Sthrngary

Hello folks. Yes I have experienced full bar seating at the Haven on every Haven Cruise I have been on. Yes it seems to be the same people every night. Like a crew. The issue is not those folks at the bar. The issue is the size of the bar and the number of the stools. You will notice NCL has taken focus on this issue and Haven bars in the future will be expanded. To the folks at the bars all the time. You are not a chair hog. Chair Hogs reserve a seat all day long and never show up. You just like sitting at the bar and when a seat becomes available you take it. Then the only time you leave is to us the rest room and if you fall off your stool, LOL. My approach with a filled bar is to make everyone laugh and get invited to the group. Would it be nice to let other have a seat, sure. Would it matter, nope. The next person will do what you are doing, enjoying the conversation and atmosphere. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

It is so funny to me that I would not go to Cagney's for years because of a poor meal years ago. I loved the French restaurant which I got because of my American Express Platinum perks. After covid, I went back into Cagney's and LOVE it. Ate their three of five nights on a recent solo cruise. The French Restaurant was not my favorite. The menu changed and other then the Lamb Chops I was underwhelmed. This goes to show all of us that food and dining really is subjective. I also love the menu in the Haven Restaurant and don't care it is the same menu every night. Some folks hate that fact. The one thing I will say is I have NEVER come off a cruise hungry. On this, I think we can finally all agree, LOL. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@CDR Benson The Good Mrs. Benson has a great partner. Please share with her, my personal envy of your upcoming cruise. Because you and I have always been good communicators and dare I say have become friends, I would love to elaborate on your findings. Regent Seven Seas Cruises in my humble opinion is the top of the line in every way. My favorite part is it's all inclusive nature. Some exceptions but easily understood. I have also found a lovely couple that have done a great job on video's on YouTube. I watch them just for the enjoyment. That said, the difference between Regent and other luxury/ultra-luxury brands and NCL Haven significate. A RSSC entire ship is the Haven On Steroids. It really does not matter which cabin you have, when you leave it, every one for the most part are equals. Personalized Service is the key. When in the Haven, just like the TV bar Cheers, everyone will eventually know your name. When you leave the Haven, not so much. Consider the entire ship is the Haven and add even more personalized service. It this is important, you will not be disappointed. Dining Experience. The dining experience is a big more formal and the food is better. This does not mean it is perfect. You also can go to any of the specialized dining as part of your fare. Their are a certain number of guaranteed reservations given then it is first come, first served. My wife and I fell in love with on such restaurant on a recent luxury cruise and went back often. Four us, that was a huge benefit. Night Life and Entertainment In General: Not their area of expertise. Good but not great. The exceptions is the enrichment programs and speakers. This is a different cruising experience and this is one of the ways. I loved every single speaker I heard. So informative. Yet I missed the Mr. Happy Legs party at the main pool. When in the Haven, it gives you both the Luxury and Normal Cruise experience. When on a luxury brand, it focuses on luxury and details. Excursions: They are mostly all complementary. You do have to book them early so the popular ones don't sell out. Just a head up on that. Business Class Airfare: On RSSC, the business class is for your over seas flight. It is coach from U.S. airport to U.S. airport. That is why when I book, I tell the cruise line my airport is Atlanta which is a two hour drive from my home. Also, if I went from home, their would be a surcharge. Also if you want better control of your reservation, there is a surcharge. Just be aware of this and take appropriate actions. I hope some of my past experience give you area's that will enhance your upcoming trip. it will be a once in a life time experience. Please tell all of us all about it. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I am a Life Time Titanium. I have had issue on points when using services like Priceline. Yet once I was at the hotel, the Titanium Marriott Card was honored. This is great information. I will goggle transportation souses and costs. Thank you for great feedback. Yes, I was aware their was no service their. My interest was the lounge chairs, location and most importantly the hot tubs. Please remember, this is my first time on Oceania. That means, until I have the experience, I will not fully understand the differences in these kinds of area's. This area comes across as lovely, small, and well likes. Cruise well and enjoy ever moment.

