Mikiejag

A group (7) some not snorkelers at all and some experienced.  Coming into Costa Maya on the Breakaway and trying to decide between two different excursions.

Catamaran Cruise & Snorkel.

Beach Snorkel Adventure at Beach Escape Beach Club.

The beach snorkel is $79, the catamaran is $89, for anyone that has taken these are there any extras?  

Or any specific pluses or minuses?

The description doesn't say anything about food and snacks, however, I have found sometimes it is available just not listed in the description.

Not really a budget thing, more of a yay everything is real close and if someone wanted to stay with monkeys vs go to the beach its not a big deal.

I think Ronys and heading to Manawakie.

Thank you so much, I really just need to go to Roatan for a week.  🙂

What a timely thread.  Leaning towards MANAWAKIE PARK.

Since you have been to all three, we are looking at Sloths and probably as much time holding them as possible.  Followed a close second to some snorkeling.  I have seen some of the prices and it seems like some have pickup/dropoff service and sloths and snorkeling.

Looking for best price / best experience / best snorkeling for a group of 8.  Thanks so much for any opinions.  🙂

And just to clarify a bit, before the heat comes on.  I am not down playing the scam chances, but unless the OP received an email from an Egyptian price dying of prostate hemorrhages and needs to send them a refund of 12Million (USD) for a low fee...

The chances of an email offering a refund on an NCL cruise that was taken 18 months ago is either a *very* targeted way of getting some information from the OP or this scammer relies on quality over quantity.

I for one find it nice that there is so proactive. 

The first question should have been, did I go on this cruise?  Then the second, was did they pay cash or what?

If he received a cruise credit, everyone would be talking about why couldn't it just be cash...LOL

For one a routing number, even an account number isn't good for anything.  Its not until things like Socials, pins and passwords come up that raise some bells.  I am not that free with account numbers, but honestly, I have given it out numerous times for people to transfer money in.  My bank requires way more interaction to make it a withdrawl/deposit access.

Wouldn't trust any website or basically anything other than letting me know that a refund is due and that they need to get in touch with me.

I would also ask for some latitude points as well....  😉

Do keep us informed, would love to see a refund find you 18 months later.

I usually do about 11-12 months out and couldn't imagine trying to stay calm for 2 years out...LOL.

Get super antsy at 7 months.

I always had luck with the "call TA, plead dumb" and then have them pull up the quote.

Best case on board credit, or a refund, worst case nothing and you still have your vacation.

I always tend to check about 2 weeks before final payment and make adjustments.  Once the final payment date passes, they kinda got you and the rest of the rooms go on a fire sale type of deal.

Although, sometimes, even with penalty, you can cancel and re-book and still save money.

It is frustrating, especially when the booking happens so far out, but I book at the price I am willing to pay.  Happy with discounts, and LMAO when the price goes up...Which happens more often than not.

Same thing for the Tax free.  I think the last port and taxes free saved almost $1000

I am still holding out for no port taxes, free air and shore excursions....  One can hope

Personally, I would have taken those vouchers and ran....LOL

Hell, getting almost anything free is a bonus for me.  🙂

50 minutes ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

I couldn't tell you about my Sail Away savings because every cruise I have ever price has been sold out of Sail Away balconies.  I'm looking at cruises 18 months out that are already sold out.

I do find that to be very true.  We were pricing cabins for next May-Jun and all sail aways were sold out.

But if you want a sail away, keep checking because I think they tend to become "un sold out"

i went through the same thing.  I had a huge spread sheet, adding in the free wifi, taking all 5 promo's vs 2, compared to sail away rate.

If the delta of the difference was too great, just marked it off.  What I ended up was for about $200 a person more, ($1800 9 People) total I took the rooms with free wifi and $50 per stop.  Plus the free air. 

Right now the free air would cost me about $4000, so the extra $1800, more than saved me.  That's even before including the $200 per cabin (x's 3) per port and the 250 minutes per room.

So there is always that option as well.  For me personally, I couldn't even drink what the gratuities would cost me.  I had heard it was about 2-3 drinks per day.  I just don't drink that much. There are people that probably costs NCL money...(you know who I am talking too... lol :))

20 hours ago, FitchburgWIFamily said:

We looked at free air for our party of 5 and it was not worth it.  If my math for 5 didn't work, I can't think yours for 7 would be better.

