JamieLogical's Live from the Breakaway 10/30 - 11/6

[JamieLogical]

35 minutes ago, Cruising Lynne said:

Hi Jamie. It is exciting that you are trying some different cruise lines. I still enjoy NCL, but have always wanted to go on Meraviglia. I just received an offer from Bally's Twin River for either a Princess or Holland America cruise. I think Princess will be a better fit for me, but have never tried them. I would love to know what you think of them. When is your Princess cruise, and what ship?

 

 

 

I am on the Emerald Princess in 15 days. It will be my first Princess sailing and I will try to do a live blog/review. Will post a link here once I create the thread over on the Princess boards.

[Cruising Lynne]

8 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I am on the Emerald Princess in 15 days. It will be my first Princess sailing and I will try to do a live blog/review. Will post a link here once I create the thread over on the Princess boards.

Thank you. Have a great trip! Can't wait to hear what you think.

[njkate]

Jamie, Oh wow that was just awful, I totally understand how that could turn one off from NCL. I believe Royal had a lift and shift program at that time which worked well for many of their cruisers

Edited December 4, 2022 by njkate

[graphicguy]

12 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Towards the end of the shutdown, NCL announce their Return to Sea, which including sailings out of two Caribbean ports in order to no longer be beholden to the CDC no sail order. One of those was the Joy out of Montego Bay. After having had several cancelations due to COVID restrictions, my husband and I jumped at the opportunity to book a sailing that NCL swore up and down was certain to sail and not be cancelled. We booked a Haven for the first time and even paid to upgrade my parents to a Haven from a normal balcony. We were incredibly excited. Then, just before those sailings were set to start, Alaska cruising opened up. NCL made a reasonable business decision to cancel the Montego Bay sailings and move the already trained crew from the Joy to the Encore and get some Alaska cruises in before the end of the season. I get that the logistics and money-making prospects were stronger for an Alaska season than sailing out of a foreign home port they had never sailed from before. What bothered me though was that they treated this as a normal COVID cancellation. They offered us no additional compensation and no option to switch our booking to the Encore.

 

I was incredibly upset because, while I had unfortunately become accustomed to COVID cancellations that were not NCL's fault, this was 100% their decision and they screwed over their most loyal customers who jumped at the opportunity to book their first "sure to happen" sailings. I felt they should have treated us much better than they did.

You’re being incredibly kind and diplomatic, Jamie!

 

Having been “punted” by NCL during that same period, their repeated and emphatic promises about NOT CANCELLING the sailing out of Montego were quickly and unashamedly CANCELLED it.  

 

During the restart, I applauded their emphasis on testing and vax requirements.  

 

But, those of us who took a leap of faith, as Jamie points out, were mostly their most avid repeat guests.  Didn’t matter.  They didn’t care.  Our belief in NCL and their efforts were kicked to the curb by them at the restart.

 

Will say, I have sailed them again.  Most recently on the same sailing as Jamie, @ESCARGO (Ted) and others here.  We had a grand time.  And, it was one off the cheapest cruises I’ve ever taken, which made it all the better.

 

But, NCL opened the door for me to cruise Celebrity, and soon, MSC again.  Those cruise dollars ordinarily would have gone to NCL.  

 

I’m better for trying new cruise experiences, though.  So, perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise.

[JamieLogical]

13 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I’m better for trying new cruise experiences, though.  So, perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise.

 

I agree. I was so loyal to NCL prior to that experience that I really wasn't considering any other cruise line. I am almost grateful to them now for having forced me to try other lines. I am almost Elite with Celebrity already, I am doing my first sailing on Princess later this month, and I am trying MSC for the first time in April. NCL's loss, but my gain for sure ultimately.

[JamieLogical]

Here's the thread I just started for my live blog of my Princess cruise:

 

 

[vacation44]

15 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

Here's the thread I just started for my live blog of my Princess cruise:

 

 

Thank you.   Even though I am a NCL cruiser, I am also a fan of your reports.

 

Have an wonderful and safe sailing.

Edited December 15, 2022 by vacation44

[KKB]

On 12/2/2022 at 9:34 AM, JamieLogical said:

 

I am certainly going to try, but I don't know how well the wifi will work for me and we have very few port days on our itinerary where I can reliably get cell service.

Excited for this--we sail that same ship/itinerary in April!

Also staying at Crowne Plaza, as we are next week heading to Hawaii in Carnival (oh, we shall see!)

We have cruised Princess more than any other, tho we had not sailed them for 10 years as we took the leap to Celebrity. 

Luckily we snagged 4 this year & glad we did. As good as we remember. 

We find them just below Celebrity in service & food but above NCL.

But NCL shows r the bomb...and love my Waterfront...

 

I also am trying MSC for the 1st time--Divina for 5+7 nts Caribbean in Feb & Preziosa for 10+11 nights Europe in May. Fantastic solo deals! 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by KKB

[Travel Queen 1]

On 12/4/2022 at 10:52 AM, graphicguy said:

You’re being incredibly kind and diplomatic, Jamie!

