wil e coyote

I'm not sure how to tell how many tickets had been sold - I guess I could have asked, but I didn't think to do that. I do know that on sea days, almost all the chairs were taken.

I wholeheartedly agree that the Vibe was waaaay better than the pool deck. This was our first time in the Vibe, and so my question was really to get other perspectives on what "normal" looks like in the Vibe.

I don't have an explanation - it is simply an observation. I try hard not to guess at why things happen without facts. In the future, I will pay closer attention to the port times for an itinerary, and factor that into deciding whether I want to take that cruise.

Hi - yes, I have them. I'll try to upload them this weekend.

Fair point. The vibe was 100% full, and on sea days it took quite some time to get service at the bar. The bartenders were going flat out, but there were a lot of people asking for drinks. So yes, I think a 3rd bartender would have helped.

I've spent the last several days trying to figure out how I really feel about our experience on our latest NCL cruise - and I think the bottom line is it was OK. That's a pretty big step down from our other NCL cruises, which have been consistently great. So here goes - I will do my best to try to be fair. Background: My DW and I have been on several NCL cruises, with our first on Starward in 1992, and our most recent (prior to this one) on Jewel in 2023. We've been on four NCL cruises post-COVID, all in the Haven, though the Jewel is "semi-Haven" as most know. We have also cruised on RCCL and Princess, both pre-COVID. Booking/Itinerary: This cruise was "Haven-lite." We booked an aft balcony and the Vibe Beach Club. This was a 10-day sailing out of NYC to Bermuda, St. Maarten, Tortola, San Juan, and Puerto Plata. We are Platinum so we had a total of four specialty dinners including our FAS meals. Weather: (Note - I know the weather is outside NCL's control, but it was part of our experience, and part of cruising in February.) The first day out of NYC was wet and rough. We had 20-foot seas, and many people were sick. We had Bonine which let us weather the weather, but all the outdoor spaces were closed. That meant 4000+ people crammed into the indoor spaces, which felt crowded. On the last day of the cruise, the seas were not as bad, but the wind was strong, and the outdoor spaces were closed again. We spent a lot of time in our cabin on those days. We expected this to some extent, but I underestimated how crowded the ship would feel. Of note, we did make it to all the ports, including Bermuda. Note: This was one reason why we did NOT book the Haven for this sailing. The Getaway's Haven area is not covered, and so would not have been usable on these days. If Breakaway or another ship with a covered Haven area had been on this sailing, we might have reconsidered. Ship/Cabin: Overall, Getaway is in decent shape. I didn't see lots of scuff marks on walls, all the toilets worked, etc. Our cabin was clean and looked good. One thing that was weird was that all the upper decks and our balcony were covered with white paint chips. We found them in the Vibe area too. It was like paint was flaking off the ship and blowing around. We also noticed that the internet speeds were better than on our prior NCL cruises. Entertainment: We thought the entertainment was fine. Million Dollar Quartet was fantastic, and the cast of that show also did "Broadway Unplugged" earlier in the week, which was also excellent. The illusionist was entertaining. While we didn't personally love the comedians, others did. There were lounge singers around the ship. We don't take part in the games or bingo, but there were plenty of them. We also saw the Rumours show in Syd Norman's, which was very good. Ports/Excursions: Our excursion on Bermuda was canceled due to weather. One odd thing here was that we never got a cancelation notice - our account was simply refunded for the cost. We did NCL excursions on Tortola (Beach Break) and DR (ATV and Beach Break.) The Tortola beach was nice, if somewhat crowded. The return was a mess. We had all been shuttled over there in open-air buses. Our driver was very late picking us of for the return and the other drivers didn't seem to know what to do. We all felt like we might have been stranded if the driver hadn't eventually shown up. The DR excursion was worse. The drive to the location was an hour and a half in an old army truck with no shocks. The driver did the best he could, but most of the trip was dirt roads and we felt EVERY bump and rock. We spent more time in transit than we did at the location. Another odd thing was that three of our part calls had all-aboard times of 2:30 pm. It wasn't clear why. We ended up leaving well before other ships and then seeing those ships in port with us the next day. Dining: The dining on this cruise was disappointing. While we have done a lot of Haven sailing lately, we actually ate several meals in the Jewel MDR last May, and they were quite good, so we felt like the MDR would be fine on this trip. It was not. For starters, we had to wait every time we went to eat in the MDR (and American Diner, and O'Sheehan's) sometimes up to 45 minutes. I can't remember ever having to wait for an MDR on prior cruises. Part of this might have been the reduced hours. The buffet closed at 9:30 pm as did two of the MDRs, so there was nowhere to eat after a late show except O'Sheehan's. The MDR was closed for lunch on port days, which I have never seen. There were a lot less options for eating because things were just closed more. The service in the MDR was generally poor. One night we waited 45 minutes to get our appetizers. Another night it was half an hour. Others around us were experiencing the same. The waiters seemed harried. With one exception, we were not asked how our meals were after they were delivered. The food quality was fair to poor. It was so bad that we decided the buffet was a better option for several meals, and that has never happened before. We generally avoid the buffet unless we are in a big hurry, but we actually preferred to eat there over the MDR for most of the cruise. Our specialty dining experiences were quite good. We ate twice at Cagney's and twice at Le Bistro. Le Bistro was better, but both restaurants were the high points food-wise. It was nice to have American Diner as an option, but it was annoying to have to wait to get in. O'Sheehan's was, as usual, passable but not great. Vibe: We enjoyed Vibe, and it was worth the money to stay out of the madness of the pool deck. Overall: It's clear that NCL is making cuts. But it's also clear that the actual price of a cruise has decreased relative to inflation. We spent about $2,000 for a 7-day, inside cabin with no drinks and no specialty dining in 1992. That would be about $4,400 in today's dollars, and I can book the same cruise today (inside, no FAS) for - about $2,000. I think someone who had never cruised before might get on the boat and think things were quite good overall. Unfortunately, we see the slide from what was part of the experience even a few years ago, and it's quite noticeable. I do think cruising is still a good value, but I'm much more likely to go Haven (or some other line) to keep the perks that we have come to associate with a cruise. Hope this is helpful - let me know if there are questions.

These two items are related. We just got back from a Getaway sailing where three of the five port calls had all-aboard times of 2:30 PM. That is totally the cruise line's doing as they set the itineraries. On at least two of the three we were only going to the next island over, so they certainly didn't need the time to sail to the next port. The early departure time means you have to leave the beach at lunchtime rather than mid-late afternoon.

We were just on the 2/16-26 Getaway sailing r/t NYC, and this was our first time in the Vibe - we were trying a version of the "Haven Lite" strategy. Getaway has a huge Vibe area, and I noticed that there were two bars (or one big bar, depending on your point of view), but the portion on the port side of the ship was never used. There were never more than two bartenders in the Vibe, always on the starboard side of the bar (near the hot tubs) and they were very busy every time we were up there. I kept wondering what the other section of bar was for, if not for more bartenders. So my question is whether others have ever seen that section of the bar in use, or is it just there for some unknown reason?

We haven't stayed in the OS on Jewel-class ships, but have stayed in the DOS on the Jewel (as a major splurge). That cabin is amazing - the views and the balcony are like nothing else I've experienced on a cruise ship.

We did the Jewel Seward/Vancouver itinerary in May 2023. Loved it. We thought the Jewel was a good size for the Alaska cruise - it doesn't have waterslides, but it's not all that warm in Alaska anyway! Also, the Seward/Vancouver (or vice-versa) gets to more of Alaska than the Seattle round trips. I have a friend who took a Seattle R/T in 2022, and now wishes he had done the other itinerary. It also gives you the option to tack on a couple of days in Anchorage if you would like. Enjoy!

Yes, that is fine. We've seen people in t-shirts and gym shorts in the Haven restaurant many times. We've sometimes been those people...

I haven't done this one, but as long as there are tacos, and tequila, how could it not be fun???😀

This. Definitely this. I do understand that some people have unavoidable needs to be in contact while on a cruise, and without internet they might not feel comfortable going. But I go on vacation to get away from all that. My goal on a cruise is to never actually use my 150 minutes of "free" internet, except when it is time to check in for the flight home. Enjoy!

