Diane123boys

We have an opportunity to bid for the 3 BR villa - We did it but it is already booked - not sure why they offered us it! its all good happy with our room any way

My 16 yo son is just learning guitar. Can he bring it on the ship?

I live in New England. And my guess it will be cold on the water in October[emoji260][emoji262]I would assume an enclosed balcony to keep the wind down would be a plus for New England in the Fall. If it was Caribbean and hot then I'd guess I would want open [emoji3]

 

 

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I echo Traj - I an in northern NH and even though I would never do a NE/Canada cruise I suspect you will be very happy with an "enclosed " balcony that time of year!!

As an amplification to my posts on the linked thread, the typical galley onboard will have the following spaces, that cater to all the galleys onboard by preparing the food before it goes to the main cooking and plating galleys.

 

Veg prep, meat prep, fish prep, cold buffet prep (salads), bakery, pastry, dessert. Each of these (except the bakery) will have walk-in coolers.

 

The main galley will have a salad station, a soup station (large kettles making soups), a vegetable station (large pressure cookers), a roasting station (the large ovens capable of handling 10 roast beefs, or two dozen chickens), and then there will be the cook station with the stove tops, flat tops, salamanders, grills, and finally the steam table where it all comes together for plating.

 

The buffet will have its own, smaller galley, and the specialties will have their own, or share a galley between a couple of small ones. Even the pizza places have their own galley, and the bakery preps their dough in the proofing cabinets daily.

I ALWAYS find your posts so educational regarding cruise lines THANK YOU !!!! Your vast experience and qualifications add to that :)

Op - I wonder if it was one of the cleaning products used in the room - like the disinfectant for the bathrooms - I am sure you did this BUT did you remove the flowers that Haven Guests all get? they also were in the common areas of the Haven Lounge and If I remember in the pool area also - just a guess = What is his asthma triggered by? I know this doesnt explain why other ships are ok - Just thinking outloud here. Also were you on one of the 2 br suites? I know the air flow in the second BR is awful! 2 of my sons (15 and 18) slept in there and if anyone knows teenage boy funk at the end of the day and after running around all day will relate

It is not as much returning as it is Leaving the ship I am talking your 16 yo - the 18 yo can come and go as he pleases. We went on the Breakaway this past summer with our 15 yo, he was 16 one week later, 19 and 21 yo sons. When they got off the ship my 15 yo was behind them and once they scanned the cards there was no problem getting off. Make sure they go together if one of the adults is not disembarking - I dont believe there was any problem getting back on, apparently the 15yo was with a bunch of his friends getting back on and they didnt bat an eye once the card was scanned

Yep lets do this !!!!

We had an excellent experience - just got off our cruise on 2/7.

8 of us - 4 couples- stayed and enjoyed the rooms, the excellent service, and the transportation to/from Manhatten pier. The included full free breakfast was great too!

This was a great choice and we would definitely stay here again.

The ONE drawback we had was we has ALOT of luggage so we needed 2 cars for the 6 of us and 8 suitcases LOL thankfully the staff at the front desk were wonderful and c=very accommodating! I cant wait to go back in June!!

I have a question,has anyone that stayed at this hotel visited time square or central park.How did you get to the city and back,what was the cost of getting back ad forth.

Hi Ken

Last year we stayed at the hotel and the first night we all took a cab into Times Square - there were 6 of us and if I remember correctly it was around 50 for all of us plus 20% tip. its about a 25 minute ride without any traffic. The folks at the front desk can arrange it all for you if you ask , We went into Times Square , had dinner at a really geat Dim Sum resturant then went to a show, We walked around TS after the show, Cabs in TS arent hard to find for the way home but walked a few blocks to Port Authority - it was easier to get a cab back to Jersey there

:) Heading out for another cruise, this time on the Gem with the family. I know there are photo opportunities every night and at the ports but I am thinking about the private photography - anyone have any idea of the cost and where I can sign up if I decide to do it ? Thank you so much!

We had a great experience there last year and I just booked again for our Gem cruise in June. we had 2 cars to and from ! i hope that was an off experience

So this is going to be my first cruise with NCL in April and I have the drink package. Not the water package ,the alcohol/soda package. Can anyone tell me why a bottle of water would not be included in this package? Also I can take empty bottles of water on the ship with me and refill them with the water in the buffet or wherever I choose ,is this correct? I will be traveling to Mexico and I like to keep the small bottles of water in my backpack or purse for shore excursions as it will most likely be warm outside.

Thanks.

Julie

Julie,

you would have to ask the folks at NCL why it isnt included, but i suspect people are still paying for the water anyway so why would they include it? Yes you can bring in as many bottles as you want that are empty, and fill them onboard but you wont be able to exit the ship or return to the ship carrying any liquid (sodas water etc. although you can bring alcohol but surrender at the entrance from the ports.,) We bring Tervis cups everywhere around the ship, but please dont fill them up directly from the water fountains in the buffet - that is a common source of cross contamination - but I see you have had many cruises that so you already know that advice - that was for new cruisers :D

We drove twice from Northern Ontario to cruise with NCL. Crossed at Thousand Islands.

 

We stayed at the Wyndham Garden in Newark for the 21 day free parking.

 

Both times we stayed a night in Newark then second in Manhattan before we embarked the ships.

 

First time we took the shuttle to the airport and took the train into manhattan.

 

Second time we hired a car.

 

Third time (next month), we are staying at the Ramada as we purchased a package through Trinityreservations that offers free parking and free round trip shuttle to our cruise port (were in Cape Liberty this time).

