BEWARE! NCL PRIMA SLIDES OBSTRUCTING BALCONY VIEWS INCLUDING HAVEN ROOMS!

[mpk]

On 9/5/2022 at 3:04 PM, TrumpyNor said:

Here is another link to a website that shows photos taken on board the Prima at the beginning of last month - including several photos of the waterslides going "through" stateroom balconies:

https://thepointsguy.co.uk/news/norwegian-prima-photos-first-look/

 

Here is one of the photos from that website, and I would NOT be very happy if that was MY balcony it was going through....

 

I originally thought Prima and Viva were going to give Celebrity a run for their money.  With the outlandish multi-deck water slides and high fares, I guess they're going after a younger crowd with a fair amount of disposable income.

[SeaShark]

1 minute ago, mpk said:

 

I originally thought Prima and Viva were going to give Celebrity a run for their money.  With the outlandish multi-deck water slides and high fares, I guess they're going after a younger crowd with a fair amount of disposable income.

 

Of course, you do realize that these are not "multi-deck water slides", right?

[Paphillyguy]

40 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Of course, you do realize that these are not "multi-deck water slides", right?

By the pictures they certainly are multideck

[hallux]

1 minute ago, Paphillyguy said:

By the pictures they certainly are multideck

Sure, but they're not waterslides.  At least not all of them are.

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

Sure, but they're not waterslides.  At least not all of them are.

 

Per "real action video" posted upthread, at least one of these is indeed a "water slide" and at least one is "dry".  (There seem to be three total?? - 2 on one side, and maybe one on the other, from a diagram?)

 

The "dry" slides have the rider get in a sort of pouch, which has an enclosed "foot section", and it appears then to have some sort of attached material under the entire person, as they slide foot-first downward.

 

Whether it is wet or dry is sort of besides the point here as far as I can tell...

 

GC

[SeaShark]

52 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Per "real action video" posted upthread, at least one of these is indeed a "water slide" and at least one is "dry".  (There seem to be three total?? - 2 on one side, and maybe one on the other, from a diagram?)

 

The "dry" slides have the rider get in a sort of pouch, which has an enclosed "foot section", and it appears then to have some sort of attached material under the entire person, as they slide foot-first downward.

 

Whether it is wet or dry is sort of besides the point here as far as I can tell...

 

GC

 

Well, actually there are four slides...three dry, and one wet. The waterslide is on the top deck. The three dry slides are the ones that go from the lido deck to the waterfront.

 

And when someone frames them as "outlandish multi story waterslides" I think whether they are wet or dry IS the point since that information is used to paint the narrative.

 

 

FWIW...it is also relevant since it has been discussed numerous times in this thread that these are dry slides which, if nothing else, indicates that a poster who talks about water slides is simply jumping into the discussion without even bothering to read the thread.

[GeezerCouple]

2 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Well, actually there are four slides...three dry, and one wet. The waterslide is on the top deck. The three dry slides are the ones that go from the lido deck to the waterfront.

 

And when someone frames them as "outlandish multi story waterslides" I think whether they are wet or dry IS the point since that information is used to paint the narrative.

 

 

FWIW...it is also relevant since it has been discussed numerous times in this thread that these are dry slides which, if nothing else, indicates that a poster who talks about water slides is simply jumping into the discussion without even bothering to read the thread.

 

C'mon... It's the location and exterior appearance that is causing the concerns.  I agree that "waterslides" may not be the proper moniker for all of them, but does that really matter?  Those exterior tubes winding around in front of some accommodations and through some balconies (or through a "faux balcony immediately next to a real balcony", if you prefer) could be full of supplies, and I'd be just as unhappy (that's a euphemism for how we'd really feel to find that right in front of our window or balcony).

 

And especially since the tube is mostly opaque... it needs to be outside because...?

Sure, there seem to be a few "skylights".  Would the effect be noticeably different if those were faux skylights, and instead some artificial lighting?  Would it be noticeable at all?

 

Something just went awry with the design of these.

