soccermommy

Thank you for the wonderful review and stunning photography. DH is a New Yorker,  exiled, he says, for 40+ years to the wilds of Massachusetts ( Boston suburbs) and he was impressed and excited by your pictures of NYC. In fact, your review has made us rethink this itinerary, even though we have been to several ports more than once.

We’re Platinum, but have been sailing on Celebrity more recently.  I have been curious about the mega ships since all of our NCL cruises have been on the smaller ships. 
I have to say the Bliss is a gorgeous ship, but the pictures of the couch hogging on the ship gives me pause. I just don’t know how much of the crowding will be an annoyance, but your pictures are a great selling point for sailing on the Bliss!
 

Are you on the 5/18-5/28 cruise to Iceland on the Reflection? If so, so are we! But to answer your questions, I’d say it depends on a number of things.

First, your airline arrangements. I don’t know where you are flying from, but one of our options to return was to fly to Heathrow, then direct to Boston ( which for us was a little crazy since  we have to get back home and we’d rather fly nonstop). If breaking up your return  is an option for you, you might be able to fit London in your plans, though I understand flights from Dublin to London are pretty easy to find if you are already set to do a round trip to Dublin. It’s my understanding that after an overnight, leaving the ship is flexible. You could get an early flight to England and spend more time in London. There are many ways to get from Heathrow (or Gatwick). Take a look at the London Toolkit site to get much more information on experiencing London. We used it and it has a lot of information.
Be advised, though, that 2 days in London is going to give just a taste of that beautiful city.

Have you considered renting a car and perhaps exploring more of Ireland, if you are okay with driving on the left. We visited Cobh on a previous cruise, and the area is beautiful, near to Blarney Castle, Kinsale, and gorgeous coastline views. Some people drive to the Ring of Kerry, or Galway. We haven’t had the chance to do that yet. I’m sure others can give you more information.

Several tour companies in Dublin offer short trips to various parts of Ireland, too. 
I think it’s going to come down to how you’d like to spend your extra time, in a big city like London, or the countryside. Whatever you choose, you are going to have a wonderful time!

I read your review, BostonGal, and I think I get where you are coming from. It wasn’t about the cheese plate, per se, it was about the service problem in the Haven. I haven’t sailed in a Haven suite, but I have on other lines. For the price you pay, you expect a certain level of service. I think we all feel that way, we want what we paid for, and what we’re promised. It doesn’t matter if someone is in an inside or a suite, either. Otherwise, we wouldn’t read some many complaints on Cruise Critic!

NCL prides itself on its Haven program, so I am surprised they weren’t more proactive. I think ( hope) it was a fluke. I would be interested in any feedback you get from NCL.

I find this thread fascinating, mostly because I am at the opposite end of Celebrity cruising. DH and I are booked on our third Celebrity cruise; we’ll be on the Reflection in May. Our first experience was on the Reflection to the western Caribbean, the second was on the Solstice on a fabulous cruise to Australia and New Zealand.

We started our cruising with a 7 day to Alaska on NCL, stayed with them on cruises in the Mediterranean, round the British Isles, and to Canada. We noticed changes on that line, and for us, the experience  just isn’t what we want, so our TA suggested Celebrity. We loved it. We’re Platinum with NCL,  and haven’t given up on them. I have no desire to bash NCL,  it’s a good line. We would cruise with them again if the price and itinerary works, but prefer Celebrity. It just fits us better and where we are at this point of our cruising lives. 

I have no experience with Celebrity before all the changes started, but yes, I do notice some of the “nickel and diving” that you see on other lines.  We just like the service and the ambiance so we keep booking. 

Everyone has to do what’s best for them, and I’ve found that what I want on a cruise has changed.  And for now,  we like Celebrity (with maybe an eye on a good deal on another line) . 

Last fall, we booked a Sailaway inside on the Dawn's last Quebec-Boston cruise before she headed south. The price was insanely low for an after final payment booking, since we would be sailing the North Atlantic in unpredictable weather. We figured for a week's cruise and being Platinum, we didn't need the perks. We were almost immediately assigned a cabin on deck five.

