MsTabbyKats

Well, guess what..... I got an e-mail from her....she wants to cancel! (I told DH she probably would). I told her the $$$ is not refundable at this late date. She said she had insurance. I asked her if it's "cancel for any reason"...she doesn't know. I am going to assume it's NCL insurance....I think you get a FCC of 75% (or something like that). Oh well....

IDK....but I guess I should tell her and direct her to the DMV to get whatever it is that she needs.

@shof515So are you saying that a regular NYC birth certificate would be ok? She may have that!

I want to give her a head's up. I don't think she's ever been out of the country....certainly not in the past 8 years that I know her...and passports do expire. LOL...my concern because I told her to call NCL...knowing that she's a helpless person.

It's NY. She can get an enhanced drivres license. Then again...it's NYC...I'm not even sure she has a regular dirver's license.

I have a friend who is an extremely unseasoned traveler of any sorts. I doubt she has a passport, even less likely she has an enhanced driver's license...and even more remote she has a raised seal of her birth certificate. She's been talking about "Alaska" for years. Last week she said "my travel agents said there are no more cruises to Alaska this year (all booked up)". I looked on the NCL site...and there was loads of availability. I told her....gave her the number of a PCC I used once....and 5 minutes later she called me back with the news "I'm going to Alaska in August". I really and absolutely never thought she was going to book a cruise that fast. Now the guilt part....the cruises all leave from or stop in Canada. I assume she needs proof of American citizenship....and would need one of the 3 forms I mentioned. Am I correct? I want to inform her of such....but only if I'm 100% sure she will need the proof.

@WexIrl Many TAs just do this as a sideline....which is why many TAs mess things up. Mine isn't quite as bad as yours (not nearly as bad)....but his discounts are good enuf for me to "closely monitor". If I were Ms John Q Public, who had no idea of what to do, I'd do what I used to do....use a big name TA and assume all is well.

I don't know if this is "a thing"...but you should have called back and got another agent. I've been in "family cabins" with just 2 people, but not recently. Since it sounds like you're "before final payment"....you could still call again and get someone more helpful on the line.

You could go to the YC pool deck and relax with food and drink if you take the YC interior. The pool deck isn't crowded. I say go for the YC interior....we did, and it was wonderful. Never missed the balcony at all. You could also sit in the YC lounge and get the views.......again, with drinks and snacks.

Absolutely! I forgot, so didn't mention....the great price I got on the cruise I mentioned in an earlier post included a $350 AMEX credit. So, I got 2 cruisenexts, TA paid gratuities, TA gave me a discount and the AMEX credit...all reducing the price! I wouldn't have known about the AMEX offer if not for this forum. It's my husbands card...he uses it about once a year, just to keep it alive.......

If memory serves correct...I used that "cruise" website where TAs "compete" to get your business...and I called the TA with the best offer. But...he has messed up multiple times. You have to know what you want, and then supervise to make sure things get done.

I never understood that either. In general...we are 20% tippers. If it's a restaurant where the servers know us...I add in a few $$$ because they give us extras (substitutes, extra dessert). On a cruise....nothing extra (however on NCL, except for the platinum meals, all are in the buffet).

My TA paid service charges (balcony or above) plus reduced rates (don't remember %).....when coupled with 2 CN certs (over 6 months out)...the final price was very good. I don't get the drinks or meals.......... You just have to shop around for a TA who discounts.

Delete...see Essiemoms post above.

Not playing armchair QB at all. I was talking about personal preferences....... I live in NYC and only cruise out of NYC. That's my choice...and I said what DH and I would have done if it happened to us. We choose to avoid potential problems...like traffic delays to the airport and flight cancellations. If this had been a NYC deparature...we would have gone home and then back later on. If we had flown down for that sailing....we would have realized how stupid we were to fly to a port when we can take a cab and be to a port in about 15 minutes. As a matter of fact, when we were on the Meraviglia in April, it was only their 2nd sailing out of NYC and the weather was absoulutely awful. When our cab finally arrived...we went into the YC entrance, and it was bliss. The main terminal....and 99% of the passengers.....were in chaos. If we had been "with everyone else" I probably would have turned off. I like to make life easy...........

Thanks....I checked the videos/cabins and I also took a look at the lido. The lido configuration (entertainment etc in the rear and the covered pool) should mean a more peaceful mid-ship lido experience. So I upgraded from a cove balcony to a lido balcony.

That means it's there...but either it's too early to reserve or all the advance reservations are full. Book it as soon as you get on the ship!

Touche.... And I've already said..."if I want to see a bunch of guys sitting around drinking beer and getting drunk, I could just go to any bar on the ship"!

You should be able to see if it's still on the schedule with your cruise reservation. But it probably won't have the times and dates.

I'm that rare person. Beer drinking/drinkers holds no appeal to me. The first time we saw it (paying extra) DH was brought up on stage for the beer...so that part was fun (for him). I'm sure we'll sit thru it again in Sept...just because it's there. On the other hand....I go to B'way/Lincoln Center about twice a month. That being said, I don't do cruises for "award winning entertainment". As long as the cast can sing better than me, and dance better than me, I'm good.

So, honestly...if I flew in from somewhere to go on a cruise and this happened....I'd never fly in for a cruise again. I can guarantee....DH would have said "Let's just check into a hotel for the week" after sitting around without food for a couple of hours. I'm not even gonna ask about "the bathroom situation".

And...."Choir of Man" is the only show on my upcoming cruise. Boring........

Has anyone stayed in this area? Opinions.......... The reason I am considering this is for the lounge area. Hopefully more relaxed and pleasant than with the general population. DH isn't what he used to be and I'm trying to avoid the crowds. Thanks

I agree....but everyone cruises for their own reasons. If you take "those reasons" away....what's left? I know most people don't care about entertainment and buffet...we do. People care about drinks ....we don't. If there were cuts for bar hours or offerings...there'd be a lot of "lowering of expectations".

I know.... From now on....mum's the word!