UFMOM

I am currently dealing with an upper respiratory infection that started 2 days before leaving the Equinox this past Saturday. I feel that coughing in the elevators is a big factor. Unfortunately I use a cane and can not use the stairs easily. This is not the first time I’ve gotten this on a ship. I am extremely diligent about hand washing and sanitizer. Washing or sanitizing as you enter will not help after you touch tongs, menus and salt and pepper shakers etc. I sanitize right before I handle any food item when on a cruise. I have never gotten noro but there is no escaping droplet contamination from people coughing and sneezing as you pass or are near you in a theater or in a confined area. 

Mary Ann

On our Bliss Panama transit there were multiple port changes after final payment. Lack of tenders due to them being used by other cruise lines was one of the excuses going around. It seems like missed and changed ports seem to be a staple of NCL Panama cruises.

Mary Ann

They can probably tell through the ship’s system whether he put any drinks on his card. Although not 100 percent since he could have been drinking before he boarded or had a drink bought by someone else on the ship. They should look at the cards of the whole family. I would think he would have been blood tested for drugs and alcohol shortly after the accident, but I don’t know what the procedure is. 

Mary Ann

4 hours ago, shealea said:

I wonder if the grandfather had been drinking at all. 

 

Supposedly no.

Mary Ann

Definitely not worth it to me to buy. We are not platinum, but I would not pay for what they give you.  

Mary Ann

2 hours ago, CoffeeGoddess said:

I get the teas at Starbucks as well. Basically anything on the menu should be covered but not the snacks or baked goods. 

 

There is an amendment to my previous post, Veuve Clicquot is no longer available by the bottle according to the list below that is on my current Encore sailing.  Moet has replaced it but you can still get the Clicquot by the glass.

 

 

They did let me get a bottle of the included wine at lunch in Savor but your milage may vary.

I have the premium plus for our Encore Cruise for NYE. I see the general description says bottles during dinner but the T& C says bottles while dining. I consider eating lunch to be dining and I believe the T & C small print trumps the general description.

Mary Ann

Can’t wait to hear some of the opinions on the taste. The pictures look wonderful. As far as I know the SDP works the same as any other ala carte restaurant on NCL. I have not heard of any upcharges. Unlike Ocean Blue which has upcharges for many items which people are reporting being covered with no upcharge for the same meal on other ships. 

Mary Ann

If you go by the printed info, then it says bottles during dinner, in the small print it says bottles while dining. So I read that to mean anytime you are dining somewhere, technically you can order a bottle. Then I would guess it would come down to whether the venue you are in has the requested bottle. If they do have it I would expect to be able to bring it back to my cabin if not finished. Perhaps they would even let me bring it unopened. I plan to bring a champagne corker, a wine opener and a chiller bag with me. The small print also indicates anything by the glass up to 35.00. If I received a glass of anything that was flat or in any other way unacceptable, I would send it back. I did so in August on the RCL Symphony with the drink package when a glass of Pinot Noir had been open a bit too long. They happily  replaced it with a glass from a fresh bottle. We will be dining in almost all of Encore’s restaurants and I expect to get my Veue in all of them or else I will be bringing bottles with me to the restaurant from Cellar Masters. I expect them to honor what was written on the description of the package.

Mary Ann

11 minutes ago, purpleally said:

Same here. Deal breaker!

We have upgraded for the Encore NYE. If no more VC will be getting a refund.

Mary Ann

16 minutes ago, LaCal said:

I had read that on the Joy they weren’t charging the additional charge for the Surf n Turf in Ocean Blue 

 

Did they re-add this again or is it just on the Encore?

It was not up charged on a recent Escape Bayamo dinner. See the Escape Bayamo thread. Bayamo changed from Cuban food to the same menu as Ocean Blue. I’m sure all the  upcharges will be coming soon to an Ocean Blue near you. For your convenience of course.

Mary Ann

6 minutes ago, salty dingo said:

We were on Escape cruise before last and went to Bayamo. Both of us got the surf and turf. We ate the lobster tails and maybe half of the filet. It was a lot of food.

 

We ordered the desserts to go since we were totally full, The chocolate mousse and apple tart were plated and wrapped to go. We ate it the next day at Spice H2O as a mid morning snack.

 

No upcharge, and we thought the food was fine. From the picture I took, looks like we ordered brussel sprouts, asparagus and hollandaise, risotto and scalloped potatoes. All those sides plus a lot of wine make it hard to finish the entree!

The up charge may change. On the live review by Dougout on the Encore there are upcharges for the Tiger shrimp cocktail, the crab cake, the surf and turf and the cold water lobster in Ocean Blue. And the amounts are not insignificant. The menu is virtually the same as Bayamo.

Mary Ann

We had the same problem back on our NYE cruise on Edge. I had read that it was because the ship was so new that they were excessively locking them for every little thing. Supposedly that had stopped because they had more experience of the ship now. Evidently not. I know there were complaints about it after our cruise.

Mary Ann

47 minutes ago, 17cruisesnsl said:

Hope  the two storms pass and the seas behave soon and Sue  feels better.  

Over twenty cruises I still get sea sick - Green  apples help!

Maybe Green gummy bears?

 

I don't know if they'd have it in any of the ship stores, but a product called Queze-Ease really helps, doesn't make you sleepy or interfere with alcohol as it's a combination of essential oils that you sniff.     I can't imagine why Amazon hasn't figured out how to deliver in the mid-Atlantic.  🤔

 

 

 

 

Sea Bands and ginger chews. Also the green apples. If all else fails. Bonine generic which should be available free in from the med center or GS. It’s non drowsy and you can drink. 

Mary Ann 

We were on the Edge in an IV last NYE and your reactions to the ship and cabin are very similar to ours. We loved the IV cabin and also kept the doors open. I liked the extra space it gave with the option to open the window when wanted. We also had the dining room rotation in the same time slot along with various specialty restaurants booked. Looking forward to hearing the rest of your opinions as the  cruise progresses. 

Mary Ann

Have a GREAT cruise. Will be following closely.  Will be on her for NYE. 

Mary Ann

You will enjoy Azamara. The food is great. Have a fabulous time.

Mary Ann

To us it is worth it. We not only take the perk, we buy a dining pkg on top of it because we like to eat in just the specialties. Particularly on the Away and Away Plus ships. 

Mary Ann

On 10/31/2019 at 3:28 PM, pricem67 said:

Jade ends in Hong Kong, which is supposed to be one of the worlds best places to buy a watch and zero tax.

Bought my DH a gold Rolex in Hong Kong years ago and got a very good price. Came with the warranty and never needed service other than a couple of cleanings done at dealers. The dealers all said the the watch was 100 percent authentic.  He prefers wearing his UF Gators watch and mostly kept it in the house safe so DD gave it to DSIL who is a watch aficionado. I would not hesitate to buy a watch in Hong Kong from a dealer.

Mary Ann

13 hours ago, Rv6flyer said:

Was on oceania, took a dip in the pool. Came back in 10 minutes and a French  couple took our seats. Called a deck hand and showed our room cards,eye glasses and shoes where still there. He did nothing so I grabbed his kindle and threw it in the pool. Problem solved.

This would have me steaming. If my personal items were still on the seat and I was gone that short a time, I would get a sopping wet towel and hold it in my hand squeezing water all over them as I leaned over them to slowly retrieve my things. I bring a Kyss tote bag with me on cruises to hold my valuables. It has a chain that you can loop around the arm of the chair and can only be removed by me. 

Mary Ann

You may want to try the corned beef hash in the buffet before you order it, or order a back up breakfast meat when you do order it. We have yet to find good corned beef hash on a ship. Most of the time we call it corned mystery meat hash. We have had everything from barely acceptable to downright disgusting. It can vary greatly from line to line and even between ships on the same line. The same goes for grits,  Have seen watery grits soup all the way to so lumpy you could stand a spoon up in it. Usually the mdr makes good eggs and omelets and we enjoy  eating there. The bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon are good too. There are just those few things above we have not had luck with.

Mary Ann

We will be on Equinox in 2 weeks and going to Tuscan.  We’ve never tried the meatballs and they sound good. Would have to know if they contain veal though, as we don’t eat veal.

Mary Ann

I’m glad I’m not the only one who brings real maple syrup for the waffles and yes I agree they have to be fresh. Another breakfast favorite is the bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon with lots of capers. But whatever I have for breakfast, it is always with a mimosa in hand. Also have noticed the slowly disappearing almond paste from the almond croissants and the same is true for the chocolate ones. Like many of Celebrity’s chocolate concoctions, I wish they were more chocolaty.

Mary Ann

I hope some of the selections on the event menu at Onda, will be available on the regular menu too.

Mary Ann

We had an IV on deck 7 starboard fairly close to the mid elevators. The bed was by the veranda as I try to stay away from bed by bath. I loved the IV rooms and would book them again in a heartbeat.

Mary Ann

I hope he will be on Encore for NYE. Would love to see him. 

Mary Ann