ontheweb

13 minutes ago, littlegit said:

This is a review of what a nude cruise is like.  I'm far too inhibited for that and would have a panic attack in those mirrored elevators.

 

Nudist cruise ship: What's it like on a boat with 2,000 people not wearing clothes? | The Independent | The Independent

Thanks for the link. That was an interesting read.

5 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Internet (iCafe) cafe with DIY $$ wireless printing service 24/7 but BYO - laptop, notebook PC, iPad, tablet, smartphone & iPhone, etc to connect.  No desktop stations or terminals w keyboard/mouse to rent for a fee or use, etc. 

 

 

 

Station Zebra online - Linux Ubuntu v22.x LTS with Chrome browser, NCL hotspot log-in screen. Disable or turnoff VPN if connectivity issues are encountered. 

 

There are a total of 4 110v 3-prong US outlet in the balcony cabin, plus 1 220v 2 pin EU outlet (adapter required) and 2 sets of USB charging outlets, 1 being A and other C type, max output is 1.5A only. 

 

 

However, by (poor) design, unless you are using a micro-sized or slim/compact charger, the USB-A or USB-C outlet will be unusable, blocked ... unless you have a short 6" extension cord/tap (non-surge suppressed)

 

Bedside, one 119v outlet is available and 1 pair of USB outlet per bedside USB lamp.

 

 

Yes, I discovered that on our Prima cruise last summer, an internet cafe with NO COMPUTERS. 😒

1 hour ago, yakcruiser said:

I just bought a wristwatch this morning for $10.95 at Walmart for my upcoming cruise. Now if I'm late I have nobody to blame but myself.

$10.95. or $10.95 + tax? And if the battery goes bad, it is cheaper to buy another watch then replace the battery. That is said from experience.

22 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Random facts and info only "details" that we've learned onboard 

 

Casino At Sea players (base level or lowest tier) - no more house drink card, and not even carton of water while playing in the casino ... bar runners will bring a glass of water.

 

Costs for missing embarkation & pier check-in cutoff and getting to next port, Halifax, NS, Canada to board the ship (missed 2 nights onboard)  $1,000 USD for OW flight, LGA to Halifax on Air Canada connecting via Toronto (no direct non-stop) and 1 night hotel plus Uber to cruise terminal.  #ouch #ouch - x 2 adults, one with an expired passport ... discovered / realized only after at the check-in counter inside Pier 88 last Saturday, after being in the long line before 2 PM moving slower ( got there sometime after 1 PM'ish) Lots of what if's ... no trip insurance.  Pennywise & pound foolish - cost 2 of them an extra $2,000 to do this TA.   True story from niece's circle of friends from NYC. 

 

There is something fishy about this story. How can they get on an international plane or the cruise with an expired passport?

33 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

In the event the Master is unable to command, the Staff Captain assumes Command. Another consideration is that although ships retain a hierarchical structure, modern Bridge Team Command & Control procedures encourage all officers to question any decision, if they are unsure.

 

Unfortunately, at the time of the Concordia incident, I do not believe the Costa Bridge Teams had bought into the Bridge Resource Management procedures developed by, and in use on the P&O/Princess/Cunard ships.

 

Even if junior officers were not comfortable questioning the Master, the Staff Captain most certainly should have. When aware the hull was compromised and the Master did not sound the GES, I would have expected the Staff Captain and Senior Bridge Watchkeepers to at least provide suggestions on mustering pax at the Assembly Stations. When advised 3 compartments were compromised, the Staff Captain and Senior Bridge Watchkeepers should have been increasingly insistent on both mustering pax and transmitting a "Mayday".

 

If no safe beaching location was identified and 3 compartments were holed, the Staff Captain would be well within his professional responsibilities to assume Command, if the Master was clearly not providing the required leadership.

Thank you. I would assume taking command away from the master would first be considered a mutiny, but at some point when it became obvious that the necessary procedures were not being done to ensure the safety of the passengers, the crew, and the ship, it would be seen as something that had to be done.

