MrsTocko

Well shoot then. I get that. I can look at someone on the edge of something on TV and my legs tingle.

I do enjoy sitting and playing cards or what not...but NOT while others are trying to find a place to sit down and eat. That is just rude, and there are other places that you can go to play your games. Now if you have a small plate of snacks, I have no problem. I will usually try to go sit near a bar anyway to play my cards, or read my book.

Alaska is one place that I strongly recommend a balcony especially for cruising bay, or hubbard or tracy arm. Put the chair inside the room, leave the door open (for the breeze and fresh air as well as clarity of view), and watch it go by. Front porch sitting. Listen to the ranger on the TV. or turn the sofa. ALMOST what you would get on deck, or in an observation lounge. Without the crowds of people jostling for a view, enjoying your favorite beverage (hot or cold). If we make it to cruise together, you can come take a gander from inside our balcony, while we are not moving.

Right - Everyone still MUST go check in at their station. So you know where it is and how to get there. But if you have reached Gold - you know how to put on the life jacket, the 7 long blasts....because you have been doing the old school muster on other NCL ships. That part should be the sale across the fleet, and at gold or say 5 NCL cruises, you are good to watch the video and check in, and go on with the cruise. until something changes in HOW NCL does their muster that has an effect on HOW passengers should respond/react, then back to 5 cruises old school again. (new muscle memory)

I would also think that they have a system in place to quickly check off/account for everyone in their station. So they know that everyone from room 10090 is accounted for. and dont go looking for you. That is a waste of precious resources at that point.

I LOVE the streamlined aspect of the new muster drill. Gets me to the fun stuff that much quicker. However, I do kinda miss the gathering, (not the waiting around for it to start), also miss the putting on the life jacket and go stand outside. That is nostalgia for me. I do think though that with everything that they have already attached to your card, based on your latitude status, they could figure out a hybrid system, if it is your first cruise with NCL, you are required to do the drill the old way...say until you hit gold....after that, you can do it the new way, until and unless something changes in how NCL does their muster. Then you MUST do new muster for X number of cruises. After said number of cruises, they you can go back to the video/check in "new muster". I mean - They KNOW you have watched the video each of the 5 times they send you the email, as well as when you have checked in. If you are a seasoned cruiser this is not new. They know who has been on before, and who has not. They know how many times. They can easily attach the note to your profile that you need to do the drill or not. This would also free up crew members, sooner, because they dont have to check in as many people, and the old school method wont take as long, because fewer people. Not sure how feesible this really is, just throwing out an idea, but I would think there is a happy middle ground.

Right? We rarely (can count on 1 hand and have fingers left over) the # of times that I have utilized ANY ship pool/hot tub. I will fry to a crisp. I get the fresh air on my balcony or sit in the shade. That way I am also not fighting the chair hog...

I once spent a weekend in Vegas eating, gambling and drinking for 3 days on $5 total. I had booked early, non-refundable, and ran into some car issues that resulted in nothing left in the Vegas saving fund. Prepaid the shuttle round trip from the airport, went to the gas station on the corner for burgers and chips, and sat at the nickel slots long enough to get a couple of those free drinks.

Art Gallery on a ship…I don’t understand the concept behind thinking that a cruise ship is the place to put an art gallery. I can look at pretty painting and think that it is pretty. I don’t have an artist’s eye, nor a lover of statues and paintings. I can look at it and appreciate and respect the work and talent that went into creating it. However, I also know that it has no place in my home, or life past the 5 min I spend looking at it. To me it is like having the spa guy at the fair. Why do we need this on a ship? Or at the fair?

Our next cruise has quite a few zipline excursions...I might try one of those...DH has done ziplining in Puerto Vallarta (with the ex) before and said it was great...PV is a stop on our next one.

I cant look at that glass bridge on my computer, and my legs start to tingle. after we got to the other side of that rope bridge, DH said "you know we have to go back right?" "Yup, as soon as I have feeling back in my legs, we will be good to go" Me no like heights. me no like bridges. I think about my dropping something over an edge...nope. I started cruising before I started swimming. and still not a strong swimmer, but not as afraid as I once was (near drowning will do that to you). I try to not let my fears conquer me. I am stronger than my fears. it just may take me a while to conquer it! Thinking about a zipline one of these days. not like the one at Icy Strait...but still thinking about it

I got you. We get a balcony mid-ship by elevators...I grip the railing whether we are moving or not. Most terrifying thing I did was the rope bridge in Northern Ireland. Look up Carrick-a-rede rope bridge and you will see what I mean. BUT I conquered that fear that day (only), is a bit easier now, but not much..

guess a lot of us are smarter by half...myself included...

Our first one we did the bus in skagway both ways. Then we started doing the bus up and the train back. Best of both for us. we like the relaxing part of the train ride. Having done it, we know that we see plenty from both sides. DH like to stand out on the platform and take pics. I do not like being that close to an edge, so I sit inside with the backpack.

