mking8288

Working on a wrap-up / summary impressions - should be posted very soon, plus a little extra section about we (6 of us) think of our "SC" "suites" (better known as Family Inside "s"uites with a virtual balcony living room and 2 bedrooms/2 baths) and future options. Meanwhile - instead of another minor but important Health update again - please go to this linked post within the thread on details. In brief - one more in our party Antigen Rapid self-tested at home this morning to be "positive" he's doubled boosted & asymptomatic, doing fine (re-checked this evening again, no changes) and taking all appropriate self-isolation measures & staying home, etc. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2851776-how-are-covid-cases-on-ncl-ships/?do=findComment&comment=63233985 Cruising next, whether out of NYC soon or elsewhere, on the Joy or another ship within the fleet - my opinion and personal advise (feel free to ignore & agree, no discussions here - please) bring high-quality masks, best you can take along in plentiful quantity, change out often & discard used/soiled ones promptly in a safe manner, and carry/use your own, personal - hand sanitizers to use onboard & in ports, etc. And, go ahead and enjoy your upcoming cruise - indefinitely hiding and sheltering-in-place is not the only answer to move ahead & out of this global pandemic. Understand the odds, check that your health & travel insurance are in place and got it covered, re-confirm tele-health/tele-medicine to keep in touch with your healthcare provider (PCP) - pack extra personal medicine as appropriate; and, go enjoy living and cruising.

Hey Dan - just checking to see how are you doing today 😷 Both Susan and I are improving, her appetite came back last night at 90% plus, and 100% plus by lunch time today - taking her afternoon nap. Ordered curbside food earlier & worn a KF94 mask for that - aren't really cooking in the kitchen, spoiled last week. This latest sub/variant is truly highly contagious and very easily spread among close contacts - our SIL that also tested positive following our confirmation had largely remained asymptomatic, but a bit careless at home despite self-isolating from others in her immediate household. Late yesterday, one of her twin adult daughters living at home (one of our nieces) started experiencing some symptoms, and surely enough, rapid tested as positive. Their cousins, one being a nurse also & previously infected and recovered, instructed them on additional precautionary measures to contain the spread inside their 2 family, 3 stories house. Fingers crossed - niece called into work to report, transitioned back to 100% WFH until sometime next week, employer is going above & beyond more than healthcare services with their workforce. Wait, there's more to our "saga" directly attributed to cruising the Norwegian Joy last week. My brother-in-law called mid-morning today to tell us that, he, too - just rapid tested positive at home himself & SMS his test strip with 2 lines, OMG 😳 - he isn't upset, just a little surprised or shocked that he can ... remaining asymptomatic thus far, feeling just fine. Three of them were in the other SP suites and of course, we ate most meals together (you saw them briefly on the Waterfront on Friday, as I recall, as they walked by us.) Most likely "caught" it from us as close contacts too. They are all double boosted - not sure what the PCR test results done yesterday will show when it come back, probably within the next 24 to 48 hours from the lab to his PCP. Both ladies remained "negative" on today's Antigen Rapid test. Cumulatively, on a little section of Deck 10 Fwd/Mid with the Norwegian Joy, we now have confirmations that 4 of them were exposed & infected - 99% surely - while on the ship. CDC statistics as reported by NCL will not include or show us as being counted. Meanwhile, NYC has already transitioned into a "high" Covid-19 alert level but the mayor insisting that, for now, he is not going to reinstate indoor masking requirements, simply to strongly urge & recommend ...

Agreed, but, Carnival & Royal's packages are inexpensive compared to NCLH's offering and on a long cruise with multiple sea days and no chance for a decent & superior, fast cellular signal - the difference is significant, right 🤔 . Years ago, in Bermuda, I can pickup a decent Blue Zone WiFi signal from the balcony or Deck 7 or 8, but not on the pool or buffet deck (too high up, signals from the nearest tower not aimed or beamed, or reflected that high). This time, couldn't pick up while scanning for it, but it's available at Clocktower Mall & by the ferry dock (where there's also the free Bermuda government sponsored WiFi) P.S. Just got our Google Fi billing statement, cycle cutoff on the 15th - net total costs for data and cellular calls made (int'l @ 20 cents/min) w. taxes, incremental difference around $25 only, taxes/fees inclusive - used about 2.5G of 4G data "roaming" in Bermuda for our 2.5 days there, all over the islands on a single line with 2 extra data-only sim cards burning data. No way that's possible relying on satellite WiFi via the ship itself, not the speed & amount of data used, regardless of cost.

@EllieinNJ Tried it from the iCafe's Acer PC terminals recently (Getaway in March and last week, onboard the Joy) as their Windows PC were plainly configured ... since my Chromebook & iPad were customized with tweak configuration - it worked fine to access and read, graphics did not load (satellite "broadband" too slow with ultra-high latency & timed out at > 2 Mbps speed) But cannot log into my CC at all, thus, cannot post reply or upload anything, not even click the emoji 🙄 The only way to post on CC, I've come to recognize & believe, is to be connected to my onboard WiFi account, either as unlimited user or counting down those "free" WiFi minutes. So, it works and I've been able to do it (pre-Covid) on the Gem, Dawn, Breakaway & Escape - can't speak for other ships within the fleet. But, as long as their onboard server(s) & systems didn't block CC's IP address(es) - should work as stated. As Keith & others noted, sometimes - it just plainly won't connect at all.

