Planmaam

Wow, there are some truly talented photographers here on CC! Thanks for sharing.

I guess I need to visit more forums when things get dull here on the NCL one!;)

 

P.S. there's links to two reviews with lots of pictures in my signature. Warning, we were in a penthouse suite.

Amazing, thanks for sharing the story! This just made my day, as many before me have also said.

Per cabin. The amount depends upon the number of cabins and the level of cabins purchased.

 

They send you an amenity menu with your total points earned.

 

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A group is 8 or more cabins in a booking. Friends and family can have reservations linked together to become a group.

 

We decided we could get more value with a cocktail party than with the $25.00 per cabin OBC.

 

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We had three amenity points for our January 2013 cruise on the Star, and chose to use them all for one-hour cocktail parties.

 

I e-mailed the proper person (group coordinator, I think?) several times, first requesting the dates and approximate times. She e-mailed back with the available rooms. We preferred the Star Bar for all 3, and had them shortly after sail-aways from ports. Not all of our times were available for the Star Bar, so I requested other times so we could use this one, our favorite for small gatherings like this. (We had also had one on the Pearl during our last Alaska cruise in 2009).

 

We were able to get accommodated for all three parties in the Star Bar. There were not any drinks ready for us, we all ordered as we arrived. The bartender and one waiter were there, and they soon got to know the drinks we all liked. I think they limited us to bar brands. We tipped very well the first night, and after that the drinks flowed very freely! The waiter would bring us two at a time to be able to accommodate everyone during the hour, and when the hour was getting close to the end, he asked us if we wanted more, and would usually bring us two more. We were able to take them with us to dinner, then.

 

On the last day, some people came into the bar, and though there was a sign "closed for private event", they talked with the bartender and were allowed to sit near the door until we our hour was over.

 

We tipped very well for all three events, and the bartender and waiter made special drinks for our granddaughters, ages 4 & 5 at the time. Shirley Temples with lots of cherries, if I remember correctly. The girls also made friends with them, and would sit at the bar and be paid special attention. Just little things, like hand-slap games, etc., but they loved it and it surely went a long way with the grandmothers!!!

 

So you can pick your day, time, and place, but sometimes not all three can be accommodated, but they try very hard, and work to make the time very special. We will surely do it again when we have enough people to be a group!

 

Have fun!

I would not like a card that is buy so many get one free. I would rather have a card to buy a set number during the week for a set price.

I guess another option would to order breakfast room service. We could get a pot or 2 for the 3 of us.

 

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Excuse me if this has been discussed previously, but I haven't seen it discussed.

 

My niece recently cruised on Princess and they offered a specialty coffee card for the week, and I thought it would be a great idea! They offered it for $39.99/week, but if purchased on the first day, it was $29.99/week. Don't know about anyone else, but I'd jump at that deal.

 

I have not previously bought the specialty coffees on my NCL cruises, but if they offered something like this, I'd buy it.

 

What are your thoughts? Would you but it if it were offered? And what is the price you would be willing to pay, and the threshold where you would not buy it?

 

Just wondering/hoping.......................

I think the Pearl's spa is the best in the fleet.

Had to go to my signature to see how long until my next cruise. But how, at 2:30 in the afternoon can the hours on the cruise be 8? If it's 2:30 here in mountain time, it must be 4:30 in Boston. Just wondering................................................:confused:

Heard on the nightly news last night that a record number of people are booking vacations to warmer weather to escape the cold, snowy, icy winter! Bet the cruise industry is loving it!

 

Here's wishes for sunny, warm weather escapes for all of you!

There are pictures of our two next-door aft penthouse suites in the Western Caribbean review linked in my signature. Bear in mind there are pictures of the balcony dividers open, which they no longer allow. (Sure was nice, though!)

Would love to hear your weather updates and travel plans, firsttimeVA and cruisingcasinos. What are you doing/going to do?

OMG, you would SO love an aft penthouse! My favorite location, I've had two now, and aft balconies before that.

The suite perks are wonderful on NCL, and I've fit into the saying, "once a suite, always a suite!"

Go for it. Especially if it's an anniversary.

And time to loosen those apron strings; let Grandma have a wonderful week with her granddaughter! (Speaking as a grandmother.)

