BostonGal35

hi, curious as to how this has worked? do they reserve seats for you? didnt know they could do this....

i like to make them only so i know i have a guarantee to eat at the time i want to. no one wants me hangry on the ship.

we are 45 and 54, and love the slides! the ones where the floor drops out underneath you are scary at first but then they are awesome! the Epic bowl slide is fun too.

Glacier Bay is a must. Webe dine bit itins and Galacier Bay is the best

We have an annual policy thru Allianz.

IMO there is no standard guideline. we usually tip our Steward anywhere from $40-$50 for the week (usually giving half around the midpoint of the sail) assuming s/he is taking good care of us and keeping towels stocked, etc. The butler if we are in the haven is really dependent on how much we use them. if we are having meals delivered, etc. we tip a decent amount $100+. if they are just bringing the daily snacks then probably $25 for the week. Our last cruise on breakaway we rarely saw the Butler which was odd given that it was overall the best haven experience we've had to date. but the few things we requested we got so not seeing him wasnt really a big deal. we rarely use the concierge as we book all shows and dinners prior to sail on our own, and maybe 50% of the time utilize the priority escort off the ship. that said, if they do something specific for us we will usually tip at the time the favor/request is taken care of. we are usually generous with the Haven Bartenders as we spend alot of time in the haven bar and courtyard, and also tip the Valet who runs drinks. that said, i often just get my own drinks at the bar as i like to chat with them and see who else is around in the lounge and i like to stretch my legs (and feel like im getting some exercise lol).

Duc, more like Yuck!

the water that comes out of the tap is literally pumped in from the ocean. it is then processed (called desalinization) to remove most of the salt. that said trace amounts still remain (you cant taste it) but that's one reason why people get bloaty (alcohol and teh salt in the food are the other two reasons). its actually pretty fascinating how they do it, you can see/hear about it on a behind the scenes tour. the sea water is also used for laundry adn anything else requiring water on board.

which is exactly how i justify the fact that many a morning i cant make it until 10am. lol

i tried the carton water for the first time in January. honestly, the taste of the tap water on board is better IMO. but the tap of course is desalinized/full of salt....

i actually like a pointsettia - which is with cranberry instead of oj. i try to not start drinking until at least 10am. LOL

i alwayas have Prosecco at night. It was free as part of teh UBP in January. i dont remember the brand, but it was very similar in taste and dryness to my fave brand, Lamarca.

seems like they are going to lose alot of stewards with these changes. i wonder if they will change to a model of having to opt in for daily housekeeping, like hotels?

Jewel is one of our faves, but i believe the Spirit recently underwent a refurb. both are a great size, id personally pick whichever itinerary has Glacier Bay as for me that's a must on an Alaskan itinerary.

smaller ships: Sprit, Sun, Sky, Jewel, Pearl, Star, Gem, Dawn, Jade https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship

thanks for the temp info! and im with you, id be on that deck getting my money's worth too!

its early more will most likely be added. many choose to book tours on their own, often for a fraction of the cost that the ship wants. but if you do this, its your responsibility to be sure to be back to the pier ontime. she ship wont wait for you.

i would go ahead and book your specialties. you can then buy the dining package onboard, if you dont get an upgrade. if you do get the upgrade, you can then cancel.

best way is to go during unpopular times (hurricane season, when kids are in school, no school breaks or holidays, etc.). we've gotten a haven for as little as $2599 per person. we tend to spend more as we much prefer "haven proper" which are the courtyard penthouse suites. there are cheaper Haven rooms but they are not located in the courtyard.

it boggles my mind how people are so messy in their cabin or hotel room. honestly, we are very neat and just like fresh towels (and lots of em) every day, and the occasional glass or dish removed.

this is all matter of preference. we never use our balcony, the Haven has ample deck space on the larger ships, both inside and out, and they have regular drink service. you cant get alcohol delivered to your stateroom for free, even if you have the beverage package, and the mini bar is also not free, even with the drink package. Also, the Haven restaurant is far superior to any of the specialty dining in my opinion. we eat all three meals in the Haven, with the exception of Teppanyaki as you cant get that cuisine (or experience) in Haven.

Pete, question on the temp on ship. I normally FREEZE on ships as they pump the AC (and i accordingly pack long sleeves and hoodies for inside). however, on Breakaway in January i was sweating. i was fine in t-shirts even to the point of being warm. i am wondering if they are cutting back on AC for cost cutting or if this was a fluke?

bigger ship (more to do) and splurge on Haven. avoid school vacation weeks, summers and holidays for the least amount of kids. if you cant do Haven, then at least spring for a pass to Vibe (only on the bigger ships) and/or a Thermal Suite pass.

its interesting to see folks asking for certain sodas, wines, etc. while your butler can bring you this stuff, you have to pay for it vs. going to the Haven bar (or any other bar) and getting them free with your Beverage Package.

its worth putting in a bid, we love the Haven and have actually decided to sail ONLY Haven, even if it means less sails per year. but unfortunately, sailing in the summertime means you will probably have a TON of kids in teh Haven and it wont be the same relaxing experience you can get when you sail during times when school is in session.