harz99

It kind of depends on the type of promos, and whether they were added on by a TA as a bonus, or just some other promo. Which promo are you talking about?

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It's always puzzling to me that people who say they aren't interested in loyalty levels always seem to make sure everyone knows what their levels are.:confused:

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I couldn't see mine on mine! Only when I clicked on purchase history while in cruise planner. I called RCCL and confirmed that the packages I had purchased were actually on there :( I hope they fix that!

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As the title says when I go into a booking (when I can get in that is) I can't find anywhere the promo's that I have for that booking _ anybody know where they can be seen please?

Travel insurance that covers the eventualities you are worried about and gives you a full refund would surely be a far better idea?

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I had this happen in Tasmania quite a few years back. I was offloaded to the port agent at Hobart who took me to hospital (walking wounded - just) and kept in touch until my insurers got fully involved.

I learnt from that experience that the ship's medical department is only there to look after the ship's interest.

My wife stayed on board and after a few tantrums on her part, guest relations eventually contacted someone in Miami who liaised with both me in hospital and her via guest relations, but the info flow on ship was poor to the point of messages not being passed on until many hours later.

I was offloaded due to being unfit to travel and a danger to my continued health, but they let me walk from the front of deck 2 or 3 medical centre to the rear of deck 8 to my cabin to collect some essentials, papers etc. Then off ship to the port agents car, no offers of help or wheelchair, just get off as quick as you can because the ship is due to sail.

Stopped me from booking again with Royal for a long time.

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We are Elite+, and Platinum+ on NCL, and will be Diamond+ on Royal by this time next year. We have no chance (and thus no incentive) of reaching the next level on any of these 3 lines. In fact next year we take our first Princess and Crystal cruises.

The combination of no incentive, same old itineraries, and reduced perks value, causes customers to look at pastures new - well these ones anyway.

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There are shuttles "trolling" for customers at POM -- customer service feedback on them is not usually positive. :(

 

Taxis are available - fare from POM to FLL should be about $70+

 

I would reach out to the popular shuttles (SAS, QLS, Go Airport, etc.) to see if they can support you without a working cell phone.

 

Good luck! :)

 

PS If any of this helps you owe me a pint - whatever bitter your local is pouring will be fine! ;)

Thanks JohninDC, I thought I remembered some touts on previous visits, but on those I have been travelling to Port Everglades to board another ship same day so used a cab as nobody offers a port to port service.

All the big companies require a cell phone number to take bookings in advance, which I can work around for inbound transfers, as I know where the public phones are hidden at FLL near the pick up areas! Was hoping at least one might have a human presence at PoM.

Looks like we may end up at the mercy of either NCL's coach transfer or the local touts. Lol.

PS. "Pint of Bitter" would get some funny looks from the barman, as they expect you to name the brand/name the actual beer these days. Probably 40 years since I've asked that question...

I've sailed both. Men could go in dining room on 2 Celebrity ships I cruised on recently without suit jacket on formal night. On Sapphire Princess last week men were turned away from main dining room without a suit jacket on formal night.

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Hi, arriving PoM off a Transatlantic on 19th Nov, previous port not a US one so immigration expected to be slow.

Are there any companies with a walk-up booking desk at the Port for shuttles to FLL (that don't involve pre booking a specific time), or with a help point in case of missing a booked departure (don't have a US cell phone).

Thanks in advance.

That would be OK also. In PNG be prepared for hot and humid weather. We were in Alotau two weeks ago and experienced both these conditions. February would be even hotter.:)

 

By the way, to both posters who are enquiring about cruises on the Sea Princess, I suggest you visit the 'Australia and NZ Cruisers' section of this forum if you have any specific questions about the Sea Princess or about the destinations.

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So how will I get on with a shirt, tie and slacks but no jacket? PNG cruise next February if that makes any difference.

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Melissa, from Guatemala - she is lovely!

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Biggest problems we've experienced on 3 RF cruises (one TA and two Med) is the overcrowding in public areas due to the extra cabins/higher number of pax and the overworked staff (same cause).

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You were very, very lucky to have Sue over Christmas as normally she goes on vacation/holiday after the Transatlantic.

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Don't know about Captain Kate, but we were on the Equinox cruise leading up to Easter Weekend before she had taken over, the food, service etc. were top notch, and no we weren't in a suite.

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You say that, but picking a 14 night Jade cruise for this September (so outside of U.K. holiday time), it is about £1,000 more for a similar cabin than I have today paid for that 15 night cruise that you say will come down in price.

 

I couldn’t compare the May one because it is sold out for anything above an Oceanview.

 

Looking at other Jade 2018 summer cruises from Southampton, I haven’t yet found one that is cheaper per night than that 2019 Baltics trip.

 

I may of course be wrong, but I see these prices only going one way, and that isn’t down.

 

 

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Well I am surprised that people are truly taken in by NCLs smoke and mirrors, and actually believe any perks including the UBP are "free. Leaving room now shaking head in disbelief...

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Not really, if you have any desire to pick your cabin location,(which most of us do) the only difference in price is the gratuity. Now if you are willing to risk a room under the disco on a guarantee, you might save some money, but I like to know where my stateroom is.

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You’re looking at it the wrong way. The UBP is now $17.80/day in service charges/gratuities. So as long as you drink 2-3 drinks a day, it pays for itself on a seven day cruise. Add in soft drinks and such as well and it definitely pays for itself.

 

 

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I can not recall a HOHO option for FLL drop off, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. You most certainly do not need to buy the HOHO from MSC. The HOHO bus for Miami departs from Bayside which is just over the port bridge. Some HOHO buses come directly to the port, but I'm not sure if you are able to book those independently or if they are reserved for those who booked tours. A cab across the bridge to bayside can't be more the $10 and I'm thinking you could save some significant cash by cutting out the cruise line.

