sunnylasvegas

Thanks... the lines, and feeling crowded are somewhat concerning for me, as that seems to be a theme on so many reviews. I appreciate the information.

I totally agree about the Vista! There was basically nothing I Iiked about this ship. We were just on this ship in Jan. I had booked for Early Dining---got Anytime Dining---which was horrible! We had to go to a Coffee shop to pick up our dining room "ticket"---then proceed down to the MDR--we waited in another line! Couldn't change it because there were NO extra tables in early Dining. My guess is because they have totally reduced the size of the size of the rooms. Also, very lackluster MDR! My sister---60's---commented that she's seen better décor in VFW dining rooms!

I also felt that the entire ship seemed crowded in--probably to make room the huge I-Max theater--which we weren't willing to pay extra for! The "theater/lounge" was horrible. Big support poles that blocked your view---bad seating. We all commented that if they had to evacuate this "lounge" quickly, it would be a disaster!! The lounge chairs at the pool were so crowded in you had to CLIMB over the chair to sit down. It was hard to move them anywhere because the lounges were scrunched in between two unmovable poles.

Sad to hear that Horizons will be exactly the same! No more Vista for us---or Horizons!! This ship is catering to people with children---not adults who want to enjoy some Serenity Time! Very poor design if you ask me!

DW does not drink so it would not be cost effect for us. Now if Carnival were to change so I would be the only one that had to purchase it, now that would be a different story.

I'd like to see Carnival change their Cheers Program to "One person in the Cabin Buys the Package---15 Drink Maximum Still Applies"!! In the end, what difference would it make? If you choose to "share" with your cabin mate, you still only get the 15 drinks per day! This would be perfect for those couple where one drinks---the other drinks very little! I think someday Carnival will change their drink policy. Aren't drinks included on Norwegian cruises?

I was recently on the Triumph in May. I had purchased the cheers program. When I reached my points in the casino for dou they gave me 2 steakhouse options for the mdr. A day or so later they delivered chocolate covered strawberries to my room. On the last day I received the bounce back offer for a free cruise.

Interesting! I was never offered anything when I got to 1500pts! Except the "NO" to the DOU card!

We just sailed on the Conquest in May. As usual, we opted for the "Cheers" Drink Package. Love to have our cocktails while cruising! We also enjoy spending time in the casino. I managed to get my points up to 1500 and assumed that the "Drinks on Us" while playing in the casino would apply. I told my server about this and she said, "Oh, no, you already have the Cheers Program so you can't do both."

I totally understand if this new policy is to make sure no one gets over 15 drinks per day. On our previous cruise in Jan, I had a card in my cabin the very first day which gave me free drinks in the casino. I was able to use that card in the casino and my "Cheers" card elsewhere. As much as I enjoy my cocktails on the ship, I don't ever get to the max of 15! I'm just wondering if this new practice is on all CCL ships? Also, I think Carn should stop the promotion of "Drinks on Us" if you get to a certain point level without telling people they can't double-dip with "Cheers." I know for certain that some people maybe play a little too heavily in the casino just to get the drink card.

Hi Friends. I am looking for a similar fun times for the Conquest sailing on May 13th out of Port Everglades. Its a 7 day going to Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay, Belize and Cozumel.

 

Looks like this is a 1 time route for the Conquest, so i do not believe there are specific Conquest fun times for the same Itinerary.

 

Does anyone have any fun times from another ship that match that same Itinerary? I think Glory has done that route recently from Miami, i assume it would be a similar schedule to that? Any ideas or comments would be helpful.

 

Thanks!!

We are also booked on this cruise on the Conquest. We are just off the VISTA last week and I'm hoping we enjoy the Conquest more than we did the brand new Vista! Did NOT like this new design at all!

Hopefully, you'll see our big group (50) early on the ship. Look for the Bride and Groom running around! Very excited about our first Ocean Suite on this ship! Have fun!

