Kirk2121

3 hours ago, altarr said:

Dont forget this pricing can change, though probably not by much 

I would schedule the pickup in advance. It costs more but it all but guarantees you a ride 

Yeah I've seen some crazy surges! Plus someone reminded me that December 16 is Friday before Christmas so people might be heading to Disney maybe from miami Airport. 

Boarding says on board by 2.  But wondering if anyone knows actual last boarding?

Probably hold ncl Prima for a bit because guessing some peoples' plans gonna be messed up also. 

Just pulled up Uber app which is quoting $232 Miami to port Canaveral.  Rental car is coming in at $150 + gas + hassle of pickup & drop off + two ubers to get to & return rental. 

Edit: Lyft showing $204.

Well I'm going for it!  I've booked the cruises.  Now to book the rental car. 

Leaning towards direct avis outside the port.

Gonna give them a call. 

Little maybe off topic. (please don't respond on haven thread).  Gotta decide by Monday. 

Don't want to sidetrack This awesome thread. (thanks Gary!) 

Trying to do back to back ncl Sky port of Miami in at 7 amish.  Then board Prima port Canaveral by 2 pm Friday dec 16.

Appreciate ne input here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2880267-port-of-miami-to-port-canaveral-fast-rental-car/#comment-63933359

Please don't respond here 🙂

Happy cruising! 

On 9/5/2022 at 8:47 PM, mmooreark said:

On our cruise to Alaska on the Encore in June, the butler offered to bring us cans of soda to our regular Haven Courtyard suite.  He just asked what we liked when we came back from the bar with a soda for my son, then filled our fridge with Pepsi and Root Beer cans, along with the iced tea and water pitchers that we asked for.  It's interesting that it appears that is uncommon, as I was hoping for that on the next cruise in November.  I guess I'll expect nothing and be surprised if it happens.  

Feb cruise irr joy haven every can was full price + tip. 

On 9/4/2022 at 12:32 PM, phissy said:

NCL charges corkage Fees.

When we sailed in May on Encore to Alaska, we brought wine onboard.

After security check in, taken over to table to have corkage fee assigned to room account and label sticker attached to bottles.
I jokingly asked if fees are waived for Haven guests…..NO.

Another interesting thing , NCL person registering the wine checked out the wine to see if it was not available onboard. 
Since our wines were “Kirkland “ wines, I knew they would be Ok to bring onboard.  😉

2 hours ago, Corby114 said:

One bad accident on Interstate 95 northbound and your plans are shot. If you are one of the first passengers off the ship when you arrive at the Port Of Miami and get to the Miami International Airport Rental Car Center relatively early you have a chance of making the Prima. Personally at my age I wouldn't do it and would do another Prima sailing a week or so later.

My casino at sea offer is very limited for dates on Prima.

I'm really on the fence.

I've got 3 b2b starting on Nov 13th.  Wanting to add these two more.  But gonna be stressful hustling for port Canaveral. 

Airfare deal expires (or may renew) on Monday so trying to make my decision. 

Inexpensive cruises always seem to have lots of hidden outside costs like parking, ubers, hotels, rental cars, gas for rental cars, etc. Etc.  maybe I'll just use my "free" one on the sky & let the free one on Prima expire. 

Trying to go on 10 cruises in next 5 months.  1 down on Joy to Bermuda.  scheduled 6 more.  3 more "free" to schedule.  

Really want to try the Prima.

Edit: how old are you? I'm 50.

Ok.  Dec 16 i have cruise on NCL Sky returning to port of Miami.  Then SAME day Friday Dec 16, i want to embark on ncl Prima from port Canaveral. 

I've got two reduced price cruises from casinos at sea.  One specifically is the Prima.  Edit (aren't many options for the Prima reduced price cruise dates.)

Google says about 3 hrs 18 minute drive. 

Priceline was saying $150 for one way car rental. 

Anyone done this? Any suggestions/input appreciated. I know it's really tight time wise.  

Closest rental car place to both ports? Anyways to save some cost? 

Is 2 pm the very latest i can board or would 4 pm work? 

Thanks

9 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said:

omg I forgot about the weird shower doors. Best way I can explain them is that there were two small sliding doors in the shower. So strange! 

Lol i thought those doors were cool.  🙂 kind of like suicide doors on the old cars. 

Hard to innovate & still have something functional. 

Getting out reminded me of going scuba diving.  Almost going out backwards. 

1. Make sure bath mat on floor. 

2. Hold onto "oh #@&$" handle 

3. Left foot out contact bath mat. 

4. Then sometimes grab on to sink counter. 

It was a process 🙂

But yeah who designed that? Lol! 

