Cruising Lynne

We now pack some tests when we travel so that we can test ourselves. This way we can self isolate, and not go to cruising jail. We also bring a bottle of cough medicine in addition to our usual medicine kit. I agree that it isn't always "just a cold" or "just allergies".

List compiled from this thread: Bliss Breakaway Getaway Jewel Joy Pearl Prima Sky

I thought it was very good. Flavorful but not hot as you might think it would be from the peppers. I am thinking it may have even been a little sweet.

Seems like a lot of people have different experiences at Los Lobos. I am always surprised when people say the tableside guac is "amazing" because it is just like how I make it at home, except I smash my avocado with a fork on a cutting board. I still really enjoyed it, but wouldn't call it amazing. The only food that disappointed me on Prima was the duck I had in the Food Hall. It was very tough. I would also like more dessert choices at Hudson's MDR.

Which ship were you on? We went to Los Lobos on our Prima 5 night from NYC and the food was very flavorful. We had the tableside guacamole appetizer plus chips and salsa. I had the chicken enchilada with mole sauce and the husband had the carne asada meal. I ordered the tres leche cake for dessert which is always too sweet for me, but the churros with a caramel sauce that my husband ordered were excellent. A yummy margarita washed it all down!

I totally agree about the cocktails! I had typed a longer reply but it disappeared. Oh well.

We were on Pearl out of Boston May 2022. I really enjoyed the ship. I like the simplicity of the non-mega ships. It is a Jewel class ship like Gem mentioned above. The ship is older, but has been refurbed. I like that you do not need to reserve any of the shows like you do on a mega-ship. It will be easier to find each other when you want to. It has a decent pool area with two pools and multiple hot tubs. The Great Outdoors is a good place to get a cocktail and watch sail away. In addition to the Spinnaker Lounge which has some fun games and entertainment is the Bliss Lounge and Night Club that has bowling in it and sometimes Karaoke. There is also a nice bar area on deck six that has a piano player. Plus entertainment in the atrium. Quite a bit to keep adults busy. We have done the Boston to Bermuda run several times over the years and like to go near the end of May before school gets out. One year we waited until June and had a lot of people celebrating graduations. It was a little bit too busy for us at that time. The weather at the end of May is nice and warm in Bermuda, but not too hot. It is great to be able to drive to the port. We usually park in the lots that are right by the pier in front of the ship. Very convenient. This year we are going earlier in the spring at the beginning of April due to some events in our family that are going to be in May. I plan on getting thermal suite passes so that we have something to do if the weather is cool. I like the hot tub and hydrotherapy pool, the heated ceramic loungers, and the sauna with windows on two sides that are in the thermal suite. So relaxing.

Good points. I forgot about laser tag and Galaxy Pavilion. We were just on the Prima which also does not have a basketball court. They have an outdoor space with several free games such as ping pong, sub-soccer, and pickleball. I saw a lot more people of all ages enjoying that space than I have ever seen at the basketball court on other ships. I guess it is good that different ships have different features so that people can choose the ship that works best for them.

I like the Spice H2O on Escape so that, plus a rest day after travelling, would push me towards Escape. I have been on Escape and really like that ship, but have not been on Encore. Unless the teen really wants to do go-karts, I vote for Escape.

Hi Jamie. I agree with you that the cubbies are great for things like socks and other smaller items. Especially on the ships that don't have drawers. I just started bringing one on all my trips. The dollar store ones are nice and light and help keep the room neat. Definitely nice to have on Away ships and Prima. On Prima, the closet was split into three sections. The middle section had hanging space and one shelf plus another shelf you could pull down for more storage. I put my cubby, underwear pouches and first aid/medicine bag etc. on one shelf and my folded clothes on the other shelf. There was hanging space in each section, but we only put our hanging items in the two end sections so that it was easier to access the shelves. Our steward had already put extra hangers in the closet, since each section only had a few. There were also four wire basket type drawers. I used one for swimsuits and one for my folded up rain jacket. My husband used the other two similarly. Another item from the dollar store I bring is a small plastic bin like the type you use to organize a silverware drawer. I use it on the shelf in the bathroom to hold my toothbrush, toothpaste. I put a smaller one on my nightstand to hold my small flashlight and my ear rings that I forget to take off before I get in bed. These bins are also very light and don't take up much space. I pack a small roll aboard carry on with my toiletries, a swimsuit and cover up, flip flops, a pair of PJ's and change of clothes just in case my larger suitcase doesn't make it aboard or to my room right away. Until I lose enough weight for smaller clothes, I just can't fit everything I want for a cruise into just carry on luggage! I am enjoying reading all the tips in this thread, and I may keep an eye out for one of the hanging mesh bags that js mentioned above. Having the right storage, and items organized, makes getting ready quicker so that you have more time for fun on your cruise!

