alrose251

20 hours ago, Nitemare said:

Then order your lobster roll without any mayo and you've got the perfect meal!

Sure, if the restaurant is ok with that, so am I.

2 hours ago, Nitemare said:

Depends on if you want to taste Lobster or Butter, I guess.

 

I never add butter to my lobster, no matter how it is prepared.  I like the taste of Lobster!

I would rather taste lobster and butter instead of lobster and mayo any day!!

3 minutes ago, Nitemare said:

We get the cold mayo one "hold the mayo".

 

If someone wants hot buttered lobster they should order a lobster or a lobster casserole

I don't understand this logic.  Why would I order a cold lobster roll when hot buttered lobster rolls are available.  I understand not all places serves the hot buttered ones, but some places do!

6 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

Lobster Roll with Mayo is a Regular Lobster Roll

Lobster Roll with Melted Butter is a Connecticut  Lobster Roll

All I know is the menu said lobster roll and it was delicious!!😁 I dislike mayo!🙁

On 6/17/2023 at 10:40 AM, 1025cruise said:

Sorry, a lobster roll is lobster mixed with a bit of mayo served on a split hot dog bun. That other sandwich is something else. You might find one in Newport, but it will be tough to find one in Maine.

I have only had the pleasure of eating 1 lobster roll.  But, I could have sworn it was just butter and lobster!

What a excellent review! 

Do you have other reviews for Canada/New England ports?

On 11/15/2022 at 7:42 AM, suefrankw said:

Having grown up in New England with summers on the Vineyard, I would love to be there again ( our family were extras in JAWS when filmed in the 70's). So you probably will dock in Oak Bluffs as that is the most cruise ship friendly.

Depending on your port times... OB has the merry go round... great small shops & restaurants. In June the Island bus will be running between OB, Vineyard Haven and Edgertown. Edgertown is a bit more upscale, with lots of shops, restaurants, a nice harbor, etc.

Vineyard Haven is more relaxed & laid back. We used to love to sit and just watch the ferries unload from Woods Hole (mainland MASS) in VH.

Be sure to get fish or 'lobsta' roll while there.

Renting a car can also be an option as was said before. You could drive to the smaller towns around (Menemsha, Chilmark- sm fishing village) or the red cliffs of Gay Head.

Where are you recommending to get a "lobsta" roll?

8 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

My biggest issue with NCL (aside from the ghastly decor on Pride of America) is the fact that in Maui they dock at Kahului instead of tender at Lahaina. My criteria for that stop would be a ship that tenders on the side of the island I want to do things on vs docking in the industrial port away from most attractions. 

I can understand your preference.  For me, I just want to spend as much as I can in Hawaii!

3 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

A little misleading here...there are 4 islands that cruise ships can go to...Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii. Most cruise lines stop at all 4. NCL starts and ends at Oahu, so, unless you arrive early, or stay beyond your cruise, you aren't "visiting Oahu" on your cruise. NCL doesn't stop at any more islands than most other cruise lines. Yes, occasionally, some cruises only stop at 3 islands.

 

Most cruise lines stop at one port on Hawaii, NCL stops at two.  

Not misleading if you compare each cruise for the number of islands and the amount of time at each island.    All I am saying is NCL gives the most time spent in Hawaii. 7 days in Hawaii!

The Pride of America leaves from Oahu (great deal of people do arrive at least a day early),  stops at Maui (overnight), stops at Hilo, stop at Kona and Kauai (overnight).  I think that is more than 2 stops!

I did extensive research on cruising Hawaii for the perfect itinerary.  Hands down NCL has the best itinerary in my opinion.

NCL allows the most time (entire time) in Hawaii.  The overnight in two ports opens up some many more opportunities to explore the islands.  Pride of America sails to more Hawaiian islands than any other cruise line (that I could find).

I love sea days, which NCL Pride of America does not have any, but I can get sea days on any other cruise.  My purpose for the Hawaiin cruise is to see Hawaii and NCL will allow me the most time on the islands. 

Happy Cruising!

2 hours ago, Ellis1138 said:

I offered that to my husband, since our deposit is refundable and I haven't made any other payments. I've been to Hawaii twice with a previous husband and done Na'Pali by helicopter, catamaran snorkel and also partial Kalalau Trail, so for me, it's not huge, although I did get a cabin on the port side for this purpose. 

 

But my current husband, who hasn't been to Hawaii, doesn't want to do multiple airplanes and multiple hotels; He wants the cruise, even just as a floating Best Western. 🙂

Do you think Na'Pali is viewed nicely from a helicopter?  What other excursion would be good to view Na'Pali?

2 hours ago, vantec said:

Our cruise in November will be the first time we've sailed as Platinum.  Our cruise consultant told us we could not make this reservation until we were on board the ship - are you saying this is not true? I asked him if he could make the reservation for us, he said the proper way to do it would be the first day on the ship.

My TA and myself was told the same thing by 3 different NCL agents.  This is only for the fixed charge reservations.  The system does not recognize the free platinum dinners.  You should be able to book any al la carte restaurants . 

