mking8288

A handful of masked senior officers (none from the bridge) attended the Joy's M&G in early May, but none at the Getaway sailing in late March. Casino host/manager didn't have any issues approving onboard request to do a slot pull, even though the social media group had one planned later that day. We're the first group on the sailing that, at ship's management discretion, resumed Dine with the Officers on the Getaway - it has since been cancelled with the surging cases in April. AFAIK, there hasn't been a Dine with the Officers this year. No behind the scene tours on either ship at all, for health & safety reasons. Personally, I am not in favor of oranizing "strangers" to go into other CC'ers private space, except in very small group on a pre-arranged basis, and would help if done by appointment and masked up ... the latest / recent subvariants are highly contagious & easily spread, unknowingly despite universal precautions and infection control measures ... way too many sticky fingers, sweating hands and the occasional sneezing & coughing to make the cabin crawl a safe and smart gathering these days.

Yeeeees, I do - and got the link to the Google Doc - thankfully, it's still working and accessible. Bookmark and save it offline. It's not easy to find it here on CC ... the "search" function is really useless, IMHO. Looking it up to book the BA for this Fall ... enjoy

@graphicguy - iCafe's upgrades can no longer be stacked or combined to maximize Latitudes discounts that otherwise are valid - unless it's charged at the full retail prices, not on the Getaway nor the Joy recently (20% for being Sapphire would've been nice, huh.) Just upgrade first, onboard using NR OBC on Day 1 - do not use any of the available 150 airtime minutes. There are still conflicting reports depending on CC'ers and the ship s/he sailed on, as to whether you are charged one day less if you do the upgrade or conversion to unlimited after midnight as that's technically Day #2 then. I upgrade my plan to unlimited on a 7 nighters for the duration, charged about $110 for the difference. DW's "free" 150 minutes remained available & usable - that can be registered and used on a different device, or shared with someone else. NCL changed the rules of the games on it as we emerge from the 😷 pandemic ... it is what it is. 😠 Mrs. M now just "spend" less duty-free shopping since her allocation of OBC has been slashed as a indirect result, to keep her busy on the unlimited plan.

Port Valet is ONLY available out of Seattle. It is not offer or available out of NYC or MCT - with 3 airports for outbound cruisers bound for flights, logistics and security considerations make it impractical and impossible.

Geo-specific and timing, apparently, do affect pricing & it's larger trending downward for Canada/New England cruises from NYC this Fall, been sliding lower since final payment hit last month - exception being higher for Boston. Maybe it's the competitions ... got me scratching heads. Breakaway commanding higher prices for balconies, yet prices finally moving lower ... oddly enough, there are no SPA balconies and club cabins available / showing for new bookings, nor for upgrade bidding - must be popular & fully sold out, I think not. As for Alaska sailings this year, I can see prices falling hard & going rock bottom ... not easy to book & secure flights to SEA and/or YVR, regardless of prices, and, then, you have to factor in airline's flight cancellations pattern lately and the odds of scrambling with last minute changes.

Google Map is a good friend - anyway ... Zap Wines & Spirits is at 105 Court Street, daily 10 AM to 9 PM, Sunday 12 noon to 8 PM, less than 10 minutes walk ... Fresh Start Marketplace is one of the many nearby, across Borough Hall Park in front of the M, behind the Supreme Court building. A quick & short 5 minutes walk, at 180 Montague St, daily 6AM to 9 PM and they also deliver to nearby ... Pickup your liquor and stop there on the way back - bring your reusable shopping tote.

Oops, it's way too late for a Saturday afternoon to scramble for Antigen Rapid testing in NYC, assuming you are staying here overnight and/or arrived here already. Yes, you will need to produce those negative test results as part of the check-in tomorrow. NCL's pier testing partner, Euro Fins inside Pier 88 can do that for a fee, for your convenience, of course - #ouch #ouch. I am doubtful that you can find any urgent care centers within the city that's open this evening & can provide the results quickly - also, for a fee. How many of you ?? If you can make it to one of the open & available mobile testing location in the morning, run by the NYC's Dept of Health's partners - they are free, for example - this one is on Lower East/Chinatown Manhattan - at Columbus Park, somewhere near Baxter Street & Bayard Street - usually parked near a fire hydrant. They open at 8 am and will do both PCR and Antigen together, free & quick ... usually no lines or just a short one. You will need a mobile/smartphone and an email address to register & verify the SMS code, and additional immediate family members can enroll - results will/should be digitally available in 30 minutes (sometimes, take 45 to 60 minutes) - save the results in PDF format to smartphone, show that at pier check-in. If there are 3 of you, this probably will save you easily $200 or more - even if you have take a taxi over or Uber it, back to the hotel or wherever you are staying nearby - and then, hustle over to Pier 88 for a midday check in. https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/covid-19-testing-sites/ Appeared you aren't on this Sunday's roll call or else the helpful folks there would've alerted you and possibly helped avoid this last minute "crisis" Not that Walgreen's didn't have problems with their online systems & issuing test results ... Good luck !

