lgdesign

16 hours ago, burne318 said:

Long time lurker on this forum and follower of many of your live threads (which are good reads for people to use to prepare for their cruise), but I must set the record straight here.

 

My group of 7 was in the pergola immediately next to you on the cruise last week.  We didn't have a conversation because I am not one to necessarily reach out to strangers to strike up a conversation.  I knew you were to my left, because of your previous post about the way you had your pergola made up, weaving towels in the back slats.  That was a good idea by the way and you probably saw that we copied it.  My wife and 2 kids were on our 3rd YC cruise (Seaside 2020 and Meraviglia 2023).  We were most certainly in the YC.  Cabin 18025 with butler Wayan to be exact.  My sister was solo in 18027 and my two parents were in 18029, both YIN cabins on their first YC experience.  On the first sea day both my dad and I woke up pretty early (6:15am) since our bodies were not on vacation time yet.  We sat in the unoccupied pergola next to yours and had our coffee.  During our coffee, one of the pool attendants (Caran sp?) approached us and asked us "Would you like to sit here everyday?".  We said "Sure, but it's absolutely not a requirement".  Well low and behold, every morning we woke up before breakfast, and Caran showed us to the pergola he made up for us.  He repeated this each day and on the last day we did give him a tip.  So the 7 of us used that pergola and the daybed next to it I would say upwards of 75% of the time from breakfast until dinner.  Did we venture to the waterpark and leave our stuff there?  Sure.  But most of the time someone from our group was hanging out in the pergola.  And we only utilized a single pergola with 3 loungers for 7 people.  I am super conscious about overusing space, so many times there were 4 or 5 of us on the 3 loungers because frankly we didn't need a single lounger for each person, especially small kids.  As a non-OS/RS guest, I certain did not expect to get a pergola each day since they are FCFS, but Caran approached us early in the cruise and definitely earned a tip from our group.

 

As for dinner, we ate exclusively in the YC Restaurant every day at 5:45, with the wonderful Kevin as our waiter.  I was pleased to see that they opened before 6:00.  We are early eaters and were worried that the move from 5:30 to 6:00 was fleetwide.  Like you, I missed the "Deliciously Healthy" section of the menu until day 6, which was a real bummer to realize that was there the whole time.

 

The group of 6 that were in the other two pergolas appeared to be 3 couples.  They sat kitty corner to us at dinner in the YC Restaurant I would say 50% of the time and we saw them plenty of times on the YC Pool Buffet for breakfast.  We didn't really talk to them either until the last sea day when they approached us.  They mentioned they were on their 35+ cruise and their 3rd YC cruise as well.  Now I can't speak for their whole group (since I only chatted with two of the couples), but it did appear they were all staying in YC Cabins.  That said, I didn't talk to all of them so I can't be 100%.

Thank you very much for all the clarifications.

19 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Unfortunately the other pergolas are FCFS. The three pergolas next to mine were chair hogged very early in the mornings by the same group of slackers that just had access to the OnePoolDeck. They were not residing in the YC as they were never in the YC restaurant. This is terrible for those paying for YC and never being able to enjoy all it has to offer. Like non suite Pinnacles on RCCL taking up valuable space in suite venues and we in suites could not reserve even a table for dinner and had to wait because a Pinnacle slip in and took our table.

Aaaah... then you must have been in a RS or an OS and just selected the pergola that you most preferred... sorry I missed that (feeling a little obtuse today). 

Hopefully, we'll score a nice upgrade like we did last time.  I loved having that pergola available and we used it every day.

I completely agree with you about the slackers with access... and the interlopers. So discouraging to see the dilution of an otherwise usually excellent experience for the full fare paying guests.

PS  Love that your DW is an interloper spotting pro.  😉

On 4/20/2024 at 7:29 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

Earlier today I had him escort me to the One Pool Deck to show him what pergola we would like. It was presently occupied. As long as it is not being occupied by another RS or OS, he will reserve it for us for the rest of week and have it stocked with whatever we desire.

