southern reader

On 10/12/2021 at 9:15 PM, Happycrafter123 said:

If one gets the priority access and then later upgrades to Haven, can they get refund on the priority access?  

Hi @Happycrafter123, did you get the priority access?  If so, was it worth it at least for the tenders?  Thanks

LOL okay, thank you @Happycrafter123.  Do you remember if there was much free time in Sorrento?

On 5/11/2023 at 9:24 AM, debenson0723 said:

The BTS tour is booked at the CruiseNext desk. If you are Platinum or above, there is a fee tour. If you want the paid one, it is approximately $89 to $129, depending on the ship. There is an informative thread on this forum about the BTS tour you should read for more information.

 

On 5/25/2023 at 8:57 AM, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

You 100% can take the train. It's a regional service in France called TER, and from Cannes to Monaco is about an hour. Monaco is very walkable... it's a tiny place, with not much to see. TBH, I'd recommend stopping in Nice for more of a French Riviera experience.

On 5/13/2023 at 10:13 AM, Happycrafter123 said:

I’ll give a full excursion review later, both Sorrentto and Pompéi are interesting stops but it was really too rushed and the guide’s accent, pooor quality sound headsets (lots of crackling) and size of group got in the way of it being a thumbs up day.  I would focus on just one if I were to get a redo.  Lunch was mediocre and I’d have rather of gone on my own somewhere in Sorrentto or Naples.  So two thumbs down on this one despite super interesting itinerary.  The execution was the problem, not the ingredients….

 

the ship comes in to the port so you could very easily do Naples on your own without a tour, or with a local walking or hop on hop off option.

 

 

 

 

Hi @Happycrafter123 do you remember if there is time at the end of the Taste of Sorrento and Pompeii tour to pop over yo a pizzeria near the Naples port to try a slice of pizza to go before getting back on board the ship? Thanks

Anyone use the NCL Appand pay the $10 each to communicate with others onboard in their party?  If so, how does it work, and does it work well? How do you get everyone's phone numbers in it etc ?

PS @Happycrafter123 so very sorry to hear you caught pneumonia!

18 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

You 100% can take the train. It's a regional service in France called TER, and from Cannes to Monaco is about an hour. Monaco is very walkable... it's a tiny place, with not much to see. TBH, I'd recommend stopping in Nice for more of a French Riviera experience.

Thank you  @AstoriaPreppy.  So looking forward to it!

Does anyone have any experience using the NCL app to message and call other traveling companions on board?  I understand it costs $10 per phone, but that it is easy to use.  Can you share information on how to get it set up, etc? Opinions?  Thanks

1 minute ago, Happycrafter123 said:

I did book six and burn the floor on the app before the cruise.  I think the day after online check in on the 20th but I could be misremembering.  It was around that time.

 

i really liked burn the floor but six wasn’t my cup of tea, still something to do in an evening.

 

we really liked the magic act, which was more of a comedy show.  It was on two nights, once in the first half and one on the last night.  Watch the dailies for notifications.  No reservation needed.

 

 

Okay. Thank you.  Yeah, I saw a short video online of Six and wondered how I would like it as I didn't think it would be my cup of tea either. I will check out the magic show!  Hope you got home safely. 🙂

On 4/26/2023 at 7:39 PM, Happycrafter123 said:

We have low bids on Haven so unlikely to get any, but hope springs eternal so we check our NCL app about 20x per day to see if room # has changed — any of you do this?  Currently we have dinning package and vibe which we will cancel if we get the bid, to offset cost.  
 

Current plans, assuming no winning bid:

 

Hi @Happycrafter123, I hope you have made it home safely when you see this.  I have one more question.  Were you able to book Six and Burn the Floor 21 days out on your app?  If not, when  and how did you book them?  Thank you

@Happycrafter123 thank you so very much for your insight and photos! You have been a tremendous blessing, and we are all very grateful.  I truly hope your Alaska cruise more than makes up for the disappointments in this one!  Have a safe flight back and all the best to you. 

@Happycrafter123 would you mind telling us what cabin number y'all had and sharing your thoughts about it?

45 minutes ago, Flmom66 said:

I am very interested in hearing about your experience with this tour! 

Will gladly post after we go and let everyone know.   Praying all goes well. 🙂

Thank you for the newsletter! 

Looking forward to your thoughts on your Sorrento Pompeii excursion as we booked the same one too.

What is all aboard time for Naples?

And though there was no Malta stop, did they give you a newsletter that day with the all aboard time at Malta?

Thank you @Happycrafter123 for more good info!  So sorry you've not been feeling well and hoping the rest of your cruise continues to improve!!! Your pics are a great help too!

Would you please post the NCL newsletter/schedule sheets for today?