We were not thrilled the Vista either the show room is so small and the chairs are a joke no place for your drink I sure like the other ships main theater 100% better. There are some nice things on the Vista but I think all in all it is the worst new ship I have sailed on. I probably will not sail on her again and also will not sail on the next 2 new Vista class ships I like Carnival but before I sail on a Vista class ship again I would go to another Cruise line which is too bad because I do like Carnival the best, but I really don't care for the Vista class.

We are just off the Vista last Saturday and feel the exact same way! Some people said the cabins and balconies were bigger. We didn't see this at all. The closets seem smaller--less storage. And, I believe there has always been a long, low cabinet on the wall in front of the bed. I remember the cabin steward on previous cruises putting the liquor in there. We also always seemed to be fussing with the 2 chairs on the balcony. One always seemed to be in the way of the door.

We talked to dozens of people on the ship and no one liked the Liquid Lounge as a "showroom." Very poor design!

There were other issues as well----as in Your Time Dining! These things did not spoil the cruise for us. I have to say----we'd never sail the Vista again.

We are just off the Vista this past Saturday. First, let me be POSITIVE about things. The cruise was fun! The weather was great and we loved St Kitts and St. Marten. San Juan was good. Not much to do in Grand Turk unless you left the shopping area. Small Beach was pretty there!

But, for the Vista itself---sorry to say we are not impressed with this new design. Everything seemed a little cramped in to us. We think maybe it was the new I-Max Theater that took up more space--and the Thrills Theater. About $12.95 pp to go in there! There is NO real Showroom/Theater on the Vista as on other ships. They have the Liquid Lounge for shows that is extremely small and blocked by huge support barriers. My sister commented that if they had to evacuate that lounge fast, people would be in trouble. It isn't anything like other Carn. ships we've been on.

Our major complaint---and that of at least 20 people I spoke to---was the dining situation. We booked this cruise 18 months ago. I requested Early Dining. Later, my booking page showed Late Dining. I called several months ago to change this and was told they would Wait-List us for Early. When we boarded the ship, we were told we had "Your Time Dining." First of all, they should change this name to---"Our Time Dining for you--when it's convenient for us!" On our first night, we had to go to the Java (coffee) Café on Deck 5 to get our "ticket" for Dining. We arrived at 6:20pm and waited in line until 6:50. Then we had to proceed down to Deck 3 and wait in line again at the Horizons MDR. It seemed everything was slow and wrong. We tried to change Dining time once again but were told Early and Late were filled.

This makes me think that both main dining rooms were designed just a little bit smaller. On our last night on the ship, we once again went to the dining room. Got in line for our ticket and were given a beeper----we went and found a bar and waited 45 minutes!

We also felt that the pool areas seemed more crowded than usual. At the Tides Pool, the lounge chairs were so close together that they were actually touching. You had to squirm in to sit down. The problem here was that there were umbrellas on each side of the line of chairs that could not be moved. We also had a regular balcony which we felt was just slightly smaller as well. Have to check on this!

Sorry to go on so long. We don't go on a cruise to find fault usually. And a few things I don't like won't ruin the cruise for me. But, all in all, I have to say the Vista is not for us. We heard that the Horizons coming over next year has the same design.

We just got off the Epic on Aug. 30. I had read a great deal about the bathroom configuration, but was still willing to give it a try.

I, for one, felt that the bathrooms are completely screwy!! Yes, if you're a couple in the cabin, you can deal with just about anything. There is a somewhat frosted glass covering the tiny shower, but you basically have to step out into the cabin to dry off. Also, the flimsy sliding glass door to the toilet area does nothing to reduce the extremely LOUD toilet-flushing sound--especially in the middle of the night. Yes, there is a curtain that you can pull across to separate the toilet/shower area. But, this also prevents anyone from entering the cabin or leaving. Finally, you use the restroom at nighttime and have to wash your hands in the sink in the middle of the cabin!

It's pretty obvious I didn't like this set-up at all. It was a great cruise through Italy, France, Spain, but I wouldn't go on the Epic ever again.