@LHT28Thank you and your opinion is important especially on this subject. Thanks again. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

You CAN get bottles of water at bars or restaurants. Two separate approaches so here is my advice. At the pool, just get glasses of wine. The selection is limited from the restaurants. Give the server at the pool a tip and tell them you are thirsty. The wine served by the glass sometimes is a better bottle than the full "Selected" bottles available. Also, the pool unless you are in the Haven is ALWAYS crowded. A bottle in a ice bucket on an NCL cruise is rare. In your cabin is a whole other story. On day one, tell your room steward to clear out all the for sale items from your Mini-fridge. At any meal (Many say dinner only but my experiences is ANY Meal), what ever is not finished in a bottle, can be taken back to your cabin. Plan your meal that way. In my case, my wife finishes one bottle and orders another. The next bottle goes to the cabin. Or I order a bottle and I don't drink wine. We do the same thing with water but we ask them not to open it. We take it back to the cabin. On the bottles of wine, you don't have to do this every day. Just enough to have a night cap on the balcony. We are all making this strategy way to complicated. The crew want to please us. Hope that helps. Your question is one of the top questions on the subject. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I would like to personally thank everyone on this Oceania CruiseCritic.com blog. You all openly answered all of my questions many of which were frequent questions from other guest. In the past, I learned when trying new brands or cruise categories, the best place to learn about the cruise was from the most loyal guests. That is obviously true at Oceania. I want to summarize some of the valuable information I learned and how I leveraged it. Before I begin, I want to clearly state, I booked two Penthouse Suites on the Riviera for November 2023. One for my wife and I; the other for our best friends. This is important to state because many times folks ask question and never follow through with the bookings. So again, thank you. Here are some things I have learned: Choosing One of Three Perks: I choose the drink package and will upgrade to the Premium Drink Package when I get onboard. You folks did the math with me and that is the best value for our approach to cruising. My friends will take the OBC and since one of them does not drink, the other can simply purchase the Premium Drink Package with that credit. Two different needs, both satisfied. Four Category Upgrade: This upcoming cruise will be a "Bucket List" cruise. For our friends it will be a 70th birthday for a person that has worked every year since she was 16 years old. This will be their first cruise in several decades. They have never had a butler before so this will be a lovely experience for them as well as my family. This special program only happens once a year. I took it upon myself to book the rooms now so I can surprise them next year. I am very proactive and they tend to wait until the last second. Pre-Hotel: Mixed messages on this one but I realize I am paying a premium for the pre-hotel in Athens. I check the prices and found out the hotel is a Marriott property. The rate was very close to what Oceania was charging so we went with it. I am a lifetime top tiers with Marriott so our rooms will be upgraded open arrival based on availability. Also, after some research this hotel provide complementary breakfast which was a plus. I especially line the transfers from the Hotel to the ship. Airfare: I never ever use cruise brand airfare. I am lucky enough to have save enough air points to gain Business Class Airfare on Delta One. This will allows me to reduce my fare by $1,000.00 per person. This was the last gift of decades of traveling. Our friends will use the Coach Airfare provided in the Oceania fare. They are considering the Premium Upgrade which will be a budget issue for them. “Aquamar™ Spa Terrace": This area is my kind of place. The category below the Penthouse and above has complementary access. This kind of reminds me for those of you that know NCL like a small Vibe Beach Club. Also, it is very positive to me that the spa itself for all passengers have access to the Steam and Sauna which is a cost on other lines. Enrichment Programs: I really never knew much about Enrichment Programs until I cruised on another luxury brand. I loved the speakers. On this cruise, I will be taking full advantage of the cooking education. I have already booked a couple. At this stage in my life, Go-Carts, Lasor Tag and Water Slide are not a necessity. Expending my mind is much more a priority. Excursions: I have never been a fan of excursions on cruise ships. After talking with many of you, I am looking forward to those experience. Where some complain that this is additional, I look at it as choose what suits you best. If I were to consider on of the Ultra-Luxury Brands, all excursions were included however many passengers rarely did an excursion at every port. Also, the fares for Ultra-Luxury were in many cases three times the fare of Oceania. I like having choices to spend our funds where we want with much less waste. Food and Dining: This will be one of the things all of us will enjoy the most. One added advantage is specialty restaurants all included. I fully understand the rules and policies which are all fair to all guests. With friends cruising with us, we can take our time dining enjoying the entire event. Where before we would have to rush to a show, on Oceania, the shows are less a important and the dining experience is a premium. Sometimes folks whom never cruise your brand come to your blog. I wanted my visit to your blog to be limited and positive for all involved. Again, thank you all for your advice most of which has been taken. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

