SeaShark

While I don't disagree with your intent, I don't think Cruise Critic is really the answer...there are just waaaaay too many opinions and too few facts here anymore. Lots of folks providing opinions and guesses rather than answers. For example, there is an active thread right now where someone asked the cost of Vibe for their cruise...and they got 36 replies (so far)...and it simply does not take 36 different answers to learn the price of the Vibe.

Answer #1 - Everyone has an opinion, and needless to say not everyone's opinion is correct 100% of the time. So, based on that, consider that your opinion here might not be correct. Additionally, while it may be easy to take care of most of these things by yourself, most is not all. The real question to ask is what is the downside to using a planner/TA/PCC? They certainly don't cost you money, right? Answer #2 - Ask the same question, but substitute "lawyer" for "planner". Sure, you can represent yourself in the legal system, but a good attorney is worth their weight in gold, no?

Sorry, my bad...I went and checked and Norwegian's policy is that you have to be 21 or older (not 18) to be in a cabin by yourself.

The problem with people claiming to want Vibe to escape being around kids is that IF this was true, then you'd see similar interest for the same reason in booking a Studio Cabin. Like the Vibe, there is nobody under 18 allowed in the Studio complex...no kids staying in the rooms, no kids wandering the halls...adults only. There is, of course, another reason why Haven guests would want to pay extra to have access to a "lesser area" like the Vibe...the "kids" angle is just a smokescreen, IMHO.

You'd think with all of the complaints, suggestions, and demand that NCL would have placed a bar on the Haven sun deck by now. Unless, of course, they're not getting the demand from their Haven guests.

Can you please share links to verifiable stories of hidden rubber ducks on cruise ships causing environmental "disasters"?

This is exactly correct...especially given that your cruise starts/ends in different countries. You will need to be processed by immigration, and that may not be able to happen on Saturday.

If you go to YouTube and search for "Norwegian Joy Club Balcony #13200" you will find a video of the same cabin that you booked except that it is on the Port side of the ship. The video doesn't show the balcony (the curtain is closed), but you should be able to ask any questions on the balcony in the comment section for the video.

The deck plans available on the NCL website confirm what your TA said: As you can see, your cabin is annotated as "PrivaSea" indicating that there is some level of obstruction to the view...IOW, your will not be 100% the same as a "normal" cabin in this category. There is nothing, though, to tell you exactly what the level of obstruction is for any given cabin...it could be nothing more than the type of divider between your cabin and the one immediately forward.

Vibe Beach Club is a private outdoor sundeck area with a bar...it is not a restaurant.

Actually, the WORDS matter (they always do). If the giver (the guest) determines the amount, it is a gratuity. If the amount is dictated, then it is, by law, a service charge. A business can recommend a 20% gratuity, but if they assess the 20% then it legally is a service charge...no matter what they call it. People should really take the time to research, read, and learn rather than try to parse and argue. Just a basic, what is the difference between a service charge and a gratuity? If they are the same, why the different names? What are the ramifications of one over the other? However, we don't do that on CC...

It is different because what it added is a service charge (property of the business) and not a gratuity/tip (property of the employee).

However, a restaurant service charge is NOT a tip/gratuity. It helps to understand the difference. That aside, check out the flag that your ship flies. When onboard you aren't "in the US".

This is actually bad logic (and a social faux-paus). When traveling, you should respect the customs and norms of where you ARE, not those where you are FROM. Where I am from, driving is done on the right side of the road. However, if I travel to the UK, I drive on the left as they do, not on the right because that is the norm where I'm from. Tipping should be treated the same way. I may tip here at home, but if I travel to Australia, I would not tip as that is the norm there.

Who said anything about having Free at Sea? Again...this is an upgrade package...you have to have the items to upgrade them. If you declined one or more while booking, you'd lose your eligibility and the rest wouldn't matter. The T&C are your friend.

Huh? For one, this is an UPGRADE package, so you have to have the base benefits to upgrade, if you didn't have the packages you wouldn't even be eligible...so obviously you can't see value for someone without the package. OTOH, if someone did care about upgrading, they wouldn't even be looking at this...and just because someone doesn't care about upgrading doesn't mean that there isn't value, it just means that person doesn't care to take advantage of the value offered.

I never said you needed permission from me, or anyone else. Why would you make something up just to argue against it. THAT is what is silly. In any case, what argument are you talking about? I just asked what the numbers were for your cruise, you responded that you had no idea. Since you really have no numbers, you have no basis to support your claim, so there isn't even anything to argue or disagree on.

Well, that is a nice list of caveats, but you waited until AFTER you made the declaration (based on no numbers) to provide them. It would have been clearer had you provided the relevant information up front instead of parsing it out little by little. Besides, if you're only interested in ONE thing, it really makes no sense for you to comment on the value of the entire package at all...value in this, or any other, package comes from those who are interested in the entire package, not just one small part.

Sorry, but if you don't know and you won't even effort to understand the numbers, I don't see how you can say "Not a bargain, by any stretch of the imagination." It could very well be a HUGE bargain and you don't even realize it because you're looking at only one single item in the package (extra specialty dining) and using a rounded-up cost ($1600) to make a flawed comparison.

For my upcoming Encore cruise, if I log into MyNCL it tells me that I would have to pay an extra $243.60 to upgrade my drink package, an extra $49.93 to upgrade my wifi package, and an extra $106.80 to add 2 more meals to my meal package...a total of $400.33. This new deal only would cost me $294.00 for the same additional benefits. A savings of over 26%, which, IMHO should qualify as a bargain. What are the numbers you see for your cruise?

For someone who was going to get all of those upgrades, this will save them money...which is a good thing, right? Not sure why saving money deserves the ":o".

If you have to call NCL and do things yourself, then what exactly is the TA doing to earn their money? (Rhetorical) Call your TA. They are there to take care of you and make things easy for you. You shouldn't hesitate to call them for anything on your vacation.

Why are you "very unhappy with the Second Person Flies Free promotion"? In other threads, you claimed to have booked using NCL's Premium Air...2nd Person Flies Free is part of the Free at Sea air promo and does NOT operate under the same T&C that Premium Air does. Which did you book?

However, Premium Air allows you to make changes...the real question would be why you failed to do so. Personally, I think you mixed up Premium Air with the Free at Sea air promo, but you can't/won't admit that...

Are these people affiliated with NCL? Why would you ask that? Is the ONLY reason that someone wouldn't jump on the bandwagon because they are affiliated with NCL? By that logic, we can assume that those who post negative are affiliated with RCCL and/or CCL, right? And, the next time you want to tell people "you are worthless", please keep your last sentence in mind.