graphicguy

All good points. I believe any adult wanting to cruise should have by now realized they'll need a COVID Vaccine (full) to do so. I don't see that going away until/unless the general world population gets to that magic 80% vaccine rate. It's approaching that in the U.S., now. The more and more children who can be vaccinated will help reach that number. I think it will be 50-50 that the COVID vaccine proof will just become a part of regular check in routine, as it is already. As it stands, the cruise lines continue to require 12 and up to be vaccinated.....2 and up to be tested, at least in North America and some other countries around the world. It's an abundance of caution, but worthwhile as it has several stemmed the kind of outbreaks that were seen on that Princess ship 2+ years ago.

Yeah…that changes things. Obviously, you’re going to do what you want. So, not sure what we can do here to help. Just curious…..if you know there’s a good chance you’ll be flagged, then why risk taking your powders on board? Personally, anything that might get me flagged, if it’s not absolutely needed (like prescription drugs I take daily for a chronic malady), it stays at home. It’s just not worth the hassle if it’s not absolutely necessary.

Butler will bring just about anything you want in the Haven. I know I never even asked and finger sandwiches, canapés, M&Ms would show up in the afternoon. There is a selection of teas always available in your Haven Suite. You can choose whichever you want (not a tea fan, so don't know if they're good or bad teas). There's also a hot water maker available for you to make tea. @BirdTravels...I see from your pics you had Anoop as a Concierge. He's great! Do you know if he's still around?

Didn't catch it when masking was required. I know NCL made it pretty clear at the restart they did not require masks. At the same time, they did require vaccinations and testing. They still do for NA and Greece, which was a recent change (as in the last few days). I sailed NCL Escape to Alaska last October. No masks required (except for crew). NCL and Celebrity are the only two cruise lines that have been consistent in their requirements. And, for the most part, their protocols have mirrored each others'. Sailed Celebrity a year ago. Vaccines and testing required (except for infants and pre-teens). Those who couldn't be vaccinated had to wear a mask. Some cruise lines really never really got their act together with the whole Vaccination and testing requirements. I heard just recently that HAL is requiring masking, again. It sounds like their parent (CCL) vascilated so much with their vaccination protocols, the testing protocols, masking, segregation based on vaccinations, etc...they're still struggling a year and a half later. No matter, NCL is starting to readjust their protocols after their implementations have been successful over a long period of time.

You're right that NCL does not have "formal" nights, per se. They do have "Dress up, or not" evenings. Some will get dressed up if they're doing the "picture thing". Don't remember a special menu for those nights, though. Lobster was "hit or miss" before the shutdown. Not sure if it has improved. As others have pointed out, they do rotate their menus. Didn't realize the new Prima was going to be a fixed menu. My guess it will be pretty extensive if they aren't going to change it every evening. That would be the same with the Specialty Restaurant Menus and the Haven Menu, too. Kind of like going to your land based restaurant. Menu is the same, with the possible exception of "specials". That said, I can't imagine them offering Lobster on the menu every night...at least, not in the MDRs.

If memory serves, NCL NEVER REQUIRED wearing a mask sine the restart. The current policy has been in effect for at least 18 months. They were the first cruise line at start up to require COVID testing and vaccines for all guests from the get go. They recently revised that to allow children who couldn’t be vaccinated to sail. But, masking was always optional.

Sensational headline, but as they say, “the Devil is in the details”. I believe this requirement will be lifted sooner rather than later. NLC has been consistent in the last year and a half. There was never any ambivalence when it came to the testing and vaccine protocols. But, we all knew testing wouldn’t last forever. They’re filling ships with the current protocols in place. Perhaps this is a good first step towards NA cruise requirements for COVID testing going away sometime in the next 6 months? Maybe the next 3 months?

Agree. Plus, hanging out there (with kind people like yourself) and chatting was a good time. Our Ovation cruise was near or at capacity when it sailed this past Spring. Diamond Lounge was never crowded, and I went every day. Sometimes for coffee (the Diamond Lounge coffee maker was WAY BETTER than what you would get in the Windjammer) in the a.m. Sometimes I would just go for drinks and snacks pre-dinner, and ended up not going to dinner. Can't recall our concierge's name, but he was excellent, too. Took care of billing issues, booking my specialty dinners and excursions, so I didn't have to run around and do it myself.

https://onpoint-testing.com

Yay....!!!!!!!! Looking forward to a lot more.

We've debated about sailing Princess. Just have never found an itinerary and/or price we were interested in. GF is pressing for us to to do the Solstice in October. That's looking more and more likely. As I told her last night..."Book it and I will come"!

got it...replied.... 😉

I know. What's wrong with me? We'll cross paths sooner rather than later. BTW...saw you scored VIBE passes. Well done! I bought other insurance, too for that very reason (AIG). Still, AMEX can be supplemental.