The effect for those wanting to enjoy the experience could have been achieved without all of the expense to the views/visibility of others.

 

GC

[CruiseAF]

It’s funny people are still talking about the slides that have never been on the ship and most of the people on the ship aren’t reporting back this problem at all. 
 

You SHOULD be concerned about the reports of the creaking and groaning of the ship that almost everyone is posting on their FB and YouTube. Many people are losing sleep over it especially in the Haven. 
 

Now THATS a problem that should be a 6 page thread. Not tubes imposing on a view. 

[SeaShark]

6 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

C'mon... It's the location and exterior appearance that is causing the concerns.  I agree that "waterslides" may not be the proper moniker for all of them, but does that really matter?  Those exterior tubes winding around in front of some accommodations and through some balconies (or through a "faux balcony immediately next to a real balcony", if you prefer) could be full of supplies, and I'd be just as unhappy (that's a euphemism for how we'd really feel to find that right in front of our window or balcony).

 

And especially since the tube is mostly opaque... it needs to be outside because...?

Sure, there seem to be a few "skylights".  Would the effect be noticeably different if those were faux skylights, and instead some artificial lighting?  Would it be noticeable at all?

 

Something just went awry with the design of these.

The effect for those wanting to enjoy the experience could have been achieved without all of the expense to the views/visibility of others.

 

GC

 

Yes...it really matters believe it or not. Waterslides would be a whole new thing...bringing water and people in wet bathing suits from the pool deck to the waterfront. (What about their shoes, towels, etc? How would the wet people get back to the top deck?). Also...water slides can, and do, leak...so dripping water would be a whole new issue to deal with. Not to mention that water continually flows through a waterslide so that fact would create noise even when not in use by people.

 

And it needs to be outside because, well, just image the hand-wringing if the slides were through the interior of the cabins instead of outside. 🙄

 

And FWIW, if they make you (or anyone else) so unhappy, why not just book a cabin that isn't right next to them? I know its a revolutionary solution, but it has to be better than all this drama, no?

[dandelpino]

11 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

if they make you (or anyone else) so unhappy, why not just book a cabin that isn't right next to them? I know its a revolutionary solution, but it has to be better than all this drama, no?

 

The solution is very obvious to you now since you have the power of hindsight. The crux of the issue (as per the OP) is that NCL did not previously afford people the ability to use your solution. The slides were not shown on deck plans last year when many were booking cruises for this year and next. People like the OP are finding out about the slides today and they may not be able to change their cabins to a comparable one elsewhere on the ship.

 

Sure, this is a short term problem limited to those who already booked but still to this day the slides don't know on the cabin section section of the NCL website booking process. So yea, booking a cabin that isn't next to slides is certainly a solution but that solution didn't work when the location of the slides is not readily available.  

Edited September 16, 2022 by dandelpino

[GeezerCouple]

2 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

...

And it needs to be outside because, well, just image the hand-wringing if the slides were through the interior of the cabins instead of outside. 🙄

 

And FWIW, if they make you (or anyone else) so unhappy, why not just book a cabin that isn't right next to them? I know its a revolutionary solution, but it has to be better than all this drama, no?

[emphasis added]

 

Okay, NOW we are in sync!  You've convinced me, Big Time! 😉 

Yes, IF the choice is a big tube going through my balcony, or interfering with my ability to walk around my cabin... fair enough.  (Gaak - what a choice.  I'll choose Door #3 please!)

 

And as I've mentioned, IF it was made absolutely clear AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE, and not depending upon whether someone reads CruiseCritic, or knows to look up deck plans (right - not everyone knows about that, especially newbies, but they should be informed, too!), then I have NO PROBLEM if someone else has accommodations that I don't care for.  

 

Given that we travel in suites, there are in fact lots of others who travel in accommodations that we don't particularly want at this point in our lives.

