weltek

Thanks, I appreciate hearing from a different demographic for the Panama Canal sailings. We are in our 40s, but also enjoy some nightlife at least through midnight, so appreciate that info. We have a FCC and are debating on the PC sailings. It's always been on our list. We also really like the Breakaway Plus class ships, particularly for a longer cruise, so Joy or Bliss seem to be our options for 2024.

Yeah, ours wasn't showing up for our recent cruise either, so I just submitted it this morning. I wasn't sure if I booked during a promo, and booked through a TA, so my original paperwork didn't have promo codes. And I tossed my edocs (and never downloaded them to my device), so I'm screwed if I was due extra points. Bummed.

For all those who have been disappointed in Cagney's lately, don't be afraid to give it another try. We are recently off the Encore and it was the best Cagney's meal I've had since 2010. Steaks were flavorful, not at all gristley, and cooked perfectly. I was not looking forward to the meal, but it totally redeemed Cagney's for me.

Right? A total surprise (which was sort of fun to be surprised after this many NCL cruises). I am definitely keeping my eyes peeled for any announcements about 2023.

After reading this discussion a few weeks ago, we made sure to try the wings at the Local last week. I now see what some people were saying. These buffalo wings look great, right? The flavor was good, and they were big and juicy. BUT yeah, not at all crisp. They looked like they'd be crisp, but alas, no.

Healthcare nerd alert! Sharing a fun fact: It actually was created to help people keep their health insurance when they change jobs. The privacy part was really an evolution out of the records digitization and sharing part of the act. It wasn't the intent of the act.

Wow, that's surprising that you got that response. They mingled at ours for about 20-30 minutes, said a few things, then left. They had the Latitudes party to get to right after our M&G.

Don't ask "crew," ask the leadership staff if you are on board. Go to the Cruise Critic meet & greet, where every department generally has their managers present that can answer your questions. You'll even get their phone numbers. FWIW, I think the cruise line has known it would be at Amber Cove for the first month of sailings to the Caribbean this year, and I agree it should've been publicized to guests sooner. We knew before going that we'd end up there, but the letter didn't arrive until day two or three of our sailing.

From Dec. 11 sailing.

On the Encore last week we were to port at 11:10, breezed through security with just a few people in front and behind us, no wait to check in at the port desk. We were seated around 11:25 in the waiting area, and they started boarding guests needing assistance at 11:35. Platinum and above boarding was around 11:45. There were about 4,100 people on our sailing. For disembarkation, it was much longer than I was expecting (and I'm an experienced cruiser). We were priority escorted off in the first group after self-service walk off. Everyone had to go through a customs line and have their passport viewed. I thought facial recognition was going to make it go quicker at POM, but that wasn't our experience. Long lines, for sure. And MIA was a zoo at the security checkpoint. If you didn't have TSA Precheck or Clear, your wait was probably a good 45 minutes just to get through security. So, remember if you have a flight before 11, you need to carry your bags off and do self-walk off as soon as available. Things can get hairy after that.

