We've talked about how awful it is what they did on the Getaway, right?

[PortFees45]

I didn't think NCL could sink any lower than the shrimp cocktail upcharge, but closing off the entire port/forward sundecks to the public to expand Vibe is downright disgusting. 

 

I can't count how many times I've walked past the normal-sized Vibe on previous cruises, and it was deserted. Even in good weather it closes at night. 

 

Now besides losing the only really quiet public sundeck on the ship, passengers can't stroll to the front of the ship at night, and that large portion of the ship will sit entirely unused for large periods while everyone else is jammed into the remaining spaces. 

 

Disgusting. Shame on you, NCL. 

 

I'm a loyal Platinum cruiser, but Frank Del Rio listen here and listen good...I will never set foot on one of your garbage new ships. I sail out of NYC, and I know the Bliss is on the way. I don't care. The Bliss similarly has the port and forward upper sundecks blocked off to the public, but in this case it's for expanded Haven access (I can't decide if that's more or less offensive than the Vibe expansion). 

 

I'll sail the Escape so long as the Vibe remains unmodified, and I'll always jump at the opportunity to sail on the elegant and perfect Gem. 

 

But this return to Titanic-era class systems, with whole tiers of the ship off limits to general passengers when the -Away ships are already overcrowded as it is just reeks of rank corporate greed. The shrimp cocktail thing is just tacky and annoying, but it won't ruin anyone's cruise. This, on the other hand, has a major impact on ship quality of life, and it's a disgrace. 

[perditax]

I saw it discussed in another thread about a month ago, yes, but lately some (possibly unemployed? tons of free time) posters are making sure only Haven drama threads stay at the top all the time.:)

 

The vibe thing is exactly why I don’t expect the gorgeous observation lounges on Bliss etc to remain free and open to the public forever. Too much super-prime real estate not earning additional revenue aside from one bar. It goes completely against the business model of the FDR administration. I’m sure in a few years I’ll be digging up a post like this and quoting myself to say “told ya”. 

 

PS, when I read your thread title I thought you meant getting rid of the (free and excellent) Flamingo Grill and replacing it with a (paid and tacky) Margaritaville. I’m guessing most people have forgotten about this one, and new cruisers will never know what they missed. 

Edited June 23, 2019 by perditax

[PortFees45]

1 minute ago, perditax said:

I saw it discussed in another thread about a month ago, yes, but lately some (possibly unemployed? tons of free time) posters are making sure only Haven drama threads stay at the top all the time.:)

 

The vibe thing is exactly why I don’t expect the gorgeous observation lounges on Bliss etc to remain free and open to the public forever. Too much super-prime real estate not earning additional revenue aside from one bar. I’m sure in a few years I’ll be digging up a post like this and quoting myself to say “told ya”. 

 

PS, when I read your thread title I thought you meant getting rid of the (free and excellent) Flamingo Grill and replacing it with a (paid and tacky) Margaritaville. I’m guessing most people have forgotten about this one, and new cruisers will never know what they missed. 

 

It will always be the Uptown Bar & Grill to me

[perditax]

Just now, PortFees45 said:

 

It will always be the Uptown Bar & Grill to me

 

But your thread is about Getaway. 😛

[JamieLogical]

It looks like this is the direction NCL is going in for future dry docks and new ships. The recently released deck plans for the Encore have the enter front 1/3 of the ship reserved for Vibe and Haven now.

[PortFees45]

1 minute ago, perditax said:

 

But your thread is about Getaway. 😛

Only because that's the only ship they've made this modification on, as far as I know.

 

I actually sailed on the Getaway's last Bahamas run before its transatlantic and drydock in April. I spent a ton of time enjoying the now off-limits area. Glad I got in under the wire. I'd have been absolutely livid if I'd gotten on board planning to head to the front of the ship for sailaway only to be blocked by this new door/wall. 

[elwood_98034]

We are in the Haven in a couple of months. We are paying up to 20 times the price of an inside cabin. They are taking their profits where they can.

[mertziek]

8 minutes ago, perditax said:

 

PS, when I read your thread title I thought you meant getting rid of the (free and excellent) Flamingo Grill and replacing it with a (paid and tacky) Margaritaville. I’m guessing most people have forgotten about this one, and new cruisers will never know what they missed. 

Yup, we are two of those cruisers who don’t know what Flamingo Grill is/was.  😳😢

[PortFees45]

4 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

It looks like this is the direction NCL is going in for future dry docks and new ships. The recently released deck plans for the Encore have the enter front 1/3 of the ship reserved for Vibe and Haven now.

Absolutely zero interest in the Encore (or the Bliss). 

[Two Wheels Only]

16 minutes ago, PortFees45 said:

The Bliss similarly has the port and forward upper sundecks blocked off to the public, but in this case it's for expanded Haven access (I can't decide if that's more or less offensive than the Vibe expansion).  

 

Expanded Haven access would make the most sense if part of the forward-facing sundeck was for adult (16+) Haven guests and the other half was for all Haven guests.

[NRWPA]

6 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

It looks like this is the direction NCL is going in for future dry docks and new ships. The recently released deck plans for the Encore have the enter front 1/3 of the ship reserved for Vibe and Haven now.

Well, I've been getting mostly comped cruises from the casino and doubt even I can gamble THAT much. When I see that other gamblers have gotten a haven I just wonder how much they had to gamble. BTW, JamieLogical, enjoy your posts and especially your advice re bidding.

[Lupush]

"Listen here and listen good"? 

 

SMH.

