travelingfools

On 12/31/2023 at 1:51 PM, laudergayle said:

The extra tip in specialty restaurants typically doesn’t work….occasionally it will.  It depends on the ship.  We usually do specialty dining the first night…add the tip and then review the next morning on the cabin TV (which breaks out OBC ).

When we sailed the Pride last year, we wrote the tip in at specialty restaurants and tipped some of the bartenders by adding it to our receipt .  Everything looked good when I went to Guest services.  We didn't owe a balance and had used all of our non-refundable OBC.  But when we got home I found that my credit card was charged for the total of the tips meaning we left that amount of OBC on the ship. Lesson learned. 

Thanks for sharing your experience.  Sounds like a wonderful trip.  We too had our POM trip cancelled for next week.  We have rebooked for December, but still wanted to cruise now and booked the Encore.  We booked a spa balcony on 15 as well, just in case we couldn't get off at the ports we could still relax in the spa.  Did you have reservations for Choir of Men?  I hope you get to cruise on POM soon! We were so disappointed, but the Encore will help hold us over!

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Probably. I am a Platinum Plus and I am normally exempt from having to select an arrival time, but for this cruise, we were forced to pick one. 

Wondering if Platinum Plus are given earlier arrival times than those cruising for the first time, or they're all the same.

Our very first cruise was on the NCL Wind back in 2006.  They had 10 or 11 day cruises sailing from Honolulu.  5 days in Hawaiian ports (2 Maui, Kona, Hilo & Kauai) 2 sea days to Fanning Island (1 day) and 2 days back to Honolulu.  We loved that trip, and have been waiting for them to return to Fanning.  There were a lot of people who complained about the 2 days there and 2 days back.  It was as if they hadn't read their itinerary and knew nothing about it.  Made us kind of laugh about it.  I love my sea days, and would love to repeat that itinerary!

We're like many who have to decide if we want to make final payment for a cruise that we know will not happen.  We're booked on the Pride for a 2/6 sail date.  If we make final payment and NCL cancels what are they providing currently in the terms of FCC or discount for future cruise.  Trying to decide if we want to make final payment or just cancel.  Is it worth it.  We do plan to rebook the cruise for 2022, and the prices are so much higher a discount might be worth making the final payment.  I know there's always the possability of bankruptcy, but not too worried about that issue.  Thanks for any guidance.

I would love the tour that you've put together.  It looks like you have helped so many!  Thanks for sharing and the all the work you've put into this, maybe you should write a travel book!  stevertami@gmail.com

I like others have decided to consider other cruise lines for my next cruise, and no longer consider NCL my favorite line.  I Wonder if NCL really thought this through.    Let's say they see the negative impact this change has made down the road, so they back track somewhat to improve things (whatever that might be).  Do they really think guests who have left and discovered other cruise lines will cancel their other cruises and come back to NCL.  I highly doubt it.  You would have to wonder if you returned if they again would make a negative change before your cruise.  Do you trust them?  Then there's also the loss of income from a decline in future cruise next certificates for NCL.  This could also impact a customer's decision not to book because they don't have a stockpile of certificates to use anymore.  I think it will take years before they see the final outcome from just this one change.

We will be sailing the Bliss next month.  I just wish I had another cruise booked afterwards, so I would have the satisfaction of canceling.  I'll be looking elsewhere for my future cruises, and they won't notice that I've specifically left.  I'll be sure to fill out my comment cards and complete the survey (which is almost useless).

On my last sailings of the Escape & the Jade, I was very disappointed to find them pre-mixing many of their signature drinks in huge dispensers that were left sitting on the back counters and on the bars.  This was especially gross at the Spice bar after they were sitting out in the sun all afternoon separating.  I made a point to avoid these bars and drinks.  This was a huge sign of the beverage package decline.  I'll be Platinum Plus after my next cruise in a few weeks.  After 20 plus cruises, all but 4 on NCL, I will be taking a hard look at the other lines.  I'm saddened that it's finally come to that point!

Had to try the new photo upload, and it's so much better!  Here's a pic of Clarence and his hat from our Escape Cruise 9/17.  We loved him!  He was like family on our Escape cruise.

They picked up across from the terminals on the other side of the meridian strip where the porters take your luggage. It was fairly easy if you know the type of vehicle and watch for it.

Does the Dawn have any good inside viewing areas for sail away since drydock? I'm not seeing much on the deck plans.

Your comment about the walkers had me envisioning "The Walking Dead" for a moment! That was creepy! lol

 

 

A walker coming around the corner in the opposite direction just scared the living hell out of me.

 

 

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Livin & Lovin every minute of your trip!! We'll be sailing on the Dawn 12/30 for New Years Eve, and love seeing the new Dawn through your lenses!! If you're ready for another cruise come join us for New Years. I think you'd fit right in with our group of 50 or so!! Thanks for posting!

Anyone been on the Pearl recently who can give us a Zumba update?

We are a group of 3 women leaving on the Getaway in just 10 days. We have cruised before with 3 of us in a balcony on another cruise line. We booked the spa balcony hoping it will be useful for showers, not to mention the rest of the amenities. If you're not in a hurry to book, I can let you know how it worked out after we get back!

Just checked our Summary for 9/20 and we're changed as well!! :)

Does anyone know which day they have the tour for the Platinum Latitudes on the Getaway?

I saw the martini tasting ... either day 6 or 7 ... I can't remember which. And I think it was in early afternoon. It's there :)

Thanks! I found it on Day 5 @ 4 pm. They're usually held on sea days, but this one was on the St. Thomas day!

Interesting travelingfools - how much did they charge? I think it was $25 on the POA in 2013.

If I remember correctly, I think it was $30 plus the gratuity.

When I look at our Vacation Summary for our up-coming cruise, I see at the bottom of each day: Amenity Details: AMO50 & UDP. Any ideas as to what this is? I thought UDP was the unlimited dining program, but that wasn't offered when we booked.

Thanks for scanning!! I didn't see any Martini tastings listed. Please don't tell me they didn't have any! :(

Didn't have one on the Epic either, but our roll call set one up with the beverage manager.

Ahhhh Haaaa my first post on CC. I made it through all the squabbling and varying opinions weeded out the garbage and pasted the good tips in my file for a hopefull upcoming cruise.....Thanks all!!!!!

Please start a new thread and post your condensed version. I love the tips and valuable information that can be obtained from fellow CC members posts, but lack the time to go through some of these longer threads! Would love to see the tips that you have gathered!

Bob,

That's great. Many of my favorites too. I would have loved this information when we first started traveling. It would have been much easier on us rather than learning as you went along. It's a great way to start Students out on their traveling adventures.

Thanks!