suech1970

Took a cheap deal with MSC in Jan some years back out of Barbados. It was like a roll on/off ferry. Passengers getting on and off every island with daily musters, announcements daily in several languages, drove us potty! Never again but you live and learn🙄 I think these days you’re better off grabbing early prices just for cruise and just guesstimating price of scheduled flights and overnight accommodation and booking them nearer the time. I have a very good cruise TA, he’ll put an early cruise price with flights, sometimes transfers or accommodation and if I’m happy with it I’ll book it. Only booked 1 cruise direct with cruise line in the last 6 cruises. You're absolutely right about Marella these days. I’m not seeing any big price drops 6 to 8 weeks prior to sailing, so the cabins must be selling even though they’re crazy prices. Loved sailing Marella though, everything was just so easy with them. Im sure you’ll find something between your rock and a hard place😉

39 plus 10% service charge and tax. shocking but I’ve been told it’s gotta be done🙄

We picked up a very good deal with NCL, on a flash sale for this April. However the flight and the overnite accommodation was more than the cruise🙄 but it was 9 nights no sea days! They have a ship sailing out of Dom Rep for a couple of months. Not sure when you were looking at but they have 9 to 14 nights out of Miami, Tampa and their itineraries are pretty good. Their older ships get the better itineraries, which are probably about the same age as Marella’s. May be worth a look😁

Doing abit of Far East research for our NCL cruise later this month and my notes says 100 Bahts 2 beds and brolly. I wouldn’t put my life on it but I must have read it somewhere😆

I’d swop you inside cabin on Deck 10 in Caribbean in a heartbeat right now!!! Availability still showing for inside on deck 10, 12 also outside 8 & 9 so it’s nowhere near sold out. If you absolutely hate it go moan to customer services on aboard. If you have paid to select your original cabin you are also entitled to a refund as they have not provided this. They moved us without notice and I had to sort out on board, they will wanna see proof you paid so take your original booking invoice. I’m sure you will have a great time!🍹🍹

My major con would be travelling to the Med high season. July/Aug too busy too hot! If June / Sept/ Oct would be much more comfortable on this port heavy itinerary, which is amazing btw! If there is no movement in dates then just check your actual port dates on a cruise port schedule to see how many ships you have in port with you. At least you will be prepared for the crowds, those pretty blue and white streets you see in the photos look a lot different when you have 7000 passengers ashore🙄 Personally, I wouldn’t worry about tenders, you have decent/long times for your tender ports. Personally, we choose to stay on board at Santorini,(yes everyone thought we were mad) but judging by the horror stories we heard, we did the right thing. 4 ships in that day. We should have tendered at Mykonos but docked instead, so you never know. If you do dock, they have Sea Bus straight from the pier to town, nice ride and ours had a glass bottom. €2 pp each way.

I haven’t sailed Breakaway but done a few other ships on NCL and we always like a night at Cagneys steakhouse. Have also enjoyed excellent meals at Le Bistro and Moderno. If you want to do multiple speciality dining then keep an eye out for price drops on NCL app or your booking on line. Also book on line as soon as reservations open to get times you prefer. Puerto Plato, nice around port area, Taino Bay, free pools, loungers lazy river but they had doubled their drinks prices between our visits, so didn’t spend long there in May. Take ship excursion if you want to see island, we’re not fond of Dom Rep. St Thomas, we prefer Emerald Beach to Megan’s Bay, not a rip off for drinks and chairs etc and much quieter, even with the airport across the road😆. Tortola always Cane Garden Bay. Usually go independently as ship uses same open sided taxi buses from port. Beers get cheaper the further you go down beach😉. Hubby always make the short walk to the Callwood Distillery just behind beach for the samples of rum, 5 shots for $1, usually comes back a bit wrecked🙄 Great Stirrup….Beautiful island with plenty to do if you choose. Your drinks package will work on island and plenty of free dining too. They have certain premium spots where you have to pay extra for clam shells / umberallas. We really enjoy the Game shows on NCL, so funny. Don’t miss the Newly Wed,Not so Newly Wed game show, usually the best.

Wow what an amazing journey! You certainly don’t do things by halves! We have our 1st Far East cruise Jan 24 on Jewel and have been taken some tips from your posts, thanks! Just wondered if you had a band on board called Sonata? We saw them on Sky in May and were the best band we’ve seen at sea, totally out of the box. They mentioned they were going to the Far East, so we were keeping our fingers crossed

The sun loungers were only $5 May this year. Beach drinks cheaper here than other islands. If you have the whole day in port go independently and have and have as much time as you like there, nicer when the ships excursion gone and you can sit where u like not where they put you😉 Visit the Callwood distillery, only a few mins walk behind beach. They do 4 shots of rum for $1.

