AKR2011

I think normally, the deposit is a percentage of your cruise fare. However, if you buy a Cruise Rewards, that $250 covers you entire deposit no matter what. NCL told me that the Repo Cruise I just booked normally had an $800 deposit, where as my Rewards were all I needed. I owe nothing until 90 days before I set sail in 2016.

You do have to be out of American waters to avoid tax. I hadn't noticed that until my last cruise. I looked at my receipts and saw that when I bought the soda package and a couple drinks prior to the boat leaving, there was tax on both. However, all my beverages after that just had gratuity, no tax. However, as it has been posted already, if you want to Ultimate Beverage Package, it's $5 less per day if you book it before your cruise verses on the ship. The soda package is the same, and I think Corks and Caps is the same too.

Have these penny machines always been available? I just noticed one on our last cruise...

They've been on all three of mine, but not always easily found:

- In a hallway perhaps deck 7ish on Jewel in 2011

- Similar location on Gem in 2013

- In the Sports Bar on Sun in 2014

So now to the story regarding the penny machine. On the first day, Courtney slid her room card in it to get the smashed penny. It didn't work. We did some adjusting to the penny we wanted with the handle and tried again. Still nothing came out.

 

The following day we ended up going to customer service about something and then we mentioned the penny machine. They looked up the charges and verified that it had come off her card and called the maintenance guy. He came over and took us upstairs to the machine at Dazzles. He verified that it didn't work, grabbed some tools and tried to open it. It didn't work. He was able to see that it was out of pennies and that was the problem. He then grabbed a chair and proceeded to climb up to the top of it and reach down to grab pennies. He gave us different kinds and let us chose several of them. How nice. He gave us all 2 each. I thought that was nice and not called for, but that's just NCL service for you.

 

I put it with my Sun penny from the previous week and they will go in my scrapbook for the cruise.

 

 

I'm loving your review! On each one of our NCL sailings, I struggle with the Penny Press Machine. I always get one by the end, but it always takes multiple crew members to make it happen. I know it's an odd complaint, but for me, it's what I remember. I take a deep breath now when I try for the first time.

I was on The Sun in April, and the shows we all good. We had three performances from the cruiseline's entertainment team, a ventriloquist, comedian, hypnotist, aerial show, and a really fabulous Beatles tribute band. There was also a good Beach Boys tribute band during the day. The best part was by far the staff. Richard Magic has been the CD for a long time, and he and his staff go out of their way to make a magical experience. I still remember my favorite event was a sing-along in the atrium, and during the grand finale, we were singing at the top of our lungs while balloons fell down from the top deck. Such a fun event. I can't say enough great things about that crew. I would go back in a heartbeat just for them!

I think I can recommend a website as it's not one selling cruises, but gives the best advice on the best cabins on each ship: cruise advice with a dot org. It's a fabulous resource!

Although the 2016-2017 cruises are now.n the NCL website, I can't find them listed anywhere else yet to compare. Does anyone know how soon other places typically post the cruises?

When I was on the Dawn in July the CD said that 2015 was the Dawns last run in Boston , but not to worry that there would be a new ship there. So it looks like some ship is coming here soon. I was thinking maybe the Gem

 

 

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It will be the Dawn until October 2016. The Gem is moving to Puerto Rico. They may be leaving NYC with just The Breakaway with the huge RCCL ship in Jersey. Anyway, no Gem for Boston until AFTER 2017 at least.

The Dawn 2016 fall repo.... Boston to NOLA is 10/28/16 to 11/11/16. Our PCC had the information but it is not yet listed on the NCL website. Pricing was a little high but with the added amenities not too bad. A refreshed Dawn after dry dock would be an added incentive.

I booked the repo last week, and when you think of it as 14 days, it's not a bad price. I may shift my booking to a TA when it's posted everywhere. Just made it on the NCL site the other day, so hopefully it will be posted elsewhere too. I just never know how to.find a TA. Please PM me if you know a good one. As for the drydock, I heard this too, and I hope they put the Irish Pub in. Blue Lagoon is not fabulous.

The Dawn 2016 fall repo.... Boston to NOLA is 10/28/16 to 11/11/16. Our PCC had the information but it is not yet listed on the NCL website. Pricing was a little high but with the added amenities not too bad. A refreshed Dawn after dry dock would be an added incentive.

I booked the repo last week, and when you think of it as 14 days, it's not a bad price. I may shift my booking to a TA when it's posted everywhere. Just made it on the NCL site the other day, so hopefully it will be posted elsewhere too. I just never know how to.find a TA. Please PM me if you know a good one. As for the restock, I heard this too, and I hope they put the Irish Pub in. Blue Lagoon is not fabulous.

We just booked the repositioning cruise on the Dawn for 2016! The one disappointment was that when I booked, my NCL Agent said that we could get the Ultimate Beverage Package. Then I printed the confirmation and it showed On Board Credit instead. Called them back and found out that you can't get the Ultimate Beverage Package in the "all in" program on repositioning cruises. That was what sold me and made me book today too! I have read that the Dawn is scheduled for Drydock sometime in 2016. Perhaps before our cruise? I can only hope, although we have never been on her. For all those complaining about the same ship being in Boston, you should travel to NYC. That's where we have sailed from before. That way you do get a new ship experience and only have to drive a few hours.

I can't say enough good things about Tour Samana With Terry. We did the zipline/waterfall/lunch with him a couple weeks ago, and it was the highlight of our entire vacation. The staff zipline were incredibly professional and safe. Lunch was on a private beach and absolutely delicious. Then we got to sample island specialties and shop from locals who were not at all pushy. I bought some fabulous Mana Juana (cool drink in a reusable bottle of herbs and wood chips), and I have been enjoying experimenting with it the part couple weeks. We got back in plenty of time to catch the tenderback.