Cruising Lynne

I enjoyed Prima without Vibe passes. We enjoyed the infinity pools and lounged near them, but if you want to enjoy some hot tub time on Prima, I recommend getting Vibe or thermal suite passes. Prima only has two hot tubs that are accessible to everyone, so they are busy. Plus the Vibe is convenient to the buffet which gets very busy. It would be easy to get food at the buffet, and bring it back to Vibe to eat.

Glad it worked out. Too bad it was such a hassle. I worry about items getting lost in shipping and probably would have just brought it someplace local to get fixed on my own dime. I am the kind of customer the cruise line jewelers would like. I do a good job of avoiding the jewelry store though, unless I hit big in the casino.

I had to change my shirt to get an acceptable photo. It was a print, I changed to a solid color and it worked. Also make sure you have good lighting. I vote for them keeping your "good" photo on file for awhile. Last cruise I did not need my picture retaken at the pier, but my husband did. I try to have the same goofy look on my face when I take my picture as I will have on embarkation day. That excited, can't wait to board look. I still get excited even after 24 cruises.

For two people it is about $220 per person. It is a lot. Probably due to Key West. Key West has tried to limit the number of cruise passengers so this may be a factor in the higher fees? But, if you tried to stay in a hotel in Key West and add in food and drinks, the cruise price does not seem so bad.

I have seen a comedian on one of our cruises dial down his routine due to a family group with teens that were sitting in the front row. He was uncomfortable with doing certain jokes in front of them. He did comment about it and it did take a little away from the adults enjoyment of the show. If you want to bring teens maybe don't sit in the front. Most parents know what their kids can handle, but try not to put the comedian on the spot by putting teens front and center.

I realize that. The addition of the thermal suite and larger Vibe will give the people more space to be in. They did not add so many cabins that it should affect crowding. When laser tag isn't being used it is wasted space that no one is using. Every one complained that laser tag was a waste of space. They get rid of it and people still are not happy. Every one complained it was hard to get Vibe passes. so they are making it bigger. As far as the Observation lounge goes, well that is lousy for people who enjoy it, but more cabins means more paying customers which may help keep fares down. NCL can not make every one happy.

Missed ports are disappointing, but I would rather be kept safe than sail where you could be affected by tides, or dense fog. I have been on a ship with dense fog. It is scary when you can't see anything, and the constant fog horn can be a little annoying. I just finished watching some vlogs of a Baltic cruise on Princess that had at least two missed ports. It happens.

I also think that you may enjoy the parties that they have when they convert the theater into a night club. We really liked the theater on Prima. It had incredible lighting for the shows and parties.

I agree that Prima would be a good choice. The teens would enjoy the go carts, Galaxy Pavilion games, and the upper deck outside area that has mini-golf, pickle ball, ping pong etc. Adults may enjoy all that was mentioned above by Portia!. We really enjoyed lounging near the infinity pools on the waterfront. The Indulge Food Hall has something for everyone. The Local has the same food that you like at O'Sheehan's.

I am excited to hear they are adding a thermal suite. We usually get thermal suite passes when we are doing a cold weather cruise. We got passes for our April Boston to Bermuda run, and really enjoyed it on the days going to and from Bermuda. Did not realize that Joy is going to Alaska. It does not make sense to make the Observation lounge smaller, but streamlining of the observation lounge does not bother me. If the new thermal suite has a lot of windows, It could be a good place to spend some time on an Alaska cruise. For the best views, better to bundle up and head outside.

Bottom of page one I mention the Cagney's chocolate cake. I am surprised more people don't talk about it. My favorite thing at Cagney's! 😋 Always order it with ice cream. Agree about all the random salads in the buffet. I always go there first and pretzel rolls second. I eat the pretzel rolls with butter or Brie cheese or just a little mustard. Getting hungry now. I really should stop reading this thread, but it is helping me get more excited for our next trip.

Hi, I have not sailed with MSC yet, but have a cruise booked on Meraviglia for May 2024. I have noticed that a few posters that I recognize from the NCL boards have been posting on the MSC boards. You may also want to ask this question there.

Trying my first HAL cruise in the fall, and am looking forward to checking out the music walk. Going on Rotterdam. A little nervous about trying it out since I like NCL so much, but we sprung for the Have it All package so it should be good.

I like the Mediterranean Sea Bass or Dover Sole at Le Bistro. Rib eye and seven layer chocolate cake with ice cream from Cagney's. It is the best chocolate cake, and I can not believe it when I watch cruise vloggers who don't order it. I know you said no to La Cucina, but the Ossobuco is really good, so tender and has a nice savory gravy.

Awesome! I hope they are still there in September. Glad to hear that your room was ready by 3pm. Hope you have a great trip.

Thank you for coming back and answering the question about the cabin. This is good information. One of the things I really like about Cruise Critic is being able to see answers to questions like this.

While I do like the music they play in Syd's, I never go there on our cruises. It is just too crowded for me. Never go to Cavern Club either. I would rather sit in one of the more comfortable, less crowded, lounge areas. I really enjoy the piano players, duos and bands like Siglo that played all over the ship. Enjoyed the band that was on our Prima trip, but can't remember their name. It was something like Perfect Strangers?

I really enjoyed Arvin and Emily and Fire and Ice. Both were really good. Arvin and Emily were more mellow and Fire and Ice was more high energy.

If you like Syd's Fleetwood Mac show, you are old. Big band is for really old people LOL

I liked the pool area and Spice H2O better on Epic. Both have fun water slides. If you have never been on Epic, it would be fun to try. Bathroom did not bother us very much. If you are getting thermal suite passes, a lot of people enjoy the one on Epic because it has a small outdoor space. Having been on both, I would probably choose Escape for the waterfront area, and overall flow of the ship. Real bathroom on Escape is also preferable/

You may not mind deck four on port days. It will be closer to the gangways. It will be nice if you can find a way to get a balcony cabin, but you should still enjoy your trip. We were on Spirit before they did they re-did it. I really enjoyed that ship. Loved the Windows MDR. I hope that the Royal Caribbean ship you are going on is similar in size and age to NCL Spirit for a fair comparison. It will be interesting to hear how it goes. I have been enjoying NCL the past few years, but may be due a trip on Royal just for a change. I think one of the Radiance class ships with the indoor solarium would be good for Alaska.

Totally agree about the Royal Promenade during events. I hated fighting my way through the crowds when I was on Freedom of the Seas a few years ago. I also prefer NCL's Freestyle dining. But what I really missed when I was on Royal was the great crew on NCL. They just seem to be more friendly.

I really enjoyed our trip on Prima. There are a lot of things to like about Prima. With a positive outlook I think that you will really enjoy it.

May be a better idea to put the group in Bliss then. Spinnaker is definitely nicer.

Well you don't have to wear one if you do not want to! Some people might think it is fun to meet new people. Some older people are lonely and like to share the knowledge they have accumulated over the years. That said, I would not wear one, but I also doubt that I will make it all the way to Ambassador status.