The Premium Plus Beverage Package is not for everyone. Just like staying in the Haven area, you have to study what you can gain from this program. Many think it is all about drinking enough to justify upgrade. From a value proposition, that is in many ways is true. Yet there is something else that needs to be considered. That is how you approach your cruise vacation. Again, so no one takes me the wrong way, it is not for everyone. The first time I purchased the Premium Plus program, I did it for the full bottle of selected wines at meal time. My wife LOVES win. She hated having to order a glass of wine and when she when she did, it took a while to get it. When I saw that you could order a full bottle, that solved the issue for my wife. What I did not know that very first time was the program covered a lot more of what we as a family love. It was a learn as you go situation which lead me to write this original article on this program. At home, we have water by our beds at night. We quickly found out bottled imported water was part of the program. At dinner, we would order Imported water with gas. After dinner we would ask our waiter to give us two bottles of non-gas water to take to our room. Normally, I would not order fancy water at meals out. When they were complementary, it was easy to enjoy this luxury. A plus for us. The next situation that happened was I was at the Haven bar. Don't think that this is just a Haven benefit because it is not. I asked the Bartender for a "Nice" sipping tequila. He looked at my cabin card, noticed the coding for the Premium Plus package and served me a lovely glass of Tequila 1942. I had never had this before and it was smooth and lovely. The price per glass usually would have been about $45.00. With this program, it was no charge. I like many others like Starbucks. At first, I was not sure if Starbucks was included. It certainly was. Again, when in the Haven, specialty coffee was complementary regardless of which drink package you had. Out side of the Haven, whether at the Starbucks counter or at a restaurant, there was always a charge. I had a habit of going to the Observation Lounge in the morning to get a nice coffee at the Starbucks. This became another benefit. A few of the bars on all NCL ships do drinks that use smoke. That are above the normal $15.00 maximum, they also came with this package. I can remember being in the Teppanyaki Japanese Restaurant and ordering a full bottle of French Champagne. It was only my wife and I. The waiter asked me how many glasses I wanted. There was eight at my table and I asked for eight. It was no issue and we had three bottles that night with our new friends. Over time, we learned more about the rules and policies for this beverage plan and leveraged it to make our vacations special. The cost of the upgrade was a premium however never having to worry about added charges to my room portfolio allowed me to create as close to an all inclusive vacation as one can create on a mainstream cruise brand. People ask me all that time, is it worth the money. The answer is, NO. When you take the approach I was attempting to create a stress free all-inclusive approach, the answer is YES. Still, the debate is having this program creates the need to make it a value and if you can't drink that much, don't get the package. I truly never looked at it that way. Instead, I would now without fear try new items and expended my experiences with no fear of a huge bill at the end of my cruise which I had done in the past. One more benefit was we would plan our dinner on ordering a second bottle of wine for my wife. That bottle we would bring to our cabin for a night cap on the balcony. I explain how we use this program all the time. I try to educate folks that brands not found on the written list are still on the plan. All you have to do is ask. Now there are some obvious exceptions like Louis or Dom. Yet even on those items, you gain a pretty hefty discount. The debate on is it worth it or not will never end. Yet for my lovely bride and I, we never cruise without it. Now with the New NCL Free at Sea PLUS which includes the Premium Plus Beverage Package and other things, it is even easier for us to enjoy our goal of All-Inclusive feel on an NCL Ship. We will be cruising on the Breakaway in December of this year. We have both the Free at Sea Plus package and for the first time, we booked the Vibe Beach Club Cabana months before the cruise. Like anything else, none of this extra's are essential to having a great cruise. If your strategy on cruising is similar to mine, consider this as an option. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@grobma Hello from a fellow New Yorker that lives in Alabama now. The answer to your question is, Yes Starbucks is included anywhere it is served. My habit is to have my Starbucks in the morning in the Observation deck. On the Joy, one of the Starbuck's is in that area. The second is at my evening meals after dinner just like you. In the Haven, all specialty coffee are complementary in the Haven Restaurant. Just incase you are in the Haven. Hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

