BirdTravels

Hmmm... I have not seen any US College sports on NCL. There are no sports bars. The Local has a big screen TV, but there is really limited space around it. The only other big screen is the pool.

The rules at all ports are very simple. You may not take any food off the ship. People here make up stuff about being pre-packed, in a sealed container (more than zip lock), etc. The ship's rules to comply with port rules are no food off. Some ports actually check (Cozumel being one of them). Most don't. But if you want someone to say "yes, perfectly fine", that is inconsistent with the cruise line rules. It is on the front page of the Freestyle Dailies. For that matter, it is illegal to bring food into the United States without first declaring it with Customs and Border Protection. Sealed or otherwise.

942562-CMI-Ship-Fact-Flyer-Breakaway.pdf (ncl.com)

Maybe because "saying it out loud" would screw some passengers who want to file an insurance claim for the missed port???

Price plus 20% gratuity

You most certainly make advanced reservations. The reservation system really does not care how you are paying for any particular meal. You make that decision at the time you arrive at the restaurant (e.g., Free at Sea dinners, purchased dining package, other vouchers, cash/room charge). However, book Teppanyaki or Moderno first before any other restaurants (a la carte). Quirk of the system. As a top tier member, you can book exactly 125 days prior to departure. Everyone else can book 120 days prior to departure. Take advantage of the 5 day head start.

Most items are cooked. I don't recall there being a Lunch Menu at FR. Today, it is just one menu available for Lunch (sea days) and Dinner. It was open for lunch on the Victoria Day last year.

MCT used to consistently allow priority boarding for CAS. I do not know what they are doing now (we board with the Diamond group... which is before they would call CAS). Here's my live post from the Joy last month.

*What reservations do we need to make in advance, which have to be done as soon as you board. You need to do online check-in at exactly 21 days prior to departure, midnight eastern time. At that time you select the time you will arrive at the port to check in and you can reserve the Elements show. *I am assuming the specialty restaurants need reservations since we have two included. Last time we were not overjoyed with Le Bistro or Cagney's but its been a while. Was thinking Teppanyaki for one, the other? Restaurant reservations opened back in March and many popular dates and times are probably sold out by now. You waited too long. If you can't make a reservation online, go to Teppanyaki, Deck 6 Mid-ship as soon as you embark to make reservations. Teppanyaki is good. La Cucina is o.k. *Do shows need reservations? If yes, when are they made pre boarding or once onboard? Exactly 21 days prior to departure, midnight eastern time, you can reserve the Elements show. *What is new in the last 8 years that we need to be aware of. The Free at Sea beverage package covers the first $15 of drinks, two at a time, as much as you can drink from morning 'til night. Most drinks are under $15 unless you are reaching for top shelf stuff. We do have the Free at Sea option and I have read the rules and inclusions / exclusions. I do like my pool time and am assuming summer out of NYC pools will be crowded. Any tips / hints here other than getting out there early? The Joy pool and hot tubs were afterthoughts and added after the ship was built. It is a small pool. We hang out in the big hot tub in Spice H20. Here's a live review from a few weeks back with menus and dailies

You saved a lot of money. The cruise line will get you to the port. Enjoy your cruise. BTW: we would always arrive a day early, both to help with the jet lag and avoid concerns on late arriving flights.

Sorry, never looked for it. Generic bar menu...

Probably kidding yourself. But you can order off this menu

Probably no deals. If you are that desperate to get out of the country, they can charge you a higher price.

Actually no. It's a 4th hand account from grandgeezer with their spin and embellishments.

It is reasonable. But you need to be off the ship very early and head to LAX, handling your own bags. You are traveling in morning rush hour in Los Angeles. The drive from the port to the Airport can take from 45 minutes to 75 minutes ($$$ for taxi or Uber). The drive inside the airport can take as long a 15-30 minutes (depending on which terminal you are leaving from). Check-in lines at the airport depend on your airline and your frequent flyer status. Security lines for some airlines can be 30+ minutes on a weekday morning.