HuliHuli

ITEM #: UBP

Enjoy a wide selection of soft drinks, beers, spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to and including $15 USD during your entire cruise.

Prepaid @ $89.00 USD per person per day x Cruise Days plus 18% gratuity and beverage service charge.

Beverage packages must be purchased for all guests staying within the same stateroom, additional stateroom, adjoining stateroom or travel with.

Individuals under the age of 21 will be required to purchase the Soda Program

Restrictions apply. Please read the Ultimate Beverage Package Terms & Conditions. Not available for sailings of 2 days or less.

*Effective for Norwegian Sky sailings booked on or after 4/22/15: FREE Ultimate Beverage Package for sailings on or after 1/1/16. See full Terms & Conditions.

An 18% gratuity and beverage service charge will be added at checkout.

The practice of "putting all electronic devices larger than a cellphone in a separate bin during security screening" has been in place for years overseas, between all airports and as you return home. PreCheck is non-existent overseas so if that is where you are headed, plan accordingly.

The terrible hurricanes were devastating. We all have heartfelt sympathy for the many victims. Loss of life, loss of property and loss of income bring a heavy toll on people.

 

HOWEVER. NCL were very quick to change the itinerary of many long booked cruises. More interesting......itineraries were altered for cruises not scheduled until March 2018.

 

For example the Jade 23rd March 2018 cruise has been so changed as to be unrecognisable.

I chose this cruise many months ago because of the itinerary. I did not chose to go to Grand Cayman or Bonaire, or Aruba. I have been before.

 

I wonder if anyone knows of cruises, NCL or others, which have been altered and then as ports become "open" reverted to the original which no doubt many people deliberately chose when booking.

 

I recognise so many of the islands have been through a very bad time, however, if they are "open" lets go and visit them again.

 

What do others feel.

 

Deeko

Deeko: You are well within your rights to ask the questions you are asking. But, as a passenger on the NCL BA cruise leaving Dec. 3rd, I can say with some confidence, they will not revert back. Have a read of our Roll-Call thread and you will see that many of us have called, written and posted our displeasure with a 100% wholesale change of our itinerary. In our collective opinion, NCL acted prematurely to take us from ports that saw no damage (St. Kitts & St. Johns) to western Caribbean ports many of us have absolutely no interest in visiting. Since they did this after the final payment cutoff, we are trapped in our cruise with no recourse and most are resigned to making the best of a bad situation. Sitting back and watching what the other leading lines have done, CCL and RCCL stand a much better chance of earning my future cruise business. So while NCL hides behind their standard statement that "the safety and security of our guests" is their top priority, I've reminded them that customer satisfaction is essential to repeat customers!

...if the Yankees are in the playoffs, I will spring for unlimited internet and stream it on my iPad. Then I'll park myself at a bar, and the Yankee fans will gather!!

Well (sad for you) it looks like they are not, which saves you the cost of unlimited internet. But the good news is the bar will still be open - cheers.

Does anyone know if the WiFi on the Breakaway is fast enough for me to be able to watch the world swipes on my iPad? Is it fast enough to steam video?

I think it will depend on how much water you use. ;) However, you may well get steamed waiting for video of the world series to download.

I wonder if the company will discount what's left inventory-wise very much. Those who are obviously "into" these upgrade deals/possibilities more than we are can probably figure those odds.

NCL does begin to "discount" selected rooms as the sailing date approaches; we have witnessed this on our upcoming cruise. They also try to entice cruisers with additional perks, e.g., "Distinctive Voyages" and additional OBC in an effort to sell the empty staterooms.

I booked the POA Hawaii cruise for Feb 2019 almost two years in advance. It isn't eligible yet for the free perk package. If they add it to new bookings in the coming months will they add it to my existing reservation if we request if before final payment? We booked the DOS and there is only one of these on the ship so I'm assuming no but thought I would see if anyone has had experience with this situation

We booked and re-booked our current cruise twice - once to take advantage of a price reduction and once to enhance our perks. This is where a PCC can help you - they know immediately when something changes in a cruise offering and if they are on the top of their game, they will contact you to advise you of the new opportunities. But, ultimately you are responsible to watch for better pricing/perks and when you find them, seize the opportunity. Prior to final payment, YOU are in control; after that NCL has the upper hand.

Tip them whatever you feel comfortable with tipping them.

 

Nobody on CC can tell you what makes you comfortable. Some ask for more from their butler, some as for little or nothing. Some butlers are great, some...not so great.

 

You will read posts from people who tipped nothing for the week. Some people tipped hundreds for the week. When you go to a land-based restaurant, you tip based on the service that you received. What the table next to you tipped is irrelevant. Same here.

I think your approach is spot-on. Every cruise is different; every service team is different; every cruiser has different means with which to reward good service; and your utilization of the service team will likely change based on your experiences. The only metric I would propose is "be generous" to those that go the extra mile to make your cruise more memorable!

I can't answer about the Haven but why not drop off your bags to be delivered to you room. Just keep a carryon for anything u may need before getting luggage.

