GeezerCouple

Then it would be helpful, including for you, if you post this question in the rccl sub-forum. Otherwise, most of those reading this won't have a clue what you are asking about, and even fewer would have the answer. "Wonderland"? Wasn't that a dog-racing park someplace not too long ago? 😠 GC

Heh. Just to clarify for others, this got moved by the CC Mods to this Travel Insurance sub-forum. Otherwise, the above exchange just seems silly. I know that the Mods indicate on the *original* sub-forum that the thread was "moved to", and then a link (I think there's a link). But there could be an indication on the receiving end. I've seen so many of these where some others chime if, not at all surprisingly, that "this IS <that> forum" that is being discussed, given there isn't any information about the move where it ends up. ... just a thought... Hope you find a policy that works well for you! GC

Why not ask your question on the Travel Insurance sub-forum of CC. You'll get more views, and from people with experience. Meanwhile, we've written there often that we strongly recommend that one contact www.TripInsuranceStore.com But CALL them; there are many choices, and it may not be obvious which types of coverage you need. The policy summaries on their website can't capture all of the details of each policy. They are a broker, and work with several travel insurance brokers. We've used them since learning about them here on CC, and we've had several claims, so we can speak to that part of the "insurance experience", too. Our claims, including a few large ones, were paid without nonsense, and that's what it's all about, after all..... Call them sooner rather than later. They don't hard sell (quite the opposite; they are great about answering questions before one makes any decisions at all, etc.). But some of the types of coverages must be started early, IF one wants those... such as within 10-20 days of making the very first deposit. There are other policies, too, of course, but that type provides what some of us really want/need. Have fun planning your cruise. A world cruise would be amazing! GC

Great photos! Thank you for sharing. I'm not sure if we'll get there, but these photos definitely whet our appetites...! It's very interesting how recently it was open to the public. That was a surprise to read. Thanks again. GC

We enjoy getting lots of sliced fresh fruit each day, with a selection that we request. We typically eat it all, which usually results in the next plate being a platter full, so we sometimes need to ask the Butler to keep to a certain quantity, or we'll be rolled off the ship as cargo! (We once got a humongous family sized platter... seemingly for some extended family, but it was just the two of us. Yes, yummy, but... just too much!) And we especially enjoy having meals served in our suite. Waking up to breakfast each morning, with the smell of coffee and bacon... ahhhh! Also dinners, especially if we are tired after an excursion, or if there is some terrific scenery we want to watch while eating. There are other miscellaneous requests, enough to make a difference to us. All but once, the Butler was phenomenal, and we thanked them accordingly. As much as we enjoy the extra space in a suite, we typically care more about the services of the Butler. It's a really special treat for us. 🙂 GC

Sheesh, do you need to turn everything into an argument? [Yes, we know the answer to that...] Of COURSE there can be dangers like what you mention, unfortunately. Other dangers, too! But this was a joke about the slowpoke nature of this particular situation. That's all. And I suspect almost everyone understood that. "Almost" everyone... But if you prefer to blow it up into something else, you could also list all other sorts of issues if you like. That's up to you, obviously. RM

Well, on *this* slide, no one seems likely to be "barrelling" into anyone... or anything! You might risk getting a gentle bump, if that. 😄 Or maybe the next person would get stuck even higher up!? 😠 GC

What happened on the Carnival Sunshine? If you want to get others who sail on other cruise lines to be interested in what you are referring to, perhaps you could share...? We certainly agree that those who get into "brawls" on ships (or most other places, but ships at sea have special concerns!) should have limitations on their ability to affect others. GC

[emphasis added] Okay, NOW we are in sync! You've convinced me, Big Time! 😉 Yes, IF the choice is a big tube going through my balcony, or interfering with my ability to walk around my cabin... fair enough. (Gaak - what a choice. I'll choose Door #3 please!) And as I've mentioned, IF it was made absolutely clear AT THE POINT OF PURCHASE, and not depending upon whether someone reads CruiseCritic, or knows to look up deck plans (right - not everyone knows about that, especially newbies, but they should be informed, too!), then I have NO PROBLEM if someone else has accommodations that I don't care for. Given that we travel in suites, there are in fact lots of others who travel in accommodations that we don't particularly want at this point in our lives. (To be clear, my first cruise, back in the 1970s, was in an inside cabin with a bunk bed, and barely room to move into the teeny tiny bathroom, but HEY, we had a *PRIVATE* BATHROOM - Hurray! And I'm very serious about that. 🙂 Those were also the days of "a shared bathroom down the hall" sometimes. albeit not any cruise ship I was ever on. Bottom line is that I was hooked on cruising *immediately*, and my next cruise the next year was also an inside with a bunk bed, but at least I had it to myself; there was indeed room for one person to stand up! <joke alert!>) Just make it clear what someone is buying *before* they make the purchase, and then... there's probably "something for everyone". And that's truly very nice, the way it should be. GC