Good question: I can't say for other ships within the fleet but for the Joy, they did changed some of the venue to indoor - which is a bummer. Got too crowded from what I've learned and some felt uneasy, left. It's another one of those, " what the heck were they thinking, not !!! " and not a best practices these days to help crowd management & natural social distancing. Weather was fine in Bermuda at night, Dockyard is quiet & its' been done up there on the Escape & Breakaway at other times while we're onboard in years past. @dexddd - update: CAPE RACE is listed on Marinetraffic now as a vehicle carrier with Norfolk, VA as her home port, no longer docked - moved to anchorage at Grassy Bay on May 15th. Royal's MOS arrived a short while ago this morning and Norwegian Joy arrived earlier, watching live stream on the sweeping Dockyard/Bermuda cam - nice day, passengers going ashore - you'll see Cape Race behind/over the Joy's bow as the live cam come into view. https://www.portbermudawebcam.com/ And, NCL's free ferry services in Bermuda, The Spirit of St. George is running - away from the pier now (just outside/across from the small terminal building ... based on previous scheduled distributed ... next run from Dockyard to SG should be at 11:00 local time (30 minutes from now or 10:00 EDT - a one-hour time zone difference). It should be arrival from its first morning trip in 15 - 20 minutes next, for anyone watching.

@dexddd - G😁😁D morning to you, graphical answer is no - it's the "Cape Race" from Norfolk, VA ?? - pretty sure it's not owned by Carnival, unless they are also in the cargo/container transport business ... Between @bluesea777 and @njhorseman - they aren't in "agreement" as to whether she is still serving in the USN fleet or been transferred, records not update (I've been lazy in last 3 days to look it up myself. Otherwise, all is well enough this morning ... you need a good cup of coffee 👴 BTW, bluesea777 - if you see this, did Danny from Spice H2O get in contact with you already as he said ? Just checking, no need to say update here.

Coming up shortly or next is a subjective review, reflections & impressions of the ship in a number of areas, as we see them. We did not have the added benefits of a "Behind The Scene" ship tour to ask questions, going below the passenger decks, to visit the ship's laundry operations, walk thru I-95 corridor and see gallery operations where food & meals are freshly prepared daily ... well, maybe - next time. First, let's chat about I.T. with our scorecards, as it impact on the guest experience ... not about her engine performance, speed, navigation or similar functions. Technology related matters: (and, this is going to sound rather not so positive, glass half full - half empty, it is what it is, as we are calling it, FWIW - and for others who're on this Joy sailing or recently, you are welcome to chime in with yours - constructively, might I respectfully ask) Norwegian Joy issued each passenger his/her own Guest Keycard with embedded (RFID) chip. When going ashore or returning, facial recognition is used - most of the time, but not always (for whatever reasons) at the security checkpoint... some terminals had "issues" prompting the use of a handheld RFID style reader to read/scan the keycard. Not impressed. Ship's livecam - there is only one, and it never worked internally, unable to access it from iTV Channel 12, where as Ch. 11 - Navigational Channel always worked with live display of ship time, speed, heading, weather info, distance to port, sea states, wave height, etc. Ch. 12 disappeared entirely as a channel by day 3 of the cruise, entirely - day 2, it briefly displayed connectivity error and offline ... Not impressed. Luckily, our two (2) Deck 10 Mid/Fwd Family Inside Suites "SP" (ours: port side & the other one: starboard side) has the virtual balconies with dual monitor display - kind of cool to watch as we backed out of Pier 88 and turned to sail down the Hudson. At night, it wasn't as useful as hardly anything is seen - perhaps, upgrade to (wishful thinking) 4K TV signal will make it better. Resolution isn't great - set to 720p at best, definitely not 1080p - images were not good in rough seas and large waves. Should be capable of better/higher quality display but not (couldn't ID what brand/model, etc.) A bit of room to improve here, me thinks. Our virtual balcony displays failed several times, twice with the lower monitor and once with the upper monitor, and entirely offline at least once - resetting or power cycling the switching control nearby did not help, nor sliding the wall curtains back-n-forth as they also acted as on/off switch. Reported to Guest Services and trouble tickets were acted upon & resolved not immediately, but within somehow "reasonable" timeframe. Not a ordinary "housekeeping" issues so did not expect Brian, our room steward to know how and/or expected to report the outage for us (or, should he know better as part of his daily routine ... I don't know for sure.) Interesting enough, brother-in-law's virtual balcony in the suite always up & worked for them ... what they see is different, of course, being on the opposite side of the ship. Maybe, should've asked for OBC for services partially not delivered, hahaha ... just kidding. Joy's satellite WiFi connect to the same hybrid high-orbit network provider, identical services on other ships with the Norwegian fleet. It has the advantage being among the newer ones, using industrial or commercial grade Cisco wireless router (WiFi 5, dual bands) both inside our suite and strategically located in the (public) corridors and hallways, and probably cleverly hidden overhead in public area - with different & hidden SSiD - as the same network also helps run/support the ship's vital functions and business operations, etc. Ship officers and crew managers & supervisor's Handy Phone (VoIP) probably operating one of the hidden WiFi network as well ... and, hence - tasks heavily to keep them working. Best download inTERnet speed (using speedtest.net) was 2 Mbps, mostly below 1.7 to 1.9 Mbps and upload around 1 Mbps, rather poor overall with passenger headcounts being under 50%, imagine if ship is at or near capacity forgetaboutit. I would not spend a dime more for the "premium" unlimited WiFi package - useless to stream HD contents at these speed. Save your money and OBC for the extra upsell. Expecting a better product for a ship built in 2018, IMHO. Score: acceptable but disappointed. Ship's iCafe (Internet Center) located on Deck 6 Fwd/Mid - next to Starbucks, starboard side - some of the work stations directly facing the multi-purpose atrium lobby. Acer mini-PC's - about 12 standalone and non-networked terminals for passenger access, free use. Barebone browser - running Windows 10, strip of usable apps, USB ports enabled - m/SD memory card storage access are assumed. Printing is available, 50 cents a page. Free access for NCL dot com and also for CruiseCritic online site, loads very slowly, if at all (minus graphics) - be mindful of what you are using these computers for. WiFi signal (I used mainly 5 Ghz) in this area is marginally better & stronger, not by much. In contrast, since we have Google Fi and T-Mobile cellular data services, roaming voice/text/data access was very good in Bermuda, whether it's Dockyard, St. George's or Hamilton. For our entire cruise week - the combined data usage was about 2.5 GB of data transferred and $1.60 worth of international long-distance mobile calls, at 20 cents per minute. Total extra charges on our next billing invoice will be the extra charges, taxes & fees - around $32 to $35, and, very reasonable ... not to mention that 4G LTE services on the island is fast & reliable. Connecting to (local partner carrier) BTC's cellular signal towers in Bermuda was easy, automatic & simple ... not so much with an iPhone SE 2020 dual-sim enabled, cannot recalled if we had similar issues with T-Mobile roaming locally. Uploads and download were fast and superior vs. ship's coverage. Norwegian App as used on the Joy - for the first 2 to 3 days, it acted up randomly and useless to make dining reservations. The option that worked is to use one of the giant HDTV monitor display located throughout the ship, or, use the stateroom's iTV with the remote control, to scroll, click & choose - to confirm reservations. It is useful to check the onboard charges and account's balance, etc. Pre-install it first before leaving, easier and also helpful to check for proper access. Samsung HDTV - (it's your interactive TV with the Remote Control, point & click) we have 3 of them in our "suites" - input/data sources via hard-wired Cat-5e cables, thus, HDMI port is not used, firmware locked as to blocking changes to the input source. As a result, nearly impossible to bring along, stream and directly cast one's own media to the Samsung as output to see or watch. Without the active network connection, the TV monitor will not boot up - no access to anything, blank display on screen (thus, answering the "geek" question raised earlier ... no, can't do). Probably an unreasonable expectations, the living TV could use a bigger TV display, but given the limited channels & blocked usage - unrealistic to ask ... what if, I can boot up my Linux OS on a stick to self-configure the monitor, hmmm. Nay, Set-up menu probably has admin disabled already to easily changed with universal/Harmony remote.