Simple - if you read another current post, some bags end up at the bottom of the Hudson!

Typically I believe they are scheduled to arrive in port at 8:00 am EST, but watching their webcam from the bridge I have seen them arrive as much as two hours earlier, just not consistently. 8:00 am is a good time to expect, but of course it is US Customs and Border Control that determines when the ship is allowed to disembark passengers.

While I do look at the component costs of a cruise, I think the best approach is to look for the best value given the total cost of the cruise package/experience. If I can sail from a convenient port of departure, to ports of call I want to visit, in a time frame and duration that fits my life schedule, with similar package features, e.g., stateroom type, dining & drink options, and excursions, but have to pay $100 more per night on one line vs. another, what's the better value? Maybe I'm a bit more analytical than others, but I look at the total cost of the vacation in advance - travel to/from port, cruise price, cost of all amenities, insurance, gratuities, etc. While Carnival is frequently cast as the budget cruise-line, I have found that NCL typically provides a lower cost-per-day in a head-to-head comparison. So whether the UBP is included by the cruise line, or purchased separately, is moot in the larger picture. As EmeraldCoastCruisers suggested, it is "refreshing not to keep track of drink costs" or having to drink more on sea days to squeeze out the value of buying the drink package, but rather sit back and enjoy the fact that you are having the cruise experience you want at an overall cost that is less, i.e., the best value.

Just did this on the Escape a few weeks ago ... surf and turf meal (small piece of steak, fried ship, mashed potatoes), cheesecake dessert...

Well if we go to this, I'll be looking forward to trying the 'fried ship.' ;p

One must always do their homework first - caveat emptor.

Fantastic! Many times there is disagreement on these forums, but this time we've reached consensus - BA will dock on either the port or starboard side. I love it when a plan comes together.

The cruise line will make every effort to maintain the planned itinerary. that is the goal.

What makes you say that? FACT: NCL did a wholesale change of the Breakaway Dec. 3rd cruise to ports far away from the original itinerary, and now ports we were originally scheduled to visit are saying they will be open, but we won't be there! Moreover, NCL continues to say passenger safety is their first priority, then schedules port calls where U.S. State Dept. travel warnings are posted for things like drug-tainted beverages ashore or drug cartel violence. So you can go to a less than fully recovered port or take your chances in ports you would not choose. It's a lose-lose choice once you are past final payment.

NCL has issued the following letter this morning:

Dear Valued Guests & Travel Partners:

Norwegian Cruise Line has important information for you regarding Norwegian Breakaway's 7-Day Bahamas & Florida sailings from New York of November 17, 24; December 1, 8 and 15, 2018; January 12, 19, 26; February 2, 9, March 16, April 13 and 20, 2019. All guests booked on these sailings need to be aware of this change and travel professionals are asked to forward this information to their clients.

We are making an update to our 2018/19 deployment, to offer our guests an exciting opportunity to sail from New Orleans to Caribbean destinations on one of the line's newest and largest ships. Norwegian Breakaway will reposition from New York to New Orleans for her winter 2018/19 season and offer 7, 10 and 11-day cruises to the Caribbean. We are also repositioning Norwegian Escape for her summer 2018 through spring 2019 seasons to sail from New York where she will be sharing the Manhattan homeport with the recently refurbished Norwegian Gem. As a result of these realignments, Norwegian Breakaway sailings of November 17; 24; December 1; 8 and 15, 2018; January 12, 19, 26, February 2, 9, March 16, April 13 and 20, 2019 have been cancelled.

We would like to assist you in selecting another available sailing for your guest from the following options:

+ Option 1: Move your reservation to Norwegian Escape on one of the following dates: October 14, 2018, October 21, 2018, October 28, 2018, November 4, 2018, November 11, 2018, November 18, 2018, February 24, 2019, March 3, 2019, March 10, 2019, March 17, 2019, March 24, 2019, March 31, 2019 or April 7, 2019 and the cruise fare and promotions will be protected.

+ Option 2: Move your reservation to any available sailing in our fleet at the current published fare and your deposit will be moved to that sailing.

Norwegian will also cover up to $200 maximum per person air change fees. Please contact us by October 17, 2017 so that we can modify your guest's reservation. If we do not hear from you by October 17, 2017 reservations will be automatically cancelled and deposits will be refunded. We are standing by to assist you on our dedicated support line at (877) 461-1160 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm ET Monday through Friday.

We thank you for choosing Norwegian Cruise Line and we look forward to welcoming your guests aboard the beautiful Norwegian Breakaway.

Sincerely,

Vivian Ewart

Vice President, Passenger Services

This is a term and condition on a TA booking site:

 

• Please note that effective immediately, Norwegian Cruise Line will assess a $15.00 USD per person (subject to change without notice) cancellation fee for specialty restaurant reservations cancelled inside 24 hours. Reservations made on embarkation day will not be assessed the $15.00 USD per person fee if the reservation is cancelled prior to 5:00 pm.