C'mon... It's the location and exterior appearance that is causing the concerns. I agree that "waterslides" may not be the proper moniker for all of them, but does that really matter? Those exterior tubes winding around in front of some accommodations and through some balconies (or through a "faux balcony immediately next to a real balcony", if you prefer) could be full of supplies, and I'd be just as unhappy (that's a euphemism for how we'd really feel to find that right in front of our window or balcony). And especially since the tube is mostly opaque... it needs to be outside because...? Sure, there seem to be a few "skylights". Would the effect be noticeably different if those were faux skylights, and instead some artificial lighting? Would it be noticeable at all? Something just went awry with the design of these. The effect for those wanting to enjoy the experience could have been achieved without all of the expense to the views/visibility of others. GC

Per "real action video" posted upthread, at least one of these is indeed a "water slide" and at least one is "dry". (There seem to be three total?? - 2 on one side, and maybe one on the other, from a diagram?) The "dry" slides have the rider get in a sort of pouch, which has an enclosed "foot section", and it appears then to have some sort of attached material under the entire person, as they slide foot-first downward. Whether it is wet or dry is sort of besides the point here as far as I can tell... GC

Aren't there supposed to be a few specials each evening, at least *something* different as a choice? (I'm not sure about that.) If so, sure, any one person isn't likely to find each evening's special to their taste, but it does, hopefully, allow an occasional evening when no specialty would be needed. Does anyone have a copy of what the "standard issue menu" is like currently (on Prima?)? Thanks! GC

We try to tip those who help us with more than routine service, something personalized. That includes help with wheelchair or luggage, etc. First, we very much appreciate the help, and sometimes we (or one of us) truly *need* the help. Second, we are at a comfortable place in our lives, and if we can make things a little easier for someone else, make them smile, etc., then we are happy to do it. This assumes that they provide the service graciously (and not with snarls...). We've occasionally had a helper/pusher who went over and above regular help... asked if they could get us anything (or offered something specific)... basically, pleasant and not trying to do a "minimum". We are always extra happy to give them a more generous tip. (And sure, if they are doing it "that way" hoping for better tips, that's fine with us too! It still works. 🙂 ) GC

I'd LIKE to be able to think that this is somehow "COVID-related"... something like shortage of cruiseline office staff, or supply chain problems in procuring keyboards, or *something* with a reasonable explanation... But alas, this is now reminding me of when NCL did some major changes on the Pride of America. The communication then was abysmal. For one thing, they showed that the DOS was going to be a 2-bedroom suite instead of the existing very large 1-bedroom suite. People made reservations accordingly. Ooops... that floor plan actually never changed! They put a bunch of suites (some apparently really nice, as it turned out) on a new area on a top deck. But they didn't describe them correctly, or the "views". Wait! Are some of those balconies overlooking the pool, with seating right nearby?? NOT views of the lovely islands or the SEA water? Uh, yup, that's what it turned out to be for a few unfortunate and very surprised passengers, but the disclosure...?? Uh... not at all forthcoming. As I (and others) pointed out, NCL *had* to know what the floor plans would be well in advance, due to need to arrange supplies and workers for the new construction, right?? But passengers were already sailing and sending photos before NCL made any changes to the website to indicate the actual floor plans. They "could have/should have" had the new plans ready to load when they started taking reservations for those specific suites, but they just didn't. And they didn't load them right away even when they were completed and actually being used. That's just a blatant disregard for their customers, full stop. We had an amazing time on our first cruise with NCL (not my first cruise, just the first with NCL), when we brought kids and a grand with us. DH and I had a DOS, and invited the others to spend lots of time with us (no Haven on that ship). Everyone was thrilled and DH and I barely got off the ship and booked another NCL cruise, this time in a Haven 2BR. DH joked that the little bedroom was his "office at sea". 😄 And then... the shine started to tarnish, including the serious misinformation (including direct email from NCL execs)... We'll still sail NCL if that is the *only* way to get certain accommodations for the full family, or if there's no other way to get a particular itinerary. But not otherwise, despite our loving the space and extra bathroom, etc., of those 2-BR suites. Some problems can't be anticipated or can't be fixed; others can. These ongoing issues are unforced errors on NCL's part. There's no way around that realization. It's real shame. 😠 GC

Hello again, I just stumbled across this thread again, and realized that time flies, and... we hadn't heard from you. Did everything go well? GC

I also take it as a bit of a warning not to be too trusting of NCL's deck plans and cabin/suite categories, and especially given that there are already discussions of other, er, peculiarities... and the ship is just starting to have passengers who may notice and report "issues". When NCL removed bathtubs from some Haven suites (and other accommodations, I think), the old diagrams stay up waaaay too long. The ship was sailing for quite some time, and photos were from passengers, showing that NCL's online diagrams were just not accurate anymore. NCL gave some dates by which the website would be "fixed", and... nothing. They also did not seem to comprehend why any passengers would be concerned by the changes. 😠 ) GC

