NCL Prima - Iceland with no hot tubs

[Sailing12Away]

Behind the scenes tour yesterday, lunch at the local, and MDR dinner last night.

[Sailing12Away]

Pulling into Alesund this morning.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Not old per se, but not in good health for long periods of standing. Have some back & feet issues, so between the lots of standing/walking at ports, back to back to back ports, I knew my body would not tolerate another 90mins of standing in one place.

Ok, I can understand that. I, OTOH, am not good at sitting. My 2 main positions are standing and lying down. I did at one point have a seat at Syd Normans, but really had to get up and let my body move to the music.

[Sailing12Away]

47 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Ok, I can understand that. I, OTOH, am not good at sitting. My 2 main positions are standing and lying down. I did at one point have a seat at Syd Normans, but really had to get up and let my body move to the music.

We should tag team. When you need to stand will be when I need to sit.

[Sailing12Away]

Rainy day in Alesund

[UKstages]

5 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Price is right was a lot of fun, one passenger won $800 in plinko

i’ve seen “the price is right” twice on the prima.

 

outside of the final showcase, an $800 win (cash or prizes) is HUGE for that show. the average win, I’d say, is about $200.
 

5 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Tried to eat lunch at indulge yesterday, no seats to be found. Could sit outside, but no iPads to order from so you would have to go carry your food from each truck and walk it out. 2 people sitting at a large booth for 6 and not even in a way that was inviting to others. People lounging at tables with coffee chatting while 100+ people are looking to eat. The food we had earlier in the trip was awesome, but if it's so much work to eat we won't be able to enjoy it. Ended up having to eat at the local. They need to treat it like the local and seat people rather than a free for all.

the food is beyond great, truly remarkable, but the limited seating is off the chart crazypants absurd for this concept. i do agree that it should be a venue with a host/hostess who manages seating and i’d also put a 90-minute time limit on a guest visit. (honestly, the service is so quick, you can get your food and eat leisurely in less than an hour.) they should also make takeout available.

 

as for dining outside, there are normally tablets at the outdoor tables closet to the perimeter of the restaurant (except in inclement weather). but they also have paper menus! they have these chiefly for when the ipads are down (happens frequently during and after a software update, as the tablets use the same crappy wifi connection we do.) but they also have them for folks who don’t understand how to use the tablets, or for outdoor tables that don’t have tablets. roaming servers are supposed to be there to offer the paper menu and take your order.

 

by the way, I recognize you guys from the photos. i believe we were in the haven cabin next door to you on the joy’s canada/new england itinerary last september!

 

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by UKstages

[UKstages]

On 9/9/2023 at 7:33 AM, DrSea said:

I got zero for noise complaints. How did you get money back?

the saga is documented in the link below, but in brief: this was not ordinary noise, it was extraordinary noise. and it was, more or less, continuous anytime the ship was at high seas… which, on a transatlantic/north atlantic itinerary this past may and june, was pretty much every day. and, when onboard personnel didn’t provide adequate response or problem resolution after two or three days, i contacted NCL corporate in miami, while still on the ship. there are a few other similar reports here in this forum, with the general consensus that compensation tops out at $500 per person. YMMV.

 

there are, apparently, a number of these cabins on the prima and NCL has been unable to fix the problem, yet they continue to sell these rooms, without disclosing the known defect to unsuspecting guests.

 

 

 

 

 

[Sailing12Away]

Soaking wet, not sure there's a dry inch of me left at this point. Contemplating canceling our tour for tomorrow if the weather will be the same, but I think that one is much shorter.

[ontheweb]

I guess we were lucky with the weather. The only rain we had was on our pre-cruise day in London and our disembarkation day in Reykjavik. (We did the cruise before yours that went in the opposite direction.)

 

In Alesund, we did an excursion that highlighted the art deco architecture in that village.