57 minutes ago, chev29 said:

We had a price drop on 3/21/23 cruise on Jade, and I called customer service and moved from ocean view to balcony for 320. We had bid in for 175 pp so we got moved and saved 30. Just had to go back and cancel our upgrade bids. We even got to pick our cabin from what was available.

Does this change cancel your bid?

18 minutes ago, markeb said:

Check on the air. All three airports BWI, Reagan, and Dulles) serve Baltimore and Washington. And NCL may be better able to do an open ticket.

I will.  Thanks

On 2/5/2023 at 11:42 AM, navybankerteacher said:

Since OP is from Louisiana, they may be flying -  and hopefully would not mess with a local rental car as public transportation in (and between) both cities is very good (while driving is a headache).

Yes, we will be flying.  No interest in renting a car. 

19 hours ago, markeb said:

What are your interests and how are you traveling? Is this the 13-15th weekend (don't want to recommend something when I know it'll be a zoo)? Are you flying back out of BWI on Sunday? Monday? Open to traveling from Reagan?

 

With two days, I'd stick with DC. If you want to see the classic sites you have some chance of a decent or better than decent place to stay on a weekend in the city. All bets are off if there's a special event, which is why I'm asking about dates.

 

If you want to see the Mall, a couple of Smithsonian Museums, maybe the National Gallery (well worth it, BTW), etc., my first choice today would be the Penn Quarter. That's the area around Capital One Arena (it's third or fourth name change since we've lived here...). There are a number of hotels in the area, easy Metro access, and from Capital One you can walk down 6th or 7th Street a few blocks and be on Pennsylvania next to the National Archives (another nice stop) and a fairly easy walk across the Mall to the Air and Space Museum. And a wonderful view of the Capitol (it's a longer walk by far than it looks...) Close to Union Station if you take Amtrak or MARC (Maryland commuter rail) to DC. It is a fairly long walk down the Mall to the Lincoln Memorial, reflecting pool, Jefferson Memorial, etc. With no easy Metro. There are tour buses, but I've never used them. Do some research and ask questions here.

 

For hotels, look at all the chains. Your "suburban" hotels like Courtyard, Hampton Inn, etc. are here, but they can be as expensive as a full service hotel. The first two I'd price, on a weekend, are the Hotel Monaco (Kimpton/IHG) and the Marriott Marquis. The Marquis is the convention center hotel, and if there are no events, it can be a good rate. Although "good rate" these days has a 50-100% difference from good rate in 2019. The Monaco is a really short walk to the Mall, and there are a number of nice to very nice restaurants on 7th Street (Oyamel, Jaleo, others) and you're about a block from Ford's Theater and directly across the street from the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian Museum of American Art, one of the hidden gems of DC museums. "Official" DC becomes a ghost town in the evenings and weekends.

 

In that area, I'd probably look at the American History Museum, Natural History Museum, very quick look at Air and Space (you'll be there all day if you're into it...), and maybe a quick visit to the National Gallery (great museum but big) and National Archives. Walk or take a tour bus by the White House and the Ellipse, etc. 

 

With two days there's no way on earth I'd deal with getting to and from Old Town. Love Old Town, but no. And as previously stated, if you take Amtrak from Baltimore to Alexandria, you're stuck in an empty train for 30-45 minutes at Union Station changing from an electric engine to a diesel engine. If DC itself is too expensive, look at Pentagon City and/or Crystal City. Easy Metro access to DC, but it will take time and you don't have a lot of that. They are on the Yellow Line which will drop you in the middle of the Mall, and you can take the Blue Line to Arlington National Cemetery. You'll have to balance budget with time. Recognize that a lot of tourist sites close fairly early. And allow time to get to whichever airport you're flying out of.

 

Come back and ask more questions! But give us your actual dates...

 

 

Yes, the dates are Oct 13-15.  Thank you for the wealth of information!!!

4 hours ago, Newdaytrippers said:

I am from DC until retirement a few years ago.  I agree with Princeton.  Save Baltimore for another trip and get to DC quickly.  A train to Union Station makes sense. I agree that Uber and Metro and the Circulator bus are all good options.
 

On Friday, after dropping your bags at the hotel, consider taking Uber directly to the Lincoln Memorial.   The view back to the Washington Monument and Capitol is breathtaking and a great photo op for selfies with both in the background.  And behind you on the hill is Arlington Cemetary.  At the base of the Lincoln Memorial, you can walk through the Vietnam Memorial, another must.  The Korean, WWII and/or MLK, Jr. Memorials are in this vicinity, depending on time and stamina.  That leaves Saturday and Sunday for museums.  Some museums or galleries might have evening hours on Friday.  You can research this if interested but you’ll have had a very full day!
 