How did the customer eat the loss? You were refunded for the excursion. The excursion partner had an accident. Accidents happen. That doesn't mean they are a crappy tour operator. Do you even know that the accident was their fault? Your alternatives after the cancelled tour could have included going to the local beach or shops and restaurants in the port area. Or enjoy the less crowded ship. All I can determine from this thread is that you actually disagree with the terms and conditions that you agreed to before sailing. Itineraries change. Boat tours are often cancelled. Make the best of it. I am sure you still had a chance for a fun trip. If you were miserable on this cruise that is your own fault. You were notified of the changes to the cruise as you boarded the ship. An alternative itinerary was given, which I am sure was a challenge for the cruise line to arrange due to the hurricane and other cruise lines also needing new ports to go to.

We had cocktails from the drink package so we brought our bottle back to the room for later. We ended up bringing the wine home since we had driven to the port. We got the Shades of Blue Riesling which some one on the elevator said they really liked. If we drink it this weekend I will come back to tell you what we thought. Thanks again to Bird Travels for such a thorough review. Now I know where to find the Diet Coke in The Food Hall. Some how when I order Diet Coke at one of the bars a shot of Bacardi ends up in it!😉

That is a mystery. For us they only retook our photo once out of the past 4 cruises. One time, during on line check in, I had a hard time getting an acceptable photo. I was wearing a shirt that had a colorful leopard print on it. My husband suggested changing my shirt. After that my picture was accepted. Also, watching out for a glare helps. I got to the point that I did not care what I looked like, as long as it was accepted. Because it does not matter. Think about how you look when you re-board the ship after a windy catamaran ride, snorkeling trip that included unlimited rum punch!

My husband votes for Getaway because he likes the waterslides, bigger gym and Spice H2O.

We have been on both ships twice, and unless you wanted to see Million Dollar Quartet and Burn the Floor, I would go on Gem. It has a decent pool area and a nice thermal suite. I can not remember what the gym was like on Gem. It would definitely be smaller but would have any equipment you could need. On Gem you do not have to reserve any of the shows, which I really like. Others have mentioned the Great Outdoors which has a bar and a buffet. You go through the main buffet to get there. I like to go there on embarkation day since some people won't have discovered it yet. This is also where they set up late night snacks. As others have mentioned it has a Spinnakers Lounge which has quite a bit of seating for entertainment and events that are held there. There is also the Bliss Ultra Lounge for dancing etc. I feel like the Gem has a nice flow and everything is easy to find. I prefer the OSheehan's on Gem. I find it more relaxing than the ones on the Away ships (Unless there is a really loud person running trivia in the atrium below). I also think that you would enjoy checking out a new ship class, and not another Away ship. I saw that you have been on Escape which has the Spice H2O I really like. Just so you know, there is no H2O on Gem.

Hi Aubrey. I thought I saw some people walking around with something that looked like a mojito, but I do not know what bar they could have gotten it at. It seemed to me that there was a push toward more of the sustainable options and drinks made with Norwegians own brand of rum. I did not see any menus that had painkillers or mudslides listed, but I could get them at certain bars. Atrium bar, pool bar. and The Local seemed to have the most ingredients for the cocktails that I am used to on other NCL ships.. I did enjoy quite a few of the new drink Bananarum-ble. They were yummy and did not taste too much like banana which I was worried about. There are a lot of different bars to try on this ship. You may find a new favorite at one of them. I feel like the ship had more pluses than minuses so don't be afraid of the "meh" reviews. After reading Bird's live you will know what to expect, and I am sure you will adjust accordingly. I had fun and for the first time in a long time I came out of the casino ahead!

I am glad you are enjoying your first cruise. Please let us know how things are in Sydney? I think it may have had some damage from one of the recent storms. I am hoping to do this itinerary next year. I was a fan of the Anne of Green Gables books as a young girl and would like to go to Charlottetown, PEI, and we have never been to Sydney, Nova Scotia. We were on Pearl in May. After sailing on Prima last week I realized I missed the simplicity of a mid size ship. Not needing to reserve shows makes it more relaxing. Of course you do not get Broadway shows, but the shows on Pearl are still enjoyable. I also missed going to the Spinnaker lounge at night.

Your cat is very cute. Some cats definitely have more personality than others. I used to have a black cat with green eyes that I was very attached to. She would greet me at the door every night and liked to play fetch. Now I enjoy coming home and not having to vacuum right away.

