robinbtigger

13 minutes ago, reeinaz said:

I just got off the Sky last week and did not see a crew member in the luggage holding area or anything other than a sign that indicated that this was the spot.

I'm on the Sky later this month.  So, there was just a place to dump your bag(s) without someone watching them?

6 hours ago, sebas030 said:

Your cruise confirmation ( contract ) that you got via email has a list of the ports with the arrival and departure time AND the mention "dock" or "tender". You should have your answer there.

Thanks! I didn’t see anything in the confirmation from my TA.  I guess it’ll just be a surprise!  I’ll roll with it if it’s a tender. 

I was wondering if we I would be able to tell in advance if we will be tendering into Taino Bay.  There are 3 ships in the port (Breakaway, Independence of the Seas and the NCL Sky.  The Carnival Celebration is at Amber Cover alone.).  We are on the Sky which is the smallest of the three and the last scheduled to arrive.  Does that mean we will be the one tendering?  I was considering going back to the ship for lunch, but tendering back for lunch is a PITB.

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

So can TA and PCC.  

The fact that one can only see a few cabins often gives people the wrong idea about whether a cruise is selling out or not.

So, a TA will also be able to see the same cabins as an NCL agent?  I did already book with a TA and selected a cabin I saw on the NCL website but I would prefer a cabin a little closer to the elevator if possible.

FWIW, I've looked at a number of other consolidator websites for cabin availability and NCL itself seems to show the largest number of cabins.

I asked the question for when I'm planning my next cruise.  I would book with the NCL agent and then transfer the reservation to a TA to get OBC, etc.

From what I've read, the NCL website only shows a some of the cabins that are actually available.  If I called NCL itself and talked to a rep, would they be able to see cabins that don't show up for me on the website? 

Here is a video of that room location on Escape's sister ship the Joy:

It doesn't look like the balcony is any bigger.

1 hour ago, robinbtigger said:

I was looking on the State Department website and it specifically said to call and make an appointment for Urgent Travel if you were at least 7 weeks out. 

(edited) NO MORE than 7 weeks out.  Sorry, not enough coffee when I wrote this.

Thanks for the discussion everyone.  My friend has decided to wait for her passport and check rates once she has it.  The whole thing is disappointing but I think that’s the best course of action.

17 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

No, travel in seven weeks does not qualify you for urgent travel.  AND, to get an appointment, you must have your proof of travel documents (tickets) and be traveling within fourteen days. As she hasn't booked and you are seven weeks out, this won't work.

 

I just did renewal online the first week of January, paid for expedited service and return, and after eight weeks (although it states expedited should take 3-5 weeks), it's still in process

I was looking on the State Department website and it specifically said to call and make an appointment for Urgent Travel if you were at least 7 weeks out. 

23 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

She would need to read her insurance policy  not all are created equal

 

Thanks!  She doesn't have insurance yet as she hasn't booked.

Hi everyone!  I just booked an "open loop" cruise leaving in about 7 weeks.  It leaves SJU and and arrives in NYC.  My friend's passport is expired and was speaking to a TA yesterday who told her that she didn't need one, so she sent her passport into be renewed and didn't pay for it to be expedited.  While we were trying to book the cruise today we were told that she *does* need a passport because it's not a "closed loop" cruise.  She called the State Department and they said she could pay to get it expedited once it shows up as being processed.  She's in DC and they said she could get it within 28 days.  I'm not sure if that's once it shows up as being processed or the entire wait time.  According to the State Department, expedited passports are taking about 5-7 weeks so she's cutting it very close.  It's too bad she already sent it in because she would have qualified for Urgent Travel and gotten an appointment in DC to renew it in person.

I know that she will not be able to board without a passport.  Does insurance cover the cost of the cruise if her passport doesn't get to her in time?  They can probably still have a little vacation in San Juan if they can't make the sailing but they don't want to eat $2500 if the passport doesn't get there in time.

Which days are the Chef's Table usually available?  Our anniversary is on a non-formal night and it would be wonderful if we are able to do the Chef's Table.

1 hour ago, geoherb said:

 

It depends on the type of OBC you're receiving from your TA. If it's nonrefundable, it will be used first. If it's refundable, it won't matter which Princess uses first. 

Thank you!  That would be perfect.  I'll be happy as long as I'm not stuck with non-refundable OBC on the books at the end of the cruise without needing to go on a shipboard shopping spree.

