gigem_aggies

They booked yesterday.  Because it was less than 24 hours NCL waived the cancellation fees.  They absolutely did receive a full refund.  

Well, our friends have decided to cancel as they just don't feel like they have enough time to get their passport.  This was a last minute booking (yesterday), so they were able to get a full refund, thankfully.

I will say this though--the wording from NCL's website and the vagueness of their agents when asked for specific requirements for this sailing are an issue.  This is specifically listed as a Caribbean cruise on both the NCL site and on the booking confirmation.  I realize that the Caribbean covers a wide range of areas, but then NCL should update their wording on the Travel Documents page they keep referring guests to so as not to lump all of the Caribbean in with birth certificates as an acceptable form of documentation.  If there are ports on Caribbean sailings that require a passport for travel, then the below photo is NOT accurate information.  

And, we always travel with passports and I'm not debating the importance of having them.  In this particular instance there wasn't enough time for our friends to renew as it was a last minute booking for them.

8 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

The specific country that might require a passport is Columbia. Columbia may also require 6 months left. Also vaccination and covid test. 

What's interesting is on the excursions page for our sailing, the Panama excursions say "All guests going on tour in Panama will need to bring a valid passport with minimum validity of 6 months." 

Which is really not an issue as they didn't plan to get off in Panama anyway.  

But, there is no such notice on the Columbia excursions.  

I guess I'm just frustrated by the lack of clarity.  Our friends specifically looked at all of this information and because 1) the way it's worded on NCL's travel requirements site and 2) the way it's worded on the cruise description, they thought they were booking a closed loop Caribbean sailing.  Now they have to scramble to get emergency passports.  😞

10 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Yeah…looks like it’s clearly stated, passports are needed to go through the canal.  I forget the exact regulations, but IIRC, if a cruise ship enters territorial waters, they are considered being the same as if you set foot on that territory’s land.

 

Caribbean covers a lot of ground.  Haiti is considered Caribbean, as is part of Mexico.  Part of the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean are Dutch.  Point being, it’s not really a closed loop sailing.

 

If your friends can get to a Passport agency, and make an appointment to get in, they MIGHT be able to secure one in time. 

 

I wouldn’t wait to debate if they needed the passport, though.  They don’t have time.  They need to get one now.

I guess I don't read it that way--this does not go THROUGH the canal, so it's not really clearly stated.  It specifically says "for all Panama Canal sailings", yet this is not listed as a Panama Canal sailing and even in the decription for the cruise, nowhere is Panama Canal mentioned (see below)

And, when I called NCL they were not helpful.  They directed me to the required documents page that I posted originally.

11 day sailing on the Joy that is listed as a CARIBBEAN sailing.  It makes a stop in Panama, but does NOT go through the canal.  It is a US closed loop sailing.  

NCL's travel documentation page says a birth certificate and government ID is acceptable for US closed loop Caribbean cruises, which is what this is listed as.  However, for Panama CANAL cruises, a passport is required.

Of course, we always travel with a passport, but part of our party booked this cruise and specifically looked to see if a passport was required because they do not have them.

So, seeking clarification here--is a passport required? You can see below how the cruise we booked is listed as a Caribbean cruise while the Panama Canal cruises are listed as that.  And, then the passport requirements page from NCL.

*Also, I KNOW the importance of traveling with a passport and have expressed that to the rest of our party.*  That's not my question though.  🙂  

I apologize if this has been asked before.  I did do a search and couldn't find anything, no matter what I searched.

Ok, so we have are traveling with 2 other couples.  Neither of the other wives drink enough to justify the FAS drink package on our 10 day cruise, but their husbands do.  Can we book the wives in a room together without the FAS drinks and the husbands together with the FAS drinks and then switch people once onboard?

We have sailed Carnival 4 times since the restart--more than a dozen times in total.  We used to have VIFP offers and players club offers all the time.  Now, neither my husband nor myself has anything other than the standard 4 offers that I think everyone gets.  I don't even have the birthday offer in my VIFP account right now.  Is there someone I can contact to figure out what I did or why this is happening???  

I do typically gamble, but not a ton--$100-200 over a week or shorter cruise.  So odd.

For what it's worth, we had zero issues boarding last Sunday (March 13) with the Walgreen's NAAT rapid test.  They looked for our names, birthdates, date of test and negative result two different times at the port.  Never even looked to see what kind of test it was.

8 minutes ago, margie1221 said:

I have taken this test four times since August 2021 - no more than an hour or so for the results (better than advertised).  One time we did a few errands after the test and got the results on our phones before we even got home!!!  Print out the report (two pages) and bring with your other documents to check in at the pier.  Note:  I have not yet personally used this test result on NCL - but understand from the Breakaway Roll Call and the 3/5 Escape Roll Call that it was accepted without being challenged.  My direct experience for acceptance was on Celebrity and Carnival...

Same here.  4 different times and each time had the results within an hour or so.  I took one this past Friday to make sure it would be negative (see my post on the reasoning behind that in this thread) and had the results back before I even got back to my office.

I still haven't heard back from Guest Relations, however several folks on the Breakaway FB group that boarded yesterday used the Walgreens Rapid ID Now Diagnostic test and had zero issues.  I think we are going to go ahead and use it (unless I hear something from NCL this week) and if worse comes to worse, will just pay at the port to be tested there.  🙂

14 hours ago, fsupharm77 said:

My NAAT was still showing positive 5 weeks after my first test and 2 days before my cruise.  Antigen test was negative at pier.  I would probably do a proctored antigen if I were cruising in the next couple of weeks.

