IrieBajan54

25 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

 

 

I just keep saying it...what a trash company. But, a trash company I'm sure I'll book on again. @Travelling2Some I think the customers (including myself) are the idiots as we continue to book NCL, despite their pathetic insistence that itineraries are changed for the above reasons (typically after final payment). 

Couldn't agree more! However, last month I booked Enchanted Princess for later this summer. It will be my first time on Princess in eleven years. Not really new to Princess as I am four cruises from Elite status. 

NCL had my business exclusively since 2014 but not anymore.

8 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Today is Cádiz. We dock right in the city and had originally planned to stay there but we added the “White Villages” tour, which we are currently on the coach back to the ship.

 

The tour was ok. You go to

two villages, Vejer de la Frontera and Conil de la Frontera. The first was nice, but the second was less picturesque. They are really small towns rather than villages. Personally I think there are many nicer places that we have visited in Europe (Rhodes, Santorini or just about anywhere in the Baltics, for example). We enjoyed the your but wouldn’t say it is essential.

 

When we get back to the ship we are going to head into Cádiz for an hour or two. It looked very nice when we drove out this morning.

 

Here are some pictures from Vejer de la Frontera:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6TKueFIAdU/?igsh=Z2szMHFobzd1azg2

Was on the cruise before yours. I had booked the same excursion which was listed as 5 hours. Decided the night before to be a no show for several reasons. Instead, I spent a few hours walking Cadiz with two other solos which turned out to be quite enjoyable. We also had beverages and tapas at a restaurant sitting at an outdoor table. Glad to know I didn't miss anything.

6 hours ago, www3traveler said:

They can change itineraries any time they want for no reason given nor are the obligated to provide any kind of compensation.

 

Apparently, you have not followed the news. Tortola, British Virgin Islands may not be all that safe.  In the past month 5 passengers from two separate Norwegian cruises has gone MISSING in Tortola.  As of a few days ago NONE of them have been found.

Do you really believe that NCL dropped Tortola due to missing passengers? There is a plethora of recent history of NCL dropping ports for what they call environmental reasons and passengers' convenience.

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

Yup. I've suggested many times that they give a choice - a simple check-sheet like you get for breakfast service. I can't eat the strawberries due to allergies, so they usually do go to waste.

This reminds me of the bottle of sparkling wine that used to be a perk before the pandemic. For a period of time, they allowed cruisers to exchange it at a bar for a bottle of house wine. Seemed reasonable to me because I don't drink sparkling or white wine. Then they discontinued the swap. Bottles most likely stayed in the cabins, collected by the stewards and recycled to Latitude members on the next cruise.

1 hour ago, Barb Nahoumi said:

I would rather find cookies in my room when I check in, than chocolate covered strawberries.  Neither DH or I like chocolate covered strawberries, so they go to waste.

As a Diamond, the plate of chocolate covered strawberries is a useless perk for me personally. I love fresh strawberries but don't want chocolate on them. So, I make it a point to tell the cabin steward to take them on the first afternoon. If he forgets, I just sit the plate next to the trash can so he can dump them the next day.

Talking to another solo cruiser, she called the general manager's number and asked where were the cookies? She was told that the cookie monster ate them. Really! Executive Management on the ship leaves a lot to be desired.

Anyway, enjoyed yesterday and today in Cape Verde, first visit here! 

No cookies today ... four trays of pound cake available.

Oh well, I am tired asking ... it's unsatisfactory service.

On 4/14/2024 at 3:22 AM, julig22 said:

On the Jewel right now - here's my cookie haul from Great Outdoors. Choc chip not fresh baked by any means, chocolate ones are the same as they've always had.

Those certainly look like Chips Ahoy! Left in the oven too long (dried out) or several days stale.

NCL is playing footsie with the cookies on the Viva. There was a whole lot of pound cake as usual. So I was in the Studio Lounge about 2 hours ago when the waiter came in to freshen things up. ...  so I asked where are the cookies? She said she would have to go ask her boss. She came back with a tray (chocolate chip, oatmeal & raisin, and macadamia nut). Soft and fresh! 

11 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

What a much better option than those crispy gross cookies...sorry, not sorry!

I normally eat regular chocolate chip and sometimes white chocolate chip. On rear situations where the cookie 🍪 is not soft, I simply sit it on top of a cup of hot tea and about 30 to 45 seconds it's nice and gooey.

In reference to your comparison, there is no "better" because it's a whole lot of sugar, period. Both will give the body a sugar rush.

Currently on the Viva transatlantic. No cookies available anywhere on the ship and only starting today (Day 6) in the Studio Lounge. It is obvious that executive management relented after many, many complaints from Solos (and rightfully so because it's an expected amenity).

However, based on both the restaurant manager and the assistant restaurant manager, cookies have been discontinued in the Studio Lounge. (That's from the horse's mouth at least on this ship)

So it is death by pound cake everyday 👎 for those who are willing to eat it (Not me!). 

NCL knows Solos will eat cookies but providing pound cake is better for costs reduction.

19 hours ago, Yesimapirate said:

Kinda hard for the fan boys to keep defending the cuts in service with their war cry of covid debt when there's such a spending spree on news ships.

