Prima TA Semi-Live 11 Days to NY from Spain, 4+ days @Barcelona from JFK ... land/cruise early Thanksgiving vacation

[mking8288]

The Metropolitan Bar isn't open yet, going to get busy as usual buzzing with activities later on ...  

 

Breakfast - smoked salmon bagel, only in the MDR 

 

Hash browns - no deal, email NCL at Miami HQ and maybe their purchasing VP will do something ahead 

 

Breakfast Specials 

 

 

Strategically placed & visible  - invaluable in cardiac life saving 👍 

 

[mking8288]

Prima's snapshot of the day - who needs a suite, 2 loungers side by side conveniently.  We'll retreat to our private balcony and maybe catch a movie before lunch 😎

 

Let's see how many ha'ha 😆 votes come in 

 

 

 

[seemoreroyals]

16 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Prima's snapshot of the day - who needs a suite, 2 loungers side by side conveniently.  We'll retreat to our private balcony and maybe catch a movie before lunch 😎

 

Let's see how many ha'ha 😆 votes come in 

 

 

 

 

Agree with others.  They need to change the type of furniture in the observation lounges to discourage use by homeless people.

[mking8288]

19 minutes ago, seemoreroyals said:

 

... change the type of furniture in the observation lounges to discourage use by homeless people.

Freestyle cruising - 

pool lounger hogs (practically fleet-wide)

atrium chair hogs (Escape - observed) 

buffet hogs (Epic - observed)

now, we add ... OL lounger hogs (Prima - observed) 

 

Since the Joy is going to undergo additional drydocking work, we'll find out by next February whether a different style of re-designed furniture will ...  Rules are posted but if it isn't enforced, useless & meaningless.  

 

Indulge Food Hall is another problem that we see and can relate to when ship sails in colder months & ports, the outdoor seating space becomes useless ... and, inside seating quickly fills up.  

[seemoreroyals]

5 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Freestyle cruising - 

pool lounger hogs (practically fleet-wide)

atrium chair hogs (Escape - observed) 

buffet hogs (Epic - observed)

now, we add ... OL lounger hogs (Prima - observed) 

 

Since the Joy is going to undergo additional drydocking work, we'll find out by next February whether a different style of re-designed furniture will ...  Rules are posted but if it isn't enforced, useless & meaningless.  

 

Indulge Food Hall is another problem that we see and can relate to when ship sails in colder months & ports, the outdoor seating space becomes useless ... and, inside seating quickly fills up.  

 

If you look closely at the couch type furniture in the OL it is covered with slobber and no telling what else type of stains.  We still enjoy the O Land its views but the way it is abused by a small minority is nothing short of gross. 

 

Our upcoming Prima cruise will be the 4th different NCL ship we will have been on with an OL.  Using the OL as a place to sleep is a fleetwide issue.   Nice to know the OL chair slobberers will be there in full force waiting to keep us from the best spots.

[PistolPete13]

56 minutes ago, seemoreroyals said:

 

Agree with others.  They need to change the type of furniture in the observation lounges to discourage use by homeless people.

It boggles my mind how someone can fully sleep in public like this when I assume every passenger has a room on the ship.  Napping with a book on your lap I can understand but full on blankets and lying down flat?  Maybe this is performance art or something.

NCL needs to hire the designer who worked on the NYC ferry terminals.  They installed spikes along every flat surface to prevent pigeons from resting and sh1tting on the passengers below...

[mking8288]

 

 

 

Prima's 6-7-8 atrium, with Guest Services on Deck 7 - CruiseNext & Shore Ex desks are "scattered" and spread out across, CN being on Deck 6.  

 

BTW, being Platinum/Sapphire - we can get 2 bags of complimentary laundry done since this is more than 7 days in length, not official but CN staff said just go ahead - will not be charged.  Another bag stuffed full is going out tomorrow - might as well take advantage of the perks while ... 

 

 

 

Last night's Donna Summer Show Live was good, 90 minutes long - the virtual queue was playing catch up to alert us that being #1 waiting for standby has been accepted, as we had walked up to the Deck 7 entrance to the theater - seeing that at 9:15 PM, that everyone has gone inside.  

Edited November 27, 2023 by mking8288

[cruiseny4life]

I found whole milk for your coffee! Gone is Coffee Mate unless you want your Coffee Mate. It's fully stocked too! 

 

 

While wandering through the Observation Lounge, I heard how wonderful The Villages in Florida is...my vote is no. A little bit too dusty (as the comedian said, not me!) for me!

 

 

[SteveH2508]

16 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Food Republic - a good dinner, ordered 4 plates of Sushi rolls - used 3 dining credits to share among 4 of us.

 

Service - just meet standards expected, nothing above & beyond ... And, our server handed 4 of these to us to fill out 🤔 really, hmmm. 

 

We were on the previous cruise to you. The staff in Food Republic were so pushy with the Hero cards and checking every two minutes that 'everything was OK' that we stopped going there. They are gaming the system somewhat and doing themselves no favours.

[graphicguy]

28 minutes ago, SteveH2508 said:

We were on the previous cruise to you. The staff in Food Republic were so pushy with the Hero cards and checking every two minutes that 'everything was OK' that we stopped going there. They are gaming the system somewhat and doing themselves no favours.

Found that on my Celebrity Cruises, too.  Talked to guest services on both Celebrity and NCL about why it’s important to them.  They were quite up front and said their bonuses and employment perks are based on those ratings.  Celebrity rep said it was cumulative.  The more good ones they got, the more money they made over time in a “tiered” rating system.  

 

I would think NCL would be the same.

 

My advice?  Rate those who served you well, great.  Unless it’s something very egregious, I don’t give out bad ratings.

