judyf

Would love to hear more about these options. There are 4 of us and looking to not need to walk that far, my mom can't due to COPD.

Any updates from recent cruises?

Thanks, at least NCL has a chocolate night, and as many said maybe better tasting then the buffet.

I think we paid $210 each for the 10 day pass, and we used it EVERY DAY! It was fabulous!

Thank you!!!!

Is there a Chocolate Buffet still on the Gem? Taking first timers this trip and just wondering.

Thanks,

I will hop on this thread to confirm what I was told. An adult can sail with just a birth cert (with seal) and picture ID, a DL? I just want to confirm with those that know. We're on the NCL Gem from NYC.

First night - Welcome Aboard Show 7:00 P.M. only

Second night - Production Show "Variety Show"

Third night - Juggler Comedian

Fourth night - Comedian

Fifth Night - The Second City

Sixth night - Magician

Seventh night - Production Show "World Beat"

Eighth night - Acrobats

Ninth night - Production Show "Get Down Tonight"

Tenth night - Farewell Variety Show

 

This was for the 10 night Gem 1/2/2015 sailing.

 

All shows are at 7:00 & 9:00 P.M. except for the Welcome Aboard Show.

Thanks!!!!

Nice review thanks for sharing

We were on the Pearl for a 10 day over Christmas/New Years, got the spa package for the 10 days and enjoyed every minute of it! DH and I booked last minute and got a great deal, so that and ultimate dining was our splurge!

 

We have just booked the Jewel for 3/22 and will probably look into the spa again if the price is right. We don't enjoy the whirlpool on the regular decks.... way too crowded for us. We really enjoy the privacy of the spa.

How much was the 10 day pass?

I rad on another thread that the 10 day was $202.

I just booked for Sept 2016 on the Escape... I SCOURED the price list to find a week where the Spa Haven Suite was lowest price and scored:

 

$300 OBC

UBP

UDP

 

And since I booked with an outside company, they also gave me:

 

an additional $100 OBC

AND free pre-paid gratuities

 

This will be my first time sailing in a spa suite, and my first time sailing in a haven suite...

 

ALSO, by the time that cruise comes around I'll be platinum so I think that also gets me chocolate covered strawberries, sparkling wine in the cabin and dinner + bottle of wine (although since I have the UDP the dinner is a waste ;)

 

I consider that a definite score

Score of sure!!!!

What is included in the Spa pass? How much is a 10 day?

Thanks, I have only stayed in insides and Balconies and never had more then 2 in a cabin. Thanks the tis are great! Looks like 2 balconies would work better, still unsure as it might only be 2 of us.

Looking for some help, plan to book tomorrow. There will be one couple and one parent cruising.

What would be the best type cabin to book to give the coupe some privacy? We were looking at the mini suite cabins. Would like to have a cabin we could add the three if needed.

It might end up just being two, we will not know until Monday for sure.

Thanks for any help!

How do you know which are sideways cabins?

Well, I started this thread and we leave today for Seattle to board the Pearl on Sunday May 24th.

Here is the itinerary I came up with for us 4 adults 50-56 years old. Thanks to all those that answered my endless questions. I hope this thread helps others in their planning as it has helped me.

Seattle and Alaska Itinerary

Thursday, May 21th/Flight to Seattle

7:15 pm flight from Newark to Seattle

Arrive at 11:40 pm - 1am NY time

Check in Red Lion Inn-3 nights

Friday, May 22th/ Seattle-day 1

1 pm Duck Tour

Experimental Music Project- open to 7 pm

Space Needle open to 11 pm

Do whatever we want at the Seattle Center

Saturday, May 23th/ Seattle-day 2

9:30 am Pike Market Tour - booked online

After tour do any of the PPM walking tour from Karen-thanks

Walk waterfront maybe take Water Trolley to Olympic Sculpture Park.

Klondike Rush Exhibits - open to 5pm

6 pm Underground Tour - booked online

Sunday, May 24th

Board ship: NCL Pearl - Pier # 66

Monday, May 25th

Cruising the Inside Passage

Meet & Greet - Monday, May 25th from 11am-12noon in the Le Bistro

Restaurant.

Tuesday, May 26th / Juneau, Alaska

Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Watching with Orca's

Wednesday, May 27th / Skagway, Alaska

White Pass Summit train and dog carting with Chilkoot.

