Russiamomm

Agreed that this is an entertaining diversion. 😂 But my first question is the same as yours. Are drinks really free in the casino? If so, I may have to re-evaluate my budget for the upcoming trip. 😃

As noted in the other thread, one downside of the Posh is that there are no hot tubs up there. But there is a full bar.

My favorite Haven so far has been on the Joy. We did the Epic for a TA last fall. Just a couple of notes on likes and dislikes for both. 1. Yes, Posh is still the Haven sun deck on the Epic. It’s a nice space, with a full bar. But there are no hot tubs up there. Our sailing was also on the cooler side so didn’t spend a lot of time up there. I did like that there was elevator access to it, as there is on the Joy (which does have hot tubs). On the BA you had to take the stairs to get up there. If I recall correctly, there are also no hot tubs on the Haven sun deck. Despite not having a bar, we much preferred the space on the Joy. (There are servers to bring drinks and snacks.) 2. As has been noted, the Haven pool on the Epic does not have a roof. 3. The Epic Haven has a steam room and sauna. Not on the Joy or BA, at least that I saw. 4. The Epic Haven has a small gym. 5. We found the Epic Haven a little “disjointed”. Not sure how to explain it, but it’s didn’t feel like one unified space. I think the main reason for that was because there is no dedicated Haven elevator, so unless you’re staying in a suite right in the courtyard you generally have to use the regular elevator bank to get to the complex. (There is a glass elevator that goes from the main pool deck and up to the Haven and Posh.) 6. The Epic has two bars (plus Posh). The indoor bar in the main lounge closes in the middle of the day and the one by the pool (in the outdoor part of the restaurant) was open during the day. We were on a colder trip. We would have preferred to have the indoor bar open during the day. 7. Neither the Epic nor the BA has an observation Lounge like the Joy does. We really loved that space - especially the wonderful coffee machine and snacks throughout the day. On the Epic there are a few snacks set out during the day and coffee in carafes. Not quite the same. That’s all I can think of for now. Either way, it is a wonderful experience, but we preferred the Joy. I understand that Bliss and Encore are the same, but I haven’t been in those. Enjoy!

Thanks! That is very good to know!

We sound similar to you and your husband. I drink more than he does. I think I’d benefit by buying the package, but he likely won’t. I’m glad we have the option for only one to buy it. I do have a question. I heard you can buy the upgrade at any rime. Is that true and is it pro-rated? I’d like to have a day or two to see if it will really be of value. (We’re going early August. It’s our first trip on O.). Thanks!

LOL. They are kind of cropped pants. Stop mid calf. 😃

Yes, I meant Hamburg. 😃 I try to pack as light as possible. I’m really good at mixing and matching. Mostly a couple of decent pair of pants, a few pair of capris and a few casual dresses. DH is the same. A few pair of pants, dress shirts and polos. He retired more than ten years ago. I can think of exactly twice in those ten years that he wore a tie, and one of those occasions was our daughter’s wedding. 😂. That’s what I mean by “casual”. Decently dressed, but certainly not dresses and heels for me or a jacket and tie for DH. But we are packing them for this trip. It’s our first time on Oceania as well. From what I understand, it is basically casual all the time. There are no formal nights. I’m sure they wouldn’t kick someone out of a restaurant for wearing a tie, but neither will they kick you out for wearing a pair of capris and a nice shirt. That’s definitely more our style. But as I said, we will do our best to comply with the dress codes, but don’t be surprised to see us repeating outfits. 😃

I’ve read this thread with interest and almost quoted several posts, but it became apparent that my post would be a mile long if I did it, so I’ll just put my thoughts here. No apparent order of thoughts or priorities. 😃 First, a bit of background. DH and I will be taking our first Cunard trip on July 27. NYC to Frankfurt. It is our 30th anniversary. From this crossing we will be hopping on an 18 night Oceania cruise from Oslo to Southampton and will fly home from Heathrow. We’ll be away for a month. We are experienced travelers and cruisers, but all mainstream lines. We’ve done “traditional” ships with fixed dining and formal nights, but in recent years we have gravitated more toward less formal ships and flexible dining. This will be our first experience on Cunard and a “luxury” line like Oceania. In recent years we’ve mostly sailed on NCL (three times in the Haven and many trips in steerage) as well as many trips on Virgin, which we love. We are not formal people. While we love the luxury of the Haven, we also love that we don’t have to get dressed up. We also absolutely love the casual vibe and fantastic food on Virgin. I don’t think we’re alone. Cunard may have to adapt if they want to compete. We had originally booked the Oceania trip. DH does not like to fly. When we found we could do the QM2 for less money than two business class plane tickets, and we have the time (we’re both retired), this was a no brainer. So much for the background. While sailing the QM2 has always been a “bucket list” thing, we are concerned about the dress code. And I do take a little offense to the term “dumbing down”. I assure you that neither of us are “dumb”. 😂. We will dress for dinner, but it will not be “to the nines”. DH no longer owns a tux and has no intention of buying one. He does have a couple of nice jackets, slacks and ties, which have been dry cleaned and pressed for the occasion. I have two simple long dresses, which I assume will work for the Gala nights. But we really are not “into” the whole concept of dressing up. Been there, done that. It’s just not our thing. And considering that this will be the first leg of an extended vacation where the rest of the trip is casual, we are concerned about luggage capacity. I'm not really sure where I’m going with this, except to say that while we can appreciate tradition and the “specialness” of dressing up, keep in mind that for some of us, a crossing on the QM2 is transportation, as opposed to just the experience. We are looking forward to the crossing. We will do our best to comply with the dress code. But we won’t be spending a fortune upgrading our wardrobe for outfits we will likely never wear again and don’t want to have to pack two additional suitcases to hold the formal wear.

