maggie cruises

I'd like to go somewhere that isn't a construction site with so many bugs you can't even sit outside (aka Port Canaveral) or a booze cruise destination, the Bahamas. I would be less upset if we had sailed to NE/Canada, Cuba, San Juan or almost anywhere that wasn't where they changed us to.

 

Again, I'm not so much upset about them feeling the need to make the change. It's where we went and the lack of compensation compared to their competitors.

 

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Cuba really? Visas would miraculously pop up?

San Juan? St Thomas? Perhaps if they floored the peddle. I think ccl does a San Juan St Thomas grand Turk thing but isn't it 8 days?

I think they should have just changed course back to Bermuda

Although the weather is great at PC. I saw pix from relatives on the ship

I'm betting they skip Gsc though..

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You are aware that EVERY cruise line changed from Bermuda, so they weren't the only ones to "jump the gun"

You also complain that they change ports at the last minute and then you complain that they did this one too early. Exactly when is a good time to make the decision?

They could have changed back to Bermuda at the last minute when they realized it was ok to do so.

Hey it makes no difference to me at all but since ncl has changed at last minute before ...which angered their pax as they had already boarded....they could have done it again...which would have pleased their pax...because it would have been back to Bermuda as originally planned

Dock space wouldn't have been an issue at all

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We were planning on putting money down on two more cruises prior to the itinerary change. After some discussion my wife and I decided that we probably won't be sailing with NCL again unless they make a good offer after I discuss my concerns with corporate next week.

 

Unfortunately I just don't trust NCL. They appeared to jump the gun on this itinerary change and then gave us terrible stops. The experience onboard has been okay but not amazing. We both enjoyed the service and amenities on MSC much more than what we've experienced so far on the Escape.

 

NCL is free to make their own business decisions regarding how they treat their guests and I'm free to spend my money elsewhere.

 

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Funny thing is that ncl has also been known to change itin at embark making it impossible for pax to change plans

In the current situation they changed itin way too far in advance and should have waited until last minute if need be

That way they would have been in Bermuda

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I have 4 now, or I would take it. Your pricing experience differs a little from mine, especially when I factor in the cost of the Booze Package on RCL. Choices are good...

I don't buy the booze package nor do I ever take it as a perk on ncl

So the booze package makes no difference to me.

However let's face it the drink package is never really free on ncl and I'm not talking about the gratuity either. We all know they factor in the drink cost into the cruise fare

Bottom line ncl with for 7 days ours of San Juan was more expensive than

Rccl 9 day out of Miami with a better itin

Price of drinks is a non issue in either scenario

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I've been a loyal ncl cruiser for years now but when I saw the price gouging they are doing for next April I checked our rccl.

Found a great longer itin....at an incredible price....so I booked it

Still have 1 cruise cert on ncl to use. Any takers? Expires oct 2020

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And we lost power for a week, it was freezing!

Didn't we have some snow too?

My Halloween decorations couldn't be inflated of course and I thought I recalled seeing snow on them.

The kids missed out on 2 normal halloweens in a row. 2012 and 13 if I recall but could have been 2011/12 lol

Fwiw we also have had Halloween in 70 to 80 degrees and shorts too

30 minutes north of NYC. What a horror show Sandy was here. We all became quite rugged and felt like mountain survival types. I actually felt exhilarated and better for it

House runs on electric not gas so even a cup of coffee was tough to produce and FYI...it takes about 10 minutes for water to boil on a propane grill.

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It is a ploy by NCL to try to get you to spend the NON-REFUNDABLE OBC on other things on the ship!!! (I have just referred to my actual Preliminary Invoices for a cruise where I bought 5 certificates.)

 

When you come out of the Future Cruise office your folio will have a debit (Cruise Next Deposit) of $500 ($1000) for 2 (4) certificates. The next line (later on depending on what you spend) will have a credit of $250 ($500) for the 2 (4) certificates called NON-REFUNDABLE Onboard Credit.

 

If you are logical you just use the non-refundable onboard credit to decrease the actual cost of the the certificates. If you take the NCL bait/ploy you will spend it on other things on-board and not get the benefit of the discount.