We're not picky about cabin location, but surprisingly we received an upgrade invitation, and I bid. We would up with a balcony for less than the price of the sail away rate for it.

I think it depends on the things you are willing to trade for the price you want. We would do it again for a short cruise, and especially for one that doesn't seem full. But, there are only 2 of us, we don't drink a lot, we really don't care about location ( except over a lounge. I had that happen on the Spirit, and I was the one who booked it...lesson learned!) We'll be on the Star next May going to Iceland,  but for a two week cruise, we did not do Sailaway. But that's us.

I say, try it. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised. At the least, you will have a cheap(er) cruise.

Last year I booked a sail away inside on the Dawn from Quebec to Boston. It was a late, spur of the moment booking, and I got a perfectly good inside on deck 5. Then I got an upgrade letter and for the heck of it bid $100 pp and was upgraded to a balcony on deck 10. I did not get any perks, but I knew you carry whatever perks you had, or in my case, didn't have, to the new room. The Sailaway rate for a balcony was advertised as more expensive than what I paid!

Two years ago, there was a rate after final payment on my inside on the Jade for our cruise around Great Britain, and my TA got us upgraded to a balcony, and also got an upgrade for my sister to the balcony next door. No change to the perks. 

As far as I know, if you get upgraded, you do not get any new perks, you get what you originally booked, just a better room. To get better perks youhave to cancel and rebook, of course you can't do after final payment. I don't know if you could be upgraded again after being upgraded to a better category of your original booking. That might have been the problem, or maybe there really weren't that many minis to assign. 

So short answer, from my experience, you can upgrade from a Sailaway  to a higher category of room if you bid, or if there is a price drop, but I think it also depends on availability for that particular cruise. Any good TA knows it, and should be working to get you the best deal possible.

Welcome back to New England! I have followed your travels with great enjoyment and look forward to reading about your latest! You probably already know the weather has been really New Englandish this spring. We have had a lot of rain and cool to cold temperatures, but things are getting better. We actually had one hot day last weekend, and the weekend was really nice, but we are back to cool weather and chilly nights. But the good thing is we aren't expecting a lot of rain! 

I would love to know your opinion of the Summit enhancements (if that is what they are). We would love to do Celebrity NE/ Canada but not with a port day in Boston...I'd probably want to run home and check the house. So I really want to read your blog.

Safe travels to the East Coast and be sure to get your share of lobster!

I was on this cruise also, and I think no announcement might be the result of bad timing. I first found out about the attack on the way back from my tour to Hobbiton, and information was sketchy and constantly changing. By Friday night there was more information, but no real sense of the total horror until Saturday morning when we docked in Auckland. Should Celebrity have notified the New Zealand citizens and given them a chance to check in with loved ones? I would agree, but maybe Celebrity didn't have time or feel the need...remember, we sailed at 8 pm and people probably had time to call or be called,  if they knew, since we were in port 2 hours later than expected because of the tides. 

I was in Auckland until Monday, and it was sad to see people cope with something we in the US have dealt with way too often. But I have so much admiration for how Kiwis came together and responded. 

Do I think it would have been nice if Celebrity had made some kind of gesture, or announcement of sympathy? Absolutely yes. Do I fault Celebrity for not doing so? No, not really, I have no idea what discussions went on, and I suspect the lack of definitive information and it being the last night of the cruise had a lot to do with it. 

Jim, I have been following your journey with great enjoyment, your blogs are so informative and so much fun! Thanks for the beautiful pictures of our lovely Boston. I'm impressed you covered so much ground in one day! Please come back, there is so much to see and do in the Boston area, and hopefully, the weather will be warmer.

As a relatively new Celebrity cruiser, I have been enjoying following your blog. Your trip is my dream itinerary, so everything has been fascinating, especially your gorgeous pictures. Thank you so much!

Living in New England, I am well aware of the uncertainty of cruising in hurricane season, and it looks like the Pacific in late summer/ early fall has its challenges! What are the odds of getting two typhoons?

Thanks again, and may the rest of the cruise be less stormy!

