MisterFidgetpants

Watertaxi.com

The Fort Lauderdale water taxi is part tour guide part shopping and dining trolley.

A partnership that has characters for younger kids as well as older kids would be great. I don't feel WWE wrestling is appropriate for our toddler but I see the appeal for older kids. Likewise with younger kids the Nickelodeon characters seemed appropriate but a bit babyish for older kids. There's lots of toddler characters on Sprout for instance that could be good.

Will be interesting to see who they partner with.

Never found a fellow passenger or other random person that wouldn't be more than happy to snap a picture, be it with the smartphone or my DSLR. That simply experience makes me wonder about those who are fascinated with selfie sticks, versus just asking a nice neighbor.

I would not be keen to hand over expensive equipment to a stranger be it on ship or in foreign port. And people seem to have a penchant for taking blurry torso shots instead of clear head shots

Its OK - a risk I'm willing to take. Obviously a lot of people feel less strongly than I do about this issue. However even after being home for a couple of weeks and having plenty of time to consider things I still feel strongly about it. The internet issue may be minor to you but its not minor to me. My goal here is to try and get the policy reversed by encouraging those that feel the same to write and make their opinions known. Trust me - the last thing I want to do is give up Royal. I've had a lot of wonderful cruises, have achieved status and met some pretty fantastic people on their ships. But it just boils down to the principle of it all. Its sort of where I draw the line.

You will book again I am certain.

But if you were ticked about Internet minutes wait until you see what they've got in store for D+ in the future.

Fantastic. Just started. Book marking for later

Battles of Sexes and Quest

I really don't care, actually, if the company is American, Italian, or from tim-buc-too......When I vacation I follow the rules of the ship, the hotel, the campground, the airline, the bus, the train, etc.....no matter what country it's in, who owns, it, etc. I simply follow the rules.

 

Harriet

I just wanted to respond on another note. You said you have never heard of anyone increasing DSC. On another cruise line I had OBC I wanted to give to our room steward.

If I cashed out the obc I would be subject to a 3% fee (loss). Now that fee is 5%. Instead of losing out on money I was going to turn over I asked that it be added as additional amount to my account to use up the OBC. I know that's not precisely what you meant, but it should illustrate that people can do what they want with the charge.

Ultimately I had to wonder if that money was really given over. I do know that had I incurred the fee but given the cash I would not have to give it another thought. This then lead me to wonder if the people who provide me services are being paid what I'm charged for those services. And the only way I know that is by dealing cash from the start.

I thought you may appreciate that perspective.

Sea days are great. The more the better

She was drydocked in 2013 when she became the Sunshine, so I wouldn't expect drydock for a cpl more years. It seems Carnival is stretching the drydock times to 5 yrs instead of 3 like they used to.

When were they ever 3 years

However the COMPANY's home base is located in Miami. NCL is an AMERICAN company - regardless of where their ships are registered.

 

Harriet

All the cruise lines do it to avoid paying taxes and to avoid US labor laws. NCL is not the only one.

Does anyone know if there is a price difference if you book on the ship rather than beforehand?

It should be the same price either way.

Out of a 6 hour excursion I don't know how much of it is actual kayaking, but kayaking itself can be pretty tough and even if it is only 2 hours of kayaking, being in the sun and summer heat of the Bahamas, you are going to feel pretty drained. I kayak and live on the south Florida coast and get pretty picky about days / weather. I don't know you from Adam (or Eve), but if you're up for a physical challenge this could be for you. If you want to sight see and relax, this isn't it.

Whatever you do enjoy! I hope I haven't scared you off from trying if you really want. Hopefully you come back and provide a review for the rest of us. I'm going on the Sky soon for the first time (but after you) so whatever you share would be great.

. I paid $4,800 for the 4 of us and now it's $4,300. The nearest upgrade would be a mini suite but it's $5,200 right now so I would have to pay $400 for that. The TA thru which I booked and NOT a NCL agent said there wasn't much NCL will do. Do you think there is a possibility that NCL will upgrade me to a mini suite at a no or minimal cost ?

Free no. $400 yes.

That sounds like way too much work on vacation! Brings LOTS of sunblock and a big hat and glasses. If it is booked through the ship don't worry about the times.

This is so true, even the very wealthy budget. They maintain their wealth because they don't spend all of it, not because they can't. Here's an interesting fact: research by the National Endowment for Financial Education estimates that 70 percent of people who suddenly come into large sums of money ended up broke within 7 years. Guess these people wish that they had a budget.

And yet today on a different sub forum another person insists they tip 70% to his local servants since he just got a decent job. But man oh man did you hit the nail on the head.

The budget cruiser needs no defense. Any amount can be a budget. It should not have a negative connotation. It means spending within your means and having the will to pass up some bells and whistles. The way I see it if you paid your rate to be on the ship you're entitled to whatever the company advertises to you and no one should feel guilty in not spending more on frills.

Just found out via CNN but no word on the pilot and passengers. Let's hope for the best

Yes, it is on deck 5 I think, beneath the lifeboats. I forget how many laps = a mile. I think it was 3.5 but don't quote me. There is no running between certain hours of the night and early morning. You will also be impeded occasionally by crew working on that deck. We found it sufficiently wide, dry and uncrowded at most times.

Thanks for sharing the info!

For that matter for running is there a full length track around the ship?

Is there a sauna or a steam room on the sky? Is it free or is there a charge?

The Diamond concierge won't do the priority on/off the ship stuff either. That has been our experience.

Yes the complimentary breakfast is still free until 10 am. There is a separate menu for that.

 

Harriet

Can you please tell us is it coffee and danish only or does it include cereal, fruit, yogurt, etc. Thanks

Thanks for putting your time and $$$ on the line to figure out what is what.

Can you please post or tell us what is on the complimentary breakfast menu? Is there yogurt, cereal, fruit? Or it is just danish and coffee?

Thank you.

Go find a shade tree. Lay on chair under tree. Read book. Eat. Swim. Nap.

This is enjoyable to read. The pictures are just great.

Are you under the impression that the people who don't participate have never put on a suit/tux/evening dress and gone out for dinner?

 

I wouldn't mind doing it on a luxury line (or for the NCL Chef's table), as it would be a different mindset. I love NCL, but even with the suite experience and specialty restaurants, the food is basically (better) banquet quality. And that's fine, because that's the kind of vacation I'm choosing -- relaxation, port visits, no pressure other than whatever I feel like doing at any given moment. If I wanted Old School Cruising I'd select an Old School Line. They are still out there.

Well put

Again, I love the energy/detail, thank you and please keep it coming! Like you, I don't like the changes of not serving lobster that night, or getting rid of the midnight gala party. The only thing they really do different that night now is put in the daily that Norwegian's Night Out is... "Dress up and step out for a meet & greet with the Captain, signature cocktails, specialty dining promotions and more." (click link for reference http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-calendar). It's up to people onboard to honor the tradition, if they so decide, which we do. I don't feel silly being in a suit, infact I feel quite the opposite, I feel bad for the others who don't participate, because they don't seem to know what they are missing out on. It's a sympathy for fellow passengers, because they could be looking spiffy! It says "hey, let's get dressed up tonight because it's fun to do when many others are also dressed up", it's an experience, and one that is made better the more people buy into it, and let their guards down.

I'm not missing out on anything because NCL isn't doing anything special to be missed . For the life of me I don't know why you would feel bad for anyone that enjoys doing something different from you. Consider that you are missing out? NCL dress up night is not traditional so there is nothing to honor. Try a line with a real formal night and you will see what you have been missing out on indeed because if you enjoy formal and high participation you're fundamentally choosing poorly