rmurray847

4 hours ago, RBrowny said:

Thank you for all your comments, it's very much appreciated. I think what's best for us, is to try them both and see which we prefer. 

This is what my wife and I usually do.  Try them both early on, and see what we like.  We tend to lean towards the "fancier" locale that's AFT because it's just a bit more luxurious feeling.  And on sea days, you should be able to enjoy both lunch and breakfast there as well.  We vastly prefer that option for breakfast compared to buffet. 

If itinerary makes no difference to you (it's a BIG differentiator for us when we are deciding on a cruise), then first of all, I'd say:

#1       7 days beats 6 days

#2       The NCL ships are more similar than different in terms of layout.  ENCORE is newer, and in my opinion, slightly superior.  But I think either is a very solid choice.

15 hours ago, bbqbears said:

I haven't been on an NCL cruise in many years and have never had to make reservations for any shows.   I'm noticing comments about people making reservations or not being able to get a reservation.  Are reservations taken for each of the major shows?  Recommendations for how to make sure we get to see each of the shows?  Thanks, Kathy

This must be brand new, as I've done NCL cruises on numerous ships in relatively recent years, and the only "reservations required" shows have been the upcharge shows that include dinner.  Even the "Broadway" shows (like JERSEY BOYS on the Bliss) did not take reservations.

3 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Do it at the port, you’ll be fine 

Agreed.  Actually, I'm often surprised at how ill-prepared many people are for their cruise vacations.  Maybe I'm TOO much of a planner...but I see people posting things like "My family and I are on our first cruise in 3 days, and we really have no idea what to expect.  Will they give us food or should we bring our own?  Are we allowed to bring luggage on board, and if so, can I bring my propane fired gas grill to put on our balcony in case I want to make hamburgers?"  Slightly exaggerated example, of course.  But people are often ill-prepared and I think boards like this (which are GREAT, by the way) give us this idea that every person is incredibly on the ball about everything, and if we miss one little nuance, we're totally screwed.  I hate missing those nuances, myself...but then when I get on board, I see how very lost and clueless so many are.  Yet, they are also obviously having a great time.  So I think having to complete your check in at the port is pretty minor!

On 5/17/2022 at 8:37 AM, claireruth said:

If you flew out of LAX, how was it getting back to the airport?  Our flight is at 11, but we want to take advantage of the Delta lounge beforehand. 🙂

LA traffic varies wildly, of course, but you should expect roughly 35-40 minutes getting to LAX from port.  BUT, I also advise erring on the side of caution, which, if all goes well, should give you time to spend in the Delta lounge.  And if traffic IS snarled, you should at least get on your flight with no issues.

On 6/26/2022 at 3:06 PM, Itried4498 said:

 

I'm sure you're not alone with your opinion of Mey :); one of us thought she was trying too hard. 

This was my thought about her as well.  Trying to hard...forced laughter and energy.  Now, having said that, the CD job is very difficult when you think about it.  They have to be having the time of their lives ALL the time, even if they are completely worn out.  And when they give a lot of energy, but the passengers just don't reciprocate (which does happen, for sure),  then the desperation level goes up.  I try to appreciate how hard their job is, even when a bit grating, like Mey.

Re: the comments on SHOWGIRL.  There were no big production issues like the OP described with their experience when we saw it in April.  These are NOT the team that does the things like the sail-away party or the 80's theme party...those are Assistant Cruise Directors.  The SHOW GIRL team, whether you think they were good or not, ARE, in fact, professional entertainers who do not take part in the "party" events, although sometimes they do individual performances like at the clubs or piano bars.

On 5/23/2022 at 6:51 AM, schmoopie17 said:

We've narrowed our choices to a Prima Caribbean cruise in January or a Breakaway TA in late April.

Thoughts?

 

 

If time doesn't matter (16 days vs 7), then I recommend the Breakaway.  I understand the desire to sail on a new ship, but we did a TA on the Breakaway in 2018, and it was great.  Different itinerary that you would have, but having all those days at sea and then all those European stops makes it feel like you're on two cruises...a relaxing, chill-out cruise and an action-packed, seeing-amazing-new-things cruise.  And the ship, while certainly older than the Prima, is not exactly decrepit.  It's not perfect (having all the game shows in the Atrium is not the greatest...the theater isn't as elegant as on the smaller ships), but it offers a lot.  We had 5 days in a row at sea, and enjoyed the heck out of every one.

One note:  the weather may not always be the greatest.  We had two days in a row where waves were rough enough to cause the outdoor areas to all be closed.  We also had two splendid days where we could sunbathe during the day, and party outside in Spice H20 in the evenings.  So if you're all about sitting outside by the pool all the time, set your expectations to "be flexible."

6 hours ago, jsn55 said:

All those 'freebies' ... husband is worried that the ship will be full of tattooed loudmouths desperate to get their money's worth.  I'll be most interested to read everyone's opinion here; we don't cruise until this fall.

