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caddykid12

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    Escape to Bliss. Big casino difference?

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Been on the escape multiple times. Love the lay out. 50$/ blackjack tables set aside from the other tables across the floor.

     

    I know the bliss has a smoking room. With tables and slots. 

     

    Can anyone validate if there is a 50$/min blackjack table is non smoking???? Or just smoking or both???

     

    Really dont wanna play higher limits in the smoke if there is no need to.

     

     

     

    Escape to Bliss. Big casino difference?

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Been on the escape multiple times. Love the lay out. 50$/ blackjack tables set aside from the other tables across the floor.

     

    I know the bliss has a smoking room. With tables and slots. 

     

    Can anyone validate if there is a 50$/min blackjack table is non smoking???? Or just smoking or both???

     

    Really dont wanna play higher limits in the smoke if there is no need to.

     

     

     

    Valuables at GSC??

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Will be at GSC next week.

    To my knowledge there is no lockers and im not renting a cabana. 

    If my wife and i decide to go in the water. Where can we leave our valuables?? Would be foolish for only one of us to go in the water at a time while the other one guards our belongings. Camera and phone etc..

     

    What do you usually do???

     

    2 free (250min) wifi packages

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Currently have a distinctive voyage package (250 wifi min) and free at sea (250 wifi min) booked

     

    I have upgraded in the past the 250 min towards an unlimited plan which was $125 value towards the upgrade.

     

    Now that i have 2 packages. Will i be able to get 125$ value per package to use towards an upgrade to unlimited plan?

    Lesson Learned - Booking 3rd Party Tours

    in Carnival Cruise Lines

    Posted

    This post is long but I am posting this as I learned a huge lesson booking a tour through Stormin Norman and Diamond Di. To cut to the chase, the lesson I learned was always, always know who the tour operator is when booking a tour, even if through a third party (a third party is someone that makes money from booking tours). A reputable third party will tell you the name of the tour operator so that you can fully vet them and,should you be late returning to the ship, the ship can contact the tour operator directly. The following post is how I learned a valuable lesson after over 100 private tours booked and having always being back on the ship at least one hour prior to boarding time.

     

    I booked the“Lively Lisbon” tour through Stormin Norman and Diamond Di. I had seen Norman for years on these cruise boards, learned a lot from him and thought he was a “stand up” kind of guy. I had no qualms whatsoever about booking this tour through him.

     

    On the day of the tour, I found out that he had oversold the bus for the tour. Unfortunately, I don’t have the facts to state that this was a tour by bus as Stormin' Norman has blocked me from the tour description.

     

    Anyway, he had hired an additional car (which was supposed to be a minivan) and, as my husband was unable to go on the tour, I volunteered to go in the car. Our tour was greatly abbreviated as it took us a long time to leave the dock and took a long time to do the tour of Pena Palace in Sintra. After the tour, we had lunch (I would have preferred to actually tour Lisbon) which was an hour away from the ship. Lunch was finished at 3:30 pm (which still gave us time to get to the ship for 5:00 pm) but then we were given 45 minutes to shop. Are you kidding me? We now have 45 minutes to get back to the ship when we are still an hour away.

     

    Our car arrived first and we hopped in and off we went to do a tour of the coast. At 4:30 pm, I told the driver we had to be back at the ship by 5:00 pm. He told us we had plenty of time. I then told him that it was 4:00 pm Lisbon time as ship’s time was one hour ahead. He argued a bit with me and then called the tour guide. I stop here to note that Norman never had the tour guide call the car and tell them that we had to get back to the ship. I did hear from others that, when they boarded the bus, Norman told the tour guide that they had to go directly back to the ship so as to make it on time. After the driver hung up with the tour guide,he put the pedal to the metal but told me that we would not make it back by 5:00 pm ship time and that the tour bus was miles (yes, miles) ahead of us.

     

    At 4:49 pm, I called my husband (who was still on the ship), to let him know that we probably would not make it back on board and to go to Guest Services when they called my name. He ran directly to Guest Services,where they asked him the name of the tour operator. He only had Stormin Norman’s name and not the name of the tour operator. The Guest Services rep said he would radio the bridge but did not know who Stormin Norman was.