Yes, this can be done or applied once onboard. It's among the reasons that we will ONLY consider WiFi as we will be spending down our non-refundable OBC and is far more restrictive these days (post-Covid/2021 onward) Specifically, we have (2x 150) = 300 WiFi minutes under Free At Seas to use. 7 nights of unlimited basic WiFi is $30/day x 7 = $210 (all $$ rounded to nearest dollar) We only upgrade 1 person with the 150 minutes available (do not begin using it onboard - if you wait until 12:01 am of Day 2, you are still charged the full rates for 7 days) and given a credit of $100 to offset the charge. "Billable" charge against the OnBoard account is $110 - since we have in excess of $200+ NR OBC - the true / net cost is zero, and still leave us a credit balance of $90+ to use for other purchases < everything else, except CruiseNext or Casino > Other things that we spend down against these kinds of NR OBC are gift shop & duty-free purchases (cigarettes as gifts), photos (from Specialty Dining - we get 30% off), surcharges for dinner entrees/starters/etc. with an "upgrade", sodas or juices, Starbucks, EXTRA tips for specific crew members (dining room and/or room stewards) - not DSC themselves, and, of course, shore excursions a la grossly (IMHO) overpriced. There are always those $10 and $20 "bargain" specials - holiday stocking stuffers and even NCL tee-shirts (got quite a few on the Getaway, end-of-seasoned pricing at $5 each).

Those "NCL Vacations Heros" Comment Cards are back, distributed and available on the Norwegian Joy - passengers are encouraged to use it and fill them out for crew members that've gone above & beyond, and for guests to recognized using exceptional service. Fill out them, drop them off at a mail box slot at Guest Services. It can also be emailed or put into postal mail. Disembarkation info (Norwegian Joy) - timing, colors and hours of certain services are subject to change, but this should give some of you insight as a general guide or planner. For example, breakfast available in the buffet starting at 6:00 am for NYC arrival, and in Savor, sit-down restaurant but limited menu choices - full services from 6:30 to 8:30 am. This past Sunday (May 15th) - ship was cleared to begin Express Self Walkoff by 7:30 ... keep in mind that porter services inside the terminal isn't always available before 8 a.m. even if the priorities colored tag groups had been taken off the ship and into the building, sorted out & ready for pickup. If you are sailing during/around the holidays and/or with a nearly full ship/at capacity - the entire process, timeline, etc. will vary widely and different, most likely - slower than you would like. Yellow taxi services at the official taxi stand across 12th Avenue at the corner of West 48th Street has been somewhat limited both in March when we came off the Getaway and also this past Sunday - but, join the queue and usually, the next available one will come along sooner or later. There are no Uber dispatcher, in "uniforms" with a clipboard and/or in casual street clothes claiming to be one - use your App to do it, beware of surge pricing and congestion surcharges & NYS/NYC fees on top of the base fares, and tolls - it can add up quickly, even for a short hop & not going to the airport(s).

