cruiser2015

Thanks - and to your DH as well. BTW, there's nothing in id.me about spouses. That's an NCL trick.

I just completed the process with NCL today. The discount is 10% of the base for for the vet's cabin - including all passengers.

If any vets interested in this, and you're still following along, I I'm posting a follow up to close the topic. I di the id.me process this afternoon. It was even easier than expected. I figured I'd need to shoot them a copy of my military document. Nope - just some personal info and a date of active service. Only took a couple of minutes total. It automatically linked back to NCL and updated my latitudes account with the required authorization. I then called NCL to process the credit because I already was booked. One small bump - my TA has it as part of a group booking (it's a large TA company). So, they have to call NCL to authorize the credit. I called and left a message for my agent, who is off until Monday. The NCL rep said once the TA calls, the credit would be done quickly. One more note: if you have a res booked before (not sure of exact day) a date around mid-Nov. 2022, you don't qualify, as that is when NCL activated the program. I suppose, if it's still a ways off, you could cancel and re-book. Worth checking if you fall into that gap.

Cool prize. Over the years, I accumulated (from NCL & RCCL) a deck of cards, pens, a water tight pouch with neck strap, and, back in the good old days, caps and an umbrella. Can't wait to clean up some more primo loot. 😁

The big production shows are generally no more than 2 nights per week. The other 5 days have to be filled with something. Crew show, singer, comedian, magician...game shows...

Help - sure. How about a nice fat lottery ticket win? 😁

Could not disagree more - DSC is, mostly, about tipping. Specifically, it represents the primary tip (or compensation or whatever form NCL decides) for your cabin attendant and dining room staffers. Did you read my post #43?

Okay, cool. There are the issues of where, what season, what ship that will affect the pricing of all of the cabins. Some routes may have a great shoulder season bargain. For my Panama cruise this January, NCL is asking a rate of about $1200 per day for Haven suite. It's more than 2.5 times the cost of my Club Balcony. The Haven is about 30% larger. I've read through the extra perks. Personally, I don't see a reasonable value for this upgrade. I think it's overpriced by thousands.

I'd be on the phone with NCL ASAP!

Gee whiz, my DW thinks I obsess over some of the planning. I use Excel for road trips - distances, estimated time, activities. I first visited the Islands in 1978 - 4 islands, 14 days. Marvelous! DW and I sailed on POA around 2014 with 4 days pre-cruise in Honolulu. I hope you've planned some time there either pre or post cruise. I view POA as giving you a taste (a very sweet taste, like ripe pineapple) of the Islands. So, yes, plan your next visit enroute. We're eyeing a return to Maui - one of these days. Enjoy!!

Oh? Didn't realize there was a special discounted Haven fare for dieters. 🤐

4-5 K? Not for 17 days, LOL Maybe not even for 7 days.

Most policies should cover against a Covid infection. The cancel for any reason does, of course, offer more broad protection, but it adds significantly to the premium.

That's exactly 10% of the cruise fare (ex additional charges). AMAZING! Also, one would have to exclude prepaid DSC, shore excursions and FAS gratuities, if applicable.

Just to be sure - do not include taxes and port charges in your 10%.

The history of this is clear. Back in the day, passengers tipped waiters, bus staff and cabin stewards (the lines also slid in the matre di in the main dining room. Tips were paid in cash, directly to the involved staff. Tipping for drink services would have been as in any land based bar. Of course, a passenger could stiff any of the above. Next, the lines started tipping the formerly "recommended" amounts, theoretically directly to those same staffers, on your behalf - for your convenience - and charging your shipboard account for same. You had the option to increase or decrease the amount, or, cancel the auto charge and (hopefully for the staff) tip them directly in cash. Or, as I have done at times, left the standard DSC in place and tipped extra. Nowadays, it is somewhat rare to have the same dining staff throughout the cruise, especially in light of MDR's, buffets and specialties. That muddied the waters re dining gratuities. Cabin attendants, of course remain consistent as before. The concept of tipping laundry workers, cruise director's staff or whoever else "behind the scenes" is a fairly new concept. This was never around before - you tipped 3 people. Period. Now we have cash pay, enhanced staff meals and shipboard comforts and whatever. Bottom line, this is today's system. If you feel the ship's personnel deserve something - anything - extra, keeping in mind that they are overworked and mostly underpaid, please pay your DSC. And tip more directly when you think it's deserved. IMHO

