PaperSniper4

Couldn't figure out how to delete the video, but here's the first photo again.....

That's what we did also, drank some of our wine we brought with us; we just waited until the next day for our Bloody Marys!😎 The tiny OBC was a bonus for us, but let's not tell Princess!😉 Doug

That was our experience also last March <2023>. However, maybe Princess now prices the "Plus" with the international water thing already considered? So cruisers may not see that additional OBC? Worth check if one plans a LOT of drinking that first night!😁 Doug

Notes from my Princess cruise last March 2023: (Dec 2022) HOWEVER: “Once a vessel is outside of Texas territory, the state’s laws no longer apply.” “Like any business which holds a Texas permit to sell alcohol, any alcohol sold by the cruise lines while in Texas must comply with the state’s alcohol laws. Sec. 28.07 of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code requires that any holder of a Mixed Beverage Permit (the permit most commonly used by the cruise lines) must obtain their alcohol inventory from the holder of a Local Distributor’s Permit. Again, once the vessel is in international waters, these requirements no longer apply.” (Dec 2022) We have per-paid gratuities drinks and WiFi. But no drinks in Texas water on the plan! So ask before ordering a drink while still near Texas waters (an hour after sail away?) We'll probably have to pay full price that first night for any drink. (Dec 2022) Confirmation twice on CC: We do NOT have the drinks package the first day, it is effective the following morning early. So anything we order that first night will be on our folio. If I remember correctly, Princess credited us a little money for the Princess Plus not covering drinks that first day. I recall we asked in the bar later on if drinks were on the package, and the bartender said yes. But I remember it was pretty late, like after dinner? Doug

It would help if you specify the departure port?

If one is booked, it's easier to make reservations before boarding, as early as possible. I can't help with your question about booking once on board. Doug

In my case I made reservations for every evening in advance. For both out two specialty dinners and the regular ones. I made reservations early as I could, I think was about 90 days prior to our sail date. Doug

Yes, some suggested the tray, like for holding several beers. I have a lookout for something suitable. But, worse comes to worse, my cargo shorts have huge pockets! Doug

Thanks, thought I'd read that somewhere. So it will cost us $6 for our croissants and coffee in the morning......or I can go cheap and hike up to the Lido deck with our insulated coffee cups and room in my cargo shorts for the croissants.😉 I think my laziness will win out over my frugality though....... Doug

It's not just $4.95 is it? Isn't there also a 20% gratuity added to that? I don't know, last time we sailed NCL (Breakaway from NOLA spring 2022) my experience was like yours. Doug

Source: https://portnola.com/cruise/parking-directions => I made reservations for our next cruise. On that "paid pass" it states we can optionally drop our bags at the terminal if we want, then drive over to the Poydras lot. There is a shuttle between the lot and the NCL terminal. Hopefully the Poydras lot will be more secure than the old Whale lot. Parking for Julia Street Cruise Terminal (Norwegian and Royal Caribbean Passengers ONLY) PLEASE NOTE, THE HILTON “WHALE LOT” IS NO LONGER BEING UTILIZED BY THE PORT FOR CRUISE PASSENGERS. Parking is available at the 100 Poydras Garage, located at 100 Poydras St. New Orleans, LA 70130. The 100 Poydras Garage opens at 9:00am (CST) and has over 500 covered and secured parking spaces. Parking rates: $25 per day without reservations and $25 per day plus $1/per day fee for reservations. Norwegian Cruise Line parking reservations can be made here. Please come directly to the 100 Poydras Garage, as a shuttle will be available to take all cruise passengers and their luggage to the Julia St. Cruise Terminal. Please have your boarding information available. You must show it to the parking attendant to enter the facility. Maximum height is 6' 4" and maximum 22 feet in length. Garage is secured, lighted and patrolled.

Thanks. I share your sentiments on the crowd! Doug

I've never tried that. What's your experience there? We often skip breakfast, but I'd like to try the American Dinner on our next cruise. Interested in the menu and your take on the quality, etc. Doug

There will be a placard you fill out and hang outside your cabin door at night. Not "free" however; you'll pay roughly $6 for coffee brought to your cabin. I believe, but cannot confirm, that is for the cabin, not per person. Here is the link: https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-faq/norwegian-cruise-line-now-charging-room-service Doug

What a great tip, Kat! Thank you for that good idea. Doug

I dunno, that link sounds like cruise passengers can no longer use the Whale Lot. Of course, there has been misinformation on the interest before......😉 Doug

Very true. However, $25-$26 is still very expensive for parking.