Actually, it's NOT the Unlimited Beverage Package, it's the Ultimate Beverage Package.

 

Getting to know your servers, and perhaps sliding a few dollars their way, goes a long way to having them help you out in getting drinks at a rate better than one at a time. Be good to your server and he/she will be good to you.

New to NCL on this next cruise. Still wondering if we should get the UBP. We definitely have gotten our money's worth on previous cruises doing this. What is the limit of drinks on NCL?

Who goes on a particular sailing, you have NO control over, unless the cruise is contracted. This is true for ANY cruise. There aren't any magnets selecting all the unruly kids to a particular ship. :) So, I give all those comments no concern, and all in hindsight.

 

I sailed the Epic on last year's transAtlantic. The room set up, meant nothing to me, and was NO inconvenience. There is a heavy curtain that separates the sleeping area. I like the sink being open, and couldn't care less about the bathroom or shower. With the curtain shut, you had a good amount of privacy, if you wanted. There were complaints about poor lighting at the sink for those who have to apply makeup, I don't.

 

I will say, I would not pick a 7 day cruise for the Med, as it's too short in my opinion. I have sailed those ports many times and enjoy having a lot of port stops. :)

 

There was the ability to book entertainment on board, but it is necessary- if you are particular about seating to be in lines early. Some shows did "sell" out, but the schedule does have a good amount of repeats available, again, another plus for longer cruises. With a 7 day, I would have reservations made in advance.

 

There is a formal, or not night, kind of like IF you want to dress up, you shouldn't be the only one. :) Do understand, NCL will always have a number of passengers on board who have no interest in this. :)

 

A slight inconvenience with this ship is elevators are only forward and aft, no mid elevators, so you can have some long walks.

 

The buffet is forward, with spectacular expansive viewing. An area I greatly enjoyed. :) (especially on all those boring sea days :) )

 

The whole point will be what YOU want out of a cruise? IF any of the NCL set are NOT what you want, then look elsewhere, but it's a ship I greatly enjoyed.

"BUdget"----thanks so much! You obviously are a seasoned cruiser and CC-er! We also wouldn't have chosen a 7-day W Med, but, it was FREE--courteous of Caesar's Entertainment (CAS) here in Las Vegas. I can't complain. I think now we can deal with the bathrooms, etc. Everyone has really set my mind at ease! This is why I love CC! (PS: Syracuse---I'm a NYorker too----Jamestown, NY not too far from you!)

Yes, the bathrooms are that bad.

 

Never saw kids in the adult pool but then again, being only 15x20ft in size, not much room for them there. All other pools are made pretty much only for kids.

 

They have dress up nights, just not many people dress up f

No, you can book shows on board or even stand in the standby line just before the show. May or may not get in but it's not a requirement to book before boarding.

thanks!!! That answers a lot of our questions right there! We really don't "cruise by the reviews"----but this is our first time on NCL--fortunately it's just the two of us in our cabin and we definitely do not have any "see-thru" issues with each other! Very excited about this cruise. Hey, I got it for FREE thru Casinos at Sea here in Las Vegas. I am NOT complaining!

I think that ALL the cruiselines offering an alcoholic beverage package should do it in the form of a "punch-card". Set a maximum number of drinks per day (obviously where there is still a profit margin) and then what difference does it make who actually consumes them? So what if a couple or a group decide to split one package. There's no way to abuse the system - once your daily maximum is hit you pay OOP.

 

The only reason I can figure that this hasn't been implemented by any line is that the beverage package business is a major cash cow due to people NOT drinking enough to cut into what must be a massive profit margin.

I think this is a brilliant statement! This is what I've been saying for a long time. If there are two people in the same cabin, and only one drinks or drinks very little----what difference does it make really? a 15 drink maximum IS still a 15-drink maximum per day. Who knows, maybe this policy will change someday.

We have cruised many times, but never on NCL. I've been reading many reviews about the Epic that aren't very positive. I realize that reviews can be misleading, but many of these seemed to repeat the same problems. Can someone clarify things for me?