On your last point, When you any one person entitled to the discount, it applies to the full cabin rate, so you're both covered. You only need to take further steps if the non-vet spouse sails alone. If you do want that option, you need to have your vet credentials attached to her own latitudes account. For that procedure, contact NCL as IDK precisely how you do it. But it should be easy, as I believe that they simply transfer it over from your account. In case you missed this, there's more info on this NCL page: https://www.ncl.com/military#

What, no I told you so? 😮 Your comments here are quite on point for this issue. But the posts on this thread is the only reason that I got the specifics on the reasons for a denial of discount. But I too have seen how incomplete or misinterpreted information can lead readers astray.

I just spoke to an NCL rep a few minutes ago. Here's what she told me. Again, my sail date is 106 days out: She said that I can absolutely get the discount. When I mentioned that someone (posted on this thread) was refused, she said that would only happen if you are too close to the departure date, but that at 100 days it was not an issue. Also, the process is to go through the steps of the idme and then search for NCL under "shopping" as if you wanted to do a new booking. That would lead you back to NCL's page. You must then be logged in to your latitudes account to link your credentials to NCL. Next, you call NCL back and they will get you the credit. Further, a spouse can use their vet spouse's credentials. Or, in your case, get his/her own. But, in order to share, the vet info has to also be attached to the other spouse's account for them to use it separately, on their own, if such an occasion should ever occur. I have not gone through the process yet but will shortly. I'm expecting that a photo of my DD214 will be all that's required. One more point of interest - I told the rep I have been on NCL cruises for over 20 years and never heard about this discount. She said it's only been around a few on months. I hope this will work for you - and anyone else out there in CC land.

Slight difference of opinion on this. Definitive - no. I agree on that point. But learning of some actual history can be enlightenment as possibilities. As for wasting time - maybe, but it's my time. And, if it's such a waste, why are you wasting yours with multiple posts?

All too true. However, having some historical perspectives gives me a starting point. As has been stated many times on these boards, any given NCL agent can give wrong information. Knowing members have experienced (possible) different outcomes tells me that I might want to try from a multi-point attack, or call a different agent if the answer is negative. Knowledge is power.

I have a fully paid cruise coming up in January. Just read about this discount on this forum - first hearing about it. Does anyone know if it can still be applied after full payment? I was planning on calling NCL today and/or my TA. But I keep reading about NCL's misinformation glut. So, I'm asking the experts here. Thanks.

It should be obvious that you have those endless threads because those charges are totally different, other than the basic cruise fare from the rest. All the others you mentioned are for specific goods or services that you purchase or request - or don't. The DSC is just put on your tab, with the implication that it, in some form or other, goes to the benefit of some crew members. How that is actually accomplished has been speculated on already at length. It is certainly not comparable to ordering drink, a massage a go kart ride or a new watch.

I agree with DCGuy. Apparently, you're quoting from a pre-cruise notification. The posting indicates that you need to board the ship on day 1 at least 2 hours before scheduled sailing time. And on return to Honolulu, if the ship arrives at, say, 6 AM, passengers will probably start to leave the ship at about 8 AM. The scheduled times at each port stop are your guides for the other days. You should be able to leave the ship shortly after the arrival time and need to return before the departure time - preferably not the last minute. I'll guess they will inform you to be back, say, 30 minutes before that time so you have a cushion.

Seems like a huge cushion to me. We sailed on the POA about 8-9 years ago. But things can change. You still did not mention what port this is for. Also, what is the schedule for the port - times of arrival/departure?