2Cruise4Ever

I hadn't seen anything here either... that's why I posted this to see if what was posted on the NCL site had any credence to it. BTW, I love your screen name, Kweezy!!! :D

I just read on the Q&A site of NCL.com and saw a question about unruly kids (not staying in the Haven) piggybacking up the elevator with other Haven passengers to the Haven, then running down the hallway, ringing doorbells, and then running out of the Haven. I'm curious to find out how prevalent this is.

If you have stayed in the Haven on Breakaway, how often have you seen this? And, do you know what, if anything, NCL is doing to minimize this.

We're sailing in the Haven in two weeks. Just want to be prepared.

Thanks!

My G/F and I are just booked our Bermuda cruise on Norwegian Breakaway. We are looking forward to meeting everyone. I have went on one Carnival Cruise with friends years ago. This will be my G/F's first cruise. Just a few questions we have below.

Pls feel free to offer any advice. We appreciate any suggestions as 1st time cruisers with Norwegian....

 

1) Cabin Preference- We have an option of booking on deck 8,9, or 10. What are the pro's/con's of each of the 3 decks? What is the best cabin location on the ship?

 

2) Dinner Package- I have been researching the reviews of the ship. We love good food. I'm wondering if the dinner package($119/person) is worth it. The reviews of most of the specialty restaurants have been good. Were worried we will get bored of the buffet.

 

3) Drink Package- My G/F is a light drinker. I like to drink(am,pm, late night, haha). Do you guys think the package will be beneficial to us considering we will be at port for 3 days. What drinks are included?

 

Kathy & Steve

I saw this post on our roll call this morning and posted a lengthy response. :)

Other than Concierge, none of those things have ever been offered as a Platinum perk have they? No surprise that you don't get them.

 

Concierge is slightly different, as it is listed, but I think it's been pretty well established as a non perk.

Well, we've sailed in non-Haven cabins before and received all those services (including Concierge). So, we were a little surprised. But, it was still an awesome cruise!

Just an FYI for future use...if you are Platinum level and you are not in The Haven...no VIP perks at all...no early boarding or lunch in Cagney's or Concierge services. But! We are having a GREAT time so far! And we haven't even left NYC yet!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

Sorry' date=' Hugo will be going on vacation in just a few days. We'll be on Breakaway tomorrow so will be lucky to see him!

 

Prem is taking over as HD. We are also looking forward to seeing him![/quote']

 

Hey, Barb! Hugo told me he would still be there for our CTN this weekend! Did his plans change???

Will be there this weekend for the CTN on Breakaway... I will take lots of pics of both!

We are returning from the Gem on Easter Sunday at 10:00am. Would we be off the ship by noon? Would we be able to have a sitdown breakfast that morning? We've never sailed NCL before.

Provided they aren't delayed and there are no immigration issues, yes, you should be off by noon. And, you can enjoy breakfast in the main dining room any morning, not just the last one. Welcome to NCL!

We have sailed many times out of NYC. Barring any delays, you can be off the ship by 9:30 or so. If you choose self-disembarkation (where you carry your own luggage instead of putting it outside the night before), you might even get off earlier...

I believe in the Upsell Fairy! And, she believes in ME! Got a call from her yesterday and am very happy with the results! :D

Saying, "I'm sorry" just doesn't do you justice. It is through tears that I say, "Bravo." Bravo to your parents for raising such wonderful daughters. Bravo to you for handeling yourself with the utmost of courage and class. Bravo to NCL for treating you and your family with such respect. And, finally, Bravo to your dad for sharing his last days with you, doing what you all love to do. You and your family are in my prayers and thoughts. And, you will receive a toast as we pull away from the NY Pier on the Jewel next week.

Before we got our passports, I always brought our marriage license with us. I was never asked for it. Someone told me that if my last name matches my husband's, then they typically don't ask for it. But, I still wouldn't have taken the chance.

Yes he/she will if you ask... we never have. I'm particular about where I put things...

We were upsold from Mini-Suite to the family penthouse suite (used to be called an "AB" suite - can't remember what it is now). We've been hooked on the suite life ever since! Still holding out hope for our next sailing on the 21st! We're very happy with our current cabin... but would make our 10th anniversary so much more special if we got that call...

We hope and pray for the upsell fairy to call before every cruise :)

So sad... we were in one of those added suites for our honeymoon. She sure was a beautiful ship.

What happened to her? Was the ship retired or sold to another company? Sold for scrap?

Boiler #23 exploded when she was in port in Miami in 2003, killing 8 crew members (no passengers were hurt). She was hauled away for fixing.... but the cost was prohibitive. So, she was sold for scrap.... very sad...

We honeymooned on the Norway 10 years ago.... She was a Grand Lady! May she rest in peace.