Just off the Encore 12/18. A few responses to questions I've seen here: -They had Coke products -I rarely in the atrium, so the one day I made a point of it, it was already 11 am and I couldn't tell if there had been morning coffee. There was an empty table that still had messed up tablecloths on it near the big screen, so maybe? -The buffet bar was open on disembarkation day and I heard someone order a mimosa. So, maybe they WERE pouring alcohol? That was around 8:30, so it was fairly early and there might also be a cutoff time as the zero out accounts and encourage folks off? So, I'd suggest trying to get that bloody mary early. -The library is located in the card room off the atrium. A few shelves of kids books, tween books and lots of books for teens and adults. There were checkout times posted in the dailies, but I think you could also do self checkout. A few random observations that might help you: -Show reservations: lots of no shows, so don't be discouraged. Go to the standby line for The Social. -We had the best meal at Cagney's I've ever had. -Some bartenders really push drinks they have pre-batched (or partially pre-batched) and aren't thrilled to riff or mix other drinks. This was a slight noticeable change from our other cruises. But for the most part, the bartenders were good and friendly. District crew and pool bartenders were especially awesome. -Observation lounge is awesome. Next level comfortable, big and beautiful. Great place to watch docking while heading into ports. And the snacks there were very adequate to make a light meal or substantial snack out of. It gets busy around 3pm when the buffet is "closed" for reset. In general, the first day people paid attention to the fact it's a "quiet zone," but then it ramped up for the rest of the cruise. It's a nice place for larger family units to hang out, and obviously groups are just noisier. The people the nap and snore are the worst. Not okay. Go to your cabin if you need a nap. -Buffet was good. Surprised they had whole suckling pigs at lunch on Latin theme day. Cheesecake in the buffet and Obs Lounge was not good, and lame cheesecake isn't worth the calories to me. I was ready to declare NCL terrible at cheesecake. But then I tried it at Cagney's and it was good. So, someone on ship can make a decent cheesecake. 🙂 In the Obs Lounge, just get a pastelito instead of cheesecake if you want something sweet. They were awesome. -The card room near the atrium is tucked away and was never busy. Most game players were doing so in the Obs Lounge. So, if you need a quiet spot to work or read, check it out. -Talk to the leadership staff-they are great! The guest services manager, Sarah, was very approachable. Go to the Cruise Critic Meet & Greet, so you get their direct numbers. -The CruiseNext staff did a hard sell at the desk, trying to make multiples sound like a better deal than they are, so do yourself a favor and fill out the form and drop it off quickly to avoid it.

Just returned from NCL Encore's stop at GSC. It was such a gorgeous day and we loved it. We rented a clamshell, which was very worth it. Yes, they are at the far end of the beach (nearest snorkel area). I liked it because it was quieter than near the bars. It was a little confusing, as you had to sign a waiver, just like when you are renting snorkel gear, then hop around the snorkel gear pickup and head to a stand where they'll check you in and walk with you to find a clamshell and set it up. So, tip: snag a waiver form and complete it, then get in line. Otherwise you'll get to the window and they'll send you away with the form, then it's awkward to get back in the queue. Other random notes: Taco stand was kind of bland. Buffet was decent. Lots of side salads (pastas, veggie, etc.) and the chicken and ribs were pretty good for buffet food. Restrooms (blue building) were very clean. Constantly someone sweeping sand and checking supplies. Tons of areas to sit on picnic tables in the shade.

I'm a frequent Cruise Critic poster/reader and was surprised that I hadn't heard about the Winemaker's series before (though I just did a search I saw it mentioned once earlier this year on here). The last one of 2022 was on our Encore sailing last week and it was awesome. There were 16 or 17 of us, plus the winemaker and his girlfriend (who is in the wine business) and the NCL corporate food & bev director. The food was abundant and delicious. Each course paired with the featured wines (small pours... ~4 oz each), some of which aren't available outside of the winery tasting room. The service was high level, with servers coordinating their plate delivery and fun decanters for some wines. I highly recommend attending if you enjoy this kind of thing. You sign up once you are onboard. You could do so at the Cellars. They had a table out promoting it on embarkation day, and there were signs up at all the specialty restaurants. The corporate director mentioned there was going to be a big one next October on the Escape out of NY (I think he said the Bermuda sailing), featuring several pairings (e.g., wine, tequila, cigars). There were also some other tasting events in the Cellars you could sign up for with the winemaker (no food). Here was the announcement about the 22 series. Hoping they announce the 23 list soon! The marketing team is apparently a little nervous about over-publicizing because people could book the cruise and then they can't get into the dinner, given it's such limited seating. And we all know how upset that could make some people. I will try to find better documentation about the cost, but I think it was about $60/pp for the dinner and $40 for the wine pairing, plus gratuity. A few photos below.

The Lindemann Shriaz was not available last week, so they brought us another siraz that was very tasty with our perfectly cooked Cagneys steaks.

