bedfordmom

3 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

and yet things seem to be changing.

 

on my most recent cruise on the getaway, the very large buffet had a collection of items for lunch and dinner repeated at three or four different stations throughout the eatery.  in other words, the available choices were cut by 50% or more. (at breakfast, it has always been common for items to be repeated in mor ethan one place on the buffet line.)

 

and the indian food was extremely limited.

 

there are too many reports fleet-wide, across all ship classes, of severe cutbacks in the buffet... too many to toss this up to the size of the ship. if anything, the array of food on the smaller ships now looks better because they are not repeating items as they are now on the mega ships.

 

bananas on request?

 

BANANAS?

Totally agree about limited Indian food. One entre along w white rice. Would have loved a second entre even an appetizer kind samoas. Same thing with Chinese - one vegetable entre with two types of rice. Where is the beef . I’m someone that doesn’t like to mix types of food I. 

The Family SJ suites on the Dawn for me was the most cost effective nicest  option. Though no Haven we had suite perks plus breakfast and lunch in Moderno. My first Club Balcony did not impress and for now staying with my standard balcony

1 hour ago, Guppy99 said:

I"M sailing first timeon the Escaape transatlantic April 8. I See they have 3 MDR. IS the menu rotation the same each night?

 

Also,  I was recently on a Royal Caribbean ship and it was awful on mmany fronts.  How are the deserts onboard? 

Hi  I will be on the sailing. Deserts in the main dining room and specialties are very good. For some reason I don’t like the buffet deserts as much. They are too gelatinous for me. Sometimes I see the deserts from the main dining room the following day in the buffet. The soft serve in the buffet is excellent. There is also hard ice cream in the buffet. 

This is my Saphire cruise and was wondering if  they serve wine at the Dinner with the Officers. I don't have the Beverage Package as DH is not a drinker so I was wondering if the wine would be gratis? If so would my husband be able to get soda? 

No but I am sure folks would pay a high price after a week of no cookies in the buffet. I suppose one could do a clandestine operation with secret codes in dark alleys or hallways.  

So unless the bus is pulling into the baggage claim, 😉 which I highly doubt, I am sure that the representative will be walking the passengers to an area to catch the bus.  I would ask again. Also I know that there are trains that go from Paris to La Havre as some of the passengers on my Getaway TA independently took the direct train to Paris. You would need a short taxi ride from the train station to port. 

from the South of Boston originally and though we don't tend to stay in hotels in our home area, many Boston cruisers select the Adams Inn in Quincy. It may have changed names but it is relatively inexpensive option with the Red Line train  nearby that go straight into Boston. They used to have a free shuttle to the port as well as letting people leave their car there. Now this may have changed but thought I would give that as an option. 

Last time I had something so far out like that it ended up being cancelled due to covid, since that time, I have been booking anywhere from 2.5 months to five months.  

On the Getaway TA in October, we had cookies. I noticed what I would call "cookie hogs". People who would fill up their plates w/cookies. It got so bad that they were doling out one type of cookie (I forget which one). I asked for 2  cookies and a guy with a plateful behind me  said are you sure you only want two.  .  Maybe hoarding of cookies is the reason they have stopped having them on the buffet.  

Its not the twice a day cleaning that upsets me, it was the substandard variable once a day cleaning. Now to be fair, on the Getaway  Feb 2023, we were the first ship first week to get the once a day and it was chaotic.  Stewart never showed some days, no extra towels,  no vacuuming, no sheets changed in more than a week. At least w/twice a day cleaning, I knew if they couldn't get to my room, we would get extra towels.  Fast forward six months later on the same ship, the once a day cleaning went much smoother but still miss getting the evening towels.  Definately the choices of entertainment has declined, NCLgoing more for the paid game show route. Less daytime activities though they cost literally nothing to do (and this was a TA so daytime activities were appreciated)  Food seemed to have smaller portions, less quality and variety.  Still overall cruising is a good value compared to land vacations,  we were just spoiled before.

4 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

Depends on the port of call. On my TA they couldn’t even be bothered in some ports. People just walking on with bags of bottles of port (the alcohol). I was ready to turn mine over but they weren’t even there to take it.

Same on my TA the country’s version of TSA was doing the checks and you could bring on any types of soda booze etc. In fact duty free was open past the checkpoint with lots of liquids 

I  got  a Club Balcony on the Getaway after a price drop after final payment. Although we enjoyed the bigger bathroom, I am not sure I would pay for it. It also came with a robe, funny it was just one at first and then the second one showed up half way through the cruise.  

We had them on the Getaway in late October. The only time that I saw them was during "tea time" 3:30 to 5pm (or something like that). I can't imagine they will save that much money not serving cookies but anything is possible. People will be really upset as they love their cookies.

