JillK

We have been assigned connecting cabins twice when I booked guarantee cabins - once on the Carnival Victory (oceanview cabins) and once on Oasis of the Seas (neighbourhood balconies). 

There was very little noise from our neighbours on the Victory although on two occasions we could hear them speaking (though not clearly enough to make out what they were saying - just muttering noises).

The noise leaking through the connecting doors on the Oasis however was substantial. We could hear their toilet flush, hear their shower running and make out every word of any conversation they had when they were standing near the door (which faced the bathroom). They were early risers and woke us up every single morning (we had left our four kids at home and were trying to sleep!) through no fault of their own. 

Vowed that I would never book a connecting cabin again unless my family was next door after that experience with RCI but like I said, there weren't any issues with the Victory so you should be ok - especially if it's your family. 

3 hours ago, EeyoreRN said:

 

Haven't heard of this until now. Will check it out, thanks!

 

 

I'm suddenly reading about so many different tours in Antigua rated as one of best ever...and I was really leaning toward a simple beach day there but now I'm sss torn. Thanks for this newest suggestion of excursions I hadn't heard of! Checking into it now. I wonder if the aggressive waves you experienced were related to the time of year you visited?

Yes - that's entirely possible or perhaps it was just particularly windy that day making the waves nice and big. It was aggressive in a fun way for me and hubby but it battered our little guys around quite a bit so we had to be nice and close to them (which they *LOVED* of course). 

In any case, it would not stop us from booking the entire excursion again next time we are visiting Antigua (we left our daughters at home this past trip so it would all be new to them should we visit again in the future). 

I'm sure you will find an awesome excursion from one of the recommendations you've gotten - best wishes for a fantastic cruise and memorable excursions. 

On 3/4/2019 at 8:21 PM, cinnbon said:

I've enjoyed reading your review of the British Isles (I had read it a while ago and had to spend a lot of time finding it again!).  We're on the cruise this July 2019 and trying to figure out each port 🤪.  My husband would like to visit Kilkenney out of Dublin, but RC doesn't have any excursions set up for that port yet and I only found one other one on a private tour.... what tour group did you use for your "Smithwick's Small Group Experience"?

 

This was a Royal Caribbean tour that I booked online when they had a sale. We really enjoyed the experience and still talk about it often as a highlight of the trip (although to be fair, there were MANY highlights). 

I would recommend trying tripadvisor to see if you can find something similar being offered locally if RCI is no longer offering this tour. 

That being said, I'm sure you can find lots of great alternatives as there is so much to see if Kilkenny doesn't pan out. 

Enjoy your cruise! 

We were in both St. Kitts and Antigua in early December. 

Although we have an impressive track record of booking ship excursions, for both of these islands we did book independently.

We went with the "Captial and beach splash" excursion in St. Kitts through Thenford Grey as we have been to St. Kitts twice previously and already done the extensive island tour. We thought it was a nice beach day but be aware that everything at the beach is going to cost you extra (lounger, umbrella, etc) so bring plenty of extra cash. 

We had an incredible experience on Antigua though -- definitely the best tour we have ever been on in our many cruises. 

We booked the "Best of Paradise Island Tour with BBQ Lunch" with Gordon Finch tours (http://www.tourguidegordon.com/). We were very fortunate to have Jerome as our guide for the day. He was so knowledgeable and passionate about his island. This tour was extensive and included Nelson's Dockyard, Shirley Heights, lunch right by the ocean (my oldest son still says this was his favourite meal of the cruise) and a beach stop.

I can't remember the name of the beach we stopped at but it was just ok.  The waves were very assertive (making it difficult for our 7 and 9 year olds) and it was covered in crushed shells so it was unpleasant on your feet and in your bathing suit. There is a bar where the other couple on our tour spent their time instead of getting wet. You also had to pay to use the toilets and the attendants were quite aggressive about it. 

That being said, we would highly recommend this company and Jerome in particular - a really wonderful day that has made us want to go back to Antigua again. 

Enjoy your cruise! 

My parents took me on a 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Grandeur of the Seas for my university graduation in 1998. It was my second cruise (first at 17 aboard the Norway) but this is the one that got me hooked. 

Of course cruising was an entirely different experience back then with formal nights, meeting the Captain at the Captain's dinner (and getting a photo), formal sittings only, midnight buffets, etc, etc. 

