littlelulu01

16 before I blocked them. What a stupid mistake for them. I imagine they just lost out on a ton of email subscribers.

Sorry about your spa experience. I love the Pearl spa. Yes some of the locks on the lockers don’t work. The spa attendants will get one that locks for you and then I just always take that one on subsequent visits should I need to lock my stuff up. Really no different than many gyms and even high end spas.

Re the water temperatures- the more they are used, the lower the temperature is - could be you got in right after a lot of use? Could also be that someone else had complained about them being too hot. They will adjust up or down if you request.

I’ve been on other mid size ships- Hal zuiderdam spa was woefully sub par compared to Jewel class spas. Much of the spa on the zuiderdam wasn’t in working order on our sailing including all of the coed areas shut down for over half our sailing and I complained. Didn’t get a dime back or even an apology.

Ncl is typically very responsive onboard. They have always gone above and beyond once I’m onboard. Perhaps leaving a note for hotel director can help if you have had no luck. The end of the sailing, after using the spa daily, isn’t probably the best time to say you want a refund.

Not sure if this spa situation rises to the level of a charge dispute approval but I guess that’s up to you and Ncl and amex. I’m pretty sure that you first need to try and resolve with the company and attempt to let them make it right and show you did. In your case I’d make sure you have proof that you tried in good faith to rectify the situation because on the outside it may seem like you just wanted your spa for free. Especially if you were using it regularly. Unless of course each time you visited, it was only long enough to determine the spa was not working to your standards and you stayed in there all of 5 mins and then complained and left.

Glad I saw this thread. Last month, NCL added free extra guests to a cruise I booked (to Alaska) and the price dropped $900. With this promo, price remains the same (except for increase on drink gratuity), but it's all 5 deals.

That’s a really good deal. I was tempted to switch to that sailing but dates didn’t work. My sailing switched to pick 4 so no free 3 & 4 passenger if picking all 4. Kept the pick 2 and extra obc.

I’m not necessarily even sailing with 4 in the room but pcc said it can always be switched out later but not necessarily added later. 3 & 4 free is different than other perks because the others can easily be exchanged right up till almost sailing. I can switch out internet for SDP or another perk offered at the time of booking but 3&4 can’t necessarily be switched to later.

Passengers 3&4 can cancel even after final payment. Pcc said They will still refund port fees and tax if cancel in 100% period. If I decide no kids coming then we’ll switch perk.

I’ve always received a reusable soda cup as well. Warning- make sure you use a straw. The reusable cups seem to always leak. Once the bartenders know you they refill your cup without need to see your sail card. I drink Diet Pepsi no ice. Only had to ask first time around. Have fun.

The Jewel, sister ship to Pearl, is sailing out of Vancouver and doing the inside passage. They are one way trips but airfare from Anc to Seattle isn’t much extra.

The Jewel’s spa coed area isn’t as nice as the Pearl coed spa area if spa is important. Both spas are however at the front of the ship and a great way to relax while taking in the Alaska beauty. The Bliss spa will a undoubtedly blow the Jewel class away but I don’t think it has the primo forward location that Jewel and Pearl spas have.

Jewel hasn’t been refurbished yet, scheduled for after the 2018 Alaska season. Both ships are, “older” mid size ships I think 2006 and 2007 which isn’t really that, “old”.

The Bliss is a mega ship and imo best suited for those who don’t mind crowds, want a sparkling new ship and all the extra on board amenities that come with the mega ship. I’ve sailed the Pearl Alaska a few times and it’s my absolute favorite, as is an itinerary with Glacier Bay and inside passage. We’re going with the Jewel this year. I really want to try out a mega ship but I absolutely love the Jewel class size and amenities and I’m not a fan of big crowds.

I’d like to do the Pacific coast reposition cruise on the Bliss to get a taste of it without the $ commitment of Alaska. Bliss for me would be all about the ship. Pearl would be about the relaxing journey and the ports.

Yes Southwest gives you credit if airfare drops and you catch it. Its good for 1 year from the original booking date

Alaska Airlines also gives credits for price drops in the form of credit for a future flight.

NCL has given me extra obc and or bumped me up to a better stateroom after final payment for price drop. I used their price gt a few years ago. It was very easy. Not sure if they still have it.

I’d rank the Jade speciality in order starting with Le Bistro, La Cucina, Moderno, Cagney’s, Teppanyaki. IMO All of them are considerably better than the main dining room and Alizars. The Asian free restaurant and O’shehans also free, had good food and service. Food and service depends on who is cooking on a specific night. I’ve not had the best luck in Cagney’s on the Jade but still definitely much better than mdr even on an off night.

