dachengdao

16 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

Did they add Mumm? I like Moet better but I am surprised, I guess the corporate/marketing deal with Vueve must not have been renewed. 

The only champagne listed now is a rose. 

9 hours ago, gotscrapz said:

 I know I am overreacting, but darn we paid for the Haven outright, we upgraded everything, they are getting a full price from on several cruises and I can't get a good vodka or glass of champagne. If there we decent alternatives... but there aren't. 

Exactly! It's bait and switch. The chat agent basically told me my only choice is to deal with it or try to get the upgrade removed. That's funny because last week I just posted a question in the stockholder's Q&A about what they were planning to do to improve customer service and I got over 100 upvotes.

Arrow, maybe try calling the number they gave me in the above post and see if they will honor the list that was there at the time of your purchase.

I just chatted with an agent who said it's off the list and there's nothing I can do except try to remove the package. I asked for the supervisor's number but they gave me this:

 You would need to contact our Cruise Specialists at 1-866-234-7350 or 800-327-7030. They are open Monday - Friday 8 am-midnight EST and Saturday and Sunday 9 am - 9 pm.

I'm going to be unhappy on my December cruise because like Arrow's wife, Veuve is the reason I upgraded to the PPB package. 

2 minutes ago, WexIrl said:

I can qualify my excellent value statement by inviting you to any Irish family or otherwise event  to compare receipts 🍻 😄


 

 

LOL!  I'm Irish too but can't drink more than one or two a day. Perhaps the Irish genes became diluted over the last 400 years we've been in America. 

On 4/26/2023 at 5:40 PM, KeithJenner said:

 

In all those cruises I have never once seen anyone walking around the buffet offering orange juice, coffee and pastries.

 

We were on the Gem to Bermuda earlier this month and lo and behold! they brought around a tray of pastries one morning to the tables in the buffet and asked everyone to try the ensaymada, which is a Filipino cheese pastry. So delicious! But that was the only day that happened and we never saw ensaymada put out on the buffet.

41 minutes ago, Kristi Williamson said:

 

 It's free. Full stop. As I said, we liked NCL but it's not a free drink package. That's a lie and they shouldn't do it. 

Another thing relating to this point is the offer for "free shore excursions." Turns out it is only $50 off for one person.  I got the upgrade which also gave the $50 off for my husband. "Free" means free and not "discount" so they should change that too.  Still love cruising with NCL the best, but wrong is wrong. 

BTW - I just noticed that you're from the Palmetto State too (though I've been in NYC almost 40 years already).

PS - I'm Southern too, so I'll watch out for the cornbread skillet!

Thank you for your review.  That's a common complaint with NCL about being nickel and dimed ad nauseam. We are sailing on the Getaway this December for the first time (usually sail on the Gem), and this is also the first time we have a beverage package. We upgraded from the free one offered and I don't see myself drinking more than one or two drinks a day, but I will get sparkling water with meals and a cappuccino from Starbucks each morning. I guess we will go for fresh-squeezed juices this time too and if we get a bottle of champagne each dinner, that might make the package worth it but I can't drink more than a glass or two. It's up to hubby to make it up in top-shelf scotch and cognac. We also got a cabana in the Vibe for the first time, so we will definitely be tipping those bar tenders extra in cash.  Glad to hear how beautiful and enjoyable the thermal spa is, as it is included with our spa balcony room. I'm excited to try their salt room.

Thanks for the info, Vacation44! I think there have been a lot of changes lately to the Vibe, so I’ll keep an eye out on the boards to see what others encounter in upcoming voyages.

Thanks so much, MCMC100 for this very informative post! I was able to visualize how it looks from your details and the tips are very much appreciated! It’s nice to know we can bring buffet items in and this is probably what we will do for lunch every day (except maybe not the last 🥶).

Thank you, rnfulk for your answer. We will be sailing in December as well on the Getaway from NY.  How tolerable are the winter winds in a cabana until you hit the warmer seas?

We booked a Getaway cruise for 12/6 earlier this month.  Regular Vibe passes are not currently available, but we were able to snag a cabana. I'm hoping it will cut down on the cold wind so that we can use it more often despite a winer sailing. We usually sail on the Gem in the summer and this is our first time on Getaway and in Vibe.

I have a question about the "specialty food and drink menu" - has anyone seen a picture posted?  Or does anyone know what's on these menus?  Also is OBC credit still offered for the cabana?  It wasn't mentioned in the description, but I've seen posts that it comes with $100 OBC.  Not sure if they are still offering this.

Thank you to the posters who put up videos of the Vibe, Haven, and the Thermal Spa.  We are in a spa balcony this time so don't have to worry about Thermal passes. Can't wait to try that salt room! And the heated tile loungers are the best! 

Thanks for the info, Cruisinpips!  I have a question about the "special food and drink menu" available.  Is that only for the cabanas?  Did you happen to see a menu and remember what was on it? Do they give OBC for a cabana purchase still? 

Thanks, Bird Travels!  Do you have a link to a more recent thread about the Vibe?  I can't seem to find it.

I will sail Dec. 6th  (2003) and was able to purchase a cabana in Vibe earlier this month, but the regular pass is not available yet for some reason. The description indicated that there will be a special food and drink menu in the Vibe.  Is this new?  I haven't seen anyone posting about this and would love to see a pic of the menus of anyone has these.

Thank you so much for this very informative and entertaining review!  Your photos are so awesome!  We are sailing on the Getaway for the first time this coming December, and have mostly been on the Gem. Have you started thinking about your next cruise? Looking forward to reading more from you.

What a fabulous review!!! Your photos are amazing!

Thanks to all who posted, especially those who shared the menus! I like the addition of two kinds of ribs, bison strip, and sea bass. It's not a bad menu, but it's certainly not an upgrade and does not deserve an up charge. I just hope Le Bistro's not next!

I'm not much on sweets, but my NCL fave is a chocolate croissant at breakfast. Crepes sound good if they're not overfilled and gooey. Might have to try 'em next trip. And boy, does that roasted pineapple at Moderno look tasty.

Yes! You are right on all accounts! The chocolate croissants were perfectly flaky on the outside and moist on the inside with just the right amount of dark chocolate filling. The roasted pineapple at Moderno's should have been the perfect end to a lovely meal, but we were roped into more meat and a dessert. Surprisingly, the papaya cream was the best dessert I had on the ship! The crepes were a nice snack after a day of swimming.

I agree that NCL is weak on desserts, but the best desserts on the Star this past week was the papaya cream served in Moderno's, the chocolate fondue served in Le Bistro, the creme brûlée at the Jazz Brunch, and the bread and butter pudding from the buffet. Probably the desserts at the Chef's Table were equally outstanding, but who would know after 9 courses and all that wine paired with each course?

Thank you for such a wonderful pictorial review! I will be on the Star in exactly two weeks and you have sold me on the CT!

I don't like the how the service charges are presented to consumers as discretionary tips when in fact NCL is using us to subsidize wages. That being said, I don't dislike it enough to stop patronizing NCL (going on my third cruise with them next month), nor would I ever adjust it downward or remove it because that money is going to people who are going above and beyond to create a little slice of heaven for me and my family. So forget that it's a tip and just treat it as part of the cruise fare. I always give cash tips as if I haven't paid a service charge, because it's not the workers' fault. Have a great cruise and don't sweat the small stuff!