alysonofagun

The water is safe and clean, and yes you’ll need to use a kettle to make the bottles. We took our own nappies and knew we could easily buy more in port if needed (Northern Europe itinerary). MSC is great choice for babies - only wish my daughter would sleep as well as she did that week on board 🤣

When I booked they said they would provide a cot and also a high chair (sailing in Oct).

Just to point out that MSC do not have a minimum age of 6 months to sail.

I tried the form again but still didn’t get any response so emailed the team. They said it has been done and sent over my details. Now I can get booking!

Thanks, will try again!

@KMVigs I’m also thinking of trying MSC from NCL - I’m platinum with them and have never cruised with anyone else but the price is too good to resist! Hope you don’t mind me asking here rather than starting a new thread - How do the dining times work when port times are later? The cruise I’m looking at has some 9pm departures - if we’re assigned early dining is it a case of choosing between port time and eating in the MDR?

Does anyone have an idea of how long it takes to hear back about status match? Been waiting a few weeks and now I’m not sure my form even submitted (no auto response or anything!)!

From memory, I'm sure its usually a disclaimer about eating the items raw/undercooked at the bottom of the menu.

Fellow UK-er here! I've done lots of cruises out of the US and always booked everything separately, never had any problems (touch wood) and been able to pick dates/flights that suit me. My only suggestion would be to fly in at least 2 days early if possible - that first afternoon on arrival can be a bit of a write off with travel, tiredness and fighting jetlag, and secondly, if your bags don't make your flight for whatever reason, they can be put on the next day's without you having to worry about arrival time. Always take some spare clothes, meds etc in your hand luggage just in case. Slightly less of a worry with direct flights than if you have a connection, so it would probably depend on where you're flying from.

$8k for a balcony? 😱 I'm in the UK so the price we pay with NCL is final, with everything (except daily service charge) included. Virgin are sooooo much more expensive than NCL for us but I suspect its part of their 'exclusive' marketing plan (which seems to include inviting every Tik-Tokker and his dog on free sailings).

Can I ask where you're finding better prices on Virgin? I'd love to try them but every cruise I have looked at costs more for 4-5 days (without alcohol) as 7+ (with 🍸🥂🍷) would on NCL.

OP - I know NCL absolutely can do this but totally feel your pain! On the bright side, at least you're still going to the same part of the world; I was on a TA a few years ago that switched from the Caribbean to the Azores 😭

Was on the Bliss in Feb - there was a singer in the observation lounge one night that we stumbled in there. We just danced between the chairs as it was empty 😄

Don't know if its already been mentioned, but my controversial opinion is that I preferred being served at the buffet (post-Covid) than seeing the amount of adults that don't know how to behave hygienically around communal food/apparatus (recent cruise)... even though it meant continually asking for 'more, please' 🤣

Just to add, I also loved the Bliss ... and did not hunt out any culture beyond that of the beer/tequila type in the ports 🤣

Cruised the Bliss out of LA in February and would not do it again unless it was bargain basement price and I just wanted a week on board. The weather was bad and the ports were ugly - I'd pay the extra to go to the East and on the new ship!

Hi from a fellow Brit who also knows the Smiths and Chris Rock (and The Rock too, for that matter!) I managed to fit 6 bottles standing in the fridge on the Epic (could've probably balanced one or two on top, but that's a lot of effort) and I think about the same on the Bliss. Just removed the 'pay-for-water' and topped up when needed! 🙂

Stayed in Feb and shuttle was still free! You had to book your places/time the night before though.

Yes! This is the mindset! I just got off the Epic last week, 7th time on her including 2 TAs, and sadly I found the food/service in the restaurants the worst its ever been. However, I didn't go exclusively for the food, I still loved not having to cook for myself for a week, I still ate far too much, and it absolutely did not ruin or even dampen my trip! Life is too short to moan about the minor things on holiday, however, I have found that staff are always willing to put things right if you do have a genuine complaint. Enjoy your cruise and happy anniversary!

Personally, I never enjoy the speciality restaurants on the last night and always wish I'd eaten there earlier. It's probably a mixture of sadness at the cruise coming to an end, and the fact that I will have eaten and drunk more in the previous 6 days than in the past 6 months combined though 😄

It was significantly cheaper to buy in advance on my last cruise in Feb!

I took credit rather than a cash refund from NCL for a cancelled cruise, and was able to use this to prepay service charges earlier this year (although could only use the original 100% and not the bonus 25% or however much it was for this). UK booking. Just an FYI in case anyone has bits of leftover refunds sitting in their account!

In our experience, we couldn't get through to the airline no matter the different numbers we tried. Guest Services assured us that they would get through and get it sorted, and that they do it all the time. We suggested we would go to the airport to collect ourselves and they told us there was absolutely no need and the bag would be on board by the time we got back. When we realised the bag wasn't there, and probably wasn't ever coming, they didn't have any answers for us where the point of failure was and were pretty blasé about it all, that was probably the worst bit. It was like - trust us, trust us, honestly, just trust us. Then - Oops, sorry, not our problem. (Thankfully my friend got her bag back 6-8 weeks after our return home!)

Same happened to my friend on a USA/Mexico trip. Guest services on board assured her they would get the luggage on board at our first port, leave it with them, don't worry etc... Double checked on the day - same message reiterated. Come back to the ship after our day in port - no bag, no messages, no responsibility, but hey, here's free laundry for the rest of your trip! 😑

I'd stay in the studios - cooler vibe and much better lighting (although maybe not as important if he's not worried about putting his make up on in the evening 😆) and easy access to the lounge for coffee!