Exactly

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Just a thought... but for those hung up on the OBC... try this:

 

Buy your $1,000 in certificates for $500, then walk down to guest services and put $500 on you ship account.

 

You’ve just created the same deal and it’s refundable!

 

 

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That makes no sense at all..but I'm thinking you are trying to make a joke, right?

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We got the OBC every time we bought them. Right on our account was the cost of the certificates and the very next line was $250 in refundable OBC. One can choose to call that a marketing gimmick if one so chooses (as opposed to just selling them for ½ of face value in the first place) but the OBC is real.

Yes so you paid half price for the cert that's the point and savvy cruisers leave it as that...of course..the newbies...and those that fall for the "marketing gimmick" will now merrily go on their way thinking they have an obc to spend...and will spend it on the ship...book and excursion...book a specialty meal...and continue to think they got those things for free using the "obc" but what really happened is that they wound up paying full price for the certs

This is exactly what ncl wants you to do

The point is..

You buy a cert...get the discount posted as an "obc" and leave things as is and you actually did get the cert at a deep discount

Or

You buy the cert...see the "obc"...decide to spend it and all you did was pay full price for the cert...but yes you got a free specialty dinner or some extra other stuff

I buy the certs on the last day...I see the net charge of $150 or $125 depending on how many I buy and leave it at that. I don't go spending this "obc" because the only reason I buy the cert in the first place is to actually get it for half price not so I can get a meal. Lol

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There never was an obc to begin with. It's just a marketing gimmick to make you think you have free money to spend on your current cruise which of course negates any "deal" you got buying the certs

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Hello all-

 

A group of us are cruising from NY, aboard NCL's Escape. We just got word that we are no longer going to Bermuda (my all time favorite) and are being rerouted to Cape Canaveral, and the Bahamas. I am SOOOO disappointed. Keep time telling myself this will allow for more food and alcohol, but. . . ..

 

 

 

So my question is this- do the Cruise lines and/or travel agents comp anything for this inconvenience? And WTH are we going to do in Orlando?! We are a group of adults with no interest in Disney, Gators or NASA. I am hoping we enjoy the Bahamas and that the weather holds out!!

You arent going to Orlando. You are going to the Florida coast....that means a beach.

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Maybe they will now stop with all the art auction spa etc flyers in the cabins.

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I love being a cheapskate. I save lots of money that way

Btw I leave auto tip in place but I guess I'm still considered a cheapskate. Lol

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I jumped from being loyal to ncl to trying a first cruise on rccl

Ncl was way to expensive for the cruise I wanted plus just so so ports

Rccl was 2 nights longer. Better ports and better priced for the same timeframe so we were able to book a balcony and inside versus 2 insides or ov

Now that's not to say I think rccl is a bargain or that they will always be better priced or that I'm now loyal to them

I'm loyal to mine and my family's and my pocketbooks needs and wants. Period.

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The same could be said here in the USA.

Totally agree. People should stop coming to the USA. It's dangerous here.

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Good advise all around. One thing that wasn't covered was what happens if just your son's friends go? They are supposed to have an adult in their cabin. That can put a kink in your plans.

The sons friends can't just go on the cruise as they are too young

The friends parents can't just assume their kids will be chaperoned by the other mom and dad

There has to be agreed upon arrangements in place

The original two parents actually hold all the power in this scenario as they can either accept or reject the responsibility for the sons friends

My vote....stop telling everyone your plans and just book a cabin for parents and son and make family memories before it's too late and if the son feels he can't enjoy a trip with just his parents then it's already too late

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It irritates people who oppose and argue against tipping. Sounds well worth it.

It doesn't irritate me at all. I love when others overtip so I don't have to

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I took a rust bucket cruise in 1989 on the Chandris Britannis and it ported at some made up port in Panama called San Blas where they paddled in "locals" by day to make it look authentic

This was in the days before the private islands and renting loungers and umbrellas. It wasn't a great day

Also found myself in Grenada in 1980 around the time of their hours long revolution or civil war or whatever. Or maybe I'm mistaken about the dates of their war but really who cares lol. Also not a great day. Nothing interesting imho but what did I know

Found myself at a port stop in Tunis in 1984...loved that stop

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Book your cruise with your son

Then send them a text or email stating the dates and name of ship

Do not send them your confirmation email or any other personal cruise data

Then...

