pr0pel

If there anyone that might also be going on this cruise or has already been on this cruise? Am looking for help planning excursions and was wondering if others would like to go together at the different ports. Any and all advice, information, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!!!

 

There's an active roll call for your cruise. Your best bet is to check there first.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2319851

 

 

I'll be on the same cruise on 8/23. I think it's premature to get any recent cruisers' opinion so we'll have to wait a bit. I can't wait to start reading the reviews before I set sail.

Sorry if this is answered but other than St. Petersburg, all the touring companies have tours in the other capitals and most have very similar descriptions for almost the same price. They can't all possibly employ people in these other ports. Do all these companies use a single agency in each port as contractors or how does it work? Does it make sense to book with one company vs another, especially in the other ports like Helsinki, Stockholm, Tallinn, etc.

Hi! We are booked on the BA in April and will probably choose disembark as we will be driving up from PA- so no rush, no flight to catch. Will we be assigned a time or can we disembark anytime? (read: after the lines die down)

TIA!!

 

If you do not put bags out, you can do early walk off or pick a time you'd like to disembark. If you do put bags out, you cannot do early walk off but can still pick a time you'd like to disembark. Since you do not have a flight to catch and are not in a rush, you can take your time and disembark at anytime.

I've been cruising with my kids on NCL since they were 2 and 4, then 3 and 5, then 5 and 7. They will be 6 and 8 on our next 9 day in the Baltics. That should be good enough to show how much my kids love it.

I am aware of NCL's cancellation policy, but wondering if they will accommodate rescheduling a cruise due to a death in the family? Our departure is in 2 weeks, and was informed through Hospice today that a family member has about 2 weeks. I have a bad feeling that we will have to cancel, but would like to reschedule to another date.

 

 

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You didn't mention if you had insurance or not. If no, you're out of luck.

you near Albany?

 

I'm near Albany, about 25 min north.

 

But to answer the OP's question and like everyone has said, by booking with a TA, you may pay the same rack rate as NCL but get a few hundred bucks back in a form of on board credit. In the past, I've gotten anywhere from 200-400 back. Not all TA's are equal -- some charge a penalty on top of what cruise line charges and some don't. Luckily I found a new one this year that doesn't charge an extra fee, or just take your info and call you back.. and I'm sticking by them. I have his direct line and he picks up all the time and promptly returns my emails.

Suggestion:

If you want to get to Platinum a bit quicker then you are doing one thing right

booking the cruise 9 months in advance. Since stepping up to a suite for the

additional points maybe not be economically feasible there is a way to get

those additional points by booking an insider offer. You should be getting

emails or other mailed material highlighting such offers. If not call NCL; your

TA or other source of booking to see if one of these can coincide with your

9 month planned booking.

Remember that there are 4 ways to get the Latitude Points

1) Just booking a cruise - 1 point per night

2) You found extra points with booking 9 months away - 1 additional point per night

3) booking a suite gets 1 additional point per night

4) and booking an insider offer (within the time limits of the offering) 1 additional point per night

 

Maximum of -4- points per night.

 

If you can consider taking a cruise longer than the usual 7 nights to get the points faster !

 

Agreed.. going to get 27 points in one shot next year. We're booked on a 9 day Baltics cruise, 9 month out, and it's an Insider offer. We're 6 points from Gold now and after the cruise, we'll just be 7 points from Platinum so a 7 day cruise after that should put us over the edge.

The advantages for the B2 ones are the location as you said. It's very, very close to Splash Academy so you don't need to go far to drop them off. Plus, the B2's connect to adjacent rooms while the BB's dont.

 

I was in a family balcony on the BA and it was super convenient to walk down the hall and drop/pick the children up.

We got nightly chocolates every night on our recent Jade cruise in Feb. Not sure how they disappeared "long ago."

If I'm not mistaken, all TA's who quote NCL cruises have to quote the list price so they are all the same, no matter which TA you go through. What a TA can then do is offer a OBC with the booking and this is what differentiates TA's with direct NCL bookings. I've always gotten at least $50-$100, sometimes, $200 more when going with a TA.

Unfortunately, the TA I use charges cancellation fees even if you're well within the window of cancellation. I've yet to find a good TA that does not charge a cancellation fee and provide a bigger OBC than booking direct. I'll take suggestions via email though :)

Last time we sailed on NCL Jade the 4 berth inside was 2 lower berths, 1 Pullman and a trundle which was pulled out in the evening. Is this the configuration for all 4 berth insides? We've just booked a 4 berth again but there was nothing in cabin descriptions on the UK site which makes the configuration clear. Ideally I'd choose a cabin with 2 lower berths and 2 Pullmans.

 

We were 4 in a oceanview on the Jade a few weeks ago and had exactly what you described. 2 beds, 1 pull out bed that was under one of the other beds and 1 pull down from the side of the wall.

On the Jewel recently, it was a good 15-20 minute out by tender. It is not close by any means.

Great blog/review. Can you tell me what time you were able to walk off the ship in Cozumel? NCL says docking is 11 but I'm not sure if you got there earlier or not.

The world points also expire so some people may not have enough time to wait and let accumulate as opposed to cashing out for OBC.

Anyone know if they are continuing with the cruise or is everyone getting off at PC?

We docked at Punta Langosta, which is in the middle of town. The MSC Opera was docked next to us.

 

Thank you! Is there any good shopping to be done near the pier or do you have to travel away? I've got a private taxi tour in Cozumel and thinking of things to do. Will be embarking this Saturday.

Can you tell us where you docked in Cozumel?

I had SDP and shore ex credit as well and was able to change the credit to free 250 internet after final payment.

We got there 10 min after they started but we were still far back. I don't know if the time will be the same but when they say what time they will give out tender tickets get there early. We got group 5. Mind you if you have an excursion booked you'll have a ticket already that will serve as your tender ticket.

 

Thanks, I'm doing an independent excursion with the .bz tubing company. Looks like I'll have to camp out overnight like it was a Star Wars premier.

What time did you grab tickets for the Belize tender and what order did you get?

A mod needs to rename the title of this thread so people don't waste their time on something so cut and dry. Even the splash page of the promo offers state it pretty clear.

 

https://www.ncl.com/specials-and-promotions/choice

 

SHORE EXCURSION CREDIT

 

Each stateroom receives a $50 per port Shore Excursion credit to spend on a wild adventure or a relaxing afternoon. For Bermuda each stateroom receives $150 worth of Shore Excursion Credi

I am on the Jade on the 2/13 sailing but having trouble finding the Maya Key excursion. Is it possible it is listed under a different name?

 

We're on the same cruise and it's probably sold out like bgauger said. I booked the excursion in early Jan while it was still available. Try first thing on board at the excursion desk, they might reserve a few slots for on board bookings.

Did you just hail a cab at the pier or did you have an arranged transport? How did it go? We've got a 1:30 pm out of IAH and trying to figure out the best way to get there.

Thanks for the review. Can you tell us about the debarkation process? Did you take a cab, shuttle, book in advance, on the spot, etc? When did you leave?

We didn’t spend any time at the port on this trip. Here’s a picture of Roatan when we were docked there on the Dawn last February. There is some shopping but it is your typical touristy stuff. There was a little shack where you could get your passport stamped if you are so inclined. In the photo it’s the little white building with the 5 on the front, about mid-pic and to the right.

 

Thanks! We're booked for Maya Key as well, how did you like it? Was it crowded considering there are a few other ships docked on the same day?