NCL Prima eastbound 15 days TA (Live) 27 Apr, 2024 - N.Y. to Southampton via Halifax, Iceland & EU ports - preview intro

[mking8288]

Look here - 

 

My 22" expandable carry-on is 95% ready now, still heavy at 28+ lbs with Sony Vaio NB, mouse, charger, cables & the chargers, adapters, etc.  1 med. compression packing cube with sleepwear+ and a clean set of warm clothes (this is under 5 lbs) - convertible as standalone into a "personal bag" by itself, maybe in a recyclable shopping tote bag ... permitted, free, carry-on (if necessary)  2x Tumi pouches (toiletry in 1, minus liquid and 2nd one with meds) and slim 1/2 sized packing cube with all misc. & loose items, masks, clips, hooks & lanyards, etc. plus a field first aid pouch.  All nested within a convertible, expandable 19" backpack/carry-on.  

 

Packing fresh OTC meds, dumping out old, undated vitamins & supplements (why risk expired ones) along with prescribed & labeled Rx ... in case of questions during border crossing or airport security en route home.  Outbound or embarkation out of NYC, port security don't even blink while looking for other things.  Once, someone paused my bag to examine a pen (metallic) and LED flashlight just to make sure it wasn't something else ... Coleman multi-tool with 1" blade passed thru, no issues whatsoever.  

 

Per latest weather forecast, warmer than the outfits already packed, going to re-pack ... sometime on Friday, not a big deal.  Folks flying in tomorrow or Thursday, not an option.  Not going anywhere at T minus 1 then, aside from lurking for Prima's whereabouts on high seas and calculating my best estimated ETA.  

Edited April 24 by mking8288

[Seas2mountains]

3 hours ago, Fogfog said:

 

On OBC--I think the Starbucks was a No for the stockholder OBC. The list from the Haven concierge advising us on what we can not use it on was rather "unfortunate". I will see if I can post it later.

 

Thank you all for taking us along on your 15 day TA!  I’m so jealous! We are exactly two months away from our Prima cruise in June from Southampton. 
 

Non-refundable OBC ideas: 

- Add a lobster tail to your dinner or order a Cagney’s steak when in the dining room. 
- Get a spa service. 
- Order a bottle of wine for the kind not offered by the glass. 
- Go to the shops to splurge on some items you need/want or get gifts for family & friends. We tend to use leftover OBC for expensive face or eye cremes. 
- Add some speciality dining. 
 

Have a wonderful cruise @mking8288, @Fogfog, @snorklinbarb, @Sugar Magnolia and anyone I missed. Looking forward to your updates!  

[Sugar Magnolia]

2 minutes ago, Seas2mountains said:

Have a wonderful cruise @mking8288, @Fogfog, @snorklinbarb, @Sugar Magnolia and anyone I missed. Looking forward to your updates!  

 

Thank you!

I'm afraid if I can't get motivated to pack I won't make it.

 

[dexddd]

21 hours ago, Fogfog said:

🤣

 

"down to just 4 green plants.  They are strong and required minimal moisture, a bit of "natural" light daily to be happy ...  going in the Home smart app to set the daily schedule, switch on/off UV plant light as the window blinds will be closed. "

 

@mking8288  Back  in the day my mother and I would put all of her houseplants into the tub with an inch or so of water..african violets, spider plants, ferns etc. They would do great  while gone for a couple of weeks. 

My style of gardening is "survival of the fittest"...if possible they are outside/shady area that will get rain and if they survive, voila. You'd be surprised how hardy orchids, christmas cactus, prayer plant etc are. 

 

Our house sitter/dog sitter will be watering the tomatoes and is going to trim the fig tree that should have been trimmed earlier in spring. May have mulch delivered to be spread too. Need to make the "to do list" while we are gone. My better half joked that maybe I should ask to have him paint the house ! ha

We had our house painted when we did a Paul Gauguin trip.  It was great to come home to a freshly painted house with no hassle.

[ontheweb]

7 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Thank you!

I'm afraid if I can't get motivated to pack I won't make it.

 

Somehow, motivated or not, I am sure you will get around to packing.

[Fogfog]

8 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

 

I'm afraid if I can't get motivated to pack I won't make it.

 

This reminded me of an NCL sailing we did--saw a family and the older teen-maybe young college age boy had a kitchen trash bag with him at embarkation lunch for his carry-on. And a shirt or two on hangars. I was thinking-- even using a knapsack- bookbag would have been a bit better than the kitchen trash bag. 😆

 

The pressure is on now and when I said that to my better half this am-- the response was "its only Wed. I have tom" 😲

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

4 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

This reminded me of an NCL sailing we did--saw a family and the older teen-maybe young college age boy had a kitchen trash bag with him at embarkation lunch for his carry-on. And a shirt or two on hangars. I was thinking-- even using a knapsack- bookbag would have been a bit better than the kitchen trash bag. 😆

 

The pressure is on now and when I said that to my better half this am-- the response was "its only Wed. I have tom" 😲

 

 

I often wonder (fantasize to be exact) whether, if I had one choice, would I want a driver, a cook or a valet...I think we know the answer.

 

[mking8288]

Good morning 🌄 sunny skies ahead, not today in NYC and that's okay. Seas forecasted to be good for next several + days to Halifax & Iceland. 

[mking8288]

Weather Channel - snapshots of upcoming ports of call, pack & repack accordingly - wet gears a must, layers, good walking shoes, and weatherproof outerwear.  This is warm for us 😀 😎

 

Pearl is on track to arrive around 6 AM tomorrow and not in a hurry, average cruise speed since departing Miami w crews only at 15 to 16 kts. 