Haha, GG - found this, bookmarked it & will go thru all the details - Chromebook is now my favorite travel tech partner for traveling light & everything else.

A picture is worth a thousand words. MCT Pier 88 - Sunday, May 8th, 2022 around 11:40 am -frail & elderly passengers waiting to board the Norwegian Joy was doing their share … others, 😳 see for yourselves & decide.

Howdy, GG at Ohio - happy to see that you didn't completely abandoned the rest of us "stuck" in Norwegian waters 😆 👴 😁 - I am busy banging my keyboard again this morning, hungry as hell as Mrs. M is now suffering too ... from serious cruise withdrawal - filed a complaint that she's hungry and where is that power breakfast of ours 😄 😄 😄 All is well here - and, good news, we didn't gain any extra weight with all that feasting going on ... tried to eat more balanced meals and limit on red meat, etc. - shared a plate of dessert and lots of fresh fruits. That Cagney's layered killer was a calories "killer" in disguise. Ya got lots of catching up, just going thru more photos - Susan got quite a bit of videos, going to sort them out to see which ones to add & post here. Many NCL "addicts" are in luck & happy to come along virtually, NP sharing some of our best Joy memories ... no need to thank again & again. Just hit the Like & Thanks button will do it.

Thanks and our early wish for a safe, healthy, happy & wonderful cruise on the Joy - Bon Voyage in advance with the count down. Let's all follow, share and track how things are flowing in the next few weeks - after my onboard conversation with GS manager, to see, if in fact, they are making positive changes for the better - and for everyone. Being in Heaven, your group & you have extra advantage, there is no reason to arrive much later than 11:30 or 12:00 noon - in a van or otherwise. Sunday traffic from CT to NY in early/mid to late morning remains unpredictable at best, whether it's via I-95 or the Merritt (I know the routes well) and you want to allow extra travel time & incidents en route, for that "ordinary" 90+ minutes "easy" drive to MCT. This is assuming some changes might be made between now & your cruise, maybe not - here's the typical flow, including the latest observations: - Drive direct to MCT - Pier 88 (just a single upper level on-ramp, airline terminal style - doesn't matter whether it's Pier 90, 92 (seldom used) or 88 (preferred & usually for mega-ships to dock) - get dropped off closet to the terminal entrance. If van is being parked, proceed directly - follow signage, pay charges & park ... sometimes, there are porters up there to help with luggage (tipping = big smiles). Passports & eDocs ready, walk inside - accessible & Haven reps usually to the left inside, if you don't see - ask the first "greeter" & tell her/him you are in Haven - that should get you a faster shortcut to the first checkpoint / screeners for passports & eDocs. If not, you'll join the general line (hopefully, not) After that, security screening - this month, hardly any lines or wait - got thru quickly, not a big deal. Third step, more greeters - at this point, definitely ask & use your Haven status - you should be screened for your Bermuda TA & passports matched again, and have priority over all others. After that, you should be directed to go to the designated Haven Lounge in a smaller room for private check-in. Haven staff should be easily visible around here, from what I saw. There is a Haven lounge right next to the Haven check-in stations, which is now closest to the AFT gangway, a very short - and - escorted small groups walking to the ship. You should expect to get thru all these in 30 to 45 minutes top, and timed correctly, onboard by 11:15 to 11:45 am, drop or store your hand luggage, etc. and shown to the Haven restaurant, quick orientation of services, etc. and begin to enjoy the experience.

@vacation44 and @lx200gps & others - onboard dining reservations desk/kiosk for the Norwegian Joy. Most of time, they are setup outside Tappenyaki, Deck 6 Midship near the 3 stories atrium lobby (opposite LeBistro's location if you are familiar with other *Away ship's layout) or below the casino / ahead of the Gallery display area. They have all the menus there as well (also in QR codes that you can download, but sometimes wouldn't save to PDF on our devices) to preview. With Cagney's - I just walked over to the hostess desk and had her search, lookup & make/cancel and move/change/reconfirm our 2 suites / 6 guests - as it was late evening with the desk/phone line shut. BTW, kinda unrelated - the complimentary Latitudes Platinum perk with dining - wine list selection at Cagney's is much, much shorter & limited in what NCL is now able to provide, and, for us to choose from. Supply chains logistics and sources availabilities being their challenges, I was informed.