Always a risk of noise booking cabin anywhere below the lido/pool deck. If your cabin is below seating of Snack Shack then if there’s any noise it’s only going to be when it open. Last time we sailed the Snack Shack wasn’t open very early or very late, lunch till 6ish if memory serves. Other cabins you mention appear to be under open deck and whirl pools, you may get, early morning cleaning, maintenance noise or deck party noise here. Quietest place under this deck would be under Spa, imo. Personally, I’d stay put

It’s a major mess! Learned my lesson long time ago and always go thru security on fast pass in Bham anyway. Hate travelling through my local airport😖

I assume you booked the cruise with TUI, as a package. I would say that this flight is a charter flight for your cruise, so I shouldn’t worry.

Gotcha. Will have to start fracturing in VAT for Med cruises in future🙄

😖😡 I did read a notification from NCL saying that VAT was applicable for cruises departing from Spanish ports. Hubby did say it would be up to the individual countries to collect the VAT, clutching at straws I know😆 Thanks again!

Thanks all for replies😁 I hadn’t read anything about leaving EU to exempt from VAT, sadly this doesn’t apply on our cruise. We are quite used to paying taxi in US ports, but nothing after that as we usually sail the Caribbean. It never occurred to me about EU VAT and doing the maths on our average consumption on cruises it could be quite a bit😖 I guess I’ll find out in 17 days, we’ll fear the worse and hope for the best. CHEERS🍹🥃🍸🥂🍷🍻

How long since you sailed in Europe? This seems to be quite a recent thing and only on “certain” sailings ie ones departing from Spain, it’s all very sketchy 🙄

Sailing Reflection in couple of weeks, Rome to Barcelona. Wanted to know if anyone was charged VAT (not gratuities)for drinks purchased on board while either in port or in Spanish, Italian or French waters? If so we’re you on drinks package or pay as you go. Seeing conflicting stories on the boards. Thanks all 😁

Absolutely agree with above posts. We couldn’t pick between Celebrity or NCL as our favourite line. It’s a great itinerary and decent price with Flash Sale on. Itinerary is always our 1st choice over anything else, so we usually end up on smaller and older ships, because they usually have the better ones. Done a Gem and Jade, same class as Jewel (got her Jan next year) and found inside cabins are too small for us but ocean view were fine. That said I’d say they are a little smaller than Celebrity, at least Reflection & Silhouette, but nothing I couldn’t live with. Our last time on NCL, Sky in May, the service & food was the best we’ve had on all of their sailings. Although their French onion soup isn’t as good as Celebrity, imo! I’d get booking before that flash sale ends😉

Our fav on board Silhouette & Reflection😍. Good tips here how to get threw to dessert! Got booked for next month and our tactic this time is fast from midday and share a flat bread. Hubby hasn’t managed a dessert yet, so we’ll see how it goes😆

Deck 3 is always our 1st pick on Solstice ships. Perfect for us, quiet with very little footfall, not far for hubby to pick up couple of decent coffees, bar at end of corridor and very easy on and off on shore days. No waiting on heaving elevators after a long day ashore, up 1 deck and you’re home, via the Passport bar to pick up a 🍹. Its our 1st time in an inside cabin next month on Reflection, must remember not to slam the doors🤣

Great review! We sailed with friends May on Sky for a second time, the service and food was even better than than previous year. They were thoroughly impressed, thank goodness as we had recommended it! I saw a chat on the boards about Sky doing a great itinerary next year, out from the Dom Rep, 9 nights with 8 ports, all top picks imo, no sea days! Couldn’t resist, so we’re sailing on her for a third time and can’t wait!

NCL had put out their schedule for Hawaii to Tahiti for 2025 on Spirit, because I was pricing it up😱. However they pulled the itinerary from Feb to Nov 2025, due to “fleet redeployment “. Their prices aren’t too bad for 2024 atm, but we already have plans for next year😣

Omg, what stress for you. Please let us know how it goes but I’m sure you’ll have a great time. It’s may be possible to get that OBC back in cash. You can have that £200 charged to your room, changed to chips at casino tables and then just walk away, take to cashier and she’ll give you cash back. Maybe just play a hand or two? Haven’t tried it on Marella but it worked on NCL😉

Yeh, it would be too good to be true getting a cheap cruise with cheap flights🙄 Totally agree about islands. Never thought I’d find a 9 night cruise which includes A B C islands and Tortola with no sea days😁. Love it!

Wow, I thought our flights were expensive £600/$750 but it’s transatlantic, unlike yours!! Seems like DR flights are pricey right across the board, or a faff flying indirect🙄