AlanRRT

We buy a refrigerator magnet from places we travel to by land or sea.  A person can only use a certain number of coffee mugs or key chains, and every time I open the fridge, I'm reminded of the places we've been.

There are two kinds of people who pack for vacation.  Those who pack a month ahead of time, and those who pack at the very last minute.  They are usually married to each other.

34 minutes ago, burm said:

That's how my brother met his wife. Years ago he and his daughter were put in a shared cabin with two other people - mixed sexes!

 

I can't explain it. Years ago I chose shared accommodation on cruises but was put in with other women. One of the girls in our cabin was on her honeymoon and they could not afford a double cruising from Vancouver to Australia. Every afternoon the other 4 women and I would leave the cabin for a set period of time to give the couple some privacy.

 

I was rather shocked when my SIL told me that they met on a major cruiseline when they cruised out of Singapore.  I think there were 2 men, 3 women and my young niece. I know that neither my brother or SIL knew any of the others but the adults were all teachers, so perhaps it was set up by someone outside the cruise line.  "Anyone willing to share a cabin with 4 other teachers for a really cheap cruise?"  

 

Anyway, DB and SIL are currently travelling and off the grid so I can't ask. I always thought the story was bizarre.

Thanks.  I never heard of shared cabins, it sounded bizarre to me.

3 hours ago, burm said:

That's how my brother met his wife. Years ago he and his daughter were put in a shared cabin with two other people - mixed sexes!

Now explain "shared cabin."  How does that happen with strangers?  Or was he set up by someone?

18 hours ago, lolomaz26 said:

Do you have a copy of your menus from the 14 day cruise

Norwegian PRIMA Dining Menus · Prof. Cruise (profcruise.com)

20 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

Yup, the TA itinerary got changed - to a more southernly route. Got the email today ...

 

Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners,

On behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), we thank you for your loyalty and for making us your vacation of choice.

We have important information regarding your upcoming November 16, 2023, sailing aboard the new Norwegian Viva. Travel Partners are asked to share this information with impacted guests.

We are committed to delivering exceptional vacation experiences around the world. While it is always our intention to maintain original itineraries, at times unforeseen circumstances require us to make modifications. As a result of fleet redeployment, your itinerary has changed and your voyage will now end in Miami, FL. The revised itinerary is as follows:

 

 

Guests who are impacted by this change have the following options:

1. Sail the amended itinerary above, disembarking in Miami, FL and receive a 10% discount of the voyage fare originally paid, inclusive of all previously selected promotions. If this is the preferred option, no further action is required. Final itinerary, invoice and reservation details will be shared by January 20, 2023.

OR

2. Cancel the current reservation and rebook at later date. Guests who choose this option must contact us no later than January 18, 2023. In the U.S. and Canada, guests should call 1-800-327-7030, visit www.ncl.com or contact their travel advisor. Guests residing outside of the U.S. and Canada, should visit www.ncl.com for local contact information. Upon cancelation, guests will receive a full refund that will automatically be returned to the original form of payment. The refund will be processed within 30 business days of cancelation and will be returned within 7 to 10 business days following the processed date. The visibility of the funds is dependent on the guest's financial institution's internal policies.

-If the current reservation was paid utilizing a Future Cruise Credit (FCC), 100% of the FCC used will be re-applied to the guest's Latitudes account. No further action is required. The FCC will be automatically added within seven business days of cancelation.

Guests who do not contact us by January 18, 2023, will have their reservations adjusted to the first itinerary option which includes modified ports of call and disembarkation in Miami, FL, in addition to receiving the referenced 10% discount.

We want to do the very best for you, so in addition to the above, all impacted guests will receive a 10% discount on a future cruise combinable with all available promotions at the time of booking, regardless of the option selected. The 10% discount will be added to your Latitudes account and will be available as of January 20, 2023. This discount can be applied towards sailings from January 20, 2023, through December 31, 2024.


SHORE EXCURSION NOTICE
Shore excursions booked through NCL for Funchal, Portugal, and Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda will be automatically canceled, and a full monetary refund of the fare paid will be returned to the form of payment used at time of reservation; no further action is required. Shore excursions booked through NCL for Ponta Delgada, Portugal will be automatically adjusted to the new dates and times in port; no further action is required. If you are interested in booking new excursions for your upcoming vacation, please login to your MyNCL account or contact us directly at (866) 625-1167. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Depending on nationality, guests may require a passport and/or a visa to visit certain ports of call. All necessary documentation should be printed and available to present at check-in on embarkation day. Guests who fail to obtain these documents will be denied boarding. For more information on the necessary documentation to sail and for all ports of call, please visit www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents. Requirements and policies are subject to change.

YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY
We have updated our protocols to further align to those of the broader travel, leisure and hospitality industry worldwide, making it easier for guests to return to sea with us. As such, we welcome all guests to sail with us, regardless of vaccination status and age, and with no testing or masking requirements. For additional information on our health and safety protocols, please visit www.ncl.com/sail-safe.

