graphicguy

As mentioned, occupancy rates must have been lagging. Nice find. Be curious whether fares continued to drop. because of a glut of availability? I've not found much difference in any alleged Black Friday "sales", though. January is a slow month past the New Year's hoopla. I'm looking at Jan/Feb cruises now. Prices are really good. No special "sales" other than what NCL always runs. Side note, I found a Celebrity Cruise that had a price drop of over $2K a couple of years, ago. Best I ever found.

Thanks! Sounds fab. Would love to join you. But, I’m actually looking for a shorter, easy in-easy out cruise. 7-day….Galveston is a direct flight from CVG for me. So, that’s attractive. Fares in January/February look pretty good, too. On a side note, thanks to all who forwarded their TA info to me. Much appreciated. I think I’ve found a new one that’s going to work. Had my prior TA for many years (probably 10?). She was good. Not sure what’s going on, but she seems to be unavailable a lot recently. Who knows? Maybe she just doesn’t like working with me, anymore? I like to think I’m a pretty easy client. I pick out one or two cruises. I do the research on them. i ask for a quote, and 90% of the time book one of the ones I identified. Can’t get much simpler than that, or at least I thought so. Speaking of which, I’ve dealt with a few this week who should probably find a different line of work. They aren’t very adept as a TA and seem to be quite befuddled by technology.

Since the restart, when “sales” were plentiful and there were really great bargains across all cruise lines, pricing has been relatively static. Fares may fluctuate $100, maybe $200 on a higher end cabin, but mostly the “sales” are more marketing hype than anything else. I think the EU may have a sale on FAS on occasion, but I believe NCL raises the price of fares with FAS to compensate. Black Friday? If occupancy rates are strong (which they usually are over the holidays), Black Friday will be more of the same, just with a different name.

Let me go WAY OFF TOPIC on my own thread. So, I've noticed a vocabulary discrepancy that's used more and more in cruise vernacular.. "DE" in front of any word means literally the undoing of a previous action. Deinstall (reverse an installation). Deregulate (reversal of a previous regulation). Or, if a tree has bark, to "debark" it would mean to remove its bark. So, if you "barked", to stop "barking" you would "debark". "Dis" means to remove or reverse. So, if you "Disembarked", you would leave or reverse your "embarking". I suppose if you really wanted to use "de" as you're disembarking, you would "de-embark", but that's klutzy. But, to "debark" means to either quit barking or to remove bark from a tree. You wouldn't disbark, right? Disembarkation would mean you are removing yourself from the ship....or, reverse your embarkation. See how much of a tizzy that sends some folks.

Well now....that's tragic! LOL!!!!!

oooooooo.....I do kind of like that idea, though. Prima...Feb 2, '24.......Solo Balcony looks interesting.

Two weeks after disembarkation, and I'm scoping out my next cruise. To be fair, I know some of the former NCL faithful who used to reside in these threads have made their way to MSC. So, I took a look at some of their offerings. Granted, I'm still a bit stung by their attempt to charge me more for a fare I had already booked. So, there's not a big impetus for me to book anything with them. Looking at fares at MSC, I don't see the "bargains" either. Nix them. Celebrity? Whoa! Their fares have really gone up since I last sailed them a few years ago. Royal? Carnival? Not in the mood for either. Well....I have Cruse Next certs. I have been jonesing for a Prima/Viva Cruise. So, looking at those for early 2024. Want this one to be easy-peezy. No huge gyrations getting to or from the (dis)embarkation point. Looking for ports I know how to get in and out of with the least amount of effort.

It was quite an adventure on the train. Ended up flying from Marseille to Rome, and taking a train from Rome to Cortona. None of it was without major issues. Too much craziness to really outline in total here. But, Ryan Air is just a terrible airline. Trying to check in was a lesson in absolute chaos. Add in checking luggage and those issues just multiplied. Marseille and Paris airports are in disrepair. I had 3 pieces of luggage (one large, one rollaboard and one back pack). Slogging that through the airports, when the escalators weren't operating, up and down several flights of stairs, and up and down with Ryan Air because they won't invest in a jet way, allowed me to expand my creative cursing usage. I knew they were a bad airline when they were more interested in hawking perfume and cologne up and down the aisle mid flight than to letting me buy a bottle of water from them. Add to that, it seemed I was plagued with people who felt it was their duty to cut line in front of the "American". By the time I got to Rome (FCO). and purchased a train ticket to Cortona, it became clear that train travel with luggage is not a particularly bright idea. Changing trains, schlepping the luggage off the train, on to the platform (which had a large gap), and back on again, usually where luggage had to be literally thrown onto the train from the platform, because you absolutely could not roll it with such big gaps, hoping the doors wouldn't shut with your luggage on the train, and you stuck on the platform. Fortunately, I had some helpful strangers who would help. Then again, there were others who would have not even bothered even if they saw me falling onto the tracks while trying to load the luggage and myself on the train. Let's just say, I won't do that again.