12 hours ago, aa7yy said:

Well I have been shut out from the Crows Nest for CC Meet and Greets, 4/5 Star Receptions and a Private Tour Group Exiting Rotterdam. Art Show/Sales might just drive me over the edge. So far the low spot was the 4/5 Star Reception that we couldn't go to because we weren't invited.

There really is a difference between a one time event and the area being taken over several days or nights. Plus, I remember on our first HAL cruise having our meet and greet (which I helped set up in the roll call) scheduled for the Crow's Nest and then seeing in the daily something else there scheduled at the same time. I asked at the purser's desk and was told not to worry as the Crow's Nest was large.

12 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

It totally depends on what you are doing. If you are wandering around town 5 minutes from the shop then 15 minutes before all aboard is plenty.

 

If we are in Rome and have to get a train to Civitaveccia then I always work out the last train that will work and aim to catch one at least an hour before that.

We did that and took the next to last train to be safe. It was nearly 100 degrees that day and the packed railroad train was even hotter and extremely uncomfortable. 😢 And it was even worse when a fight broke out on the train. 😒

11 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Promoting Food Republic in "The Local" today and coming out of the Hudson MDR, both Nama & Hasuki are both 2/3 empty, perhaps another slow evening. 

 

 

Post mortem: these might be partially attributed to the diverse mix of cruisers onboard the TA and high concentration of Chinese speaking ones with their frenzy for Mahjong & sometimes being rather loud.  Sad to call some of them out as bring inconsiderate and buffet hogs, and takeovers of public spaces, blocking passage ways & not holding elevators, first in and out, obstructing access to elevator buttons for others. 

 

Susan pointed out that it might alleviate and ease some of that by posting reminders in the proper language that they understand as being "English" only alone isn't adequate, and that a chat should be held with the tour leader waiving the flag as the group's guide. Maybe, it's not too late - "Google Translate" hello 🤗 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The large group on our Prima cruise this past summer "spoke" sign language. They were ubiquitous, and you could not miss seeing them, but they did not at all take over anything or be inconsiderate.

36 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

If you spend any time looking at most disasters they stem from a series of miscues that lead to the disaster happening or making it worse than it should have been. Usually the miscues are done by different people at different stages leading up to the disaster, but as pointed out the miscues in the case of the Concordia came from one individual- the Captain. This is the human element that most planners try to take into account but at the end of the day cannot be totally eliminated. With all of the redundancies built into modern aircraft it still took Captain Sullenberger to safely land a disabled jet on the water. Had he not been so skilled and competent all onboard would have been lost. As for calling the individual captain (I can't spell his name and don't want to take time looking it up), no- he was stripped of his ability to command a rowboat. In my view that puts him lower than a cabin steward or dishwasher (and putting him on the same level as them is an insult to them, since they still have their maritime credentials).

And Captain Sullenberger was investigated for his actions when it was shown that computer models did a better job then he did. It was only when he pointed out that no human could possibly have as quick a reflex as a computer that the authorities conceded that he was really a hero. (Non-experts realized that much sooner.)

2 hours ago, mking8288 said:

0The Local - went there for a late, light lunch as the buffet was still packed full, wall-to-wall, chair-against-chair with people everywhere, Palomar and Food Republic both used for extra seating capacity, since the outdoor buffet area remained unusable due to the cool weather. 

 

 

There is a wait of 20 to 30 minutes and given a pager. We split up into 2 tables of 2 each, and the trick worked - there are fewer large tables. Indoor space is just too small for a cold water ship.

 

 

 

Asking for wings without sauce - it's more edible for our taste.  Nearly everything has been downsized but for the large coffee cup 😳

 

Menu - 

 

 

 

There are more available seating on the "smaller" NCL ships like the Jewel, Crown, Dawn or Gem than the Prima when it comes to "The Local" or O'Sheehan's

I see the hot fudge sundae is still on the menu. What a wonderful memory. I suppose we should be looking to book the ship again just for that.

