EleventyBangBang

One of the excursions on the NCL site that interests me is the zip line tour. It seems awful expensive... But since this is my first cruise, I figure I might as well go all out and do all the touristy, bucket list-y stuff.

I guess I'm just weird, sitting on a beach doesn't really interest me. I'll be doing enough sitting and looking at the ocean while I'm on the ship.

Does a Long Island Iced Tea fall under the 15$ minimum? I know this is usually a "premium" drink at most bars.

Oops, need to cancel my Teppanyaki reservation then - how do I do that? Do I have to wait until I'm on board?

Unlimited cocktail shrimp means I will singlehandedly bankrupt that place.

I'm reading a lot of conflicting info on this and I'm confused. I thought there was a 40$ prepaid block of minutes for on-board use, but now what I'm being told is that this is only for in-port use, and that I'd basically be at the ship's mercy for whatever roaming NCL wants to charge on ship. Anyone have experience with this?

Also getting mixed reports on St. Thomas. Some say, it's a US territory so there's nothing special about it, no roaming, no plan required, others say yeah, it's still roaming.

In the three ports the Escape hits, what are some good wi-fi spots? And even if it's "free wifi", I'd still need to pay for data through Verizon, right?

Just trying to plan my options. I want to "unplug" as much as possible on this trip but will still need to check work email a few times. I can probably get away with no voice service. So it SOUNDS like my choices are 1. Buy Verizon block and check email in port, or 2. Buy internet block from NCL and check email on ship. That about right?

(tl;dr: Verizon + NCL experiences thread.)

I'm in a studio. I wonder if I will get any offers worth entertaining, or if the single supplement would make that a non-starter. I'd consider upgrading for a few hundred more, but not for 2X plus a few hundred more.

Both. My plan is to keep it in my pocket, but still on a lanyard that's just looped through a belt loop. That way I'm not wearing a thing around my neck, but I still don't have to worry about dropping/losing it somewhere.

Why should we not check it? Is it likely to be confiscated? I was thinking of doing what the OP has done for my cruise on the Sun in May - just putting a case of water into a duffel bag and checking it so I don't have to lug it around. Then I'd have the "spare bag" to bring back souvenirs.

I think what they're getting at is you don't even need to put it in a bag, just take the case of water as is, with a luggage tag attached directly to the shrink wrap.

Which, if so, is good: One of my "pre-cruise checklist" items was to buy a cheap duffle bag to hold a case of water. It sounds like I can skip this.

I'm in a studio coming up here soon, I would totally take a balcony for 100$ more. I was actually going to ask about this but I figured they would tack on the supplement and make it not worth it.

Early reports indicated that Internet service on the Escape was unacceptably slow, even by "cruise ship" standards (e.g. even older ships have far better internet service.). Is this still the case?

Per NCL's rules, yes, you can bring your own butler, but he must have his own luggage tag affixed, and must be able to fit through the security scanner.

What are the typical minimums/odds on craps?

(On the Escape, if it matters, but I assume it doesn't.)

What are the minimums on the table games? Craps, specifically?

41, m, solo, single. Recently out of a long relationship. I always wanted to try a cruise, and she always wanted to do outdoorsy nature hike type stuff. So naturally we always did outdoorsy nature hike type stuff. I'm booked in a studio on the Escape here in a few months. I wouldn't mind meeting someone special on said cruise but that's not why I'm doing it. I've just never in my life taken an entire week out and totally unplugged.

What's the earliest port arrival time? I just did the online check in and got 9:30 (only two slots left, it said!). Did I do good?

I checked mine and the price actually went up. I've already made the full payment. So I guess that's good, right?

I also would be interested in hearing more about this.

The spaces on the deck plan in between the studios. What are these?

This is from the Escape, if that's relevant. Would being next to one of these make my cabin more, or less, noisy?

No first-hand experience, but the general consensus I'm getting is that they would only theoretically sell day passes if the week passes don't sell out, which they always do, literally within minutes of boarding.

I've got a studio booked on the Escape this year and I'm 41.

Err, wow. I'm flying solo, does that mean I have to pay for "double occupancy" at every restaurant?

A pound a DAY??? That has to be water-weight! Yikes!

This. A pound is basically 3500 calories. So basically the average adult male would have to eat 5500+ calories a day to actually gain weight at that rate. Most people probably COULDN'T eat that much food if they tried.

I'm going to my first cruise in April, and my attitude is: It's a cruise. I'm going to live it up. I have the whole rest of the year to be good.

Going solo on the Escape next year. I'm still debating whether to jump through the hoops to get a Vibe pass. It seems like the main point here is "no kids". Is that about right or is there more to it?

I'd say better to have and not need, than to need and not have.

I booked a studio on NCL for next year. It was slightly more than the "per person" rate of a normal inside cabin.

Hrm, interesting. I'm on the Escape next April. I was planning to board a little later in the morning to try to miss the initial rush. I may have to re-think that strategy.