jcCruiserNYC

5 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

If you've worked with TripInsuranceStore.com before, why not call them, and ASK them what policy they would recommend for you, compared with what you are considering.

 

They might be able to point out that you don't have x coverage, or maybe limits are too low, etc., and maybe that's fine with you, but you should know.

 

GC

Ok, I will call them tomorrow. 
(I did call them last Saturday when I had just made the cruise payment online, but they were not "open" yet; then I got the email offer from NCL during the week, so it got me considering ........ )

5 hours ago, Jersey42 said:

I believe the basic NCL plan provides $10K medical and $25K emergency evacuation.  That's great for a "sick call" or a minor injury.  It is inadequate for most anything else.  For the same premium or a few dollars more, you should be able to get much better coverage. 

Yes, that's the coverage amounts. I sure hope that I won't get into some much trouble that I would need more ... but, of course, insurance is for the "you never know" cases.

5 hours ago, chui101 said:

It's just always more expensive and can cover less depending on circumstances. Example, when I booked my flight for my recent cruise through Delta, it was $70 for the trip insurance through Delta, which only covers the flight and time in Orlando (since it was a domestic flight, the insurance offered was only domestic). Bought a Travel Guard plan through Costco and it was about $40 for the whole trip which would include all phases - flight, overnight stay in Orlando, and the cruise itself. Also the coverage was a lot more, I don't remember exact numbers but the plan Delta was offering was something like $50k of medical coverage while the one I ended up getting was $150k or something. Since I booked through a TA I didn't get to see what coverages Carnival was offering. 

 

I mean, either way you go, for the peace of mind, $70 is not bad. But $40 is better 🙂

Ahhhhhh, I see. Thanks for your reasoning.    🙂

On 8/27/2019 at 5:02 PM, chui101 said:

You can buy it the day before you travel if you want! Be aware that there are several waivers (like pre-existing condition waivers) that usually do not get added to the policy unless you buy it soon after you make the first booking for your trip. Each insurer and policy differs so be sure to read the fine print.

 

And yes, do not buy through the cruise line or the airline or anything. Buy through a third party insurer. If you have a Costco membership, their vendor usually offers the best rate in my experience.

What is the reason for cruise line's own insurance policy is not recommended here?

I've booked (in September) a last minute cruise for November with NCL, made the full payment (because embarkation is just 2 months away.) I see that NCL offers "Essentials Travel Protection Plan" for only $25, am considering buying this policy instead of going to tripinsurancestores.com, which I had gone to for my two previous cruises.

I don't need pre-existing conditions coverage, and don't need cancel-for-any-reason coverage, but just the general emergency medical or injury (knock on wood, praying I won't sustain any.) Is NCL's "Essentials Travel Protection Plan" good enough?

5 hours ago, dreadpirate3 said:

 

Similar to the beans served with the Huevos Rancheros our last cruise. They were beans. Completely uncooked pinto beans. I did ask to speak with someone from the kitchen, since they shouldn't serve rock hard beans in case someone breaks a tooth.

This is bizarre!!! Anyone with some sense wouldn't serve dried, uncooked, hard beans at home, much less at a restaurant!

On 11/12/2018 at 11:19 PM, ohhbother said:

Not on NCL but on Disney years ago. Had lunch in the dining room on a sea day. Several people at our table ordered the "Texas chili" as an appetizer. When the cups of chili were served, they were cold. Not lukewarm but refrigerated ice cold. We all politely expressed concern to the server, but he just kept saying "chili." We figured out the kitchen staff was thinking "chilly." Needless to say, no one at the table ate any of the chilly chili. My husband and I still laugh about it anytime we have chili all these years later.

Was this "Texas chili" an off-the-menu item? If it was in the menu, then wouldn't the crew know the proper preparation of it?

On 11/13/2017 at 10:01 PM, The Traveling Man said:

 

I can understand the complaints about the Dawn. We have cruised on the Dawn three times, twice before the refurb and once after, all with Alain Magnier as Hotel Director. The artwork and decor in the MDR are hideous, and Alain just shakes his head about them. They won't keep me from sailing NCL again, and they may not even keep me from sailing on the Dawn, but they surely will keep me from visiting the Dawn MDR ever again. YUCK.

Hahaha, I guess I shall find out ... how yucky it is ... Dawn is going to be sailing out of here (NYC) in 2019 replacing Escape and Gem.  😛

On 6/13/2018 at 10:50 AM, LocalTracks said:

 

If you contacted the Hotel Director, this would have been addressed. I believe smoking on balconies is a fire hazard, so you should have notified someone.

Yea, right?!! I would make as much trouble for the smoking rule violators as possible with the ship authorities. I am terribly allergic to smoke. Plus I ain't going to stand for any discomfort since I too have to pay extra to have a balcony (versus an inside cabin.)

On 10/23/2018 at 5:12 PM, drumming cruisers said:

Just booked the Joy for Alaskan cruise in June. Does anyone know have the menu  for the American Diner? Looked at NCL JOY posting (supposedly) pretty much nothing there but other ships. Sure don't like this new format on CC

Joy has been sailing in Asia serving primarily the Asian market all along ... this is why you didn't find much info on its new itineraries in America.

