Beamco

I am getting ready to leave (2 weeks from today) on a 15 day Joy cruise through the Panama Canal. I feel I got a great price on a Haven Cabin , yet I still consider this trip to be a "final splurge" before I go on a fixed income! I added the Free at Sea Plus - so I have the upgraded drink package and 5 speciality dinners. I will admit being nervous that the alcohols I would like to try may not be available and that the quality and or quantity of food may be diminished. However, I'm going into this eyes wide open and I don't understand the complaints here! Especially from anyone living in the United States -what hasn't become more expensive, what service hasn't become diminished if not more expensive or worse diminished and more expensive here in the US? I have retired to a Major US Island that is considered to be one of the top vacation spots in the US and everything costs more. I will limit my comments to entertainment and food- every restaurant costs more- every excursion costs more, most of the restaurants are charging a 3% add on fee to use a credit card, food and service are inconsistent, some restaurants changed the quality of items being served down to now very obviously serving more processed and institutional type food so much so that I no longer eat there. Fast food restaurants are closing because no one will work. Grocery store shelfs are empty, people started eating eggs as their protein more often so for 3 days there were no eggs on the shelf! Understanding all of this I have zero expectations that my cruise experience will be anything like my last cruise pre-covid. I will go on it excited as always - eyes wide open- and I will enjoy it immensely! I will go and hope to get more than one appetizer at Speciality Restaurants, I will ask for multiple lobster tails at dinner in the Haven, I will expect bagels, cream cheese and fresh lox on the Haven breakfast buffet, I will hope to drink top shelf Bourbon all week just to name a few wish list items I have - but if any of my wish list items are not available I will indulge the best that I can! If too many are not I will reevaluate if my next vacation will be a cruise. If any one would want to hear it I will report back on my experience after my return on Feb. 6th and let you know what changes had a good or bad effect on my experience - but one thing I won't do is complain about NCL or any other company trying to deal with changes placed on this world that they had nothing to do with. I would say Cruise Well everybody but I will change it to Vacation Well Everybody!

So I just saw this since IronRobi is so offended by me being willing to as I stated leave the Haven Lounge - Pool Area - Indoor Hot Tubs - Observation Lounge - even the Haven Bar, etc. if kids are around and I want or need some adult time away from even well behaved kids by simply retreating to the "minuscule" by comparison to the Haven Public areas that has been designated 16+ that they had to insult me. I am headed on a cruise in January for 15 days all designed to be at a time when there is less chance to have kids on the cruise. FYI I love kids but when I vacation I also like my adult time. However, if I see someone bringing their under 16 child out there I will "proudly" be that guy and immediately go to the concierge and report them by stating IronRobi from Cruise Critic sent me to ruin some kids vacation because their entitled parents feel they are entitled to every inch of the ship/Haven because their progeny is so special everyone must of course see it and agree. IronRobi and those they are defending after all are the first people to ever push a kid out in the woods so clearly you see just how special their offspring are how dare you expect some space to be away from my wonders..... I loath being a keyboard warrior but the entitlement dripping from your responses would not allow me to back away from a response.

I am booked on the Joy in late January 23 - Miami to LA - 15 night Canal Cruise - All in $9500 for 3 people at 15 nights that comes to $211.11 per person for 3 people. For 2 it would still be under $300 per day per person both ways for me a phenomenal price for my preferred way to Vacation - Haven Cruises! We are bringing my adult Daughter along for this trip so we are in a Forward Facing Haven Suite - also my preferred cabin. I am looking forward to cruising again - with decent rates if you shop and hopefully a return to normalcy! FYI same timing of a Canal Cruise on the Bliss was double the price - price aside I have been on the Bliss before I am looking forward to Joy then Encore then the new class.

Why shouldn't other guests have a problem with it. I am perfectly fine with leaving the Haven Lounge, Pool, Observation Deck etc. to avoid children behaved or otherwise. Just don't chase me away from the one area of the Haven that is designated no children. Additionally, the parents with the disrespectful children show up and get to say - it's Ok because other children are here - and we go down the slippery slope from there. Rules are rules and they are not meant to be broken. The rule is there for a purpose. Also it's not about the staff breaking up the monotony of their job its about the comfort of your fellow guests that are following the rules. The no kids under 16 on the Haven sundeck is a hard rule not a soft one. Oh and I can say it this way you always run into the people who take every opportunity to take the edge for their own benefit over others and god forbid others complain about their self centered behavior. If people follow the rules the staff won't be forced to do anything.