Thanks again for taking us along ... also heard from our CC friends currently onboard, they are packed & going to spent one final night on the Joy. For upcoming Joy sailings, all the Spa balconies and club balconies are gone, not available for booking and/or upgrade - trying to figure out what's going on ... are they shutting it down or doing work (unlikely, but never assume, right) or errors in their booking system ?? Maybe, you can check & ask them - it was offered in May but the few times we walked by, didn't seem very busy. Enjoy the last sea day and understood that seas are calm and flat.

@ccc321 Isn't this better than an oversized beach umbrella - just a bit pricey these days ... Just hate to bring our own - similar (not as "sturdy") - portable one from Cabela's (or from Walmart/Amazon, etc.) Non-vented one on the left, vented one on the right side. @CherWolf Pre-covid, we had no problems and used shorex credits for it, cost went up from $30 to $35, then to $40 ... Now it's "no can't do" anymore and it's a $50 ding ding to the onboard account, kind of annoying. Fortunately, we read about it before our most recent tender stop at the island and wasn't surprised. Answer - applied against non-refundable OBC. No happy campers here.

On our recent NCL cruise, 6 of us (two family "suites" with Free At Seas dining credits/vouchers in both) dine together one evening in Cagney's and we're able to use 4 dining vouchers, 1 set of 2 vouchers from each suite ... swiping the guest keycards; plus use 1 Latitude Platinum/Sapphire dining voucher with the choice of bottled wine, all at that seating - swiping again the same 2 guest keycards. No problem whatsoever, the waiter took care of allocating the starters, sides, etc. No problems whatsoever, $6 charged to my onboard account for the lump crab cake ($5 + 20%). Thus, both the BIL and myself consumed 2 full course dinner that evening ...

Nowadays, with global uncertainty, amazed as to the old school thinking to book cruises one and two years out, especially and including those inaugural sailings for the exceptional experience ... and the not so joyous cruise & air cancellations, scramble for making hotel booking changes (thankfully, Marriott remains flexible despite changes in their loyalty program) We have a 12 nights cruise booked this winter on NCL, something we normally don't do - before far out in advance ... and yeah, prices are high. Might just cancel, wait & rebook later on - it's on our cruise calendar. Might just play the cat-n-mouse game on pricing with them, heck - there's no way it's going to be sold out in the middle of winter anyway. Cruise prices dropped already - again - for this Fall's sailings, after final payment/cancellation deadline had passed a month ago. Thankfully, we locked in a decent deal and not going to lose sleep or tracking prices, but out of curiosity ... looking at unsold inventory with ships afloat, not pretty - entire sections and corridors nearly vacant. Hence, cheap upgrades by bidding from a balcony to club balcony "suite" for as little as $25 p/p ... wow, OMG that's almost a giveaway. @graphicguy BTW - just noticed, congrats for joining the VHR Club, did you just retired ?

OP - Sorry and can empathize with your aging parents, been there & gone thru that each & every time we travel abroad and/or take a vacation, whether it's a cruise or flying, etc. Now that they are eternally free, happy & in a better world - we cruise with minimal worries, aside from this pandemic. Hintsight is often 20/20 ... If you cancel your upcoming trip yesterday, your losses will be minimal as there was no penalty - however, today being final payment, if you purchase standard insurance plan by NCL, this "should" be considered a non-covered reason and under current T&C, you should be able to claim & get 75% of your costs in the form of a FCC. Have you spoken to a CSR from Nationwide Insurance, they underwrite NCL's policies and will be handling your claim - AFTER, you first cancel this upcoming trip with NCL (or, via your TA if booked thru them). Please speak to them first for their help & advice and understand what documentations, proof (if any) are needed to successfully make a claim - see below - and, good luck. P.S. The inexpensive, bargain (cheap one) "Essential Plan" offered by NCL can usually be purchased only after final payment offering minimal travel & medical coverage, not for any kind of cancellations at all ... I stand correctly, but don't think this is your coverage, unless you only pay about $35 per person for it as part of the booking earlier. Time is valuable and when you have frail love ones on the edge, it's priceless to be able to spent time by their sides. This is taking a financial loss but you'll look back years later and be glad that you made the appropriate choice - we cannot rewind the time machine. Best wishes. FAQ - https://www.aontravelclaim.com/#/FAQ_p Aon Travel Claim Contact Us Managing your claim online and uploading documents via this site remains the fastest way to get it processed. Have questions? Complete this form, and a member of our customer service team will be in touch. Prefer to talk? Call us: 1-800-453-4027, Mon-Fri 8am-10pm EST, Sat 9am-5pm EST.