It seemed to have enough choices for me to create a good meal a few times per cruise. It worked for us because we had two other nights in specialty dining. I might get bored with the apps if I had to eat there every night. I also felt that it needed another chicken option. You could get chicken with your pasta or roasted chicken, but I would have liked to see something like chicken cordon bleu as another chicken dish. It also helps if you enjoy seafood. My favorite apps were the coconut shrimp and the crab cakes. I also had a Caesar salad both nights. There were plenty of seafood entrees to choose from.

That is what I am hoping for. Adding more seating to the atrium should be easy. More hot tubs may have to happen on future ships.

To say there is no good beer on an the entire ship is ridiculous, especially a ship that has a District Brew House. I only mentioned Bud Light because I knew it would tweak the craft beer aficionados. Different people enjoy different things. It's all just beer after all.

I miss my My Pillow. I used to miss Diet Coke. I am so happy they have it now on NCL!

Exactly.

I am not a fan of crap beer. I mean craft beer. I prefer a Heineken or if I am on a diet, and it is a really hot day, ice cold Bud Light. If I am on a diet and not in the mood for beer I like Grey Goose or Tito's vodka and soda with a splash of cranberry juice and a lime garnish. If not on a diet, Painkillers or Mai Tais. Frozen Mudslides for dessert or by the pool. On the latest cruise I enjoyed the Banana Rumbles.

Overall we really enjoyed our trip on this beautiful new ship, but there were some things that I think they could have improved upon. First, some of our likes: Our balcony cabin felt roomy and light, and had a great bathroom. The couch was comfortable to sit on. We were two decks above the glass walkway on the port side, and had fun hearing some of the people who were afraid to walk across squeal and laugh at themselves. Indulge Food Hall. This was a great place to get lunch, a quick dinner, and grab and go breakfast options. Loved the Pad Thai and the food from the Latin section. Only bad thing I had was some very tough duck, I do not remember which section it was from, but it was wrapped in bacon. I was able to grab the tablet and quickly order something else. The food came out very fast. The husband brought breakfast sandwiches back to the room when I was moving slowly a couple of mornings. The ham, egg, and cheese croissant was very good. Loved that Hudson's MDR had windows all around, and you could see out from almost every table. Service was quick and food was very good. Also really enjoyed Le Bistro and Los Lobos. Food came out hot and well seasoned from both of these specialty restaurants. We enjoyed the Donna Summer show and were lucky to have picked the show that was right before they converted the theater for the Studio 54 party. They invited the first few rows on stage after the show to dance on the stage while the theater was converted. We had a lot of fun dancing to the DJ up there. Even got to dance with Simon for a minute. The Noise Boys show was much better than I expected and I thought that 45 minutes was the perfect amount of time. This was a show that featured tap dancing and two very talented beat boxers. Some dislikes and places for improvement with future ships: The buffet was too small for the size of the ship, and was a cut through to get to the pool, which made the area too busy and noisy. The lay out and some of the food placement was not well thought out. For example, the smoked salmon and cream cheese were not near each other, and neither one was anywhere near the toaster where I would toast my bagel. One toaster was also not enough. The pizza had a tasty crust, but was a little too thick. I also think that they should add pizza to the late night snack options. The grill section should be closer to the end that leads out to the pool for people that want to grab a quick burger and fries. It was convenient to the Vibe, but what about everyone else? Washy washy leading into the buffet was basically non-existent. There was one sink by one of the entrances, and I think only two sinks at another entrance. Almost no one washed there hands because there were not enough sinks. The staff did not really push it. I think this is because no one wanted to wait in line to wash their hands. The hand sanitizer was on the opposite wall and no one directed anyone to use it or the sinks. I washed my hands, but did not observe many others following my lead. The atrium was nice, but while the music could be heard on all three levels, there was not enough seating on the level that had the performers (6th floor). How have they not figured this out by now?? The Penrose Bar on the 6th floor should be bigger. Syd Norman's. It was not big enough on Breakaway or Getaway, and this was the chance to make the space better. It is still not big enough, and needs a better layout with more seating. The new MDR menu did not have enough dessert choices. This part of the menu should have more choices or have some desserts that rotate in addition to the ones that area available every night. Some parts of the ship had low ceilings. I am short so this wasn't a problem for me, but I could not help thinking that some of the tall people were probably ducking a lot. Some of the dislikes don't seem like a big deal, but every little thing can add up after a while and deter from your experience. I was frustrated with the layout of the ship at first. I guess I am so used to the layout of other Norwegian ships. As the week went on this got better. I liked ocean boulevard and the infinity pool areas. I felt that these areas could benefit from the addition of hot tubs. The ship only had two hot tubs that were available to everyone without paying extra. These were by the main pool area.