Ha, that's funny.  This will NOT be a problem.  I've never really seen that on any cruise of 7 days or longer.  Yes, a few people over-indulge...of all kinds.  Overall, though, everyone is pretty darn friendly...everyone is on vacation afterall.  If people could learn to show some elevator etiquette, that would be great...but I would say your husband should NOT worry.  

6 hours ago, dolittle said:

It seems to me N.C.L. is getting a lot right recently . They have always been innovator's mostly to set themselves apart from other lines ,which kind of became their ''thing''. Their new and some newer ships are the best designs in the business I.M.H.O. Many on this site do not like the things they started that were copied by other lines but it goes to show they are getting it right no one steals a bad idea. I still like other lines and would still do all of the M.M . lines. With their new resort style ships best  shows(and good prices) and all around good time I fell like they are gaining on the bigger lines. Not sure if the  numbers show it yet but I think they will be gaining on the others . What do you think .

We've done 6 cruises each on NCL and Royal.  We like them both.  In my opinion, Royal has better BIG ships (Oasis) class compared to Breakaway class.  The theaters on the big NCL ships are too small and don't have the grand feeling (frankly, even the grand feeling of their smaller ships).  The atrium area being the "home" for all the game shows and such does not work well, IMO.  It feels like an afterthought. When it comes to smaller ships, NCL is better.  Our first two cruises were on the Jade and then on RCCL's Serenade.  Jade wins hands-down, although Serenade is nice too.  The Great Outdoors dining space on smaller NCL ships is our favorite spot.  On the other hand, NCL has better entertainment overall.  And I love O'Sheehan's (or whatever they now call their 24 hr restaurant.  It is so awesome to stop by there at 1am for a sit-down, late night snack).  

On 3/23/2022 at 10:03 PM, cruising twosome said:

Looking at the cruise planner and there is no ice show for Friday’s cruise, only some open ice skating through out the week, anyone know what happened?

When I look on the app, very early on boarding day, it shows "Ice Skating Show Reservations" with a time of 10:30.  But it also says you can't book until on board.  I guess the main thing is to remember to do that on your app the second you step on board and get on ship wifi.

I don't remember the exact name, but the spicy mojito in Sugarcanes is one of my favorite drinks.  It's got a nice kick, but not too crazy.

On 3/15/2022 at 1:44 PM, SRF said:

I would give Glen Deveron a try.  The rest are Speysides and I don't drink Speysides.

Good for you.

11 minutes ago, RobInMN said:

The aqua shows are a different thing, and I really enjoy those.

 

I was going to say something similar.  We enjoy all the shows and we go to everything available.  But I know others don't care for "theater."  But the Aqua shows are in a different category.  They are less than an hour and feature some amazing stunts and showmanship.  They are must-do, IMO.

The may also enjoy the comedy shows.  They tend to be much funnier if you get there a little early and enjoy the bar a bit.

Drink packages, in VERY brief, are in my experience, "worth" it if you'll drink 6 or more drinks onboard everyday (including excursion days).  

38 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is with JW Black.  I've been on 6 cruises since July on 3 different lines, and JW Black has been absent or hard to come by.  That's also pretty wild that CR may not even be an option in the future.  I don't drink it, but I know that's a very popular choice.

I couldn't find JW Black at my two local Total Wines.  It's just funny what things are on shelves and then where an empty shelf is collecting dust due to nothing being there for weeks.  (Like Caffeine Free Diet Coke in almost every grocery store in New Mexico.)

20 hours ago, amurray88 said:

Ok folks - I'm heading on Symphony in 4 weeks time. I've only ever gone interior and Royal Up starts at £15pp for neighborhood view interior and £75 for balcony.

 

For some reason I don't feel I can justify this. Can someone prove me wrong? 😂

Well done in generating many passionate replies!!  And of course, no one can "prove" you wrong; it's very subjective.  HOWEVER, I would say that if you can ever see your way clear to trying an oceanview balcony (such as, a great price is available), please do.  Only then do I think you can make a categorical assertion.  IMO, the difference is HUGE.  But, it may not be huge enough for you to spend on.  However, it could change your mind forever, and you transform your cruising vacations from great to amazing.

3 hours ago, 2chiefs said:

Title of this thread begins with: "Bit of fun"

3 pages of responses within 24 hours = mission accomplished.

Yes...and some responses clearly missed the "bit of fun" part!

On 3/4/2022 at 3:36 PM, TreeCity said:

I looked on the website and can not find anything about if covid tests are still need for April sailings. When I did my check in there was not mention under the "what you need to do to prepare for your cruise" as far as a negative test,  just the vaccine.  Please post a link if you have one with the information for April.

I booked at April 11 cruise just two or three weeks ago, and yes, test is required.  No test at the port if you're already vaccinated, but you have to do the "2 days in advance" test and a health screening survey on day of.

