mconthehighseas

3 hours ago, Branbay said:

Hello,

 

Has anyone used the portable phone besides calling their stateroom? Thanks

Do all ships have the portable phones?

That was fast!  I'm used to waiting a day for one answer, and I got lots - thanks to all of you.
Thank you John Bull, your replies make the others make more sense to me. 
I appreciate all the info you include.

The cruise starts in Iceland, so it is international. We will be in Brugge/Bruges the day before.

We arrive on a Sunday, so I'm guessing that will mean more ships in port, but I will look that up.
We will be on the Norwegian Prima, which is bigger than many ships, but not the biggest.
We aren't catching a plane, so we don't need to be anywhere at a specific time.

So the biggest question will be when will the ship schedule us to debark, and that could get decided as late as the day before.
 

Thank you all again

Our  next cruise will end in Southampton, and we have arranged to be picked up at the terminal.  Our driver wants to know what time to be there, and I am clueless.  
I have no idea how long it will take to get luggage, clear customs, etc. Some ports are quicker than others.

With a 6 am arrival, does anyone have a recommendation  for what to tell our driver?
And don't worry, I will make sure s/he knows that things can change, depending on weather, world events, etc.

44 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

You were in the Haven so you will be taken down via the service elevator on your last morning. I probably would tell your driver to meet you at 9 o’clock. You might even have to wait for me for 45 minutes. It makes all the difference in the world going down that service elevator. 
 

Cruise well, and enjoy every moment

Thank you so much!  You should really work for the cruiseline; this thread is SO helpful.
Just one more question: Will we get to exit with our luggage, or will we have to play human billiards with the rest of the guests to find our bags?  

I feel silly asking a question about the last day of the cruise when we haven't departed yet,  but I am setting up transportation from the ship to our hotel.

We are debarking in Southampton, but I am guessing this would be similar for most ports.  How does getting off the ship on the last day work from the Haven?

We are supposed to arrive around 6 am (!!!!) and I was thinking of telling the driver to meet us at 10 am.  If you have ever cruised into Southampton, that too optimistic?  I will post most of this question in the Southampton part of CC, but leaving from a suite or an area like the Haven is not like leaving from most of the ship
 

I'll be honest.
It's been years since we cruised, and there used to be several people who had online packing lists.  
As strange as it sounds I purposely looked on the board for a list just like this!  Will I buy all that stuff? NO WAY!
But the list is a convenient way to think about what I and my family might need.  
 Years ago, there were people who insisted that they could not cruise without a colored highlighter to mark up their daily programs.  I never understood why, since a pen worked fine for me. 
There is a lot of good feedback on this list here, but don't be afraid to check to see if there is something that would make your cruise a better experience for you and your family. And only you can determine what that would be.
Another place to check would be dollar stores! It makes no sense to pay top dollar on stuff you may or may not use.  There are some videos from people who had ideas on what to get in those stores.  
 

2 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

I am from Melville, NY.  Hello fellow Long Islanders.  I was the author of the original Butler letter.  It is not perfect but it created a much higher % of good butlers to bad ones.  No system is perfect.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Hello fellow Long Islanders!  I haven't been there since my family moved across country, but I hope to get back there sooner rather than later.

10 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

What does having a concierge have anything to do with the issue?   Those not in a suite, or those who don't have C&A status are inconvenienced as well. The concierge has NO authority to do anything in this situation, except maybe take your complaint.   I feel badly for the GS staff, but the company put them in a difficult situation.  Simple communication to passengers might have alleviated the  issues. 

 

M

A concierge can get through red tape and any other issues faster than standing in line at the ship's front desk.   And while they can't fix every problem, it's in their job description to grease the skids for loyal and suite passengers.
Communication from the company should have happened, but that shouldnt stop the company from continuing to fix a problem, if possible

There used to be a concierge and genie list, but that was before the world changed in 2020.

That said, if people would post genie info here, we could use this thread as a resource.
 

On 10/9/2022 at 2:02 PM, forests_lover said:

I have prepaid for gratuities for my upcoming 7-night cruise, now am I supposed to put a tip in the room steward's envelope at the last day ? or is that considered an unnecessary double tip ?

if I'm supposed to do that, then what's the good average range for a tip in a trip like this to the Caribbean ?

If you get great service from your steward, an extra tip is very nice, but not expected.
If one of your party is a bit of a handful or a messy small child,  you should really consider it.

On 10/27/2022 at 5:11 AM, cruisinelmo said:

Researching the Symphany of the Seas 2-bedroom Aqua Suite. From my research I believe there are 6 two-bedroom aqua suites on this ship, 4 are category A2 and 2 are category A1. Can I safely assume the A1 category rooms (located on deck 8} are Star class which have the royal Genie? If my assumption is correct has anyone stayed in the A1 suites and when there is not an Aqua show going on is there a large amount of noise to be heard on the balcony?