Pick the museums based on current exhibits and your interests.  First Ladies gowns, Foucault Pendulum, Calder Mobile, Harriett Tubman’s bible, etc.  Some special exhibits and museums require timed tickets (free) which you need to get online in advance.  The new African American Museum of History and Culture might need a ticket and needs a couple of hours minimum. All Smithsonian Museums are free.  Others such as the Spy Museum have an entrance fee.  It’s a lot to cram into two days.  And staying near the Penn Quarter gives a lot of options for dinner and is lively and well lit at night.  Love Jaleo and Oyamel.  But there are plenty of other good options, too, and a good guide book can help with hotels, restaurants, walking tours and HoHo options.  Uber is easy.
 

Saturday morning and Sunday morning be at your preferred museums when they open so you can avoid crowds, hopefully.  I’d fly out of DCA (1st choice) or IAD rather than returning to BWI but it’s certainly doable.  Allow plenty of time for travel and security lines for all the airports.  Monday morning is very busy for Amtrak and at the airports.

 

Enjoy your visit!  

Thanks so much for all this info.  We will have to fly out of BWI since we have our airfare through NCL.

On 2/5/2023 at 9:17 AM, sandym718 said:

Only been to Baltimore once but we stayed at the Homewood Suites on the Inner Harbor.  Highly recommend.  Close to everything, including Fells Point which we enjoyed.

 

D.C. - spend a lot of time there as that's where DD goes to college.  Being right on the Metro is important unless you stay right near the Mall.  We always stay in Rosslyn, Arlington VA which is right across the Potomac from Georgetown, D.C.  Safe area, affordable and very convenient.  Metro is right there which can take you to the Smithsonians, monuments, White House, etc.  Also, Georgetown area is not on a Metro stop, but you are a 1 mile walk over the Key Bridge or you can take the $1 D.C. Circulator bus over the bridge right to M street (main "drag" in Georgetown).  Great neighborhood for dinner and shopping at night after touring all the "DC stuff" during the day.   We've stayed at both the Residence Inn and the Hyatt Place in Rosslyn and recommend either.  Depends on bed needs and price which one we choose.  

 

As Princeton recommended above, with only 2 days...I'd choose D.C.  So much to see and do and most of it is free!  October is a beautiful time to walk and explore.  You'll have to pick and choose which museums.  The Holocaust Museum is fantastically done, but very difficult subject matter of course. Takes a few hours and will impact your mood (as it should) for at least the day.  In my opinion, save for a longer trip.  Natural History Museum and American History Museum (probably my favorite) are great.  We did the U.S. Botanical Garden this past October, just beautiful.  Definitely walk and see the White House and all the monuments.  If length of walking is an issue, there is another DC circulator bus that does a circle around the monuments, again for only $1. The zoo we went once just to see the pandas since you can't see those at most other zoos.  Old Post Office is a good place to get a free "view" of the city.  

 

Lots of info, sorry!  Feel free to ask more specifics as you get planning.  If you decide on DC...I'll be there at least 2-3 more times before October, so if I don't know....I can try to check!

Thank you so much for all this info!

Thanks for your suggestions.  As for budget, I guess Hilton or Marriott budget.  But, I understand everything cost so much more right now, so I am open. 

Hi,

Our cruise will be ending on a Friday in Baltimore (October).  We would like to stay 2 days to visit Baltimore and Washington DC.  I know this is not much time at all, but it is all we have.  Just want to see whatever we can.

What area should we stay in? Does not need to be fancy, just a safe area.

Any suggestions on what we should see?  I don't mind taking organized tours if that is the best option. 

I would appreciate any help you can offer!

Thanks!

1 hour ago, hallux said:

Right.  Your problem was booking Cagney's before Moderna...

No, only 1 al carte restaurant and 2 fixed price.  After booking the 1 fixed price the system wanted to charge me. 

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The three agents were wrong. Latitudes dinners should be booked online 125 days prior to departure. 

 

However, it is important to book your fixed fee restaurants (Moderno or Teppanyaki) first, then the a la carte restaurants to avoid charges. You have three options

1) Call NCL and cancel all reservations and try booking fixed fee restaurants first

2) Book the fixed fee restaurant, pay for it now, and at dining time, use your voucher. You will get a refundable OBC for the amount you pre-paid.

3) Wait until you are onboard and book as soon as you embark. 

I did book Teppanyaki first, then Cagney's then when I tried to book Moderna the app is charging me. 

It is only recognizing my free booking dinner not my platinum dinners.  

5 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Make show reservations in Headliners (Deck 6 Mid-Ship) and then go across the hall to Teppanyaki (Deck 6 Mid-Ship) for dinner reservations. As a platinum member, you should make your platinum dining reservations exactly 135 days (12 midnight eastern time) prior to departure online (before the rest of steerage get to make reservations at day 120). 

I tried making my reservations.  The app was charging me. 3 different NCL reps told me and my TA that I had to wait till I am on board to book my latitude dinners.  .  I made my 1 free booking dinner, but wanted to charge me for my platinum dinner.  Was told the system doesn't recognize latitude dinners.  

Thanks for your info on where to go onboard.  I appreciate this info!

So, what is the best place to make reservations for the shows?

Also, I have to make my platinum dinner reservations while onboard.  Where do I make those reservations?

Thanks everyone for this info.  I was wondering about  this myself!