ighten

It has been seriously slow recently - think it took 2 months for my last cruise to appear as points

Thanks - I never even realised you could use a dining credit for the Sushi

3 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

At some point I think they were the same thing then they decided to allow some cabins to have the FASs but still not choose their cabin.  

In some cases the GTY and Sailaways aren't offered when a cruise is first offered.  6-8? months out they usually start offering both.  (not sure of exact timing, sorry)

Think its 8 as its available for Aug 20 sailings (UK site)

13 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

Yes, absolutely.  GTY cabins, in most cases, include FAS perks/promos. Sailaway cabins, zero.  

Sailaways are generally a few hundred less than GTYs.  

 

HTHs

Think this is dependent on your region - a sailaway in the UK allows the exact same add ons as any other cabin whilst being cheaper (ie sailaway any lvl still 99£ to add 2 perks on the current promotion - only thing that changes is any xtra room credit but its still the same levels).

Dont actually think guarantees exist in the UK anymore

Last time I booked a guarantee it was 3 yrsago a cheap as chips last minute10day Med on the Epic - room then assigned was actually balcony  https://notesfromthebarn.blogspot.com/2016/05/ncl-epic-10-day-western-med-day-1-2.html

I see what you mean by them applying it onboard - but am I correct in thinking from reading this thread that they auto add $50 per trip to your account but as non refundable credit.

Thanks for all this info its been confusing me..

 have now noticed that booking online does deduct your plat discount correctly - but it still seems daft that if your logged in and it knows who you are why it cant apply the 50$ discount - think I'll just wait till were onboard and book (though again I presume the app or in cabin tv will also be useless at applying any discounts correctly) by queuing at the desk.

Just booked for the 2020 solstice on the Star - thanks for this, excellent report

1 hour ago, jdvmd said:

Best to call. You have to pay for deviation and if the tickets are already issued, that will be a problem as new tickets would need to be issued and that will cost also. Don't think it is doable.

That said, why are you worried about the flights? Since you booked with NCL, they will get you to the ship. Guaranteed.

Call as said if your worried .. It is bizarre to be honest how many times NCL  seem to tkt connections with almost impossible transfer times especially when a terminal change is involved. But TBF its hard to judge without any details - some airports with single terminals or good airside transport between are fine, others though where you have to leave airside are physically impossible even before you factor in delays or weather.

A gurantee sometimes that "we guarantee to get you there" is useless when they get you there midway through your cruise - stress you out - etc

Im slightly confused on this one how exactly it works.. As an example we already have the plat discount (and tbf we usually book independently anyway so its not something I have thought about) .. However I know from experience that if you use the onscreen system onboard in your cabin or the  websites pre book that the discount never appears unless you go to the desk and can be bothered to ask.

So the simple question is whats the procedure if you want to take your discount and also use the 50$ cabin reduction per port.,

Pearl last June we had towel animals every night for 14 nights

I think most of those are just the various MDRs/buffet- also  looks like they are going to use the same method as Diadema and use part of the Buffet as a table service at night - Think we'll have to wait to see if they add anything more than the usual Samsara (Italian/Thai Fusion - coconut rissotto and monkfish mmmmm) and (pay extra) pizza/burgers -

I notice they do seem to be showing pics of a tapas type place (extra cost) and a cooking school (not sure why I would want to pay extra to ruin my dinner 😉 )

TBF I think the Italians and Med countrys actually prefer just eating traditional good food in the MDR - perhaps costa dont think its worth adding seafood or steakhouses to the mix - Samsara has been almost empty on our last 2 Costa cruises

Main advantage is a much better dining experience (- smaller quieter room - private table etc - )than the MDR - excellent service - you also get quite a good discount (well you did on the Favolosa last year) from the Costa Club system so make sure you sign up before you go.

The Lake Girl

Diadema is here

Favolosa is here

Regarding Smerelda does anyone know what restaurants they are planning to have - it seems quite hard to find much info on English sites

I have now just booked Smelda (cant stop calling her Esmerelda though) so just seen how it works.. As mentioned above though it tends to apply to mainly half day trips and some of the full day drop off (do your own thing) type so it does pay to check it actually works out at good value (TBF most costa trips compared to many other cruise companies are not too badly priced).

Yes if you book all the available ones in each port you will save money - but in our case if you choose to be doing your own thing by train etc in a port or take a longer trip on one of the days then it slides the other way.

Its a good offer though if you are doing the former (especially as the "do your own thing" buses tend to be included)

Have sailed costa twice and on both times when we took tours the English version was running (though to be fair we were the only English on board - dont forget they will lump multi languages together for non Italians into an English group or sometimes shared (we once had a half French and English ).

I think on a ship the size of the Smerelda it shouldnt be an issue but it will be great to hear your experience as we are booking for March and I had not heard of this option which sounds good (especially as we have visited most ports before) - are the choices available now on your My Costa section of the site

Previous Costa trips here Favolosa and here Diadema

Thats good news... I have now found the details buried in the UK website so its confirmed on the site as well.. Thx

Two cruises -  HAve to say on one I think there were two other English on board and on the other I dont think any.. Both were excellent.

Illustrated  Trip reports for both can be found here  Costa Favolosa and Costa Diadema

These worked like a charm on our last cruise with Costa - (Trip report)

though as usual Costa seem to keep it unmentioned in the booking site etc -- just wondering if this is a company policy that is still going or its changed as I am looking at trying the Smerelda - Never had an issue with any aspect of Costa apart from the way they handle MDR dining (Bright lights and shared tables isnt really my style -especially when they seem to have a thought process of put all the non Italians together in the corner ) .. So the club pass has always been a huge draw.

We picked up a private car when we arrived in Mauii and prebooked with Jack Harter for the Helicopter Doors Off whilst in Kauai (Blog Here)  - That was the highlight of the trip.. Used Uber a lot in Honolulu - We had planned to use private cars a lot more but ended up with quite a bit of free Credit on the Cabin so used a couple of ship tours.

One quite inventive thing they have done inside the Cathedral is they have dedicated one of the side chapels to show a full size printed copy of the polyptych - though it is quite funny watching the look on peoples faces who didn't realise its a copy - when the guide starts tapping areas with his long stick to explain each panel.
 

Finally getting to the end of moving this - apllogies it has taken longer than I thought

Rather like Brugge, Ghent sits mostly on the canals and rivers and  has managed to keep all its medieval buildings despite the war - where the target was more the port of Zeebrugge.
 

There is lots and lots to see in Ghent as is illustrated by the tourist signs having so many destinations they have more branches than the trees. However the big thing most people come for is to take a peek inside the cathedral at one of the most significant & most stolen, works of art in the world. The bottom left panel is still missing (the theory being the person who bought the stolen panel hid it but has since died)

 

The Ghent Altarpiece is in St Bavo's cathedral, attributed to the Van Eyck brothers, Hubert & Jan. It's official title is Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a very large & complex 15th-century polyptych altarpiece.

Awesome just do it - as someone said earlier if you want to cruise Hawaii this is the only way to do it - full trip report from this years POA click here