NCL is setting themselves up for still greater criticism of 'nickel-and-diming" their customers. Many hotels (worldwide), with much more at risk, don't require 24 hours notice. So a few what-ifs:

• You are on an NCL excursion that returns late causing you to miss your reservation, do they slam you with this charge?
  
• If another cruiser is there to take the time-slot, do they still hit the first party with this fine? (Note: NCL lost nothing in this case.)
  
• So $15pp - I don't think there are any (or very few) single person tables in these restaurants, so its really a $30 minimum hit for a couple. Will cruisers start booking for one, but show up as a couple?
  
• If, god forbid, you take ill after lunch, do you get hit with this fine?
  

If the objective is to maximize the availability of specialty restaurant seating (a reasonable goal), there are more rational approaches. This is an unnecessary policy, fraught with issues, that will only earn NCL a bad name for "customer service."

Before booking a cruise, I do a mock booking on each of the potential cruises that meet my schedule and destination desires. A small spreadsheet enables you to construct a complete cruise budget taking into account not only the base cruise cost, but also desired dining and drink packages, gratuities, insurance, port costs (travel to/from and parking), and other services, e.g., Wi-Fi, etc. I include the costs for extras (as nearly as possible) so as to have an apples-to-apples comparison of the per night cruise cost, which I see as a good metric to compare between cruise options. Of course, other intangibles such as cruise line experiences, loyalty programs, proximity to ports of departure, and other conditions are factors I apply as well. Bottom line: A well planned cruise, built on best-value principles, should result in a more positive cruise experience and fewer "surprises" as the OP noted.

Hi

If you do not mind me asking did you receive an email on the new itinerary only because I'm on the Gem on 11/21/17 and I have not received any news on my itinerary if it has changed? I have been checking on NCL.COM but still showing original itinerary eastern Caribbean.

We received a regular email from NCL yesterday. Nothing has been posted on our cruise account page.

I will explain what's not to like.

 

Many many people on this cruise have already done the 7 day Bahamas with Port Canaveral. Twice, in my case, because Bermuda was canceled and we got to do this again. Now, it's a third time. I would not have booked this itinerary at all. Port Canaveral is a crappy port. It's Florida, not Eastern Caribbean. The character of the cruise has changed too much. There were so many better options.

 

Yes, we are very sad about the impact to the islands.I love the Caribbean. I would have been very happy to do a relief visit and join a cleanup detail to help at one of the places impacted. But we could have kept St. Kitts and Antigua, and gone to St. Lucia, Barbados, Dominican republic, and perhaps ONE of the Bahamas/Port Canaveral stops.

 

It feels like NCL didn't try very hard to create a new 12 day experience. They defaulted to what was available easily and quickly, which is the same 3 ports they always visit.

Well said Bill. We'll likely have less time ashore choosing not to disembark at ports that have recent history and current warnings of pervasive drugs and violence. If I wanted that, there are regrettably cities in the U.S. where I could experience those risks.

So the Breakaway 12 day starting December 3 appears to be undergoing a complete reroute. Our last 2 ports were Antigua and St. Kitts, which are fine, but I have found Breakaway on the port schedule for Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios for those two days now. Grand Cayman is great, but our roll call is mixed on Ocho Rios.

 

We were hoping they would shift ports to Barbados and St. Lucia but the impact to San Juan may have sealed it for us. It was a 6 port cruise and we will probably lose a port due to the extra sailing time to ports further south. We are afraid we will get Port Canaveral as a replacement port, which I rate 1 out of 5 compared to the 4 and 5 star ports we were going to originally.

Bill: I'm with you on Port Canaveral. I'd just as soon stay at sea as go there.

The OP clearly knows the risk. Why do so many people have to turn these Yes - No questions about passports into lengthy discussions about why they would do something one way as opposed to another. Even if you don't have a passport and get stuck, you are going to get home. It may take a little bit longer but you will get back.

 

To answer OP's question - Yes, you can cruise a Western Caribbean cruise using only a birth certificate and a photo ID, as long as the cruise is a closed loop cruise (it leaves from the same port that it returns to).

It's simple - the right way, safe with no risk, is to get a passport. Gentgeen's answer is spot on.

True. But if your bid is accepted right away, you knew you bid too high, lol. 😂🤣😁

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Forums mobile app

True enough, but then you don't have to suffer the weeks of anxiety waiting to find out.:')

Quick question. Since thet (sic) don't approve bids until 48hrs prior to departure, have you already checked in since you are able yo check in 2 months before the cruise or do you wait until you find out yea or nay?

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

It is not accurate to say "...they don't approve bids until 48hrs prior to departure...," but rather the rules (#9) state "Your offer can be accepted anytime from the moment it is submitted up until 2 days prior to departure."

Can someone please clarify for me; I received an email offering upgrade from ocean view (booked) to balcony at 65pp or mini suite at 95pp. However, when I clicked the link for the mini suite upgrade it showed the price of the upgrade as 380pp. How did it go from 95 to 380pp for the mini suite upgrade?

It is not clear what cruise line/ship this is for - your profile only shows Celebrity Summit for 2017. Is this a 4-day cruise, i.e., 4 X 95 = $380?