TrumpyNor

NCL often sell HC cabins to "non-HC" people when it is not long until sailing date - and I honestly believe that as you are only 39 days out right now, it is very unlikely that somebody with a handicap are looking to book an aftfacing balcony cabin this close to sailing date. And IF so, then the only logic would be that NCL would have to move you to a same category or higher category cabin type. So the suggestion to get you and one of your parents listed in one room and the other parent and your friend listed in the other room, seems like the best option to go for. Then there would be no change of names or adding names, it would simply be some "swithcing" of the existing names between the two cabins. Actually pretty similar to what many families with underage children has done in the past, if booking a separat cabin for the kids.

Yes, but after the cruise has started the reimbursement would be added to your OBC, so you would then have even more OBC to spend... Only if you cancel before the cruise starts, will the reimbursement go back to your original form of payment. Depending on what kind of OBC you have (refundable/non-refundable, from the cruise line, from your travel agent, as compensation for something, etc.), it may be possible to call NCL and ask for the shore excursions to be paid with your OBC.

1) Upgrade wine by the glass included in my drink package to more exclusive glasses of wine that I would normally not purchase - the OBC then goes to pay the price difference.... 2) Speciality dining

I find it very strange that you have not received an e-mail about the change on the itinerary - we always receive that as soon as something is changed on the itinerary. Could it be that you booked through a travel agent? If that is the case, then the notification of the itinerary change would go to your travel agent instead of directly to you.

We will be in Rome for 3 days before our Escape cruise, and plan to just have a "test rapido" (= antigen test) done at one of the many pharmacies in Rome that offers that 1-2 days before our cruise starts.

You do realize that Berlin is situated INLAND Germany and quite far from the actual cruiseport (Warnemünde) - distance is about 200 km/126 miles (2,5-3 hours by train or bus)...

I agree, a linen closet is a good suggestion.

3-4 fridge magnets, to hang up the Freestyle Daily etc. as the walls in the cabins are metal. A highlighter/textmarker to highlight stuff in the Freestyle Daily that may be of interest that day.

It should say so on your e-docs?

This. I have a cruise on the Escape booked for August 2022. Originally a regular inside cabin, but about a month ago I purchased a regular upgrade to a club balcony cabin and paid only $300 in total for the upgrade for 2 persons (the difference between what I had paid originally and the current online price). If I wanted to upgrade to a regular balcony cabin instead (same day), I would have to pay $3000!!! (yes, three THOUSAND) more than my original paid cabin. Maybe not logic, but as a result of supply and demand there were many club balcony cabins left and not so many regular balcony cabins....

It should say so on your e-documents that you get after you are checked in online?

A few years ago we did a 10 days Western Caribbean cruise just before Christmas, ending on December 20th. The ship was beautifully decorated for Christmas, but that was the only difference - everything else was just like any other time of year. Except this was outside of school holidays so not that many kids on the cruise. And it was definitely not more crowded than other times of the year.

I used FCC from both my husband and myself to pay for a future cruise - no need to book two separate cruises to be able to use them. But the persons who has the FCC to his/her names, and who's FCC should pay for parts of the cruise fare, needs to be travelling. If you are two persons who have the six FCC amounts between the two of you, then yes; you can use all of the FCC to pay for only one cruise as long as you both are travelling together.

For my booked cruise for August 3rd, I received the e-mail about being offered to take part in the upgrade program April 16th. And for my July 24th cruise I received the e-mail on April 6th. So more than three months in advance on both cruises.

We have two cruises coming up soon, one from Trieste and one from Rome. Will in both cases be in Italy a few days before the cruises. Just plan on having a "test rapido" done in a pharmacy in Italy the day before the cruises. Instead of stressing to have it done before we leave home.

I have edited my reply above. 🙂

The Sun is not like any other ship in the fleet - very different also from the Sky. Only similarity is that they are both on the smaller side compared to the rest of the fleet (except the Spirit). The Sun was not built for NCL/Freestyle cruising but for another cruise line, the Sky was built/ordered for Freestyle Cruising - originally sailed as Pride of Aloha doing Hawaii cruises.

Based on personal experience, the Sun has the best/nicest/largest club balconies in the NCL fleet, so absolutely worth it in my opinion!

I was told you have to test WITHIN 72 hours before your cruise date for Non-US ports (like European cruises) - and that it means anywhere from 72 hours until 24 hours before the sailing date. It doesn't have to be around 72 hours before the sailing date, it could be 48 hours or even only 24 days before your sailing date. It just can't be longer than 72 hours/3 days before your cruise - or you would have to make a new test closer to the sailing date.....

Thank you, this link worked even from Europe, without getting "redirected"!

They are in US$ and with US conditions. I find that in most cases the US prices offered are better than the European priced cruises (for me they would be priced in Euros when booking through NCL in Europe). As I always book quite some time in advance, I also appeciate the possibility to change my reservation up until final payment without any penalties in cases of pricedrops. Or, after final payment, in case of price drops being able to purchase an upgrade for a "bargain price" without penalties. A few years ago I did the "mistake" of booking a couple of cruises myself on the European NCL webpage, I was then assigned to first one and then another European PCC - they were both extremely bad (never returned any e-mails, never replied to any questions, etc AFTER the cruise was booked). So never again......! NCL tried to "force" me over to NCL Europe some years ago - at the time I had alredy done more than 20 cruises with NCL and used my PCC since before they divided NCL in to different markets and different webpages, depending on your geographical location. So they let me "keep her" and let me book my cruises in USD according to US rules... 😊

I have had the same US based PCC at NCL since 2008, and I have absolutely no complaints. Very content with her. I live in Europe, so when I want to book a cruise or need her assistance with any changes regarding existing reservations, I just send her an e-mail. Usually receive a reply within a few hours.

Another alternative to make certain the restaurant will have tables available for a larger groupg, is to ask the "someone else" to make their own dinner reservation for the same date and time. Then when you are on board, just let the restaurant know as soon as possible that the two reservations should be "merged" together.

I believe there are only shower benches in HC cabins, and not in regular cabins? This is a photo of the shower in a HC cabin that we had on the Norwegian Jade. So maybe your MIL should ask NCL to change her cabin to an accessible inside cabin?

You may also get some answers that can be helpful by submitting an digital questionaire to the EU commision about this subject: https://ec.europa.eu/eu-rights/enquiry-complaint-form/home?languageCode=en&origin=yec_Travel