My question for @Heidi13 and @chengkp75 ---if there is an obvious dereliction of duty by the captain such as happened with the Costa Concordia is there any other officer who at that point can take charge and order a muster and eventually an abandon ship order?

28 minutes ago, zqvol said:

The easiest way to avoid the issue is to use an analog watch. 

🤦‍♂️, obvious, but too non-techie for some to use. I don't know why.

9 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

The point is that being represented by a maritime union doesn't mean you're not a government employee. 

I also checked job openings on the Washington State Ferry. Again they are state employees but may be represented by various unions.

You are correct...we have gone far afield from the original question, but that often happens .

 

Going far afield often happens, but at least in this case it was after the original question was completely answered.

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

Good morning, we went to The Local this morning, walked right in at 8:05 and got seated, no wait & still plenty of empty of tables. Maybe, folks still rocking & rolling and feeling the modest motion overnight.

 

 

 

 

 

Really did not discover the Local until our last day. We both wanted comfort food for dinner and both had the fish and chips. And then the dessert menu came, and it was heavenly. I ordered the hot fudge sundae. DW said to me, "You're not really going to eat all of that?" To think we had just celebrated our 46th anniversary a few days before, and yet she hardly knew me! 🤣

In Bergen last summer, my DW wanted us to go to one last attraction, the Funicular. I thought we would be cutting it close, but could not say not to her. Luckily, the Hop on Hop off bus came almost immediately, after we left there. 

We got back on board maybe 15 minutes or so before the all aboard time. I commented to her that we cut it close. Her answer was that there were a lot of passengers in the boarding line behind us. I am assuming that they will not raise the gangplank while people are still in line, so that is my contribution to this thread.

2 hours ago, HALrunner said:

Can anyone play devil's advocate for me as to why the PVSA/Jones Act should not be repealed? Does it provide any benefits to anyone involved? It seems like the cruise lines and fellow cruisers are only harmed by this antiquated law, I'm just wondering why it hasn't been repealed yet.

I hope you realize those are 2 different laws. One applies to passengers while the other applies to cargo.

Except for the small window just post- Covid when Canada was not allowing ships and cruise lines still wanted to sail to Alaska, why do you suppose the cruise lines have not been lobbying for the repeal of the PVSA? And even then, they only wanted the one small exception.

7 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

I was talking about folks who hadn't booked yet/put down a deposit.  Not everyone is booking at the same time.

What if the price dropped?

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

So as it turns out, this is a group booking (as I noted in an earlier comment) and the deal with NCL is that they have given the group "price protection" on the cabin categories being held by the TA (that is, if the price goes up after the group was created, guests can still book those cabins at the original price).  One part of that deal is that all the FAS offers will be included if guests want them, but they can't decline separate parts of FAS (e.g., the Beverage Package).

 

Many thanks again to those of you who offered your information and experience.  

"Price protection if the fare goes up"---doesn't everyone who books whether direct or a TA or a TA group booking get this once they put down their deposit?

2 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

I thought they could reflag the ship, I'm sure it isn't cheap but keeping the POA afloat isn't cheap.

 

No also built in the USA.

https://www.google.com/search?q=does+a+ship+have+to+be+built+in+the+usa+for+the+PVSA+to+apply&sca_esv=dcc1d935a3011144&sca_upv=1&source=hp&ei=IHgyZrO1Gvmk2roP67mUoA0&iflsig=ANes7DEAAAAAZjKGMMjsdQQy3oxbdSOfF5iAGvjrrbxg&ved=0ahUKEwizxfPL-eyFAxV5klYBHescBdQQ4dUDCBQ&oq=does+a+ship+have+to+be+built+in+the+usa+for+the+PVSA+to+apply&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz

38 minutes ago, blackwing said:

Do travel agents get paid a percentage of the total booking?  So if the gratuities on the beverage package count towards her commission, that might be why she is saying that?

