BirdTravels

The Haven on the Joy is kinda bad already since they converted most of the “S”uites to “H”aven class rooms. The Joy Haven was not designed to handle that many rooms/guests.

The OL on Prima is smaller because the ship is a lot smaller with 25% fewer passengers.

Since you finally bothered to mention that you are a Haven guest, then, yes, you should get your pre cruise letter and luggage tags about 50 days prior to departure. Always has been 50 days pre- and post-pandemic. Shortly before that, you will get a welcome email. If you don’t get them, then they probably went to your TA who threw them out versus paying to forward them to you.

The room itself is like a hotel room. Basically, somewhere to sleep. Like most hotels today, there is liquid dispensers for hand soap next to the sink. And liquid dispensers in the shower with body wash and shampoo/conditioner. You also have access to the studio lounge which also has coffee and snacks. Example only... Studio Lounge on the Prima Have a great cruise!

We did the $10 vans on our last cruise. Fast. Easy. Cheap. $20 for the two of us. At the time, Uber was $39.19 (less a promo code I had). Because of our luggage, I always book an XL.

Haven guests have their own Horizon Lounge (above the Observation Lounge)

So you could get assigned a Deck 2 Ocean View. I would have only bid on a balcony. Lower level upgrades can occur at any time from the moment you submit a bid to a couple of days prior to departure. Suites are usually done on week of cruise. While they say that they will continue to process upgrades up to departure time, they really mean suites may be upgraded on departure day, not ocean views.

So far, not having polka music sounds like a plus. The weather crossing the Atlantic in winter (or at any time) can be hit or miss. During our last TA, we went through a storm and got hit by a rogue wave, causing the ship to roll. All of the glassware in the cabins went flying. The poor cabin stewards spent most of the night cleaning up broken glass. Embarkation sounded long, but there was no explanation on why it was long. On our cruise last month, there was a full blown coast guard / health inspection of the ship before it when on a 21 day crossing from Miami to Seattle. Not sure what the shops should have for a TA. T-shirts with pictures of the ocean? You're not going to stock merchandise for a one-off cruise. And the shops are not run by NCL, they are run by a private vendor. Roast pig being an "exotic dish" tells me a lot.

MSC website is glitchy. Here's laundry prices for our upcoming cruise.

Sorry, here's a 2021 version.

Latitudes Platinum dinners are 3-course: 1 app, 1 entree, 1 dessert Specialty Dining Package are 4-course: 1 app, 1 soup/salad, 1 entree, 1 dessert This has been around for a while. Waiters will allow you to order 2 apps versus a soup/salad. Waiters will [almost always] give you a 4-course meal for Latitudes vouchers. Don't ask. Just order. If you make a big deal about the "rules", they will enforce them. Just order.

https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/790164-BEV_Package_Flyer_UOBP_PPBP Update_V7_no_crops.pdf

11:30 is fine. We usually book flights around 11:00. Please take into consideration that we have had longer waits for security this year. Checkpoint 1 is for those with TSA Pre-Check, Checkpoints 2 and 3 (on right) are for people without TSA Pre-Check.

Sure. Shorts are allowed in all restaurants for all meals except Le Bistro and Ocean Blue.

This is a picture from our stateroom. I'll let you count the number of rooms that actually have a slide cutting through their balcony

Normally, when I email in a request, it is fulfilled withing 24 to 48 hours. I just submitted a request today. Hopefully I'll see a response tomorrow. So, yes, email in your request and it should be satisfied. No, only one $100 credit per stateroom.

Freestyle dining does not mean you don't meet others. We often strike up conversations with neighboring tables. Some people are receptive. Some people, not so much. And,,, there are nights when we are exhausted and just want to eat,,, and don't attempt to talk to others.

If you use your phone on the ship, connected to the ship's cell tower, the charges bill through AT&T. If you have a plan, the billing will be through the plan. Be very very careful since it would be easy to blow through the included data. If you connect to the ship's cell tower and don't have a plan, you are billed standard AT&T pay-per-use rates ($3/minute talk, $0.50 per text message, $1.30 per video or picture message, $2.05/MB data). Alternative: If you just connect to the ship's wifi/internet, you can use your phone for wifi calling. That has to be set up prior to boarding the ship. And you need to have a wifi plan on the ship. We have used cruise ship plans for voice and it worked very well (better than wifi calling).

Technically, the restaurant requires that all gentlemen to have long pants (jeans or dockers are o.k.). IF they chose to seat non-compliant patrons outside, that is at the discretion of the restaurant. And I have heard people complain to the Maître D about non-compliant patrons being in the restaurant.

So,,, the cruise documents and the luggage tags are sent on A4 (European) paper sized PDF files. If you shrink to fit on US 8.5x11 paper, the luggage tags are about 2.6 in wide. If you pick actual size, it will be wider.

The ship has a lot of pillows. Leave yours at home.

If you are accustomed to eating at "traditional fixed dining times" (i.e., either early or late), there would normally be only a short wait for a table, if any. We are old,,, growing up with traditional, fixed time, large table dining. Today, we avoid it at all costs on all of our cruises. We greatly prefer to eat when we are hungry and when it fits our schedule. We don't want to be a slave to the cruise line schedule. Especially on a Med cruise where port times vary and sometimes are very early or very late. So, we do NCL Freestyle Dining, Royal Caribbean My Time dining, MSC My Choice dining. Time to try something different.

Pull them aside and advise them not to give up their day jobs

Yes. NCL still uses door tags. There is a $4.95+gratuity delivery charge (regardless of the size of the order) = $5.94. Earliest delivery time is 6:30-7:00. Also consider that there is very limited counter/desk space in a standard Getaway room. Buffet will be busy. But you can always get in to grab a quick bite. If you get there at/before advertised opening time, it is fine. Always walk toward the back of the buffet to minimize crowds.

When you arrive at the restaurant, you tell the hostess how you would like to pay. You can pay with your Free at Sea Specialty Dining Package (you have 2 dinners each), a purchased Specialty Dining Package, Latitudes voucher (platinum and above), other vouchers (from various organizations), or an onboard charge (cash). General reservations opened 120 days prior to departure (130 for suites, 125 for top-tier Latitudes and Club Balcony rooms). You can book a table for 4, but it would be "good" to have that updated on embarkation day at the restaurant reservation location. Many/most of the restaurant tables are 2-tops. NCL holds table for embarkation day reservations, so if the restaurant of your choice is not available, go to the restaurant reservation desk as soon as you embark.