Sailing12Away

I'll just settle for being able to buy beer and liquor in the same store. That will be a big first step, they're both alcohol so that one still boggles my mind. But I can play your game, I know how to walk out of the beer side of Total Wine and go into the door next to it for my booze and wine. Nothing other than the fact that they're taking an NCL trip. You can flag this thread to be moved to the LA port of call section if it bothers you that much. Me personally, I would just grab some at the airport before leaving. Or, as you walk and wander the area go into literally any store you see and you can grab something. Or, pay the $35 checked bag fee and bring whatever you want from home.

I don't see any actual savings off at all, even though the coupon is in my account. Not sure how to apply it to the booking regardless of cabin picked. Haven is coming up at the normal $500/pp/day for me in the cheapest available room (forward facing).

You're welcome 😛 *For those not in the know, that was my room until I upgraded to another HH for that sailing, and told O to go and snag it as an upgrade from his current room. 95 days to go!

Not sure where you're getting that NCL is the worst. I paid $59/pp/day on RCC for their drink package. So I'll gladly take the $21/pp/day price tag on NCL any day.

My husbands variant on that is "grandpa would roll over in his grave if we wasted liquor".

We printed up a mock ticket similar to the image below when we gifted my SIL with some CN certificates one year. Printed it out and put it in a nice frame for them to reuse with a photo from their trip. But if they're in need of new suitcases, I like the idea of the luggage tag trick with the bags already packed with trip related things. Certainly makes xmas wrapping easier as you only have to wrap the outer case and shove everything else inside.

Haven menu has never changed from day-to-day. Prima is no different from the other ships.

Want to talk about bitter... I caught Covid on a previous trip and was quarantined in my room for the last 3 days. Had to get meals from room service, and even then they refused to give me cans of sprite. They would only give me glasses, filled with ice, and saran wrap over the tops. I had the drink package and I was in a Haven room. And even I couldn't get a freaking can of sprite without them trying to charge me $4 to bring it to me during my lockdown. So feeling sick and having to drink watered down sprite for 3 days.... fun times.

We've done this a few different ways. 4 people in a garden villa (so only the first 2 get FAS meals), and using 1 of those FAS meals plus one of the platinum vouchers to cover the other 2 people for a meal at La Cucina. 4 people dining at Q using only 2 FAS meal credits by ordering 2 of the sample platters and a few sides to share amongst the group. 2 people individually eating lunch at Food Republic on a single dining credit each (way too much food, next time we'll bring a friend to share it with us). So yes, you can 'share' your credits with other people who are dining with you. Some are easier to do than others as they're already made for sharing. As opposed to ordering a single filet and cutting it in half for your neighbor.

Every cruise I've been on with NCL they offer the laundry special. Used to be 19.99, now it's up to 29.99. So yes... it's there.... just check with your cabin steward for the day. You still need to itemize everything, but just write 29.99 special on the top of the form. It will come back in about a day all pressed and folded nicer than I would do myself at home. We're headed on a Panama canal trip in February. For comparison our port taxes/fees for that 15 day journey is $542/person. Our last 10 day to Canada was only $253/person, and an upcoming Prima to Iceland (10 day) is only $203/person. Hard to imagine 5 extra days would make the fees double.

I forgot about the bubbles! I was supposed to be blowing bubbles while sipping bubbles and surrounded by bubbles in my hot tub on the Spain trip in May. Completely forgot about that.... I've let you down. Remind me when September comes around... I've got the fancy owner's suite with hot tub booked for Prima so I'll do the bubbles 3 ways in Iceland with the northern lights as my backdrop.

Why? We always book close to the elevator for ourselves and my mom since she can't do the long walk down the hallway. No issues ever on 8+ trips because of elevator noise.

Yup, whoever has access first just jump in and book for whatever total # you need. When you get to the restaurant they'll sort out which group is using a voucher vs FAS credit vs out of pocket. If you need an odd number, just make it for one higher (need 5 people, book for 6).

That's the point of Vibe, they limit the number of passes so that there will be room for all. I've never bought passes myself, but I thought there was possibly a way to just buy a day pass as opposed to one for the full trip. Maybe consider that for one of your sea days.