Completely agree. Cruises are no different than any other business. It’s supply and demand. The price will go up and down depending on the demand. The “sales” mean nothing. It’s all marketing. Decide which trip and cabin you want. Know that you can reprice it until final payment. Watch the bottom line fare and reprice if beneficial. Know the cruise line’s policy. With NCL you can generally get a one time FCC for reductions after final payment. Other lines have different policies. At the end of the day, a cruise line will get every penny out of every cabin they can. Don’t pay attention to “sales”. Pay attention to the bottom line.

I agree with this. I may be a skeptic, but I think it’s always available and there’s no need to wait for a “special”. As long as you don’t abuse it, I think if you ask your steward for additional bags they will accommodate. I also agree with the recommendations to roll stuff as tightly as possible and to line the paper bag with plastic. The laundry bags in hotels work well, they’re the right size. Grab them from the pre-cruise hotel and put them in your luggage. the inventory is also important. They do pay attention. I had a call from Housekeeping once because I said it was a pair of socks but they only saw one sock in the bag. I told them it must have been my error, that the sock must be lost in the cabin somewhere. 😂

Understood. It’s just annoying. The mid ship elevators go up to 16.

Why do the forward elevators only go to deck 15 when Richards Rooftop, the Poke Bowl place and the smoking area is up there?

It may have changed. My last B2B on NCL was around a year ago.

Me too. They basically combined it all into one folio, settled at the end.

Also take into account that without the package the non-drinker would have to pay for sodas, juices and mocktails. They would be included in the FAS package. the basic rule of thumb is that if someone drinks 2 alcoholic drinks a day they’re better off taking the package. Sodas, juices and mocktails are less, so the math is different. Estimate how many alcoholic drinks and virgin drinks you’ll both be drinking to see if it’s worth it to take the package or pay by the drink.

Just one more note. There is a difference in what you get between the FAS meals and the Platinum meals in the a la carte restaurants. At least there was the last time I was onboard. The rules aren’t strictly enforced. If I recall correctly, with FAS you each get an app, soup or salad, an entree and dessert (as well as I believe two sides each in Cagneys). With the Platinum vouchers it’s only three courses - an Appetizer OR soup or salad, an entree and dessert, plus the two sides. It’s still plenty of food, but beware. So, you may be better off using the FAS for Cagneys.

I’ve been on the BA six times and the Epic twice. Once each in the Haven. I agree that both ships are in great shape, but if you’re not in the Haven I would opt for the Breakaway. The Epic is a quirky ship. There’s a reason only one was built. The bathrooms in the regular cabins are odd and there is no Waterfront. There are many threads on the Epic. You either love it or hate it. That being said, if you’re planning on being in the Haven, the Epic beats the Breakaway. Just my two cents. At the end of the day, if the itineraries are similar I’d go with the BA unless you’re in the Haven.

Just to note that NCL now has coconut water - at least at the Mojito bar. Discovered the CoCo mojito on our trip in April. Came home and bought a case of coconut water, some Malibu rum and mint bitters.😂 On the OP’s question, you can ask but I’m in the camp that it will be denied. There is not a medical reason for you have the diet orange soda. Preferences don’t count. At least they shouldn’t. if you make the request, please report back the result.

This. We did Alaska on the Encore last October. It was cold and wet, but fabulous. The thermal spa passes were the best money we spent. The day in Glacier Bay was incredible. 180 degree views while lounging in our bathing suits. Heaven.

True. I stand corrected. The laundry is per platinum sailor.

We booked our August O cruise with a large online travel agent. First time we ever used a TA to book a cruise. We weren’t offered OBC but are getting a $1900 Visa gift card when we return, I believe this is legit. (At least I hope it is!), but am skeptical about being given the option, especially when the pre-paid card is twice the value of the offered OBC. We were offered no option for OBC.

We booked Oceania’s transfers from the ship to LHR for $79 pp. We had booked through a TA and added the transfers later. It had to be done through the TA.

I would do this in a heartbeat. In fact we’ve done it. If the cost is the same for one cabin or two, this is a no brainer to me. The two bathrooms alone is worth it. And it’s not “gaming the system”. It’s working with the system. If you’re both Platinum, you each get two sets of meal vouchers for two and you each get a bag of laundry. You’re doubling these benefits by booking two rooms instead of one. And as someone mentioned you’d each get the Shareholder OBC. All that being said, finding any sailing with no solo supplement is very difficult these days. But if it is offered on a sailing we’re interested in, we would not hesitate to book two cabins. With absolutely no guilt!

It’s the same as any other Non-Refundable credit. It can’t be used for the casino, the DAC or to buy CruiseNexts, but can be used for almost any other expense. Specialty dining, drinks, spa, excursions, duty free etc.

No.