"I wish I knew before..."

[julie3fan]

Having just said that toilet wipes should not be flushed down the toilet, I will bust the urban legend about the "provided" toilet paper. There is nothing special about the toilet paper the cruise line supplies, other than it is cheap, and they got a good deal on bulk quantities. There is nothing at all wrong with bringing your own TP if you so desire. I have worked with vacuum toilet systems for over 30 years, and have never had to clear a clog caused by a "wrong" or "different" toilet paper.

I HATE HATE HATE the ship's TP. It shreds and doesn't seem to do the job it's designed for. So that I don't have to bring multiple rolls for our 2 week cruises, I take their TP and just wrap 3 or so squares of my "nice" TP around it. That's all I need to stop the shredding, and I get by with only bringing 1 roll of my own.

 

chengkp75, thank you for providing this TP info. I've always felt like I was breaking the rules by using a little bit of my nice TP. Now if we could just get the room stewards to not confiscate the good TP when they see it!

[suzyed]

Even at home, those "flushable" wipes should not be flushed. Just because they can be doesn't mean they should be. :)

 

 

 

We will definitely be bringing our own pillows. We make buckwheat hull pillows (it's our small business) and two weeks of sleeping on a foam pillow will make a relaxing vacation painful. They're big and heavy, but we're not flying to the port.

We're driving to port but flying home...so not too sure I want to carry a bed pillow with me....hmmm...gotta think about this.

[hdowney]

I would like to - I do particularly like my own pillow - but as we are flying in this year, it is possibly not viable. However next year we are driving so....

[Hsmama]

4. If you enjoy girly, spa, pampering ... but are on a budget and cant go for the massage or facial, etc. Consider the THERMAL SPA ... heaven on earth ... use at your leisure, relax, read or nap on the heated loungers, use the mild or hot steam rooms, enjoy or even share a (swim suit on) Tropical Rain shower with optional Icy Drench. I personally didn't care for the aromatherapy room (something was 'off' with the scent for me) but its there too if you like it. This will run you $30 per day currently, or get better price per day for the whole week ... but then you also have to factor in whether you will use it every day or not.

 

4a. even if you don't decide to spend $ on the Thermal Spa you can use the dry Sauna and Steam rooms in the (separate) Ladies and Men's changing/locker rooms. Unless I am mistaken, since access to the work out facilities is free, you can access these at no charge ... regardless of whether you actually work out or not.

I'm curious about these thermal spas....... our HA ship apparently has them.... but I need to see what they are exactly before buying time with it...... does HAL have steam rooms also?

[CptSticky]

I would like to - I do particularly like my own pillow - but as we are flying in this year, it is possibly not viable. However next year we are driving so....

 

 

Get a window seat on the plane. Just think how comfy you would be with your pillow against the window[emoji6]

 

 

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[Cro_and_Swan]

I'm curious about these thermal spas....... our HA ship apparently has them.... but I need to see what they are exactly before buying time with it...... does HAL have steam rooms also?

 

I believe most (if not al)l ships will give you a quick tour of the Thermal Spa if you wish to take a few minutes to look yours over in person and find out what all is included. Here are the tile loungers that I loved so much on the BotS ...

[Ga_Peach_12]

A lot of people need the fan or whitenoise to sleep -- not silence. People get used to sleeping with fans or other noise at home -- and want it on the cruise too.

 

So, it isn't a matter of ear plugs being a solution for them -- because they aren't looking to make it more quiet necessarily.

 

Just to note it.

 

- John...

 

I am one of those people. I am taking my first cruise in July.(VERY EXCITED)!!! I need white noise and I usually just use a white noise app on my cell phone. It works great. I just tried it and it works in airplane mode with no wifi turned on. There's an app for that

[Ga_Peach_12]

If you do bring "flushable" wipes with you, please do not send these down the toilet, place them in the wastebasket in the bathroom. So-called "flushable" wipes, even in municipal sewer systems have been known to cause blockages, they are worse in private septic systems, and will cause untold headaches for the engineers and great annoyance to your fellow passengers when their toilets don't work because your wipes caused a vacuum blockage. The difference between toilet paper and toilet wipes (or baby or facial wipes for that matter) is that toilet paper is made from "pressed" paper fibers, which will dissolve when wet, while wipes are made from "woven" fibers which are designed to stay intact while wet. These woven fiber products, when used in a vacuum toilet system on a cruise ship, will cause blockages resulting in blocks of cabins being without flushing toilets for hours to days while the blockage is cleared.

