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Stentplacer

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    NC! Bliss Haven Question

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    I am on board now. Haven does have priority disembarkation and priority embarkation. Ketchikan and Juneau each had a dedicated gang way with Haven signs. Today we had priority disembarkation but a shared gang way to return to the ship. They opened a second security line for us when we returned to the ship.

     

     

     

    Thank You....that’s good to hear

     

     

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    NC! Bliss Haven Question

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Some posts say that Haven guests don’t have separate entrance exit on port days.

    Wait in line on ship with 4000 guests?

    Is this true.

     

    Also disembarkation.....no special area to get off ship. On Getaway from Haven we were escorted to exit no waiting.

     

    Please advise.

     

     

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    NCL Bliss Aft Penthouse ...Deck 15

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Just booked aft penthouse on a Bliss. Someone commented this cabin may hear music ...Bass from nightclub 2 floors up above spa.

     

    Music from deck not a big issue but Bass vibrations after midnight would be unpleasant.....anyone have firsthand experience would be appreciated as other aft cabins are still available.

     

    Regards

     

     

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    BEST? Bliss Haven Penthouse AFT

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Anyone know which is the best deck to book one? Nicest/deepest balcony?

     

    I see some have side balconies, not sure that is important when you have such a great view from the aft corner.

     

    I think they go from 9-15?

     

     

     

     

     

    Thank you so much in advance.

     

     

     

    We are booked in Aft penthouse on Bliss on deck 15. Anyone who has been on this deck.....Did you hear noise from nightclub on 17 above the spa. Someone commented Bass from nightclub was evident in room at night.

     

    Any feedback would be appreciated.

     

     

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    Oceania Suite......aft vs deck 12

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    The deck 12 Oceania suites are a bit larger inside with a second full bathroom. The aft suites on 11 only have a second half bath. However, they have a massive wrap around balcony. I would pick the aft all day long for that balcony. I think we sat out there nearly every non-sleeping moment since it is protected from the wind. I know this might envoke some debate as the deck 11 suites are located under the terrace outdoor seating area. We didn't notice the noise but others have commented here that it was noticeable and persistent.

     

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

     

     

     

    Thank You....I think the deck 12 suites are 700 sq ft larger but deck 150 sq ft smaller

     

     

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    Crystal Debussy Review ...Tulips and Windmills

    in River Cruising

    Posted

    Just wanted to review our recent cruise on the Debussy. First and foremost, the staff on the ship could not have been more accommodating. Everyone was extremely friendly and professional.

     

    Ship/ Suite...

    The ship is brand new. We were on the second sailing. The decor is modern with a classic twist, making it very relaxing and peaceful. We were in # 319, a S1 Suite. There is a small walk in closet with plenty of hanging, shelf, and drawer storage space, including shoe shelves, a nice surprise to my wife! The top half of the large floor to ceiling window will slide down to allow for fresh air & a perfect view for picture taking, with a screen that can also be put up. The bathroom was a bit smaller than expected ( based on previous sailings with Uniworld ), but had two sinks, a good shower, and decent storage, so it worked out fine. There is a nice desk/vanity area with a Nepresso machine, small under-counter fridge, a vanity light, and desk chair. The suite was well appointed in the same modern-classic style and was very comfortable. The only issue was that although there is a nice sitting chair in the room, there is no ottoman/foot stool, which makes relaxing in the room a bit of a problem ( My wife pulled the desk chair over to create a makeshift foot stool. )

     

    Lounge bar / Palm Court...

    The lounge/bar is large with tons of seating options ... bar stools, tables, sofas and chairs. It was manned by Roland and Josef, both highly trained professional mixologists who can create anything you desire. They are friendly and will keep your cocktail requests met at all times ... including holding afternoon mixology classes several times each week. They really are a fantastic duo. The servers, Bence and Jena, were also very professional.

     

    Dining / Waterside Cafe...

    This is the main dining room. In every area, from ambiance to staff to food, it exceeded our expectations. All of the meals were 5 Star. Breakfast & lunch were elegant buffets ... breakfasts included made to order omelettes ... for lunch there were multiple hot entrees & veggies, a different soup every day, and a different pasta dish every day - individual orders prepared fresh right in front of you, NOT pre-made served from a casserole dish like on other river ships. The dinners for the entire trip were fantastic. Of special note were the soups and sauces - some of the best we’ve had anywhere. Crystal Cruise-line’s head chef, Magg Dirks, has created superb menus; each meal more delicious than the last. He has selected and trained the Debussy kitchen staff well; he was onboard for the first few days to personally oversee every aspect. Our server Kristina, and assistant Lenka, were amazing. Their job is to spoil you and they succeeded - from remembering every single preference and like/dislike, to anticipating your needs before you have time to ask, they are knowledgeable, professional, and made every meal a pleasure. The restaurant manager Aitor and head waiter Juris went above and beyond ... always there to monitor the staff to make sure everything was executed to perfection and to assure that any special requests were met and exceeded.

