ChiefMateJRK

No drink package??🤣

?!?! If you're referring to pay for a cruise vs. staying home, then I'm with you. 😎 Hopefully, you're not suggesting that somebody who pays twice as much for their cruise has twice as much fun as the peasant in steerage (i.e. @ChiefMateJRK) That would just be plain crazy talk. I have just as much fun as anyone on the ship and I can PROVE IT!! 🤣 (I also have reason to believe that I have a lot more fun on CC than many)

It's Sunday folks. A large amount of IT maintenance is conducted beginning late Saturday night. If things take longer than expected, than Sunday mornings can have problems.

Well, the simple answer my 🐀sister is don't get quarantined! jk I sail steerage. It's who I am (well, let's just go with that 😁) I don't need no stinkin' balcony! (disclaimer: I've sailed balcony on my last three cruises)

I sailed out of NYC last month. Cabin doesn't matter. We were on the pool deck watching the Statue of Liberty. Bizarre thing. Folks crowded to take photos as we approached but then walked away while we were sailing right past, with the best views. People are strange. We flew into LGA. Nice airport and easy to/from. We just stayed at a Hyatt nearby with free shuttle. Effortless. After riding to MTC in an UBER and from MTC in a cab, I would never, Never, NEVER even think of trying to drive in NYC. You mention stress. This is WAY beyond that. That said, as a rider, it bordered on "fun." 😎

I came into this thread expecting a real question. What does any of that have to do with Christmas? It sure doesn't sound like the most wonderful time of the year. 🎄

Not ALL that impressive. 😎 We (now) sail often and sail cheap. I can sail five weeks (sleeping and bathing) in an inside for what some pay for that luxurious Haven on the hill. Is that an indictment? Heck no. Some derive great pleasure from a butler. I would find the whole thing annoying. I'm a simple person and don't require much beyond good food, good drink, good song and an amazing observation lounge to have the time of my life. Destinations? "We don't need no stinkin' destinations!" (apologies to Treasure of the Sierra Madre fans) jk. That said, I would do an AK cruise every time for the rest of my life and be just fine. Easy flight, great scenery any time of the year and many scheduling options. We had snow in glacier bay October 2021. Second favorite would be any cruise that stops at GSC. I don't spend savings on "more extras." I don't really need or want extras. They just go back into savings for our heirs. We're simple people. Nope, unfortunately neither Epic or Prima are on our radar. I believe it is Sun, Sky, Pearl, POA, Bliss, Encore and Joy in no particular order. I refuse to consider POA a proper "cruise" as it's really just a floating hotel than spends way too much time in crappy docks. That said, it is a fantastic way to visit HW, which is why we do it.

Who told you to dump your TA? It's not "cheating" on your TA to check the price yourself before bothering them. A less than noble man once said that "Just lookin' ain't cheatin'". (that was a joke folks)

I thought it was all about the fun?

Good for you! I applaud that kind of attitude. Can you bottle it and pass it out in the CC lounge? 🤣 It's the polar opposite of the "If I can't sail Haven, I'M NOT SAILING....D%MN%T" that we hear way too often. @ChiefMateJRK says that "cruiser who boards cruise with @New2cruise2022attitude will have a fantastic time."😎

And the NCL.com homepage says it ends on Monday! 🤣 Imagine my surprise! Have we learned nothing people? NCL can and will change prices whenever their business strategy demands it. "Sale expiration" dates mean absolutely nothing unless the entire price calculation is considered. It's a shame that folks have travel agents who don't understand this. Just track the pricing on NCL.com and you'll know the answer in less time than it takes to call your TA.

It didn't.

October 12 was smooth as could be. No waiting for anything other than a small line on the gangway. Driving to the port? Now that was a different story.

Yes. That will impress everybody on the ship exactly the same amount as your Latitudes pin. 🤣

Doesn't that depend upon the weather? With the Joy/Bliss/Encore you can have your cake (Waterfront) and eat it too (observation lounges). 😎 Haven passengers: please disregard.

CruisePlum is not a travel agent, which is why I "think" it's okay to mention here. If not, my apologies to the mods. It's just a price tracker, but not always real time. To answer your question; I saw the 50% sale and immediately started doing mock bookings on NCL.com. After identifying the first four price drops, I dialed NCL and started the short wait. In the meantime, I repriced two more. They were quick and efficient. After that, I continued to mock new bookings and identify the new final prices. Wash, rinse, repeat. I probably called three or four times to get them all done (it was more than my nine, as I was also taking care of DD's bookings). Got cut off twice. May have been my crappy cell reception, maybe NCL. But none of that matters. After about an hour of "work," our family savings exceeded 2 grand. We'll likely sail all but one of these (there are a pair to cover schedule contingencies next summer). All of the price drops showed up on Cruise Plum in a day or two. It is a really nice tool for el cheapos like me.

Many of us place our focus on ships with nice observation lounges. I've learned that over time. Our first three cruises were POA, Pearl and Epic. We, like many others, really like the Jewel class ships for the reasons you stated. Same reason we gravitate toward the three newest Breakaway Plus ships (Joy, Bliss, Encore). The only future cruise I currently have booked without an observation lounge is a 2024 POA (assuming they get that mess figured out in the next year or so). IMHO, you just can't beat an AK cruise on a ship with a nice observation lounge. I literally could just do those the rest of my life and I would be just fine. 😎

Too each his/her own. We just completed our third post-Covid and have several more coming up. Things are probably back to as close to normal as they will ever be.

Update! I called NCL on an unrelated issue with an existing reservation yesterday. Out of the blue, the agent asked me if my and DW's middle names were on our passports. They are. She then asked for them so that she could update our NCL profiles. I'm not sure why, but it may be an area that they are trying to clarify. It's the first time a travel provider has ever expressed any interest in my middle name. That said, I'll probably change my tune and expend some effort to get my Southwest Airlines profile updated. It can't be done online. As somebody else stated, probably better safe than sorry.😎

Just a pre-emptive strike/post. After four days, all of the new lower prices have "stuck" on these nine cruises. Others have reported boomerang pricing, with the new prices going higher than the originals to negate the 40% > 50% change. I do see a sprinkling of price hikes, but not on the cruises that I have booked. CruisePlum is our friend. 😎

Ouch. I'm one for two with GSC, but always hope for the best. IMHO it is the best part of a Caribbean cruise. I have two more booked currently, both with booked Ocean Villas. We can simply wait and hope.

Generally, the new room has to cost more than the original. Check the price for club balcony and even aft balcony.

I was happy with my original prices and ready, willing and able to pay them. The drops are just a bonus. Why so negative? Cruising is all about FUN! 😎 (well, for most of us....)

Yet you wouldn't "do an inside by yourself?" I find that hard to believe.

Was it early morning or late morning? Us left coasters book at 9:00 the night before (i.e. midnight Eastern time). That helps!