One:  we have to take NCLs transport to the port...which is more expensive for one person than Uber for all of us.   So that was $240 that I wouldn't have paid except for taking the free flights.

Two: The free air is for pax one and two and what they wanted for pax 3-5 was more than what I could book air on my own.

 

Exactly what I did for a trip of 9.  Since NCL is arranging it, I took a look at the city (Chicago) and found all flights on that day to Miami...of the 9 or so, 3 leave at 600am, 615, and 645.  Arrive at 930-1100...  the rest all arrive after 5.

After dividing up the cost of airline ourselves (2700 on a good day) the average price for all 9 people came out to about 125ish.

They promise same flight, just not near seats, but for that savings its cool.

On 6/28/2019 at 10:15 AM, skrufy said:

With everything these days charged by USB. We bring a  6 port USB charger.

And a large portable battery, like 10000 for phones, cameras and ease of moving around.  Especially if you still need a charge and they unplug it

5 hours ago, Birdie And Sue said:

 

 

Just assigned on over 21 in each cabin on line and then set up the CCs the way you want them for each person.  Then once on board go to guest services and get a cabin access only card for each person who was online assigned to the 'wrong" cabin.  Nothing to it at all.  Very easy to do.  NCL does not care who sleeps where.  We usually get everyone in our group an access only card to each of our cabins anyway.

That's what I was hoping, but they are all over the must have a 21 or over in each room. 

They were very specific in this, which made me wonder.   If they will make extra cards no problem, that simplifies this entire thing.  🙂

22 hours ago, smplybcause said:

When you check-in online you have an option to set up a different credit card for each person on the cruise. Or any combos of it, but if the people you want on one card aren't in the same room you'd have to enter the card in each cabin. 

 

If you're talking switching rooms around once you're on board, I believe the extra room key cards will be separate and only open doors. Everyone would need their original freestyle card to get on/off the ship and to make any purchases. 

That's what I was thinking.  Everyone would have a separate card on their room keys, but I know the wife and myself will be in one room, and she was the over 21 for the other room.

The proper key/room/passenger is what needed to be swapped around. 

The title says it all, basically.

We have 3 rooms, 9 people and need to basically re-distribute people.  I know about the rules for over 21, however one of the room is 18, 19, 18, & 18.

The only problem is the boarding cards.  How to associate payment with the correct card and room?

Is it possible to join a different credit card to a different room key after boarding? 

Or do they not really pay attention to who is in what room?

Thanks for any insight.

The only ones they have not had in a while is the no port taxes and prepaid gratuities.  Those probably affect the bottom dollar price so I can see why they don't bring those into rotation, but the free or reduced air worked out for me this time.

cheapest I could get the flights for 9 people was $2700, total increase in cruise price $900...Although have to do the gateway city,(ORD) but even with hotel and one way rental car, I am still ahead over 2k.

The best sale I have had about two years ago, no taxes, port excursions and free wifi.  Yeah, the last two no biggie, but I am a book with the cruise line kind of person, and the free wifi actually has a value to upgrade to the social package for a few bucks.  It was the no port taxes that brought the price down to $699pp for a balcony.

On 6/24/2019 at 12:59 PM, smplybcause said:

Also, I meant 4 in one inside, 3 in another, and 2 in a balcony. Then the kid in the balcony and your wife who's the over 21 in the 3 person inside switch rooms. Throw the couples in the 4 room, and then the 2 single kids and the friend sleep in the inside for 3 -- which leaves you & your wife in the balcony without those pesky kids! 

Bingo.  This is the way I went.  The bro and sis, with friend and girl friend in a four room, the other kids and my daughter in another balcony and for my effort...Me and the misses will take the room with 2.  :)

I stopped getting responses to the thread via email for some reason.

Ended up grabbing a sale with free air and got three balconies to western Caribbean.  The blood relations are paying 1/2 and the non-family members are going in full price.  :) 

its like a grown up solution that works for everyone. 