We are doing the West. Med. on the Epic--Aug 23-30, 2015.

1) Are the bathrooms really as bad/awkward as people say they are?

2) Kids running/misbehaving all over the ship---in the adult pools? Sitting on their mother's lap in the casino? That one was hard for me to believe.

3) No elegant/dress-up nights in the MDR?

4) Do we have to book shows BEFORE the cruise? People say the showroom is small for such a huge ship.

Thanks!!

This is a style of design that is popular in Europe where space is at a premium and I believe it allowed NCL to fit even more cabins on their ship. However, the design was so controversial with customers that NCL switched back to the typical type of stateroom bathroom with their newer ships. IMO, I don't care one way or the other since I don't own the ship and I don't have to live with that style of bathroom in my house. IMO the toilet is far less private than I am totally comfortable with. It helped that we were in a Spa Suite and there was also a curtain in front of the door which made it a bit more private. Still you can hear everything going on in the toilet room from the bed, which is not conducive to romance, or even sleep for that matter. I do want to give NCL high marks for their Spa Suite Shower - perhaps the BEST shower at sea! Better even than the shower in the Owner's Suite or Villas!

I'm really confused after reading all these posts about the bathroom configuration. We're on the Epic next Aug out of Barcelona---our first time in an inside cabin. I understand that the sink is outside of the toilet area. Is there a door from the toilet to the outside sink--or a curtain?

thanks again everyone! We'll be in Barcelona for a couple of days and then a resort on the Med. Hope to bring 2-3 bottles of wine on. I'm prepared for the $15 fee. Like someone said--it's cheaper than buying a bottle in the MDR. We also get "free drinks" in the casino-----thank you Caesar's Entertainment in Las Vegas!!

Thanks everyone! That answers my question. We'll be sailing on the Epic out of Barcelona on Aug 23. Can't wait!

Hello all. We have cruised many times but new to NCL. I've read on their website that a passenger can bring on wine/champagne to be consumed in dining room or cabin----and will be charged a corkage fee. Is this true, also, if you're bringing it for your cabin use only? Thanks for your help!

We're booked on the Epic next Aug out of Barcelona. Someone recently told me she'd seen a FOX review of the Epic and one negative was that the showrooms were small and you should reserve seats ahead of time. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks!

O gosh, I love her books, I literally laugh out loud when I read her series books. I am from NY, so I can totally picture and hear the characters, the grandmother is a HOOT!

me, too! I will definitely toss in 2 of her books for my 14-day Pride cruise in March! I'll be the one sitting by the pool chuckling out loud!!

I highly recommend "The Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love" by Jill Conner Brown. It's mostly about her life and it is so stinkin' funny! You'll get weird looks from people who wonder what your'e laughing out loud at. Conner Brown has several books after this one, but that one is my fave.

OMG--this is the funniest book ever written--for women,that is! Youwill read this book and sit and chuckle out loud! Guys just can't appreciate this "female" humor. Ladies--read this to find out about the greatest chocolate dessert ever made and what you can say to a man to get him to do anything you want!!!

OK, guys and ladies----anything by Nelson DeMille or Stuart Woods or Harlen Coben is a great read.

But, for a cruise---it has to be Florida writer Carl Hiassen's

"Skinny Dip"----about a man who throws his wife overboard and she floats ashore on a...........oh, you just have to read this for yourself.

"Skin Deep" by Carl Hiassen is another great one.

We were on the Valor last year and it was BF's "50-something Birthday." When he wasn't looking, I decorated the door with the Birthday decorations I had brought with me (from Dollar Tree-my favorite store). You can pay Carnival beforehand, but it's a LOT more expensive. I didn't even realize at the time that people decorated their doors.

So, now I'm working on my very first door poster for our cruise on the Elation on Oct. 13. Anyone on this cruise, please stop by and leave a message! Great sailing!

"Sonya and Ron"

Fort Myers, Florida