We love alaska (have done it 4 times, and will do it again), and NCL. the things we (DH) like about NCL is the freestyle concept. We try and do different things in repeat ports. Except Skagway - we tend to do the same excursion there, because we enjoy it so much. I try to be impartial when asked though, and explain what we liked or didnt like about each. We like learning the history of the a place, and getting an overview. so that is what we go for at least the first time.

agree - You have to put your accomplishments out there to show how important you are? I have my past and future cruises in my signature because: a. it helps me remember WHEN I went... b. maybe I will run into someone on here that I have cruised with before and has a fond memory to share. (havent really changed) c. when I joined that is what everyone else seemed to be doing, so I did (i try to blend in everywhere), and now im too lazy to change it

you said it way better than I did...but all of this...

Actually I have only bid for an upgrade once - before the last cruise - because it was for our anniversary, and bucket list destinations, and I figured WTH. but when I win the lotto - I will pick another set of bucket list destinations, and book the haven, follow the dude/dudette with the card (that says im better than you because I'm in the Haven) at embarkation, scream "I'm platinum" (just turned on the last cruise), and demand to stay away from the commoners... I guess I need to start buying lotto tickets???

My PCC automatically adds the DSC to my booking. So I am paying it upfront. Well worth not thinking about it later. I save all year long for the "spending" dollars using the 52 week $ challenge. That is what I use for porter tips, or souvenirs in port and I stick aside some for tipping my steward at the beginning, and then extra at the end. I know that they don't make what they should, and were out of cruise work for 2 years. I give them what I can with gratitude and appreciation. And honestly if they "raised" the prices, but "removed" the DSC, would people care if it was embedded in the initial cost? I know that I wouldn't. do like other lines where "crew appreciation" is included. The perception that you are getting more for your buck is a powerful marketing tool, and has kept me loyal to NCL (yes, i do exhaustive comparison between the lines and NCL usually comes out ahead or close to it - so loyalty points then come into play) My vacation budget isn't always large, so I need to make the most of it, always.

I think this is a matter of personal perspective from my stand point. Above you said: "I don't want to spend my life trying to avoid arrogant jerks all day long" Why would I put myself in a situation where I have to make to do that on VACATION? That is my time to relax and recharge. to enjoy my surroundings, and the food and laugh. I have NEVER been one who liked being the center of attention. Too much bullying as a kid directed towards me. Yes, it shaped me. It shapes everyone. That is how we learn and grow. I can't ignore it, not in me to ignore it. and I left it effect me as little as possible, but that takes effort. So I distance myself from people that bully, and that I have to make an effort to be around. That is why I apologize to everyone in the customer service industry when I have witnessed this appalling behavior. I always remember that the only thing I can control is MY reaction to whatever is happening and the situation around me. I am mature enough and have grown enough to know what my triggers are and how to cope and deal with them. I am also mature enough and grown enough to know better than to put myself in a situation I am not able to handle. I deal with it enough in the real world, I don't need to deal with it on vacation. Personally, I think that is more mature coping strategy. (I actually had a lot of good counseling as a kid at an age that the lessons stick, and I am a quick study. I was taught how to figure out what I am reacting to and WHY...Knowing that...I can adjust my response to a more affective one, rather than strictly emotion. Again, I don't believe that everyone in the Haven are entitled jerks, nor that they are confined to the Haven. I do believe that the entitled jerks are LOUDER than the ones that are just there to enjoy themselves and have a good time, and are OFTEN staying in the Haven. See something, say something, do something - makes sense. By ignoring it, we are letting it fester and grow. I dont feel that society can continue to say "just ignore it, not my problem."

I hear ya - the final little patch of under eye discoloration has finally dwindled down to a shadow under my eye and a beauty mark. if you dont know then you would never know.

I wish there was a way I could say yes Relatively uninjured. Split my lip and knot in above my eye. which caused the swelling and discoloration. But no other injuries, except to my pride. So very very lucky. Could have been much worse. Tripped on June 30, cruise started on July 3. felt worse for my DH, because people were looking at him like, "do we need to take him down?". He didnt care, but I did. So far from who he is. I am sure that my body language, which showed no fear of him at all, helped to prevent people from saying anything, but we still had a lot of looks. Made for an interesting cruise for sure, and EVERYONE knew who were

@complawyer HAHA - Thanks. We are both so...hate to ask others for something we can do ourselves... I had a hard time asking our room steward for ice on our last cruise. But I needed it to ice my black eye. Me and the "up" escalator at LAX had a difference of opinion 2 days before the start of our last cruise...Thankfully my face broke the fall. Definitely a "trip" of a lifetime...

We go to Vegas for the getting away, not the gambling. We rarely will gamble. Maybe take $40 each for the weekend. when it gone it gone. if we win anything, cash out and count ourselves lucky.

Not poo pooing it BECAUSE I cant afford it. Though it is a contributing factor. But I HAVE been in the common areas of the haven amenities, and IMO it is NOT worth the added cost. So for ME to go to the expense of booking a Haven, when there is a 90% chance I wont be using the Haven facilities, that is not a sound investment. I will at some point indeed try the haven. Just not in the vacation wallet for now. The rest of the contributing factors for not booking the Haven is that I have witnessed too many "I'm in the Haven" before a crew member or other guest gets ripped a new one for displeasing the Haven guest. I want to be as far away as possible from them. I know that the entitled people are EVERYWHERE...but I choose to not put myself in a situation where the chances of encountering them and the entitles attitude increases exponentially. Make Sense?