(To be clear, my first cruise, back in the 1970s, was in an inside cabin with a bunk bed, and barely room to move into the teeny tiny bathroom, but HEY, we had a *PRIVATE* BATHROOM - Hurray!  And I'm very serious about that. 🙂   Those were also the days of "a shared bathroom down the hall" sometimes. albeit not any cruise ship I was ever on.  Bottom line is that I was hooked on cruising *immediately*, and my next cruise the next year was also an inside with a bunk bed, but at least I had it to myself; there was indeed room for one person to stand up! <joke alert!>)

 

Just make it clear what someone is buying *before* they make the purchase, and then... there's probably "something for everyone".  And that's truly very nice, the way it should be.

 

GC

[Sailing12Away]

3 hours ago, dandelpino said:

 

The solution is very obvious to you now since you have the power of hindsight. The crux of the issue (as per the OP) is that NCL did not previously afford people the ability to use your solution. The slides were not shown on deck plans last year when many were booking cruises for this year and next. People like the OP are finding out about the slides today and they may not be able to change their cabins to a comparable one elsewhere on the ship.

 

Sure, this is a short term problem limited to those who already booked but still to this day the slides don't know on the cabin section section of the NCL website booking process. So yea, booking a cabin that isn't next to slides is certainly a solution but that solution didn't work when the location of the slides is not readily available.  

In all the renderings, the exterior slides were visible. Maybe not the specific room that they cut through, but they were present and shown. So for someone to book a brand new ship based on rendered drawings and ignore those monster slides if they would be offended by them and not do some basic counting to see the general area they're planned to be in... sorry, but shame on them. 

 

You can't show up to the holiday grab bag party, stick your hand in blindly, and then get pissy when you pull out a hand crocheted toaster cover. You should have read through the sign-up sheet first to see that Karen, Karen Junior, and Gladys who only talks about retiring 'one day' so she can spend more time with the grands were the only ones participating along with you.

[BermudaBound2014]

The dry slide doesn't look that fast. This guy didn't even make it to the end.......

 

 

[Zippeedee]

17 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

The dry slide doesn't look that fast. This guy didn't even make it to the end.......

 

 

That looked like a miserable worm crawl at the end. 

[BermudaBound2014]

18 minutes ago, Zippeedee said:

That looked like a miserable worm crawl at the end. 

IKR? I know the odds are small because of the safety precautions; but Whenever I get stuck on a slide I’m terrified someone will come barreling into me. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 hours ago, CruiseAF said:

You SHOULD be concerned about the reports of the creaking and groaning of the ship that almost everyone is posting on their FB and YouTube. Many people are losing sleep over it especially in the Haven. 

Probably just new ship syndrome, kind of like a new house that has to settle for a few years.

 

40 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

The dry slide doesn't look that fast. This guy didn't even make it to the end.......

 

 

Yikes!  Get the stick!!!

[Karaboudjan]

1 hour ago, Sailing12Away said:

In all the renderings, the exterior slides were visible. Maybe not the specific room that they cut through, but they were present and shown. So for someone to book a brand new ship based on rendered drawings and ignore those monster slides if they would be offended by them and not do some basic counting to see the general area they're planned to be in... sorry, but shame on them. 

 

You can't show up to the holiday grab bag party, stick your hand in blindly, and then get pissy when you pull out a hand crocheted toaster cover. You should have read through the sign-up sheet first to see that Karen, Karen Junior, and Gladys who only talks about retiring 'one day' so she can spend more time with the grands were the only ones participating along with you.

 

That's not quite correct.  The slides were not announced or shown on the early Prima renderings.  The version of the Prima home page from August 12 2021 does not show them.  It looks like the update on September 20 introduced the slides along with the go-kart track.  I know it was speculated about on here earlier but that would not have been general knowledge or confirmed.

[dandelpino]

2 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

In all the renderings, the exterior slides were visible. Maybe not the specific room that they cut through, but they were present and shown. So for someone to book a brand new ship based on rendered drawings and ignore those monster slides if they would be offended by them and not do some basic counting to see the general area they're planned to be in... sorry, but shame on them. 