Oh, no ... Dan, start those Vitamins C boosters, tele-consult your PCP and tap into your campus employer's vast resources ... feeling sad about telling, sharing and revealing our "isolated" exposure while onboard. I am fairly confident that you will be okay over the next few days, give our immunity-vax boosted system to do its work, etc. etc. Feel bad, get rested and keep DW and baby away, you & I know the drills / protocols and best practices. Just in case you missed my update on the other thread, dearest SIL that was in her own/smaller bedroom in "our" suite, also, tested positive late on Sunday after noticing subtle symptoms, she was initially negative as one of her nurse nephew off-duty from work, came upstairs to help test her, to be sure. Good news, she's isolating and has the entire week OFF doing housework, cooking & cleaning - our poor adult nieces got to take over. Gotta to keep our sense in humor thru it all, thankfully didn't freak DW out initially. What an uncommon bonding that we are ending up, far more than being on the Joy, on Cruise Critic and ... part of our life stories for the next generation to share & past along, perhaps. Just reading the newly revised CDC guidance for travelers and testing, etc. - it's a matter of timing, I suppose too. I'm not sure if you can narrow down, let alone pinpoint, when & where "it" spread to you - parked above MCT/Pier 88, disembarked & went thru CBP area quickly, etc. And, hasn't venture elsewhere so it was 99% from exposure onboard the ship. Researchers are correct, this latest subvariants is the most, highly contagious and catching those of us that are vaxxed & boosted. It's not good for the cruise industry as a whole and for global/domestic travelers. Lines including NCL are in a no-win situation, it seems. Anyway ... just placed our 3rd free order from USPS, this time - 8 test kits being shipped (in 2 packages) inventory is good & plentiful for now, and, we / I know we are going to need extras and using them more often than not, especially if we don't change our plan to cruise this Fall & next January, fingers and legs crossed - focus on the winding roads ahead and not the rearview mirrors.

Best of luck & do share, especially if you have better success & a happy outcome on those dining requests (although, it might be more difficult to obtain specific "prime" time reservations for yours. Pretty much what we've done too, although we booked ours in a much shorter turnaround time, etc. Emailed request acknowledge first & a similiar boiler plated reply. Our 2 suites reservations were linked & cross-referenced, and we only asked for 2 SD to be booked for us, with the understanding that +/- 30 minutes of our specified time of 6:30 pm, table for 6 at Cagney's on Day 2 and Q - Texas Steakhouse on Day 4 to be made. Well, the reservation desk onboard showed nothing booked for us anytime, on any given date for the Q. It only showed a 8:45 pm reservation at Cagney's on Day 2 for 6 of us. Aside from that letter, no message or notes / letter at all in the suite, to inform us that there was a (not exactly minor) change or adjustment to our requested time at Cagney's; or, that they couldn't book anything for Q at all ... or will do so and let us know, etc. - maybe suggest another option, i.e. La Cucina or even Food Republic. The Norwegian App didn't work well, if at all on Day 1 or 2 in making any dining reservation - "not offered" - maybe, an I.T. issues with their onboard server (hardware, not personnel) ... virtual balcony, live shipcam, et. al. However, using the iTV interactive menu and those Touchscreen monitor display throughout the ship, on Day 1, Day 2 and even Day 3 - it was clear, that, plenty of open time slots were available. Cagney was a little busier than most - we managed to change ours back, then cancelled due to the extreme weather, rough sea states and 30 ft. high wave heights that lasted well into Day 2, just about everyone was feeling seasick & not in a good state to eat chops - rescheduled it ourselves again to Day 4. The seniors in the other suite didn't want smoked/BBQ meat so we decided to do Food Republic instead - super easy, there're just 6 tables for almost the entire night - between 6:15 and 8:00 pm - ours including and the largest group there. Keep in mind that we only had 1,900 guests onboard for the week - less than half of her capacity, and ship was well staffed ... of course, my understanding is that Haven was full, largely resulting from upgrade bids, cheaply. As far as I am concerned, look back, there was no serious efforts from their concierge department or team. I've heard and understood from others, over the years, Patrick is considered by many to be one of the best concierge within the fleet. Nevertheless, I'm not impressed. Did not meet him or anyone from his team, did not get any voice mail style "hello" either (pre-recorded ??) and of course, we did not see compelling reasons for us to reach out to him. Maybe, I apologize, I got it wrong and should be pushing harder to ask. Then, I stand corrected on how to best take advantage the offers of limited reservation services. There was no true need to make reservations of any kind at all, period, aside from making it together for Footloose and Elements, as it was on for 1 day each only. We probably could've just walk into Cagney's directly and get seated - it wasn't full ... Wait, I almost forget that we are entitled to Priority dining and show reservations, subject to availability ... as our Latitudes tier perks could've or should've been just as good - instead of. Just going to need to decide whether to pull our Joy reservations this week for the Fall, and reconsider, maybe rebook into a different category. The SP aren't selling at all and overall pricing for the ship have been dropping lately, whereas the older Breakaway is still commanding much higher prices for identical Fall itineraries. Something isn't right for a much newer ship and freshly reconfigured for the Americas, the Observation Lounge, heated outdoor deck by the (oops) open door / small pool deck ... maybe, it's the size of the pool. Hint Hint - make good use of Spice H20, Deck 17 AFT and its hot tubs, free & included, not everyone knows.

@MsTabbyKats - Hi, Bonnie ... I think, let's see what things go (this & next week) first and let's see if Bonnie The P has anything new for us to know. Sal and you are just a short distance from the terminal - I am thinking, maybe you want to pick 10 to 10:30 am, if things are running well - should get you onboard before noon (11:30'ish) - if things seemed delayed, you can always show up later than scheduled. They won't (might) let you proceed if you are too early but if you show up later than scheduled, you should be able to join the queue - just hate to be standing there with a huge backup and a massive mess. I assumed you've already pre-submitted your Bermuda TA's and acknowledged. Happy cruising soon !