     

    I called my husband at 5:03 pm to let him know we were still not back, to stay on the ship and that I would be fine and meet him in Vigo (but I was extremely upset). I actually was so upset that I was making myself sick. At 5:13 pm, Guest Services tried to call me but I had just pulled up to the pier and was on the run(arriving 13 minutes after final board time). I made it on the ship and called my husband at 5:18 pm.

     

    I told Normanthat this was the first and last tour I would do with him. I did receive the following private messagefrom him:

    “Please know that I was in contact with the head of a Guest Services (by cell) and they were expecting us late. And furthermore, we were not the last back. There were 50 more persons who arrived 35 minutes after our scheduled back on board time.”

     

    So, since we got extremely, extremely lucky that there were 50 people that arrived behind uson a Carnival tour, that makes it okay? I don’t think so. And, my response to him:

     

    “No one notified the car we were in and after taking a tour of the coast and me freaking out did the driver call the tour guide and find out our onboard time. If it wasn't for me and him putting the pedal to the metal, we would have missed the ship. Too bad you didn't give a damn about us in the car.”

     

    And, a line from the email that I received from Norman when booking the tour – “PLEASE NOTE: One of our top priorities is to ensure that we are back on board on time for the ship’s sailing. Because of this, it may be necessary to adjust the tour itinerary without notice.”

     

    Draw your own conclusions but, as for me, I’ll never tour with him again. He had no regard for us in the car and whether we missed the ship or not; only for himself and those on the bus. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words.

     

    Only conclusion I draw is.... you bet ur bottom i will always continue to buy the overpriced ship excursions because return to the ship guarentee is PRICELESS

    Question on packing a cooler

    in Carnival Cruise Lines

    Posted

    I purchased a soft sided cooler today within the required measurements. Now my question is can I pack it with soda cans and put the cooler inside my rolling suitcase? Do I need to remove the cans from the box if I choose to just put the boxes directly in my rolling luggage? Also do I need to attach boarding passes on the luggage I plan to carry on or just the luggage we will be checking in. Sorry for all the questions! We are first time cruisers so just want to make sure we are doing everything correctly. Thanks for any replies!

     

    Most ports rip open the 12 pack of cans and look at all the cans to make sure u didn't hide beer cans in the middle

    Loose cans in a cooler shouldn't be an issue.

    No need for a carnival luggage tag if u plan to roll it on and roll it off

    NCL Distinctive Voyages

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    Wondering if others have had the same experience. Just put a deposit on an NCL cruise which is advertised with the "Distinctive Voyages" package. Seemed like a great offer on the surface but what a disappointment when you look into it. NCL is advertising a $200 rebate on flight and $100 rebate on the hotel as part of the included package. Firstly, what you dont get told up front is the premium that NCL puts on the flight that you have to book through NCL to get the rebate. My first online check showed the price to NY city round trip for me at under $400. NCL priced quoted me over $700 for that same class flight. When I pointed out the price difference to the sales rep she told me that most people just decline the offer and book themselves. I wonder why. Why not pay over $300 extra to get a $200 rebate. Secondly as for the hotel, I was told that she could'nt book a hotel for me as it was still too early for a cruise 8 months out. Still a chance for NCL to redeem themselves here on the hotel but Im doubtful.

     

    Is it just me or does anyone else see this as false advertising? Sales rep told me that the only people who book with them are those that need someone to do the booking for them. I think its reasonable to conclude that the majority of people who meet that description are unsuspecting seniors who are uncomfortable looking online for prices and booking their own flights online. Great deal. Hey guys heres a $200 rebate on a flight that we sell for $350 over what you can book anywhere else as a stand alone purchase let alone as part of a cruise package. I guess buyer beware.

     

    Any Thoughts?

     

    I'm happy with my extra 50$ shore ex credit. My 125 min of phone calls home. 250 free internet min valued at 125$

     

    Sounds good to me

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