New to NCL....Tips for booking and sailing?

[zdad59]

Hi all.   Wife and I are new to NCL.    We will likely be booking NCL Prima for a January 2023 sailing.     My niece and her husband, who we like sailing with, are big NCL fans.   We are usually RCL or Celebrity loyalists.   Most of our cruises there are steeply discounted from the casino club.   Going to have to start from scratch with NCL.     At first blush, it seems that NCL packages rooms and perks very differently.  So, looking for some insight from experienced NCL cruisers on best ways to book, best way to plan time on board, things to do, upgrades to seriously consider, etc.    We are definatley balcony room at a minimum.   Sailed Celebrity Apex last month in a suite and it was AWESOME.    We usually self-book but may go to a friend that is a TA for this one.

 

Any info/insight is greatly appreciated.   Will read through threads as well.

 

TIA

Edited May 2, 2022 by zdad59

[EeyoreRN]

I don't have answers but am following this thread because I am considering booking a cruise on the Joy next month; I am also wondering what is included and excluded. I have read complaints that many activities are an upcharge?  

[destar]

Great to hear you had an awesome time in the Apex, Im booked for the Apex for next February,  and for the Prima early this November.

If this is your first time booking with NCL, look on their website and purchase a cruise first certificate. If you buy $150 certificate, it is worth double when you redeem. It has to be a 6+ day cruise and at least 120 days away to redeem the certificate.

[JandC_Cruising]

55 minutes ago, zdad59 said:

Hi all.   Wife and I are new to NCL.    We will likely be booking NCL Prima for a January 2023 sailing.     My niece and her husband, who we like sailing with, are big NCL fans.   We are usually RCL or Celebrity loyalists.   Most of our cruises there are steeply discounted from the casino club.   Going to have to start from scratch with NCL.     At first blush, it seems that NCL packages rooms and perks very differently.  So, looking for some insight from experienced NCL cruisers on best ways to book, best way to plan time on board, things to do, upgrades to seriously consider, etc.    We are definatley balcony room at a minimum.   Sailed Celebrity Apex last month in a suite and it was AWESOME.    We usually self-book but may go to a friend that is a TA for this one.

 

Any info/insight is greatly appreciated.   Will read through threads as well.

 

TIA

There is a lot of information to sift through on CC, but here are a couple of basic hints that we have given our friends & family:

 

1. If you enjoy specialty restaurants at all, then take the Specialty Dining Perk.  The 7 day cruises gives you two Specialty restaurant meals.  We have had great meals in every one on the NCL ships.  The only cost is the 20% gratuity.  The two meal plan retails for $89, so that is $17.80pp in gratuities you must pay upfront with your booking.

 

2.  If you plan to have more than (2) Alcoholic drinks per day, you should take the drinks package.  You will get charged the 20% gratuity for the retail cost of the package.  That results in gratuities of $138.60pp for a 7-day cruise.  Again, this is added to your cruise fare and paid at final payment date.  But then, you can drink to your hearts content (anything less than $15 per drink) without any expense while cruising.  Note that NCL's drink package doesn't include bottled/boxed water or specialty coffees.  Any drink over $15 only gets billed at the overage +20%.  So a $20 glass of wine for example will get billed as $5 + 20% or $6 Total.

 

3.   If you do not care about specialty dining or alcohol, and also are fine with NCL picking your balcony cabin, they will often offer "Sail-Away" rates that are less expensive than the one's offering "perks".  The catch is that you do not get to pick your cabin.  You will know your cabin sometime before the cruise, but what they give you is what you get.  Keep in mind that if you then drink you will either pay as you go or need to buy a drink package at retail ($99 per person per day Plus 20% gratuity, so that $831.60pp for a 7-day!)

 

THERMAL SPA!

While the Prima is new and much is unknown, they will have a Spa with a Thermal Suite.  The Thermal Suites on NCL are GREAT!  They have whirlpools, soaking spas, saunas, steam rooms, ice rooms, and room to quietly relax in spa environment (lots of youtube videos you can find for current ships).  We highly recommend this if that is appealing to you.  They sell weekly passes or, you can get one of the Spa Cabins that have access to that section as a perk.

 

 

Hope these little bits help.

Enjoy whatever cruise you pick!  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2022 by JandC_Cruising

[CrazyTrain2]

I have not sailed on NCL YET, but I have booked 3 rooms on the JOY and it has been a Pain in the AFT trying to manage all three rooms with a single NCL account.  It's just not possible without my other guests giving me their login information.  They have been trying to upsell the drink package but seem to be forgetful trying to inquire what is in the regular adult beverage package.

 

What packages are available for the Galaxy VR game room - {Crickets}

What can I use the onboard credit for - {Crickets}

 

IF I ever sail with NCL again it will be with a single cabin not any more.  Perhaps they do a better job with group sales but for 2-5 cabins it's challenging.

 

I'm basically an online type person - I do not want to talk to my PCC for every little question.  I want my vacation and my vacation planning to be as stress free as possible and that means making changes at 3am in my underwear.

[complawyer]

if you want a topnotch experience try and book a haven suite, im certain it will more than compare to anything rcl or celebrity has to offer.  for simpicities sake, go to the ncl website, it will give you a number of choices including date, ships departure points and tell you to book a cruise. it will take you to the cabin choice as well as prices.

 

enjoy your cruise

[hallux]

1 hour ago, EeyoreRN said:

I have read complaints that many activities are an upcharge?

SOME have an up-charge.  Go-karts, laser tag and the Galaxy Pavilion cost extra, as does the Vibe Beach Club (limited-access adults-only sun deck).  Can you have a great time without those activities?  ABSOLUTELY, I did on my March cruise on the Joy and didn't do anything in any of those venues.  They're worth trying once, though.  The karts, laser tag and pavilion are all venues that aren't matched on most lines/ships (RCI has bumper cars on some of their ships, I've done those too but getting on them is a NIGHTMARE).

 

1 hour ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

What packages are available for the Galaxy VR game room - {Crickets}

This information should be available in your cruise planner.

1 hour ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

What can I use the onboard credit for - {Crickets}

Use it to buy things on board.  If it's refundable it can be used for ANYTHING that costs money including your daily DSC, CruiseNext certificates if you decide you want to go on NCL again or any number of other things including the Karts or other for-fee activities. 

 

If it's non-refundable there are restrictions, it can't be used for the DSC or CruiseNext as an example.

 

1 hour ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

They have been trying to upsell the drink package but seem to be forgetful trying to inquire what is in the regular adult beverage package.

Who is trying to upsell?  Who is being forgetful?  The info you need on the beverage packages is in on this page -  https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

I thought there used to be PDF files of what was included (brands/drinks by name) in each, they seem to have disappeared.  This may be a result of supply constraints or constantly fluctuating costs as the base package only includes drinks up to $15 each.