cruiseny4life

WHOA!!! What a freaking incredible month and a half of adventure! I'd love to hear more about your shore excursions. Are you taking a lot NCL excursions? Doing your own thing? A mish mash of everything? Your Pookie is one lucky lady who worked a heck of a tough job. She certainly deserves this lovely and crazy time aboard a few of NCL's lovely ladies. I really hope you're able to keep us updated here, but understand if all the shore days and exciting wanderings keep you engaged, then napping! Y'all are peripatetic souls after my own heart.

Port Valet is actually paid for by airline and port fees, according to the Port of Seattle. If I were a Seattle resident, I'd be quite upset if my tax dollars were funding vacationers luggage transfers. Source: https://www.portseattle.org/news/190326-Cruise-Port-Valet-Release Source: https://meetings.portseattle.org/portmeetings/attachments/2023/2022_02_14_RM_8e_Memo_Cruise-Luggage-Port-Valet-Program.pdf

Looks like a few new dining and imbibing options are coming to Aqua. - Thai (yes, please) - Wine (meh) - Vegan (grossssssssssss) https://www.nclhltd.com/news-media/press-releases/detail/592/norwegian-cruise-line-unveils-all-new-culinary-experiences

So...I'm blaming all y'all. One of our many weekend antics was going to Texas de Brazil last night (we took Monday off for a long weekend with each other). I started sending photos of yummy meat and potatoes au gratin to my husband on Friday. By Monday I broke him and I got my unlimited meats! If you don't want to read however long my post is...my husband does not ever want to go back and I'd go if offered, but probably won't send photo after photo to get him to go. Our experience last night reminded us that we had told each other the last time we went, that we wouldn't go again. That was probably two or three months ago, so naturally we forgot. Hopefully we don't forget a third time! I bring this up only because I keep hearing about NCL's Moderno not being up to snuff. At Texas, we stopped getting the filet as it was fatty, chewy, and gristly. The meats were all cooked medium rare even when medium was requested...well except that one time the sirloin came out well done. Each time, the sausages were very crispy and not in that good grill mark way. Service was excellent, though we tried to tip a trainee and were not allowed to. All-in, the cost was $150 for two people, which includes one Coke, two meals, and tip. I had the free tap water with ice. I'd say, based on the reviews written above (good and bad), Moderno is providing pretty much the same exact dining experience as Texas de Brazil. Now to get to a Fogo to see if it's a step up.

Ever since I started cruising (2022 - I know, oh such a long time), Norwegian has offered cookie trays like this one. I was thinking about the butter. Mmmmmmm butter! And a cake like substance. White chocolate chip macadamia are quite good! But a normal ole chocolate chip cookie, Levain style (Manhattan bakery) are the best.

What a much better option than those crispy gross cookies...sorry, not sorry!

We enjoyed Moderno on Getaway back on our New Year's 2022/23 cruise. Who knows the quality you'll get on Gem compared to my visit. I prefer medium rare meat. My husband, medium. We let our server know and got what we wanted. @graphicguy, we've always been able to let our server know at Texas de Brazil and Moderno what temperature of meat to bring. The cuts were typical Brazilian churrascaria cuts - not the leanest thing ever and it was spiced well. I suppose a wee bit on the salty side if you dislike salt. I love sodium, so it wasn't an issue for me! I missed the potatoes au gratin like Texas de Brazil serves and we did let our server know not to bring any of the sides as we didn't want to fill up on those. Except the cheeeeeeeese bread! Yum! The salad bar was very good - sushi, salads, shrimp sald, and more. Given NCL's cuts since that cruise, the salad bar may not be quite up to par anymore. I'd be interested in someone's take that has been there in the last three to four months. Someday we'll get to Fogo de Chao - it's just not in our area. Also, a cautious note on Cagney's. Some people love it. Some hate it. I'm in the hate it camp. Been there once. Never again! The steak was miserable, not cooked properly and the sides were no good, too. Be careful with that place. At least with Moderno, you get various cuts of meat and if one isn't good, you can just ask for another.

Ouch! Causing the cookie lovers of the world to cry! We do the same...if it doesn't have a warm, gooey center, I'm not eating 'em. No crispy biscuits for me!

My heart actually leapt almost out my chest...until I read your pot stirring words!

Customs? What's that? We took a Transatlantic from Barcelona to Manhattan back in November and were also in the Haven. We walked off the ship and waved at the agents as we went through the facial identity machine thingies. Ship to Enterprise (car rental) in 15 minutes.

Exactly. Last I looked, NCLH doesn't provide a Windstar or Uncruise experience. I don't really expect them to get into that market, either.

Thank you!!! What an awesome itinerary. It's on my lookie lookie list now! Roatan and Cozumel, also. With two sea days. It's one of the best itineraries I've seen!

Well, you certainly live up to your almost screen name.

Oh my! Little did I know the power I wield. 🧞‍♂️ I certainly hope that wasn't a highlight for you! I understand different folks are looking for different excursions. Have a really amazing cruise in May!

Nice detectivating work!! I like it!

Exactly.

No luck for the coffee machine on Pr1ma. No snack station either, like the Breakaway/Breakaway Plus ships have.

Bartenders/bar servers/ bar backs/etc. are covered in the 20% gratuity/service charge on the Free at Sea package. If purchasing a drink without a package, cruisers pay a 20% gratuity/service charge on that drink.

But, guest feedback! You're missing that...guests totally want to change their travel plans due to NCL being...well...reactive to guest feedback. Don't you see how much fun @marktwothousand is having changing travel plans? 🙂

For you my friend, for you! Go Sabres!!

Ok....ya got me with that response! Ya know, I did know a Mark with a K once...your last sentence did apply all those years ago. Haha

Stop this peer pressure, would ya!!! Do you know how many times I've tried to make that next month cruise of yours fit my calendar? Despite all my whining, of course I want to get back on a cruise ship!!

That chicken salad sandwich is surprisingly yummy!! I don't have it as often as I should.

So long as you call NCL three to four times, average the responses, and decide which one seems most plausible. Then expect the ship to do something totally different than all the responses.

I sure won't be contrarian on this one! I would never pay extra...well except for the now non-existent mozzarella sticks at American Diner. Specialty dining is so not worth much more than $40 - $50 a dinner (and it's only because it offers appetizer, entree, dessert that it gets to that $50 price). Otherwise, I'd never eat in the specialty restaurants. Prior to Platinum, we did purchase the upgrade 2 dinner specialty dinner package which equated to about $35/$40 per meal. Now that we've crossed the holy threshold, I don't think we'll be purchasing that package to have a whopping six meals per cruise (unless we finally get to go on a 20+ day cruise). By the way, I do enjoy Teppanyaki and Moderno, unlike some of the posters here. But, many of them think NCL offers "fine dining." To that I say...Olive Garden must be fine dining (no knock on the OG - I enjoy that restaurant very much when in the mood for overpriced pasta).