 

 

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Tiptopz

Do you recal the cost for the car service? Last year we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Ridgefield Park but they offered a package with car service , just trying to gauge the cost this June

Exactly. The "I didn't get to watch my team" thread always mystifies me. Who cares? You're on vacation. Try something new.

 

Nothing important going on in sports until Russia 2018 anyway.

LOVE LOVE LOVE your sig. line ;) I wonder how many people ever read them

I believe shirts ok but NO NO NO Jewelry ! (I am sure he wont be wearing that but for others ;) ) Also if he or anyone is thinking about the climbing wall , no bathing suits, no skirts even with shorts underneath and you have to have closed toe shoes (sneakers)

100% agree. It seems so obvious but many don't get it.

You know? I had never thought about the pre paids being the cause. it certainly makes sense now! I do agree also that its a crap shoot whether the steward you get is into their job every time every cruise. I know the adage, if they didnt want to be in the service industry, then why do it? BUT I also didnt know about the cheese!! Out of curiosity is it something that can be shipped ?

I'm also on this TA cruise. We did a fair bit of shopping while in Europe (went to Venice and Barcelona pre-cruise) and bought booze in Funchal, and we had hoped to go home to drop off all the shopping and dirty laundry when docked in Bermuda, but alas, no.

 

We'll now need to go shopping in Miami for extra luggage and cough up $$ for extra bags when flying home from Tampa!!

 

Storm happens!!

 

Just after the announcement this morning about bypassing Bermuda, my husband went into Gents, and there were scots in there pi$$ed off about it - they were saying they'd never cruise with NCL again!! My husband told them, it's not NCL, it's the WEATHER. (for Christ's sake)

 

 

 

 

I promise I am not stalking you BUT I believe you have met my brother Bruce ! He was probably wearing a bandana on his head? Those are usually motorcycle related bandanas :eek: He mentioned a really nice couple that he met a few nights ago (this was before the news about Bermuda) cause he mentioned meeting you ! It does stink about having to pay for the laundry!

 

It is kinda wierd to be seeing all of this news on here and getting the emails from him too! He has NO clue about Cruise Critic but I think I wil be getting him to join!

Food: We are happy with the food. There is a note in the Daily saying explicitly that takeaway is not available at Blue Lagoon ("Food must be consumed within the dining area"). The Platinum voucher says that the gratuity is not included and will be automatically added to your onboard account, but so far this hasn't actually happened to us. No lobster except in the MDR :) We tried the replacement shrimp dish at Le Bistro: Don't bother.

 

Drink: A lot :D They charged 10% Spanish IVA on all drinks (including UBP orders) in the 3 Spanish ports. Irish coffee is made with espresso in the Atrium Bar, and included. Many MDR servers do not think it is included. The UBP policy on this ship seems to be to ask for everyone's cards and to swipe all of them, instead of putting multiple drinks on one card. The bar staff have gotten very fast at swiping and tapping.

My brother is on the cruise with you!! His name is Bruce, and yep he is in his 50's :D If you see him, say hello from me :) He is tall, and most likely wearing a motorcycle bandana on his head . Its a bummer that you may skip Bermuda I kniow he loves it there.

Unfortunately your TA is correct as is CollinIllinois especially if the ship is "sold out" there is a finite amount of time that a person can be added to a cabin and frankly if you dont believe your TA ? maybe its time to find another one :)

wow! that sucks that travel pass isnt available in the Bahamas!! It worked so well in Bermuda and Turks ! I wonder if its because there are SO many Bahama Islands

Hee I was SO WORRIED! me with a double whammy on my head! We paid FULL PRICE (gasp) and I wear crocs to the swimming pool! Go figure, AND I still tip for any service I get because I know they work really I guess my membership in the society is in jeopardy

but I think we were all just a bit bitter inside after dishing out a lot of money to sail to Florida, the Johnson of U.S.

Sorry but being a Johnson (by "marriage" ) I must say I am a bit insulted by this!! I guess , Smith or Jones werent available at your finger tips? :eek:

And by the way? I LOVE Florida but maybe its because I live in Northern NH :rolleyes:

I've commented about this before on this forum. We always see and hear about people "washy washy" as they enter the buffet, for example. This certainly helps prevent OTHERS from getting sick, but it does little to help prevent ourselves from getting sick. A better way is to serve ourselves (with tongs or whatever), and then go wash our hands before we actually eat anything with them. Yet people don't ever seem to do this.

This is one reason why we carry around those small hand sanitizers just about everywhere! Including the bathrooms in a Mall ! Uggh I shudder to think about them.. I dont know if they really work as well as they say but after washing my hands , and then getting food I always sanitize. I am sure my friends all think I am crazy with all the hand washing and sanitizing I do but after 20 yrs as a nurse its pretty ingrained!

It is HUGE!!!!! It was 26 oz I think .. looks like a Dinosaur Rib like on Flintstones LOL

We had an amazing experance with Brenwell for the tour operator. This was my second time with him and my husbands first. He will take you are far away as you want and the first trip we went up around St George, the second time we were with a couple that could only sit for 3 hrs tour, so we went up to and around Hamilton. Looked at MANY MANY homes bot Upper, middle and lower working class homes and learning the differences. Ft Scaur Went by the beaches on South Rd, into Hamilton shopping areas and again the beautiful homes!! He will also stop for food or restaurants etc, anything you ask he will do (as long as its legal ) Brenwell is a wealth of knowledge and interesting trivia. When you come off your ship ask for the Tour operator bosses (they are the ones in charge of the Taxis, Mini Buses and Tours.) ask them for Brenwell! and tell him that Diane and Keith say hello (remind him we were on the NCl Dawn just before Nicole hit ) I promise you you wont be disappointed!!