I was on the Star this last April and bid on an upgrade from an inside to a balcony, and did get double points, but no chance to my perks. I will say, it doesn't hurt to ask, though.

We were assigned an enclosed balcony on the Jade two years ago, and enjoyed it much more than we expected. There is more protection from sun and wind, and felt much more private. In fact, on our latest cruise on the Star, a Panama Canal cruise, we found we really missed the protection from the hot sun!

If you get one of these balcony rooms, enjoy yourself. You will be pretty far forward, but it is quiet, and you should be pretty close to the forward elevators. I would happily stay in one again.

DH and I had our very first cruise together in 2006 on the Star( back when it had a forward lounge). We went at the end of the season, weather was definitely colder, wildlife was starting to hunker down, but Glacier Bay was spectacular. We absolutely loved it. Fast forward to 2018, and things have changed a lot. We have megaships, we have 6 different mass market lines visiting. We have a lot of choice, but Alaska in season has gotten a lot more crowded. Add crowds to shorter port stays, and some ports tendered, I can see why an Alaskan cruise can be underwhelming.

And with the short season and high demand, prices have been climbing.

Wildlife has never been a guarantee, or the weather.

So, OP, it's perfectly understandable why you didn't have the greatest experience. I wish it could have been better for you. I will say you have confirmed my feeling that a 7 day cruise out of Seattle may not be the best way to see Alaska again, we're looking at cruise tours. Thanks for giving us an honest review, and I hope you have a fantastic time on your next cruise.

Thank you for the review. We will be on the Dawn in October, because we chose to visit Canada. This will be our first time on the Dawn, and we have heard only good things about the ship and her crew.

I have no idea if corporate could have made a decision to reroute any sooner, and I sympathize with people who got caught off guard. On the other hand, anybody sailing the Atlantic during hurricane season should know the risks. I'm sure anybody in the Carolinas would be happy to change places! Imagine, a week on a cruise with nice weather, the horror! And I can't wait, no matter what the weather does.

This is such a horrible inconvenience. The cuise line should have though this out better and routed this cruise to the Bahamas where basically anyone is admissible. What a shame

Unfortunately, the only way from Boston to the Bahamas is through a portion of the sea having hurricane conditions, either going down or coming back. Or an extra sea day to try to run east of the hurricane. For Florence, going north is definitely safer.

We've done both cruises, the Mediterranean on the Spirit in 2016, and the British Isles cruise in 2017 on the Jade. We want in late May- early June both times.

I would say the time of year you go will make a difference. The Mediterranean was hot already in May, and ports were crowded. In the British Isles, weather was all over the place, cool but not cold in the Orkneys but almost hot at Edinburgh. I thought ports were a bit less crowded.

Since both cruises were very port intensive, the ship size and amenities weren't much of an issue for us, we love both ships. Since we are from Boston, getting to London was easy. We spent 3 days in London then took the train down to Southhamton. Super easy as our hotel was near Waterloo Station.

The Med cruise started in Venice, so we flew to Rome and then to Venice. We spent 3 days in Venice. Since a Med cruise can start in one city and end in another, that could make a difference for your travel. We finished in Barcelona, stayed 2 extra days and left from Barcelona, through Rome back to Boston. Getting a nonstop to Boston is almost impossible from Barcelona. It might not be a problem for other cities. I just mention all this because travel arrangements can be a bit of a headache, depending on the cruise.

I'd say, pick the cruise that has the places you really want to visit the most. Try to go early or late season, you'll have fewer crowds. Then pick the ship with a price and amenities that makes sense. We generally cruise the smaller ships because the itineraries seem to be more interesting. But you can't go wrong with either choice. Good luck, and enjoy yourself!

We will be on the Dawn for the first time in October (Quebec-Boston), so I've been enjoying your comments. Your pictures are absolutely beautiful! I haven't been to Bermuda in many years, and these pictures are making me reconsider returning.

Many thanks!