Just got off a 4 day carnival ecstacy out of mobile Alabama.  Had fun.  But 5 hrs late departure & couldn't park until current cruisers left in their cars.  Interior room on 5th floor where i had to row :) .  Sewage backups.  Cozumel only port had 2 pm to 5:30.   Cut way short & was hoping for a massage.  Got quick snorkel in tho.  

I want the haven back! & either some self control or smaller portions.  Thinking about delmonico yum! 

So why aren't you having kids.  Lol jk.  How old were the other cruisers asking about kids? 

Lots of kids on this carnival cruise.  More of a backyard bbq feeling. 

We only had one bathrobe to start.  Then our room attendant got another.  I never wore one.  & i took both pairs of slippers.  But no one's size so when you see homeless people wearing them! 🙂 slippers free robes there is a charge. 

4 hours ago, vetteman06 said:

Disappointing 1st contact with NCL concierge for pre-cruise selections an hour ago.  First NCL cruise and first Haven experience upcoming on Encore April 10, 2022 from Miami.  Great suggestions through this thread.  We are booked in the larger two bedroom Haven family suite with an upgrade pending for the owners suite.  The concierge pre-cruise could only: 1) remove the for-purchase items from the suite, 2) make specialty dining reservations, and 3) add extra pillows. Having cruise in top suites on RCL and other luxury lines, had what I thought were reasonable expectations for NCL Haven experience. What a let down. Considering cancelling our Haven cruise next January.  The complete conversation was a bummer.  For example, in Haven family suite (party of 6), butler will supply only two bottles of water per day.  Pre-planning is an attractive perk of the top suites across most if not all cruise lines.  NCL seems to have used the pandemic to cut corners on the most profitable segment of the cruise. The answer today was go wait in line at the onboard concierge. Call me,

disappointed.

2 bottles of water we weren't sure if complimentary.  So we never used them. 

We had iced tea.  Pretty much butler always had full & ice.  But only 2 of us. 

It was pretty much surprise & delight for us.  We'd never been in such a nice place.  But our cagneys was great but now haven was greater 🙂 ruined us jk hopefully! We will try to manage our expectations for our May interior room. 

56 minutes ago, 3bamboo said:

I'm sailing in the Haven on the Encore in a couple of weeks and am super excited at the thought of being able to request food and drinks to be brought to you while lounging on the Haven sun deck. 

 

Is this common or should I taper my expectations? Are there frequent roaming servers that can bring food and drinks?

Drinks yes. 

The pool menu is afternoon. Irr.  Just ask for a menu or ask butler hours of pool menu.  

Our menu had a chicken sandwich instead of mahi mahi reuben so sad 🙂 :).  Just had some cheese its out of vending machine.  Reuben sounds GOOD!  Almost home waiting for $100 uber ride to go back to $45.

6 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

Sit, upfront and center.  Trust me on this one.  We LOVED Elements.

 

Cruise well.

Show was great.  5th row.  Really well done production.

"There was hardly anyone there. It was eerie." 

I know right! Nice having access to everything but also be nice to get back to normal! 

Gf n i went out to Vegas months back.  Was weird how few people walking around.  & mcdonalds was out of any beef! Crazy

Back to back Jan2nd & jan9th gf n i on encore.  That ship so cool.  We got lucky & saw choir of man before they quarantined.  Try "alexa play Choir of man!" 

Crazy amounts of food in haven.  & so delicious.  We're off to cagneys in a few. 

Cruise well. 🙂

Edit & hopefully masks gone SOON.  our crew n us still wearing them.  Not as fun communicating. 

E🙂pan widget

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

Sit, upfront and center.  Trust me on this one.  We LOVED Elements.

 

Cruise well.

Definitely will 🙂

These darn critters! 

Dbl post deleted 

Don't think i posted NCL's response to our letter. 

Here's that. 

Seems like Gary letter 🙂could be organized into 

Land concierge 

Onboard concierge

Butler

With request anything with cost associated will be handled on ship.  Anything that can be handled on land appreciated. 

But dunno.  My Haven days are over unless we get super lucky with bid in May cruise on breakaway. 

No haven option for us to bid on in May. 

....... 

Kind of interesting article on NCL

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-deals-industry-rebound/amp/

think haven tips going from $18.50 to $20.

https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-to-increase-gratuities-from-april/66917

.... 

................. 

Hello Jen and Kirk,

We will be more than happy to assist you. 
All entertainment has to be booked onboard as we are unable to pre-book entertainment at this time.
We would be happy to make dining reservations at Cagney's and La Cucina just let us know what times you would prefer. 
I have noted Jens big day, ask your Butler to assist with in suite dining and menu selections.
We have made sure all non complementary items have been removed from the refrigerator. Added a picture of iced tea that can be refilled as needed.
Have also added distilled water for C-Pap machine.
No worries about being disorganized your Butler will have you in shape in no time! 