It's been 4 years since we were in a 2 bedroom AquaSuite,  but I don't recall any obtrusive noise from the Aqua Show.  It was wonderful to watch it from our balcony, and we could come and go without having to worry about disturbing other viewers.  (When you travel with children, this is important.) 
And there was no noticeable noise when there was no show.  In fact, there were people who would go to sit in that theater to read during the day,  and they had more noise from the Boardwalk directed to them.
 

When a major venue shuts down, they need to either provide an alternative or a price reduction.
In this case, they should have made some other venue all -adult, even if it couldn't be a pool.

If you have access to a concierge, I recommend insisting on a partial refund or some other compensation. If you don't have a concierge,  call or visit the front desk when they are not busy.  If they tell you they aren't allowed to handle this kind of request, tell them you will be happy to have someone who can handle it reach you. And don't be afraid to get others to join you. 

3 hours ago, bundtkate said:

.......

 

Thank you! The wedding will actually be ashore in Antigua, Guatemala, but we will have plenty of time to celebrate at sea during the second half of the 14-day cruise. .......

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!  We actually have cousins who married in Antigua.  The groom's family still lives there and they are wonderful people.  What a beautiful place it is!

Wishing you a fabulous time on your cruise, at your wedding, and in your lives together  :)

27 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Also the concierge told me that in addition to M&Ms, one could ask for: gummy bears, bar mix, mixed nuts and more.  Didn't know about potato chips but I believe they're on the Haven snack menu.

Is there a standard Haven snack menu, or does it vary by ship/season/itinerary/something else?

10 hours ago, pcakes122 said:

Gary, just popping in to share that I get Starbucks lattes (from the counter) every day from my butlers ever since NCL started that partnership. It's never been an issue or raised an eyebrow. That said, Starbucks (from the counter) is NOT free. I just give the butler my card and he/she has me sign the receipt when they come back. So this is absolutely a thing you can expect a butler to be able to do. 😊

 

On a related note, I absolutely hate the Starbucks coffee blend that NCL has been using in the Haven French press coffee - so strong and bitter - ugh! I miss the fabulous Illy coffee they used to use so much! 😭

It's a shame they don't make Nespresso pods with with illy coffee.  

I am new to NCL.  Is babysitting offered? If they aren't providing kids club when there isn't enough children,  do they then allow children in the all the finer dining ?

5 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Haven cards are gold with a starfish and say "Haven" on the top. Regular cards are either purple or teal, depending on your lattitude status. In the top right corner it will say how many dining meals you have and the type of drink package, make sure that is correct too.

Thank you so much for this picture.  This is incredibly helpful

10 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

Yes, they are color coded and branded.

THANK YOU!
What color should I look for?  I'm guessing I will have to talk to the check-in staff while trying to keep my party from wandering off, so having a quick way to make sure we are getting what we need would be VERY helpful.

5 minutes ago, PatJim said:

You’ll receive a special Haven “Welcome to your Sanctuary” key card.  Like other N CL key cards, it also lists your number of Ultimate Dining packages, type of Beverage Package, and Latitude status, and assembly area.  It won’t show your cabin number (for security, in case you lose the card), so be sure to memorize it🥰

Thank you!
I was more concerned about whether I would be able to tell if I had been given the wrong type of key card at check-in, as had happened to rbxlady.  Do you get the Welcome to your Sanctuary key card at check-in, or from your butler or concierge? 

I haven't cruised Norwegian  before. Is there a way to tell on the keycards if they for the Haven or not? 

11 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

 

Shore side Concierge: 1-855-625-4283. 

I've called them several times and the wait time is minimal.  They are very helpful.

I love the idea of talking to a real person instead of trading emails.  They can find out why I picked the things I did, and then can let me know whether I made decisions based on good info. And that can be worked in 5-10 minutes instead of 5-10 emails

Glad I found this thread!
We will be in a Loft suite on our next cruise.  Does anyone remember what kind of coffee maker will be in the room?  (We will be on Allure, in case they have different machines on different ships).  
I know the stewards will be happy to bring us as much coffee as we want, but we do have our favorites, so I bring Nespresso pods or k-cups when that's an option

On 9/15/2022 at 6:42 PM, Ret MP said:

You will get an email from your Genie, up to, weeks in advance of your embarkation date.  That is the time to ask him/her any and all questions you may have about the Star Class experience, there are many things that are not included in the advertised "amenities" list on the website.  