[perditax]

5 minutes ago, mertziek said:

Yup, we are two of those cruisers who don’t know what Flamingo Grill is/was.  😳😢

 

One deck up from the buffet, Flamingo Grill was a fantastic, complimentary Cuban restaurant on the Getaway. It was the first meal I ever ate on a cruise ship. It did breakfast and lunch. For breakfast it was a traditional small buffet, but also had fantastic Cuban pastries (cheese and guava, for example). Lunch had amazing, fresh grilled chicken, black beans and rice, fried sweet plantains, fried yucca, and some other stuff I’m probably forgetting. Maybe ropa vieja or a pork dish. I can’t remember what they had for desserts because the plantains were always my dessert, but there was probably some tres leches cake or flan. 

 

I think it lasted 2-3 years after launch before it was converted to a paid venue. That was my first lesson in the Way of NCL. 

[PortFees45]

2 minutes ago, Lupush said:

"Listen here and listen good"? 

 

SMH.

Forgive me for questioning the Dear Leader

[PortFees45]

3 minutes ago, perditax said:

 

One deck up from the buffet, Flamingo Grill was a fantastic, complimentary Cuban restaurant on the Getaway. It was the first meal I ever ate on a cruise ship. It did breakfast and lunch. For breakfast it was a traditional small buffet, but also had fantastic Cuban pastries (cheese and guava, for example). Lunch had amazing, fresh grilled chicken, black beans and rice, fried sweet plantains, fried yucca, and some other stuff I’m probably forgetting. Maybe ropa vieja or a pork dish. I can’t remember what they had for desserts because the plantains were always my dessert, but there was probably some tres leches cake or flan. 

 

I think it lasted 2-3 years after launch before it was converted to a paid venue. That was my first lesson in the Way of NCL. 

Yeah on the Breakaway you could get a kickass free burger at Uptown. Once word got around a day or two into the cruise the place would be PACKED. Now it's a perpetual ghost town with Margaritaville...still a nice spot for breakfast, though 

[Lupush]

Just now, PortFees45 said:

Forgive me for questioning the Dear Leader

Do you really think the rhetoric does anything to help make your point?  Trust me, FDR or anyone else reading these boards is not going to be threatened by your words.  As long as he keeps beating top and bottom line profits, that's all that matters.  NCL's stock performance under FDR is the driving force behind all of this.

[perditax]

4 minutes ago, Lupush said:

Do you really think the rhetoric does anything to help make your point?  Trust me, FDR or anyone else reading these boards is not going to be threatened by your words.  As long as he keeps beating top and bottom line profits, that's all that matters.  NCL's stock performance under FDR is the driving force behind all of this.

 

The corollary, of course, is that the corporation doesn’t need your defending either.

Edited June 23, 2019 by perditax

[careyayn22]

Yeah, we just got off the Joy. There are a lot of great things and a lot of SMH things going on. 

 

This was only my third cruise (second on NCL). I am wondering if I’d be happier on another line or if their weaknesses will be just as annoying. I find the “public” pools ridiculously small and the MDR was very disappointing. It does seem like the general riff raff is supposed to just be happy to be on the ship and not to question anything NCL does. 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2019 by careyayn22

[valleyvillage]

4 minutes ago, perditax said:

 

The corollary, of course, is that the corporation doesn’t need your defending either.

Now you've done it, I have to report you for using big words! :)

[perditax]

1 minute ago, careyayn22 said:

Yeah, we just got off the Joy. There are a lot of great things and a lot of SMH things going on. 

 

This is was only my third cruise (second on NCL). I am wondering if I’d be happier on another line or if their weaknesses will be just as annoying. I find the “public” pools ridiculously small and the MDR was very disappointing. It does seem like the general riff raff is supposed to just be happy to be on the ship and not to question anything NCL does. 

 

 

 

Yeah, that’s a frequent refrain here. If the cruise has issues, it’s your fault for not trying hard enough to be happy. It’s all about attitude. At least you’re not at work. Etc. 

[perditax]

1 minute ago, valleyvillage said:

Now you've done it, I have to report you for using big words! 🙂

 

I only bring them out for special occasions!

[elwood_98034]

We are paying 10x the price of an inside cabin just so that when we walk on deck we don't have 10x people standing there with us. I'm sorry. We four are paying for those forty other people not to be there with us.

 

We have bid on a H2. The DOS. If we get that I doubt that we will even leave the cabin. We probably won't even let the butler in.

[PortFees45]

1 minute ago, elwood_98034 said:

We are paying 10x the price of an inside cabin just so that when we walk on deck we don't have 10x people standing there with us. I'm sorry. We four are paying for those forty other people not to be there with us.

 

We have bid on a H2. The DOS. If we get that I doubt that we will even leave the cabin. We probably won't even let the butler in.

Perhaps you should look into sailing Cunard

[elwood_98034]

Just now, PortFees45 said:

Perhaps you should look into sailing Cunard

No. The Haven seems to be meeting our needs so far. Except for the Three Cheese Ziti. 

 

But let us not dwell on the past. Only focus on the future.

[shof515]

28 minutes ago, perditax said:

 

One deck up from the buffet, Flamingo Grill was a fantastic, complimentary Cuban restaurant on the Getaway. It was the first meal I ever ate on a cruise ship. It did breakfast and lunch. For breakfast it was a traditional small buffet, but also had fantastic Cuban pastries (cheese and guava, for example). Lunch had amazing, fresh grilled chicken, black beans and rice, fried sweet plantains, fried yucca, and some other stuff I’m probably forgetting. Maybe ropa vieja or a pork dish. I can’t remember what they had for desserts because the plantains were always my dessert, but there was probably some tres leches cake or flan. 

 

I think it lasted 2-3 years after launch before it was converted to a paid venue. That was my first lesson in the Way of NCL. 

 

i missed the meatball sandwhich from the uptown grill that was on the breakaway