KeithJenner

If that was true then they would be Teps.

Firstly, you are talking about EU rules when referring to cruise from the UK. The UK is not part of the EU. Unless you are boarding somewhere like Amsterdam? I am certainly not aware of any legal reason why a company can’t enforce a corkage policy. It is within the cruise lines rights to not allow you to bring alcohol onboard.

Whilst I’ve not done that specific itinerary I have been to all the ports except Visby and Kotka a few times and they are all docked. I believe that Kotka is a docking port so I would be surprised if you have any other tender ports.

Completely irrelevant to my point. The OP asked on the NCL board whether there is a list of ports where you are charged tax and I stated that it can change from cruise to cruise. Whether this is an NCL issue or not is irrelevant.

Unfortunately these things are not always consistent. Especially in Europe things can, and have, changed from cruise to cruise. I’m not aware of anywhere that has these things listed. This board isn’t a bad place to pick up knowledge and it is worth reading through reviews to give you a good idea of what to expect.

You can always opt out of the extras and save the gratuities. There are other rates that don’t include the free at sea options. These differ depending on where you are from, but look at rates like “sailaway”, which may exclude those offers and be cheaper. However you may lose the option to select your cabin (again, that varies by location).

No reservations for places like Headliners (duelling pianos). Reservations for entertainment open up 21 days out now.

The person you are replying to has insurance. They are just asking whether they need to take proof.

It isn’t compulsory on NCL in Europe.

Whilst the vouchers are non transferrable, many of us have used them where just one of the platinum guests is included along with another person (even when the other platinum is present), so there is unlikely to be any problem with one of you taking one friend and the other person taking another friend. However, this is the bit that is much more likely to be a problem: "Coupons can’t be used for the same venue twice." So, the two coupons are supposed to be used in different restaurants which would seem to rule out doing what you suggest and using them both for the same meal. Having said that, I don't know how well they police this, so it is at least possible that the staff could chose to ignore the rule. But it does go against the stated conditions of the benefit.

There are a wide variety of specific proportions quoted on here, I assume based on guesses by whichever staff member people asked. We know that only a proportion is released early, but we don’t know what that proportion is for sure.

I have stayed on deck 8 mini suites a few times (Getaway and Breakaway, but the Escape is the same) and have never heard a sound from the theatre. It certainly moves more up front than mid ship. Most of my trips in these rooms have been in the Caribbean and there was no movement at all in calm seas. I was in a large balcony room on deck 9 (above these ones) on a transatlantic where the seas were quite rough on a couple of days and it really did move a lot. If you get seasick then I would be reluctant about these rooms if you are on an itinerary that can get rough.

Yes, entertainment reservations are only available on the Epic and newer ships.

This is an M6 balcony on the Getaway.

You can bring on as much as you can carry. The bar service issue in Greece appears to have now been resolved if you have the beverage package, although there is no guarantee that it won’t resurface again. It has in the past.

It’s nice to see those pictures. We were booked in a corner mini suite for the Amsterdam to Reykjavik cruise which was cancelled, so I never got to see the balcony. If does look very nice.

I’ve not seen it mentioned for a while, but there have certainly been reports of people with 18-21 year olds that had free at sea soda packages being able to get them upgraded onboard for just the gratuity cost. From memory I think it was usually an upgrade to corks & caps. It’s probably worth enquiring onboard, but this may be something that was at their discretion or that they have stopped doing.

For most of our cruises we have been with our son and for most of them he hasn’t has a drink package. In all that time (about 20 cruises) we have only ever paid for his drinks a couple of times. That isn’t because we sneak around, I always make sure that I present his card when ordering from a new server and point out that he hasn’t got the package. Almost every time they don’t charge for it, and many times I have been told to just use our cards in future. Basically, we haven’t been able to pay for his drinks despite trying. Obviously this is just soda. I suspect they may be more keen to charge if it was an 18-21 year old getting alcohol.

It wasn’t the bartenders being lax, it is NCL policy. There are often signs at the bars on European sailings stating that the age for alcohol to be served is 18. The policy is stated on the NCL website.

This hasn’t changed much since before 2019, so if you had it all working ok then you will be fine.

I don’t think you would have been able to see these times as you already have a booking then. The person you spoke to at NCL should have been able to see something (I would assume), so I can’t explain that, but it may explain why your friends could get a booking when you couldn’t see anything.

It isn’t always a tender port. We have been there twice and docked both times. It is a port where ships may tender if there are multiple ships in port.

People are getting confused with the terminology here. The basic package that you get with free at sea is called the Premium Beverage Package, and is sometimes referred to as the Ultimate Beverage Package (from memory that used to be its name). With that package you are only covered for $15 and pay any extra. The package you bet with free at sea (or can be purchased separately) is the Premium Plus package. When the poster above was saying about paying the extra that was with the Premium package, not premium plus.

Yeah, would be about that. Nice morning walk.

It is an ok walk into town. About a mile and a half. We have walked in rather than queue for the shuttle.