 

You can't show up to the holiday grab bag party, stick your hand in blindly, and then get pissy when you pull out a hand crocheted toaster cover. You should have read through the sign-up sheet first to see that Karen, Karen Junior, and Gladys who only talks about retiring 'one day' so she can spend more time with the grands were the only ones participating along with you.

Again, you are using the benefit of hindsight here. Early renders did not show slides. They weren’t in the renderings, they weren’t present, and they weren’t shown. 
 

Here (1) and here (2) are early renders of the Prima. These are hosted by NCL themselves and you can download a high res version to zoom in as much as you’d like. But despite how hard you look or how much “basic counting” you do, you will not find any slides. 
 

Your metaphors might be cute but ultimately irrelevant. You are saying it’s the consumer’s fault for not seeing slides that weren’t there and that’s just wrong. 
 

NCL started selling cabins in May 2021 and the slides were revealed in September 2021. They probably sold out the first few sailings in that time and yet they weren’t giving people the information needed to make an informed decision. 

Edited September 17, 2022 by dandelpino

[LGW59]

11 minutes ago, dandelpino said:

Again, you are using the benefit of hindsight here. Early renders did not show slides. They weren’t in the renderings, they weren’t present, and they weren’t shown. 
 

Here (1) and here (2) are early renders of the Prima. These are hosted by NCL themselves and you can download a high res version to zoom in as much as you’d like. But despite how hard you look or how much “basic counting” you do, you will not find any slides. 
 

Your metaphors might be cute but ultimately irrelevant. You are saying it’s the consumer’s fault for not seeing slides that weren’t there and that’s just wrong. 
 

NCL started selling cabins in May 2021 and the slides were revealed in September 2021. They probably sold out the first few sailings in that time and yet they weren’t giving people the information needed to make an informed decision. 

Seems much ado about something that can’t be remedied, but now going forward people know before they book, or at least those that look at that level of detail.  Getting upset about it now changes nothing.

[GeezerCouple]

3 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

IKR? I know the odds are small because of the safety precautions; but Whenever I get stuck on a slide I’m terrified someone will come barreling into me. 

 

Well, on *this* slide, no one seems likely to be "barrelling" into anyone... or anything!

You might risk getting a gentle bump, if that. 😄

Or maybe the next person would get stuck even higher up!? 😠

 

GC

[ChiefMateJRK]

21 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Well, on *this* slide, no one seems likely to be "barrelling" into anyone... or anything!

You might risk getting a gentle bump, if that. 😄

Or maybe the next person would get stuck even higher up!? 😠

 

GC

The other poster had a real concern.  I personally know somebody who suffered a significant injury (on a cruise shore excursion), when a water slide malfunctioned and, upon startup, somebody was sent barreling into his back.  Why do you think this is a joke?

[GeezerCouple]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

The other poster had a real concern.  I personally know somebody who suffered a significant injury (on a cruise shore excursion), whRen a water slide malfunctioned and, upon startup, somebody was sent barreling into his back.  Why do you think this is a joke?

 

 

Sheesh, do you need to turn everything into an argument?

[Yes, we know the answer to that...]

 

Of COURSE there can be dangers like what you mention, unfortunately.  Other dangers, too!

 

But this was a joke about the slowpoke nature of this particular situation.

That's all.

And I suspect almost everyone understood that.  "Almost" everyone...

 

But if you prefer to blow it up into something else, you could also list all other sorts of issues if you like.  That's up to you, obviously.

 

RM

[ChiefMateJRK]

11 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

But this was a joke about the slowpoke nature of this particular situation.

That's all.

So you think that @BermudaBound2014's post was a joke?  Nice....  Your posts (continue) to speak for themselves.

[CruiseAF]

8 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Probably just new ship syndrome, kind of like a new house that has to settle for a few years.

 

Yikes!  Get the stick!!!

 

[Karaboudjan]

1 hour ago, CruiseAF said:

 

 

This is interesting but has nothing to do with the slides.  I suggest that someone who has experienced this noise/vibration first-hand start a new topic.