Thursday, May 28th/Glacier Bay

Cruise Glacier Bay

Friday, May 29th /Ketchikan/Alaska

Ship Tour Deadliest Catch

Saturday, May 30th/Victoria, BC

On our own

Horse carriage ride

Thunderpark - totem poles

Empress Hotel

Walk Inner Harbor

Sunday, May 31st/Arrive Seattle

11-11:30 am Tillicum Village cruise - booked online

Have rental car ressies with both Enterprise and Budget

10:15 pm Flight back to New York

Monday June 1st

Arrive back in Newark at 6:30 am

Drive home 2 hours

Then sleep back to work on Tuesday June 2nd

Food is pretty good in the Blue Lagoon (fish & chips is awesome - just make sure you ask for double as serving is very small). On the NCL Dawn and NCL Spirit Blue Lagoon is a "walk through" restaurant. Whereas on the NCL Jade it is more of a "sit down - diner type restauraunt". Hope this helps

LOL that's the ships I have been to the Blue Lagoon on, also the Star if I remember correctly was a wlak through too.

How is it set up on the Pearl and the Jewel?

Also is there BLD at all of them? On all ships?

Thanks

Recap:

I booked a cruise thru an online TA. I paid the $500 deposit via AMEX. I sent $2k worth of compass reward certificates to NCL accounting. They received the certificates and credited it to my account. Three times now I have confirmed that my account shows a payment of $2500. The cruise only cost $2195.00. So I am expecting to receive a $305 credit for the difference since I paid for the deposit.

 

1st call to NCL: We can't look at your reservation, because you booked it with a TA, call your TA.

 

1st call to TA: We show that you have made a $500 deposit, and since your cruise isn't until Jan. 2010, final payment isn't due until Oct. 09.

 

2nd call to NCL: Gave reservation number to ask questions, they COULD look at my reservation. They acknowledge receipt of my $2k compass rewards and credit towards my account, $2500 total payment. I asked when I would get a refund of the difference. They transfered me to accounting. They said that the cruise cost $2405. So when would I receive the credit back to my credit card, she said call MBNA and gave me a phone number. I said that I paid $2195 and it should be more like a $305 credit, she said call your travel agent.

 

3rd call to NCL: Asked for accounting directly, they transfered me. They said that I would forfeit the difference between what the cruise cost and what I paid. I said that was not acceptable since I PAID $500 along with $2k compass rewards. She said the person who handles this was unavailable, call my TA. UGH!

 

Will they at least credit the difference between the $2500 and $2195 to OBC, so I can pay my service fees, or is this a lost cause?

This is why I will NOT send more compass awards then I have a balance to pay. I will book another cruise instead. I sent $1000 for my May cruise. I still have $1000 plus two upgrades which I will only send one for my Oct. cruise since I only have a $800 balance.

Will save the final $500 to book a cruise next year as I know I will anyway.:D

No worries, I know you were just trying to help! Thanks again for the Majesty info, I'm going to look into that. I'd hate to see the certificate go to waste!

That's a lot of waste. I would try to catch a short cruise of some sorts to not lose $500. :D

As much as the Blue Lagoon on the Dawn has some tasty menu items, (I like the soups) the room itself has all the atmosphere of a White Castle hamburger joint, and pretty much the same greasy hamburger odor in the air.

I agree, the location on the Dawn is not a good one. It's like a hallway that gets lots of traffic. I love the Tomatoe Soup.

I have a question. Are the BL menus the same on all ships????

I'm asking as I remember my Dawn and Star cruises they were the same but on the POH it was different.

I'm sailing on the Pearl in a little over a month now and would love to know what menu will be at the BL.

Also I never realized that BL did breakfast, is it packed and hard to get in?

Thanks

UPDATE: I called NCL and spoke to a nice lady who answered my questions. She said I would be able to use the certificate on such short notice but I'd have to pay in full now and the cost would be credited to card once the certificates were received. She said any part of the certificate that wasn't used would be lost and wouldn't be credited back to my credit card or applied as an OBC.

 

Now I just have to decide whether or not I have enough time to get all my affairs in order by Thurs-Fri and if I should book this cruise.

I hope it works for you. Good luck

Check out Capital One No Hassel Miles for Ultra Professionals. The "miles" can be used for any type of travel (cruises) merchandise or cash back. I posted lots of info about this card earlier in this thread. Earn 2% on everything. Amex Blue Cash or Amex Costco (if you are a Costco member) are also good cards, but lots of places don't take Amex...:(

 

Also, consider keeping the NCL card and only usinging once every few months:

 

7 mistakes that trash your credit:

 

1. Close credit card accounts

2. Let credit cards collect dust

3. Run up high balances

4. Apply for new credit repeatedly

5. Don't pay fines or non-credit-card bills

6. Ignore mistakes on your report

7. Make late payments or skip them entirely

Yeah, I know I did #1 but I just wanted to close them out. My credit score is high and I don't need any credit any time soon so I'm, not worried about the hit on the score.

The no hassel card gave me way more credit then I would ever need in a life time. :rolleyes:

Hi,

Now for the 500 dollar question:

 

Will the rewards coupon still be good if i cancel my NCL card?

I sure hope so I cancelled both cards already :rolleyes: