Salf777

Hi booking a Panama Canal sailing on either NCL Bliss or Joy. It starts in LA and ends in Miami. I’m sure due to the size of the ships it’s the new locks. I see some posts that when you go thru the new locks it’s not a full crossing? Can someone please explain. I also saw one thread that says you disembark when using the new locks? I’m confused can someone please explain all this?

thanks

I’m booked on the NCL Bliss from LA to Miami. I’m assuming that’s a full transit correct? Sorry if this is an ignorant question we just heard good things about the Panama Canal and booked it

11 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

What are the ports for this cruise? I did this trip in January 2020 and absolutely loved it.  Do you go to Guatemala and Nicaragua!

Yes we do

So we just booked our 15 day Panama Canal sailing on The Bliss from Los Angeles to Miami in The Haven

Its a ways off but we are wondering if anyone who has done this sailing has any suggestions on must do excursions, or anything else that’s a must do on this sailing it would be greatly appreciated 

4 hours ago, rackingguy said:

This was the TA on the NCL Escape that docked in Rome on May 11. My wife had a scratchy throat and head pressure, so she decided to test before we disembarked at Cadíz. We brought a bunch of at home tests because we’re staying in Europe until mid-November. Once she tested positive on the home test, we called the nurse station to inform them. 

Thanks was just curious. Good to see there are people out there who still do the right thing!

Good and helpful article. When was this? I just got off a Caribbean cruise and they never tested us once we were onboard. Are they testing on the overseas cruises? Just curious as I have seen a number of stories about people testing positive and wondering what sailings they are testing on or is this people taking a test because they don’t feel good?

15 hours ago, greatestvalue said:

Are they both going to be full lock cruises, or is the Joy being a 10 day a partial lock? 

 

I too am looking at the Panama Canal and trying to decide the Bliss or the Joy. Im hoping to do a full canal cruise sometime in Dec 2022; Jan - Feb 2023 or whenever the best deal is in place. 

 

 

Hi we are passing on the Joy. I’m imagining it’s not a full lock it’s doin Great Stirrup Cay and some Islands like Roatan and Harvast Cay don’t want to do all that again so will do the 15 day on the Bliss which is also basically available on the Joy as well

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

It sounds to me like the Bliss is 50% better!

Now that’s funny! LOL

Ok looking to do Panama Canal and see offerings on Bliss and Joy that I like

Has anyone sailed on both?

which is better? I know that’s subjective so pros and cons of each. 
my thought is the Bliss looks just amazing (have done the escape and encore personally) So I love what I have seen of the Bliss but the Joy has a 10 day itinerary that might work better for me than the 15 day on the Bliss

Looking at booking the Panama Canal on the Bliss in the Haven just don’t feel like flying overseas and just flying to LA and ending up back in Miami where I live seems like a good option so it’s just one flight. Have heard good things about the Panama Canal but it hasn’t really been on my “must do” list. But like I said I just don’t feel like flying far. 
The Haven on the Bliss looks awesome and better than the other Havens we have been on. 
Curious if anyone has done this sailing, is it enjoyable? Pros, cons, and must dos appreciated 

Haven dining is excellent 

Just got off the Breakaway on Sunday. Syd Normans was the best entertainment on the ship. 

Just go to Syd Normans every night the band is great and entertaining IMHO best entertainment on the ship

The new facial recognition thing they have to get on and off the ship is not good. It slows the process down so much. At disembarkation it took forever because it didn’t recognize people or wasn’t at the proper height for the person and caused a line all the way back. If they went back to the old way it would have been so much easier 

So have done the Haven on Breakaway, Escape, Jade, Epic. Just got off the Breakaway and the Haven was nice but not the best. Looking to book another cruise and enjoy being on the ship so considering the Bliss or Encore. Anyone been on both Havens? Which is your preference 

Just got off the Breakaway in the Haven. Apart from the excellent dining and services, we arrived at the port and the lines were out the door to get in. We saw a little Haven booth outside and walked over and we were on the ship and having a drink in the Haven bar in less than 10 minutes, no kidding. That’s with them checking COVID testing and all. That’s worth the cost alone LOL all the stress is taken out of the vacation 

So my wife and I, no kids, love to cruise. Love destinations and staying on ship. Disney lovers hook line and sinker, annual pass holders, DVC all that. Never done a Disney cruise. Love nice dining and would definitely do concierge level. 
what ship and or destination would you suggest. Fortunately we can travel anywhere and any time so just looking for what everyone would recommend as the best experience. Thanks 

That’s what we were thinking making it easier just to do it with inspire. Thank you

So we are sailing on the Breakaway in the Haven in about a month. I was looking at the requirements we are vaccinated but confused about the Covid testing. First off we looked at the testing place they recommend online and an antigen test is $49 and a PCR test is $99. If they accept either why would I pay for the PCR test? Also do they send the results to the cruise line directly so we’re all clear or do they send us the results to bring?

lastly they just opened a free testing site right near our home if I go there what do I then bring the results on check in day?

can someone explain the process please? I don’t want to show up with a test they won’t accept or wait around at the port for a test

any help greatly appreciated 

Hi Disney and also cruise lover here. Usually prefer smaller lines like Azamara and Oceania but have been thinking about a Disney Cruise when life gets back to normal. So it’s just my wife and me. Would you say a Disney Cruise is enjoyable for just adults? If so what ship is the best? I have read great things on different sites but when I read the reviews here read things like it’s impossible to get reservations in the fine restaurants, private island food wasn’t good, etc. I realize everyone has a different experience on every sailing but in general how is dining, and ship experience for adults only? I have heard entertainment is great!