     

    FYI - In addition to the great food & wonderful staff, we especially enjoyed the open seating concept. The dinner hours were 7:00-9:00, however, unlike many other river cruises where everyone is seated and served at the same time, Crystal staff encouraged us to dine at the time best for us. Even when we arrived at 8:00 or 8:30, we were served in a leisurely manner, no different than if we had we arrived right at 7:00.

     

    Room Staff...

    Our Butler was Ivo, who also happened to be the head Butler. He was always available, made note of all of our preferences ( ice delivered at specific time of day, certain type of sodas & coffee, request for fresh cream daily instead of those little peel-tops, etc. He made our trip special ... cannot say enough about how exemplary his service was.

    Georgina was our cabin steward. She was always available to fill any special room needs and our cabin was always spotless. Such a pleasure to meet them both.

     

    Bus/Coaches...

    The Crystal coaches are new and very comfortable....plenty of leg room, with a WC on board.

     

    Excursions...

    A wide variety of both morning & afternoon options in each port are available to choose from. All were lead by knowledgeable and professional local guides. Our only issue was on one tour, the windmills of Kinderdjyk ... it left the ship a tad late ( not an issue in itself ) and instead of doing the agenda as planned and arriving back a few minutes late ( still in plenty of time for lunch on board ) OR omitting a portion of the agenda, the guide walked exceptionally fast the entire time, so much so that if you stopped to very quickly take a single picture, it was quite difficult to catch up. All the other excursions were great - the two highlights, for us, being Keukenhof Gardens and the day trip to Bruges.

     

    Summary...

    We had a fantastic time on this cruise. Crystal obviously spends the time to train their staff well. The river cruise industry is very competitive and in the luxury class Crystal does not disappoint.

    We are looking forward to planning another trip on the Mozart in the near future. Thanks for a wonderful week of memories we won’t forget.

     

     

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    Crystal River Cruise

    in River Cruising

    Posted

    Crystal Debussy is brand new so no one can specifically comment on this river boat. I have done the Crystal Mozart twice (it was so good the first time).

     

    My experience is that Crystal food and service is one of the best around. Food is way nicer than on Crystal ocean ships since chef only cooks for 140 passengers. Crystal service is normally excellent but given the Debussy is brand new, no one can comment of the mix of crew new to Crystal and crew who are used to providing a Crystal level service. The selection of complimentary wine is good. They have a white and red wine of the day but you can order any wine on any day. There is also a paid wine list which is excellent. You do not have to go here if you do not wish to. Just pop along to the bar one afternoon and do your own wine tasting (hey its free!) and decide on which wine you like. The bistro are normally manned by the sommelier in the afternoon so they can talk you through the wine and bring you a taste for you to decide.

     

    You will have one of the best Entertainment Host on the Seven Seas with Mark Farris if you sail mid-April.

     

    I love ocean cruising. After my first Uniworld cruise, I was never going to do a river cruise again. Crystal restored my faith in river cruising if you enjoy smaller ocean ships.

     

     

     

    Thanks for imput.... will write review in a week after Cruise is complete.

     

     

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    Haven Question

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    I was considering an aft Haven room, but was turned off by it being so far from the actual Haven area. Did you find this to be an issue at all?

     

     

     

    Really was not bad. We were on 12...you have to take 7 to cross without going outside. Trust me ..with all the Bushwackers and meals the few extra steps are a must.

     

    The butler services the 12 aft suites exclusively so he’s always around.

     

     

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    Haven Question

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    You are booking a suite. You will have full access to a concierge staff to help you with reservations and priority seating in the main theater and Supper Club dinners. Your room is NOT part of the main suites complex, but a short walk to the elevators which will take you there. In the suites complex, you have a [small] private pool, hot tubs, sauna, sundeck (inside and outside), a private dining room (nicer than costal kitchen) for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, private lounge and bar.

     

    Your butler will bring snacks each afternoon. If you have something special, he will bring it for you in addition to the default snacks (e.g., us big kids sometimes like PB&J sandwiches or special canapés). We ask for a bowl of gummy bears and M&Ms to be kept full, along with pitchers of water and ice tea in the fridge.

     

    If you want in-suite dining, your butler will serve you from any restaurant on the ship, brining a white table cloth.

     

    Here's the NCL video

    (most of the shots were filmed on the Escape)

     

    We had a forward facing suite on the Escape and enjoyed the extra space (but the balcony is small).

     

     

     

    Stayed in aft facing Suite on Getaway....Haven access. I’m pretty particular. I can’t say anything but great for everything Haven related.

    Our deck was massive. We dined outside every morning for breakfast.

    Butler will take care of everything you need or want.

    I can’t wait to go again.

     

     

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