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mertziek

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Everything posted by mertziek

  1. I’ve looked online and searched here but didn’t find an answer. Can you explain the difference between the OS and OE designated tours? Are there restrictions who can book them? TIA
  2. No not on VPN but back home recently back from a European/TA cruise so my iPad is confused with foreign sites. Clearing cache did not help but I looked at the web address and see where if I change it to just NCL.com it corrects the problem. I could not find a place to click on the currency icon but I often find my iPad is wonky that way. Thanks for suggestions/help.
  3. Tried to do a search to see if this was asked before no results. So my NCL account is showing me pricing in euros. Is there a way to change it to US$’s? I’ve cleared my cache and still in euros. TIA
  4. Tipping is very personal. You decide what you can afford. Also, we save our tips to the end of the cruise for our butler, steward and concierge. Some tip them as they use them. Many use the $10 pp per day rule for the butler and adjust up or down based on service. Room stewards’ tips based on service. We often tip them the same as the butler despite being part of the DSC since they do the most to keep our room tidy and clean with the concierge getting about half as much. We tip bartenders as we are served and same for waitstaff in restaurants - Haven, included restaurants and specialty ones. Haven Head maitre D’ at the end of the cruise and amount less than our butler. Around the ship, we tip as drinks are served or for dining service at the time. Again, you tip what best fits your service and your custom.
  5. Same here. We did not like the TA on Prima for several reasons (we still had a great cruise though) but we are going with you on Viva mainly to join friends. Agree - never say never!
  6. Same with me. 🤷🏼‍♀️
  7. Did that and still not getting on the site.
  8. Doing b2b round trip in Sept 2024 Boston to New England and Canada. Doing b2b round trip in July 2025 NYC to Reykjavik hoping to get to Greenland on one of the cruises since I missed it in July 2022. ☹️ We are booked to keep our same cabin for both b2b cruises which is a big plus for us! And no international airfare which is crazy expensive these days!!!
  9. Yup, that’s why you have to decide when you want to ask for the FCC. If you wait too long, your cabin category could be sold out and then you won’t qualify for the FCC but if you request it too early, the price could further drop and you won’t qualify for another price drop FCC. Personally I’m happy if I get any FCC even if the cruise price further drops.
  10. We are ones who cruise mainly first for our cabin and second for itinerary so we book early. I have 3 cruises already booked for 2025 and 3 for 2024 all in the cabins we prefer. If pricing drops before final payment, we have our TA reprice our cruise so it’s a win-win for us. And if pricing drops after final payment, I’ll request a one-time FCC but recognize I may not qualify for it. When we book we have already decided we are willing to pay the listed price so if we get an FCC for a price drop it’s icing on the cake for us. YMMV
  11. I’ve been to Iceland on both the Star in late July and Prima in September. Our stops in Greenland on the Star last year were canceled due to weather. The Prima has a lot of outdoor spaces which are better suited to warm weather ports but we always found quiet places. Plus Prima is a newer ship. The Star is older and smaller so should be able to get into Isafjordur despite delays in dredging although they should be done with that for next year. We found quiet spaces and not a crowded feel to the ship. The Prima allows purchase of movies in your room unless in the Haven where they are included. The Star has channels showing different movies but not a lot of variety. I’d load movies on your iPad or laptop and bring those along to watch in your room even if on Prima. The selection is limited. Either ship was enjoyable. The biggest difference is the newness of Prima. And definitely get a balcony. The scenery is spectacular in Iceland. This is one cruise where we sail for the itinerary not the ship/cabin.
  12. They are very picky about applying that 20% FCC to a European cruise. If your cruise is not listed as a European cruise on their menu but an Asian one, then the 20% can’t be applied. I tried to apply mine to a TA cruise starting in Europe with 3 European ports but they would not allow that since it’s technically listed as a transatlantic cruise. I even appealed to Katty Byrd and was denied.
  13. I’d do a 2 day deviation so you have at least one entire day to see Seattle.
  14. No the person complaining said that they were annoyed and never sailing NCL again. We were not on the Escape. But even if we had been, we find NCL to be a good fit for us and would sail with them again.
  15. Annoyed at NCL. Never going to use them again.
  16. Oh yes they have been on another social media site and a bit unrealistic about their complaints.
  17. I realize the original post was from a few years ago but in answer to DrRuby - We did this a few years ago with NCL and our drop off was by the Palatine Hill near the Arch of Titus between the Roman Forum and the Coliseum. Not sure if they still drop off there but it was a convenient area for the bus to pick us up, too.
  18. I’m glad you’ve rarely experienced any issues on a first cruise after drydock. That certainly was not the case for our cruise on the Spirit in Feb 2020 as she came out of dry dock. Not only was our cruise embarkation in Rome delayed by 3 days (we were only notified of that a week before our expected embarkation) and our cruise shortened by those 3 days, once we got on the ship none of the suites were ready for passengers - there was a pile of equipment outside our bare wall cabin so we spent 2 weeks of a 19-day cruise in a lesser cabin category despite being told on checkin we were upgraded. Hard to upgrade from their suites. We think they outright lied to us so once onboard not a lot we could do about it whereas prior to embarking we could have insisted on a refund and flown home. Yes, we would have done that if given the opportunity to make that decision prior to boarding. We were actually downgraded in our cabin assignment for the first 2 weeks. In addition, there were work crews all over the ship working in hallways with electric cords, open panels and equipment all over and several other areas under construction. One afternoon they spent 4 hours pounding and drilling above our room. It was a cruise that truly tested our patience but we made the best of it since where would we go? So yes, you take a chance taking the first cruise after drydock and schedules of completion are not cast in stone especially now with supply chain issues after Covid. Enough others on Cruise Critic have told stories of problems sailing on the first cruise after drydock. If that is a concern for you, book a few weeks later once the ship is back in service after drydock or book on another ship but remember there are no guarantees your ship will be fully completed on the date they say it will be done.
  19. Thinking about doing an Alaska Cruisetour in 2025. Anyone done a cruisetour to Alaska and can tell me about them? Also, no Alaska cruisetours listed yet for 2025 so any idea when we might see them available to book? TIA
  20. Does anyone know if NCL offers a shuttle into Barcelona from the cruiseport like they do in Livorno so you can walk around and explore on your own? TIA
  21. We are on the Viva in November and stopping in Provence/Marseille. Can anyone tell me what the name/address of the port is?
  22. On our most recent cruise the casino was closed the day before debarkation. In the daily they stated all casino services including the atm would not be available so not sure OP could have used that option either.
  23. Location set for US and not in airplane mode. I turned my iPad off and on again and think it may have adjusted. Thank you for your suggestions.


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