mamagina

Wow! Thanks for great information! Especially about the taxi.

What cabin did you have? I love that you have loungers!

Hi all

 

I can't find much information about Vibe on the NCL site. Can anyone give me the low-down?

I've read posts that it costs $20.00 day/pp or $79. for a seven day cruise and that it sells out very quickly.

How do they handle longer cruises, Our Jan. 3 departure is 14 days. Do they just double the 7 day price? And if it sells out, how does the $20/day work? Do you purchase specific days upon embarkation or are the daily rates available later in the cruise.

This is our first time on NCL and we'd like to see what the "public" pool areas are like before deciding to pay the Vibe surcharge. It does not sound like the ship is going to be full and I'd have thought the kids would be back at school.

 

Thanks

 

MarcC

We are on the same cruise with you and I am trying to find out the same info. Wondering the same thing. Will it be worth it with 8 ports and cool weather at least two or three days? On a summer Bermuda trip we went on, on the breakaway there were no day passes offered even when you looked in and it looked empty.

Great review! We are going on 1/3/16 and l plan to run for vibe passes. I wonder how much they will be for a 14 day cruise???

Great Review! We just took the 11/9-11/13 cruise and I am agreeing with everything you are saying so far. The venues, the crew, the music and the food. The only bad food we had too was the pizza [emoji3]. Worse than cardboard. The only thing I would add was that while we enjoyed what was going on in the Centrum, we found the space to be cramped and very loud. You said the Spotlight lounge was being used for a private function. On our cruise it was almost always empty. Only really used for Karaoke. It is a comfortable large space. We couldn't figure out why they didn't put more events there???

That's great. So you were able to enjoy a full day there. It does sound lovely.

 

Unfortunately with our cruise, we're only there from 7am - 2pm. The excursion is at 8am and I think I heard the ferry leaves at 12:30pm, so not much time at all.

I agree. That's why we never went before because the ships we've been on in the past had that schedule. If you go back to Nassau with more time it is a worthwhile trip.

We saw quite a bit snorkeling. We followed the lifeguards advice to go out around the rocks on the right and through a channel between the rocks and the reef. As soon as it got deep we saw plenty of fish and some coral. We did not use the toys or go in the lagoon area. We liked the quiet and the view on the snorkel side. I did take some pictures of the lagoon as we were leaving.

Great to hear you also enjoyed. We're just doing the beach break, but i've heard great things about the dolphin enounters there.

How much actual time did you get at Blue Lagoon? My one concern is its 4hrs but this includes the travel time...so pricey for a short stay.

Having said that, we're booked as it looks like a great option for Nassau.

We were in the Enchantment. We asked that question at the excursion desk and they said to ask the tour operator on the day of the tour and we should let them know so they don't look for us in a count. In actuality, it is a minimum of 4 hours not a maximum. We met on the pier at 7:45am. Got on a boat for a lovely ride at 8:15, stopped to pick up at the Paradise Island ferry terminal and arrived by 9:00. The tour guide told us that we could go back on any boat up to 4:00pm and we would be taken all the way back to the ships. Then when we got there we were talking to the customer services manager remarking how lovely it was and she said we should stay until the very last ferry because the Carnival Sunshine had a late tour that day and it's passengers were going back to the Nassau pier at 5:30. So that is what we wound up doing. We were there for the whole day and it was perfect. We sat in the snorkel area all day and it was just delightful.

Simply spectacular. 5 ships in port and I feel like we are the only ones here. Took the excursion from the RCL Enchantment. We docked at 7 and et on the pier at 7:45. Short walk to a beautiful boat ride. One stop at the Paradise Island ferry terminal and we were at the Island at about 9:00. Lots of folks doing the dolphin swim. We went to the snorkel area and got some loungers in the shade (there is not much shade in this area. We had our own mask and snorkels. They gave us free vests which are required to snorkel. We did fine even without fins (I didn't want to pack and carry them). The water was calm, warm and crystal clear. Swam out to the orange bouy through channel near the rocks on the right. Some people climbed over the reef. Seemed more difficult to me. Here are some pictures.

Same here! We've always made it to Coco Cay. Love it and yesterday was a pretty spectacular day. The best ever. We've been there with in and off rain. And once in early December where it was really cool and windy.

We've also been to Nassau and we love it. I wouldn't be afraid to take the jitney to Cable beach and pay for a hotel pass. That's a great day! Heading to the Blue lagoon today!

On Coco Cay today on the Enchantment. One ship here. Plenty of chairs in the shade just past the wave runner pier but before the water park. There are cement walkways up to the food and bathrooms so a scooter can do it. We did come on the first tender but our area never got crowded all day. Walked back to the first area to snorkel and it was fine. There were still loungers there. Short lines at lunch but very manageable. We shared a picnic table with a lovely couple from Minnesota and we made friends. Love it here!

Forward and behind shots from my lounger right now and most if the day.

We walked to barefoot beach this morning but we didn't stay because it was too far away from the "action" for us.