 At your service,

Norwegian Concierge Desk
P: +1 855-625-4283
NorwegianConciergeDesk@ncl.com | www.ncl.com
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
7665 Corporate Center Drive | Miami FL 33126

Gf took some pics on our cozumel snorkel on her kid's underwater camera. 

I packed little lighter leaving go pro at home.  Interested to see it on the big screen. 

9 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

So true.  American Family Care handed me the written results within 20 minutes of administering the test.  And, this test was free.  My local hospital, Huntsville Hospital, wanted $170 per test.  That would have been $680 for the four of us.  I've used AFC several times and have always been satisfied.  

I'm taking a hardcopy of the tests and a photograph in my phone.

I really enjoy cruising! I've got 6 or 7 in next 12 months.  It's the little gotchas that get me.  My 4 day in mobile was $300 + tips.  Then found out parking about $100.  Then thought i was gonna get hit with $150 at cvs for covid test.  

I about booked two 5 day & a 3 day for 13 day on msc for like $750 to northern Europe.  But then msc was saying i needed 3 $90 insurance policies for $270.  Then guessing another $150 for each covid test.  So $450.  Almost same amount as cruise fare 🙂

Having to multiply costs by 7 i look at riding public transportation 🙂 getting on our current cruise, the bus slowed looked at us & our luggage & continued on lol 🙂 uber it is.    Gonna try the free trolley & tri rail when we dock tomorrow.  We've got time in between our 9 am disembarkation & our 2 pm air bnb on sailboat check-in.  They said pool not open in morning.

$50 uber from fort Lauderdale to Miami starts adding up.  Neways i digress a bit from secrets of the haven 🙂

Cagney's n Elements show tonight.  Gf working this 50th bday for all its worth!  Wants to bring bday card to cagneys.  I'm like I'm not eating cake if they bring it!   She said we'll split a different desert & tell them no cake. 

1 hour ago, luckyinpa said:

 

did you pay 3 bucks for the soda or was the bartender nice to you?

We've had to pay & tip on all the soda.  Well actually once at Mojito sugar cane bar bar tender gave us a couple. & once at a show but think tgat was our January cruise. 

I wondered if Owner's suite had free soda? 

& casino we get free drinks.  For me, I sure haven't gambled much on this cruise! 

The BLT! 

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Just returned from our Doc Ina Box (American Family Care) where we got our virus test done.  Total time from our front door and back again was less than an hour.  Spent may 40 minutes at the test site.  We had printed results in hand when we left.  All four of us tested negative.  So we're good to go.  Leaving tomorrow AM for NOLA.

Always a relief! 

My next cruise is a 4 day on Carnival (never done Carnival) out of Mobile Alabama on 10th.  Other cruisers are saying that if i schedule at Walgreens in Mobile the test is free.  But dunno. 

9 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

Some advice, pack early, be smart with your carry on, and it gives you the rest of your day not to have to worry about that.  My wife and I tend to try to take in this last day to its fullest.  Some times, just some times we might start our Adult Beverages a bit to early.  Learn from our mistakes, LOL.

 

Cruise Well.

Thanks Gary.  We're definitely procrastinators! 

My only regret on this cruise if you want to call it that is we didn't socialize too much.  In hottub  Talked to airbnb owners just getting started.  They started their 1st airbnb in Puerto Rico.  & a travel agent at our cruise critic meet & greet.  

Lots of cool interesting people.  Seems like smokers & drinkers sometimes do really well socializing.

Maybe two regrets.  & roatan missed that port & going snorkeling at west Beach.  Ate wayyy too much at bday party night before.

Nooooo! 

Where do you past Haven cruisers typically hide to have best chance of sneaking on to the next cruise? 🙂

We headed to main dining room Manhattan.  They knew we were haven treated us great.  One of the big guys not sure his title checked on us multiple times. 

Gave us table by window by engine.  Love those. 

Cheated on my fast & on our long walk today! Just a little. 

18 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Our room steward, regardless of cabin type, gets a nice tip at the end of the cruise. (As does the housekeeper at our pre-/post-cruise hotel). 

Hi Bird. 

Part of my problem? Good problem to have is! I've got 6 cruises booked hopefully 7 in next year (hopefully Australia opens up) .  None more in Haven.  Next is 4 day $200 carnival interior witg stop in cozumel.    But multiply by 7 tips, ubers, hotels, flights, parking start adding up.  Have to work more! (next year :)) 

Definitely will still take care of service people tho.