To me, the end goal of the discussion would be that OP should tell friends that TA is wrong, and if TA insists on booking them a beverage package they don't want, then it's time to find a different TA.  Or ask TA to call NCL, because she is wrong.

 

I don't believe the gratuities on either the drink package or specialty restaurant package count toward the portion of the booking that a TA is paid commission on.

16 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

I still can't understand why they continue to sail North on the Prima, the ship, crew, and passengers would be better served with a Southern route. Our Southern TA on the Viva last November was fantastic, we even went into the infinity pool. 

The Prima would be a great replacement ship for the aging POA in Hawaii.

I suspect our Aqua TA will be similar to the first Prima TA but at least it's only seven days.

They cannot do that. The Prima was not built in the USA. Actually, they POA was only partially built in the USA, but was granted an exception to the PVSA allowing it to sail between US ports without a foreign port. IIRC, one of the Senators from Hawaii was instrumental in getting them this waiver.

2 hours ago, Levanah said:

We did a Gate 1 trip to Rome about 15 years ago and were very pleased with the value and quality.  I find myself looking more frequently these days at what Gate 1 is offering.  No - not a luxury product, but perfectly fine and they seem to be consistent over time.  Have been loyal to NCL but following their changes and missteps much more closely now.  After following the current live Prima thread, I can’t help but feel a little wary about what we might experience after we embark on her in Southampton 12 May.  

Just to add what has been said (including earlier by me), Gate 1 is great at efficiently following details. Plus, you really get the sense that their employees and local guides really give the impression that they love what they are doing. They also rotate seats on buses. Everyone gets headphones so as to make sure they can hear the guides.

As for your cruise from Southampton, we did the same cruise last summer. And even though we missed Isafjordur (like everyone else) and Brugge (low tides) we had a great time. You will read both positives and negative review of the ship, especially because it is different than earlier NCL ships. Go with the attitude that you will have a wonderful cruise as opposed to looking what could go wrong, and you should have a wonderful time.

33 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

On day1, when told we had to leave at pm, we were told that the crows nest would be closed every night for Park West.  I suspect that they quickly had a barrage of complaints and worked, without telling passengers, to find a solution.  When I corrected the post about 4 nights, I checked the daily schedule and found that the crows nest would actually close at 2 PM (if I recall correctly) and not reopen on the 26th. As it turned out, it stayed open and remained open for the rest of the cruise.

It does seem that they at least listened to the passengers and did at least something to mitigate the situation. IMHO, a better business practice than if they had just stayed with the original plan of closing the Crow's Nest for Park West every night of the cruise.

5 hours ago, luckybecky said:

 

I did a Gate 1 tour in Spain with my daughter a couple of years ago. It was great. We also did a tour in China with Gate 1, and my husband and I did Peru last year. In each case, the tour was great and guides were excellent. They are a mid-level tour company, not luxury. For example, accommodations may be in an older hotel, not the Ritz. But they do an excellent job. We've used them three times and will do so again.

Agree with you that Gate1 though not a luxury company does an outstanding job. Their motto is more of the world for less, and they do live up to that.

6 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

It's been my understanding that when booking a cruise with all of the "Free at Sea" offers available, a guest can turn down one or more of them.  (For example, someone who doesn't drink much alcohol may not want to have the beverage package and pay the gratuities on that.)

 

Is that a correct understanding? It would seem to be correct according to the Terms & Conditions:

 

https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions

 

The reason I'm asking is that two friends are being told by a travel agent that booking through her, they can't remove the beverage package.  I'm not sure why booking through a TA would matter.   

 

Thanks for any help! 

 

 

We booked through a TA, and we were able to turn down offers. Since I barely drink and DW cannot due to alcohol being contraindicated with a med she takes, the drink package made no sense. Also, not being foodies, we were happy with MDR and buffet. In fact, DW does not even really like people serving her and would much rather "have control" by going to the buffet.