Haven guests get priority tendering, check with your concierge about details onboard as they will have specifics, and you will meet somewhere & get escorted down to the tender deck and should be on the first tender, ahead of almost everyone else ... enjoy your breakfast, early as your meeting time as a group will be early. There should be plenty of umbrella and prime locations to choose from. As for shades protection, I recommend up spend a little extra to a clam shell (vented ones are best) that fit 2 adjustable loungers inside - better & more, superior coverage over the umbrella. Don't forget to pack high SPF+ lotion, otherwise, available onboard at the gift shop at the "going" prices at sea.

Plan to see and expect more changes this Fall and early Winter as the protocols are definitely going to continue to evolve, adapt and issued.

Spice H20, adults only - especially on port days (i.e. while docked in Bermuda) It was semi-secluded as it's away from the pool & sun deck, buffet, etc.

Hey, sure why not - if the package priced out to your liking and it fits into the calendar ... book it. Besides, RJ got to perform his civic duties as a prospective juror ... BTW, DoubleUp promotion in effect thru 6/30 - use 2 of the CruiseNext Certificates as deposit, even if it's an Inside or Oceanview and doesn't have to be more than 6 months out. Go for it. GG - did you hear/read, Delta's multi-year LGA terminal is now open ... nicely done and world class, going to check it out briefly next week as I need to make a quick run out to the terminal, none DL-related. The Q70 SBS airporter bus connection is now free, ideal for lightly packed travelers like you - ride it to/from Manhattan's West Side with future NCL cruises.

Just got a chance to read your post on the suggestion, glad that you can use it for vehicle with Canada tag(s) ... wish I could do the same in the greater Toronto area next week on those tolled express routes. You should get a bill soon (after returning) about the balance owed, based on the cash rate. If I recall correctly, there is a section for you to provide the billing authorities (I believe it's the NYS Thruway System for that section) with the newly minted EZ-Pass tag # ... and, possibly for the system to accept & charge you the EZP rate, maybe a surcharge for the billing - instead of the cash rate. It not, just pay the amount on the invoice. Going back home would now be a lot easier and of course, for your September trip. Just remember to link up with a credit card to auto-refill/add funds to it, or prepaid ahead & add sufficient $$ for the road trip ahead ... Google Maps is nice that, it will calculate & estimate the amount of toll based on the choice of route(s). While on the move, you might need the aid of your co-pilot in the passenger seat to add funds, refill or input route data.

"SP" on the Joy too - not OP, but here - we had two of them - post #26 - Deck 10 Port side #10453 Several more pictures of the 2 bedrooms, 2 baths family suite - slightly different in layout #10439, starboard side & diagonally across the hallway/corridor from us. Very quiet - our main bedroom is behind the wall from the white space, a large room used by the crew for hotel supplies, storage & work area during their duty hours,. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2850872-semi-live-norwegian-joy-to-bermuda-norfolk-va-may-8-2022/page/7/

Trieste and Italy in general, Vodafone is the "home" carrier that'll provide the best cellular/4G LTE data coverage at the port - AT&T wireless is one of their partner, although T-Mobile with roaming/global coverage should do fine, check & ask your "home" carrier in LA before leaving about coverage, costs & any APN configuration, including enabling "roaming" coverage. Google Fi (as MNVO partner) has worldwide coverage in 200 countries abroad, when we started out with them a little over 6 years ago, just 120 to 130 countries then - amazing coverage & inexpensive when we're on escorted air-land tour in the Far East. Alternatively, find & activate a prepaid mobile data sim for visitors upon arrival in EU and have it configured to use. Maritime satellite speed & connectivity via NCL is inadequate at best and too sluggish to be reliable, even if you upgraded to the "premium" streaming plan. Happy cruising.

@steel1203 - unless you go to sleep early, I wouldn't be too worried about balconies on deck 9 above the specialty restaurants, as they close after 9:30 or 10 p.m. at most - cleaning or moving tables/chairs (if any at all, for vacuuming, etc.) are done shortly thereafter, especially with reduced occupancies sailing these days. Do you have the cabin #'s in mind on Deck 9 ? Other "downside" for some is the overhang behind with the lifeboats below, as it could obscure your view directly below ... not an issue for some but for others, maybe. Extreme forward on Deck 8 and even 9 or 10 would, yes, subject to rough sea state and large waves for those concerned with getting seasick, even when sailing north to New England/Canada as there is that wide stretch out in the open North Atlantic.

