GORDONCHICK

If you're in the Haven, it's a different ballgame.

Honestly, the Med is one place where I place less importance on the cruise line since the experience is more off the ship. I place more emphasis on the itinerary - not only the ports but also the amount of time in each. The ship is a place to sleep and to grab a quick bite before venturing out. I'm not a HAL fan but in a place line the Med, I would absolutely do it if the itinerary and price was right!

They sail VERY full - over 100%. (100% is 2 per cabin) Hundreds of kids. Decorations have varied on ships but there's always been a gingerbread house. Carols on Christmas Eve usually in the atrium and Christmas foods served on Christmas Day (ham, turkey, etc). Pre-covid, I remember being in Belize (also pre Harvest Caye) for cave tubing, zip lining and atving. It definitely didn't feel like Christmas on that day.

FYI - it's a ship, not a boat. A boat can fit on a ship, but a ship cannot fit on a boat.

I can't speak about the port today, but almost 20 years ago, it was a very industrial port but we docked right at a warehouse with tons of booths and the locals were selling things. Back then, hand made molas were very common. There were also dancers. Other than that, there was nothing in walking distance. There were taxis you could hire but you'd have to know where you were going. I have no idea what the area is like now.

You go through the Gatun locks twice. And yes, it's a partial transit.

If it's like the one we did many moons ago, you stay on the ship unless you book an excursion that will leave from the ship using lifeboats as tenders. If you do that. you will meet the ship when it docks at Colon. If you don't, the ship floats around in Gatun Lake for a while until it's turn to transit back out the Gatun locks, then will dock at Colon. You can get off the ship there if you wish. But you will want to be up really early if you need to get a spot for viewing in the public areas. The most crowded will the the ones facing the front - and it's worth it if you've never been through locks before. Even if you have a balcony, I would stake out a public place with forward viewing early in the morning. It's cool to see all the ships lined up to wait their turn. Then go to your balcony for the afternoon transit.

Being that it's a Med cruise in April, the chances of there being tons of kids from the US at that time is smallish. If it's a 7 nighter, it's possible. Longer, not so much. Children from other parts of the world? Could be!

That's what I hoped! Thanks.

Along a similar line, platinum get flow water as a perk. Does it appear in your cabin or do you have to request it?

This is a 9 night cruise with only one "sea" day. The quotes are because on that one day, we will be traveling from Corner Brook, NF to Quebec City, across the Gulf of St Lawrence, then up the river. We will have a port side balcony, so we will be able to take in the scenery the whole time but will probably check out public viewing areas as well. The Observation Lounge definitely sounds like a place we will check out - especially for tea sandwiches (seems like a good place to grab a nibble before going for lobster in Boston).

Completely familiar with this - but it pulled wayyyyyy too much that wasn't applicable. Hence the post.

Will be on the Joy 9/4. I need the scoop on the ship - the great places away from crowds, favorite public viewing areas, fave MDR, etc. Any other things I need to know? It's almost like I'm a new cruiser, not having been on NCL since 2017. I know many things have changed, service reportedly has declined.

yes

I didn't get anything for June. I even went back and looked at emails into May. What did I miss? I know it's probably too late now, but just wondering.

I'm a scenery hound, so I don't care how cold it is. I was out on the balcony on the glacier days (the coldest days of an AK cruise) with a deck blanket taking pics! I will say, if you're cruising RT out of NYC, it won't be as scenic as ours will be as we will sail from NYC to Quebec, so up the river! And we got a port balcony, so as to get as much land viewing as possible.

They may not need/want great, but I LOVE and appreciate great so point me in the right direction! I'm a bit of a foodie. I've had good, really good and not so good lobster rolls, so great would be greatly appreciated!

Yes, this is very common. IMO, it's also helpful to have the extra bathrooms! However, I could also see if you had several young children, you may not want them to be in their own cabin (especially if they are escape artists!) - even if the rooms are connecting. And some parents don't wish to split up to have one of each of them in each cabin. I can definitely see pluses and minuses to both.

I used 2 on 6/16 and our cruise was just over 90 days at that point. We did book a balcony.

Your port choice for diembarkation may not be set up for that. A lot of things have changed since covid, and while this was available a few years ago in many places, that may not be a thing anymore. Not only would you have to be processed through immigration, you would have to be cashed out on the ship. And there may be more things along those lines.

I know the Joy has family insides that can sleep up to 6.

Good to know those are stll around! I used to have one for every NCL ship we'd been on but I've been going through stuff and got rid of them.

Like I said, it's been a few since we've sailed (4 years to be exact). Lots has changed.

There are maps all over the ship.