We have sailed on all 4 lines and loved them all! However, we found NCL to be our favorite. We have sailed the Dawn 5 times. We found that NCL has just a touch higher attention to service than the others. I know that everyone has their own experiences. So, just from our own experience, the crew and staff go a bit higher above and beyond on NCL than the others. We wouldn't hesitate to sail on another line. But, when we're planning a cruise, we look to NCL first.

I didn't read through the whole thread. So, if these have been posted already, please forgive me.

We always bring:

Sticky notes to leave for our cabin steward / butler

Mini-pharmacy (cold meds, pepto, immodium, pain reliever, etc) - ship $ are very high

Duct Tape (for anything we CAN'T think of :) )

Rain ponchos from the dollar store

3-ring binder with the deck plans and other info discovered here on CC (I know we get a pocket size deck plan but it is too small for my eyes)

Aloe Vera

Extra sunscreen

Calculator

Extra batteries (whatever size we might need)

Anti-bacterial wipes (stewards are great at cleaning, but they forget the remote, phone, door handles, etc)

First Aid Kit

Hangers (just in case the ship doesn't have enough)

Bug spray (not for the ship; I got eaten alive by sand fleas on the beach last year)

Shot Glass (If you get the bar setup, this is helpful)

If I can think of anything else, I'll post again.

BTW, all these things I learned here on CC :D

I have a question about wine. From reading under the gifts area on the NCL website it seems if you order a bottle of wine in the gifts area or if your TA or anyone purchases one for you, you pay a corkage fee? Is this correct? :)

No corkage fee unless you bring it on board yourself. If you order a bottle of wine at dinner, you can bring back to the cabin what you don't consume.

We attended the jazz brunch when we were on the Dawn last year. It was wonderful! If they still offer it, you can sign up for it once you're on board. I can't remember how much it was, but I remember thinking it wasn't very expensive and worth every penny!

I am here just to get a idea of what and where would be the best place on the Dawn or one of the port of calls. Also open to other ideas.

 

 

Help Thanks :)

When is your cruise? If it is before March, ask Hugo, the Hotel Director, to help (he's transferring to the Jewel in March).

On another note, my DH and I got engaged on a cruise, but not the Dawn... get this: we got engaged on the original Pacific Princess (the first Love Boat!). How corny is that? But, I will never forget it. The last night at sea, he took me up on the top deck for "a walk." Now, this was in October, on our way back from Bermuda to Boston... it was absolutely FREEZING!! I almost refused. But, he gave me his jacket and said, "I know something that will warm you up..." I said, "What's that?" He got down on one knee and said, "Will you marry me?" We were all the way forward as high as possible. I remember the stars, the moon, and the breeze like it was yesterday. WELL..... after jumping up and down a dozen times, I grabbed him, threw my arms around him... then I realized I hadn't answered him yet... of course I said "Yes!"

On the Dawn... many possibilities... enlist the CD's help at a show for a very public proposal... go to Le Bistro or Cagney's for a somewhat public event. Or, go to Teppanyaki and ask (ahead of time of course) for the chef to help you out (spell out marry me in rice or something... :)). During the White Hot Party... during Casino Night... during "Dress Up or Not Night." Your choice.... or, you could do something very private and intimate in your cabin (dinner delivered for example). Soooo many different possibilities....

NCL automatically charges for tips.....and yet, you still continue to tip. They don't give you the option of saying ''No thank you.''? Rewarding service....I find that rather distasteful. It makes the workers seem more like servants or slaves, who should feel grateful, for the coins tossed their way. Tipping and asking for a service charge are old fashioned. Paying people a decent, albeit minimum wage, is modern and progressive. Anything else is backward looking.

NCL isn't the only line with automatic service fees. Most of the other lines do, too. It's a standard in the industry. Arguing about it here isn't going to change a thing. You say you are from a country that has a minimum wage. Just curious... what country?

Also, whose minimum wage should the lines pay? Over 80 countries are represented on board most times. So, which country's minimum wage should be paid? Don't forget there is more to compensation then just a paycheck. These employees are paid lower because they get free room and board and health care while they're there.

Tipping is an age-old practice. I always tip well.

And, as far as your comment about gift shops is concerned: no cash, no credit cards, only your ship sign-n-sail card, which is then charged to your on-board account. The only place cash is accepted is the casino.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....sounds like cruising is not the vacation for you.

Agreed.

Though these people work on board and get paid... they don't get paid very much... thus the tips. They are not subject to US Labor laws, so minimum wage doesn't apply.

We always tip more than the daily service charge because these folks work very, very hard. They bend over backwards to make sure our vacation is extra special.

By the way, the cruise experience is not much different than a land-based resort as far as the crowds are concerned. You CAN find quiet, peaceful areas to relax. You just have to know where to look.

And, no, cash is not accepted in the gift shops.