Maybe more debt is better. Plus all of the cutbacks must be working for NCL.

Currently on the Viva 19 day transatlantic and as of Day 3 there have been no cookies in the Studio Lounge. So a normal amenity for the premium paid to be in the Studios is gone. All for our convenience of course.🤔 Maybe NCL has this Nanny idea that pound cake (from about 11:30 a.m. until evening) is less fattening than cookies. 😂

2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Well said. Sometimes, it beggars belief that people cannot simply answer a question. The OP was only asking about how, and when, a passenger could ask about reducing, or eliminating, the daily service charge. But instead of answering, many people went off on tangents about whether it was the right thing to do, scolding/judging the OP for even asking the question, etc. Wow. Remind me never to ask people about what I should do in regard to tipping. As @dmwnc1959 said, it's my money. And how I spend my money is nobody's business but mine.

Ditto! Never let a stranger on the Internet tell you how to spend or giveaway your money. Bleeding hearts can do whatever they want with theirs.

5 hours ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

I’ve found that I generally get just as good, if not better, service in Europe. 

Agree! Another good thing about European service is that there is no need to bribe (advanced Euros) for doing the job they were hired to do.

3 hours ago, rockraiders said:

It really doesn’t matter that people aren’t washing their hands when entering the buffet. Their dirty habits will continue after hand washing. Butt scratching, nose picking, coughing in hands, handling dirty tissues, rearranging the boys, finger licking. I could go on forever. All that and more negates the hand washing they just did. I’m a serious people watcher. All the nasty habits catch my eye. 

Cell phone! Washed hands and then grabbing phone from sink counter or pocket pretty much negates sanitation too.

I'm a solo going on Enchanted. Plan to show up nightly around 6:40p for a shared table. Do I just show up at any of the 3 MDRs and is it likely I won't have to wait long?

39 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

As part of our commitment to deliver exceptional vacation experiences at every step of the cruise journey, listening to our guests is instrumental. Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances including but not limited to enhanced port and shore excursion availability for the ultimate vacation experience, fuel optimization as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, as well as global maritime regulations, we have adjusted the original itinerary as shown below. We apologize for any inconvenience these slight adjustments may cause.

 

Oh well, until people stop booking, NCL will continue this farce.

On 3/19/2024 at 11:36 AM, LRY229 said:

Just booked MSC Seashore out of Port Canaveral, 5/19-26/24.  7 night western, in a Balcony (Fantastica) for less than $700.  Yesterday the inside guarantee was more than that.  It definitely pays to keep checking. 

I've been wanting to try MSC - for that price I couldn't go pass it up.  

The same cruise now has a Solo Junior Suite for $904 plus port/taxes with Aurea Experience which has better benefits like Dine Anytime You Choose.

Discovery Princess (ship only 3 years old)

Los Angeles to Vancouver - 7 days - (ports: San Diego, San Francisco, Astoria and Victoria)

April 27, 2024

Solo Inside cabin 50% single supplement

$769 + p/t $266

54 minutes ago, reeinaz said:

My November TA on Viva is charging $3679 for a studio!!!

That is nuts! A Studio on the November Escape TA is less than half $1599.

27 minutes ago, crazycatlady82 said:

I just talked to my PCC and she confirms it is sold out!

Well, it should be! Back in January, I posted on Solo Bargain Board that Epic had a fire sale. Insides could be had for as low as $399.

As a solo, the best cabin on a ship is the least expensive one (an inside). Sure, it's nice to have sunlight or to have a balcony door for some fresh air. However, I don't have a desire to spend solitary time in a cabin. I like to be out and about and people watching is interesting.

I visited the Haven on a couple of cabin crawls. What I saw was nice but have no desire to ever book one. i got better use for my money. I had a mini suite on Princess years ago but did not hang out there.

Me too! I was watching a cruise and up to five days before sailing, NCL wanted $3,100 for an inside. No, way Jose! As alternatives, I have a couple of TA's booked at much more reasonable fares.

16 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

true, I just tend to lump the Dawn/Libra class in with them in my head since they’re so similar. 

Just so happens that the Jewel Class ships are my favs. Been on the Gem(8), Pearl(4), Jade(4) and Jewel once. Don't like Star after one TA and have no intention of getting on the Dawn. Don't think they are similar in that the latter 2 don't have a Great Outdoors which is my fav hangout spot on Jewel Class ships. I had a good time on the Sun for 22 days repositioning from San Antonio, Chile to San Francisco a couple of years before COVID-19.

15 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

thanks!! Housekeeping is once a day like Carnival. Princess still does twice a day service as of a few months ago, but that’s rarer these days. 
 

Star is a Jewel class ship, newer and a little larger than Sun. Sun and Sky (former Pride of Aloha) are the only two in the class. Sky was a Costa hull that went unfinished and NCL bought it and finished it (and built the Sun later)

There are only 4 Jewel Class ships (Jewel, Gem, Jade and Pearl).

MSC Meraviglia - 11 nights - NYC to the Caribbean

April 7 - 18, 2024

Solo Oceanview guarantee - Bella Experience - $759 and p/t $194