I’ve done both and prefer the one way. The inside passage is incredible. For 2018 on NCL it’s the Jewel which is a nice mid size ship (about same size as the Disney Wonder). I’d love to do the Disney Wonder out of Vancouver one day. That sailing is best booked right when the itinerary opens up. Perhaps contact a travel agent and have them notify you when the sailing opens. You really can’t go wrong with Disney. If I had little ones I’d choose a less expensive stateroom category in order to sail Disney.

Summer sailings all the lines will have kids. You may want to check out Holland America. Their ships are ideal for Alaska. Nice promenade, and main pool with retractable glass roof so pool is usable in cold weather. Summer months even HAL will have plenty of kids.

The newer mega ships don’t always have the wrap around promenade which is nice for Glacier viewing.

If you worry about sea sickness pick a mid ship room location. The sea can be a little rough out in the open on the way to and from Seattle but nothing like our recent cruise to Iceland. I now swear by Trader Joe’s ginger candy.

Question for Jewel class upgrades. If booking balcony have you received upgrade invite for Haven or is it just invite for mini suite and s suites?

I know the bigger ships don’t have the s suite categories so balcony and mini suites get invited for Haven. Not sure how they categorize for Jewel class and if on Jewel do the only invites for Haven bids go to mini suite and s suites or do balconies also get the invite. Thanks

I think they have made great strides in customer service when things go wrong. They had a bad reputation in the past but I do think they are trying to change it.

I don't think any cruise lines would accept it, enforcing can be a challenge. There're dozens of them refilling water bottles directly from the dispenser on our Breakaway cruise last month but they weren't the only group doing it and the Washy Washy team was too far away.

 

We avoided eating in the buffet except once for late breakfast and another time for lunch on a port day, keeping our distance. Their counterpart from the US and Canada were seen in the MDR, and we saw none on our 2 nights in Le Bistro & Moderno. On the Joy, they are the majority so be prepared, just saying.

 

Like this sign while waiting for an extended family member this morning at an ambulatory care facility ... they are know to squat on top of the toilet seat, yikes.

 

This brings up another nuisance during our 7 days, room steward left reminders on 3 different evenings to remind everyone to not dump other matters into the bowl to clog up the lines. They're outside our hallway corridor's access panels to blast matters open, late night and 3 nights later, we smelled raw sewage again rounding our corner hallway ... our upstairs neighbor, maybe, again ? $250 USD fees are the penalty, if ... Innocent until proven guilty as "charged" - it would help if NCL can translate & issue those warnings & reminders in multiple language, especially if this ethnic group cruising as oversea tourists are stereotyped as the most likely offenders. And, I do happen to know that the extra thick, absorbent facial napkins with many use are often pulled out with other digusting matters, even on land-based places.

 

Granted, these unpleasant and shocking encounters are limited by avoiding the Joy for now. But, this will likely be more common on other NCL ships in the coming months & years as these affluent travelers stretched their wings abroad & discover our floating cities at sea.

 

 

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I think it’s going to become the norm in the future to have many mainland Chinese passengers on sailings outside China. Like I previously posted, the group from Hong Kong followed western culture norms and manners. They were pretty furious with the mainland China groups.

I’ve been on a ship and sailings with a variety of cultures and as an American been the minority and quite enjoyed it but there was a semi common thread of general manners exhibited to allow everyone to enjoy their vacation.

This time on the Jade with over half mainland Chinese passengers it was difficult at best. The mention of plumbing problems- I regularly saw crew suited up to deal with some pretty bad issues in various areas. There was an extreme food intake going on and in the morning it was downed with hot water/teapots and salt. Not sure what all the salt in tea was about. The washy washy guy was basically ignored and the staff were trying to get people to disinfect hands but it was futile. The ports were mayhem too. Forgot about trying to get off the ship early. Plus the staff had to start checking bags in port because they took all the teapots and would take bags of food off the ship every day. What a joke to try and stop that. The signs they put up didn’t help.

Mostly I couldn’t stand the blowing nose thing in bare hands. Hated getting ready to take a bite of food and then being jammed into or someone loudly passing gas in my face and food.

I would never subject myself to this kind of vacation again. I sure would never book a cruise that sold out a year in advance as this one did. I think that’s the biggest indication that the ship is partial chartered by a large group that may negatively affect the experience.

I think the biggest clue regarding the potential that Americans may not in general like the sailings offered to the Chinese is that it was not offered to Americans or other markets until the end when they are simply filling up the leftover cabins. You may be different from the average western tourist and be just fine/able to deal with the cultural differences and enjoy the trip.

We were on the Jade recently for two weeks. Two different Chinese tour groups. One of 800 and one of 400. There was also a group from Hong Kong of about 300 and they were obviously not happy with the Chinese tour groups. It may have just been these particular passengers but the two groups from China exhibited some pretty pushy behavior and the passengers not in their group were pretty upset. I saw yelling and meltdowns daily.