40 minutes ago, geoherb said:

 

Not exactly. I paid for an excursion with my credit card. It shows up on the onboard statement as "Prepaid Shorex." It's not paying for OBC ahead of time but for the excursion. But the net effect is the same. Your nonrefundable credits will be used first.

I paid for an excursion with partially with OBC from Princess and partially with my credit card. I'll get additional $250 OBC from my TA when I board which is more than I paid with my credit card.  Will that be automatically applied to the excursion?  Sorry!  This is my first Princess cruise.

3 hours ago, geoherb said:

The good news is that if you do pay with a credit card, it will show up on your statement as refundable OBC. They will use up any nonrefundable OBC credit first. I had a similar experience when booking an excursion before my shareholder OBC had shown up. I received a check after the cruise for the amount I had left in my refundable OBC. 

Do I understand this correctly?  You buy OBC with your credit card and book your excursions with it.  Then, when you get your non-refundable OBC later on, that OBC is automatically swapped in and used first.  OBC purchased with your credit card is refundable, so it is returned to you at the end of your cruise via a check.

I have a similar problem.  I have $250 coming from my TA but it won't be there until I board.  I had planned to use that on an excursion.

Would I be able to swap in the OBC on a prepaid excursion once I board?  We are doing a southbound Alaskan cruise and our first port is 3 days after we board. 

I thought that maybe I would cancel and re-buy the excursion.  I understand that if I cancel an excursion once onboard and before the "Closing Time for Cancellations" the money I paid for it will become OBC.  Is that OBC refundable at the end of the cruise?

Thanks for any insight!

3 hours ago, KKB said:

We were surprised that drinks were NOT included on NCL's "private island."

 

In all fairness, NCL's beverage package IS included on Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas but not on Harvest Caye in Belize.   It was a bit of a bummer when we visited Harvest Caye last year because I certainly would have ordered a silly umbrella drink or two.  Instead, we simply waited until we reboarded to have a drink just like any other port.

I was pricing EZAir for my cruise in August earlier today and now I get the following error message: "Your session has expired or there was a problem accessing your booking. "

I'm glad I'm not the only one having problems.

It's good to see that the Empress is still sailing.  I sailed on her back in 2016 when they were cruising around the Caribbean waiting to be allowed to sail to Cuba.  The whole ship had a fabulous Latin vibe.  I recall a big salsa party on the last night where the crew, including the CD, danced the night away.  It was so much fun!

Ship - Gem

Deck - 11

Stateroom # - 11084

Stateroom Category – Club Balcony Suite

Starboard or Port Side - Starboard

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – Yes, VERY quiet even with connecting stateroom.  Located under Garden Cafe seating.

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - Yes.

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – The balcony was located under the additional Garden Cafe overhang.  The overhang helped keep the sun off the balcony except around sunrise/sunset.  It did get in the way for viewing of stars in the night sky.

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal

Was wind a problem? - No.

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? - N/A

Any specific problems with this cabin? - No, it was perfect.

Any other comments? - The room with very convenient for access to the Garden Cafe and pool area.  It was very near the midship stairs which led right to the entrance of the Garden Cafe.  I was concerned that the tub would be an issue for me as I have osteoarthritis in my right knee.  I was fine climbing in and out of the tub.

 

1 hour ago, deweytrader said:

Yes Bermuda rules are different, they give us 4 days before sailing and we need to apply for Bermuda Travel authorization.

Could you have waited to be tested today?  I don't think yesterday's test will count for NCL's help should you test positive at the port.

32 minutes ago, ProblemCruiser said:

 

15 hours ago would've been 4PM EDT on 9/22.  If the ship is on 9/26 isn't that 4 days instead of the 72 hour rule or are the Bermuda rules different?

I was thinking the same thing. Yesterday was too soon. We cruise out of Miami on 9/26 and we’re getting tested today. We don’t have to worry about Bermuda because it’s not one of our ports, but we do want to have a pre sailing test just in case we test positive at the port. That falls under the 72 hour rule. 

2 minutes ago, OrcaGirl said:

 

Nope, but it will likely require a phone call. I'm always the primary person on the reservation, but for whatever reason our CruiseNext certificates were on my husband's account. I was able to call and have them applied to our booking no problem. That said, when we subsequently decided to change our sailing, it took a bit longer and was more complicated because the certificates were refunded to his account (which took 48 hours) and not mine so we had to chase them down again.

Thank you!  

I have a question about using CN certificates.  Does the person with the CN certs in their account need to be the primary person on the reservation?

FWIW, we were looking at this cruise too.  It's dirt cheap, but getting to San Juan can be pricey.