debenson0723

You can get a car service for about the same price as an Uber or Taxi. Just be leary of the guys right outside the port...go across the street to get a legitimate taxi or Uber.

You beat me to it within seconds!

You might want to check on the East Coast departures portion of this forum. And hotels are somewhat subjective...what I might consider to be the best might not work for you and your group, https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/317-east-coast-departures/

Yes, that is all I use.

Ship: Bliss Port: St. Petersburg was a fabulous experience (did an overnight there and had a private tour in the evening to a Russian pub...best vodka ever!) Cabin: not picky but as a solo cruiser I do like the forward facing Oceanview cabins.

No.

This is not true. I am a solo cruiser, always in my cabin without sharing it with anyone. I share my Platinum voucher with whomever I want to bring to dinner with me. Usually it is with another solo cruiser and they share their voucher with me. You are correct that the vouchers are non-transerable and you do have to be present to use them. You cannot give them to anyone else to use, with or without you being there.

Bottom left corner on the website is the chat popup box.

I almost always get a Thermal Spa pass and wait to buy it onboard. If it is a port intensive cruise or one where I have been to many of the ports, I now just buy a day pass on port days and enjoy the time (usually with only 1 or 2 other people) on the ship while everyone else is off. I have heard that day passes aren't always available but I have never had a problem getting one. I purchased a day pass on the Escape for $60...pricey but was worth it to me. Enjoy your cruise!

Thanks but I only have an inside guarantee. Saving my CNs for something better next year.

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I appreciate it.

So let me get this straight...I have a cruise booked for December 2023. If I buy a CF today for $250, I can apply it to my December cruise and get $500 towards final payment? What if I only used a CN cert for my deposit? I suppose that would void using the CF (not combinable). Just trying to get the best bang for my buck. Thanks for your response.

According to @UKstages on his review of the Prima TA, the MDRs have now gone to the rotating menus, just like all of the other NCL ships.

Just saw your post today and wanted to let you know that Vesna was the GM on our Jade Greece cruise in November 2021 (can't believe it has been that long already). She was absolutely fantastic as the GM and I am hoping she is still around. I would love to sail with her again.

Good to know...that will help with some of the seating issues during prime dining times. Thanks!

The Viva hasn't sailed yet...first cruise is next month. I was in a balcony cabin on deck 10 on the Prima, midship. I wanted to be a bit higher but it really didn't matter since I was unable to use my balcony due to bad weather. I haven't been assigned a cabin on the Viva (guarantee).

Indulge Food Hall has a lot of 'stations' not venues (think of a food court at the mall or large airport). You go into a main seating area where there are tablets on the tables. Each tablet list the menu for all of the stations. You can order whatever you want from each station (so a couple from Q, one from Tamara, a tapas or two) and it is brought out to you by a server rather quickly. There are also seats at each station (maybe 8-10) but if you end up sitting there, you can only eat the food served by that station (not ideal). Those are always usually full at lunch and dinner prime times too. It's a great concept but they just need more seating, as it is very popular. I have sailed the Prima and will be on the Viva in December. I think you will enjoy the ships as they are definitely different.

Same as it's always been...you can use the app (or a gift card) on board both of those ships to purchase your drinks. App will not update until you get data but you can ask for a receipt with your balance. You earn 'Stars' for your purchase but cannot redeem on board. Enjoy your cruise!

I am confused about this part of your answer. There are 2 MDRs on the Prima/Viva, while the Breakaway/+ class have 3. At the start of the Prima sailings, there was the same menu every night with an additional specialty restaurant entree available for an upcharge. This concept failed and the Prima now has the rotating menus like the other NCL MDRs (and I am guessing the Viva will too). There is the Indulge Food Hall that is open for dinner also but as others have mentioned it gets extremely crowded during the popular dining times. Either get there as soon as they open or go later.

This was our experience on the Joy in February. Comedy clubs, Footloose and Elements were all bookable in the Social as soon as we boarded (well, close to it...we got on at 11 and were able to book at 11:30).

Wow...that's too bad. I have gone to the MDR alone for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and also just dessert at dinner) and never had that reaction. Or maybe I just didn't notice. I did have it happen on an RCL ship on embarkation day lunch but ate solo in one of their specialty restaurants a few days later and was treated with way too much attention for my comfort (but got a free glass of wine out of it so no complaints, LOL).

As long as the food is sealed in the original package. I've been known to have a small bag of M&Ms and a granola bar or two (left over from my flight) in my cabin.

You didn't mention which ship you were on but on most NCL ships there is a solo gathering the first night, typically in one of the bars around 5:30pm. I would suggest going the first night and meeting up with other solo cruisers. The solo host will take those that want to go to an MDR for dinner (most cruises...I had one where the host just left us to figure this out on our own). Subsequent nights will meet in the studio lounge (on a ship with studio cabins) and then dinner. Some solos also plan a night together in a specialty restaurant. Other than that, the MDR staff 'might' ask if you want to join a table but it seems that most guest like to dine just with their families or sailing companions so you may have a wait if you don't want to eat alone. If I don't have dinner plans, I don't mind eating solo in the MDR. Enjoy your cruise!

Been on both...the Joy does not have a Thermal Spa either, which was a downside for me. But the Escape does not have an Observation Lounge, which I greatly missed. It's really a toss up for me but for that itinerary, I would probably pick the Joy for the OL.

I have taken my curling iron on board every ship I have been on. No one has inspected it or said a word to me. I unplug it after every use and even if I didn't, it has an automatic shut off feature after about 30 minutes.