smm0218

When we did the Port Valet service on the Pearl the boarding pass was included with the luggage tag

Not sure if this has been mentioned but the best thing I picked up for our Alaskan cruise was a Gear Beast Lanyard for my phone. It has a pocket in the back for ship card. I put the phone upside down in lanyard so when I lift to take pix it\'s right side up. Depending on your phone (mine is HTC10) you may need to move the back strap for camera to work but I was able to adjust it so camera was clear. It was great, camera was always available without searching in pockets, very easy to take quick picture, and I had no fear of dropping it in the rainy weather. I saw suggestion from another traveler here and I was so glad I did.

From our short experience with NCL, the right hand doesn't know what left hand is doing. We'll be looking for a different cruise line.

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Actually NCL does participate. They have flyers about it as you ate embarking. Guest services gave me the form plus I got one with freestyle. However, they don't do it well. Filled out form turned it in a day early. Sat we teceived material, for DH only. After standing at GS for about 15 minutes while they looked for form, she brought it out and told me when we both have sane confirmation #, we only need for one person. When I explained, we both have to have boarding passes, she informed that I'd have to ask airline why I didn't get a boarding pass. Needless to say I was not happy. So we checked the one bag, carried the other one, sat at check-in counter for an hour while we waited until it was close enough to flight that they would let us check bag. Bag checked through port valet arrived just fine, would have been a great program if they knew what they were doing.

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Forgot to post results. Got perk changed and excursions rebooked and sailing tomorrow!

Boarding tomorrow and review just made me all the more anxious to get there.

Glad everyone is OK. Hope you enjoy the time in Seattle now that you finally made it.

Doing the sad dance. Offers were not accepted on August 13th Pearl.

Bid really low on oceanview and pretty high on balcony. I'd been watching availability and didn't think they would be accepted.

Sailing Sun 8-13 and still have heard nothing, yea or nay. Hope I hear tomorrow because we are flying out early.

FWIW. I was able to change my perk from discounted excursions to UPB. Canceled the previously booked ship excursions, rebooked excursions through someone else. One excursion a little better, one pretty much the same, completely better but more to our taste and one we are going to do on our own as I only booked because we were getting discount. Saving over $400 after paying the gratuity on UBP, we don't have to worry about a drinks bill at end (which will save even more) and tours that are more suited to us.

Thank you to everyone that helped with info and guidance.

Leaving Sunday, still nothing.

I just tried to do it and it HAS to be done through TA, they would not do it on my request. Possibly different for different TAs.

Quilting_Cruiser. I'm pretty sure she is just unavailable this weekend, although I usually hear from her on weekends if I have a question. I don't mind her having a life I was just concerned cause I'm trying to make the change at the last minute. If I don't hear from her in the morning I'll call someone else in her office.

You have relieved my mind and I'm tickled that you enjoyed the Pearl and Alaska. We are getting very excited.

After looking at the numbers it makes more sense for us to have the UBP instead of discounted excursions. (see this thread - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2529491)

We booked through TA and are leaving in a week. Will NCL change if I call them or do I need to have my TA do it. She's evidently unavailable this weekend as she hasn't gotten back to me. I'm afraid if there is a time restriction I may miss it by waiting. And I want to rebook non-ship excursions if I can make the change.

This is our first cruise and I'm hoping someone more knowledgeable than I know how this all works and can give me some guidance.

I also didn't have to count my spending on board so I did drink a bit more than I usually would.

 

Yep this is the reason I'm changing my mind. I don't want to have to think about an end of cruise bill when I want a soda or DH wants a drink. If someone offers him a drink he will take it, forgetting that we have to pay in the end.:')

Thanks for the non-ship excursions advice. Now if my travel agent would just tell me if I can switch So I can book new excursions before they are full.

Cruising for the first time and I picked the ships excursions because I was worried about being late back to ship. Is that really something I need to worry about? Alaskan cruise if that makes any difference.

Jordanalice

We are also going on first cruise ever to Alaska, Pearl though not Jewel, if I don't vibrate out of my skin or collapse from lack of sleep, we are heading to Seattle on Sat and sailing on Sunday (is the correct term sailing?) I have stacks everywhere and a large sack I add things to as I think of it. Trying real hard to enforce the adage take half as many clothes and twice as much money.

Thanks for answers. Of course, it is 7 nights and 6 days. That does make a little difference.

Just sent note to TA.

Does the Port Valet service work for NCL? I can find a list of the airlines at the Port Valet link but not Cruise lines.

shamr0ck

Our cruise disappeared from list a couple days ago also but right before it was gone it still showed some open balconies, so maybe it's just a timing issue. Do you still get the upgrade banner when you log in?

Neither of us are big drinkers and chose the excursion discount figuring if we wanted an occasional drink or soda would you just buy. But if I understand what I'm reading the NCL Ultimate Drink package would be a better deal. $200 ($100 each) for the gratuities on the drink package which works out to about $33 a day (using 6 days, we won't be drinking at 8 in the morning on last day) or even $66 if you consider the $200 we won't be saving on our excursions. That seems like a way better deal. However I'm not sleeping much due to anticipation (or worrying, I prefer to think of it as anticipation) so my math may be way off, please correct me if I'm wrong. Assuming I'm right and want to change my perk, can I do that and how? TA or call to NCL?

Nebr_Cruiser.

I think it is costing us $52.80 for 8 plus days (think I got a small discount for first booking), leaving early Sat and getting back just after midnight early Monday morning (assuming airline cooperates.) We haven't used it yet but the way I understand it, you go to valet station at Hilton downtown, tell them you are there to park show them your paperwork, they park your car and shuttle you to airport. Shuttle operates 24 hours. I'm guessing you call for pickup when you land.

I don't think I would want to stay in a hotel that cost $50 which is cost for week

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Since I live in Omaha and am leaving from omaha I don't need to stay at a hotel but I do need to park the car somewhere.

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