Is this official? Anyone have a source for this? Sounds odd that that large "Whale" parking lot would suddenly be closed....and $25 per day is nuts; higher than the last time we parked near the Los Angeles cruise terminal. Doug

When I compared the Celeb Concierge cabins to the MA cabins on NCL it was for size and amenities, not price. Yeah, Celebrity generally costs more than NCL, but there are a lot of exceptions. Gotta watch those sales!😎 Yeah, the size of the balconies on NCL, at least on the ship's we've sailed (Spirit, Star, Dawn, Jewel, Breakaway) are tiny compared to Celebrity and others. It's a big deal for us for sure, but not enough for us to switch over to Carnival. We used to sail Carnival often (remember we sail from NOLA a lot), but Carnival's demographics just don't mesh with us anymore. Too loud, too busy, too rude in our experience. We like Carnival's ships just fine, and the cabins are some of the best out there. But every cruise line has things we like and don't like; thank goodness we still have a choice! Doug

We sail on Celebrity and NCL quite a bit. We are about your age. The nearest cabin type to the Celeb Concierge cabins is the "Club Balcony Suite" cabins on NCL, IMO and based on our experience on the NCL Breakaway for the last few years. Balconies in general on NCL are much, much smaller. However, the cabins are nice on both. The "perks" packages between Celeb and NCL are vastly different. Celeb's includes much more and has always included gratuities on those beverage, etc, packages. Often the price for NCL does NOT include the grats on the specialty meals and beverage packages - and those can be very expensive. And of course NCL's daily "cabin etc" gratuities are the highest in the industry. Cabin service and similar items usually cost more on NCL also, although I suspect Celeb will also offer the "more for less" that all the cruise lines are offering now. It's hard for them not to do so when their ships are sailing near 100% capacity. Demographics are better on Celebrity IMO with less unruly young people and kids. But then I am an old curmudgeon!😁 Hope you enjoy NCL, I'm sure you will in spite of the differences between it and Celebrity. We sail NCL often because they sail from a port to which we can drive (NOLA). We would prefer Celebrity or Princess, but alas, only NCL and Carnival and RCI <fall only> sail from NOLA. Doug

Merry Christmas, and drive carefully on the way to Nashville. We're about 20 miles east of Memphis, so wave as you cross the AL/TN border. You have provided a bunch of people with invaluable information on the ship and itinerary! Doug

Wonder if NCL adds a 20% gratuity to that also?🤑 Not that NCL would ever be called the King of Nichol and Diming, ya'know.😉

We've had 42 cruises....first two were inside...then 2 ocean views....all the rest have been balconies. It's impossible for my wife to go back to a lesser category. I, of course, yield to her wishes....I don't fight for a lesser category anymore!😉 Doug

Pet peeve of mine....I read the daily planner that was delivered to our cabin each evening, taking notes or highlighting events that interest me. So I know what's available the next day....then around breakfast time the CD proceeds to yak yak yak saying EXACTLY what was printed! I know I am a curmudgeon, but why? I dread the day we can no longer get that info in printed form the night before, and have to rely instead on our phone app or the yak yak from the CD! Can you tell I am an old fogey?😁 Doug

I'm enjoying his posts also, very informative. I think he ought to ignore his unappreciative wife's rolling of the eyes!😉 You asked about coffee in the cabin, which is important to us also. Nothing quite like sipping good coffee on the balcony watching the ocean roll by. Here's something I clipped from another thread on CC somewhere concerning coffee on the Breakaway. I might be a year old: ==> COFFEE: We can ask the steward to bring us a Hamilton Beach coffee maker. “I think the coffee from the Hamilton Beach machines is pretty good. I generally bring some extra pods with me to avoid having to ask for extra pods every day - from Amazon etc. "Senseo coffee pods". I have not decided if it's worth the hassle of asking for the coffee maker and perhaps getting some of those extra pods to bring with us. Coffee in the morning is super important for us, so we mainly use cabin service if available early (as in 0600), or I'll hike up to the lido deck with our insulated cups, or to the coffee bar is our cruise includes specialty coffees....we don't have that on this cruise; we have the "cheap seats" standard beverage package. Plus the $6 NCL charges for just coffee on their ships irritates me a bit.....I am so cheap I might always hike up to the lido for coffee every morning.....I wear cargo pants and carry insulated cups with lids...the croissants will fit into my cargo pants.....I've done it before!😎 Doug