Traveling Fools

The butler on our Oceania Med cruise performed very well. I do not think you will be disappointed by any of the staff you encounter.

Especially BACON🤣

That's more reasonable...will have to jump on that while I can!!!!😆

Started using luggage tags a year ago. I think they are great! They come with a thin metal cable tie, aren't going to get torn off, and are reusable. On a Panama Canal cruise from San Diego to Miami, my brother had a bag tagged by a porter that either never made it onboard or is forever lost. Can't say for certain why it never made it aboard. Everyone else in our party (3-cabins) used the same porter and all the bags went on the same rack. We all got our bags. Lucky for him it was more of a carry-on than a suite case, but its loss was still an inconvenience. Don't know if I'm breaking the rules, but here is a link for luggage tags: https://www.amazon.com/NCL-Luggage-Tag-Holders-Cruise/dp/B07XKWFMR7/ref=sr_1_5_pp?c=ts&keywords=Luggage+Tags&qid=1693428389&s=apparel&sr=1-5&ts_id=1234358011

I don't remember being escorted from the Haven back to our suite. But then I cheated. Lunch for Have guests was available at one of the restaurants on the aft pool deck. I can't remember the name of it. Anyway, I was able to breech the fire door and get to my suite where I stored our carry-on. Got caught doing it, was scolded, and escorted back out the common area. Great question! I don't know how many butlers NCL assigns to service Aft Haven suites. Ours took care of aft suites on more than one deck. He was not very responsive and was the worst butler we have ever had. Our disembarkation was self delayed while we waited for him to walk the length of the ship to the Haven "proper" to give him his tip envelope. He didn't even say Thank-you. I never said anything to NCL because it was witnessed by Virginia, the Concierge, with whom we had sailed with before. She was as stunned as we were. We were sailing with our two young grandchildren and asked him to deliver breakfast to the suite on all but the last morning. We also asked to deliver warm milk for our GS every evening. He always seemed put out. The BEST butler we have ever had hands down or up was MR. MAXIE. He is absolutely the best!👌

Ditto...We depart Miami on Nov 8th for a combined land journey in Morocco and Lisbon followed by a TA aboard Azamara's ONWARD from Lisbon arriving at Ft. Lauderdale Nov 30th. We have an overnight stop at Hamilton, Bermuda. The cost for this 23 day adventure is substantially less than our 25± day Sept 2024 land/cruise journey of Greece and it's Islands. We will be sailing aboard X's INFINITY. We are with you. The two itineraries in the Caribbean, Central America and South America of real interest to me is an Amazon cruise and a journey to Ecuador, Bolivia, and the Galapagos.

Port Canaveral.

We have reserved the Chef's Table for our Sept 2024 50th Anniversary cruise and are really looking forward to the experience. Have done them on NCL and they were great. Is a one night deal, or do they schedule them every night? It would be fantastic if they held it on our anniversary!!!

Just maintain a PMA...Positive Mental Attitude...and remember to enjoy yourselves!

We took this itinerary aboard the Infinity in 2004. BA to Valparaíso. Before docking in BA, the ship began experiencing significant problems with her propulsion system. For those who have been on this itinerary, we didn't arrive in Montevideo until close to 11AM. That leg of the cruise is pretty short (It takes the ferry 2hr 45min to make the trip). X was very disingenuous with the passengers and didn't fully disclose the problem until almost the end of the cruise. 2 of the ports of call were cancelled, one being the stop at the Falkland's. The ship didn't go any where near the Island despite pleas from both British and Argentine passengers who wanted to drop memorial wreaths into the sea honoring their war dead. The propulsion systems for that fleet were eventually fixed and the ships were great to sail on. All the M-Class ships have been refitted and refurbished. While they were able to add balconies to the Celebrity Suites, they never modernized the bathrooms. Just a memory to share.

Because they board and escort Haven passengers in groups. And as you walk the length of the ship the group gets strung out. This can be caused by mobility issues, passengers not in your group unintentionally obstructing movement resulting in a missed elevator, etc. You can do as you wish, but I have found it less complicated, quicker, and easier to use the forward boarding station.

Good News...I was able to enter and "Store" our travel document information without call Azamara. When I went on line this time there was a Documents logo printed in blue associated with each passenger. After toggling the button I was able to enter our PP info. With 72 days left before departing Miami, I have one less thing to worry about.😅

Not that it is an excuse for poor service or a decline in what's previously been standard offerings, but the M-fleet is 20 years old. Despite upgrades and dry dock time, the ships are showing their age. Bathrooms especially.