I would concur that this new CC format takes some getting used to.  😞

It took a while longer to make our way outdoors into the promenade area ... hundreds, apparently still from the Express Walkoff - are ahead of us, lined up on the terminal's exterior walkway, almost from one end to the other. Took over an hour for us to finally reach the bottom of the escalators, and to walk over to find our luggage @ 10:05 am. What a mess !

 

It's a good thing that we aren't late running for a Greyhound, Amtrak or airport connections for an outbound flight, or else ... could be in serious trouble. Imagine being on a mega-ship and already late (and, sure enough ... it happened to the Escape coming back from Bermuda, the next day.)

Oh wow, yea, your disembarkation indeed looked bad ... and reading that the Escape experienced the same thing the next day made me feel fortunate that my disembarkation from the Escape about a couple months after yours (June 17) was very smooth and quick. The amount of people on the exterior walkway of the terminal was about 1/5 of the crowd in your photo. NCL must had worked things out (may be they *DID* take your feedback or posting here to heart. :) )

Oh, BTW, my disembarkation time was 10:05am, so may this played into the non-crowdedness of it?

Here is an example of the monthly average weather for St. Thomas:

 

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Weather

Temperature (Fahrenheit)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

High 84 84 85 86 87 88 89 89 89 88 87 85

Low 73 73 74 76 78 79 80 79 79 78 76 74

Precipitation Days

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Days 4 4 3 3 4 3 4 5 5 5 6 5

Humidity

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Percent 64 62 62 66 69 67 67 68 71 72 72 68

I like your matter-of-fact presentation of the climate conditions (of the region.)

The thing is, everyone has a different definition, concept, preference, and/or level of tolerance to environmental conditions. It makes me LOL when I read that, for example, Nassau Bahamas in November (where I will be cruising to this November) is cold ... when generally speaking, temperatures at this time of the year over there would be in the 80s ~ 70s range. To me, this is HOT! I have a low tolerance for hot weather with strong sun and prefer cold over hot if I must choose between the two. I do realize that this temperature range to most people is just about perfect though.

When I was in Bermuda this past June, it was so miserably hot and humid that I could only manage being on land twice, for not more than 30 minutes each time :o ... hence, booking another cruise but in the cooler months, hoping for more comfortable outdoor conditions this time. ;)

So the difference between toe-numbing cold and a pleasant holiday pastime must be 2.4 degrees (since about 1850).

And you can tell the difference... :eek:

Where did you get this statistics from? Have you been in NYC on Thanksgiving Day over the decade of years?

My experience as a NYC dweller over the decades is that it was well below 30s a few decades ago (on Thanksgiving Day, that is), and the temperatures these past few years (within this decade) on Thanksgiving Day have been above 50 degrees. It just has been getting warmer and warmer in the Winter in NYC over the years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hmmm, upon further contemplation, I think your number is probably a representation of some kind of yearly average. Note that I was/am talking about specifically Thanksgiving Day.

And, some kind of yearly average statistical number notwithstanding, yes, I stand by my personal experience that Winter here in NYC (can't say anything about elsewhere in NY as New York is a sizable state) has been getting warmer and the duration getting shorter ... to the dismay of this New Yorker. :eek:

The whole way that the entertainment works changed with the Epic. The difference is basically between ships before the Epic, and the Epic or later.

 

On the pre Epic ships there is a different show in the theatre every night, usually with an earlier or later show. The theatre is relatively large compared to the number of people onboard, so there is generally no problem getting to see the shows. No need for reservations.

 

On the Epic and later ships, the theatre is smaller compared to the number of passengers. The shows in the main theatre are repeated during the week and therefore there is need for some management of the numbers attending at each showing, which is why there is need for reservations.

 

There are also some shows in smaller venues around the ship, like the dinner show, which also require reservations.

 

Basically, the way entertainment works changed with the Epic, so reservations are used for ships built since then.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ohhhh! Yea, makes sense. Thanks for the explanation. Now I know ... if I decide to sail on the Dawn after this, then I'll just show up early for the shows. :)

Not on Gem.

Hi, dexddd. Missed you on the Escape!

Thanks for your reply here. Funny how different things are run on different ships within the same cruise line.

We cruised out of NYC in November a couple of years ago. We spent three days in NYC before embarking from there on a repositioning cruise to Miami. I layered like mad, and had nothing more than a long jacket in New York, then stripped the layers for the Caribbean. The weather in NYC was mid-50s and perfect for long walks through the city. It rained on one day, but I'd brought collapsible umbrellas that came in handy. I'd do it again in an instant.

From a life-long NYker, I agree wholeheartedly that November in NYC now-a-days is wonderful for outdoor activities ... it has gotten warmer and warmer by the years (due to global climate changes.) I remember when we were young, decades ago, out waiting for and watching Macy*s Thanksgiving Day parade, it was toe-numbing cold, literally. Now-a-days, being out for the parade is a pleasant holiday pasttime. :)

There is no option to make reservation for any of the 4 listed shows also. I am 56 days before sailing and all the shows still says "not open for reservation".