So let's manage expectations here for a moment... Most people are awake and potentially in need of butler/room service attention during the hours of 6am - 11pm. You have indicated that you choose an alternative lifestyle that is maintained while cruising that has you awake and potentially in need of service during the hours of (I don't recall exactly, so don't bite my throat and suck my blood if I'm mistaken) 11pm - 6am. You're expecting there to be 2 separate butlers scheduled to work and cover every Haven category room around the clock? So that when you request a knife and coffee pods at 3am the person delivering them is dressed as a "butler" and not a "janitor"? I'm honestly just trying to understand the specifics that you're upset about. Was it the perceived long delay in responding to your late night requests, or the fact that when they were addressed they weren't done so by someone who dressed the part? Not sure if it was your first time in the Haven on NCL, but coming in with expectations of "this is how it's done on MSC" is unfair. That's like me going on a non-Oasis class ship with RCC and expecting the suite experience to be similar to NCL's Haven and writing a grumpy gram because they were different. That's the beauty of these boards, is that folks can dig and poke and get an idea of what should be a 'normal' experience so that when they have something different happen (not receiving coffee pods for 2 days, not getting things you requested multiple times) - folks know the right person to go to for it to be resolved while on board (the concierge) instead of wasting a 21 day trip being grumpy over the janitor delivering coffee pods.

We flew JFK to San Juan and it was direct on AA. Atlanta is an equally big hub to JFK (bigger I think), so I can't see why or where you would even layover in.

I like having a miami vice to start off the cruise, and finding bartenders to make me a frozen grasshopper for dessert. If you're lucky and find a nice bartender willing to experiment, just tell them what you're in the mood for. Something with amaretto, something refreshing, something fruity, something strong... Hard to guide you when there's so many different types of drinks and we have no idea what you like.

Agree. It doesn't matter what someone else did or enjoyed, go with the flow and do what makes you happy.

It makes me laugh honestly. The entitlement of some folks as if you were their own PCC, or an official Haven ambassador. Those brave keyboard warriors who hide at home in their living room angry typing as if 'they showed you' who's boss and mightier. If there was an official poll on whether folks here considered you a good guy, helpful, knowledgeable, fair, honest, and hoping their vacation plans align with yours so they can spot you at the Haven bar with your 1942..... vs those who say otherwise, I'm confident the overwhelming majority of votes would fall in your favor. For me personally, I'm hoping to be a fellow Haven bar chair hog with you one of these days.

I've never understood why they don't make those rooms closest to the elevators the handicap accessible ones. Wouldn't that make sense?

Guess I didn't pay attention since our sailing last month still had the bonus minutes - I guess based on when it was originally booked. For our next trip, my original booking made in December 2021: My new receipt after repricing with a 4K reduction (and new 'perks'): I guess with those new bonus $125 OBC we could upgrade the internet to fully unlimited or buy back the 2 missing meals. But saving 4K is worth losing internet minutes and meals to me.

Depends on the ship. Last trip we were on the Joy in an HH cabin which is midship on deck 15. Come out of your room and it's a short 2 flights up to the Haven. Room was about 50% bigger than a courtyard room at a discount of ~4K price. Totally worth it to us.

That's just it, we really don't care about internet at all. Between the free minutes, extra minutes for lattitudes status, and unlimited wifi when we're off the ship - we don't need or want internet. We can each buy 2 more meals for $70 each, and again, with the 2 free ones from lattitudes we don't *need* them. Not Starbucks fans at all, so that perk is lost on us, and getting hubby to drink water at all is a struggle so 1 bottle lasts him 2 days. The extra shore excursion credit is nice - but again, it's somewhat unfair as that is per cabin even though you pay per person for the upgrade to FAS+. Everyone's situation is different and some folks swear by the FAS+ or premium drinks. For us, I'd rather put that extra money in towards a bigger bid on an owners suite which comes with whatever we want and a bigger room to boot.

That's what I've done at every port where we were Haven guests. Seattle, Miami, Barcelona, NY...

Sometimes when room categories start to get slim, they'll still let you book a particular type of cabin but will call it a 'guarantee' rather than letting you see the room options. So it's different from sailaway where you get nothing included, but you still have no say in your room. My guess is they do this for shuffling of deck chairs when upgrade bids start to get accepted. This is for our upcoming Panama Canal trip when trying to book a regular balcony cabin. Not a bad price for a 15 day 🐀 cruise....