KeithJenner

I have sometimes received a refund onboard for any ports that have been missed once you have sailed, but not always. I’ve never received anything back for any changes made before sailing (except once when the cruise was shortened by a day and we got a pro rata refund for that day).

I have found Cagneys to be fine the past few times I’ve been there. We had some average meals there a few years ago, but it’s been a lot better lately in our experience. As for dealing with the free at sea and platinum meals, this has got a bit harder now that many only get one free at sea meal. You can now only book one meal at either Moderno or Teppanyaki without paying up front. I’ve not had a problem with leaving any that can’t be booked in advance until after boarding. I would book Teppanyaki in advance as it can sell out quickly but leave Moderno until onboard as it is often less busy. This is assuming you want both of them. Just remember to book any fixed price restaurants first. If you want more than three speciality meals then it’s worth looking at the dining upgrade where you can get two additional meals for about a third off. You may be happy with three options anyway. One other thing to be aware of is that the system is currently only allowing each restaurant to be booked once per cruise. If you want to go back to the same place then you either have to call or wait until onboard.

Just to be absolutely clear. I'm really pleased for the OP that they like the Haven. From their post it seems to work very well for them. The Haven is a great feature of NCL ships for those people who like to cruise that way. I won't say anything against the Haven, or the reasons that people may like it. Absolutely each to their own. I do however very much disagree with the last paragraph of their post. That's all.

Chocolates on the pillow went many years ago. Not seen afternoon tea either (although it isn't something that would interest me, so I may have just missed it). The Getaway has the Waterfront (deck 8 ) which is one of the best promenade decks. There will be a solo meet up in the studio lounge, which anyone can attend even if you aren't in a studio. There will be lunch served on boarding day. I'm not sure which restaurant, but it will be shown in the freestyle daily. I'm not sure about a dining room being open for lunch. Since the restart after covid it seems to depend on the ship/

No, many people don't do homework before booking. Many don't do homework after booking either. Each to their own. Some people aren't all that interested in the details. They just turn up and go with the flow. Personally, I couldn't do that, but it seems to work for some people

My source is this forum. I have nothing official about this, and the reports started after my last cruise, which is why I was very vague about it but if it is a thing then it could help in the OP's situation.

This is correct. The only thing to add is that with the reported change to platinum vouchers being able to be used in any restaurant, would it be possible to use them both in the same restaurant at the same time? If so then what the OP asks could work. I don't know the answer to this question. Just wondering.

That really isn’t true for everyone. I promise.

Someone else reported recently not being able to add two additional dining packages. I can’t remember the detail, but it seems that the system can only handle the free at sea option and one additional package. I’m not sure whether there was a way round this.

Just to be clear, when I mentioned two itineraries being put together to form one longer one, I am talking about NCL doing this. If travel agents do that then I assume that it would be two separate bookings as far as vouchers are concerned. I don’t know whether there are any at the moment, but NCL have often offered longer B2B cruises as one itinerary. For example, when the Jade was doing alternating cruises out of Venice they offered two week options as a separate itinerary. Taking casofilia’s point, one leg on our booking was cancelled and it was easy for us to move the booking. If we had been on a travel agents created B2B then it could possibly have been harder to deal with.

It depends on how it is booked. If you have just booked two separate itineraries which happen to follow after each other then that is two separate bookings. If NCL have put two itineraries together to form a single, longer itinerary then that is a single booking.

That's correct. 125 days for Platinum-Diamond. 130 for Ambassador.

120 days unless you are platinum or higher latitudes

We had that exact choice for our upcoming Dawn cruise and the aft balcony was the easy choice for us, as we much prefer being there. The only reason we would have gone for the family suite would have been of there were more than two of us, as I think it is bigger, but for us two the aft was much preferred.