56 minutes ago, South Shore 41 said:

I have a question - a bit off topic.  This is my first time cruising internationally.  The ship officers keep your passport when you leave the ship?  You do not take it with you?  

My first few cruises in the Caribbean back in the 1990's we (as Canadians - not sure if Americans did as well) did have to go through a process of dropping off our passports at the start of the cruise and then picking them up at the end. Before everything was digital I suppose it was the most efficient way to get everyone through passport control. 

We have been able to keep our passports for many years now but we did have a repeat of this handing in and picking up passports when we sailed on the Brilliance to the UK last year, and it was for everyone aboard regardless of nationality. Handed them over before making our first port and got them back toward the end of the cruise so it does still happen. The upside was that we got some great entry stamps!

3 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

 

Just booked two (connecting) of these today for March 2020 on the Anthem!  They look pretty dang nice.  Haven't had the virtually balcony before so that will be interesting.  Something different to try out.  

Dan

We did exactly the same thing a few months back for March break 2020 for our family of six and we are very curious to see what it's like.

I have cruised primarily in insides and oceanviews and only switched to balconies when booking with NCL and Celebrity under 3rd/4th pax free when booking that category. 

The only exception was when we booked a neighbourhood balcony on Oasis and were able to get this category (guarantee) for a nominal amount more than we could selecting an inside cabin.

I agree with many people in that I prefer to be able to cruise more often rather than have a balcony on every cruise. For those that I did cruise in a balcony, I really didn't use it that much but do appreciate the larger size cabin.

Our last inside was on the Brilliance in the UK last year and it was a generous size with a comfortable seating area and a drape to separate the bed from the rest of the cabin. We really liked the cabin and like most other people, find we don't use it alot during the day. We are more interested in being out and about on the ship and can always find a nook or cranny to play cards or read. 

You won't know until you try it if you like it or not of course but whatever you decide, happy cruising! 

Agreed... it's been extended for months now and can't imagine they'll change it as long as they are happy with their booking rate.

Sounds like you guys really enjoyed the cruise. Thank you so much for taking the time to post your experience. Glad to learn that you were able to get air tickets on points kind of last minute - I've always wondered how possible this is.

Try to keep those memories close today as we get hammered with this winter storm bearing down on us. 

I used to have the amazon.ca rewards card that had no foreign transaction fees but when that went away last year I switched over to the Rogers Mastercard. They do charge the standard 2.5% for conversion but you get 3% cash back so in the end you come out a little ahead. We used this card when we cruised the British Isles last May. 

They used to restrict how you could redeem your cash back (or alternatively you could request a check once a year I think) but as XLVIII stated they changed this about a month ago so much more flexibility.

We also have a TD USD account and a TD USD visa that we use for transactions in USD so I deal exclusively with US dollars when using this visa. There are no other perks associated with this card (cash back, points, etc). 

We are happy with both cards.

As others have said, you really do have to dig down into the numbers and you can always compare against other cruises doing a similar itinerary and factor in all costs, including buying airfare, to determine if the pricing is good. 

The strategy of booking sail away and trying to upgrade is a good one financially as long as cabin location doesn't matter to you (you aren't bothered by noise if you're under the dining room or pool deck or bothered by motion if you end up very forward). 

Sounds like you have previously cruised so have a look at what your total cost was for those cruises were and compare to help you decide. 

Whatever you end up doing - happy cruising! 

I'll tell you this... the few times that I have waited to try to score a "last minute deal" I haven't cruised. It has never panned out for me. Generally the prices have remained stable, gone up or there hasn't been inventory (we are a family of 6 and require two cabins). 

I have heard lots of stories of people getting great deals but I think those are possibly people who see a good deal and book it rather than being keyed on a specific cruise that they are tracking. 

The best "deal" I ever booked was a trip that we weren't planning - got an email with last minute rates and my hubby and I were able to take advantage as we were able to get the time off work and didn't have kids at the time. I believe we paid $369 a person all in for a guarantee inside cabin on the Enchantment of the Seas and laughed that our airfare from Toronto to Miami was significantly more than the cruise itself (but this was 16 years ago). 