We have done this from the Northeast US in the winter - early morning direct flight to San Juan for a same-day cruise departure. Like others have said, it isn't ideal, but for personal reasons it was necessary. We made it to the ship just fine. The cruise terminal is only 8 miles from the San Juan airport, so even with traffic, you're unlikely to have trouble actually getting to the pier once you get to San Juan. FWIW, here is how I think about same-day travel to the ship (we're about 50-50 on same-day vs. early arrival): 1. Try to get one of the first flights out of the airport in the morning. The first flights of the day are less likely to be delayed by things like weather elsewhere in the country, airport congestion, etc. 2. Try to get a direct (non-stop) flight. Every connection adds to the risk that you'll be delayed by factors on your flights or elsewhere in the slight network. 3. Buy transfers to the pier from the cruise line. 4. Buy travel insurance. We've never had to use it, but having it lets me relax a little if the pilot comes over the PA system in the plane and says, "We're experiencing a delay..." Of course, if there is a major storm at your home airport, none of the steps above help - except item 4. Enjoy!

I love these photos! What great memories. Our first cruise was on the Starward in 1992, and I still miss some of the simpler aspects of "Traditional" cruising. We were successful in getting Latitudes credit for that cruise well after the fact, but it was before NCL changed their policy in 2016. Based on others' experiences on this board, I am pretty sure NCL will not give you credit for your cruise. That said, if you go into the process of asking them with low expectations, all it costs you to ask is some time on the phone.

Another option that might work for you - if you are Platinum or higher, you can use your specialty dining coupons to cover your child. Enjoy!

I understand this may be frustrating from the OP's point of view because of all the time spent on the phone and the misunderstandings. But if I look at it from the view of an NCL agent who gets the call, what will they see in the booking history? 1. OP had a booking (with FAS) that cost $XXXX. 2. OP upgraded to a new cabin (without FAS) that cost $YYYY 3. OP is now calling and asking to have FAS added, so the booking will now cost $YYYY+$350. But OP doesn't want to pay the $350. The NCL agent in conversation #3 has no history of what was or wasn't said during the upgrade conversation. All he/she can tell is that the OP is asking to have something added onto their booking which costs $350. So they are not in a position to give it for free. I think the OP's only hope is to go to someone who is empowered to override the rules - like an executive at NCL. But even then, the answer may be that FAS costs $350 and the OP must pay that to get it. The other option is to downgrade back to the original cabin...

Lucky you - cruising in 5 days!

@Topdog52 are you on the 2/16 sailing? Here is what I see for the 2/16 itinerary:

PP has been an adventure for a few years now. My understanding is that Amber Cove was the only port for some time, and then they built Taino Bay to add capacity. Not long after it opened, an NCL ship ran aground while leaving port (I believe it was Escape), and then NCL ships didn't go to Taino Bay for about a year. Now NCL ships generally go to TB, but every once in a while they go to Amber Cove. I don't know why. Maybe capacity. Maybe weather. Maybe moon phase...🤪

Did they switch them up? I either didn't notice, or we booked after the change was made.

We are on the same sailing! This is a fairly common question, because there is not a 100% answer. Normally, NCL docks at Taino Bay (this was true for our last two visits to Puerto Plata.) However, NCL ships occasionally dock at Amber Cove. This doesn't matter for shore excursions, since the excursion companies track where the ships will be docking and flex as required. But it would matter if you really wanted to check out the amenities at Taino Bay. It is pretty new, and nice. See you on board!

@Candy Apple 12, we did exactly this on a 7 day cruise in May. My DW and I were Platinum, traveling with our son as the 3rd in our cabin (no FAS) and our son and friend who were in an inside cabin. We were able to use the Platinum coupons so that we all went to Teppanyaki and Moderno without paying extra for anyone. Enjoy!

It would be nice if they updated the system on the ships - it says "Copyright 1996" at the bottom left of the screen - and it has a pretty outdated feel. I found it was frequently locked up or just wrong on our last couple of cruises. At the same time it probably isn't NCL's biggest problem so I don't blame them for delaying a change...

Wow - it's hard to pick just one - so here is a short list: Our first cruise - 1992 Southern Caribbean on the Starward - because neither of us had ever been on a vacation like a cruise ship where you could eat as much as you wanted, and we loved all the islands. 2015 Mediterranean (Barcelona to Venice) on Princess - this was how we saw lots of Europe with our kids - amazing history and great memories. 2023 Alaska on the Jewel - again with our kids (now grown up!) - incredible scenery! Our next cruise...