 

Having said that, when you respond to the Genie's email, include what you would like to do.  For example, I tell our Genies that we want to experience ALL (or with exceptions) specialty restaurants, we want to go to all shows (not Cats) but do not want to be rushed to get to a restaurant from a show or to a show from a restaurant, so schedule accordingly.  I also let him/her know what we want in the suite when we arrive (example:  Ice Cream Sundae bar, cheese/cold cut plate, chocolate cake, cheese cake, etc.) and what we want as a standing order to be placed in the suite everyday and coffee service and danish every morning at XX:XX AM.  I also tell him/her that we want to be escorted, by him/her, into any and all venues rather than buck the lines and be confronted by those that don't understand what is going on (as a retired LEO (cop) I don't deal well with ignorant confrontation).  We also want to be escorted off the ship when we get into Ports of Call if bucking the line to go ashore.  If you are celebrating an event (anniversary, birthday, divorce, graduation, etc.) let the Genie know and that you would like decorations (if they have any for the event) cake(s)etc.  My last cruise, it was my wife's birthday.  I used an email account that my wife never uses and doesn't have on her computer to let the Genie know about it and to do something special for her.  He handled it very well and it was a complete surprise to her, she loved it.

 

We have always told' the Genie, in general terms, what we want to do and when we want to do it.  Let him/her schedule/reserve for us, provide us with a digital or printed schedule and it has always worked out great.

 

Just rely totally on your Genie to accomplish everything you want (within reason, of course and his/her capabilities).  Afterall, that's what you are paying thousands of dollars for!

 

One last thing, since you are paying thousands of dollars for Star Class and a Genie, don't be shy to inform your Genie if you are unsatisfied with something on the ship or with the Genie's service/performance.  Believe me, they will respond aggressively and favorably.  On the other hand, give positive feedback as well.  The best feedback is a generous TIP.

 

My opinion - Marla is the best Genie in the RCCL inventory of Genies, period!

Thank you for this stellar post.  It is the most comprehensive description of what a genie can do to make an ordinary cruise truly regal, and it is a good guide to what kinds of instructions to send to your genie precruise.

There is a video on youtube of a couple  whose genie helped them plan an onboard wedding celebration, complete with invitations.  The couple was gob-smacked, as my MIL used to say.

But if you can't think of anything that you want or can't decide where to ear, or you are too busy to send a note in advance, your genie will come up with an itinerary to show you on your first day, and you can make adjustments.
 

I hope you don't mind a stowaway on this thread!
I'm going with my family on Allure out of Galveston in December (booked last week), and wanted to get tips and info about the ship when I found this.  And it looks like I came to the right place!.   We were on Harmony in 2018, but haven't cruised since 2019, so I'm relearning some things.

Loving all the pics!
Mindy

 

5 hours ago, mast3rn8 said:

I just wanted to share a couple of my quick opinions coming off of the Prima TA.

 

• I personally LOVED the ship. I found the decor and details beautiful, each restaurant and bar had their own distinctive vibe. Definitely the most stylish ship I've been on.
• Of course I'm bummed we didn't get to utilize all the incredible outdoor spaces but it was a cold weather cruise, we can't really complain - we booked it.
• FYI - I spoke to an entertainer and learned that the Metro bar was intended to be a piano bar, but that was scrapped to have a location for other live music (guitar, duo). The Local (in front of the large screen) was intended for live music but on the first cruise the cabins above complained about the noise and corporate put a definite stop to using that location - hence everything being moved to the Metro bar and the Atrium (neither initially intended for live music). Syd's is never an option during the day because they hold other activities there. The entertainers are not thrilled with these arrangements.
• The service was some of the best I've ever experienced. The main dining room staff were wonderful and attentive. The bar staff was hands down the best of any ship.
• I thought most of the food was great. I didn't have anything awful. Although, they could really step up their dessert game.
• My inside cabin was fantastic! It was the most spacious, thoughtfully laid out inside cabin I've ever been in. SO much storage - 2 closets, multiple drawers, plenty of outlets, great lighting and an amazing bathroom/shower.
• I do agree that the Prima and Viva are priced very high.. but everything new comes at a premium so 🤷‍♂️
• My only complaints are:

1. The lack of activities during all those sea days. We couldn't use the pools so why not coordinate some easy activities like pub crawls, more shows, etc.
2. DJ Swagg - he was unbearable. So unfriendly, clearly did not want to be there, even fell asleep while 'dj'ing' at one point (then after other crew got involved and made him wake up and participate, the next day I overheard him complaining about us complaining about his lack of interest). Not cool.
3. Listening to all the grumpy guests complaining about one thing or another literally all day long. If going on vacation is so miserable - stay home.

 

All in all, I had an incredible trip and met some great people!

I love your attitude!  I hope I get to meet you on a cruise in the near future. (Do you think you will be on the Prima next July?)