Hope everyone had a great July 4th, whether or not you were celebrating something (as my U.S. compadres were), or it was just another Monday (like the rest of the non-U.S. world was doing). Entering into "laundry phase" of my trip. Or, also known as "what will I take, and what do I have to still go buy". For example, the Oakley's I bought 3 months ago for $200 now have a big scratch. Don't know how it happened, as I always put them in a case in my car. But, what I thought was a smudge as I was bobbing in my pool with family yesterday, turned out to be a 1" scratch, which was making me (even more) nuts while wearing them all day. I know this makes some people crazy (like the woman I've let hog my sheets the last 10 years of my life), but I wing it when packing. I guess I've done this so many times, I have grown to rely on muscle memory. I will forget something. Even when I used to make a packing list, I would forget to include something on my list, which it turn meant I forget to pack something. Posted this before in other threads, but it bears repeating (at least for my own record keeping). For Caribbean, Mexican, Dominican, Bahamas, Haiti, etc cruises of 7 nights or less, I used nothing but carryons. That means 1 roll aboard and one backpack. Rollaboard goes in the overhead bins, back pack goes under the seat. Cold weather cruises, (Washington State, Western/Northern Canada, Alaska, Northeast U.S., winter in the EU) or cruises OVER 7 nights, where more bulky clothes like sweatshirts, coats, parkas, etc rule the day, or I just need more clothes, the medium sized (checked bag) rollaboard comes out. This cruise isn't the latter. This cruise is Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and NCL's private island....shorts, swin trunks and Hawaiian Shirts rule. Throw in some Crocs, Tennis shoes (for walking) and one pair of cargo pants for Le Bistro, along with underwear, electric razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, meds (including high hydration packets), and that's it. iPad, cables, phone, GoPro, Bluetooth speaker go into back pack... That's it! I've found cruise ship soaps, shampoos and conditioners (yeah, like I would use conditioners) are all pretty good these days, especially if you're staying in the Haven (don't remember what NCL uses...L'Occitane, Biggelow...?????). So, no need to pack those. I believe all paperwork is done. Pre-tested with one of my free home COVID tests this a.m. All good. Will do proctored test with another free COVID test ($15 for the proctored service, though) pm Thursday. Walgreens drive thru COVID test as back up (insurance covers this) in case the home test is somehow defective. Going to bank today to get "gambling cash" and excursion pocket money. Flight reservation (with back up flights identified)-check Hotel (thanks AMEX for your help)-check Transportation to/from airport/hotel/cruise port-check Vaccination card-check NCL checkin ticket and CC on file-check Passport and Passport card (for wallet)-check Travel Insurance-check I think that's it....(I THINK)!

I’m thinking the baggies filled with powders and/or pills might set cause a bag check. Maybe want to forego those this cruise as I’ve found the cruise security personnel to be ill-humored and not very communicative when trying to explain things like “non-prescriptions” that had the look of maybe, perhaps, something illegal.

It’s actually not bad insurance…… https://www.americanexpress.com/idc/en/benefits/the-platinum-card/platinum-insurance.html

I've got those same boxes. While Walgreens is accepting Medicare as insurance for testing, I do have an appt with OnPoint to supervise the iHealth test I'll do this coming Thursday for my Saturday cruise out of Orlando. Test was free. With coupon, the OnPoint service is $14.95 I have a Walgreens COVID test on Friday as back up in case the proctored test results are some how delayed.

Aside from EDEN, I thought Blu was one of the best dining options on the ship. Was allowed to dine there given I was in the Retreat. I preferred Blu over Luminae.

AMEX comes through. Just got an email this a.m. that they are crediting $109.45 back to me based on their research of Booking.com's terms. This is one of the reasons I pay as much as I do for AMEX Platinum's Annual Fee. Their OBC is another. And, their travel insurance is another. And.....and....and......!!!!

I’ve probably had 20 written exchanges with booking.com. Probably a ⅓ of them were replies from the Netherlands and either in German or Dutch. Their price match policy is clearly just a marketing tool. They don’t actually honor their own policy. I’ve turned it over to AMEX given I’ve contested the charge. Long and short of it, regardless of their increased recent marketing efforts, booking.com has provenj to be untrustworthy. Trivago is a web aggregator that searches web prices. Booking us an actual booking site, like hotels.com. It’s just that you can’t trust booking.com.