Thank you for your thorough and funny report about your experience... we haven't sailed MSC in a couple of years and will be on the Seascape in the YC doing a B2B in Nov and are trying to catch up on any changes.  This will be our third time in the YC with the first being on the Seaside and the second being the Seashore. 

Is "reserving" a non-RS/OS pergola for the week as easy as asking your butler?  Is there a fee to do so?  We're currently booked in a Deluxe YC suite so any info would be very helpful.

We got an upgrade to an OS on the Seashore the last time and having the reserved pergola was really nice... even though one day we arrived on the pool deck to find some other guests ensconced in it much to my perturbation!  I quietly pointed it out to some staff and the sodden squatters were swiftly and effectively removed never to squat there again for the duration of our cruise.

10 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

I’m ready to share the story of the souvenir.  I accidentally deleted what I had written so this is the condensed version.

Yes, I know I’m a wordy writer so “condensed version” means settle in with a tea or a whiskey.

 

 

When I was researching the ports for this trip one of the notes I wrote to myself was to find the black and white gallery in Seydisfjördur. In my mind I pictured an art gallery and in reality it is the cutest (smallest!) store bursting with the work of Icelandic artists and artisans. On the first leg of the cruise I saw an item that would have been perfect for me and perfect for one of my friends who is an extraordinary teacher and principal. I don’t always trust myself and I decided not to buy the item.  
 

As we sailed out of Seydisfjördur (pausing to untangle a piece of wire caught on the anchor) I deeply regretted not buying the item. I checked in all the other galleries/shops in all the other Iceland ports and was especially hopeful at the tourist information centre in Akureyri since they had other items by the same artist. 
 

No luck.

 

On the second leg of this B2B I returned to Seydisfjördur and the little gallery was so squished with people buying wooden mittens that are going to itch their hands for the next 17 years that I swooped in and out without buying anything.
 

Yes, again I regretted not buying the item. The more I thought about it the more I really wanted it for my friend.

 

After the amazing experience at the Forest Lagoon in Akureyri (this is now Akureyri take two) I decided to walk through the residential neighbourhood before finding cake.  As the houses transitioned to stores, I saw a mini version of the same art gallery that had captured my heart in Seydisfjördur.  They had the item in stock and there were just two of them. I knew I had to buy them.  When I went to pay I told the store owner the story of the item.  She told me her friend owns the store in Seydisfjördur and the item I loved so much was created by one of their best friends. She actually teared up when she was telling me about her friend and heard about my friend who is the teacher/principal. That conversation alone made the purchase so special.

 

I of course bought both of the items and carefully packed them in my handheld bag.

 

The item needed framing and after two errors by Michael’s (I will never do framing through Michael’s again!) I finally picked up the artwork today.

Thank you so very much for sharing this great story (we were all so curious)... and being a graphic designer who is very into alphabets and typography, I really appreciate your "souvenir".  Wonderful gift for your friend (and you) and very much worth the wait for the tale.

Thank you... very helpful to get me started!

Looking for any ideas and guidance for initial planning research.

Thanks in advance. 

25 minutes ago, LorraineP said:

This is why I’m asking there are 2 different pricing for YC. 
 

Is the first column for one person and the second for two people?  The math makes it look that way.

7 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Sure no problem, here is a link that was used with all the information, wished I remembered who posted the original comment.

We used the phone in the UK and Ireland, worked great especially when our driver got lost at Heathrow, and his GPS failed.

https://xtrium.com/will-my-consumer-cellular-phone-work-in-europe/

 

Thanks... I had read it was possible but it's nice to have it explained so thoroughly!

3 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Well, the well is fixed, daughter heater is now waiting on parts, fortunately, they have a pellet stove, getting cold in the Catskills and the leaves are already falling.

 

Several more things about the Star cruise.

 

Tendering - painfully slow, the reason for this is that passengers should never attempt if they are physically challenged. A gentleman who rode a scooter every day, not the guy who hit the wall but a different one, had to go. I get it, you paid for a cruise and you want to see Dublin, but it took him over 10 minutes to get down the ramp and onto the tender, I was there and watched the crew struggle to get him on safely along with his three-wheel walker. He tried to get off first but the crew stopped him and made him wait until the rest of us got off, he wasn't a happy camper.

 

Itinerary changes, things happen. Most seasoned PAX understand this could happen on any cruise but we seemed to have a lot of whinners aboard, for us it turned out to be a blessing, overnight in Cobh then an early morning train to Cork who would want more? I was talking to several guys at a pub in Cobh, one guy said " Only a damn fool or a fisherman would sail off the West Coast of Ireland this time of year "  

 

The Internet was bad really bad -  signal strength was great but between the ship and the satellite there was nothing. An orange screen was posted throughout the cruise in the Internet cafe warning of wifi interruptions. Was surprised that the free Cruise Critic site worked and that was even able to upload pictures.

 

Consumer Celluar ( not a sponsor ) worked !! Decided to downsize and break the umbilical cord to the outside world, and recently dropped my phone carrier after many years. Found here in the threads about Consumer and international calling. So thanks to the member who posted.

 

Jim 

Can you elaborate or point me in the right direction regarding Consumer Cellular and International calling?

1 hour ago, ggTexasGal said:

I do not know for certain, however, probably like, or very similar to most ships Haven Restaurant.

Breakfast hours: 7:00am - 9:30am varies by port

Lunch hours: 12:00pm - 2:00pm

Dinner hours: 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Thanks very much...

Does anyone know what the Haven Restaurant hours are for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

2 hours ago, insidecabin said:

As they have mainly been budget cruisers the move up puts them a bit out of the comfort zone.

 

One issue highlighted here is more research would have helped but also highlights to get the best from your Haven luxury experience requires far more work than it should do for someone new to Haven.

Totally agree that they were a little out of their comfort zone... nothing wrong with trying something new and commenting on it.

That said, I disagree that it takes "far more work than it should" to find out some basic information about the Haven.  A little poking around CC shows that good information is readily available regarding things like the unchanging menu in the Haven and what is and isn't included with room service, etc.

I would think that when you're spending the kind of money they did that they would take a little bit of time to find out what they were actually buying.  It's just common sense when you're dropping that kind of cash on a trip.  

I appreciate their criticisms where they were legitimate... especially about the understaffing and the kids running a bit amok without being stopped.  These and other things they mentioned should be fixed and addressed.  

But basic info about the Haven experience is reasonably easy to find out about ahead of time and they looked silly complaining about obvious stuff they should have known about before setting foot onboard.  It undermines their credibility as reviewers when they don't know the basics.

13 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

I dont know about you but I like to hear both good and bad.

I absolutely like to hear about good and bad too as they did have some legit gripes, but some of things they complained about were entirely avoidable had they done some basic research. 

And the fact that the one guy doing the planning clearly didn't research the basics about the Haven before sailing makes me wonder about other lapses of judgment on their part.  They seem like fun guys but they made some obvious blunders that I would not have expected from experienced cruisers/reviewers.

Maybe this trip was an anomaly for them...

2 hours ago, skittl1321 said:

The Civitavecchia one bothered me, because it seems like it is well known that the port is NOT Rome proper; how could it be, Rome is not a coastal city. That was click bait thumbnail 100%.    (That said, I have a Europe cruise soon, and one of the ports is "Paris", and the actual port is MUCH further from Paris than I thought it would be- looks like nearly 3 hours to get there, I was expected an hour or so; needless to say, we will not be going to Paris, and my daughter is pretty disappointed. I should have done more research, so this Rome video might help people (except since it doesn't say Rome in the title, maybe not...). 

I felt like their Haven review was reasonable, but I've never sailed in the Haven. It did seem like it just did not meet their expectations, and I think it is fair to share that. 

Completely agree with you re: their video about Civitavecchia... a little advanced research would have made a lot of things very apparent.  We've transferred from the port to Rome both by train (when we were younger and dragging our bags through the port and streets was more feasible) and now these days by private transfer due to mobility issues.  Different strokes for different folks and tons of info available.

And while it's fair to share their views of the Haven, I also feel like a number of their complaints came from an ignorance of how things work in the Haven in general, the differences between the Haven on other NCL ships vs. this new class of ships... and between the Haven and other cruise lines' version of the Haven. 

Basically, they needed to read themselves some "Sthrngary"   

They made some poor choices (grossly overpaid, sailed kid-heavy season and also sailed on one of the first sailings of a new ship – always fraught with issues) and were simply uninformed about what their Haven suite included creating some unhappy surprises... these were mostly avoidable.  After some very easy googling, how does anyone not know ahead of time that the Haven Restaurant menu does not change?  It has been that way across the fleet for many years.  A number of their complaints are "on" them as there are plenty of Haven Prima reviews and information out there to help them know what to expect.  I know one of them didn't know he was sailing in the Haven til he got there so it was up to the guy doing the surprising to educate himself to get the most out of his expensive plans.

So while they did have some legit gripes and seem like pleasant enough, well intentioned guys, I very much doubt I'll be looking at any of their videos in future as I feel their judgment is not the best and they could have avoided a good deal of their disappointments and bad surprises.

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

We were thinking the same thing. We are afraid once the Seashore arrives in the US market the same deterioration will occur to it. Another fantastic plus going for the Seashore is the Hotel Staff is MSC finest. Wish the Seashore was porting in Miami.

We sailed the Seashore out of Miami in 2021 in the YC and experienced none of these issues.  Has the post-COVID traveling public out of Miami lost its collective mind between the interlopers and elevator vandals?

9 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

@kasimir Well written and thought out.  The point is being missed but that is what happens ever time this subject comes up.  Usually, at this point, I just let it peter out.  However, I am compelled to comment.  Everything I research, write, post or comment on is designed to enhance my cruising experience.  In turn, I share it so other can consider enhancing their experience.  Part of that is to understand the aspects of an itinerary, ship, cabin level or brand.  It is clear and has been well documented that NCL is at fault for not consistently managing this or any situation that is an area of dissatisfaction to their guests. "If you make a rule, enforce the rule or have NO rules." CHECK!!

 

Now go along with me on this one.  I go on line to let's say, CruiseCritic.com.  I go to the NCL blog on the Haven.  The topic of unruly children that are not supervised by their parents controlling the Haven Pool, Hot tub and Courtyard is the topic with a lively debate going on.  Enough folks talk about it and are upset with it, it becomes a real thing.  Now I have to make a decision, how to I control this situation to make my vacation all it can be.  NCL is clearly at fault by allowing it to happen and that is not going to change until it changes.  I on the other hand will be cruising in 30 days on that ship.  I knew the issue before I booked it so there is an possibility it might happen.  Again, the question I have to ask myself is,

 

"How can I manage the situation to still create and enhanced situation for my vacation?"

 

That is the purpose of my posts. Know the possibilities and manage your expectations.  If you never even knew it was a possibility, do more research next time.  I had more then one situation and I quite frankly did not like it.  So to fix my issue and enhance my vacation here are some of the things I did.

 

When To Book: I choose dates where most smaller children and teens are in school.  Example, I used to book Thanksgiving week every year.  Now I book the week after Thanksgiving.  Problem solved and less money.

 

Brand To Book:  If I really want to solve this issue because it is that important to me, I go on Virgin, Luxury or Ultra-Luxury brands which surprisingly cost about the same as the Haven. In most cases they provide more as part of their initial fare.

 

Deal Directly with The Manager:  If I did all I could do to control the possibility and it comes up anyway, I go directly to the Manager of the department.  My approach is calm, professional, specific and direct.  I explain NCL's policies, how they are being broken and how it makes me and others around me feel.  So many times, complaints on this and other topics never are communicated directly with the leadership and instead they are shouted on Social Media which rarely handles the problem or vacation one is on. 

