eatdrinkfly

i've done both and really liked certain parts of each. so the answer depends on what you're looking for. IMO rooms were nicer on NCL, food was great on both, but with NCL you have to pay for a lot of the restaurants and there's less "quick service" food places vs on The Breeze - i loved the Guy's Burger Joint & the Taco shack on the pool deck. if you drink, then the value of the UBP perk with NCL is really hard to beat. if you're just looking at room prices, you'll probably do better on the Breeze.

I did POA with a balcony and honestly, i can't imagine not having one. it's hawaii! you want to be outside all the time and the cruising is so scenic and the temperature so lovely that we constantly were on the balcony or at least had the door open to let the air in.

i would absolutely say to do it. you'll remember the beautiful views and enjoyment of the balcony long after the bill is paid off ;)

FLL Airport is closest to Port Everglades. There's an airline called Silver Airways that runs a pretty cheap flight from Orlando into FLL. I would check that out.

Actually, there are many, many TA's out there who will assist travelers without charging them a fee! The agent is paid by the cruiseline. Any TA who charges a client a fee on top of their commission is not really helping them - they're ripping them off.

 

Most TA's can offer a better price than directly with the cruiseline, give perks such as OBC and other gifts, and take the hassle out of working with the cruiseline.

 

But if someone really wants to pay the highest price and get no perks, then I guess they should book directly with the cruiseline. :p

THIS. #nailedit

i fly between Orlando and FLL/MIA. it's fast and reliable and usually only costs a little more per person than taking a bus/coach. i booked a bus once but ended up canceling it because i was too stressed that it wouldn't show and i'd miss my cruise.

to be honest, i'm actually really impressed that they offered to cover your flight change fees. they do not have to do that, that's completely a goodwill gesture.

that actually really makes me happy to be booked with NCL knowing that they would take care of their passengers like that.

gah! this thread made me super disappointed that the Star Trek one is already sold out. wish i had known earlier!

i've seen people fresh from the spa or pool in robes - doesn't bother me. ...no different than a swimsuit coverup IMO - and in fact, covers more than just a sarong.

as long as they're wearing footwear and are covering all the appropriate parts, thats all i care about. i've seen it at all inclusives too. it's not exclusively a cruise thing.

that's good advice! thanks for the tip.

i think that because almost every booking now includes the dining package, reservations are getting hard to come by. most people on a 7 night sailing will have the 3 or 4 meal dining package and that eats up a lot of reservations.

i know people that had unused specialty dining because they simply couldn't get in anywhere.

packing cubes are great! i had never used them until about 2 trips ago and could not believe the difference. and it helps that you can always find your socks.

i also go light on the jewelry and stopped bringing too many "just in case" toiletries... i figure if i really need something i don't normally use daily at home (cold meds, antacid ect) then i can just buy it at the shop onboard.

i used to really struggle with fitting all my clothes into my bags, particularly for longer trips... but a few years ago, i lost a significant amount of weight and now my clothes are so much smaller i can pack much easier. never really took into account how much space they were taking up before - but it's been a nice perk of getting fit. although now i pack gym clothes & running shoes which i would have never brought before, so it probably evens out, lol.