ColdCruise

@zackarykeef By “complimentary platinum bottle” are you referring to the sparking bottle found in your room at embarkation (or shortly thereafter)? I was rather pleased to find on our last cruise that NCL changed out its complimentary bottle of fizzy for something that is actually palatable and doesn’t need to be hidden behind OJ!

On our last cruise from Europe to the US (Viva, Nov 23), we brought several bottles on board with no issue or questioning. We did have the drinks package,so that waived any possibility of corkage. if one thinks about it, if you have the drinks package, you’ve prepaid for any alcohol consumed from NCL’s onboard stores. If you want to bring onboard your own alcohol in addition to the drinks package, it works in NCL’s favor to let you. If you’re drinking your own wine, you’re not depleting their inventory …if you already paid for it but don’t drink it, it’s a winning proposition for NCL. you should check the alcohol importation laws for your return to the US and or wherever you disembark to make sure you’re within those limits or meet their requirements (which may include paying fees).

@luv2kroooz You may want to re-parse the letter. I think it’s specifically addressed to those who want to use non-US currency to settle their NCL onboard account. The entire 2nd paragraph specifically addresses settling onboard accounts (well, minus the controversial apology). In my albeit limited experience, most cruise lines state what currency is used on board their ships. NCL uses US Dollars (at least in the US and European cruises - I’m not perusing their site to look for exceptions). When I sail MSC in Europe, my bill’s in Euros, my credit card gets charged Euros. When I sail a UK-based cruise line, I expect to be billed and pay in British Pounds (£), not USD. Note: I don’t carry large sums of cash, but rely on ATMs at destination other than a small amount of “just in case” destination currency.

Absolutely take Amtrak. Your taxes help underwrite it.(over the years…) It works. You don’t have the frustration of driving in heavy traffic. It’s cheaper than flying+airport transfer, or driving+parking. We use it from Baltimore (well BWI, technically) to/from Penn for cruises and once to Newark for a direct flight to Europe that we couldn’t get out of the DC airports (and for less than DC area flights with a layover). love Amtrak…esp now they have the super cheap early bird fares (as low as $15 each way). Plan $ buy early!

Which show? Beetlejuice? Icons? one of the shows in the Pour House? Press Your Luck?

I’ll be at work when you set sail, so wishing you Bon Voyage now @scubacruiserx2 !

@bkrickles1 earlier in this thread someone posted a link to a web page you could go check for bid opportunity if you didn't get an email yet or see it in your account. if anyone is interested they can go search the thread … if they have oodles of time. .

Thank you for this info @Cliff and Cove - it will be very helpful when the cruise lines and the public-private org creating the port get their acts together! We did find a couple good local tour providers and had booked an excursion with one of the entities. Unfortunately I had to cancel because… well, we aren’t going there. I felt sorry for the guy but no choice. I would be very ticked off in NCL changed back to Cabo Rojo now that they’ve got the Pearl in and out. its so so so very ironic that the article in your link states ”the remoteness of the destination adds to its allure. The efforts to reach this pristine location are justified upon arrival, as visitors are greeted by untouched, immaculate beauty, revealing the authenticity of the Dominican Republic and its people along the way.” BUT the planned development of 10+ resorts and all the other development will negate if not destroy the “untouched, immaculate beauty”! love progress We have decided to treat the Catalina Island stop like a private island day. Makes no sense to try to get from the small island back to the mainland (ie bigger island) for the 100+/- NCL wants pp to go to see stuff at a resort. If we stayed overnight in La Romana , it’d be a different story.

@tigger77732 how did the rental work out on Curacao?

Tiki boats look fun!

It’s all about prioritizing out time and money. I figured it was a one-time opportunity… now I have the bug…. safe travels to the Star!

Hopefully this doesn’t violate standards since I haven’t done this, but want to help you gather info since you haven’t received a response in 10+ days… The web site says they have several levels of engagement with the dolphins Encounter - 20 min in water “you get to stand in the water on a submerged platform while interacting with one of the dolphins“ Swim - 30 min in water “As you swim in the natural lagoon, the dolphins will join you ” All the way up to open water diving if you stick to the Encounter you won’t have to do much other than stand and, from my sister-in-law’s previous reports, put your hand in the water for them to swim by. maybe reach out to the facility and ask them directly? info@dolphin-academy.com Then discuss with your doctor. i had a similar issue when I broke several ribs & collar bone before a Michu Pichu trip, I cancelled cuz the hike was too risky. hood luck @Mrs Peel

Happy New Year @scubacruiserx2 ! 🎇 & 🍾 Sorry about the video, I was able to play it from this thread on my iPad. It was very short and just shows the chick moving around a bit and some penguins clicking sounds. I was on the World Explorer with Quark Expeditions this past Feb/Mar. most of the chicks were very large and molting to get their swimming feathers in. The penguin biologist said most of the small chicks like this would probably not survive as they were born too late. sorry to hear you both are unwell @scubacruiserx2, I hope you both get better quickly as you have quite some traveling to catch your cruise!

I thought the penguins were so amazing. It was so surreal to walk past a couple of basking seals (probably with bellies full of penguin) , then find myself surrounded by 100s or 1000s of penguins, all seemingly unconcerned or oblivious to my presence … that all backstopped by breathtaking icebergs and ice covered mountains and glaciers. Only time I teared up from viewing nature’s beauty . IMG_1667.mov

Someone earlier was asking about currency.. here’s an article about the “blue rate” https://wander-argentina.com/current-exchange-rates/ note that in Ushuaia, I was only there for a couple days pre-cruise and 1 day after, so I didn’t want a lot of cash. I think I exchanged $50 then found out that the posted blue rate was for exchanging $100 bills, not even $100 in smaller bills. The posted blue rate was almost double the official rate and I got about 100 A pesos less than posted …but still more than the atm rate. I found Trip Advisor forums useful for planning my ground game.

Thanks for the good pass info @HS2BS btw, is Chestnut Ridge north of Yonkers or western NY near Lockport off 104?

love this photo - you just captured the mood perfectly… along with all the variations of light. plus those are super photos of the penguins “flying” through the ocean (I have to go check my photos from spring, I don’t think I got any near as clear of this action!)

Once you visit Antarctica , you’ll be hooked @cmph went in Feb 2023, going back in 2025

That water looks amazing @scubacruiserx2 and those glaciers - awesome! I love looking at and listening to glaciers … such an awesomely beautiful and potentially destructive expression of nature! thanks again for sharing these fantastic photos!

@michebob where di you recommend reserving chairs on the beach at Carlisle Bay? google maps shows chairs set out at/near the Boatyard Club Lobster Alive/Brown’s Beach Carlisle Bay Divers And a handful in Bayside Beach (can’t determine which business they belong to) tia