samshltn

Thanks for these really helpful replies. 

I surmise that we're going to pause near Hellesylt to 'drop off' the pax who will be taking the seven-hour coach trip titled 'Breathtaking Views from Hellesylt to Geiranger', and then the ship will continue to dock at Gerainger. 

I very much hope that's the case, because I've seen the Iona dock at Hellesylt for the day, and I really don't want to do that.

I feel as though MSC has promised Gerainger... I want to dock at Gerainger!!

Hi all. 

My upcoming cruise has an itinerary that includes 'Hellesylt/Geiranger Arrival 09:00 Departure 21:00'. Does this mean it will

• Dock at Hellesylt for a while, then dock at Gerainger (like a river cruise would, for example)
• Dock at Hellesylt and operate excursions to Gerainger (a four-hour round trip away!)
• Dock at either Hellesylt or Gerainger depending on some external factor. 
• Other(?!)

I should point out that this is different punctuation to 'Kiel (Lubeck)', which is clearly 'Dock at Kiel, operate excursions to Lubeck'. 

And, to complicate matters, I notice that on CruiseMapper, today she was supposed to go to Hellesylt, but actually docked at Gerainger!

Can anyone shed any light on this please?

Who's on it with me? 

7 hours ago, ImAFriendofDorothy said:

Does anyone know if it costs to just use the gym onboard?

It's free but... word to the wise: On Getaway on this itinerary, it is always rammed on the morning of the first full day. I suggest that you wait till the afternoon or, even better, schedule your rest day for Monday. People see how busy it is, and don't bother going again... meaning that it's often dead for the rest of the week. 

After starting this thread I've completely neglected it until today. There are four of us (Sam, Dom, Steve, and Matt) looking forward to meeting you all. We'll definitely at least check-in at the FOD... see you all on board!

Where did you find that on NCL site cant find it anywhere

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... We received a full refund from MSC...

Have you actually received the money? Or just the promise that you'll get it? I've had the promise of a refund but not the actual money yet. They said '20 days' 22 days ago.

MSC generally not having their game together really does seem to be an ongoing theme...

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Full cash refund is a class act....

Only if they actually do it. They said that the refund would be processed in 20 days, 22 days ago.

Next time I'm on an elevator I'm going to ask to see ID. Apparently I'm not as skilled as some at telling who is who. I mean, wow, Sam is incredibly observant. He knows people's nationalities, able-bodiedness, and how many floors they're going. I must be spending too much time enjoying myself rather than picking apart everything people do. :)

Although I am a able to count the number of decks I've climbed. That bit is true. You got me there.

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So folks what cruise rules have we learned in recent threads...

 

1) You cannot get on an elevator if doing so causes you to touch another person.

2) You cannot leave your cabin while someone in the next cabin is sleeping lest the door closing wake them.

2) You cannot leave a how early no matter how bad you find it to be lest you bother someone else there.

4) You cannot go to the pool before anyone else lest the other person has to walk maybe 10 steps to the pool.

 

Did I miss one or more?

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I love these boards. Three pages about elevators. Everyone here has an opinion about everything and I seriously (not being snarky, can't tell just reading this) love it. Seriously, it's fun! Thanks for brightening my day. <3

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... since we're all fat, lazy slobs.

Oh come, now, I never said that Americans were 'slobs'. And not all Americans are fat, either!America is 12th on the 'World Health Organisation Prevalence of Obesity ranking', but that doesn't mean they're 'all' obese. That's just silly.

... how do you know how many floors someone rode the elevator?

Saw them get in. Went up two flights of stairs. Saw them get out. Jumped to the conclusion that they must have ridden up those two decks in the elevator. Not rocket science...

Uh YOU were on the elevator and not using the stairs! :confused:

No I wasn't. When have you ever seen me in an elevator? I've never even been in the elevator in the building where I work, far less on a ship where I've got plenty of time and fully operational legs.

Speaking of 'fully operational legs', I didn't say that I'm casting individual aspersions on people who I have deemed 'well enough' or 'not well enough' to climb stairs. Some of us have hidden disabilities, some of us have noticeable disabilities, some of us appear healthy and aren't, and some of us are the other way around.

All I'm saying is, when you look at the number of people queuing for elevators and compare it to the number of people who (like me) take the stairs, it would seem that there's an enormous number of people who are probably able to take the stairs but don't. And again, I'll repeat this because a lot of you seem keen to take offence: I can't tell which ones aren't able to, and which ones are just lazy... but if you're one of the ones who aren't able to then I'm not talking about you so there's no need to be upset.

...What is that saying...

I'm not saying we should all jump up out of our wheelchairs and magically become able-bodied. That would be impossible, wouldn't it.

I literally said this in my post that you're replying to:

...when we are able to...

If you're not able to, then you're not one of the people I suggest take the stairs. (y)

... was told...