If you're really keen on the Bliss during spring break, you should go ahead and book it if you can manage the deposit. Then like you said keep watching it to be sure you have the best price for the cabin category you book. If it turns out that the price (or life) gets in the way of you following through, just make sure that you cancel before final payment is due (and check to be sure your TA - if you use one - doesn't charge a cancellation fee).

You will not know where your cabin is until they assign it. It could be in a great location or a poor one. You are gambling on that.

You have to weigh if you are willing to take a balcony cabin anywhere on the ship vs. where your inside is located. 

Lots of discussion on this very thing here if you have the time to dig into the subject: 

Hey MarkCanada. 

Sounds like you had a number of frustrating experiences on the Escape. 

We were on the 12 night itinerary in December and also cruised her on a 7 nighter out of Miami in December 2016 so obviously we enjoyed the first experience enough to warrant a second cruise. 

Your personal negative experiences aside, which I luckily didn't encounter, I agree with a lot of your comments.... position of casino and smoke, having to go through GC to get from aft cabins to pool area, loud activities almost constantly in atrium right beside Guest Services, Shore Ex, CruiseNext and Internet desk making it challenging to interact with those people. 

As for our most recent cruise, I found the food to be good to excellent depending on where we were eating. We really like Cagney's and La Cucina where we had exceptional service one night when hubby and I had a date night without the boys.

We were disappointed with the taste of our first few meals in the Manhattan Room but did find the last three nights to be very good so it ended on a high note. We experienced live music for about half an hour twice in the six nights we dined here. Once the full band and the second time was the "Funky Duo" (who oddly sang "Like a Virgin" in the middle of dinner at 6:30 with tons of families there). Two nights there was no music at all which made this beautiful space sound like a high school cafeteria and really made me appreciate how music can really change the feel of a restaurant.

My sons (seven and eight) loved Splash Academy significantly more this past cruise than they did the first time so I have to assume that the incredible staff is the reason. They were always asking to go and begging for us to leave them there for late night hours.

While I thought the quality fo the food in the buffet was good I was pretty frustrated with the experience there by the end of the cruise. Not only were we disappointed in the constant cutting in front of us almost every single day, we also found it challenging on most days to find a table for the four of us. But I suppose that's what happens on ships this big. I still don't understand why Margaritaville exists - in my two cruises I never once saw anyone actually eating in there (unless it was someone who had brought their food up from the GC like we did the last sea day when we gave up on finding a seat after 10 minutes of looking). 

It's definitely not a perfect ship but it does have a lot to offer! Thankfully we didn't have any of the poor service experiences you encountered - that would mar anyone's trip - but after 15 nights aboard her we aren't interested in cruising her again since there are so many other ships out there to try. This past experience also made me appreciate that I prefer a smaller ship but my kids really only know the mega-ship experience with all the bells and whistles so I am booking those for family vacations. 

I hope in the future if you find an NCL ship/itinerary that you really like you will consider cruising with them again. All in all, I think they have a good product but I can completely understand why you have been so turned off. No matter who you go with, happy future cruising! 

I have sailed Carnival, Royal, Princess, Celebrity, Disney and of course NCL.

Like you, I enjoy the NCL product but won't limit myself to cruising with only them. Out of lines I have tried, I recommend you consider Royal and Carnival. We have had several cruises on both of these lines and thoroughly enjoyed them (then again, I have never been on a bad cruise).

In our experience in terms of dress, Carnival and NCL are the most relaxed and flexible. 

Neither of these lines offer a "free" drinks package and we therefore buy a la carte with them so are very mindful of how much we are spending. The best drink package offer I have experienced is Celebrity. When we cruised with them in 2015 it was truly free (no tip surcharge) and also included some specialty coffees and bottled water (great for shore excursions). Celebrity also gets high marks for their big production entertainment which I really enjoyed. I seem to recall enjoying the food but honestly can't remember any particular meals so that says something I suppose.

Between Royal and Carnival, I think Royal outshines Carnival in the MDR (but Carnival's Guy Fieri burgers are the best at sea, hands down) and also has better stage productions. Comedy is really good with Carnival if you're into that. 

You won't know until you try different lines which will appeal to you but you may find that like my husband and I, you don't want to remain loyal to any one line. Yes, this means you won't build status and get additional perks quickly and that is certainly a perk people who love one particular line receive but there are other great ships with great offerings out there. 

