IRMO12HD

@twangster, what do you use for data when you're traveling?  Do you use a different sim card, or an international plan from your provider?

I booked our April 2020 Panama Canal cruise last April -- through NCL, and then transferred it to a TA.  Since then, my TA has accomplished 6 (yup, six!  He's amazing!) price reductions for me.  We did give up a total of $150 in OBC.  However, on some of the reductions, we actually gained perks.  On the last one (in December), we gave up the free / reduced air perk, but for a $500 savings.  Total fare reduction achieved (per person) for a BD Balcony:  $1350 (45% reduction).  While part of it is my amazing TA, part of it, too, is my constant checking and re-checking of fares. As far as I know, he was never told that we were limited to a given number of refare efforts.

Thanks, @PistolPete13!  I'll be bringing my own water bottle; was just curious.  We're NCL newbies, so no Latitudes status for us either.  Do they have water bottle refill stations (like in the airports), or do you have to do the 'fill a glass, then pour it in your water bottle' routine?  Sounds like it will be easy to hit my target 10,000 steps a day!

I noticed two green (refillable) water bottles on the counter in your cabin picture -- were they a Latitudes perk, or does every guest get them?  Thanks for all of the great pictures and notes -- we'll be on Bliss in April; first time on NCL, first time on a BIG ship, first time out of NYC!

1 minute ago, L1211 said:

Mostly ambiance and calorie control!  The hustle and bustle isn’t my vibe and after a bite of this and a scoop of that I feel like I’ve eaten a 1000 calories!!  

Is it possible to load up a plate (like with salad :-) ) and then take it to another location?

I'm really enjoying your review; it's clear that you and your family make the best of a situation!  Just curious; why don't you "go near the buffet"?  We're going on a 21 night cruise on the Bliss in April, as our first NCL experience.

"Dining  options a noon.  Breakfast at Great Outdoors. Pizza, sandwich and soup bar, hot pannis at Monderno. We dont go near the buffet!!"  

(homemade quote, as I wasn't sure how to quote a given post)

@tcworld

Thanks for the pictures!  I guess we'll literally be on ships passing in the night -- our Panama Canal cruise on Norwegian Bliss leaves NYC on April 19!  Were there lots of vendors in the port area, or are they pretty much outside?

Did you have any difficulties bringing the coffee back into the US?

@Arzeena, if you have a chance, could you post a reply at some point and describe how your 'journey to embarkation" went?  We'll be doing sort of the same thing in April, and it would be awesome to read your impressions and experiences.

Thanks, @blcruising.  Good to know!

I'm a newbie to cruise purchasing (our first two cruises were a partial and then a full ship charter, so don't really count), but was wondering if my NCL purchase experience was typical . . .

Purchased a BD cabin on NCL Bliss for the April 2020 Panama Canal sailing (21 night).  At the time, the per person rate was $2969 -- which, in comparison to a cruise we had booked on Celebrity (and later cancelled) was pretty reasonable.  I transferred the booking to a TA -- and then the fun began.  The price kept on going DOWN!  AND DOWN!  Original deposit was made in April 2019; got to select a really desirable cabin on the 'bump;' refundable with three perks.  As I checked on the price and notified the TA of price drops, the number of perks actually increased!  After giving up the 'free/reduced airfare,' our final (I think) price for the cabin is $1616 per person. Previous to this final price drop, the price had dropped to $1879.  Are all of these price drops normal, or was it just beginner's luck?

@Budget Queen, do tell us your secrets!  "I even have a routing with subway/bus from Lga with no stairs."  Seriously, though, I would appreciate any tips you can share!  My husband and I will be on a 21-night cruise, our longest to date, and although we plan on using the laundry service, I'm pretty sure I will be lugging my 25" suitcase (with wheels, but only two).

@138east, we'll be sailing on the Bliss in April.  Thanks for the tips!!

Thanks, @138east; I was wondering the same thing!  Also, if anyone has information about the ways and means of getting a large suitcase from the NJ Transit train coming into NY Penn Station (from Newark) up to street level, I'd really appreciate any tips on where to find (working) escalators and or elevators . . .

It's a long story -- but it comes down to scheduling and flight availability, and personal choices.  Will be flying into Newark the day before embarkation, and I was just curious about the timeframe in the Manhattan cruise port.  FWIW, I'm more interested in seeing Central Park; I'm originally from the East Coast and have visited NYC several times; just never made it to the Park!

Is it possible to check your luggage and then delay checking in?  It would be nice to have a chance to walk around the port/area with just my backpack, and then check in about 2-3 hours later (assuming I could check my large suitcase early, like at 10:30 or 11).  Cruising on Norwegian out of Manhattan in April 2020. 

$50.99 per person right now with the Black Friday sale -- almost $20 cheaper.  Cancelled and repurchased :-)

"Hokey Pokey" ice cream sounds fun!  Does it have some type of candies in it? 

@SinbadThePorter What is "chocolate fush?"

How timely a subject!  My daughter is on her way to NZ for a two-week visit; she'll be in Auckland for two days, and then will join up with her friend and they'll head to Queenstown, then Rotorua.  Any suggestions for local favorites (food or drink) would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, @Bubbeh for your advice.  I do recognize that WA is huge [ironically, that is also my state's abbreviation :-) ), and I wouldn't plan on seeing a whole lot (I appreciate your tip about using the train).  I just thought that it would break up the cruise days a bit (I LOVE cruising; my husband isn't quite as wild about it, so I thought some "land days" might help).  I usually do a TON of research on our travels (before we go), and I haven't done that yet.  What would be some highlights in WA that might be reachable in a day or two from Perth?  I'm sure I'll be back for a land-based extended trip . . .  

I'm hoping for insights or experiences on planning a cruise around Australia in 2021.  My husband had some friends who went on a circumnavigation cruise, and they really enjoyed it.  However, I'd really like to have a chance to explore a bit more, especially on the western side, as I've never been there.  Sooo -- I'm researching stringing together 'top end' and 'bottom end' cruises to see if I can swing a week or so in between.  In the meantime, I'm also trying to schedule around a Trans Pacific cruise on Ovation which departs Yokohama on May 8, 2021 (already booked).  If that doesn't work out, then I'd be looking at Oct/Nov 2021.  

I've done some research on available itineraries, and scanned through about 20 pages of topics in this forum, but haven't turned up much in the way of past itineraries that worked, or thoughts for the future, so I'd appreciate reading any comments!

Looking forward (I think! ) to using the Reduced Air promo in April 2020; regardless of the flight arrangements, it's hard to beat $49.50 (+ $25 Air Deviation) for one way Seattle - NYC!  I won't be complaining :-).  I noticed that on our sailing, it's now an "either/or" option with an additional $50/shore excursion credit.

I'm faced with the same issue in April 2020 -- coming from the Pacific Northwest to NYC, with the cruise leaving on August 19.  Supposedly all NCL has to do is book you on a flight that gets you to your destination before midnight of the first day of your deviation.  Although you'll be getting in the first day of your deviation, it may be really late at night -- or really early -- but it should be on that specific date.  I would make refundable reservations to fit your possible schedules; once you get your flight arrangements, and before that refundable period ends, you can make the necessary adjustments.

Thank you!