@UKstages - I like your analysis above, thanks !! It's truly unfortunate for the general passengers as a whole. Health & safety rules could be stronger, while not required or mandated - strongly recommended could be the guiding principle. Perhaps, having boxes of face masks as folks walk-in and proceed ahead ... and, I don't recall seeing a whole lot of Purell dispensers throughout the building, part of it terminal operations for sure, the other being charged or provided by NCL. Afterall, they had beverages & cups in the Haven lounge, and a free water stations in the general waiting area. Adequate staffing from the outsourced contractor is another problem, shortage that just make matters worst. When we're on the Getaway in late March, staffing was plentiful inside the building, much more stations & agents on duty for the check-in - as compared to the earlier Joy cruise on Sunday, Mother's Day. I sensed a little, tiny bit of passing the bucks & fingers pointing elsewhere in shifting the bucks for the terminal's chaotic set-up. I don't expect the GM or Asst GM to be personally on the frontline & walking thru inside the building to see if things are running as organized. Haven & concierge team have their delegated duties to execute. But, perhaps, Guest Services should have an assistant or deputy inside the terminal facility to oversee, and be the troubleshooter ... my thoughts. Maybe, @JGmf wants to comment & add to this aspect. MCT isn't a new or seasonal operational port for Norwegian, they've been here for 20+ years and counting, excuses for not doing things right just get me, some of us, annoyed & frustrated. Or, maybe as a suggestions only @peg013 - sailing pretty soon, being Diamonds already, running the M&G, can take this up proactively as a follow-up onboard the Guest Services, especially if things continue status quo. We should hear -first hand - a little bit more about how things went this week soon. I wasn't writing or informing the GM onboard a complaint, rather as a concern and to bring awareness to them. We should not let this go, not easily without trying - venting is good but I like to see consistency with positive changes, on a win-win basis. Easier said than done - let it be known we are collectively watching & following along. Etienne Saladin is the manager of GS on the Joy (although, I don't know if or when he's going on vacation - not that it should matter, the hot potato handed off from the GM to his department & reporting up, etc.)

A bit of good Health News to share - both Susan & I are feeling much better already, while we continue to self-isolate and exercise precautions, and avoid accidentally exposing anyone else ... cancelled plans this week. This morning, our body temperature remained elevated, still taking Tylenol to help reduce our fever & manage symptoms, still feeling tired & fatigue, occassional coughs & running noses - just checked, temp at 98.0 and 98.4 respectively, SPO2 are good, BP/HR are within our expected range - she's on her iPad while watching her favorite shows on TV. I think we are going to be fine & move forward. Apparently, unconfirmed/non-verified reports on social media about others testing positive, immediately following their disembarkation & almost certain attributed to being on the Norwegian Joy this past week. Just checked our MyNCL personal accounts - Latitudes credit received, woohoo - this will take us closer to hit Diamonds tier sooner (not that we really chase or care about reaching it) 28 points added (1 point/per night, 1 extra point/night for suite, and b/c we booked in April with the Latitudes DoublePoints promo - 2 extra points per night) The infamous NCL Post Cruise Survey just hit our email addresses, never failed to include us while gathering data & feedback. Now, what should I say & add ... if there is a section to include extra remarks, hmmm ...

The kicker, and we/I am usually - if not always - easy going and don't demand or make unreasonable requests - the explanation given by the GS manager was that NCL "saw/knew of" issues & complaints about the Getaway's Bermuda embarkation issues with the Bermuda TA, shuffling arriving passengers to/from Pier 90 for screening (testing ??) and then back to Pier 88 to finish checking in. "They" reinvented the wheels, change things around (to improve & streamline, I suppose) to have everyone go thru security quickly, no long lines outside. Except, port security contractors were doing primary passport & eDocs check only, not exactly enforcing arrival time so that the lines would move quickly - then; moved to Step 2, security and x-ray screening, no lines when we're there. The bottleneck then, was the herd stalled with the Bermuda TA check - and some diverted to a nearby area for further assistance (provisional waiver and/or never applied for one ??) They couldn't care less if you're anybody and everybody, unless you are in Haven and/or in a wheelchair. That, I saw, and I consider problematic - we "spend" the most time standing in that snaking line, until we reached the front, watching how the "bypass" above work on the right / starboard side of the terminal, as they're viewed by everyone stonefaced as "cutting" in out of nowhere. Once we got beyond that to complete the actual check-in and for the agent to retrieve our key cards for the "suites" - it was easier, somewhat, I asked for priority check-in for suites first (she looked at me, flipped her printed sheets & checklist, then was going to kick us to the longest line for general check-in, without asking further ... i.e. what if someone upgraded using CAS & paid up into SP or SC suites. Upon asking for Platinum priority check-in, she was clueless about Sapphire (or Diamonds, I'm sure) - finally got it, and, pointed us to a line with just several others in front. After we took our keycards, we're directing to keep walking ahead - and, were (obviously) not going to be going to a designated waiting area (not necessary a "lounge") at all ( Group 15 was our assigned zone #'s) At that point, I fully realized that, what a mess this is - fortunately, having cruised frequently out of MCT for the last 25 years, we knew better & have a general idea of what's where, saw the roped off Platinum waiting area, next to/opposite the accessible waiting area - sandwiching the security checkpoints for embarkation. Haven lounge & exclusive check-in being further back into the far end of the terminal nowadays (and, they exit & board in another set of doors - escorted by the concierge team.) We just told one of the terminal agent that we are Platinum & going "backward" toward the direction of 12th Avenue, and walked ourselves into that roped off area to wait. Of course, by now, with our luck - and, I was afraid that our sailing will be selected by the USCG for their periodic inspections - announcement over the PA that no early boarding this morning for anyone, they don't know when and everyone will have to wait - as they don't want to say when and ... Luckily, that USCG inspection last shorter than another one that we cruised on, much fewer passengers inside waiting - then, seeing that Haven passengers began boarding, knew that we should get ready to proceed. The Sunday afternoon (by then) didn't end - not inside the terminal building - over the PA they announced Group 1 to 4 to proceed ahead, while accessible was still slowly making their way outside toward the gangway - and - the entire Platinum zone were standing, waiting & should've been "quietly" directed to follow first. Group 1 to 4 should be held back at first - very poorly coordinated in terms of communication within themselves running the show inside. Luckily, with 2 security podium working - they stalled the masses from Group 1 to 4, and 1 podium processed everyone from the P zone from the side, emptying up to proceed outside directly. Looking back, if we didn't knew our way & asked to go into the roped off zone, stick with Group 15 - would've been easily spent a lot more time inside Pier 88. I probably should've written this up earlier, maybe this past Sunday's sailing didn't run into major problems - but, it's worth documenting for future reference (okay, Norwegian Joy Guest Services - here is your detailed analysis & commentary: on notice ) to see how & whether changes are being done to address this. There was absolutely, zero, none. no priority embarkation - whatsoever - for SP guests booked in one (2 for us) of these Family Inside Suites. Fixed it, please !