 

Having been “punted” by NCL during that same period, their repeated and emphatic promises about NOT CANCELLING the sailing out of Montego were quickly and unashamedly CANCELLED it.  

 

During the restart, I applauded their emphasis on testing and vax requirements.  

 

But, those of us who took a leap of faith, as Jamie points out, were mostly their most avid repeat guests.  Didn’t matter.  They didn’t care.  Our belief in NCL and their efforts were kicked to the curb by them at the restart.

 

Will say, I have sailed them again.  Most recently on the same sailing as Jamie, @ESCARGO (Ted) and others here.  We had a grand time.  And, it was one off the cheapest cruises I’ve ever taken, which made it all the better.

 

But, NCL opened the door for me to cruise Celebrity, and soon, MSC again.  Those cruise dollars ordinarily would have gone to NCL.  

 

I’m better for trying new cruise experiences, though.  So, perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise.

Hi! I was also on the Oct 30th cruise. How are all of you doing? I got off the ship with Covid! I’m still recovering from the chronic fatigue. I hope all of you are well!

[graphicguy]

21 hours ago, Travel Queen 1 said:

Hi! I was also on the Oct 30th cruise. How are all of you doing? I got off the ship with Covid! I’m still recovering from the chronic fatigue. I hope all of you are well!

Oh No!  Sorry to hear that.  Hopefully you’ve recovered.  Our cruise was one of the best I’ve ever taken….mainly because of all of my fellow cruisers.

 

I think Jamie just completed another cruise on Princess.

Edited January 9, 2023 by graphicguy

[JamieLogical]

On 1/8/2023 at 12:08 PM, Travel Queen 1 said:

Hi! I was also on the Oct 30th cruise. How are all of you doing? I got off the ship with Covid! I’m still recovering from the chronic fatigue. I hope all of you are well!

 

Sorry to hear you got COVID... I got COVID from a cruise I sailed back at the end of May and my husband got COVID on the cruise we just returned from last week. It's hard to avoid when everyone is so tightly packed together in MDRs, casinos, theaters, and bars. Fortunately, on the cruise I just got off of where my husband apparently contracted COVID, neither I nor our other two travel companions got COVID.

[Travel Queen 1]

Wow you go on a lot of cruises! Sorry both of you also got it recently. I avoided crowds and wore a mask as much as I could.
 

If I felt better, I wanted to be on another cruise leaving today. That I think is now delayed until tomorrow. A friend is on it.

[Travel Queen 1]

On 1/9/2023 at 9:32 AM, graphicguy said:

Oh No!  Sorry to hear that.  Hopefully you’ve recovered.  Our cruise was one of the best I’ve ever taken….mainly because of all of my fellow cruisers.

 

I think Jamie just completed another cruise on Princess.

Thanks 🙏 It was a good cruise but I just wanted to relax and get away.  I would be on another cruise now if I felt better. A friend is on it. I found that cruise and she is on it without me! I’m on here trying to get information about it. I don’t go on here much.

[graphicguy]

19 hours ago, Travel Queen 1 said:

Thanks 🙏 It was a good cruise but I just wanted to relax and get away.  I would be on another cruise now if I felt better. A friend is on it. I found that cruise and she is on it without me! I’m on here trying to get information about it. I don’t go on here much.

I’m scouring for my next cruise, too.  Had a bead on an MSC cruise, but that fell through.  Booked it.  MSC came back and said my booking was based on a glitch in their system and wouldn’t honor my booking unless I paid more.  Sorry, no thanks!

 

So, still looking.

 

Hope you’re feeling better!

Edited January 26, 2023 by graphicguy

[pcrum]

On 12/2/2022 at 9:55 AM, Homosassa said:

Geezer Couple, I am trying to be discreet.

 

MSC is not a "party" cruise line.  Because of recent problems on short  three-four day cruises, drink packages are no longer available for those cruises .  

 

 

I can book a 3-night cruise today for Sept. 14, 2023 with the drink package included. 

[JamieLogical]

I know some of you who followed this thread were interested on hearing about my first MSC cruise. Well, that is now only 12 days away and I have started a new Live thread about it on the MSC forums:

 

 

[JGmf]

Thanks @JamieLogical! 

 

Very much value your commentary and opinions and your comparisons to NCL.

 

I made sure I re-read your Princess Emerald cruise review prior to considering my own.  (I know you didn't really rate that one very highly). 

[happy cruzer]

On 3/28/2023 at 2:27 PM, JamieLogical said:

I know some of you who followed this thread were interested on hearing about my first MSC cruise. Well, that is now only 12 days away and I have started a new Live thread about it on the MSC forums:

 

 

Love reading all your reviews.  We tend to hop around, next is CCL then NCL and then RCL.

 

The information you share really helps people.  There has been a discussion about sharing the free at sea vouchers and your experience is giving me hope that we will enjoy them.