newbe dave

I have done this with no issue. Explain what you want to do with the Maître D when you check in. Then double check the "bill" that the server brings you at the end of the meal to make sure that everything was properly applied. Like Bird Travels stated, you can get an additional meal with the third person eating from your selections and, if needed, ordering something ala cart. 

And make sure to get your bottle of wine from the Platinum coupon too!!!! 

11 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

The cruise booked aboard the ship can be transferred to any travel agent. Our TA only asks us to notify her of the booking number just in case they forget on the ship, she gets her commission and we get any additional perks from her office.

The same for a PCC. After I book a cruise while on a cruise, I call my PCC and let him know to take over that cruise. He can then do anything I need for that cruise.  

thanks Hallux.  That has some good info too. 

On 6/10/2023 at 7:38 PM, julig22 said:

Just to note, they do have basic standards when booking, so chances are you would NOT get a flight with an 8hr layover or more than 2 stops.  It's not always the cheapest flights, despite comments to the contrary that you may read.  They barter with the airlines, so what you see may not be even close to the prices they get when booking.

I would love to see the current thoughts/opinions/guesses for the "basic standards" used by NCL to booking airfare. I would expect low price is number one priority but within certain parameters.  If anyone has educated guesses at these, that would be very helpful (julig22 gave a great start - <8 hr. layover, leave after 3PM debarkation day, no more than 2 stops, etc>). 

Check out "Wine Diapers" on Amazon or your local stores. They are reusable bubble bags made to hold a standard sized bottle of wine or booze.  I use them all the time when flying and they protect very well.

15 hours ago, Laszlo said:

Its pretty clear when you have 5,6,7 people standing in a line waiting for the next person to get done putting food on their plate their is clearly a line there

I am picturing a conga line starting at the entrance near the pool area and snaking through the entire buffet area. No cutting or leaving the line please.  Doesn't matter that the buffet is designed to have stations for easy access.  No interaction with the Conga-Buffet Line. 

This is why I always go to the aft buffet area.  The Conga Line people tend to form their defenses in the front buffet area. That way I am free to enjoy. 

On 4/30/2023 at 12:14 PM, MoCruiseFan said:

What is cutting in line at a buffet?  At a buffet I simply look for what I want and put it on my plate.  

I must have a totally different behavior at an NCL buffet. I look at all the food available on the buffet. Yes. I walk by the entire buffet area.  If I want something and no one is near (2-3 food items away), I take it. I don't take all of it and I personally don't like taking the last one either (taking an entire pizza is very wrong). If there are people right there (within about 2-3 food items), I go to a break in the line which I see as the end of whatever line there may be. I also skip past people in line if they are taking forever to decide which eggs benedict is the perfect one for them. 

No doubt what happened in this situation is wrong in multiple ways. I just hope people are not getting  flustered at me because I step in, get food and leave. 

28 minutes ago, Scrufsmom said:

I've read several posts about how spotty the Wifi systems are on the boats.  We will be traveling on the Escape and need to really find out if others experience coverage for their medical devices that are attached to apps on their phones.  I can not be the only person who is now one of the millions that wear the ever so fashionable diabetes sensor.  So did you have to pay for the premium wifi to continue the coverage for sensor or can you just do the unlimited?  Anyone who can offer their valuable input is greatly appreciated.  Thank you

You can also purchase coverage from your cell phone carrier while you are on the ship. I have done that multiple times (I have AT&T) and it provides good coverage when you are at sea.  

One additional point. Make sure prior to leaving for your cruise that your reservation has all of your expected promo's included. I had the drinking plan removed from one of my cruises accidently. I only noticed it when they charged me for a drink the first day of the cruise.

After calling my PCC and pointing out the error, everything was corrected.  Turns out that my PCC removed the promo accidently when re-pricing my booking to get a better deal. But I did not catch it, so it was my fault.

My point is always check that the expected promo's are listed on your reservation. 

I view the Platinum meals the same as a Buy one, Get one free dinner coupon at home. Since no tip has been prepaid, I tip for the value of the meals received not the price I pay (which is 0).

I add an appropriate tip for the service provide to the bill when they deliver it. The last cruise, they did not deliver a bill (since it was zero) and I had to ask for one. Either way, I always tip when using the Platinum meals. 