You'll be told a lot of conflicting and false information by NCL staff, both onboard and landside. Those who have purchased SDP are often told something like 'one appetizer, one entrée and one dessert':

• That is the case for the Platinum dinner. The conditions for that state: "Benefit entitles each guest to one appetizer, one entrée and one dessert of your choice..."
  
• It is not the case if you have purchased a Speciality Dining Package. The conditions for that state: "Charges will apply for additional main course orders." and "...all items listed on the menus are included in the package. Additional entrée charges also apply for dining at Cagney's Steakhouse and Le Bistro.", so they limit your number of entrées to one, but they do not limit your appetizers or desserts.
  

Waitstaff often get the two mixed up, so I carry a printed copy of the two with me to help them remember which is which.

...should have...

Should have, or does have?

I agree that a gym needs to have showers, but I can think of several NCL ships that do not have showers available to gym users.

I'm always surprised by the number of people crammed into the elevators when there's a high proportion of Americans on board. I've honestly seen apparently able-bodied passengers get into the elevator to ride up or down just two or three decks. There really seems to be an aversion to getting the tiniest amount of mild exercise and just using the stairs.

I can't help but think that if we all took the stairs when we are able to, then there would be a lot more space in the elevators for those who need them.

The concept of both styles is awesome....

I think we differ here, neither style is to my tastes, having tried both in their native countries.

Personally, I like to order what I want, and then receive it. I'm not interested in seeing it cooked by a singing/performing chef, and I'm not interested in being brought my meat my roaming passadores. I prefer to have my dinner set quietly in front of me, and enjoy it over conversation with my friends.

BUT! I'm not saying that anyone elses tastes or preferences are 'wrong'! I'm sure there are people who prefer those dining experiences. Whether the cruise versions of these 'cuisines' are up to the native versions I don't know - it seems unlikely.

...must include assigning solo or shared tables as requested...

I'm sure the maitre d' has been doing his job just fine, it's just that it never occurred to me to ask him to help me find table-mates. I've never struggled as much as you seem to.

We also tried a specialty restaurant, Moderno, on our cruise. I'd agree with acceptable but not much better than MDR. The salad bar was actually quite good, but the meats were very disappointing (and that's kinda the whole point of a Brazilian BBQ:().

I agree wholeheartedly, the Moderno concept is abysmal. It, and Teppenyaki, are the speciality restaurants I avoid.

I didn't even know that it was part of a mâitre d's job to find dinner guests for those unable to. Perhaps the mâitre d's who neglect this function are trying to protect those who are, from those who are not, and vice versa.

...it is virtually impossible to join others for dinner...

Are you saying that you were unable to find anyone willing to join you for dinner, or that the Mâitre D' was unable to find anyone willing to join you for dinner?

Or did you both fail?

I am quite accustomed to communal dining in hostels, canteens and messes. I've grown up scoffing around a bench with colleagues, strangers, and mates. But, in eleven cruises, I had never been expected to share my dinner with strangers. That was until my twelfth cruise, on MSC, where I found it quite a shock to be assigned randomly to join tables of other people with whom we had nothing in common - in one case not even a shared language.

On every cruise we've been on, we have met people who we have chosen to invite to join us for dinner. This, I would say, is customary: You invites the people you are getting on with to dinner, and continue your conversations over your meal.

I was absolutely unaware that there were cruise lines that did this. I don't expect to be forced to dine with strangers, so I really appreciate the fact that NCL has allowed me to exist in a world where this imposition is completely alien.

We've only ever taken normal 'inclusive' cruises (where there are a mix of different people on board, no-one is excluded on the basis of their gender. race, or sexuality etc), so I can't imagine wanting to take an exclusively gay/black/white/anything cruise.

I think you'll enjoy meeting different types of people to what you may be used to. I'm very interested to know how you find it, so please do report back.

MSC are not for everyone thank goodness, it is usually those who cannot adapt and want more of the same as they get from their preferred cruise lines who make the most noise, a two night cruise is hardly a good gauge of how things will be for the rest of the year sailing out of Southampton, seeing as the ship had just arrived in Hamburg after a transatlantic sailing.

We have been lucky enough to sail NCL and the food was good enough and neither of us went hungry, on a B2B out of Venice we got upgraded for the second week thanks to the Hotel Director Dennis Prguda. Not sure we would sail with them again since they introduced their All Inclusive drink package whether you want it or not.

 

MSC has been a good fit for us having sailed 6 times with them on 6 different ships with a 7th close to hand, they have also been varying lengths from 7 to 20 days and in different parts of the world.

Our next two will be with Royal and Princess again, which will give us the chance to see how they have fared since we last cruised with them.

Very valid points, there. I've certainly grown accustomed to a certain way of doing things on NCL, and I'm really not the 'adapting' type - I want everything to go as planned. And again you're right: My experience on the two nighter will probably be different to other people's experiences on different cruises later in the year. I look forward to reading those reviews later in 2018, and I hope they reflect a better time than I had. To everyone: happy cruising, and I hope that if you do try a line different to your usual one, that you have a pleasant surprise!