 

Manage Expectations:  Since I know this and other issue have a likely hood of happening, I have a discussion with my family or friends joining me.  If this happens, we do "THIS".  Usually that is going to the Haven Sundeck where the only ships I will cruise have two hot tubs up there and an age limit of 16 or above.  I have NEVER had an issue in the Haven Sundeck, ever. This strategy of Manage Expectations is a theme for my vacations.  Outside of children, another topic I manage expectations on is cruise ports.  In 44 days, I will my wife and best friends will be cruising on a Luxury Brand to 7 ports in the Mediterranean.  This brand is known to cancel ports for the smallest reason.  I know this and fully expect it. I have educated my guest on that fact.  If if happens, we will all be a bit disappointed but not shocked.  If it does not happen our expectations will be exceeded.  

 

This attitude of what I can and can not control allows me to stay positive most of the time.  If I have learned anything about cruising it is, nothing ever truly goes exactly as planned.  So know the potential trigger points, do you best to plan around them, have a back up plan, be positive and flexibly.  If you don't, you very expensive vacation will be very disappointing.  The only thing I can control is my attitude and preparation. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

 

 

BRAVO!

Thanks everyone!

10 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

So we are done kicking the tires, our original plan was thrown out the window by the YC experience. 

We may have been lucky to have a great butler, but others in the YC had different experiences with their butlers. We had no issues with our cabin or the cabin steward. It was simply put one of the best experiences we ever had. 

With the YC sanctuary, you can venture out and explore the ship but when things get too crazy head back to that safe place. Having no upcharges on any drink, unlimited internet for two devices and a DSC cost almost $7 dollars less is just more icing on the cake.

2024 is already booked so what about 2025, sailing out NYC on the Prima is around $265 per day per person ( balcony ), or the Meraviglia at $226 per day ( YC interior ).

We haven't abandoned NCL, the grass is not always greener on the other side but right now for our Winter cruise out of NYC, this makes the most sense. 

 

Jim

Welcome to embracing MSC as a cruising option... We felt exactly the same way on both our YC cruises!

Has anyone done this tour on the Viva?  I know she's only been sailing a short while, but wondered how it was on that ship.

1 minute ago, julig22 said:

You don't go to the engine room, only the engine viewing room.

Photos seem to depend on the ship. On the Sun, photos were ok on the bridge except for the navigation screen. Only other restriction was in the main crew corridor.

I'm on the Sky now and have the latitudes tour booked. And it says No video cameras, phones or recorders permitted on the tour. Not sure if still pics are allowed, will have to ask.

Please let me know how what happens on your tour.... thank you!  We're on the fence about the tour and all the input has been really helpful!

Just now, MCMC100 said:

This appears to be a ship by ship policy. I did the tour on Joy in September. I had no restrictions on video/photos anywhere except the engine control room and bridge. We could only take pictures of the ocean view from the bridge - which is practically identical to the ocean view from the observation lounge one deck above. I shot video walking down I95 and noticed nothing covered on the walls.  The wardrobe room was also on the tour and people took many photos of the costumes for Footloose. (As an aside, the production manager told us she did not know what was replacing Footloose, only knew the props were being offloaded during the dry dock in Southampton.)  

 

The tour was fascinating. The galley and store rooms are unbelievable. The laundry was also eye popping (4,000 pool towels washed, dried, folded each day).  It’s a whole city down below and really gives you an understanding of what it takes to operate these ships. 

Thank for all the great information!

THANK YOU!  That's everything I needed to know!  Much appreciated...

As usual, the great people on this web site come through!

Thanks very much! 

Was there a view of the engine room from the engine control room on the ship you were on?

Also, in the engine control room, is there a window of sorts overlooking the engine room at all.  My husband is a nuts and bolts kind of guy so these things interests him greatly,

Thanks in advance.

I reread the description and you are correct... it says "engine control room", so I assumed incorrectly. Has anyone else had experience like Laszlo's?