On 3/24/2023 at 6:49 PM, Ellis1138 said:

I prefer filling this out to having to specify my allergies every single time I eat. https://ncl.secure.force.com/AccessDeskForm/

 

When I was on the Jade, I was assigned a special crew member who oversaw all the special dietary needs. I was able to tell them ahead of time what I wanted and they made dishes special for me, which I liked. I love lamb, but never usually get to eat it at a restaurant, due to the use of rosemary, sage and thyme. I was able to have it on the Jade. 

 

That was pre-Covid days. I'll be going on my first post-Covid cruise in September, so we'll see how the Escape handles it.

Fill out the Access Desk form listed above and document that you have allergies.  I cruised with wife and two daughters in the Joy. All have allergies of varying concern. We went to lunch at one of the main restaurants after boarding and asked to talk to someone to document our allergies. They took down all information so that it was available every time we checked in at a restaurant. 

During the cruise, each day, the people with allergies could pre-order for the following day (usually at dinner). We had one person assigned to help us at every meal and this person was amazing about it. Preordering allowed the chefs to ensure everything was good and even made some of the sauces special without the allergen. The only negative is it limited our ability to change up dining options the next day. But, as a whole, the process was amazing and greatly reduced all concerns about food. I would highly recommend doing this if you have concerns about an allergy. 

One more planning point for those of us that love to plan (or over plan in my case). The platinum coupons offer slightly less items than the Dining Plan meals. If my memory is correct: platinum allows one appetizer/soup/salad instead of the multiple you get with the Dining Plan. One side instead of 2. But since platinum coupons can be used at any restaurant now, I try to use them where this difference does not matter. Teppenyaki is a good example where the Platinum and Dining Plan meals are the same. Moderno too.  For me, La Cucina and Q are good examples for the way I order. But I love the extra App/Salad and sides at Cagneys and Ocean Blue. So I make sure to use Dining Plan coupons for those restaurants.  Hope this makes sense. 

This is probably too much planning but when you have both Platinum and Dining Plan coupons, why not maximize them. 

The best thing is to go where the crowd isn't. Generally on the big ships (breakaway class), the front elevators are busier than the rear ones. If you know there is a show in the theater or something with a crowd in the lobby, plan on the front elevators being full when those crowds leave. Same with the pool and, usually, port embarkation. Don't wait for an elevator in the front on a port day when you know the forward gangway is in use. Just walk to the back elevators. 

For the buffet, sit in the farthest section from the entrance, if possible. Especially for breakfast. People seem to just wander into the buffet and choose the first seat they find. Go the extra steps and sit at the far end.  I love the waterfront in the morning. I can have most of the area to myself. Maltings is usually less used early in a cruise. Then people find it and start crowding it up. So enjoy it the first half of your cruise. 

And a lot of very good suggestions on previous posts.  There are ways to enjoy the cruise crowds and also have some time to yourself. 

I am copying this paragraph from another NCL thread posted by "luv2kroooz". It perfectly sums up this discussed in my opinion. I will add that I do the same review and come to a different conclusion. I feel cruising still has great value for my travel dollars. I just did a land based trip to Scotland and confirmed that cruising is still a good value for my wife and I  For others the answer may, and probably is, different. Everyone should review the costs and benefits provided to make individual decisions. 

Again. copied a post from "luv2krooz": 

"We have zero cruises booked on any cruise line since the overall fares charged are no longer justified by the vacation delivered, in our opinion. We are not against paying more if more is delivered in the experience. Right now, the environment is pay more, get less. Pay more for internet, get crappy speeds; pay more for beverage packages, get less selection; pay more for service charges, get less service; pay more for specialty dining, get fewer meals. NCL makes so many changes to itineraries and onboard product offering that we don't even know what we are booking anymore."

16 minutes ago, MazzyKn said:

I’m curious, which hotels don’t service rooms daily? We travel regularly and even during the Pandemic, we have always had our room serviced on a daily basis.

I have recently stayed at both Marriott (actually Bonvoy) and Holiday Inn company flagged hotels in the US and Scotland that only service rooms every 2 or 3 days. So if you stay for 2 nights, you do not get any housekeeping service. I cannot remember a hotel stay in 2022 where we got the normal, daily service. 