I cannot say enough great things about Overlord to visit Normandy. We picked the tour that visited  the beaches/ cemetery, Beaux (sp?) and Honfleur. Those that went on the ships version that just focused just on Normandy all appeared satisfied with their tour. 

17 minutes ago, PistolPete13 said:

On a side note, this sailing makes it 49 days at sea over 5 cruises in four years including the Covid pause.  All of the Caribbean ports will now become repeats for me so I have to think very carefully about the experience on board and what i

Pistol Pete: why don’t you join us on the Escape TA from NYC to Rome April 8th. You just get  16 days off. So what if I don’t get vacation until next year after this cruise. Some folks can telework but not me. A NYC TA either going west or east is something to consider. Totally different ports. BTW I enjoy repeating certain ports like St Martin as there is so much to do there. 

Good point. If there is a price drop on the weekend I would want immediate assistance  to reprice I also have to wait for a call back to book with my agency up to 48 hours generally 24 and sometimes prices change or I change my mind

I do a variety between booking direct with the cruise line or with a big box internet company. The internet company will often times give perks like free gratuity or on board credit. The disadvantage is if I cancel prior to final payment this company will charge me $100.   I think that is how they get some of the money for their perks.   So if I am uncertain about a cruise thinking I may cancel I will go with the cruise company. Also if there is not any good perks with my internet company I will go with the cruiseline.  Also its important to consider availability. NCL is 7 days a week probably 12+ hours a day; so if you want immediate assistance go with the cruise company. My internet company is only 8-5 Monday through Friday.  So it depends what you are looking for -if you want OBC and/or graituties go with someone other than NCL that offers them.  

Thanks, I'll take a look at the Bliss. Although I have not been on anything longer than 14 (will be 16 days in April), I find that in general for me food tends to be less appealing either due to repeats or hybrids so we  tend to book specialties later in the cruise so does everyone else. 

Where do folks see 16 day menus. On the site that I use I only see the 7 day.  Its useful to know ahead of time as there are days that there is absolutely nothing that I would choose so would book the specialty.   Other days I like a couple of things.  There is one menu item mixed grille (no judgement there) that I enjoy so I try not to book a specialty on what I believe is that day though that could change.

8 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

In all these years of Tripadvisor membership, have never ever reached an external site unless it was an accommodation booking website. And never seen such a warning either. 

 

I have no need to look at that website, but impressed that it has given you an approx. time for NCL Sapphire level tender timing, your original question.

Actually Travel was the one who originally asked the question not me so I was answering. I just wondered what else was there in Cannes but I found out myself so I hope this helps others. 

Just now, edinburgher said:

Not sure what point you were making with the Tripadvisor link, but all i got was a warning that if proceeding, would be transferred to an external website., and that is a risk I would not take.  Perhaps because our ISP is not a US one? I do not know.

 

And had you mentioned that you were Sapphire level on NCL and would that help get you off more quickly, your best responses would still have been found on the NCL forum as CCers who never sailed NCL would not even know where on the NCL  loyalty scheme levels  Sapphire is..

Just now, edinburgher said:

Not sure what point you were making with the Tripadvisor link, but all i got was a warning that if proceeding, would be transferred to an external website., and that is a risk I would not take.  Perhaps because our ISP is not a US one? I do not know.

 

And had you mentioned that you were Sapphire level on NCL and would that help get you off more quickly, your best responses would still have been found on the NCL forum as CCers who never sailed NCL would not even know where on the NCL  loyalty scheme levels  Sapphire is..

https://en.cannes-france.com/  is the actual site. If you know anything about trip advisor, once you reach an external site, it gives that statement as they don't want you to leave their site. No worries. I just put the direct link above. 

While I was La coruna w/NCL recently, we did the Hercules Tour with a private company.  I booked it prior for 20 euros, gave 2 up front.  It was a large bus tour of 40 for 2 hours. It was OK, but there is not alot there except for the Tower of Hercultes which we saw on the tour. Another option is to walk or cab to the Tower so you would have more time there.  The downtown is interesting to walk around for an hour or tour but be midnful that siesta is from something like 2:30-4:30. We didn't realize that, we went back to the ship for lunch and came back and alot was closed at 2:30.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ExternalLinkInterstitial?redirectTo=https%3A%2F%2Fen.cannes-france.com%2F
 

from trip advisor, btw I am Sapphire on NCL  ( plus many cruises on other lines) so this is not my first rodeo. Hope this helps others looking for current  Cannes information. 

Yes,  I did but most are about the tendering or old. Sorry for asking; but thought that is what cruise critic is  for. Will look at trip advisor forums for more information. 

13 hours ago, jsn55 said:

Have a look at the 'Ports' boards here on CC.

I did, there is not much; that is why I was asking you.