$hip$hape

28 minutes ago, Zippeedee said:

The only consistency is the inconsistency.

Even ships with the same menus serve food that never seems to be the same twice.

I like a strip steak and have had good luck with those at Cagney's on multiple ships.

They did not have them on the Breakaway TA. The rib eye I ordered instead was the worst piece of meat I have ever been served in a restaurant.

SO tough and stringy I could barely cut it or chew it.

After trying to cut at multiple angles I finally found a corner I could actually eat. 

 

 

Sometimes, me thinks steaks would have been better served as ground beef.🙂

Just now, $hip$hape said:

Hi Lenny!

I've always enjoyed your sense of humor.

We skipped the next Norwegian TransAtlantic cruise, on the Encore in November,

for a try of a Southern Atlantic Crossing on the Viking Jupiter a week later.

Michael

Below

32 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

no I don't think it is just you:

I would never say we have had a horrible meal as you explain it,

but I don't remember ever being totally impressed either

and it always seems to be very crowded.  

WE happened to see our steaks being brought out (and placed on a side table)

at the same time our appetizers were being served.  

By the time our main course served, they were cold.

Lack of management.

On 9/9/2019 at 2:50 PM, JennyB1977 said:

@bud88 There are no definitive rules.

You have three big options which may relieve some of what you are looking to avoid:

1) Do not book "super discounted" trips

2) Book a "premium" line

3) Search for charters and avoid ones that may offend you

 

 Other than the suggestions offered above, getting on a vessel with 2+ thousand other people is always a gamble.

 

I like posts like this...

OP... This fall, WE will be trying a Viking Ocean TransAtlantic Cruise.

Seems the highlight, will be a Certified Bridge ( card game)  couple, to teach of our Bridge incongruities.. ☺️

Maybe this type of cruise would be more of your cup of tea.😎

Travel while you can.

My father-in-law said, "Why travel, when you can read about places in a book?"

On 8/31/2019 at 12:24 AM, clo said:

Of course. 

But I assume you do that all the time, don't you?

 

How to start an argument...

1. State an opinion.

2. Wait.

😎

4 hours ago, Trend said:

Problem is that flights are known for delays to the falls.

If booking independently take that into account.

We spent the money and used the cruise lines tour even with delay it worked well,

just one view we could only visit for a short time as they close the gates at 5 pm.

Could you please,

give any more any more information ? 

Michael

1 minute ago, Shoppie124 said:

So funny you posted that.

 I went to high school with Ani. She was a couple years older than me.😂😂

"funny" in an ironic way.

I 💗 Ani

9 minutes ago, Shoppie124 said:

I was on the ship.  They ran out of romaine, strawberries and rye bread!

there were plenty of alternatives!

"Starving."

(Personal memories  of searching through a garbage dump.)

Squint your eyes a bit closer; you may be eating your words.

Ani DiFranco

6 minutes ago, hilomelko said:

I think the cherry on top was the last day the captain did not address the passengers,

not in front of the ship as everyone disembarked,

not over the PA system nothing..

silence.....

Maybe he was busy. (?)

Just wondering, if you stood in line at the customer service desk?

10 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

NCL would much rather having guests on the ship spending money

than dropping them off at a port

and pay to fly them back to Miami.

An empty ship is a money pit.

Right on ! 

21 minutes ago, SunsetPoint said:

Everyone's been starving???  When did Newsweek turn into the National Enquirer?

I find, on a vacation, it's the unexpected things we remember most. 🙂

...we could be just sitting at home, watching things develop on TV,

and it's cheaper than "starving".

23 minutes ago, shof515 said:

https://www.newsweek.com/hurricane-dorian-strands-cruise-ship-passengers-new-orleans-everyones-been-starving-no-one-1457562

From the above...

Another, Heidi Dowd, simply said:

"I learned never again travel during hurricane season."

Angry passengers are now demanding answers from Norwegian,

accusing the company of poor communication and organization.

Sarah Alonso, who was on the Norwegian Breakaway, told Fox 8 on Tuesday they had been confined to a cargo terminal in New Orleans with no one allowed in or out.

"Everyone's been starving, no one knows what's going on,

basically Norwegian Breakaway just dumped us here and said 'see you later,'"

Alonso said. "Everyone's losing it a little bit right now. We've been here for hours, it's hot,

we've called our families countless times with different travel arrangements, different plans."

Alonso was eventually able to board a chartered plane out of New Orleans.

11 minutes ago, OSUZorba said:

I'm pretty sure this is the real reason.

Only so many toilets on a line can flush at once.

