April42749

20 hours ago, julig22 said:

The April TA on the Star appears to be cancelled

My April cruise has been saying that for quite a while.  I called last week and the rep said that it was still sailing.

Enjoy your cruise!

I bet lots of NYC people, sick and tired of sitting at home, will be on that ship too 🙂

18 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Unfortunately I don’t agree with your expectation that people who are sick will be responsible. All you have to do is read comments on this board to know a lot of people are not responsible when it comes to this virus. 

I was on a 3/1 NCL cruise.  At that time, on the NCL board, people were discussing how they could hide any symptoms (coughs, fever etc) just in case they were screened at embarkation.  So you are absolutely correct; many people are irresponsible.  It's part of the "me and only me" thing.

8 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

I would eat at the buffet.  I expect people who are sick to be responsible.  I am not opting out of life because something might happen.  

Unfortunately many of those sick people are asymptomatic.  That guy who just got up to give you his seat, well he doesn't know that he's sick.

Nobody is asking you to opt out of life, but just to put certain things on hold.  A cruise ship has a very dense population, with people from all over.  Maybe "your state" has just a couple of deaths, but people from "my state" will be flying in to take your cruise, because the ship is sailing.  And "my state" is not, at this point, a healthy state.

Just now, crusintime123 said:

The ship has the same capacity and is typically full so I am not sure what your point is.  The deck still has the same space.

My point is....lots of kids....lots of commotion.  Also...lots of cabins at max capacity.

It was President's Week.  What did you expect?

4 hours ago, JohnIreland said:

 

But he was asking that OP take the money from the other hard working people and give all to him.

I know what he was asking and I'm not saying that OP should have complied.  More...just to be more compassionate.

OP had a few options:

Keep the DSC and give him some extra (My option and to be honest, I would have given him less than I originally planned because of what he asked).

Drop the DSC and give him everything

Keep the DSC and give him nothing

Drop the DSC and give nobody anything

Report him to the captain etc 

We all would handle it as we see fit.  I don't like when people ask for extra tips (it was part of the reason I dropped my hairdresser) but I take into consideration "Why?"

Did you book a special promotion with a non-refundable portion?

I've canceled and rebooked multiple times...no fees.

2 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

wow, a whopping $233 pp per week. Do you want to work a physical job 12 hours a day 7 days a week for that money?

Ya know....people ought to count their blessings.  For "not much $$" you can relax on a cruise ship, eat to your hearts content, be entertain, have someone scrub your toilet etc.....

People should show compassion for someone who does physical work 12 hours/7 days a week and makes $233.

If you can't help them out at least don't make it worse for them over a couple of bucks.

You never know when you'll be in someone else's shoes.

42 minutes ago, SirWolf said:

I can not follow your thoughts... the cabin attending is making his living on a cruise ship like thousands of his fellow crew members but is asking for additional income (gratuities) to be paid directly to him. Do you want all crew members asking for money... waiters, pool attendants, housekeeping, bar keepers ?? That’s what DSC is for.

The cabin attendant can complain to MSC or simply walk and search for another job where he is paid fix hour wages but NEVER talk to passengers about DSC and begging for money. I don’t want anybody soliciting money from me or my wife while on a cruise ship and would take drastic measures to prevent this.

 

PS: I give to panhandlers and persons in need.

No....I don't think it's right that he asked and I wouldn't like to be asked.  But, the fact that he asked means that he's willing to risk his job for a few dollars.  I certainly wouldn't want to get him in trouble.  If he put me in that position I had give him something and tell him not to ask other passengers.

And, we are assuming it's just this one guy who asked....not the entire crew.  If more than one person asked I'd get annoyed and not bother.

7 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

So...if someone robs you at gunpoint on the streets of NY you wouldn’t report it because “he really needs the money” and you wouldn’t want to judge him??  Doesn’t it occur to you that this CS is cheating his fellow crew members as well as putting the OP in a very uncomfortable position?  If the OP weren’t conflicted by this he would not have put it out here.  

I live in NYC....the heart of NYC....minutes away from "the bad area".   I assume the person robbing me is threatening physical harm.  The steward is more like the guy panhandling.  Don't  like it....but happy I'm the one giving, not asking.

One day your 11 year old will be a grown-up and then you can cruise when school is in session.  It's a whole different fish.  You seriously couldn't give me a free cruise during any "holiday week".  The ships are just too crowded and the kids can get underfoot or just plain annoying (like knocking on doors and pushing elevator buttons).