I speak with first hand direct knowledge of the "exclusive" SP "suites" (and, almost certain true for "SC" penthouse "suites" too - for the Norwegian Joy only as of this month (just disembarked May 15th, 2022) - other ships and their categories & offered perks (might/should) vary and possibly different. That is, to say, that there is no butler services, there is no concierge services (except for the offer of available onboard concierge services for show & dining reservations, subject to booking availabilities) We received an official welcome letter, co-signed by the designated concierge and the GM, and that's it. Never even got a personal voicemail, let alone being greeted by anyone from his team inside the cruise terminal (NYC) since there was basically no priority embarkation (except for the priority luggage tags mailed to 1 of our 2 "suites") - priority disembarkation was worthless, as we could've simply "invoke" our Sapphire/Platinum status to request it. @tampadee - if you are booking a suite on other ships, like the Gem, Jewel, Dawn - those non-Haven suites will get your "more" services, just for the "Joy" with its recent 2022 re-classifications of perks & takeAWAY. Treats for a suite that sleep 5 to 6 😳😳😳 😤😤😤 really, why bother at all. My 77 years old SIL said she can do better and grab better "treats" upstairs in the Observation Lounge and/or Garden Cafe, in more generous quantities too, enough to really share. NCL 🫣🫣🫣

We / I am happy this "Semi-Live" and the details are found to be helpful by more than a handful on CC, and the extra time to me, worthwhile to contribute, with the pictorial & writing format that's natural to me. Just give it a "Like" or "Thanks" will be great & fine, and/or a "Haha" emoji for the subtle humor, etc. Both Mrs. and I are feeling better this morning, she regained her appetite and no lost of taste/smell, still had a slight fever, but never above 103 deg. F as that would be more serious - your hubby gone thru it & no need to go further with additional details. We will remain "shelter-in-place" and do a self-imposed isolation to quarantine & avoid direct contacts with others, and DIY home (rapid) test again in a few days - will get a round of free PCR done later on (not required or needed, but to see whether any traces are detected later on ... since medical researches just don't agree as the sub/variants continue to evolve. Amending the original "Health Update" filed earlier yesterday afternoon (not so good "news" but not surprised) the sister-in-law that're in the 2 BR Family Suite (SP) with us also tested positive late yesterday, her first Antigen Rapid home test was negative (both the same day - just a matter of hours apart 😳 and that's the "unsettling" part in it all, that current protocol & measures as adopted by the cruiselines, including NCL, just isn't - I now feel - catching some of the infected individuals asymptomatic and/or pre-symptomatic before embarkation; and, once boarded the ship - it's nearly impossible to ... She's doing fine, okay this afternoon as we just did a video chat. To try to answer in our own minds and your question of ... for the entire cruise week, from being inside MCT to being onboard, and taking the NCL free ferry over to SG, and the Bermuda ferry into Hamilton, and even inside Clocktower Mall, we had our masks on whenever there was a crowd in "confined" space, especially elevators (while we can do stairs, the seniors can't - unless it's 1 or 2 flights walking down, slowly) Masking requirement was not strictly enforced on the NCL ferry & most simply didn't bother. Bermuda ferry (natural air flow and/or air conditioned) was very strict about wearing it and compliance good - we sat upstairs and the times we rode, wasn't that full either. The other 3 from the 2nd. suite hasn't reported experiencing any symptoms and/or positive test results - they are also doubled boosted, with their higher risk factors, unlike us. My BIL just came back from his PCP for his swollen ankle from cruising for a medication check, and Antigen Rapid tested negative again today. Except for a few meals (breakfast & lunch) - we ate mostly together in the evenings and were seated together. I'm doubtful we caught it while dining, possibly inside the Joy Theater watching Footloose as it was 100+ minutes long and like probably 90% of the audience, didn't keep our masks on. When we went to Elements for Saturday's 7 pm show, theater was more crowded & we're masked the entire time. Because of what I sensed, thinking perhaps there's also norovirus hiding in plain sights, we're pretty diligent in washing hands often with soap & running water, and always had a small bottle of hand sanitizer in our pocket to use as supplement. Our cruise was sailing around 45% max. capacity with 1,900 guests only - we saw consistent & good efforts on the crew's part to wipe & clean, especially the elevator buttons at peak times, to disinfect heavily used areas. But, I also saw & recognized that most passengers basically discarded & left their masks in their cabin and thinking Covid is behind them. When we returned last month from our 7 nights "Getaway" from FL & Nassau, there're reports of quite a few testing positive post-cruise, luckily we did not then - this time, clearly - we lost the calculated odds, and, we/I accepted the responsibilities for it. There is one place, that I will ask DW and SIL to avoid in September (and, until further notice) if everyone decided to not cancel cruise plans for the rest of 2022 - not hangout in the casino or gaming area on Deck 7. HVAC or ventilations in that area has vastly improved & changed for the better, the smoking section - I believe - is enclosed in their own clear bubble walls (port side) so the smoke is no longer annoying to us walking thru - they spend a fair amount of time on sea days and in the late evening day for a bit of "spinning" I now suspect that, the source was there for being exposed but no conclusive proof - carelessness, perhaps, as masks were not up or worn 100% of the time. We used up a good # of disposable surgical masks that we took along, but probably should've worn our KN95 or KF94 more often, as we should - that would be my recommendation for cruising; and, watch the positivity trends (although, as one of my nephew, a nurse, pointed out - with prevalence of DIY home testing widely done, the numbers are no longer reliable & accurate for predictive planning.) Hospitalization #'s aren't alarming thus far and the vaccine is kicking up a storm within the body's immune system to fight off the virus. Related subject - The Family-Inside-Suites are good, and for just 4 of you - a good place to retreat and plenty of space to stretch out. We were not expected near-Haven-like extra perks but still, given what we've paid, felt that this particular NCL product, exclusive with the Joy only - came up, just a little short; and, needs to be re-evaluated with a better package as a whole to warrant its "selling" rack rate. NY embarkation & disembarkation, should, hopefully - fingers crossed for some of you - improved if the GS manager's pledge has teeth - by then (sooner, I wish) be changed & recognized, given a little priority for those without Platinum/higher tier status. GSM's name & extension # was posted earlier, refer to it after boarding if this is a problem - it is a free, no-cost change on NCL's part to communicate & instruct their partner contractor - (InterCruises Shoreside & Port Services) It is just not "right" to be handed (for "suite" passengers) by someone blindly checking for Bermuda documents a Group 15 card to board the ship, IMHO, when we arrived promptly for 10 - 10:30 am check-in, etc. Hell, in NYC - one can book an almost-free Casino At Sea "inside" cabin and get priority check-in and boarding. What is fair & reasonable is what should be given, or else, it's poor business practice and unacceptable, we say that as a NCLH stockholders.