This happened to a friend, too!  But, my NAAT test yesterday was negative, so IF NCL gets back to me and tells me it will be accepted, I'll go ahead and use that next week.  I have a rapid antigen test scheduled as well--it's just not as convenient of a location (40 miles from home vs. down the street).

I actually went ahead and scheduled a test for TODAY so I could see what the results look like and show them to NCL to see if they will accept it.  (Side note:  I also scheduled the appointment today because I had Covid in early January and have heard you can still test positive on both this Rapid ID Now test and a regular PCR test for months, even after you are recovered, so I wanted to see if that happened.  I have tested negative on an antigen test multiple times since recovering.)

Well, I'm glad I brought this up because it seems lots of folks have the same questions!

In my quest for more info, I did find this on a completely different and non-cruise affiliated website:

https://physiciansimmediatecare.com/clearing-up-the-confusion-on-types-of-covid-testing/

It specifically says:  If you do NOT have symptoms, but need testing for travel, work, school, etc., Physicians Immediate Care offers the Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 Rapid Molecular PCR test (This is a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test – NAAT) with results in under 15 minutes. We prefer this test due to its high accuracy and speed of results. Results are available in less than 15 minutes, making it the fastest rapid point of care molecular COVID-19 test. Walk-in or reserve your time online.

So, it references the Abbot ID Now as a Rapid PCR and that is the same test administered at Walgreens.  

But, I'm not a doctor so I have no idea.  

9 minutes ago, zzupschuck said:

The ID Now test is a PCR test.  It is accepted.  Going to Walgreens 2 weeks from today for my test...3/20 Breakaway Cruise.

Thank you.  That was what my internet research told me, but I looked back at our Walgreens testing email from a January cruise on a different line and it didn't say PCR anywhere on the results.  Which had me second guessing myself.  

And, we will be disembarking as you get onboard.  Happy sailing!

3 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

NCL's site has embedded links for assorted vendors listed within their FAQs. (blue print vs black print)

Yes, but none of those are free.  Walgreens and CVS are free.  I've used both Walgreens and CVS for 5 different cruises since the restart on different cruise lines.

I have searched and searched, but haven't come up with any results.  If it's been asked and answered on this board, forgive me!  However, considering that the testing requirements just changed on March 1, I thought I'd ask here.

Does anyone know if the Rapid Id Now Diagnostic Test (this is the red dot test on the Walgreens site) is accepted by NCL?  It is for other cruise lines.

NCL only says "PCR or Antigen" test.  I called and the agent wasn't sure.  Other cruise lines give you an entire list of alllll the different kinds of tests that fall under PCR and Antigen.  

We have this offer for our sailing next week.  I wonder if we could just upgrade 1 of us so we would have a total of 3 specialty dining meals each instead of 4 (2 for free at sea plus the 2 upgrade).

Thanks!  This is pretty much what we do as well, though I usually just give the guide $5 per person in our family and assume they split it.  Our next cruise is just the hubby and me, so I think I'll give the driver $10 and the guide $10 and call it a day.

How much do you tip on shore excursions?  Considering there is usually a driver and a couple of guides?  Do you tip each one individually or give one guy the tip with the thought that they split them at the end?

We've been on dozens of shore excursions and have always wondered if I over or under tip!

I purchased through Allianz.  Essential package through Allianz was about the same as NCL's chepa package.  Allianz covers Covid cancellation and trip interruption (in case of the need to quarantine on ship).  And, getting my money back was more important to me than FCC.  

I'm helping my parents with their Tahiti to Honolulu sailing May 31.  What's the process like for air through NCL?  Has anyone else on this sailing booked their air yet?  Do they allow you to come in a day early/fly out a day after debarkation?

1 hour ago, jcscv said:

Boy, what a nail biter waiting for upgrade information is!  I found out this afternoon, I've been upgraded from an inside room to a Spa Balcony room for my cruise this Sunday on Bliss.  So excited!!!!

May I ask what you bid and when you placed the bid?

We sail on the Breakaway March 13 and I am considering putting in a bid for an upgrade from a regular balcony to a spa.  It's not a make or break thing for me, so I haven't placed it yet.  But, I am tempted.  Looks like the starting bids are at $65/pp.

3 hours ago, MtnCliner said:

We would rate our favorites as Ocean Blue, Cagneys and the Bistro. Personally, I like the Moderno salad bar and meat skewers, but I'm the only one in our foursome that does.

Ocean Blue isn't on that many ships, so we consider it a special treat.

Ocean Blue and Cagney's is where we are leaning since we can have hibachi and churrascaria meals in our home town.  But, hard to decide since we love both.  🙂

Just booked a last minute sailing on the Breakaway for mid-March.  Favorite specialty dining?  We have a balcony and free at sea, so have 2 specialty meals included.  My birthday is the first sea day, so trying to decide is hard!  😄 

On 1/28/2022 at 1:55 PM, TxTeach79 said:

Kyndall Fire, CD. It's cool having a gal from Texas as CD on a cruise out of Galveston. Hearing her cruise director origin story was awesome (and highly relatable as a kid who fell in love with all this on the Celebration in 1988).

 

 

Sailaway. Maybe the wobble, maybe the electric slide. You know the routine. 

 

 

Whale tail

 

 

ThirstyFrog Red down in the Skybox after sailaway 

 

 

Pop open YouTubeTV to watch former North Texas Mean Green great Mason Fine get some playing time forthe Saskatchewan Roughriders. #GMG

 

Also, the premium internet was WAY faster on Vista than any other ship I've been on. Not even close. No problem streaming almost any time. 

 

OMG!  I was on this sailing and just found me and my girls in your Sail Away Deck party pic!  We are in the bottom right corner, blue shirts.  (Also a UNT grad, but also an Aggie grad, so I bleed maroon!)