I am amazed at how rude people are getting in this thread. People are just expressing their opinions that’s what this board is for, and others are telling them leave the board, that they are silly or pathetic for enjoying being paid a little attention to by staff or crew. If you like Oceania great, if you like Azamara great but don’t disparage someone else for liking a different cruise line, really. There are people on here trying to be all highbrow talking about all their sailings on “luxury and high end” ships yet they jump all over someone who doesn’t like the same line as them. 
This is supposed to be a place where people share their experience good or bad so others can read and get information. What’s happen here is just sad and rude

9 hours ago, hubofhockey said:

 

I don't know why people have problems with what you are saying.  You are explaining why YOU don't like Celebrity.  Your feelings are your own.   You are looking at this through your own lens, which is fine.  

 

Of course, you understand the other side, which is that the very people who are excluded from a few rows in a theatre are also excluded from cruising on Azamara because they can't afford to even book an inside cabin on Azamara.  To me, Azamara is still a luxury (as is a suite on Celebrity).  I'll only pay that extra price to Azamara for a truly special itinerary. I'll never pay it for a suite on Celebrity because I don't see the value in Luminae for a cruise or to be able to sit in a few roped off rows.  That's my choice though.   I don't begrudge any of the regulars on Azamara or the Celebrity suit passengers anything.  Most are very successful and pay for that.  I do find events for "Best of the Best" a bit off putting though, if not cringe worthy.  I don't hate the events or the VIP treatments of dining with officers that some get, but that expression, not so much.  At the end of the day, you pay for the experience you want and I try not to worry about what someone else is getting.

 

 

Well said! I think you hit the nail on the head from both points of view. Heck for many years we sailed on RCL in a balcony stateroom and saw the suite guests areas but it never bothered us. It’s life there is separation everywhere you go based on paying more. If people can afford it and want to pay it more power to them. However, I wouldn’t let it effect my vacation because someone else can go somewhere I can’t. As long as I feel I am receiving a good value for what I paid I am happy. Heck if Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos were on the same ship I wouldn’t expect them to stay in the same class as me and frankly it wouldn’t bother me one bit. Let everyone enjoy what they want and just enjoy yourself. 
Now I will say that I agree with the thought that these areas makes some PEOPLE arrogant and act like jerks! Yes that’s annoying but that’s not the ships fault, I’m sure these people are idiots everywhere they go. Some are just rude and arrogant but I would venture to say they are that way everywhere in their life. And you know what they are probably miserable. 
im on a vacation I worked hard for, I’m going to enjoy myself and not worry about what the other guy is getting that I’m not. 

So I have seen many discussions in many threads and don’t understand why people get so offended by suites and higher paying customers get more. I know I will receive a lot of nasty responses for this. Hotels have suites and have concierge level floors, planes have first class cabins for passengers who pay more, Disney has private guides with special access, concert venues have suites and boxes with special treatment a car has more bells and whistles if you order it that way and pay for it. We prefer bing in a suite when we cruise and feel the perks are worth the extra costs and I always say that people who cruise in the least expensive cabins are getting basically the same cruise we are for much less money. We can all eat in same restaurants and travel to the same places and see the same shows. On a ship I prefer to pay more to be in a nicer room with more perks, but when I stay in a hotel I don’t like to spend the extra on a concierge level but I don’t begrudge the people who choose to do so. It’s my choice to do so and the extras factor into my decision.  If you buy an apartment a better view or higher floor and a better building will cost more.

Yes the ships that have “roped off areas” can be a bit tacky, but for example on NCL they have The Haven which is a separate section of the ship that gives the small ship experience on a big ship with all the toys. It’s much more expensive but if someone wants to pay for it that’s up to them.
 

so bring on the comments about how horrible it is but please know this, we take fewer trips in a manner we enjoy and yes I’ll say it, we like to feel special.  So we make sacrifices to do this. We don’t have the luxury of traveling all the time so when we do what’s wrong with taking advantage of whatever we can to make our vacations special?

Well Coke lite and Diet Coke that wasn’t really the point, it was a reference to the service and attitude and for me I can taste a difference between the two. I have a preference and if it’s available why shouldn’t I have it?

13 hours ago, Floridiana said:

This thread still going on?

 

I haven't been on an Oceania ship in a while but on Azamara. No idea why people think Azamara is warm and fuzzy. They weren't on our Japan cruise; servers were competent, but the ones on HAL ships are warmer and fuzzier to stay with this image. I don't think I saw an officer engage with passengers on the Azamara ship. The enrichment speaker was incredibly incompetent with factual errors. The excursion team was not much  better. The balcony was cluttered with a huge table. And that bathroom! The special evening ashore was mediocre. The price for the cruise was in the luxury segment range. What was good? The itinerary and the food. 

 

Obviously we did not experience Azamara's finest cruise.  I just know that I won't return to a shower curtain at that price point.

Well I guess that’s the beauty of this board it shows us no line is perfect and we all have different experiences even on the same sailings. I’m sure people who were on my sailing loved it. Good open communication so we all get to do read others experience and decide for ourselves. There really is no right and wrong.