@myjillian, here's to hoping for a little smooth, but this is gonna be the last time.  next time they want to roll, it will be "ship name" and "date of sailing" hope to see you at port....LOL 

On 7/15/2019 at 2:44 PM, Joeghartman said:

I’m sure it has been asked a ton, but I just need a little bit of advice. Sailing on the bliss  August 12... originally booked an inside gty for $1399.  Balcony prices dropped about a month ago and upgraded to that for $360 for the two of us. 

 

I know notice the balcony rooms dropped to $1199, while mini suites have not dropped below their $1799 price drop from earlier.  Has anyone have any luck with customer service? Can they offer OBC for the price difference or should I just be happy and move on? I am very thrilled to have a balcony room on an Alaskan cruise for an affordable price.

Call and ask.  Worst they can do is say sorry, best they can do is match or OBC you.  🙂

Normally I would just say you are only out a little time, but the hold time can be about an hour...LOL. 

19 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

I think the cheapest option would be to get a oceanview that sleeps 5 and one balcony.  there are no balconies that sleep 5.  If somehow you could go on the May 10 -17 sailing, that would be even better because it looks like the last sailing for the summer that has the 3rd and 4th guest free option

I wish could pull it forward, but gotta graduate first.  They were late entries to school so they will almost be 19 by graduation.  Graduation is the 26th at the earliest...

1 hour ago, smplybcause said:

...I'm assuming she's not super close to the other single child? All the couples will go off and do their own thing, so then it's either hang out alone or hang out with someone you don't normally spend that much time with. I don't entirely blame her. I've done the solo thing in families and it sucks -- but I couldn't find someone to go with and chose to go anyway...

It is more of the brother is bringing the 4 year long girlfriend, the step sister is bringing the 5 year boyfriend, and then the other daughter isn't close. 

plus they are already being tossed in an Inside... lol  🙂

If this 9th person really can't workout, she will just have to decide if she really wants to stay home or not.

45 minutes ago, Grandma MoMac said:

We just booked the Encore to Bermuda for next July

Only room that accommodates 5 is Oceanview

I am going to check out the Oceanview and maybe reach a compromise.  No balcony, but a window.  Which would make it 4 inside, 3 Oceanview and 1 balcony. 

It is tight, but "putting" one person over 21 in each room has taken care of that issue.  And in all honesty I foresee 3 people ending up in each room.  I currently have two connecting balcony rooms booked, but trying to get the 9th person in has proven to be a little bit more work than it should.

Basically went from about $725 per person to almost $1k, Booking four in the interior drops it to about $850ish.

We are trying to cater to the daughter, because she won't go if she doesn't get a friend.  Which other than the memories she would loose out on and the fact that she has so much fun on the first one, we believe she is being short sighted.

So decided on a family vacation, and originally that included 8 people.  Well perfect, two rooms.  Now it seems one kid doesn't want to go, because she will have nobody to hang with, so we said see if there is a friend...yeah, did this without really considering the logistics.

Don't want her to miss the cruise, but basically 4 kids, two with girlfriend/boyfriend, then the two others.  They are all 18, with one 21.  Two balconies. 4 per room, very doable. Now we have 9.

We were headed to Bermuda on the Encore, but now it has changed to Western Caribbean, around the 30th of May after graduation. 

Trying to price this out the cheapest possible way.  Was thinking a balcony could fit a 5th person, but no go.

So was going to do:

4 Interior, 3 Balcony 1, 2 Balcony 2.  Thought about a studio, but all expense shifts to the balconies. Granted, counting on people moving rooms and such when it comes down to it, but looking for the cheapest booking option.

Any ideas? Or has anyone ran across something like this with the one extra person throwing the rooms all out of wack?  :)

You are.  Thats exactly how it works.  Plus, Facebook messenger works and I believe Whatsapp as well. 

Just know that if you got the free perk of 250 minutes, you can apply the credit to any other package for internet, just not the Social Media package.

One other note, it ends *exactly* at the 7 day mark.  The wife activated hers on day 1 at 4pm and it ended on day 7 exactly at 4.  So it wouldn't work the remainder of the evening, without the 24 hour rate being activated (e.g. another single day rate)