You can get towels if you ask at the front desk. I assume the same would be true on NCL. I may find out later this month when I cruise on the Joy (not sure if it is changed yet).

I agree that this is a decrease in service at the same time as an increase is the fee (the NCL PR/Communications people should be fired). But I still find cruising a good value, all things considered. 

10 hours ago, Cruising Lynne said:

People expressing their disappointment in some of the recent changes does not necessarily mean that they "never want to spend money with NCL again". No need to be so dramatic about it.

Do these people have the same level of vocal disappointment for the hotel industry that does not service rooms daily in most cases? Do they also fly off the handle when asked to pay for services beyond their reservation (parking, tips, better room, etc)? Do they constantly ask where every dollar you spend at a business goes to feed their unquenchable curiosity? Do they demand to see all financial data for a business they happen to patronize? 

These questions all sound stupid. But they have all been asked of NCL in this tread.

My point is that the cruise industry is barely hanging on financially. That is shown in their published financial statements. I appreciate that they are trying to tighten their financial belt in ways that will have minor impacts to their product (If having extra towels is so important to you, you should be willing to talk to your steward to address it versus blabbing constantly about it here).  To harp and whine about these minor changes when you see all other industries do similar or worse makes no sense to me. 

16 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

I always love these kinds of educational posts. First and foremost, the conversation stemmed from a lack of 2nd turndown. We already know for a fact that the grass is greener on the other side solution doesn't offer it either. We also didn't get much details of where this cruise package without a cruise (and a lot of the other things) even exists. In the US, it is very difficult to find a place outside of Vegas that has consistent entertainment. Adding in dining doesn't exist.

 

Cruising always gets a bad rap because it's easy and fun to compare like items. Someone gets shot near a crappy hotel? Crickets. An idiot jumps off a ship? SHIP SAFETY?! Hotels have increased fares and fees without service to match, but we all complain about DSC. When literally everything, everywhere has gone up in price. Are is the total value of cruising really that much different now? Or are we comparing a familiar baseline? 

 

Everyone wants to blame the cruise lines. What is the solution for their large debt, cost of goods and labor increases? I know, not your problem. You're the poor victim that can't have towels replaced twice per day. Now it won't feel special! Go pay for it if you want it. If you want to be mad at someone, educate yourself and be mad at those who truly destroyed the economy. There was no reason to put cruise ships into billions of debt. Now they are fighting for survival. A lot of you whiners would change your tune if the industry suddenly stopped.

 

 

Thank you for saying what I and many others were thinking. If the value of the total price of cruising, including all costs such as taxes, fees, service charges, etc, are higher than you will value the experience: you have to option to find another vacation to suit your wishes. 

If you are so upset by this announcement that you want to never spend your money with NCL again, please spend your money elsewhere. And take your drama with you. Buh-Bye.

On 11/23/2022 at 12:51 PM, RocketMan275 said:

Fine but I have an expectation that person won't waste my time in useless endeavors.  

So you do not want to waste your time on a muster drill.  Your 30 minutes is better spent elsewhere.  We understand.  

But you will waste how many minutes uselessly arguing your point on a forum? Is your time not important now?

It seems very hypocritical that you would spend so many posts and so much of your time to argue against a required safety procedure (effective or not) that was commonplace before Covid from the perspective that the Muster Drill is a waste of your 30 minutes of time once per cruise. 

9 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I bet that a regular muster does not cure their clulessness.

 

My beef with the standard muster drill isn't that safety isn't important, I seriously doubt that the standard drill does little, almost nothing, to correct that lack of knowledge.

 

The muster drill does one other thing. It checks the box with whatever regulating authority that has power stating the drill was completed for all passengers for that cruise. My guess is that the requirement was relaxed during Covid and now has been reinstated (or NCL thinks it will be). Either way, having every passenger gather at their muster station at 3:45PM with all ship services stopped for a 4PM departure cruise makes sense as it fulfills a requirement for sailing. Nothing in the requirement states that any passenger has any knowledge at all. Educating the public is a futile attempt in most cases.

Muster drill is just like the safety presentation every flight attendant gives before every flight. You are not required to listen, just experience it. 