On 3/2/2022 at 11:24 AM, KrustyCruiser said:

 

I'm new to Oasis class ships with cabins that look over the interior areas so please bear with me 🐻 I have watched some YouTube videos that have me concerned.

 

If I book a cabin on a ship like Oasis or Allure  with a balcony that overlooks Central Park or Boardwalk  will I be subjected to loud ship elevator-type music that I don’t necessarily like?  I would hope that they at least adjust the volume at different times of the day and have no music when people are trying to sleep. Since there are 5 decks that overlook these areas, I also suspect there is a lot of variation in loudness, which is highly dependent on both cabin and speaker location. So, any guidance on where this is a problem and where this is no problem at all would be useful.

Music is not much of a thing for Central Park.  There is some live music in the evenings, but it's more of the classical music variety.  Boardwalk is more problematic, with the events at the aqua theater and just generally more kids and more of a "party" atmosphere.

On 3/5/2022 at 8:16 PM, blackjack24 said:

Assuming everything goes smooth it should be ok right? I know most will say not to do it but there aren't many great options. If everything goes right it gives you 3 hours to get to port and its only an 8 min drive. Thoughts?

Only once have I flown in on the same day.  It was a cruise out of LA; we had a 6:30 am non-stop from Albuquerque, arriving at 7:30am LA time.  No problem, right?  Well, that was the day the Albq airport was shut down by fog, for HOURS.  We didn't arrive in LA until noon; still made it but it was 100% stressful and by the time we were onboard, it was nearly time for muster drill.  We missed lunch and all the fun of exploring the ship.

On 2/18/2022 at 8:27 AM, brovol said:

Wife and I have been on about 30 cruises over the years, and recall that any and every time the ships have entered a new time zone, ships time changes accordingly, and changes back when we renter to original time zone.  Cant imagine doing it another way either.  The time is what the time is where you are on the globe.

We did a transatlantic on Breakaway in 2018.  When we were in LaHavre, the ship time did NOT match local time and we were reminded frequently to stay on SHIP time.  Lots of confusion.  Almost like they were hoping people would screw up and miss the ship!

Agree with everyone stating ALLURE is find just as she is.  If they keep what they have in good working order and looking fresh, I would prefer they not "amplify" her.  There is SO much to do and see and enjoy!

On 1/27/2022 at 7:15 AM, kuku77254 said:

Has anyone gotten anything recently when there's been a price drop after final payment? It's a significant difference and I can't cancel and rebook now but I would be happy with some non refundable OBC. My TA says they won't do anything after final payment but I don't know if she's just being lazy or if that's the actual policy.It seems like other's have said they had theirs adjusted. TIA

A few years ago, we booked (not through a TA) a transatlantic cruise.  We had a forward balcony cabin.  We were happy with the price, but then it dropped after final payment.  I called, and they gave us $200 OBC.  Great!  It was an 11 night cruise, so we'd use that for sure.  Then the price dropped AGAIN.  Called again.  Was offered a slight upgrade on the cabin (more center of ship) and some chocolate covered strawberries delivered to the cabin on embarkation.  Okay, we took it.  Then, yes, another drop.  I called again.  They mostly just laughed at me, but gave me another $25 in OBC.  So I think one should ALWAYS call.  The absolute worst that can happen is they give you a fairly polite "I'm sorry, we can't offer you anything."  (One other cruise we did had a price drop as well, and all we got was $50 in total OBC.  Still better than nothing.)

On 1/30/2022 at 7:41 AM, PaperSniper4 said:

 

 

I wish I could book a cruise without the "Free at Sea" package.

I haven't looked very recently, but I've always been offered the "Sail-Away" rate, which is much cheaper but includes no option to have any "Free At Sea" perks.

The last two cruises we took were on the Breakaway (transatlantic) and Bliss (Alaska).  They are very similar in many ways, but also some big differences.  My first choice given the scenario you outline would be "which itinerary is preferred."  But if it is HONESTLY a tie, then I would lean slightly towards the Bliss.  The Bliss is newer and feels it.  The observation lounge in really nice.  I LOVED The District Brewhouse on the Bliss because I like beer.  It's certainly the closest thing I've seen to a brewpub on a ship, with some actual decent choices!  We also loved the Cavern Club and the Beatles tribute band.  Bliss also has slightly more impressive slides and of course, the race track.  If you don't care about those, I still vote Bliss.  We loved the Breakaway too (and spent 12 days on her compared to 7 in Alaska).  But she was showing some wear and tear (but she may also have had a dry dock since we were aboard).  Breakaway has an Icebar, if that appeals.  It has a full miniature golf course (rather then 4 holes on Biss).  But those are the only clear winners in my book.

We stayed on Deck 9, just above the Gelato shop (WAAAAY back in 2019).  I had no issues with noise.  We liked it because you're not too far from pool deck height and not too far from the restaurants, shopping, bars, etc. just below.