 

Prima depart from DR scheduled for 3 PM, ETA to NY should be updated ... stay tuned for my crystal ball forecast or guesstimate 😸

[snorklinbarb]

The audacity of suggesting gambling?! Some of us could end up in the brig!  Did you see what happened with a simple, though apparently financially fruitful, game of LCR over at Carnival?  Guest ambassador John Heald had to step up & declare it illegal gambling!  

 

Jeesh, wonder how much $ was involved!

 

Actually at least in the past, NCL has even provided space.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

9 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

... I am afraid if I can't get motivated to pack I won't make it.

Turn up the music video and "let's rock" or perhaps the theme song from "Rocky" and maybe some hits from Donna Summer and do your "Flashdance" from the 1983 movie, "Against All Odds" and don't "Let it Go, Let it Go" by quitting.  Our ship is coming 🤗

[Turtles06]

@mking8288

 

Henry, what brand of collapsible water bottles are you using? I couldn’t tell from your photos. (I ask because Wirecutter says some brands don’t collapse enough to be significant space savers in their opinion.)

 

TIA! 

 

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

2 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Turn up the music video and "let's rock" or perhaps the theme song from "Rocky" and maybe some hits from Donna Summer and do your "Flashdance" from the 1983 movie, "Against All Odds" and don't "Let it Go, Let it Go" by quitting.  Our ship is coming 🤗

 

None of those songs will help. Please think of others.

 

[JIMESOPUS]

@Sugar Magnolia How about " Start me up " by the Stones or " With a little help from my friends " by Joe C or dare I mention " A Little Less Conversation " by the King.

Iceland looks a little warmer than the last time.

 

Jim

[mking8288]

@Turtles06 Hi, how are you - all is good and well.

Got these on a flash sale, not premium nor best, not fancy but get the job done. Holds 8 oz collapsed and up to 16 oz. - cautioned to hold carefully as it can flex & spill, no worse than popular bottler water sold around here.  Rinse a few times to pre-condition them to rid any possible odor. Space-saver, don't want to lug insulated tall bottles all over & fly home with them.

 

 

 

Edited April 24 by mking8288

[Sugar Magnolia]

1 minute ago, JIMESOPUS said:

@Sugar Magnolia How about " Start me up " by the Stones or " With a little help from my friends " by Joe C or dare I mention " A Little Less Conversation " by the King.

Iceland looks a little warmer than the last time.

 

Jim

 

Stones is a good start. 

 

Wish you were joining us on this one

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I've missed the last few NCL emails. Do we have to pack our own lifejackets?

[JIMESOPUS]

31 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Stones is a good start. 

 

Wish you were joining us on this one

 

Slow rolling this year, too many other things going on including my High School ( survivor ) Reunion ( 50th ). Next up for us is the lovely Gem out of Boston then MSC out of NYC.

 

Jim

[ontheweb]

15 hours ago, mking8288 said:

@ontheweb  Great idea & worthy for those panicking last minute to find a tour in NS, "downtown" or city centre is walkable along the waterfront, very easy & safe ... some of the other popular stops are slightly uphill.  From 2022, 2 of us took an Uber from Pier 20 to the Citadel (barrack/fortress) on the hilltop overlooking the city for $10 CN$ and slightly more hailing a taxi from one of the hotel's waiting zone back to the ship for a late lunch vs. spending more for the hop-on & off bus (price has gone up by an obscene amount since ...)   As usual, we'll play by ears & just wing it again since our "Escape" had to skip the stop last September.  Museum next door at the pier plus that indoor market/food court is the place for free & fast WiFi, with restrooms.  If "The Price is Right" with fresh lobsters in town, not flash frozen as this is still early in the season (unless they have soft shells at 2+ lbs a piece, then I "dive" for them, outta my way) - not going to starve for a few hours.

 

 

Yes, there is really a lot to do within walking distance of the port in Halifax. We were going to visit several more places until we were so fascinated with the Canadian Immigration Museum that we spent several hours there. But there are several more places that one could try to see that might be interesting.

[graphicguy]

2 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

None of those songs will help. Please think of others.

 

Igotanidea.......don't pack anything except the clothes on your back.  See if you can flesh out your wardrobe with ship store clothing and refresh it at your first port.

 

I've been tempted to do that more than once.  Just walk on to the ship with a back pack....nothing else.

[schmoopie17]

12 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

I'm afraid if I can't get motivated to pack I won't make it.

 

If I tell you I'll be surprising you, would that be enough motivation?

Oh wait...that might be motivation to cancel your cruise. Never mind...

[Fogfog]

2 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Stones is a good start. 

 

Wish you were joining us on this one

 

Tina Turner, Proud Mary?

 

I saw her as the Warm Up act for the Stones Tattoo Your Tour.

Amazing concert.

 

Creole Lady Mamalade? 

Edited April 24 by Fogfog

[mking8288]

@Sugar Magnolia Hmmm, or the fact that you can bring clothes and get 2 big bags washed free.

 

A few tips on laundry, now that NCL has raised the fees by $5 to $35 for wash, dry & fold - the old size in paper bag is back, can roll & stuff, and pack it full.

 

Bring some plastic garbage bag as liner or insert, to avoid breaking the paper bag.  Heaven get a nicer silk bag to use. A hanger and 2 or 3 small binder clips, handy for many things. 

[Sugar Magnolia]

34 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Igotanidea.......don't pack anything except the clothes on your back.  See if you can flesh out your wardrobe with ship store clothing and refresh it at your first port.

 

I've been tempted to do that more than once.  Just walk on to the ship with a back pack....nothing else.

 

I have thought about that...

 

And frankly, if everyone else overpacks, I can just borrow from my new found CC friends. I should perhaps pack my own underwear, though.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

34 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

If I tell you I'll be surprising you, would that be enough motivation?

 

Yes...indeed yes. But don't tease me like that if you don't mean it.