[Sailing12Away]

Warm shower, change of clothes, and made it to indulge before closing. Love the food, hate that we can only eat here if we come within 30mins of opening or 30mins before closing.

 

Headed to the Haven bar to see if we're the only ones again.

[Sailing12Away]

The great hash brown famine has returned.... If I put 2x hash browns (meaning for two people) I would get 2 patties. So I started putting 4x. For this mornings breakfast I had a note saying "none available".

 

I'm a simple girl, crispy bacon and potatoes (the other stuff in the photos is for hubby). If I can't get hash browns on day 6, may need to switch to Irish coffee in the morning to get that bit of heritage in there.

 

Haven bar had about 4 people other than ourselves, but we had to leave anyway because my sister isn't allowed in the Haven. If it's semi full and we're taking away seats from real guests, I get it. If I'm trying to bring a group of 10+ people who don't belong there, I get it. If I'm using my card to get drinks for someone without a drink package, I get it. But none of those situations applied to us last night and was still asked to leave.

 

Still no response from corporate on our hot tub compensation, so I have to go back to the concierge today to escalate my Karen complaint. I'm still on vacation and enjoying myself, but this trip has had a bunch of compounding sour notes. 

 

Pulled into Geiranger this morning, and the view to wake up to was gorgeous. Timing sucks for tonight as we have a shorter tour, but couldn't get our preferred dining time for Los lobos tonight. I had requested reservations months ago for 6:30 since we're a large group, pre-cruise concierge assured me all was taken care of. Yeah, they booked Cagney's for 6:30 on all 3 nights instead of what I asked for. By the time we got on board and saw that there was nothing left. Best they could do was 5:45 for tonight.

 

So again, trip isn't ruined, but the more times you pinch me the better chance of leaving a bruise behind. So we'll miss sail away from the most amazing port of call. Unless we want to sit out in the rain to eat. If it was just the two of us we would do it, but we're a group of 8 tonight.

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

The great hash brown famine has returned.... If I put 2x hash browns (meaning for two people) I would get 2 patties. So I started putting 4x. For this mornings breakfast I had a note saying "none available".

 

I'm a simple girl, crispy bacon and potatoes (the other stuff in the photos is for hubby). If I can't get hash browns on day 6, may need to switch to Irish coffee in the morning to get that bit of heritage in there.

 

Haven bar had about 4 people other than ourselves, but we had to leave anyway because my sister isn't allowed in the Haven. If it's semi full and we're taking away seats from real guests, I get it. If I'm trying to bring a group of 10+ people who don't belong there, I get it. If I'm using my card to get drinks for someone without a drink package, I get it. But none of those situations applied to us last night and was still asked to leave.

 

Still no response from corporate on our hot tub compensation, so I have to go back to the concierge today to escalate my Karen complaint. I'm still on vacation and enjoying myself, but this trip has had a bunch of compounding sour notes. 

 

Pulled into Geiranger this morning, and the view to wake up to was gorgeous. Timing sucks for tonight as we have a shorter tour, but couldn't get our preferred dining time for Los lobos tonight. I had requested reservations months ago for 6:30 since we're a large group, pre-cruise concierge assured me all was taken care of. Yeah, they booked Cagney's for 6:30 on all 3 nights instead of what I asked for. By the time we got on board and saw that there was nothing left. Best they could do was 5:45 for tonight.

 

So again, trip isn't ruined, but the more times you pinch me the better chance of leaving a bruise behind. So we'll miss sail away from the most amazing port of call. Unless we want to sit out in the rain to eat. If it was just the two of us we would do it, but we're a group of 8 tonight.

If you had been on our cruise (Prima August 6-17), all of your Los Lobos reservations would have been cancelled. They reserved it for a group the entire cruise, I believe they made it into a Kosher restaurant. They sent out an e-mail saying that anyone with a prior reservation had it cancelled.

[Sailing12Away]

Geiranger is gorgeous, but I've reached my tolerance limit for people. When folks push me out of their way to take a photo instead of just waiting 30 seconds, I'm done.