Seems I get asked a lot about what booking with the American Express Platinum card nets with NCL cruises. I had saved the "perks" in a folder I had forgotten about, but ran across it again today. While there is some confusion about whether these perks are available through booking with NCL directly, I can't answer that as I use a TA. What I do know is whichever TA you use, they have to be part of the AMEX program to be able to offer these perks. And, you don't HAVE TO use American Express Travel to get these perks (although, they obviously offer them, too). Hopefully, this is helpful.... American Express Platinum Card Benefit Program: Details Valuable benefits and amenities for Platinum Card Members and Centurion Members. Benefits Platinum Card Members and Centurion Members receive benefits on select sailings of 5 nights (6 days) or more. •USD Shipboard Credit per stateroom Stateroom Category USD Shipboard Credit Amount Haven/Suite $300 Balcony/Mini-Suite $200 Outside $100 Inside $100 •Complimentary dinner for two at Le Bistro Restaurant* One extra Membership Rewards® point on each eligible dollar you spend per booking with American Express Travel. Single passengers who pay the single passenger supplement are entitled to the full CPP amenity. Shipboard credit can be used for onboard spend and shore excursion (except service charges)and cannot be utilized toward gratuities. Should a Card Member chose to utilize their shipboard credit towards pre reserved shore excursions, NCL requires pre-payment of the shore excursions and the charges are reversed by the OBC onboard. *A voucher will not be issued for the complimentary dinner as a shipboard credit will be applied once the dining reservation is made onboard. Should the Card Member chose to pre-reserve their dining, the dining must be pre-paid and a credit will be applied once onboard. Please see the terms and conditions below for complete details. Eligibility: •Available for U.S. Platinum Charge Card Members and U.S. Centurion® Members only, and excludes Platinum Credit Card Members such as Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Card Members who are not also U.S Platinum Charge Card Members or U.S. Centurion® Members. Combinability •Cruise Privileges is combinable with nationally PLATINUM (new bookings only), available tactical offers, discounted promotional fares, early booking discounts, past passenger programs/discounts, regional and other discounts, cruise tour programs. •Not combinable with X (IX, OX, BX, & MX) categories "SAILAWAY" rate. •Not combinable with Amex Groups or other American Express Card offers. Existing PLATINUM promotion bookings are not eligible to be moved into the CPP promotion. Full Cruise Privileges amenities will be provided by Norwegian Cruise Line once on back-to-back and multi-segment itineraries sold as one. Bookings must be made in the United States.

Just talked to my Walgreens pharmacist yesterday. She said she just found out about the change via memo from 7/1. What she didn’t know was which conditions would warrant free testing (i.e. age? Physical requirements? Etc.). As far as not cruising because of testing, I don’t think it matters much for any of the cruise lines. They’re starting to sail at capacity even with testing still in place.

Back up plan if the Cocoa Beach shuttle doesn’t work out is probably UBER. AMEX must be short staffed for the long weekend. They have (nicely) asked if I could contact the vendor and give them until Monday to get involved. Booking.com keeps wanting more and more of the same info. I keep repeatedly sending them the same thing, over and over (link to price, dates I’m staying, room type, etc). I think they are trying to see if I’ll wear down. For $100? Not on your life. I’m retired. I live to do this kind of thing! 😉

Uh...Oh.....Gonna have to find somewhere else, it seems. Thanks for the heads up. Booking.com is a joke. AMEX said they wanted more information and forwarded me this from Booking... "es tut uns leid für die Umstände, die Sie mit dieser Buchung haben. Vielen Dank für den Screenshot. Nach Prüfung Ihres Screenshots haben wir festgestellt, dass man auf ihm nicht die Bedingungen, die Verpflegung, usw. sehen kann, auch die Tage und die Anzahl der Gäste sind unterschiedlich. Aus diesem Grund können wir Ihren Anspruch nicht auf Gültigkeit prüfen. Sie können uns natürlich auch den korrekten Link zuschicken. Falls Sie weitere Fragen haben, sind wir jederzeit für Sie da." Not sure if they're trying to be funny, or they are just jerking me around. I am not fluent in German but Google translate helps. They are asking (I think) the date(s) of my stay (which were included in the screen capture), whether breakfast is included (it is) and what kind of room (King, same as booking.com). After providing proof to Booking.com that there was indeed a cheaper hotel price, I provided both a link and a screen capture. So, either they're not reading my responses to them, or they're jerking me around. I vote the latter. What a scammy WEB site.

Yeah...should be $146/nite for Best Western Cocoa Beach (via Trivago). Transport is $75 (CoCoa Beach Shuttle), but that's round trip. AMEX acknowledged that Booking.com is "researching" the price match. At least they didn't say "no". AMEX is good about siding with me. Over the years while traveling for both leisure and work, there have been perhaps 3-4 issues with hotels. AMEX took care of me. One time for a hotel in Paris, the heater in my room did not work, in the dead of winter. The hotel refused to move me to another room, refund or even discount my stay. AMEX took care of me even though the hotel wouldn't. It wasn't a few dollars, either. It was like $800 AMEX refunded me for the multi-nite stay.