I like the Asian places on NCL and we went there on the Jade back in April. It was very good. It certainly isn’t a leisurely meal though. They bring everything out very quickly. I always say that next time I will order each course individually, but then forget and end up with a table full of food, all courses. 🙂

I have no problem with doing the muster drill, but I wish they could find a way of making sure that everyone gets there on time. At a point you just want to get on with your holiday there is nothing more frustrating than seeing people strolling in twenty minutes after tmot should have started. I’m not sure what the solution is. Maybe sending a small electric charge through all the hot tubs 5 minutes before muster would get some of the people moving. 🙂

I am not interested in having three sit down meals in a day. For dinner we almost always eat in a restaurant, and like to have a relaxing breakfast, but for lunch I much prefer a snack, so it is o’Sheehans or the buffet for us. The buffet is perfect for that.

I think that this is the same poster who started going on about gambling in a discussion about whether free at sea plus was worth it. If so they do seem to have a particular interest in the subject.

Beer is covered up to $15 (there have been beers available in the District Brewhouse that cost more than that) however they come. In most bars it is from bottles. District Brewhouse has lots on tap and a few other bars have one or two available on draught.

Yes. Before 3rd September everyone still needs these. After that you will still need it to show that you don’t need to test (non vaccinated need to show a negative test).

Absolutely. Those of us who have used NCL for a while, or spent time on these boards and heard what people have been told, know this well, but a newcomer would think that they can rely on what they are told by NCL phone staff. I’ve had a few discussions on these boards where I am trying to help people but they dismiss what I am saying because NCL phone staff said something different.

Thanks. It sounds like it is the problem that we knew about, but for some reason you had the extra issue of the restaurants disappearing. My guess would be that they would be back again if you went back, but its irrelevant as you still wouldn't be able to book them. You did the right thing by contacting NCL anyway. The only ways round this that I know of are either to call/chat with them or wait until onboard.

I'm not sure from your post whether you took offence, or whether you're having a joke with me, but no offence was meant. We often have these resurrected threads on here, and I was just pointing out that it was an old post that you were replying to. Sorry if I worded it badly.

NCL links never work when I provide them as they are on the UK site. Maybe ours has changed before yours (it has updated recently). I'll try pasting it: Testing & Pre-Embarkation Protocols For all sailings through September 2, 2022: For cruises originating from a U.S. port: Age Vaccinated Unvaccinated < 2 years No testing requirement. No testing requirement. 2-11 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Negative NAAT test (i.e., PCR) result administered by a verified third party within three days of the embarkation date, as well as additional antigen testing at embarkation and disembarkation administered and paid for by NCL. ≥ 12 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Unable to cruise. For cruises originating from a Canadian port: Age Vaccinated Unvaccinated < 5 years No testing requirement. No testing requirement. 5-11 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Negative NAAT test (i.e., PCR) result administered by a verified third party within three days of the embarkation date, as well as additional antigen testing at embarkation and disembarkation administered and paid for by NCL. ≥ 12 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Unable to cruise. For cruises originating from Piraeus, Greece: Age Vaccinated Unvaccinated < 12 years No testing requirement. No testing requirement. ≥ 12 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Unable to cruise. *Please note, a COVID-19 Recovery Certificate may be presented as an alternative to the testing requirement as noted above if you have tested positive within 90 days (US) or 180 days (EU) of your scheduled embarkation date. This excludes all voyages visiting Bermuda. At check in, these guests must have one of the below acceptable forms of COVID-19 Recovery available (dated no less than 10 days and no more than 90 days (US) and 180 days (EU) before embarkation): For European citizens, this would include an EU Green Pass or comparable certificate. For guests unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. U.S. citizens), a doctor’s note, plus a laboratory-confirmed PCR test result with the proper information (i.e. name, date, date of birth, positive result etc.) will be accepted. Cruises originating from all other destinations: All guests are not subject to pre-cruise COVID-19 testing.

In case you haven't seen it, the page has now been updated to say that no testing is required before 2nd Sept for cruises other than US, Canada or Athens.