I love Harvest Caye and, for me, drinks and food are free.  This is because I walk the short distance back to the ship that is docked at the island and fill my metal Tervis with a double of my favorite drink. It stays cold for hours (like a drink will last me hours. HA HA). I can even get a bite of food while I have returned to the ship. This serves to help me get some of my daily exercise (needed when cruising) and lets me eat and drink for free. The walk is paved and flat so it is very easy. It only takes me about 20-30 minutes to get my refill and return to my island enjoyment. Add to it that I get to relax in the wonderful pool on the island too. 

On 10/13/2022 at 1:40 PM, FlGoodShips said:

I miss my recliner.

My answer exactly on one word: RECLINER.

Or at least a comfortable chair. The leather chairs they have in the Whiskey bar are god. But I really miss my recliner.  

19 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

This thread has nothing to do with not being a fan of NCL or trolling. The thread is about a change to MDR dining that A LOT of us find ridiculous. And this site is designed to discuss those changes amongst the members. The NCL apologists here are almost as bad as the RCL board. They seemingly can do nothing wrong for some of you. Enjoy your future NCL cruises. 

I assume you are referring to me as an NCL apologist. If so, you would be wrong. Nothing I shared was intended to be good or bad for NCL.  

You already stated in page 2 of this thread that you would never sail NCL again. Why do you continue to care about MDR changes on NCL? Especially enough to read 6 more pages of responses? 

Personally, I am not a fan of this change either. That is why I am reading this thread.  I don't like some of the UDP changes on NCL also. But I keep my responses in the logical arena versus hyperbolic emotion, threats and name calling. Honestly, NCL (as are all leisure industry companies) is trying to return to black after a couple years of really bad financial times beyond their control. I would expect any company to make changes to help their bottom line with the hopes that the customer experience is not degraded too much. I assume having their kitchens make the same dishes every night is a way to save cost, time and efficiency. I assume NCL hopes this change does not upset too many customers. Jury is out for me since I have not experienced this change yet. 

My reason for posting was having to go through 7 pages of responses to basically get 3-4 pages of value and 3-4 pages of threats and trolling. Honestly, I do not care is chskinsfan (or whomever) ever cruises NCL again. Likewise, you do not care if I ever cruise NCL again. I hope we can agree on that. 

I am very confused on this thread. If you don't like the food on an NCL cruise, why would you book an NCL cruise? And if you are not a fan of NCL, why spend your valuable time trolling an NCL blog to spread your hate for NCL. Is there some internal benefit you get from publicly bashing something? Maybe I am missing out on the true enjoyment of these types of forums. 

For myself, I have never gone hungry on a cruise (NCL or other). The food is fine. Is it 5 star, no. But I think it is good value for the price I pay. Because of that, I have booked additional NCL cruises. If my opinion of the food changes, I may choose to spend my limited travel dollars elsewhere. But I do not expect to also spend my limited time explaining to the world every thought I have about NCL. Maybe I am missing something. 

Harvest Caye is one of our favorite stops.  The ship usually docks right at the port. We love the pool and have the beach available if we want. We cruise to relax so sitting by the pool for a sunny day is a great day for us. Other ports are great for excursions and seeing what there is to offer. Harvest Caye is where my inner sloth gets priority. 

If I get hungry or thirsty, food and drink are available. Or I can walk the 5 minutes back to the ship to get free food and drink.  My metal insolated cup does a great job of keeping my "free" drink cold while lounging at the pool. And I get a couple steps when I walk to the ship for a refill. 

All things considered, it is a great beach day without having the hassle or cost of traveling to a beach destination. 

First, sorry for all of the loss in the Ft. Myers area.  Tragic. 

On subject, issues like this (only without the hurricane) have happened to many people I know that booked NCL air. Including myself.  Since NCL books the air, they are the only one airlines let change or alter flights.  Not the passenger. Thus far, I have not heard of NCL doing anything to help change anyone's flights. SO you are stuck at the airport with no options for your booked flights. 

Someone said it perfectly. Anyone that uses NCL to purchase their flights gets ultra-cheap flights with no support at all. I will never use NCL for airfare again (I love their cruises!). I would rather book travel myself so that I have control to make changes or adjustments as situations come up.