 

 

If the HOHO doesn't work, another option is to take a transportation service to FLL (like rides sas). That is $15 pp. If you have a lot of people, uber might be cheaper. There is luggage storage at FLL (I forget the cost but it was nominal). Once you get to FLL and get your luggage stored, the Sunshine Trolley is free to tour FLL. It's not a trolley from the airport, it's a regular bus but you can take the regular bus to a trolley station. You pick it up downstairs between B and C terminal. It will take you the riverfront where you can exit, walk along the river, have a great lunch (with enough time you could even do a water taxi tour from there). The riverfront in FLL is really very nice and it is a place to easily spend a day.

 

Of course, a HOHO from Miami Port to FLL would be easiest, so please let us know if you find one. Like I said, I've never seen that option advertised and I'm reasonably familiar with both Miami and FLL so I"m curious.

 

Here's a link to the HOHO: https://www.bigbustours.com/en/miami/miami-bus-tours

 

And here's one to FLL Sun Trolley: http://www.broward.org/AIRPORT/TRANSPORTATION/Pages/SunTrolley.aspx

 

Hope that helps some :)

Thank you for the useful info, we are looking for something similar for November off NCL Star's TA prior to a late evening flight from FLL.

A couple of questions if I may; firstly is BigBus the only HOHO company in Miami, secondly would an everglades tour be sensible in November because that is another alternative.

Thank you sbflcruiser. I understand the high speed train may be easier with luggage. Did you take the train from Rome to Civitivecchia? I am wondering if that train may be a little trickier? We think we could handle two large suitcases and two carry on's no problem but we may need a garment also. We are doing b2b. Thank you for the info.

 

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Glad to see anyone who had a very nice trip (that is, after all, the idea of a trip away). You will have to let us know how you avoided the lines.

 

Sorry I bashed your cruise. Maybe our needs are a little different. On a cruise, especially a crossing, we like to have a nice, relaxing time. Noisy, loud pax are just not our cup of tea. Not that our way is better than theirs, just not for us. That is why we never, ever sail the Caribbean.

 

And, honestly, we have dozens and dozens of cruises where we had absolutely nothing we didn't like, so that isn't true. Have never, in our 70+ sailings, complained once about a trip. Maybe that indicates how very different this one was from our experience, which may vary from yours. Wasn't even going to say anything (even though we talked to people who had exactly the same experience as us) until I saw that someone else brought up the same issues and didn't want them to feel like the Lone Ranger and face the cheerleaders.

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Hi all. I have a train travel question....we have never been to Venice. Doing a cruise from Civitevecchia, and woukd like to spend a few days in Venice before. Going to fly into Venice and thinking of taking the train to Rome. Then getting a car service to Civitevecchia. We have heard not so great stories of luggage and train travel. We will be doing two cruises so will have luggage. We will each have a carry on, and large suitcase and then we will have one garment bag. We are considering paying a crazy price for the train ($366) for the two of us, booking Executive class on the 1000 train. We have seen so many peoole post such low train fares, but we are worried about handling and watching our luggage. Does anyone have an experience with this class and can you keep all of your luggage with you? We are thinking it will be easier and a piece of mind. These seats on the train look to have so much more room and have plenty of space for luggage, where as we can keep our luggage with us. Or is it crazy and not worth the extra expense? Would appreciate any opinions from people who have traveled on these high speed trains. Thank you so much. :)

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Put us in that category. In spades.

 

Not "one of our worst" but our worst. Bar none.

Not newbies by any means. 15th NCL cruise. 70+ cruises, about 1000 days on ships. This was the only time we couldn't wait to get off a ship.

Spa suite cabin a joke (floor plan shows 2 chairs + small table in cabin) none in reality. Not a chair, not a settee, not a couch. Nothing but a bed and a jetted tub.

 

Noisiest ship we have ever been on. Non-stop noise virtually everywhere. In the music venues, people screaming to be heard over the performer so that those there to actually HEAR the performer, couldn't. This was especially bad in Shakers. Gave up trying to listen to Zoe there (who was very good) due to obnoxiously loud pax.

 

This was our 22nd crossing and never experienced anything like this ship. Usually crossings are quieter, people enjoying the sea days, listening to the lecturers (the only one on this one was good, but you couldn't get a seat unless you were there 30+ minutes early). It was almost like this was a short Caribbean cruise that got waylaid and headed to Europe. We had perfect weather (best we've ever had) so I can't even imagine what this would have been like with a normal April crossing (weather in the 60s at best, cloudy most of the way across, fairly active seas).

 

The lines. OMG the lines. Embarkation took over 1 1/2 hours because they disembarked coaches and vans one at a time. Where then you had to stand in line to go up an escalator in groups because when you got to the top there was no room to stand and people would have been dangerously stuck on the escalator. The show lines, if it wasn't a "reserved" show, were absurd. 45 minutes before the Epic Beatles theater show, the line stretched virtually the length of the ship. People were not queuing up because they wanted to. There were likely almost 1000 people in that line. The theater is horribly undersized. 700 seats for a ship with 4000+ pax.

 

The good points? The entertainment, when you could see it, was superb. Staff throughout the ship very good. Haven restaurant very good quality, but they really should consider mixing up the menus a bit. The exact same menu for 15 days gets very old, very fast. But the preparation, taste and presentation were top-notch. As was the service there. Cabin service the best we've ever had (and that says a lot--we've had unbelievably stellar service over the years). Bowen, the concierge, is a real gem.

 

We knew the Epic could be a challenge. Worst design ever. No one knows that more than NCL (why do you think they paid an over $125 million contract fine NOT to build the second Epic class ship). We really didn't think it could be that bad. It was.

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