Much better outcome than we had. Our experience was backwards. Cruise Director pumping everyone up about the "exciting day ahead in Coco Cay!!", and encouraging everyone to book their excursions. In the meantime, everyone knew that there was a tropical storm churning and that heavy rains and strong winds were expected the next day. Sure enough, we arrived in Coco Cay in blinding rain and thunder. We bobbed in front of the island for about half an hour and canceled. So we headed to Nassau where we spent...2 days [emoji34][emoji379]

 

I know and accept that ports are subject to change due to weather. But knowing that the weather reports were less than promising, I wonder why they kept pumping everyone up for the day ahead.

I love the "gun to head" emoji. I'm going to use it! Thanks! Btw I would agree to 2 days in Nassau.

We haven't been here in a while. This is very cool-- a little beer golf cart that comes around to sell water and beer. OMG! How could anything be more perfect! The only thing you have to get up for is food and the bathroom! Imagine if they start bringing the food around! [emoji3]

The cruise director said it might be too rough to come in the morning but we lucked out! Terrific day. Beautiful breeze! Thank you Kate for going north.

Great review. Thank you! You have a great snarky sense of humor!!!

We went on the Breakaway Inaugural to Bermuda years ago and we didn't like the Breakaway. We went back to the smaller ships. Love the Dawn & the Gem!!! We have a 14 day cruise booked on the Breakaway for 1/17/16 and I have to decide make final payment or cancel by Monday. We did the long cruise on the Gem last January and LOVED it. Great ship, great food, great service. Lousy entertainment! LOL.

The itinerary is great but I really don't know what to do. All the things that bothered you are what bothered us. So not much has changed! Thanks! YOu have me thinking...

For those of you who have enjoyed the Hilton, how is the snorkeling there? I saw on one site that they have a snorkeling tour available. Has anyone ever done it? Would you recommend it? Thanks. :)

The tour is a boat that leaves from either the beach or the pier. There really is no snorkeling on the property. My daughter's friends took the tour from the Hilton and they really liked it.I think they got use of the property before and after the tour too. They bought a package from a website. I'm sorry I don't know which one.

Just paid for the cruise!! A deck 2 outside cabin. Although I just snagged one this morning, closer to the middle of the ship.

Thanks again!!! I'll let you know how it goes. We just want to chill and have a little fun. After the last Royal cruise, I said I wouldn't book them again (not that it was bad--just others are better) so now after your review I'm actually looking forward to this!!! :)

WOW!! I just sat here tonight and read through the whole review in one sitting. GREAT! and great pictures. Thank you, Thank you. Your approach to a vacation sounds a lot like ours. We have an only child, daughter, who is now 25 and your family dynamics sound exactly like ours used to be. She is now done with college and living & working on the West Coast so no more "threesome" family vacations. We cruised together three or more times a year from when she was about 9 years old. The Disney Magic was my 40th Birthday in 2000 and DD was 10!

We live in NJ and my niece is having a baby shower in Melbourne, Florida on Sunday 11/8 so why not go on a cruise on 11/9??? I have the 4 day Enchantment on a courtesy hold tonight. The panoramic rooms and the balconies are sold out so I have a regular outside booked. We really like Carnival and NCL better than Royal generally (Carnival for the food!!!) but they have nothing that fits our schedule. We were just on the Rhapsody (Enchantment's sister ship) in August and we were a little dissapointed (dull entertainment and very uninspiring food) although we liked the ship and the layout. I was a little skittish but the price is great and we'll be a half hour form Port Canaveral! After reading your review, I think we are going to go forward. Sounds like you had a great time and a little R & R.

We are taking Romecab from the airport to the ship on Sunday, 8/30/15 but since we booked our air through RCCL, I thought we might take their transfer back to the airport on 9/6. The tranfers were not included and they do not appear on the website as an excursion. Does anyone know how much RCCL charges from Citiveccia to the airport? If the cost is close I just may book Romecab back.

Thanks

We are taking Romecab from the airport to the ship on Sunday, 8/30/15 but since we booked our air through RCCL, I thought we might take their transfer back to the airport on 9/6. The tranfers were not included and they do not appear on the website as an excursion. Does anyone know how much RCCL charges from Citiveccia to the airport? If the cost is close I just may book Romecab back.

Thanks

Wow! Thank you all. Sounds like everyone has an incredible experience with PK.

Thank you both. We booked the private half day (5 hours) without a guide and I'll report back on how it went when we get back.

We had a similar great experience on July 18 and 19. We were only a party o two and were driven around in the 95 degree heat by Constantine in a Mercedes sedan. Worth every penny and really not expensive when compared to the cost of ship excursions

We will also be just two because it seems like there are no semi-private tours available from our ship on September 3, 2015 (Rhapsody of the Seas). Did you have a tour guide too? or was just the driver enough in your opinion?

Did you do a half day or a full day?

Never heard of KnowRoaming; interesting concept, though.

 

I'm a #1, #2, and #6 person. I buy a data SIM for my iPad Mini for the country I visit, my trusty old Motorola RAZR (still one of the best quad-band non-smartphones) is unlocked *has been since 2009*, and my RAZR is with T-Mo. Works well for me.

What sim do you buy for the Ipad mini for data?