Pushing is one thing. When placed in a position of forcibly being pushed whenever you are in public areas its another. It's more of a shoving. Forget any cultural exchange. The people I was around had no desire to smile, or even nod at us. I also saw quite a bit of unsanitary behavior that seemed to be the norm including coughing in my face, coughing in elevators without covering mouth, blowing nose in bare hands was a biggie. Passing gas, grabbing food and shoving others including the elderly to be first or before a westerner. loud voices no matter the situation.

I just didn't think being trapped on a ship for two weeks with a group of us vs them mentality was any sort of immersion or cultural experience. I thought it was a bit of a disaster.

There were many Chinese staff in training for the Joy aboard this jade sailing and they were excellent. Their English may not have been the best but if their willingness to please, kindness and manners were any indication of the rest of the Joy staff you would most likely receive outstanding service from NCL Chinese staff. Good luck in you decision.

Sorry but I don’t think you can find out about partial charters prior from the cruise line. It’s basically only found out if someone happens to post on this thread. Some warning signs in hindsight that should have given me a clue- the charter I was on was showing a lot of availability. Then a full year prior to sailing it sold out. There was intermittent availability on a few cabins. The roll call was also very quiet compared to the exact sailing earlier in the season. I questioned my pcc from Ncl and also voiced some concerns about it on the roll call but we didn’t get anything from Ncl prior despite asking if any large groups had booked. It wasn’t till boarding the ship that I noticed I was one of the few English speaking people and that the majority were pushing and shoving even prior to boarding the ship. NCL had a separate suite area prior to boarding that was roped off from general boarding area. I was serving myself a snack (had a suite booked so was cleared for the area)and the charter folks simply removed the divider and shoved me aside as in nearly knocked me over and about 100 of them devoured everything that was set out. NCL preboarding staff had no way to stop it. From there it went downhill. NCL staff resorted to inspections of bags prior to debark each port day because the food and utensils were taken ashore each day. Sitting in the dining room we’d be sitting in the midst of large tables. Everyone at the tables surrounding us was up and walking around showing their group pictures. Voice volumes were so loud that we couldn’t hear each other when we tried to speak let alone trying to take a bite of food without someone bumping my chair... that was the mdr. It was much less civilized in the buffet.

They can be used for any deposit but I think they are only good for 6+ night sailings.

I’ll try and post pic of 2nd bedroom. In case it doesn’t post, I believe the setup is the same as it was prior to dry dock. The sofa is against one wall. The pull down bed against another wall.

If it's any consolation, ncl is typically one of the first to pull out of a port when it comes to safety concerns. Last year there was some concerning stuff happening in Turkey. DCL and NCL took Turkish ports off their itineraries way before other lines did. NCL got some very decent replacement ports as a result of being proactive about the situation. I highly doubt the situation in Barcelona warrants the line replacing the port. What is going on in Spain is not something that is specifically targeting tourists. I have felt MUCH safer in Europe than I do here in the USA with all the gun violence we have.

In this case the term doesn't seem to be used appropriately. NCL seems to have made great strides since the last mass redeployment a couple years ago. They have really stepped up how they treat customers. I recently received some cruise credit and the offer was very clear and specifically spelled out how the commissionable fare was reduced when Booking with the credits. When looking for a sailing, the ta's quotes were also very clear that their offers would vary depending on cruise credit types applied to the reservation.

I think you may be confusing a ta obc with an NCL obc. The cruise credit letter most likely quite clearly spelled out the terms of use. Likely it specifically mentioned that a ta commission was based on deduction of the cruise credit. A ta issues obc in addition to any perks that ncl gives for the booking. Most ta's also clearly outline that their offers are dependent on tha commissionable fare. Likely you booked a cruise and ta gave you x $ in additional obc for the booking based on the price. After the cruise credits were applied to booking the commissionable fare is reduced and thus the ta extra perks are subsequently also reduced.

I've recently sailed on the Jade in a 2 bedroom non Haven family suite and the 2 bedroom Haven suite post dry dock.

The obvious difference is the access to the Haven. You can purchase the spa passes and have essentially the same amenities with regard to sauna, steam room and hot tub. The courtyard area right outside your room is nice with the Haven but the spa right upstairs is nice too if non Haven and you purchased spa passes. I guess if you want the spa passes figure the cost of those and the room. If total price isn't much different then I'd go for the Haven.

The 2 bedroom suite rooms are essentially the exact same room as Haven 2 bedroom. The furnishings are very slightly different and a little nicer in the Haven but I probably wouldn't have noticed had I not gone from one directly to the other. Specifically the drapes are a little thicker, dining room chairs a little nicer and the artwork a little different in Haven room. Thats about it and treatment of passengers as in concierge access... great butler, great service was excellent in both rooms.

It basically comes down to if you choose to spend the extra on the actual Haven area which is separated from the rest of the ship and has suite breakfast just down a few stairs in moderno and cagneys instead of walking from non Haven suite to this area on deck 13 for breakfast and lunch. The ship isn't that big so walk isn't going to be far.