Memories, years ago, written on a college dormitory restroom wall;

"Flush twice; it's a long way to the cafeteria."

"One more flush and it was all over.

The thing was gone and out of my life."

David Sedaris

31 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

We've experienced that on several cruises.  

When the clog is really bad, it can take a hour or so for the toilet to flush. 

However most times the delay is just a few seconds.

We've had this happen too.

 David Sedaris (writer comedian) tells a funny story, about using a restroom at a house party.

 unrelated, but nonetheless hysterical

https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a129/sedaris-big-boy-1199/

He had to pee, and there was a huge turd stuck in the toilet. 

Then someone knocked on the door.

"It" would not flush, and he did not want to get blamed.

Now what?

😎

,,,So embarrassing, to call the Chief Engineer .🙂

4 hours ago, spanishguy1970 said:

no, only for the HAVEN spa suite

I’m going to capitalize SPA 

1 minute ago, MasterCoach said:

We booked a mid ship mini suite and then added the spa pass. 

We are sailing on the Bliss and the various reviews seem to indicate the sun deck creates a lot of noise for the spa mini suites which are located under the sun deck and pools on deck 15.

My hope is NCL does not oversell the thermal suite.  

As you should.

NCL did not oversell on our cruises.

On of the reasons to book a Spa Balcony / Suite.

If you wait, you maybe told it closed out.

On 11/13/2018 at 7:57 AM, beerman2 said:

All depends on timing of booking. Book early probably , book late not so much.

We are a little under 60 days and Balcony ( highest category available) is more than what I paid for Spa Balcony.

 

Now it would cost $650.00 more.

 

If I remember correctly the reason we booked spa Balcony was a better price than booking  Balcony/Spa passes separately.

 

Not saying it's always that way but people need to look/shop what is best.

"You can also get a regular balcony and pay the $200 per week for the spa access".(?)

All depends on timing of booking and YOUR package.

Also, if I may add, WE only book the spa on TransAtlanics, where there are many sea-days.

On port-intensive cruises the Spa price may not be worth the cost.

😎

43 minutes ago, ducklite said:

There's not much to see on open water.

I was speaking of places and things other than a random tanker or RoRo.

Sea days...

Open water sightings..

HA!

Oh, Like when we pax start picking on others "cup of tea", or style of dress.😉

Me DW may comment on a skirt, I spy,  to be too high for her comfort .😎

But if it's a swimming suit it's okay ?

19 minutes ago, Mike981 said:

Most people, no matter how good a person they are,

do things that can be judged by others and looked down upon.

Do I think chogs are correct in their actions?

Of course not.

Sorry for shortening your post.

But I found it ...nice.

Besides, after all these years, found  the term "CHOGS"  posted for the first time.

Was this your original acronym?

I like it.

Michael

5 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I believe this is why most of the pool deck staff are reluctant to remove personal items from  pool loungers. Do people actually stand around and time how long a pool lounger with someones personal belongings has been personally unoccupied? 

5 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I believe this is why most of the pool deck staff are reluctant to remove personal items from  pool loungers. Do people actually stand around and time how long a pool lounger with someones personal belongings has been personally unoccupied? 

We have found NO pool deck staff. That is why pax actually stand around.

5 minutes ago, clo said:

And here we sit with our ten year visa that still has a number of years to run. 

Oh, well, it's a good looking thing glued into our passport. 🙂

WE applied and received our Brazilian visas just before the announcement,

that they were no longer needed.

In November, we will present them anyway.😊

15 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

On one of our  cruises a number of years ago

we watched the pool deck attendant.

 

 Guess they got too many complaints...🙄🙄

Funny... how pool deck attendants are no longer available. 😎

Only waiters,  to sell drinks.

10 minutes ago, clo said:

We can't remember but the places along the beach may not take credit cards.  But, man, with that exchange rate, it won't take a lot.  That couldn't be more vague, could it?  Sorry.  We always have reals from previous trips so we don't think about it.  

10 minutes ago, clo said:

We can't remember but the places along the beach may not take credit cards.  But, man, with that exchange rate, it won't take a lot.  That couldn't be more vague, could it?  Sorry.  We always have reals from previous trips so we don't think about it.  

10 minutes ago, clo said:

We can't remember but the places along the beach may not take credit cards.  But, man, with that exchange rate, it won't take a lot.  That couldn't be more vague, could it?  Sorry.  We always have reals from previous trips so we don't think about it.  

Sorry, I’m having issues with the Cruise Critic website.

But me thinks I agree with you. No credit card should be needed for the pittance of cash we plan to use for taxi and drinks.

WE are also digging out unused reals. I just hope they’re not obsolete.😀