PS I  hope we aren't future "running " entertainment at the end of the day for our fellow passengers when we sail. 🤣🤣🤣

3 hours ago, LGinPA said:

 

@Happycrafter123Thanks for your amazing posts. We'll be on the Breakaway in July from Civitavecchia also! 

 

Questions about embarkation day (if you can remember back that far!):

1. Approximately what time was your cabin ready? 

2. And what time did your luggage arrive at your cabin?

 

Thanks! 

Hi @LGinPA, we are also on the July sailing, and I am looking forward to hearing the times for the cabin and luggage. 🙂

@debenson0723 thank you

5 hours ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Very sad day today - strong winds have prevented us from docking at Malta, so we have a sea day.

 

had a “go local” excursion planned to visit a lake and learn about the cultivating of moluscs, very disappointed but luckily it is sunny and a good day to lounge and work on my tan.

 

 

 

Sorry to hear about Malta.

On 5/8/2023 at 1:02 AM, Happycrafter123 said:

Saw a group heading off on the behind the scenes tour, today was for the higher latitudes level only, and apparently the only paid offering for lower latitudes levels was yesterday (first day of cruise.). I guess you snooze you lose on planning and booking things.  If you want to do this make sure to inquire and register on embarcation day.

Hi there, any idea what time we can book The Behind the Scenes tour  on embarkation day and is there a fee?  Do we book it at shore excursions?  Thanks

4 hours ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Virtual queues is currently empty.

 

folks started booking Cannes tenders yesterday .  I took a look just now 11am day 6 and it’s already  at group 17 so you really want to be on top of this and book as soon as it pops up.

Thank you again.  Any idea if the Santorini tender can be booked prior to boarding?

On 5/8/2023 at 2:37 AM, Happycrafter123 said:

Tenders look easy to book in app 

see screen shots below, lower right hand option from main screen in app

 

 

 

Hi @Happycrafter123 I downloaded the app, but a few things showing on yours are not on mine, and I gather that is because we are not on the cruise yet.  Having said that, what is "Virtual queues"  on your app?  Also, for those not on an NCL Cannes excursion, could you book your tender for Cannes through the app right now even though you have a few days before you arrive there? If so, any idea what are the earliest tender times still available? Thanks

@Happycrafter123 your information and photos are great!!!! Thank you so very much!

Any updates on how long it takes on average for "Non-NCL" Excursion passengers to get off the ship?  Been trying to guess pick up times for excursions on our own since NCL excursions we want are already booked out.

Thanks

2 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

There are a few shops and bars/restaurants on the waterfront.

 

https://www.vallettawaterfront.com

 

Got it. Thanks!

14 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

There are some very big differences between the Santorini cable car and the Barraka lift.

 

Firstly, the cable car climbs about 4x the height that the lift does, so walking is much harder and more time consuming. Also, the alternatives are not good in Santorini, as the walk is very unpleasant (there is a very good chance of you slipping and the donkeys are a big problem), whereas there are various options for walking in Valetta and they are a much nicer walking. There is also the option of getting alternative transport from the dock.

 

Basically, for most people the cable car is the only real option in Santorini (outside of NCL tours), whereas there are various other options in Valetta.

 

If I was in Valetta and there was a queue for the lift then I'd walk instead. In Santorini I would either join the queue or just head back to the ship.

 

Getting back is a lot easier as well.

Thank you @KeithJenner.  Do you know if there are any shops and restaurants near the ship for our remaining few hours after our tour?

On 4/23/2023 at 3:46 PM, gotscrapz said:

Ok I did one similiar - Rome - Santorini - Athens - Mykonos - Valleta / Malta - Naples - Messina - Livorno / Florence - Rome. I went in September and researched for a few months. I have lots of info. we spent a few days pre-cruise in Rome and went up the Amalfi coast on a private tour and to the Vatican etc. We did a mix of the ship and private tours - it was a blast, and exhausting. If you want specific booking info, it would be easier to email - but I will say many of our excursions, etc sold out well before we sailed. I will read a bit further down to see what they like and what ports they are still looking for. 

Hi, I have a few questions about Valleta, Malta I wonder if you could help me with.  I read a post that said its port is like Santorini in that if you are walking off the ship you should use the Barraka Lift to get up to town.  Is this correct?  Also, our NCL excursion Scenic Malta drive is only 4 hours long.  Are there any souvenir shops or restaurants near the ship that we could go to with our remining time in port?  Thanks

7 minutes ago, eileeshb said:

Glow night is what used to be the “white hot” party, it’s basically a night club with UV lights so everyone wears white or fluorescent colours . On a warm weather cruise on the big ships it takes place in Spice H2O  if the weather allows.  The first few hours are open to the kids but it switches to adults only at 11pm I think. I’m not a fan of the night club music played at the 2 I’ve experienced. 

Okay, thank you