I'd take it this way.

The steward was wrong, however, that he did this means "he really needs the money".\

I wouldn't report him; I'd give him a couple of extra dollars.

I'm happy I'm in the position to do this and I wouldn't judge or want to get him in trouble.

I know...you all think I'm wrong.

That you sailed during President's Day week, the mobs don't surprise me.

We (well me, DH is still open to it) don't bother with the private island.  We don't go early and the last time we got there the line for food was sooooo long we turned around and took the next tender back.  It's just not the same since they make the lagoon area exclusive.

If you ever go again, stay on the ship and enjoy the peace and quiet.

1 hour ago, jaja said:

And just an FYI..if for some reason stop playing a machine for a certain time..with card in...your money automatically goes onto the card !  This happened to me last time on the Gem..was busy talking to someone and my money was no longer displayed on my machine...!  Panic time...till attendant explained !

Machine assumes you walked away and forgot your card.  Actually....that's better than leaving it on the screen for someone else to claim.  

Thanks....yeah....now I remember pulling my card out too soon and wondering where my money went!a

I haven't been on NCL for a year and I forget "basic casino".

You put your card into the slot...and you put in cash.  Do you need to get a PIN etc? (I think so...in case you want to charge to your cabin.)

When you're done....you cash out...and get a ticket.  The proceeds don't go on your card...just the physical ticket.

Am I remembering correctly?

We've done the Daytona Raceway trip, we've done the Best of Port Canaveral, we've done the Orlando Eye/Mme Toussand's  and the Disney Springs.  There was enough time for all of them and we enjoyed all of them.

Going to Kennedy or any other Disney attraction is not worth it.

This is one port where you can't just wander around the terminal (we did that once too....waste of time).

We did Cocoa Beach also....typical US East Coast Atlantic Ocean beach.  "Special" only if you usually don't go to East Coast Atlantic Ocean Beaches.

Go to a therapist NOW....and he/she can give you some tips on how to deal with anxiety.

Ships are moving vehicles....the ship will rock; the ship may roll from side to side or rise and go down.

You may panic every time you feel motion.

Or....you may get on board and after an hour of "smooth sailing" have no problem.

I had a bad experience on NCL Dawn over 10 years ago.  I've gone on about 20 cruises since that time...I'm still alive and well... but I'd be anxious about going on the Dawn.

Bring aspirin and take a couple right before you board.  Good-bye temperature.  Take non-drowsy cold medicine.  Take cough syrup.  Good-bye cold symptoms.  Take zicam for a few days before the trip.  Good-bye cold.

And this is why I will absolutely never give any money to a go-fund-me.

Who wouldn't accept "free money"?

11 minutes ago, travelinmama said:

I want to say that our NCL cruise consultant has been great in all of this. Not upset with her at all and she did not make the policy. Luckily I did hear back that we will get a refund as long as we are in the same cabin so that works out well. We should all be getting a refund. AND I just contacted Holland America and the rep was amazing. They have no policy such as this and were able to get us on their ship, almost same itinerary and close dates etc.  Hoping this thing does not come to a head the way it did in China. Thanks again everyone

I'm so happy to hear of your happy outcome.  I know some people think the whole passport issue is racial discrimination....it's not.  Companies have to drawn a line somewhere and NCL took the conservative approach.  It's not much different when the captain decides to skip a port due to weather....some would try, others don't want the responsibility of the risk.

Can you read the contract?  Maybe it lists "what happens if a port is canceled" and what you get refunded.

I'd definitely go the "complaint route" on this one.......

Good luck

1 hour ago, blcruising said:

Normal range? Well, let me know when the below cruises go on sale....

 

Escape 2-22, 7 days $250

Pearl, 3-1 or 3-8, 7 days, $293

Breakaway, 2-22, 7 days, $299

Star, 3-15, 15 days, $349

Jewel, 3-20, 14 days, $599

Jade, 3-18, 22 days, $489

 

 

 

Well.....woops.  I just follow the cruises out of NYC.  I'm am shocked....their stupid experiment was a major failure.

4 hours ago, blcruising said:

It isn't supposed to be this way. They've been talking for years about how they are not going to offer deep discounts, yet they have to in order to fill ships. And the current health scare adds another layer of challenges. 

As I see it, they aren't offering the deep discounts they used to offer.  They've just put pricing back to "normal range" which by comparison to a few days ago seems like a deep discount.