Once everyone is booked...get together and decide if the bookings need to be linked as they may not need to if it's anytime dining...but you might want to make some dining ressies nonetheless together

If you want to be a good guy and since you are only a family of 3...perhaps you could book your cabin as a cabin to sleep 4 and....if there is enough lifeboat space....and if there is an issue with getting multiple cabins for the larger family....you could perhaps stick their kid in with you....or not....and just let them fend for themselves

Fwiw this was your family trip first...then they decided...not to join you....but to also take the same cruise

Don't forget that and don't become the group leader.

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Google images can be your friend, or in your case your worst enemy. Go to google images, type in ..list of people who remove tips from crew.. and you will find several images of lists with hundreds of names showing who is a auto tipper, who is not on the auto tip list, and those who have removed the auto tip. On Royal anyone who removes their auto tips and then tips individually to a waiter or cabin attendant causes the recipient to turn in all tips to the pool.

And if you are removing for bad service say...from your steward AND mdr staff for example and are not therefore tipping either of those people at all due to poor service...what happens then?

Does rccl bill their crew?

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Thanks for the update, I was wondering when they would do something like this.

 

 

 

Next will be the inability to use non-refundable OBC for gratuities.

If that were to happen

You combat this by reducing your gratuities by the exact amount of that non refundable obc

The cruiseline will figure out why you did this and trust me the crew will still get what they have been contractually promised and you will have in effect put your non refundable obc to use

You need to fight fire with fire....and by doing this the cruiseline will learn to stop making stupid rules such as making certain types of obc non refundable or unable to be applied toward gratuities

Ok so fire away....oh the poor crew members...oh the inhumanity.

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On one of our cruises, Mazatlan was dropped for the entire season. From these boards, Acapulco made the naughty list.

 

 

You do know a cruise line or captain can change any aspect of any cruise at the last minute. Embarkation date and disembarkation date are about the only thing they can change with out LEGALLY making refunds.

Is this for the 2018/19 season?

Or are you just reiterating something pertinent to some cruise you took years ago?

Only a current cancellation of a currently scheduled port or a near future scheduled port stop in Mexico would qualify as a port being cancelled due to safety issues in Mexico

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We do not introduce ourselves. We are cordial though

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I would love to know how people can afford to do so many cruises, sometimes more than one a year. They are not exactly cheap. I had to save up for a number of years to go on my first, the CMV world cruise, this year but met many people who had been on 20+ cruises. None seemed especially rich.

You probably could have taken 15 ...7 day cruises ...for what a world cruise is costing you

Fwiw your question seems silly to me and not sure why it upsets you that people take several 7 day cruises when you are taking a world cruise

From what I gather taking world cruises is not as common as taking 7 day cruise so my question to you is why did you choose to spend so much on a world cruise but think that taking several 7 day cruises is so excessive? Apparently it upsets you that you a saving so long for this cruise and you feel you missed out on shorter cruises while saving up

Fwiw I'd never set foot on any cruise longer than 14 days nor would I spend more than 22 days at a time away from home

I won't give up my daily life for longer than that at a stretch...I like my home way too much. Lol

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One of my neighbors owns a septic tank cleaning company. :eek: He does pretty well for himself, and I don't know if he even graduated from high school. He's a hard work and a sharp businessman. If you saw him after he comes home from work, you would never know he lives in a 6,000+ sq. ft. house and put 4 kids through college, expensive colleges at that. Looks can be deceiving.

 

 

 

Roz

Yup. I know a guy about age 33 give or take who is a construction laborer.

Earns $120 an hour pushing the clean up broom on new construction high rise buildings in NYC

Now of course pushing the clean up broom is unionized and is done After the day crew is done...which means it's done during pay differential hours and weekends ($$$&$)

His wife is stay at home with kids....

Just bought a huge gorgeous new construction home with pool

And yes this guy gets union pension and all other related benefits

This list goes on and on...but moral of story...construction jobs are well paid and plentiful....and college grads are grabbing them too so it not just the GED types. Lol

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