OK, 55 days away. Time to check on all my Pre-Cruise preparation. Add-On's Purchases: My goal is always to make my cruises as all-inclusive as possible. Knowing when you can schedule or book something is all part of the game. Specialty Restaurants were reserved 125 day prior to cruise; Vibe Beach Club Cabana was booked about the same time when NCL opened up the pre-cruise booking for it; Purchased the "Free At Sea PLUS" program as soon as I saw it was available; I upgraded the "Unlimited Internet" to Unlimited Streaming Internet on the FAS+ program for $70.00; I have several upgrade bids for both the Haven and Spa Suite; Gratuities are all pre-paid; and Third Party Travel Insurance including cancellation clauses paid for months ago. My wife and I are on our customary diet prior to any cruise. My Microsoft Excel homemade calendar for the week of the cruise was completed. My Pre-Cruise Hotel in New Orleans is booked and paid for; my parking that the pier is complete. Letters To NCL Executives: I send out emails to four NCL executives prior to my NCL cruises. I give them an overview of the positive and negative issues pre-cruise. They always email me back. I never ask for anything from them and never have gotten so much as a box of candy. The purpose of my emails is to let them know what real guests feel about their brand. What is Left: Picking a Dining Reservation for the Night Before the cruise in New Orleans Online check-in 21 days prior to the cruise. Daily checking as it relates to changes in Covid/Health Restrictions Packing Cruise well everyone and enjoy every minute.

I very clearly see your point. Thank you for your service by the way. You keep our county safe and it was very much appreciated. I too will be at Cafe Du Monde which is a staple of my wife and my time on any trip to NOLA. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Depends on the company. My wife got Covid 8 days before the cruise and I would have lost $5,000.00. Instead, the company paid me in 15 business days. Again, the company was. Allianz Global Assistance. Call the Insurance Company for clarification. This one is to important to take chances. Just my advice.

@cusematt4 I am an American Express Platinum card holder. Depending on the stateroom you choose you can get as much as $300.00 per cabin OBC and dinner for two in the French Restaurant. You need to verify that your TA can get you these perks. If not, book with AMX Travel. On the Insurance. I always take 3rd party Travel Insurance, always. Worth every penny. I have had two claims in my last three cruises including one for Covid. AMX will pay what the travel insurance does not pay. The problem is AMX has coverages up to $10,000.00 if I am not mistaken. But it does not cover everything. Please check with them but better be safe. On travel insurance. My claims were paid in 15 business days or less. The company I used was Allianz Global Assistance. I just booked two rooms for my friends and me. I used my American Express Card and got all the benefits for both rooms. Hope that answer that part of your question. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Wedgie Wedgie Here is a strategy for you. With the Premium Drink Program, you can order two drinks at once. Dump them both into the Travel Mug. Problem solved. Best to do it away from the bartender, which is just my opinion. On the beer, just order one or two and ask them not to be opened. Not sure if that will work but it has in the past. Yes a tip is always good. Cruise Well and enjoy every moment.