Please note that destination specific travel requirements supersede any NCL embarkation protocols. As such, we strongly encourage you to visit www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country to ensure you are in compliance and avoid any chance of being denied boarding. We encourage you to check these sites often, as regulations change frequently and with very short notice.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you aboard the beautiful new Norwegian Viva for your dream vacation at sea!

As always, we are at your service.

Sincerely,

Katty Byrd
Senior Vice President, Guest Services

I'm guessing this is in response to the many reviews of the Prima, including mine, that said this is a warm weather cruise ship.  The Prima TA went as far north as Iceland.  I loved Iceland, but the entire cruise was cold and windy, making the outdoor seating unusable, and the indoor seating overcrowded.  Everything I've seen about the Viva looks like a cut and paste from the Prima.

I recently had a transatlantic cruise on the Prima, using the NCL air.  My experience:  Los Angeles to London Heathrow, via Rome.  This flight was on ITA airlines, formerly Alitalia.  We flew directly over London to Rome, had a two hour layover then on to London.  I'm assuming it was cheaper than a direct flight.  Baggage was free, typical 50 pound limit for the checked bag, one overhead bag, and an under seat bag.  It was an economy class.  I have no complaints other than the previously mentioned roundabout route.  The cruise ended in New York, the flight was out of Newark, New Jersey.  Baggage was also free, and economy class on Delta.  The shuttle bus took us directly to the airport from the ship, but our flight wasn't until 8:30 pm.  If I could have figured out what to do with our luggage, I would have skipped the shuttle, spent some time in New York, and taxied to the airport.  As it was, we got to spend all day waiting at the airport.  When we checked in, we had the option of going standby on one of three earlier flights, but we'd be taking a gamble.  Why NCL chose the late flight, I'm guessing because it was cheaper.  We landed in Los Angeles at 11:30 pm.  I wasn't willing to chance of driving 35 miles home with a good chance of not staying awake, so we got a hotel.

We did take advantage of deviating the flight for two days prior to the cruise.  This really meant only one day in London, as the first day was getting from the airport to the hotel, getting dinner and going to bed.  We spent the next day in London, then the next getting to the port in Southampton.  Two days is the maximum deviation NCL allows.

Not a horror story, but not the most convenient itinerary.  On the plus side, the price for the two of us was $599, about a third of what I would have paid if I'd have booked myself.  Then there was the added cost of the hotel at the end.  Is it worth saving the money of the flight for the inconvenience?  You'll have to decide for yourself.

10 hours ago, mast3rn8 said:

I just wanted to share a couple of my quick opinions coming off of the Prima TA.

 

• I personally LOVED the ship. I found the decor and details beautiful, each restaurant and bar had their own distinctive vibe. Definitely the most stylish ship I've been on.
• Of course I'm bummed we didn't get to utilize all the incredible outdoor spaces but it was a cold weather cruise, we can't really complain - we booked it.
• FYI - I spoke to an entertainer and learned that the Metro bar was intended to be a piano bar, but that was scrapped to have a location for other live music (guitar, duo). The Local (in front of the large screen) was intended for live music but on the first cruise the cabins above complained about the noise and corporate put a definite stop to using that location - hence everything being moved to the Metro bar and the Atrium (neither initially intended for live music). Syd's is never an option during the day because they hold other activities there. The entertainers are not thrilled with these arrangements.
• The service was some of the best I've ever experienced. The main dining room staff were wonderful and attentive. The bar staff was hands down the best of any ship.
• I thought most of the food was great. I didn't have anything awful. Although, they could really step up their dessert game.
• My inside cabin was fantastic! It was the most spacious, thoughtfully laid out inside cabin I've ever been in. SO much storage - 2 closets, multiple drawers, plenty of outlets, great lighting and an amazing bathroom/shower.
• I do agree that the Prima and Viva are priced very high.. but everything new comes at a premium so 🤷‍♂️
• My only complaints are:

1. The lack of activities during all those sea days. We couldn't use the pools so why not coordinate some easy activities like pub crawls, more shows, etc.
2. DJ Swagg - he was unbearable. So unfriendly, clearly did not want to be there, even fell asleep while 'dj'ing' at one point (then after other crew got involved and made him wake up and participate, the next day I overheard him complaining about us complaining about his lack of interest). Not cool.
3. Listening to all the grumpy guests complaining about one thing or another literally all day long. If going on vacation is so miserable - stay home.

 

All in all, I had an incredible trip and met some great people!

I do have to agree with most of what you wrote.  It seems that some people aren't happy unless they're complaining, and many of them take cruises and write reviews.

One common complaint that I do have to agree with is the small size of the dining and entertainment venues.  I hope this gets fixed on future Leonardo ships.

It does seem that the ship was designed for warm weather cruises, which the TA was not.  But I'm reminded of the old Super Chicken cartoon.  Whenever Super Chicken's sidekick, Fred, would complain Super Chicken would tell him "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it."

I think the vibe of the cruise would have been different if we had been able to stop in Kirkwall, as it was, we had two stretches of four sea days, making passengers antsy.