I was on last week's sailing and Saturday night's theatre shows were cancelled due to unexpected sound issues. Seems it didn't get fixed before you departed. Yikes.

Congrats on the baby news! There's somewhat of a compromise. If you just order a "Sprite with a splash of grenadine," a "half sprite, half cranberry" or a "Club soda with a splash of bitters," they'll give the lady what she wants. And if you are kind and tip well at the mojito bar, and start asking them to add some herbs to liven things up (not THAT herb), or a splash of passion fruit puree, they might oblige. Heck, if you are frequently at the same bar and are nice and tip well, they might even just suggest some mocktails and make them on their own. I would only stress about this if lots of fancy mocktails are super important to her.

I'm sort of dreading the inevitable bad-decision day where we over drink and eat and are miserable. This is the first cruise where we are going to try and be more cognizant of it because it can really ruin doing anything after dinner. Onda day we are going to have to really watch it, as I have my eyes on some heavy food.

Same, we sail the Encore this weekend and it's not listed as an entertainment option any longer.

I've always wanted to run onto the pool deck, Footloose style, and say "Let's Daaaaance!" But alas, we grab a drink outside and people watch. I'll also connect to the app and make reservations for Choir of Man.

Bummer. I think it's safe to assume Amber Cove is the default for NCL at least through the end of the year.

I like jukebox musicals, but not traditional musicals where dialogue is sung. So Million Dollar Quartet and Rock of Ages are the only ones on NCL I've enjoyed. Would easily watch Million Dollar Quartet again. Hoping Choir of Man on my next cruise will join the list of shows I've enjoyed. Comedy shows are totally hit and miss for me. Only a few times have I outright thought it was a waste of my time. I can't comment on illusionist or acrobatic type shows. I keep missing those (not entirely on purpose, but I don't prioritize them).

Geez, I don't usually develop this attitude until at least Day 5. 😃

Just in case, this seems worth adding to any NCL airfare conversations: Just make extra sure that if you want to arrive a day or two early, you MUST formally request a deviation PRIOR to assignment of flights. If you think you did, but don't have it documented anywhere, make sure you send an email or call and ask for formal documentation.

1. As others have said, particularly if you are flying, travel to cruises one day early. Period. A LOT of nightmare stories about missing cruises due to flights, especially now when the airlines are understaffed. If you book an airfare deal with your cruise, make sure you make it 100% clear that you need to arrive one day early (on current NCL BOGO flight deal, this is called requesting a one-day deviation). Before you take these flight deals, read up on them on Cruise Critic! 2. Read your cruise dailies, even the fine print, every day. Otherwise you may be making assumptions and get frustrated. 3. Read the fine print of your booking and understand cancellation policies. It is 100% foolish to think someone will take pity on you and refund your money. Time and time again, across cruise lines, they do not. They follow their cancellation policy. 4. As others have said, STRONGLY consider cruise travel insurance not through the cruise line, even if you are young and healthy. We are all one excursion minor accident away from expensive bills. 5. Get your passport, even if you don't think you need it. Let's say you get injured on an excursion...they may not let you reboard this ship without going to the hospital. And won't necessarily hold the ship for you. So you are stuck at that port. How are you going to get home? Most cruise ships can work with you to get items from your room (e.g., passport), but if you don't have a passport, you can end up in a world of hurt! 6. Read up on airline carry on requirements and prohibited items through TSA checkpoints. Ask a traveling friend to help you adhere to these requirements. They will not hold items for you until you return. 7. Check your stateroom location, and as someone said bring earplugs. Staying below the pool deck? Those morning loungers are loud. Staying above the theatre? Might be some late night noise. You get the point. Have an obstructed view? Google your stateroom number and ship to learn what that really means for YOUR room.

If nothing else, I will document this next week. We don't have much going on this cruise, so I'll have lots of downtime to record and share info that is of high interest and requires little effort on my part.