Do guests need to book the shows?

If yes, then are we supposed to make the reservation after we board or can we do it beforehand online (like I did for my last cruise on the Escape)?

Well, with all these talks about the swapping of Gem and Dawn, this New Yorker is happy for the chance to sail on the Gem in November before she leaves NYC, having already been on the Escape earlier this Summer. Next cruise will be the Dawn next year then ... and I've just checked the Dawn prices, glad to see that they are lower (than both Escape and Gem). :)

I will be on the Gem in November. I like cool/cold weather, so I think I will enjoy this cruise better than my last one, in June, on the Escape (the sea days were fine, although a bit rainy and the water was rough; it was miserably hot and humid in Bermuda.) Looooove the stunning ship though.

From what I've read on the NCL site, it seems there are more (and more varied) complimentary dining venues on the Gem (than the Escape), which is a great thing (I love to eat. ;) )

Since I don't like gambling, and I don't drink, a lot of the regular "adult" activities and venues are moot for me (although I am an adult.) What I particularly love on the Escape were the Rope Course and the water slide. What are similar types of activity on the Gem? And is there any requirement for engaging in such activities?

Which kind of coffee makers did they have? I'll be on in November. I'm so excited. it's my first cruise!

I will also be on the Gem in November, first week. Which one are you on? Don't see your post on our (very quiet :rolleyes:) rollcall, so you're probably on a different cruise.

I love/need coffee, and it has to be great too.

My cabin was in the Studio complex last cruise, so I was able to peruse the infamous espresso machine (meh, it was acceptable coffee, did not rock my boat.)

This time, I am in an inside cabin (working on a balcony upgrade), so gotta buy my espresso or "premium coffee" if I so desire. I will be bringing my own coffees, and probably my Aeropress even though there will be coffeemakers in the staterooms.

Anyway, my last cruise was my first too, so I can relate to your excitement. You will have fun! :)

Not likely. On a number of January sailings we were in pleasant weather by 24 hours after sailing. The last full day coming back will be chilly. But, if the trade-off is escaping the cost of a Florida hotel and the cost and hassle of flying down and back, it is a no-brainer. The only problem is that such winter sailings from New York are dominated by NCL and a RCCL monster of the seas.

LOL ... "monster of the seas"!;p

If it's a "true" aft than those are amazing...we've had a few...otherwise we like midship.

What did you mean by "true" aft? What are the differences between "true" and "untrue" aft balconies?

Back in the days when they only had fixed dining we were at our table for 8 the first night when one of the other men says please bow your heads for grace! We were moved the next night! As we're two other couples. Unreal.

Why is that "unreal" when <80% of Americans consider themselves Christian? If it had been a Shinto, Hindu, Muslim or Flying Spaghetti Monster adherent, I simply would've remained silent for a moment. It's about respect. Would that one minute of your life have affected your cruise all that much? THAT is what's unreal to me. I'm sure he was as glad you moved as you were to move.

But goldenrod and company were requested to BOW THEIR HEADS for the religious practitioners' grace ... had not such an explicit request been made, it would've been okay--people have their rights to conduct whatever religious practice they want, may it be Shinto, Hindu, Muslim or Flying Spaghetti Monster, as long as their behavior isn't disruptive in the public place. Nonetheless, people also have their rights to NOT practice a certain behavior if they don't want to. Asking others you don't really know to participate in your brand of religious practice is excessively presumptuous. I have my own beliefs, values, thoughts, wishes, and practices, and mine needs to be respected too ... on vacation or not!

Farmer, I am a bargain hunter/lover just like many ones. I am also a newbie cruiser and a newbie to NCL. Yours truly will be going on the Escape in 3 days; have also booked a February 2020 cruise on the Bliss. So, yea, I dig NCL and think that cruising is the ideal vacation for me (I had done many land-based travels to many places here in U.S. and abroad in the previous decades.) So it's not unlikely that I would consider "Cruise Next" offers.

I do appreciate your calling out the lies and misrepresentations made by NCL reps and helping to clarify the deal, and alerting people who could be potentially misled.

As for the others' comments for and against this matter, I see it as a matter of expectation and whether that expectation is being met. Of course, expectations are formed by information fed to us, and HOW it was fed to us ... the right information gives us the right expectation; the wrong information leads us to the wrong expectation!

A quick question ...

If I am to bring on my own maple syrup, honey, and a couple small jars of spices, then should I pack these items in my checked luggage or carry-on (NOT flying) for the embarkation?

I have not read all the posts since there are so many, so I don't know if this has been brought up. Upon telling my daughter that they are doing away with straws on ships, she said that I should get a reusable straw and just put it on a lanyard. I bet all the people that hate lanyards would go nuts with this. Not only the ship card, but straws on lanyards too! I thought it was funny and wanted to share.

Yes, this is hilarious ... I do chuckle out loud! :D

Thanks to OP for the heads up ... I am bringing along a few straws I swiped from (land-based) Starbucks ;p with me onto the Escape ... embarking in a few days, June 10 (woo hoo hoo!) :)