I have a question about your first sentence: that you "need cancel for any reason insurance (elderly in-law)". Why is it you need CFAR coverage for this? I can give a possible answer to that, but first, do you understand that there are regular travel insurance policies that include a serious illness (or worse) in a non-traveling family member? In other words, CFAR may not be needed in the first place if there is a serious medical problem. We were in that situation, with a very elderly MIL (who passed 2 years ago, about 5 weeks before her 100th...). The reason we also wanted the CFAR was that MIL *never* complained about not feeling well. We were concerned that IF she ever mentioned "not feeling quite right" prior to a trip of ours, given her age and lack of ordinary complaints, we'd probably not want to leave, even if the physicians did not yet identify any "reason we shouldn't travel", etc. That just made *us* feel a lot better. At least we'd get 75% cash back if we decided, nope, we don't feel comfortable leaving her, etc. So it depends if you want that type of extra reassurance or just if it's some ailment where the physician says, "Nope, you shouldn't leave town now..." You might want to check with www.TripInsuranceStore.com - but CALL them to discuss your concerns, especially regarding your elderly in-law. Then you can compare costs and coverage of the two policies you are considering with a single comprehensive third party policy. Our third party policies don't require paying for coverage for the full costs UNTIL the costs are paid for. First, one covers the deposit, and then as more non-refundable payments are made, then one ups the coverage to match, in steps. As for whether HAL's own policies pay the on board medical staff directly, you'd need to double check that. GC

Ooops... apologies BermudaBound2014! Many thanks! (as always!) Those were great videos. They don't address the balcony/view problems, but they do give a terrific sense of those two slides. I'm sure some (many!?) will enjoy them thoroughly. It was also nice to see the "pouch" that the slider gets into for the blue ride. I wasn't sure how a "dry slide" was actually going to work! GC

That balcony picture is worth thousands of words. Thank you! And you've also made my other point. You wouldn't mind that. But many of us would. (We would be furious: I like to nap on a lounger on the balcony... once I've fallen asleep after reading peacefully for a while. 🙂 Or I love to take a nap and look out through the balcony glass doors to see the sea... until I don't anymore... 😉 ) IF NCL would just make it VERY clear at the POINT OF PURCHASE, then I'd not be making my comments. Also that video from cruiseny4life was VERY helpful. Thanks! Not my cup of tea, but I can understand how some might have a ball. GC

[emphasis added] Sure, IF SOMEONE KNOWS about the slides, chances are pretty good they could select a cabin/suite that where those tubes are *not* a problem. But most passengers are not on CruiseCritic, and NCL's website (both deck plans and cabin/suite category) do not make it obvious that there might be a problem for some, many, or most people. That is, like the way some cabins are described as "obstructed view" (e.g., due to lifeboats) at the time someone is making a reservation. NCL could have done the same thing about the tubes-on-the-balcony or right in front of them. That's all... just label them so it's obvious by the cabin category. Then, if someone is okay with a "tube view" or "shared balcony" (if there's room on all of those balconies for the passenger in the first place?), perhaps at a lower price (which would make sense), they can select that. Let the invisible hand of the marketplace sort it out, but *with* appropriate information. And Hallux, it's the same for the non-Haven cabins (including accessible). They are *also* paying their good money for what most would assume is a regular cabin of the category selected. And *most* of those ARE a "regular balcony cabin", etc. Just label the ones that aren't. Full disclosure, etc. GC

Is there still activity on and off the ship? The SUVs? Any news being given onboard? GC

I think you mean 11pm local time? What is the Breakaway's itinerary? I didn't know she included Boston. GC

It's interesting that hospitals usually offer ginger ale to patients (and crackers). I find that Coca Cola settles my stomach... and when I was little, and our doctor made house calls, he'd have a bottle of nasty, thick brown syrup if children were throwing up, and we'd be given something like a teaspoon of it. It turned out that syrup was similar (or identical to?) Coca Cola syrup, but without sugar. Blech. But it did seem to work. GC

Double check whether you need any documentation from a physician. There is often a requirement like that. In other words, insurers don't let passengers cancel and "declare themselves sick" so they can get their money back... for obvious reasons. NOT having a physician's documentation, and possibly a visit --> at the time (virtual may be fine) is a reason I see for complaints about travel insurance not paying. Don't make that mistake! See what the insurance policy itself wording requires and and do it that way. GOOD LUCK to your husband! GC

You might want to contact www.TripInsuranceStore.com and ask them about those two policies, or whether there are other policies that might be better for *your* specific travel concerns. That means a phone call so that you can ask them questions, and so that they can ask you some as well (e.g., do you have any relatives who are not traveling with you, and you'd want to return if they got very ill, etc.; there are many other issues to consider). If you start the coverage when the deposits are paid (or within approximately 20 days), you'll have the largest selection of types of coverage. This may or may not be something that matters to you, and you'd know that after the first time discussing this with TIS. We also insure both cruise and land-only trips, and the same policy works for us with all trips thus far. We also get MedJetAssist, which will medevac us back to the hospital of *our* choice (in our case, our regular hospital, with our records and physicians), even if it is not "medically necessary". One must be admitted as an inpatient (not ER or Observation), and one must be stable enough to travel at least by full air ambulance with medical staffing. TIS sells this coverage as well; we get the annual policy as that also covers us for assorted trips (over 150 miles from home) throughout the year... Enjoy your trips! GC