bbnjcruiser

Thanks 

Any limitations to bringing cigar lighters and cutters on board?

Where can we smoke cigars on ascent?

Does anyone know what to expect of this meal or experience for $150 per person - they do not seem to provide many details!

This is all it says:

Overview

There is nothing quite like spending the holidays onboard a Celebrity Ship. Our seasonally inspired Specialty Restaurant dinner event on December 24 will be a perfect compliment to your sailing with holiday decorations, music, and a curated five-course menu food to enhance your sailing experience. Enjoy this memorable meal, with a menu inspired by the finest meats, game, seafood, fruits, vegetables and flavors; all culminating with one of our legendary desserts. We will take care of everything, while you relax and enjoy the spirit of the season, and the joyous atmosphere. It's a vacation experience you'll remember for years to come.

Has anyone tried this before?

Well folks I have booked a haven Suite in Norwegian Prima - but the existing reviews seem rather dire? Am I doomed to misfortune on my April cruise? What say you?

People who are tone deaf -- unable to hear differences in pitch and tone -- aren't just awful singers. At the most extreme, they're unable to perceive music, period.

Without cellphones or the ability to keep an appointment at a specified time you are going to need to signal in some way. 
 

this first option is to find a high location where you will be visible and wave a brightly colored banner at the appointed time.

the second option requires an airhorn or Audio signaling device - in this case it will be best if you pre arrange a a code so she will know it is you and not some random stranger with an airhorn.  
 

In both cases she will need to be within seeing or hearing distance.

‘Murrica!

Don’t listen to others, he will look great in his American flag speedos!

It is a special dinner on the magic carpet - one night only during the cruise. It’s on the app can only be booked once on board.

I found this photo in another post.

Has anyone done this experience? Thoughts or details?

On 4/3/2017 at 9:45 PM, gbearman said:

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#packing

Dress as you would dress for a visit to wal-mart.

What’s the earliest you can arrive at the terminal? Will I get in early enough to get a vibe pass (Platinum member).

The rub for me is we typically book the haven knowing most things will be taken care of. To show up to your cruise and then get hit with a bill for something that was to have been covered is offensive. And NCL’s tactics have a way that keeps reminding you that you are paying with bill after bill after bill rather than letting you pay and enjoy a weeks of indulgence - it ruins the experience. 

I would say “do I actually trust a business that treats it’s customers and employees like this?” Is a question weighing heavily on my mind.  Doing business like this out in the open makes me wonder what’s happening out of passenger view. Safety risks? Wage slavery? 

18 minutes ago, gmbhardy said:

 

You’re right. Most bartenders were embarrassed to be the bearer of bad news.

I’d say this situation is what turns my stomach, they raise drink prices and gratuity percentage, make these front line employees take the heat and then present a fantasy to the passengers that the bartender is being tipped when in fact the cruise line keeps nearly all of the gratuity for itself. It makes me feel dirty to be a customer here. 

On 1/24/2019 at 8:15 AM, SeaShark said:

 

Lots and lots of unsupported assumptions in this thread. (Nothing new for Cruise Critic, amiright?)

 

Maybe they do purchase on a pallet basis, and maybe they don't. Maybe that gives them a discount, and maybe it doesn't. Maybe it is a large discount, and maybe it isn't. We have no verifiable facts, only conjecture. 

 

Are we also to believe that they buy liquor in a country because of a lower tax rate (that would be sales tax which most places don't charge when you are buying stuff for resale, btw) and then they are shipping (importing) that liquor to the US to be transported to the port and loaded on the Cruise Ships each week? Are they also paying for warehouse space to store all of this liquor? And they do this just to have a lower tax rate?

 

Even pretzels aren't this twisted.

Given the volume of purchases across the cruise line - they most assuredly buy at wholesale prices from the manufacturer in large volumes, also given that they are in fact a ship and dock into ports with cargo operations if they could take delivery in one port and pay lower taxes they would indeed take advantage.

its also fair to presume that the ships operating costs are covered by the fare. Alcohol sales are the “gravy” part of the operation.

the cruise line probably does not warehouse liquor - their warehouse is the ship itself, their suppliers warehouse and deliver to port when needed.

On 1/22/2019 at 6:55 PM, xakeridi said:

That does sound drastic but if you only have one drink a day that's still cheaper than the package. You have to consider your usage. 

Are you for real with justifying this?

2 hours ago, newmexicoNita said:

my point simply is: the way people are figuring it, they think they are paying 20% on the entire drink cost, not realizing it is just the part above the $15. Yes they have paid the on their package already, BTW, it isn't 20% on the first $100 per day, If you do the math it is a little less than that. I just checked to see how much we are paying on our upcoming cruise. 

If you bought a 19.95 grey goose cocktail out of pocket with no beverage package while docked in NYC you would indeed pay a mandatory 20% gratuity (which by the way mostly does not go to the crew) for a total of 23.94 PLUS port/local taxes for alcohol sales.

I know some enterprising young internet experts will fact check me but I believe that makes this the highest price for that cocktail on earth.

6 hours ago, YVRBassElectric said:

Ruben with thousand island dressing is what turned me off O'Sheehan's (I've always been served mustard)

 

I agree with graphicguy that the chef is probably at the bottom of the totem pole. 

 

If we are looking for food outside of normal meal times, I will find something on the menu to "tide me over" but I wouldn't plan to eat a meal there

There’s no chef there at all, Osheehans serves the lowest cost/ quality frozen food available.

5 hours ago, Georgie562 said:

Those are some hefty overly inflated prices 🤮

A soda on Princess $2

A soda on NCL $3.45

What am I missing here ? I can’t imagine Pepsi products costing so much to NCL 

 

Your missing the mandatory gratuity upcharge that puts you at 4.14 per Pepsi - retail 24 pack they’ll run you 50 cents a piece. 728% above retail seems obscene.

On 1/21/2019 at 9:26 PM, AtlantaAlly said:

I’m assuming you’re referring to me, the cheapskate sailing in the Haven to Alaska this June. We are spending a lot of money on this cruise and are disappointed that the cost of so many things has gone up (carts, laser tag, drinks, etc.) I am looking forward to the cruise, but I was looking forward to not having a high bill at the end, well now I can’t enjoy it the same way- $18 for a grey goose cocktail is ridiculous.

 

As a point of comparison, Per Se is one of the most expensive restaurants in NYC with a tasting menu at $355 a head. Their cost of a grey goose cocktail is $20... NCL shouldn’t be charging the same price. I imagine that soon the cost of the service charge will be $40/day and the only options will come from a plastic bottle or bag of wine.

That menu photo was a bit blurry but I believe you’ll be paying 19.95 for that Grey goose cocktail plus a mandated 20% gratuity for a total of 23.94 PLUS port / local taxes - I wonder if if anyone can certify that this is now the highest total price for that drink while in NYC or on earth.

NCL should stop this madness and raise their fares.

22 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

Well that $10 covers the cost for inventory...now you just need to account for the employees to serve the drink, the glassware, the bar, and the multi-milliondollar ship to make it a fair and even comparison.

Ummm that bottle is going to,serve four or 5 drinks at 21.95 per glass. - I think a 1,000% return in a bottle of liquor is just an outright ripoff.

Sadly yes.