[cruiseny4life]

Indulge food looks amazing. Geiringer stunning. And those views with cloud banks and rain...absolutely magical. Count me in for a foggy, troll filled adventure any day! Get that Irish Coffee and enjoy the good moments, especially given the various annoyances you've had (and you know how I feel about hash browns)!!

 

Thanks for continuing the live through it all. 

[Sailing12Away]

Tons of photos and videos from today, not spending time to filter the good from bad as I'm down to <30% battery on my phone. Didn't even bother with the real camera, the entire bag was still sopping wet from yesterday. But everywhere you look there's a waterfall.

[Sailing12Away]

More photos

[CruisnHallelujahs]

Beautiful pictures thanks for sharing them! 

[Sailing12Away]

Tons of snacks waiting for us in the room when we got on board. I'm guessing they figured the family would be up here with us. 

 

Food overload, but they're being stingy with the drinks. Only refilling the cans of soda in the room when we ask them to. Going to Amish the leftover food into one plate in the fridge and leave a note asking for more soda. I can drink that whole bottle of amaretto with just ice, but my college days of straight vodka are long behind me.

 

My sister's BIL (my BIL's BIL's brother, if you can follow all that) & his wife are on the trip with us (just found out a few days ago). Saw them as we were walking back onto the ship so meeting them for drinks downstairs before our dinner at Los lobos tonight.

 

No fish on the carpet but find out the triangles on the rug in the gen pop hallways point forward... Good to know.

[UKstages]

11 hours ago, ontheweb said:

They reserved it for a group the entire cruise,

 

on my prima cruise, it was the commodore room  (smaller MDR) that wa s taken over by a group the entire cruise.

 

10 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Geiringer stunning.

 

my favorite poirt on this itinerary!   no matter where i went, where i looked... there were breathtaking views the likes of which i had never seen before.

Edited September 12, 2023 by UKstages

[Sailing12Away]

Dinner last night was at Los lobos with the family and @CptBoatface and his wife. While at dinner another CC passenger recognized us and popped over to say hi. Dinner was great, but they were a little over generous with the margaritas. As one emptied it was replaced with a new one. I think hubby & BIL each put down 4.

 

Had views of the fjord behind us as we sailed out towards Bergen. So many waterfalls we stopped pointing them out.

 

When we got back to the room hubby was snoring away on the couch within 5 mins.

 

I woke up a little before 3am and find a surprise outside, so woke up my sister who came to join us on the balcony for an amazing show. Took a ton of photos of that, so those will come next.

[Sailing12Away]

When we were in Alaska we saw the northern lights off our balcony. Did a tour in Reykjavik to look for them but found nothing. Last night when I got up for a potty break I peaked outside and saw the familiar haze. Took a long exposure photo and there they were.

 

At points they were visible with the naked eye, bright neon green, tall pillars that would come and go. My sister came up to join us and got to see them, so her bucket list for this trip is now complete. Amazing amazing amazing end to the day. They were brightest around 3:30am.

[Sailing12Away]

More photos of the lights

[Sailing12Away]

And more....

[Sailing12Away]

And more... They just kept getting better for those willing to stay up to 4am.

 

Slept in late today naturally, no official plans other than wanting a ride on the funicular 

[Sailing12Away]

So OBC.... Need to visit the concierge for an update on my hot tub credit, but right now we have 1k in refundable from the TA and for the hot tub ~600 of non refundable left. 

 

Unlike our Mets season tickets at least NCL is good about using the non refundable first. But even paying for the kids food at each specialty, lots of VR games, and etc we won't come close to using it. TA was maxed at 1k so had to contact them, they claim they'll mail us a check for the missing amount.

 

Looks like the old van winkle is in our future or the chateau Rothschild.

 

Views from the funicular were nice. Stopped in McDonalds for a funky snack, curry dipping sauce FTW.