@RocketMan275 No, I have already booked and confirmed a Vibe Beach Club Cabana. I come early because I am a crazy human being. I traveled for 40 years, I was always the first online in airports. I can't help it. On one thing you are right. The moment I am on board, since I have my vibe pass, I will be in the Vibe immediately. It is a tradition. LOL. The issue with New Orleans is complete disorganization even in the Haven. I will take my ipad and start reading my book. The newest release of Mitch Rapp. I can't wait. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thank you for making this thread. Specialty Meals: Only can be used for the guest it is assigned for. Unlimited WiFi: For US guest, both devices is unlimited. I just upgraded to the Unlimited WiFi Streaming. It was $70.00 for the week. Regardless, wifi on a ship is awful. Allow me to provide the approach I have used for the third and forth person. Since all guest 21 and older in a cabin need to all purchase the Free At Sea Plus Program, your guest will have two meals on that program. Just buy a package with two additional meals. On the internet, two devices is enough if everyone in the cable can be a little flexable. However, the if you purchased the Free At Sea PLUS for the third person, they would have it anyway. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I do my online check-in the moment it is available which is 21 days in advance. The reason is I want the earliest boarding time possible. That is 09:00 AM. This puts you in group one or two when the ship is cleared. I then make a "B" line to the Vibe Beach Club. New Orleans is not a great and organized port. Unlike the new NCL Terminal in Miami. As indicated above, I get to the port at about 08:45 AM. Less traffic and makes the construction less of a issue. When I arrive, there is already a line. Not that long but there. My strategy is get in and avoid long lines even if I have to sit for an hour or so. Yes of course, first come, first served. I find a chair by the entry door for quick boarding when it happens. This is not consistent because it has so much to do with the last weeks guest following the rules. My best guess is Group One/Two board between 10:50 AM to 11:15 AM. I hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment. PS: I love NOLA so I always get up early and get coffee and Beignets. This is a highlight to my trip.

@PatandStu I love the way you think. Blending show times with dinner reservations. Here is an approach I have used for the last many cruises. Look for your ship dailies on CruiseCritic.com. Look for the show times which usually are the same from week to week. I just did it for a Breakaway Cruise in December 2022. My issue is the shows start at 09:30 PM and my dinner reservations are at 07:00 PM. We are going to cut it close. I tried to rebook the reservations for 06:00 to 06:30 PM. Nothing available so I will attempt onboard. This has happened to me before and as long as I had a reservation that was close, I never had a hard time changing. Hope that strategy helpls. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

You are going to have such a good time. MSC is a very nice cruise brand. When you compare NCL, Royal and MSC; there are more similarities than differences. It kind of reminds me about comparing Ford and Chevy trucks. Yet, brand loyalty is a thing. I have personally gone on lots of brands. My favorite thing is to figure out, what is really special about a brand, then on the next cruise it is part of my plan to leverage it again. Please tell us all how the trip goes. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thank you for clarifying your status as solo. I went on the NCL Joy, March of 2022 as a solo in a Club Balcony Suite. My fare before taxes was $825.00. It was a week cruise. I am going on a NCL cruise on the breakaway, December 4, 2022. My sister wanted to join. She would be a Solo. She had to pay double unless she did a "Solo" inside cabin. We simply did not book it. Solo cruising is unique from a pricing standpoint. Some times you can crush it, sometimes it is over priced. It depends on how filled the ship is. You will enjoy the MSC cruise for sure. The issue on the pricing is not an NCL issue. It is an availability issue. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

The seafood Extravaganza was on the inaugural voyage for guest and trave agents. It was spectacular. Other than that, it is a seafood night and underwhelming. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

That is one of the best Hacks I have heard in a very long time. Thank you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

1942 has never been on the list which is what my post have been saying. To clarify my position, you never know what you can get or not get until you ask. That includes glasses of wine that are not on the list, hi and spirits that are not on the list. Yet, On my last four coaches 1942, not on the list, what is available if you just eggs and had a premium + beverage package.

I will report during that week how it goes. FYI, Vibe Cabana's were available. Finally, loved the idea of daily shots, brilliant. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

My Vibe Showed up on day one of the daily summery. Yet when you looked below, it was still showing as an option. My Free At Sea PLUS program was also purchased months ago when it was first available. Yet I could still purchase the Premium Plus Drink Program even though it was included in the program I purchased. It seems, NCL has just done a major update on their online website. Hope that makes sense. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.