OP, if your husband is a local or state LEO, I would say there wouldn't be much of a problem, but it might be a good idea for him to check with his organization. They might know of any concerns, or have some of their own. . Federal officers can have much more of a problem. My DD and SIL are Federal, and there are some countries they are warned against by their own agency, and other countries that won't allow them in! The State Department website might have some more information, too.

I haven't been to Cuba yet, but I understand any visit will be carefully controlled, so your husband's profession shouldn't be an issue. I think the Cuban government is much more interested in getting American tourist dollars!

Good luck! And by the way, thank him ( and you too) for his service.

OP, if I read you right, I was in a similar situation with my Jade cruise last year. When we booked (really early, it was the only British Isles cruise offered) there was no perk for double points offered. When prices dropped after final payment, we got an upgrade, no double points. Then NCL did offer them, but we were told we weren't eligible for the points. Since we were getting really close to Gold. I asked on the ship. Same story. But when we got home, I checked my account, and the double points were there! I'm not sure why that happened, but it was a nice surprise.

Moral of he story: you get the perks offered when you book. You get the perks offered at the time you cancel and rebook. But it never hurts to ask about Latitudes points on the ship.

Last year we booked a midship inside for our British Isles cruise on the Jade and the price dropped over $400 after final payment. My TA talked to NCL and we were upgraded to a deck 8 forward balcony with a "covered" balcony. Furthermore, my sister (who was a 1st time cruiser) gor the balcony next door for her inside. The balcony is enclosed a little bit by the metal superstructure, but that a was plus for June in the North Atlantic. We were thrilled, it was a great location for us. It never hurts to ask, and if you don't ask, you don't get. I suspect each sailing is a different story, and I don't know if the booking method makes any difference. But give it a try.

OP, I have been following this thread silently, but now want to wish you and your family the very best. You are right, you did what was best for your family, based on you knew at the time. You have no need to justify yourself.

The only thing that bothers me is NCL's response or lack of one. I hope this was a one time lapse, and would love to know their side of the story, if they have one.

Simple human kindness should always trump ship protocol. Only my opinion, of course.

Just to throw this idea in the ring...

We had decided to do Ketchikan as DIY, but, being one of the wettest towns in the US, it rained. Actually, it poured. So, walking around town had to be shorter than we wanted, and it's a very pretty town. On impulse, rather than take refuge in one of the many stores or overcrowded eateries, we booked a Duck Boat tour of Ketchikan harbor. I don't know what the prices are now, or if it is still offered, but it was fun. The takeaway from this is have a Plan B for a DIY port if the weather doesn't want to cooperate.

Hoping your ports have fantastic weather!

Following with great interest. We are thinking of a second trip to Alaska next year, the first one was 12 years ago on NCL, and we did Glacier Bay from Seattle. We are Celebrity newbies, having done our first on the Reflection. So, I am very interested in your observations on M class.

Glacier Bay is great, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing it again. But I hear Hubbard, Tracy Arm, and probably any others you can think of will be gorgeous, too.That's one reason why a northbound or southbound bruise is so exciting. Looking forward to more of your journey. Thanks!

Thanks for what, IMO, was a very fair review. We'll be on the Star in April for the Panama Canal transit, so I was wondering how you enjoyed the transit. Where there places you recommend for viewing, both inside and outside?

It's sad the Spinnaker Lounge is a shadow of its former self. We were on the Star in September 2007 on an Alaska cruise. It was a fabulous place to view Glacier Bay when it got too cold outside. Since I expect we'll have the opposite problem in Panama, did you find or need an inside viewing spot?

Did you do any excursions? How were they?

The Star was our very first NCL ship, and we loved her., so we're planning on another great cruise, even if she has a few age spots. We do too!

Congratulations on your marriage!

It looks like you are on a partial transit of the Canal. There are excursions offered for that, since you turn around and return the way you came in.. Go to My NCL page for your reservation and select the day of the transit. There should be several options under Gatun Lake/ Panama Canal. Some of them look interesting!

We are doing a full transit on the Star in April and the entire day is taken up with the triansit, so no excursions are listed for the transit for our cruise.

Enjoy the Jade. We had a wonderful time cruising her around Great Britain this past May. Let us know your opinions on this cruise!