The Haven owners suites aren't located in the Haven but have Haven access. Honestly I'd purchase a spa pass if in an owner suite because the spa is a lot closer to them than the Haven area.

There's two other non Haven categories that don't include Haven access. Se and sf. Those also include all access to suite amenities i.e. Butler, concierge, dining but no Haven courtyard access. Those rooms don't have an equivalent Haven room, unless counting the spare bedrooms in garden villas. They are basically the same size of the spare GV bedrooms.

I can be just as happy in an inside cabin and if not in a Haven suite would just as soon stay in the least expensive room on the ship. There's a certain thrill I get knowing how little I'm spending on an excellent vacation. I've always received excellent service no matter what stateroom I'm sailing in. I don't find suite breakfast and lunch any better tasting- just easier.

Regarding the speciality dining I've concluded we much prefer it to the mdr so it's an expense I'm going to pay for regardless of what room I'm in.

I will say our last sailing on the Jade was two weeks with three separate tour groups totaling 1200 non English speaking Chinese which made public areas difficult. The Haven area was truly a respite from an immense crowd and really loud volume in public areas. I was very thankful to have the Haven area for some actual rnr. I don't want my vacation to be a lesson in patience. I knew that I would be shoved around and squished into the elevators and public areas but once I got off on 14 I could relax.

This cruise was more expensive than any vacation I've ever taken and had we not had the Haven I would have bailed in Iceland. its the first time I've experienced something like this en mass but I suspect likely not the last. Some things you can predict- spring break crowds.. but large charter groups are not typically foreseeable.

During the cruise on Holland Oosterdam the president of Atlantis was taking reservations for next year cruise. I did not go thru a travel agent. I should call NCL but probably say the web site is correct. We will see.

Perhaps this person has an inside information but.. if NCL was actually changing embarkation ports and switching up sailings on each end just because they can generate their own power for the few hours in San Diego? Sorry but it sounds highly implausible. Now if he told you his company was chartering the ship for the days it is scheduled LA to Tampa that would make sense but it's sounds a lot more plausible that the ta just had their stuff printed wrong and when questioned Made up a really lame excuse.

I'm also west coast and always get Arizona office. A couple years ago a friend on the east coast gave me her Miami pcc number and I've used him since. It's nice because he knows what I want, will get me the cabin I want and most importantly he's available if there's a change or problem. Easy to email him anytime and then he'll get it done. I didn't mind using the Arizona office- they always seemed knowledgeable and easy to work with too but it is easier to have one contact person. With the time difference he says to just call the 800 number if I need to get something done outside his hrs. I've asked him about commissions too. Basically he still gets something if I want to transfer to a ta for extra goodies on a more expensive sailing. I just wait a few weeks so he gets partial commission. Having been burned in the past with cancellations, I stuck with the pcc for the last few. Seems ncl has really stepped up with taking care of passengers the past year and so I don't worry about that so much anymore.

The other thing we did was to look out at the horizon. I read this can help if the ship is really rolling. Remember that most cruises you rarely even notice that you are out at sea. I've been on many cruises and it wasn't till the last one on our way to Iceland that I felt a ship really rolling around as in glassware would slide off table if not held and walking up and down stairs was a weightless feeling you get on a roller coaster. Despite being forward and high stateroom location, we didn't get sick. I am certain it was the ginger candy and looking at horizon here and there. Your stateroom location midship is a much better location to prevent seasickness and it's fairly rare that a ship is rolling around in very rough seas.

We just finish the yearly Mexico cruise. San Diego round trip Oct 14 to 21 on Holland America Oosterdam. While on the trip Atlantis was signing up the current passengers. Same time and San Diego but on NCL Pearl. We asked the question about the ship is leaveing the 20th from Los Angeles. Our cruise returns to San Diego on the 21st. The answer had to do with power while docking. Los Angels wants the ship to turn off its power and use land based power. San Diego lets the ship make its own power. I could be wrong. We will see who is right soon.

I'm certain that In years past that NCL has used LA as a port. They could possibly charter the October 20 la - Tampa sailing but that would still not solve your San Diego port and sail date discrepancy. I'm betting the travel agency booking you on the recent sailing has it wrong. They aren't going to take the ship and move the itineraries before and switch dates just to save a few bucks on a couple hours of power. At this point that would cost an immense amount of $. Sounds like the Atlantis salesperson had it wrong when signing up passengers.

It is included. Can also have speciality dining in room but you pay the going rate unless you have as a perk. If you get speciality dinner in room you'll get a bill. If you have a package it's going to say total zero with extra line for additional tip. You tip butler at end of cruise so I just put zero for extra tip and then adjusted what I gave butler at the end. For breakfast or lunch just write down what you want and time you want it.