 

Do all you want to to pamper your backside, but do not put toilet wipes down the toilet. This is why your suggestion has not been mentioned in 117 pages.

 

Sounds like another good use for ziplocs :)

[lennydebbie]

The drink they offer when you board the ship is NOT free!

What if you have the Ultimate Beverage Package?

[julie3fan]

Then it's free, unless taxes are charged in that port.

[lennydebbie]

Then it's free, unless taxes are charged in that port.

 

 

You're right! I remember reading that somewhere! Thanks!

 

 

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[Ga_Peach_12]

omg when i started the last post was in 70's read to 50 and its up to nearly 100! Plan to read the rest tomorrow and expect a post saying ' dang go ahead and pack your entire wardrobe because you are worth it!!!' lol

 

YES!!!! I am waiting on that post too. I like pretty clothes...taking my first cruise is a great reason to buy new pretty clothes. I have no idea how I am going to pack and then take out half. I mean ...I am not flying. If I can fit it into the luggage..why not take it?

[luckyinpa]

what cruise lines give you drinks as you are boarding? i heard about this on threads like this

 

i know ncl does not. been on BA 2 times and other than free haven drinks, nothing while walking on board

[PamJack]

When we boarded Celebrity Constellation in February, 2014, we were given a glass of champagne.

 

 

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[CptSticky]

When we boarded Celebrity Constellation in February, 2014, we were given a glass of champagne.

 

 

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That is typical for Celebrity.

 

 

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[Kiwi_mum]

When we boarded Celebrity Constellation in February, 2014, we were given a glass of champagne.

 

 

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Also FREE on the Celebrity Solstice two weeks ago.:)

[DISFANS3]

You pay for the first day, show up early. We arrive at port to check in by 10;15 am, most of time we are walking on board by 11 am or 11;30. You can not get in your cabin until latter but boarding early give you time to look around the ship and have lunch..

[ColdinNH99]

Anybody how many bottles of wine you can take on NCL Dawn? I am doing a cruise on it 4/23/17

 

 

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[julie3fan]

Anybody how many bottles of wine you can take on NCL Dawn? I am doing a cruise on it 4/23/17

 

 

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You can bring as many as you like, but you pay $15 per bottle corkage fee for every bottle over your allotment. I think it's 2 free per cabin, but you can easily check on NCL's website.

[ColdinNH99]

You can bring as many as you like, but you pay $15 per bottle corkage fee for every bottle over your allotment. I think it's 2 free per cabin, but you can easily check on NCL's website.

Thank you so much for the info

We are traveling on NCL basically for the first time in like 18 years so how is different from carnival, I am very interested in adult only pool decks

[lennydebbie]

Anybody how many bottles of wine you can take on NCL Dawn? I am doing a cruise on it 4/23/17

 

 

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My understanding is that NCL recently changed the beverage policy and you cannot bring any beverage on for free. They will charge you a $15 corkage fee even if you open it yourself in your cabin. Bottle Water is not allowed any more I guess. But I would read the policy on NCL' website just to be sure.

 

 

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[julie3fan]

My understanding is that NCL recently changed the beverage policy and you cannot bring any beverage on for free. They will charge you a $15 corkage fee even if you open it yourself in your cabin. Bottle Water is not allowed any more I guess. But I would read the policy on NCL' website just to be sure.

 

 

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You can't bring any beverage on, free or otherwise, other than wine. Good advice to read the policy, too!

[lennydebbie]

You can't bring any beverage on, free or otherwise, other than wine. Good advice to read the policy, too!

 

 

I saw posts of people who brought a case of bottled water assuming they could bring it on like in the past and had to dump it all at the port!

[teecee46]

Anybody how many bottles of wine you can take on NCL Dawn? I am doing a cruise on it 4/23/17

 

 

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Can I bring water or soda on board?

Effective for sailings July 15, 2016 and beyond, guests are prohibited from bringing any beverages -- including liquor, beer and non-alcoholic drinks such as water, soda and juices -- on board either as carry-on or checked luggage, with the exception of purified or distilled water in factory-sealed containers for use in conjunction with medical devices or for the reconstitution of infant formula; and fully sealed and/or corked wine bottles for personal consumption onboard that is subject to screening and a corkage fee (for guests 21 years of age or older). Open beverages of any kind must be consumed or discarded at the security check-point, on embarkation day and at any port of call. This revised policy brings the company in line with other best practise travel security protocols and reduces the need for individual time consuming screening and package inspection of large volumes of beverages.

[Underwatr]

I like the implication that it's for your safety. :)