navybankerteacher

I've sailed a number of times from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, and at least twice dropped off our bags (other than small carry-ons) and headed over to 6th Ave to meet my brother for lunch. Bags that you leave with the porters/longshoremen are not just "watched", they are taken on board and you will next see them in your cabin. On this 9/13 sailing we plan to board as soon after we show up as possible. Bon voyage.

If you REALLY believe that there actually is a line with statistically loose ("best") slots at sea, and that a well-informed reader of this thread knows which line, do you seriously think he will share that information with the crowds on these boards? That would be like passing a hatchet to the guy with his hand around the neck of the goose who lays golden eggs.

Not surprising -- once you've sailed Oceania, you are not likely to switch to NCL. I'll be on your Bermuda sailing in September.

So would I, given the choice among that three.

If that $14,000 was loose change left over after meeting all my other wants and needs and securing all my conceivable future wants and needs - why not?

At some point, however, wouldn’t you draw the line between saving money and enjoying the experience? I would rather go one one enjoyable cruise than four bare-bones poor service, bad food boring itinerary trips. We all have bottom lines below which we will not go - no matter how cheap the cost.

Steps up and down, and partial promenade decks are not really what OP seems to be interested in.

If I were “still waiting” five months after applying I think I would start taking some action.

The title of this thread is an absurd half question. The answer has to be: “It depends”. It depends first of all upon your budget making it possible in the first place. Then an understanding of what is included in the fare, finally whether what is offered is of real interest to you. Not only would I not pay $100 for a seven day March cruise to the Bahamas on NCL, I would probably pay several times that amount to avoid it. I have recently booked a several thousand $ seven day cruise to Bermuda for the two of us.

Of course, “the more you play” really means the more you are virtually certain to ultimately lose.

Failure to perform reasonably assigned chores might call for some sort of disciplinary action - perhaps limiting TV time or withholding allowance if there was an understanding that a quid pro quo existed. I hope the threatened punishment did not involve water torture, flogging, or. withholding food. in my household there was a quid quo pro arrangement - they did their acknowledged chores and I gave them their allowance. The bribes (extra treats) I offered represented inducements for “above and beyond” performance. (My four are now grown - and are now applying much the same approach in interacting with my ten grandchildren)

A ship which spends time in Hamilton and/or St. George gives you more usable time in Bermuda than one stopping at Dockyard — which requires at least a half hour each way to get to/from anything other than the tourist trap which is dockyard. At St George you are minutes away from a couple of the best beaches - as well as being right in that historic town, and at Hamilton you are moored along Front Street in the middle of everything, and close to a half hour nearer to the rest of the island than when you are at Dockyard. Bluntly put: the introduction of large ships has dummed down Bermuda cruising. But as with most things, you get what you are willing to pay for.

No - there is nothing inherently dishonest about a bribe. But “incentive pay” given before the service is performed is best called a bribe, while if given after the service it should be called a gratuity.

“criminal or dishonest”? — not always. I know I used to promise my children a treat - perhaps an ice cream cone or a choice of candy bar if they would do something. Clearly a bribe, but hardly criminal or dishonest in that context.

HAL ships and Cunard’s QM2 (possibly their others) all have real, outdoor promenade decks circling the ship — most other lines seem to prefer bars and shops to such classic ship amenities.

Sailing out of New York (great any time of year) is particularly enjoyable in cold season - leaving winter chill behind and hitting the 70 degree Gulf Stream waters by early afternoon of the first day is special.

Oceania’s ships - 650 or so passengers (among others) stop at St. George on the east end as well as Hamilton (I am looking forward to my September visit), it is just the mega ships now glutting the market which are restricted to Dockyard.

Those who practice if acknowledge that it generally results in better service - and what is an advance payment you make, in order to receive something you want in return, if it is not a bribe?

This is also largely the case in the Navy. Sure, you have watches to stand (in and around regular day’s work), but the fact that you are rarely more than 150 feet from your bunk, have no commute, have no groceries to buy, etc. means that many of the little chores that gobble up a civilian’s time do not exist.

Strongly seconded - best way to get on West Side Highway to the pier. Much better than taking I-95 and the Cross Bronx expressway.

Check your recent post on the “Pet Peeves” thread.

Good to hear from someone who knows something about transportation from LGA.

Of the three named, NCL is likely to be the less costly (assuming you will be satisfied with the limited menu in the included MDR), but might have the liveliest entertainment. Celebrity is really a generally upgraded Royal Caribbean brand - more mature, slightly better food and service, perhaps less varied entertainment. Of course, all three, being jumbo ships, call at the tourist trap Dockyard -at the remote far west end. For a slightly higher fare you might consider Oceania - which sails much smaller ships, from Manhattan - which call at St. George at the east end of the island and moor alongside Front Street in Hamilton. Much better food and service as well as vastly superior itinerary. Somewhat similar to the old HAL ships mentioned by earlier poster. (I realize that I am violating a rule posted by some who object to answers which go beyond a simple “yes/no” response to the original post.)

I guess that would not be any more false advertising than a cruise stopping at places like Civita Vecchia and Pireaus claiming to stop at Rome and Athens. And, of course, the mention of a port call at Bayonne does seem to lack the panache of Manhattan.

Not that many years ago, before jet planes wiped out the transAtlantic shipping lines, there were so many piers along the west side of Manhattan - Cunard, US Lines, W R Grace, Furness Bermuda, the French and Italian Lines, Swedish American, etc. — it seems a bit sad that so little of that infrastructure was preserved.