Moving back on topic, here is some initial boarding advise for those who book aft Haven suites. I search this issue on this thread. It hasn't been mentioned, so it is new information for all. Ships with the Haven are bigger ships than those without a Haven. To facilitate a speedy boarding process, the cruise terminal will almost always have aft and forward boarding areas and operations. The intent being passengers in cabins in the front half of the ship boards and checks in using the forward station and those in the back half use the aft boarding station. The system works well with none-Haven guests, but not so well for Haven guests in Aft suites. Why???? As Haven guests your first stop will be....you guessed it the Haven. And where is the Haven? You guessed right again. It is in the forward part of the ship. This means when if you use the aft Haven boarding station you will be escorted on board at the aft end of the ship and from there forward to the Haven lounge. This meant for us, and the others in our group, using 2-non dedicated elevators and dodging passengers the entire length of the ship. All that while tugging or toting your carryon luggage. And if you are traveling with young children herding them while they get distracted by every little thing and at the same time trying to keep up with your group. If you suffer from walking issues, things get exacerbated. The solution is easy. If booked in an Aft Haven suite, inform the pre-cruise concierge of your intent to use the forward boarding station...AND...ask for an acknowledgement of your intent. By using the forward Haven boarding area to check in, you are escorted to a dedicated elevator that takes you straight to the Haven and its lounge. After the concierge finishes with her welcome aboard speech, you can leave your carryon luggage in the lounge and begin exploring the ship. If booked in an aft suite, it is unlikely your suite will be ready for occupancy before those in the Haven proper. So, you want a place to stow your stuff until you can actually gain access to your suite. Remember, fire doors are closed during the boarding process and you won't have access to the passageways (hallways) going to your suite. You have to pre-plan where you are going to hang out until they open the ship's cabins. And once the announcement is made cabins are ready for occupancy, it is a goat rope navigating the entire length of the ship through the other several thousand passengers wanting to settle into their cabins.

There is a point in time when parental supervision is required. One of those times is when children begin to disrupt the sanctity of the Haven pool area. Some parents fail in this respect. We as grandparents do not and our guidance is addressed to all the children participants. That is one factor I have liked about the Haven. Through their children, families meet other families. It has been our experience they have been of like minds regarding standards of behavior in the Haven and actually appreciate another parent stepping in as necessary to control things from getting out of hand.

Tried that too. The suite of our choice was unavailable when we first booked this cruise, but became available later. To get the new suite, our first booking had to be cancelled. I was able to enter our travel documentation information for that first booking and am now wondering if Azamara transferred that information to our new booking number. I'm going to call them tomorrow and ask.

That must have been what we witnessed in Cozumel. Watching passengers schlep their luggage to and from the main road was a real turn off to us!

Carol, I have tried that as well as enter my booking number. I get so far and then it kicks me back to the main page of the reservation summary.

Gary, I should have qualified my statement. I'm a diver and learned from new dive mates and passengers on a HAL ship whom I met at the Papeete dive shop that PG caters to divers and has an excellent on-board dive shop. Other other factors in this instance to consider are 1) PG is a smaller ship and 2) considered a "local" company and as such receives special, maybe even preferential, treatment by local authorities.

Considering it is a summer cruise there probably will be other children in the Haven. It has been our experience sailing with our grandchildren that they prefer the Haven's pool rather than the big one. And, because we don't have to search for a lounge chair we prefer it too!😁 If there are other kids in the Haven they will all bond quickly and want to hang out together. Chances are they will ALL also share the taste of Non-Alcohol Mud Slides! Keep that in mind when you go to tip the Haven's bar tender(s).

68 days from departure and still can't enter our travel document information.

Just a tip for the Machu Picchu portion of your trip. Consider having your MD prescribe some altitude medication to start taking in advance of your arrival at Cusco. The altitude there and at Machu Picchu can be an a$$ kicker. While she suffered from altitude sickness in Cusco and had to rely on O2 provided by the hotel, it completely disabled our Peruvian friend and host at Machu Picchu. They had to carry her out of the site on a stretcher. It was also very problematic for a friend of mine I worked with in Tokyo who ironically just happened to be in our travel group.

Had an Aussie friend call them depth charges.

We were able to take a bottle of champagne aboard for our sail away, but we were one of the first to board. He had worked and lived in Tokyo for 4-years and were meeting friends in Yokohama for lunch..thus the early boarding.

Sleep-in Have coffee and breakfast in the suite Either chill out in the suite or take a spin around the common areas of the ship Enjoy lunch Finish checking out the ship with a stop in Michaels Return to suite read and just chill...maybe a stop at the spa, pool, or sauna Start getting reading for a great dinner....this includes having a cocktail or two in the suite Enjoy a great dinner Maybe take in a show or some entertainment Stop in Michaels for a nightcap and to chat with other passengers Return to suite read awhile, might have a final nightcap and then drift off to sleep Main goal is to enjoy the day with DW