Whatever you decide, go with an open mind and have a great time! 

Had one in our stateroom washroom on the Escape (12/09 sailing) and did observe them in many public washrooms as well. 

Happy cruising! 

2 hours ago, Costa canary said:

Hi , I will be on the Escape on 20th Jan , can anyone recommend the best place on the ship where I can get good views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty as we sail away , I have looked at the deck plans and was thinking about one of deck 8 waterfront (if it goes all the way around the aft of the ship ) , spice H20 or the sun deck on 19 , any suggestions?

thanks 

We just returned from the Escape yesterday.

Our sailaway was late and we were at dinner but snuck out of Cagney's to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and had a perfect view from the Waterfront on the starboard side. 

For return, we also went to the Waterfront.... port side for the Statue of Liberty, then we crossed through the ship to the starboard side to take in Manhattan all the way to docking. 

Enjoy your cruise - it's a great ship. 

3 hours ago, xcell said:

 Congrats --that's a 12 day cruise right?  Great deal either way. I'm wondering when the Havens will start being accepted/rejected.

 

 

I'm not in the running for one but have been watching the Havens on the above 12 night Dec 9th Escape cruise with interest.

I'm completely fascinated by the upgrade process and have been watching the Haven suites for the past few weeks as sail date approaches because there was lots of availability across most Haven categories.

Looks like they started dolling out upgrades on Monday and processed quite a few this morning as inventory went from 50 suites last night to 35 this morning. Today marks 11 days to sail away. 

Depending on the Haven availability for your sail date you could possibly see Havens being awarded within a similar time frame. Good luck! 

1 hour ago, chars said:

I check rooms on the NCL website and sometimes they are sold out and hours later they are back available. I think you can start a booking and you can "hold" a room for a period of time.  

Is anyone else thinking that the office staff will be closed today and tomorrow, so there wouldn't be any bid action until Monday at the earliest?  ugh, the waiting is killing me.

The word on these boards is that the company handling the bidding process is in Canada - our Thanksgiving was in October making today and tomorrow business as usual... so there could very well be "bid action" over your holiday. Good luck!

6 hours ago, RaginCajunCruisers337 said:

From what we heard, they are having issues with one of the propellers on the ship. They said it will take several days to make the repairs. That is why they are cancelling the remaining 7 days of our 10 day cruise. 

Best wishes to all on board. I know exactly how you all feel as this happened on my honeymoon. Very disappointing to have your trip cancelled and stressful trying to secure alternate arrangements to get back home.

Hopefully the repair will not take too long so as not to impact any future cruises. When our cruise aboard the Carnival Paradise was cancelled only two hours after sailaway in 2000, the damage to the Azipod was so severe that the ship had to be towed to dry dock and it was out of commission for at least a month.

25 minutes ago, chars said:

If you look closely the two words that start c have letters that are in bold face.  

Even more specifically, the first three letters of those words.... 

8 hours ago, Another ship trip said:

I have never had the banner.  I just found the email and bid from there.  I wonder if I should call someone to be sure that I am not missing something. I have stalked the page every day for the last week hoping to see something.  But haven't yet.  I do show bids though by logging into the email.  Never on the NCL site though.

I also booked via a TA and received the email to upgrade at the 80 day mark.

I have never had the upgrade banner on MyNCL. 

I believe someone posted in the earlier upgrade thread that if you are booked with a TA you may never see the banner online. As long as you can click through the link on the email to see your bid options, you are still able to participate.

If it's any comfort, my parents were booked on the Breakaway last month through the same TA and they used the email to bid and successfully upgrade from interior to balcony.

Hope that eases any lingering concerns and best of luck on your bid(s)!

41 minutes ago, fridaythe13th said:

I hear they have a good Black Friday sale too!  Do you know anything about that??

I believe they do but I don't do business with them. They assess a $100/pp cancellation fee and I have a TA who doesn't have fees. 

6 hours ago, Phaedrus78 said:

 

My God, it’s beautiful. 

 

Bless you and and curse you for that. 

It's definitely a mixed blessing. It can and WILL eat you alive if you let it. 

Enjoy!!

55 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

 

Will you marry me?

You won’t be as happy when you’re obsessively checking availability on all your future cruises!