Overall, you're right, it was an incredible trip, and we also met some great people.

9 minutes ago, Beer Belly said:

Can anyone confirm if there is a fire pit (propane) on the Prime ?. I thought I saw one of on one of the first videos.

I did see that in the renders, but it definitely wasn't on the ship.  I don't know why it was even considered, since the biggest danger on a ship is not sinking, but fire.

One thing nobody (including me) has mentioned, at least not that I've seen: the artwork all over the ship!  While all ships have some pictures hanging, I loved the way the Prima had the feel of an art gallery.  Very classy.

55 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

Call me crazy but the fixed MDR menu looks 100x better to me than the fixed Haven restaurant menu. Even picky PITA me found a ton of stuff on the MDR to eat.

 

Hubby is requesting photos of the beef wellington for anyone on board willing to help contain his drool.

I'll be on the Transatlantic next month, if nobody beats me to it I'll be glad to get a picture for you.

5 hours ago, oteixeira said:

Someone in one of my facebook groups posted the mobile menu for the MDR from their app.  I am guessing they are on one of the first cruises.  If any of you also are, looks like the menus for stuff might be online for you now?

 

Looks good, but I'm disappointed that there's no pound cake French toast at breakfast.

8 hours ago, kessdarln said:

Happy Saturday, hope this makes you laugh. 

NCL's website is so glitchy.  I was looking at a Pacific Coastal cruise, airfare from Vancouver to Los Angeles, which would be one way, was $20,000,000.

16 minutes ago, Steff79 said:

https://www.ncl.com/de/de/newsroom/norwegian-cruise-line-reveals-star-studded-cast-for-its-summer-the-donna-summer-musical-debuting-on-norwegian-prima/

 

Kimberly Locke plays Donna Summer

 

i don´t know her, maybe the Americans??

Kimberley Locke - Wikipedia

On 7/5/2022 at 8:30 PM, theaviationbeat said:

The first photos of Norwegian Viva being painted. It has a different design from Prima (though very similar) and different colors. A fair amount of purple can be seen. 

So far, everything I've seen about Viva is a cut and paste from Prima.  Glad to see the hull art is going a different, if not similar, direction.

3 hours ago, RVACruiser43 said:

Personally I don’t find the Prima bad looking.  I do find the Epic Ugly.  I even debated not cruising on Epic due to the ugliness, but someone said you don’t see it when your on the ship LOL so someday.  We had a TA cancelled last year with a terrific itinerary.  Wife bucket list is to sail on all the NCL ships, so eventually! 

I did the Mediterranean cruise on the Epic.  Ugly or not, it was a wonderful trip!  

23 hours ago, RVACruiser43 said:

I stopped by to see if the Viva cancellations hit the board here yet.  Surprised not to see any posts.  Per posts in the other place, NCL has cancelled the first 2 Viva Cruises.  Same reason as the Prima cancellations - Supply Chain.  Is there verification that this news is legit?

Tom                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Inaugural Sailings for Second Prima-Class Ship (cruisehive.com)

One quirk of the Prima class ships, at least the two we know about, is that there are exactly two aft facing balcony cabins that aren't Havens.  I managed to score one on the Viva, the only problem is that I have to wait until October of 2024.  The wait begins!

2 hours ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

There are many 7 day cruises from San Juan in Dec 2023-Mar 2024.

You're right, I missed that.  The one exception to the longer cruises on the Viva.

I was looking at Viva's cruises, there is one eight day cruise, all the rest are longer.  Not one typical seven day cruise.  Not that I'm complaining, I'm just wondering what NCL has in mind.

7 hours ago, wendi0731 said:

Does anyone have inside scoop on if the prima will have a casino or a spa?   
 

I can’t see anywhere where it confirms there is a casino… However it is allowing me to buy into slot and poker tournaments on myncl. 

 

The gentleman from customer service that I spoke to said that neither have been confirmed. However my husband called and spoke to a supervisor who said that, though details haven’t been released yet, that there would be both. 

I have no inside information, but I can't imagine they wouldn't have big moneymakers like a spa and casino.  Other than the Pride of America, which can't have a casino for legal reasons, every NCL ship has both.

On 10/5/2021 at 11:30 AM, BklynBoy8 said:

Is the Boat (Muster) Drill necessary right away?

 

We just got on board and there's a lot to do. Can we do it later?

 

Yip!

And that's why everything is closed during the muster drill.

19 hours ago, BenCoudon said:

From what I see, it looks like that my visits to the top decks will be rather limited.  High tech games is not my cup of tea. I thought they mentioned earlier that the new ships would cater to a more adult population.  Maybe they defined the word "Adult" by 12 to 60.

By the time my cruise on the Prima comes around I'll be 68.  Look for me on the slides and the go carts.

5 minutes ago, AlanRRT said:

I think I'm one of them.

On second look, I'm a bit aft from the slides.  I may hear some screaming from my room, but I'm going on them!

4 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Oh man. I feel bad for anyone who booked one of the balconies that the slide snakes right through!

I think I'm one of them.