Edited November 27, 2023 by graphicguy

[mking8288]

Insider Circles member tips of the day - for lunch with open seating, go early without a reservation ... and get seated by the windows, enjoy the views.

 

 

[dexddd]

2 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Insider Circles member tips of the day - for lunch with open seating, go early without a reservation ... and get seated by the windows, enjoy the views.

 

 

Our trip to there for lunch one day last year was hurry up, seat us, got seat by doors to kitchen.  Menu looked good but can you say slow.  Officer noticed, apologized, nothing changed.  When DW complains about the food, something wrong.

[dexddd]

Yesterday Prima in mid Atlantic no pax ships around.  See you bearing in on Bermuda.  Looks like GA going there too.  Maybe being a mercy ship with hash brown transfer to Prima.

 

No interest in sailing GA or BA even if hash browns onboard. 

[Von & John]

On 11/25/2023 at 2:31 AM, mking8288 said:

 

No harsh browns - corporate purchasing & procurement decisions to align with menus and purchasing & sourcing them.

 

 

No Hashbrowns is just wrong...

As I noted on @cruiseny4life Live'ish review -  slightly revised...

 

You're on the Prima - Just ask them to whip you up some Fresh Scattered, Smothered & Covered...

No smothered for me - Either way - enjoy!
Please sure to ask them to properly season the fresh potato shreds...

 

We enjoyed amazing Rösti yesterday @ the Swiss Alaska Inn in Talkeetna 🙂  

[Sugar Magnolia]

On 11/27/2023 at 8:53 AM, mking8288 said:

Indulge Food Hall is another problem that we see and can relate to when ship sails in colder months & ports, the outdoor seating space becomes useless ... and, inside seating quickly fills up.  

 

Having sailed on the Prima TA along a cooler route and the Viva TA along a warmer route, I can confirm what you mentioned above as accurate. What a difference it was on the Viva to be able to sit outside Indulge for lunch on sea days, when the buffet and MDR were busy. Until, of course, I was banned from Indulge for the crime of over ordering ...

 

 

 

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

On 11/27/2023 at 9:56 AM, cruiseny4life said:

While wandering through the Observation Lounge, I heard how wonderful The Villages in Florida is...my vote is no. A little bit too dusty (as the comedian said, not me!) for me!

 

Not to mention you are way too young to even request to see a free brochure for The Villages.

 

[mking8288]

Just now, dexddd said:

... Prima in mid Atlantic no pax ships around ... bearing in on Bermuda ... GA going there ...  Maybe being a mercy ship with hash brown transfer ...

Stormy clouds ahead, starboard side but Windy App suggesting that we should slip into Dockyard (Wed morning) after GA leave tomorrow afternoon.

 

 

Crossing has been smooth 🤞 by our standards thus far, count the blessings. 

 

 

[mking8288]

Just now, Von & John said:

No Hashbrowns is just wrong ...

Thanks. Did speak with F&B ... feelings expressed on CC apparently known to management. Maybe, the special delivery was their way of ...  ???? 

 

 

Timing of this was good as we're in our cabin, washed it down with a freshly crew cup of coffee with a movie playing 😁 

 

 

[mking8288]

Just now, Sugar Magnolia said:

... was banned from Indulge for the crime of over ordering ... 

For real ... then I am going to press my luck tomorrow, to see what happen 😆

[Rockyhill]

6 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

For real ... then I am going to press my luck tomorrow, to see what happen 😆

Careful Henry it could continue into next week😱

[mking8288]

Housekeeping, at least, John as our steward on Deck 9 Mid starboard side has been our star hero for this cruise, doing more than what's expected & we didn't ask for anything else. Even straighten out the lineup of shoes & slippers along the wall.  Arranged our pillows again, in a subtle way. 

 

 

Our 2nd wash of laundry came back this afternoon, stacked high in the wicker basket - over $100 worth of itemized.  Sending out the final batch tomorrow. 

 

 

Notice the 110V outlet ... there are actually 220V outlets that one can use - bedside, if really needed.

 

[mking8288]

Last night, we had to adjust our clock & watches 😳 or smartphone by 1 hour, repeat again tonight ... to align with Bermuda or ADT prior to Wed's 8:30 scheduled arrival. Then, 1 more time zone or clock adjustment for arrival into NY this Friday. 

 

There's a small reminder as Tips of the Day on page 1 of FSD ... which most missed or didn't noticed either - in addition to the little blue card.  

 

[seemoreroyals]

Have they started putting Christmas decorations up yet?

[Rockyhill]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

Last night, we had to adjust our clock & watches 😳 or smartphone by 1 hour, repeat again tonight ... to align with Bermuda or ADT prior to Wed's 8:30 scheduled arrival. Then, 1 more time zone or clock adjustment for arrival into NY this Friday. 

 

There's a small reminder as Tips of the Day on page 1 of FSD ... which most missed or didn't noticed either - in addition to the little blue card.  

 

So Henry, which of you is going to challenge in the bean bag toss🤾🏻, prior to your lessons in ballroom dance💃🕺🏼……then proceed to get banned from indulge🌭🍱🌮🫕🍛at lunchtime? Looks like a pretty busy morning for you two🫣. Please slow down, we don’t want you to be 😴😴😴 during our cruise.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Rockyhill

[mking8288]

Just now, seemoreroyals said:

Have they started putting Christmas decorations up yet?

Nope, not yet - perhaps on/after Dec 1st ... this is what the Penrose Atrium 6.7.8 looked like - busy & packed rather full 

 

 

Music for Bonfires by Shane ... 

 

 

 

 

55 MB musical video clips - 21 secs long took too long to upload, cancelled & please ignore 

Edited November 28, 2023 by mking8288