@bjtravelnews It's me again - that's CCC on your Roll Call, hmmm ... interesting b/c it's not like Cathy's style at all. Have you post a directly quoted link to her initial post to respond ? Maybe she has since changed her booking & no longer sailing, and, simply forgotten to come back & tell the rest of the Roll Call - release & have/ask someone on there to "take over". I can also be quite confident to say she's not on social media or using FB to organize. I would say, wait just a bit longer but by mid/latter part of work week, go ahead & poll the rest of the CC group agreed to move on and then take up the tasks. You know the drills - email Group Events & get it rolling. It does looked like the June Roll Call aren't really energetic at all ... and, two of our CC friends (Sapphire/Diamonds ... I forget now) are on the Joy earlier - not much going on either. They are going to with a charter group (and it's a big one, apparently) On boarding/embarkation, the gangway took us up to Deck 7 - it's easier to walk down one flight to Taste or Savor, or The Local, whichever way you choose. Access was close to the AFT elevators - Haven & accessible were routed to the FWD elevators.

@bjtravelnews - Both Taste & Savor are / should be open for embarkation lunch at noon (thru 1:30 pm) - that's usually where we head, and especially these days, I would highly recommend not going up to the buffet (ships will probably be at a high occupancy level / #'s in June as summer/school holidays kick up). Slow walking seniors in tow, 2 of them falling way behind - we ate last Sunday at "The Local" - food was good, services was acceptable & slow, our delayed orders were partially missing - despite the apologies from our server (we're onboard much "earlier" than most) and a follow-up by one of the asst. manager on duty ... how could they possibly digitally mixed up food ordered using their tablets, hmmm - I just dunno. Between this month & next month, many of the crew members onboard are due for vacation - there is going to be rotation & replacement coming onboard soon. Not all of them are coming back to the Joy for the next contract. One of the hostess we're become friendly with in "Taste" is going home for 3.5 months in early June, missed her family (children, I presume - didn't ask, as a matter of privacy) very much & it's not easy to live onboard - she loved sleeping extra hours when she has a chance - will be moving to a different ship. A number of MDR servers have been NCL since the Norwegian Sea(ward) days so we had good laughs about those days with much smaller ships, and some're with the Joy since its original China market deployment. Overall, the crew members as a whole are excellent and friendly, they aren't perfect in everything, but tried hard to please when possible, with a smile - always say hello when paths are crossed in those narrow corridor passage. Wish you a wonderful cruise shortly on the Joy.

My bad, sorry 😔 I got that mixed up, reverse them - SP is the family suites as nd SC the smaller penthouse suite but the "spirit" of my comment doesn't change it, and there are just 31 family suites exclusive to the Joy's design & layout. I doubt that these penthouses get anything more than we did ... Or else, the Guest Service manager would've said otherwise.