Been in both....in the Haven Proper and outside the Haven "Proper". As far as service and/or experience, I noticed no difference either way. The Concierges and Butlers were no different. I didn't feel like I missed anything even being on a different deck than the Haven Proper. Bar was the same, restaurant was the same. Personally, if there price for a Haven suite was cheaper outside the Haven proper, that would be the gating factor for me. Was in an Aft Cabin on the GEM. LOVED that cabin. And, since it was considered a suite, I had access to a Butler and Concierge (but no access to the Haven Proper). That was sort of the best of both worlds...priced like a "regular" non-Haven Suite, but with most all the perks. In all frankness, I've never noticed any ship movement, regardless of where I was on the ship, except for the (in)famous "listing cruise" on the Escape about 4 years ago. A sudden gust of wind actually caused the ship to list, throwing me out of my bed. But, that's the only one I can think of.

I do like the Nespresso machines in the Haven Suites. I have a Nespresso Vertuo machine at home. The Nespresso in the Haven are the original kind. They're just as good. The pods are smaller, though. I use 2 pods per cup. My Butler also keeps cream in the fridge (not that terrible coffee mate teeny cups). My butler also keeps extra pods stocked because I double up on each cup. So, no need for Starbuck!

I think generally speaking, most people are unfamiliar with how the cruise lines work. Couple of issues... 1). the vast majority of cruises are sailed in, thorough and to multiple countries...all with their own unique rules and regulations. 2). Weather....weather can't be predicted. That should come as no surprise to anyone. Nothing the cruise lines can do about weather. They can sometimes sail through it, or around it, and sometimes must readjust their ports as a result of it. Just read a thread where a passenger was upset that they were subject to high winds and some big waves. I'd venture to say guests are not large ship crew and have no clue how to navigate harsh weather (although many claim the contrary). Port fees are refunded. But, refunds based on a missed port? How would that work? If a Bahamian is missed (which is mainly a shopping port) because of weather or port issues, is that worth less than say missing a higher value port, like say the Mendenhall Glacier? How do you value a port you are docked at for 6 hours vs one you are docked over night? What if you do dock at a port and the weather is terrible? Are you owed something for that? What exactly do you think you're owed if your ports are changed or cancelled? Literally, it's a slippery slope. Some would say they'd rather not dock at a port if it's a difficult docking. Others, come hell or (literally) high water, they want to dock at the exact ports advertised, or else?

Open for any TA suggestions. My user name at Yahoo is how to email me. TIA!

Looking at some cruises for 2024. Have mentioned in the past, my current TA has been a little MIA recently. Seems she’s OOTO a lot these days. No issues. I know she’s been hinting that she may be pulling away from the business a bit. But, it seems more frequent. Anyway, have been contacting other TAs. Gotta say, my results have been mainly dismal. The big name TAs either have lowered their standards, or I cruise so much that I end up knowing way more than they do. Either way, tough to even get a quote even when I lay out very specifically what I want, where I want to go, the dates I want to go, on the cruise line and ship I want to sail. Seems they can’t even handle that. Was on the phone with a very large on line TA yesterday for 30 minutes. Game him all of my details (down to my Latitudes number) as well as the specific cruise, date and category I wanted. After 30 minutes, I still couldn’t get a fare from him. He was trying to sell me insurance before he could even tell me what the fare was. Insurance price is based on the fare, as I tried to explain to him. I felt like I was speaking Chinese to him.

I think there are some (potential) guests that cruise lines would gladly hope they find another line to frequent.

Keep finding random pics…….Open air market in Florence selling wild boar (among a little of everything else, too)…..

And here I thought NCL dedicated TOO MUCH space to teens. Carnival an option?

St. peter’s Bascilica…

-$100 for the Concierge who I interface with the most -$100 for my room steward -$50 for my Butler (unless I request en suite meals then I double it) -$1/drink for waitstaff or bartender in the Haven Bar Tough to gauge the Haven Restaurant Staff. I usually don't have the same wait staff and rarely eat every meal there. If someone goes above and beyond during the week then $20. Do what you want. You'll find as many opinions as there are Haven guests.

I love visiting local markets. This was the same one where the wealth of loose spices were on display in NICE!

Attended a day “chef” school in Arezzo. Not going to challenge Racheal Ray, but learned at lot, and ate what we made.

That’s a reason for a trip to Customer Service of I’ve ever heard one!

Not going to get into the weeds on this. I did mention Celebrity’s “all in” fares that are much higher. So, if anyone wants to play the “semantics” game, I’m not interested. Nickel/Dime arguments specific to any mainstream line is old. Anyone who has cruised more than once should know the costs. You pay for what you order. If all you want to pay is the base fare, you can do so. If you want all inclusive, you’ll pay more…either via higher fares, a la carte drinks, specialty dining, etc. You can call it nickel and diming with any cruise line. But, If any of this is a surprise, shame on you for not doing due diligence.

They also charge much higher fares to cover the “included” perks! Celebrity offers fares that are bare bones (as does NCL WITH SAILAWAY fares). And, for a much higher rate, offer all inclusive! The “lux” lines who offer “all in” fares have much higher to cover the perks!

Prima has even better deals out of Galveston around February ‘24!

Thinking the Viva or Prima as my next cruise. Really wanting to sail one (or both) of those ships.