From June 7 thru 30th, DoubleUp promotion for all staterooms, including Insides - use 2 CruiseNext deposits to book, apply a 2nd one to existing reservations. Call NCL directly if it doesn't go thru ... or your TA.

Canada/New England cruises - a month after final payment, prices dropped this week with 3 months to go. Insides sailway thru Balconies are very low, DoubleUp with CruiseNext Deposits (thru end of June) ... NCL needs to bump up sales.

With shrinkflation - personally, highly doubtful the downsized paper bag will fit more than 3 or 4 day's worth of underwear, t-shirts, polo-shirts, blouse and more than 2 pairs of jeans/casual slacks ... no matter how tightly you can roll & squeeze them in. And, we try to cruise with a 22" rollerboard each plus a backpack/personal bag. Write on the outside of the paper tag and the laundry slip that it's Platinum, thus complimentary (still) and 2 bags washed, dry & folded, return in 2 wicker basket, at no charge ... the mini "coupon" was not needed (if you have one, put that inside and if not, don't need/have to take a trip down to ask CruiseNext for an extra coupon ... besides, it doesn't have your name/stateroom # embossed or printed on it anyway)

DW and I are both Platinum+ (Sapphire) and steward had only 1 downsized paper bag and zero laundry slip in our family suite. We just asked him for another bag + 2 slips, fill it out with the items counted. Sent both bags out the same morning, also wrote on the outside of the bag it's Platinum. Came back in 2 baskets, neatly folded and no charge. Keep in mind that NCL has a good # of newly hired onboard these days and they aren't your seasoned crew members familiar with all the rules, which changed often themselves. When in doubt, call and speak to the asst. housekeeper instead of asking to see the GM 😁 - most of the time, problems solved & fixed.

@lx200gps - Best advice that I can offer is to call E-ZPass® Customer Service Center at 1-800-333-8655 about vehicles registered in Canada provinces as there are border "commuters" and travelers, especially at the Niagara Falls crossings with tolls involved on the U.S. side. They should be able to tell you whether you can use it or not, thus buy it. Refilling it with Canadian credit/debit card should be okay, I think but not 100% sure - ask them. That $25 initial or upfront charge includes an allowance for tolls, plus the deposit/costs for the "transponder" itself - once you activate it, you link up a credit card with it and additional tolls are deducted. For most NYC toll-by-mail crossing (i.e. between Bronx and Queens or Manhattan & Brooklyn, toll by mail is over $10 per one-way crossing vs. $6 and change for using EZ-Pass) The savings and/or extra costs to be billed using toll-by-mail really add up quickly, not to mention the USD-CAD exchange rates ... Bridge & tunnel crossing from NJ into NY is $16+ with cash lanes (and, slow ... very slow especially during peak travel time) vs. discounted EZ-Pass that lowered it by a few dollars each time. Even if you only use it once or twice a year, should save you money & most importantly, time in zipping thru during rush hour. I use it on rental cars when we drive north to Canada (Niagara crossings) as we plan to later this month, no problem with billing on the US side whatsoever, just have to make sure it's windshield mounted & scanner readable. I would think that at PriceChopper at Plattsburgh & elsewhere, they probably keep it behind the cashier's counter, ask the sales or cashier for it - call ahead (use the link to find the #) to make sure it's available for sale & where. Do a restroom or coffee break, register & activate it, mount and go - resume the drive toward NYC area. EZ-Pass accepted/used in NJ, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, MA, Rhode Island, Maine & NH, etc. - you won't get extra "resident" discounts for those states but the basic EZP rates are given vs. the cash/toll-by-mail rate. Actually, in late 2019 just before the pandemic hit ... we overnighted in Port Canaveral, rented a car & drive into Orlando area, used our NY-issued EZPass there on their toll road in the rental car. Taconic Pkwy is about 3.5 hours of easy driving between Albany & NYC vs. 3 hours on I-87, no trucks or buses, just passenger vehicles & light traffic off-peak ... 2 lanes each way, go easy & watch for curves, hills & winding turns ... plan ahead for restroom stops - there is a traveler's plaza/rest stop about midpoint. Nowadays, folks are rushing or pushing everywhere else, we just rather go easy - buckle up & enjoy the scenic mountains & hills. You can take I-287 West toward Nyack after exiting the Taconic in Westchester, cross the Hudson River at the Mario Cuomo (formerly Tappan Zee) Bridge into NJ for Rt. 17 or Palisades Interstate Parkway, etc.staying overnight in NJ - Google Maps/Waze was excellent with cellular coverage on the Taconic (whether it's Android or Apple Car Play) Again, have a nice & safe trip and happy cruising.