I haven't done the dining package, but we did dine in 4 specialty restaurants and do the Chef's Table on the last cruise. If you want to do Chef's Table, don't do dining package, as it is not included, and still costs over and above, but worth it. I won't do less than two dinners in Le Bistro, my favorite specialty restaurant on any cruise.

So my opinion is to take the aft penthouse suite and enjoy!

 

 

 

Me.

 

Haha! I was going to say the same thing! Still will: ME!

Well, shoot; that's a disappointment, isn't it. I was really hoping they spent the night there.

 

So it must not be much different from the other two times we've been there. Arrive in the a.m., spend a couple of hours, then slowly leave again.

 

Thanks for all the responses. See, I knew I'd find the answer from fellow CCers!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, so sad this come to an end. I know you loved this cruise, so this makes me happy, though. So looking forward to find out what you think of the Princess ship you get to visit next month.

I have a question about NCL's ships overnighting in Glacier Bay. I have not looked at Alaska itineraries for a couple of years, and the search option is down, so forgive me if this has already been discussed; I did also check the Alaska boards, to no avail.

 

Its about overnighting in Glacier Bay. Is this new this year or have they done it before? Regardless, does anyone know whether they keep the lights low upper decks of the ship so that you can see the night sky clearly? Seeing the Aurora Borealis, and the Milky Way would be spectacular from there!!!

 

Anyone with answers, I thank you in advance.

Well, I'd love to be the Ma'am to do that itinerary with you again. Sure do wish I could have joined you on this one. You know I want to be Platinum also before our next cruise in 19 months!

 

So loved living it vicariously through your review, though!

OK, third Ma'am here; the one that couldn't be on this cruise.

 

I want you to know that I sweated bullets along with my sisters! Medica'ma'am's paniced call after work on Thursday just after she got the text about their flight being cancelled called me into duty, too. I went to a website to check flights for all flights out of Houston, and found there were some, if they wanted to pay over $800.00 each to fly to Miami last minute. And waited with baited breath for news from them every mile of their journey. I talked to them when they had cell service throughout the trip, and was watching the Port of Miami webcam as they were boarding, and again at their sail away time.

 

I mean really, they promised to wave at me from Spice H2O! :)

Can't wait to read this thread through! Thanks for pictures, especially.

How did you see this? I could not find the Bow Cam for the Getaway on NCL's site, and another site for all ship cameras did not have the Getaway listed.:confused:

Thanks planma'am. I actually followed your review with lots of anticipation before my cruise.

 

You are correct that we were the only NCL ship in Cozumel. It was weird not having a neighbor that day.

 

The captain did not attend our meet & meet and we were not invited to tour the bridge. Not sure if NCL is cutting back on bridge tours.

 

Even with the $10 increase, the chef's table is a good deal. We are probably not going to do it on our next cruise unless the change the menu. How did you like the atmosphere in Ke Bistro during the chef's table?

 

I was fine with the atmosphere in Le Bistro during Chef's Table. Honestly, I was not even aware of the area of the restaurant beyond the divider. I was just totally "into" our experience, and the wine helped!

 

So sad you didn't get an invite for a bridge tour; we did, as you know if you followed our review. It was not for CC members, though, as all did not get the invite. I think it might have been for suite passengers. The invitation did not attribute it to anything in particular. I have to say my second bridge tour of the Star was my favorite, as the captain was not only there, but he stayed the whole time, even posing for pictures with us. My favorite part, though, was when my 5-year-old granddaughter asked the captain a question and he treated her with the same respect he would any other passenger!

 

Can't wait to read more of your review.

It's a joy to ready your review and see your pictures, jmele999. Just 5 weeks after our Jewel cruise, with a lot of similarities and many differences. New officers and staff, and a different itinerary. Though we were in a suite, it was not a Haven Suite, so it's nice to see more of the perks you get with the Haven. Oh, and the Chef's Table went up $10.00. Still worth it, even at that price, IMHO.

 

Did the captain attend your Meet & Greet? I guess the Star was not docked beside you in Cozumel because you were there earlier in the week (was it Tuesday?) rather than on Friday.

 

Keep up the good work; anxiously awaiting the remainder of your review.