to intrude...

margretha

Massachusetts has the same "Windfall" law so even though I, like many in education, worked in college, held 2nd jobs, etc. and paid into Social Security, because getting both a pension based on teacher salary AND some of the Social Security which we all paid into would be tooooo generous I guess - so they call it the Windfall Law and so no, no Social Security from spouse. Sometimes the sorrow I feel for Jeff Bezos falling into 2nd place as the richest man in the world is just overwhelming.

If not for Cruise Critic I would have missed this entirely since our trip is months away!

As always, grateful for everything everyone contributes!!!

margretha

Thank you! Maybe we can pay the $40. in person before boarding to leave....heh.

This is a totally different question to thread readers but you all seem to up to date on the pre-sailing testing I thought I'd ask. We are booked on the very last trip from Boston to Bermuda in November.

We are doing a back to back: 11-4 to 11-11 and then 11-11-11-15. Somehow that little 4 day add-on seemed just right as a winter prep.

Anyhow, now I'm wondering what happens on a back to back? Do we pay the $40 pp to Bermuda twice? How do we handle the testing requirement?

Any suggestions or ideas?

Have done pre-pandemic back to backs and some lines had to actually leave the ship and reboard while some let you stay onboard.

Happy to hear anything if anyone does a Bermuda back to back between now and November.

margretha

Well, we are already priority due to penthouse and 2 days away from 4 stars. And we didn't pay for this. So cannot wait for our TA to return from holiday and learn what is what. Strange that both letters (tubs and this) were sent on the same day.

Stay tuned!

margretha

We have an upcoming b2b on the Pearl in a penthouse with "large" balcony and we got the same letter, sharing NCL's dedication to elevating our experience and then taking away something we enjoy! On the same day we received the tub letter we also got this one. I am not sure what it is referring to. Did anyone else get one of these? I don't know about you but I am starting to wish they valued us a little less and cared about us a little more....margretha

PS: What is the priority access package? TA on holiday until the 29th and our invoice doesn't show anything like any priority access to anything.

Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners,
We are delighted you will join us onboard in the near future.
As we return to sail, we are doing everything we can to make your experience truly spectacular. However, at times, we must modify our offerings slightly. To that end, we are not able to offer the priority access package for your sailing.
Please be advised that a full refund will be automatically returned to the form of payment you provided at the time of reservation for the priority access package. No further action is required on your part, your refund will be automatically processed within 30 business days. You will see the refund returned within 7-10 business days from the processed date. The visibility of the funds is dependent on your
financial institution’s internal policies. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you aboard!

Renig,

Totally off topic question: where is this wonderful quote from? It is the best thing I've read today!

Thank you.

Margretha

Hey Darfun,

Could you let me know if you'd like this pleather-rich travel doc case from HAL? If I don't hear soon I'll give it to someone else who did contact me.

This time next year we will be on board and at sea! Cannot wait!

margretha

No charge. Just helpful to clear away some of our HAL hoarded pieces.

Darfun

email me at margretha2003atyahoodotcom and

I'll happily send you one of ours. The velcro still works too and we cannot use all of the ones we have.

Brought a case onboard for a 35 day Voyage of Vikings cruise. As we worked through it watching the scenery go by part of the fun was replenishing at various ports. We didn't have a corkage fee either.  Seems like ancient history now but great memories.

Gcto,

We pulled the plug this morning on the Explorer trans-Pacific September -October cruise after a lengthy discussion with our TA. She said she'd had a long conversation with "Regent" after some meeting (some internal NCLH or cruise-line not her agency) yesterday and the word she was given was that there will be no final payment delay and no change to penalty sequence. Given that we opted to transfer over to a 2022 transatlantic while the cabin selection and other offerings are still open. We are losing $550 (the $100 each plus $350 deviation change cost for a direct flight home but at least we doing something proactive for us instead of waiting around for Regent to decide to tell us it is cancelled. Between Japan's pending Tokyo state of emergency, Canada's port closure and the thumb-twiddling of the CDC decision-makers, we just want to move on. Hated to miss the cruise with all the CC people we've met on the board but don't want to wait until late November to get our $$ back. Had we used one of the FFC we might have hung on but if this past year has taught us anything it is life is short and the world uncertain so better take your life in your own hands and stop waiting for others to decide things for you. That's not an anti-mask or vac or anything related to science whine. It is the larger view of where we are.

Happy sailing - whenever it happens...

margretha

PS: Given the way things work I fully expect that tomorrow morning we will learn they are extending the final payment date, etc.......

Our TA asked for a phone discussion tonight re: our Explorer September cruise out of Vancouver BC so I hope it is because it is good news. Or any solid informed news at this point.

Sigh.