laudergayle

Oh my. My handbag might have accidentally knocked over my unfinished drink as I turned abruptly to leave. 🫗😂

@kaboozle How’s the drink selection at the Atrium Cafe? Do they do drinks like frappes? Things like chai latte?

Another cruise could solve that😊

How wonderful the Bliss is able to make the turn into Endicott Arm. In mid-May 2022 she had to stop at the mouth due to too much ice. Here is a picture…you can see the ice is right up to the mouth.

Very cool. Great way to start your cruise.

Off topic…but it’s unrealistic that a steward could be expected to service 24 cabins…especially during peak Spring break where cabins likely have 3+ occupants. IMO that is just wrong in so many ways.

Happy cruising to you…Alaska is beautiful!

We boarded Bliss before noon on our last cruise. We stopped by Teppanyaki to adjust dinner reservations, picked up entertainment schedule and a brief visit to Cruise Next. Then went to Local and had no problem whatsoever to be seated and served. I highly recommend the chicken salad sandwich…yum.

I don’t disagree that having a small, limited seating venue is the preferred setting for an up close performance. But I also like when the musicians/performers can do their show for larger audiences who may not have been able (or want) to see in Syd’s. The Cavern Club Beatles is a good example.

Yes, historically this has been free to cruisers. Obviously the costs were covered somewhere by some entity. If what the Bird says is true…then something has probably changed in how this service was funded. I, too, would pay a fee for this service if the price and parameters fit my needs. I guess we’ll all see soon.

I’m curious about Syd’s on the Escape. We just booked Escape for January. When looking at what’s onboard it just called this venue as The Pour House…and described it as all new. The other ships with Syd’s still use that name. I wonder if they are abandoning the use of Syd Norman which I believe has licensing fees and restrictions (I.e., Syd Band can’t play outside Syd’s.). IMO that would be s good thing for NCL cruisers…assuming they still do the same music/show. With NCL controlling the performers, songs, and show, they could also perform in main theater for larger crowds. This is actually one NCL change I think is right on the money. Here is the description that the Escape shows for The Pour House vs. The Breakaway. Pour House Get ready to bar hop to the all-new Pour House. From handcrafted cocktails on tap for the ones who like to shake things up, to classic libations for those who prefer to keep it neat, Pour House will have you saying bottoms up from the moment you step aboard. Syd Norman’s Pour House From gritty brick walls to live rock ’n’ roll, you’ll feel like you’re in one of LA’s legendary rock clubs at Syd Norman’s Pour House. Sip on a Witchy Woman while chilling on The Waterfront. Quiz the bartender’s encyclopedic knowledge of everything from Axl to Mick. Belt the night away to classics you love because after all, it’s only rock ’n’ roll but you’ll like it!

Interesting. Don’t see any mention on the other boards, but if this is true then there must be a reason. My best guess is cost. While Port Valet says it’s FREE, we all know nothing is truly free. Too bad for cruisers…it was a nice option.

That would be awesome if it was just the first sailings.

Yes it is a service offered by Port of Seattle. Seems that POS is still offering Port Valet online. Why NCL is no longer participating could be as simple as a manpower issue (and costs associated with having staff/crew to administer), or more complex like perhaps it was a cost-sharing service with the port. Obviously we will never know for certain, but it definitely is not in favor of NCL’s guest. Why would NCL stop this convenience if it weren’t to save money somewhere.

Gosh that’s unfortunate, it was such a great service. Another nickel saved for NCL.

Last year at some point they stopped letting you book MDR except for 5:30 or 8:30. Once those were filled it gave you the message you are getting. This year, I think they may have stopped MDR advance reservations until onboard.

Thank you @natefish95. Totally enjoying your review and “tips”. Thank you…and following.

@schmoopie17…I think I recall seeing you many years ago as Stand Up at my cousins wedding. Was that you?🤣

We have used SH OBC for Bingo and Deal or No Deal. It was listed as Cruise Staff Gaming on our invoice. Don’t know if it is always this way. We discovered it in November on the Bliss. After playing look at your account on TV in stateroom…they breakout the charges and shows how your OBC is being used.

I thought I’d post this for anyone looking to do western Caribbean next January. The Escape has really low prices, especially for Balcony, as compared to all the other NCL ships doing the Caribbean that month. I guess it was redeployed to the region several months ago and they are dropping price to generate demand. The screen shots below are for 7-day out of Miami. also, if you get s Stateroom Guarantee…check back every couple hours…it seems to bounce back and forth between selecting your csbin and guarantee.

Lol…you sent me to the dictionary 🤣. When we were on the Jade we kept running into the same couple. They were from Marsielle, France and were staying in the Haven. But since there isn’t any formal Haven, we saw them at dinner, bars, the theater. On the last day we said we were staying in Athens for another day. They said, oui, oui We said we’re staying in Platka, they said, oui, oui. Turns out they were staying in the same hotel two rooms away from us. We shared a fabulous dinner and made some new friends.

Here’s a thought. Don’t pay for the Haven on a Jewel class ship😉. We haven’t sailed a Jewel class ship since our first cruise in October ‘21 and that was the Jade. Our AK cruise in 47 days (I’m counting) is on the Jewel. It will be interesting to see how we feel about the smaller ship. I guess the Havenites will have to rub shoulders with us commoners 🤣. I wonder if I will be able to spot them. Oh wait…they will be in a parade, I’ve been told.

@Distinctive-Destinations you could purchase a Sail Away rate (basic rate no extras) then purchase the Unlimited Drink Package (UDP)for $109 pppd and not buy any internet. The UDP is not the same as FAS basic. Doing the SailAway rate and buying just the drink package you wouldn’t qualify for FAS+ upgrade. if you book a cabin with the FAS basic promo, you are not being charged for the internet 150 minutes as it is “packaged” into the FAS rate. The only extra charge with the FAS package is additional 20% gratuity for drinks snd the specialty dining. if you have the FAS rate, you could upgrade to the FAS+. You are not charged an additional 20% gratuity on the drinks or two more meals as it is built into the upgrade price. Hoping this helps answer the question I think you were asking.

We’re taking the train Seward to Anchorage from the cruise port. Which side of the train should we sit on? Do we need to get a seat assignment before boarding or is it open seating? Suggestions please. Thanks!

Seriously, it blows my mind the ingenuity those before us used to accomplish daily tasks. God help us all once AI takes over. I’m relieved I am in my senior years.