complawyer

we're way, way, way off topic here, but talk about useless training, everything we were taught from basic, ait, ncl school, went right down the drain when i got to nam. if you followed anything you were taught , you'd probably end up dead meat, or on the receiving end of a frag grenade rolled under your bunk. by the way, i got home oct 1970. as for fort polk, you certainly didnt miss anything

this past july-aug b2b southampton to copenhagen/ copenhagen to stockholm. Hekkovan itinerary! and yes, ive mentioned my dismay with ncl hamburger buns many times inthe past

rocketman, i too spent 12 weeks at fort benning. summer of 69, but it was nco training school, hence "shake & bake" I qualified for ocs, but being drafted, i didnt want to give them the extra year., ever been to ft polk (the alleged arm pit of the army)?

mostly, just your ship card, and a drivers license. we live in california, and the legal driving age is 16. we have traveled with my grandson between the ages of 11 and 19, and there was never any problem, even before he got a license. it's not something to worry about, and once onboard, i always leave our passports locked in the cabin safe

no, i no longer shovel snow, but i grew up in detroit, and it does get cold out there

go to the ncl website. it shows dates, ships, departure ports, etc, click on the embarkation ports you are interested in, and, choose the ship and cabin you want, and it will give you a brief synopsis of those specific ports. if you book the cruise, you will also get a screen with all the available options on that cruise. click explore and it will show you the shore excursions available at each port we were on a b2b last july-aug, 10 days and 9 days. the 9 day part went to the baltic states. this year, ncl has departures from reykjavik, oslo, tromsa, southamption, all covering places you wish to see.

ok, so go ahead and let 3-4000 cruisers help design the "perfect ship" GOK what the outcome would look like. hey chief, snow is beautiful, but not when you're trying to shovel your driveway, get your stuck car out, and most of all when it's 0 degrees outside. i truly hope you enjoy desert living--I just dont envy your air conditioning bills june thru sept. still hoping to share a cold one with you one day onboard a ship!

hey Rocketman. while I didn't get to "tour the world" I was GIFTED a 1 year vacation by Uncle Sam, to a delightfully charming little country is southeast Asia, between oct 1969 thru oct 1970 (sarcasm definitely intended) I'm 76 years old, and have been (imho) fortunate enough to have ridden a camel in Tenerife, swim with stingrays in Grand Cayman island, ride an elephant in Bangkok, a gondola in Venice, a boat ride on the Seine in Paris, cross the Artic Circle, and visit other sights throughout the world, mostly through the courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Lines. I have absolutely NOTHING to gripe about regarding NCL. We've paid $6,000 for the 2 bedroom suite on the Star for a 17 day cruise. My sister lives in Orlando, and a week in Disneyworld can go over $7,000 minimal. So what's the better deal? I've said this many times (and at the risk of being redundant) my only real complaint-and this has been found on every ncl cruise I have ever taken, is that the hamburger bun ALWAYS falls apart before I'm finished with the hamburger. LOL! And I'd like to remind all NCL complainers, naysayers etc. You're on a cruise, food, drinks, shows, service-or lack thereof, are All 1st world problems. GET OVER IT and enjoy the cruise for what it is!

ok, i feel i need to chime in on this one. first off, i dont consider myself a norwegian cheerleader, but for various reasons, for the past 14 years we have sailed only with norwegian. (price and itinerary have a great deal to do this this) we have been on the star a number of times, and are currently booked on the 17 day trans atlantic on the star. other than the proverbial minor occurrences there is nothing that i find on my cruises on the star that i find i could really complain about. there is really nothing major on any ncl ship i have been on, that i can complain about. ive posted many times, im happy to be on a cruise ship, going to exotic ports, or just watching the world go by, sitting on my balcony with a cold heineken, or glass of champagne reading my kindle. what more really could anyone ask for. we were on the 1st (and to date i think the only star cruise from southeast asia) hong kong to singapore. According to captain, due to mechanical problems, we couldnt land in a few ports. (taipei, hanoi, and cambodia) As a vet, i really wanted to see Hanoi. Then there was a problem with the air conditioning and condensation formed over the bed. ncl did a a great job (imho) rectifying the problem before we left hong kong, they offered us a full refund, or in the alternative, if we decided to still sail, 50% off this cruise as a refund and 50% off a future cruise. i dont really care about the entertainment, and on a ship with between 2000-4000+ people if youre expecting a gourmet meal, sorry about that. some meals ive had were good, some better, and some exceptional, but i cant honestly say some were horrible or even bad. i'm still referring to the star, athough this could be applied to any ncl ship. so, go on your cruise, have a great time, and i would be surprised (or maybe not) if you come home and denigrate your experience. sorry for the length of this post. while agree people have an absolute right to voice their opinions, good or bad, how can you complain about your cruise, when you're in a gondola in venice, cruising the Seine in paris, visiting the ruins in Tulum, blarney castle in ireland, etc. this is why i cruise, and i dont really care about what shows are on board, what games are available, or what food is being served. with all the choices to eat on a cruise ship, surely you can find something enjoyable to eat.

fyi, i dont believe you need a visa for any island in the carribbean, so enjoy your cruise. NO WORRIES!

hey smitheroo, i thought we were good on this. patrlr was just asking you to clarify. NO! we dont have to much time on our hands, i didnt need/want an apology, i just didnt understand your post. ok, i now acknowledge it came up in the wrong forum. that being said , however, your response to patrlr, seemed rather hostile and inappropriate. lets let this go! OK! i wasn't condemning you, and no one is bringing the "tar and feathers" or a long rope. you quote Dionne Warwick, let me quote Mr Spock "live long and prosper" And most of all, enjoy whatever cruises you may take from now on PEACE BROTHER (or sister, whichever the case may be)! and patrlr, much thanks for backing me up!

rocketman (speaking only for myself) my intent is to give the porter a "tip" for relieving me of the burden of dragging my luggage around through the entire boarding process. i am aware that his responsibility ends when he places it of the ship. one can only hope that the luggage from 2-3000 people gets to the correct cabins. it's reassuring to see your bags outside your stateroom. Breath out with a sigh of relief. one of the most tortuous feelings (imho) is waiting at the luggage carousel, for your bags to comedown after your flight has landed

i booked this cruise because it was a long voyage, the price for a 2 bedroom suite was amazing, and i wanted to see/photograph Christ the Redeemer and wander the streets of lisbon. we had previously been to tenerife and funchal, and meh! had the issue of a visa come up prior to the Brazilian decision,i probably would have cancelled the cruise to avoid the hassles. while i know im entering the country before apr 10th, im hesitant to shell out the money for the visa if we dont need it inthe other brazilian ports. i tend to agree with njhoresman, that you only check through immigration upon 1st entering the country. hopefully that stays true throughout the other ports in brazil. if not, i booked myseld a very,very,very long sea voyage(lol)

do you tip the bell cap at the airport? I do. I always tip the porter at the pier when he takes our bags. he loads them, and schleps them to the ship making the procedure much easier than if i or my party had to do it. come on, can you honestly say it's not worth an extra $10? i tip the concierge at any hotel where i am a guest if he/she assists me in any way during our stay the tip (imho) is a thank you for the assistance, or in the case of entering a specialty restaurant on board a request for better service (ok, maybe you can call it a bribe) but now, and in many prior posts, i refer to this as the Vegas Handshake. Remember, you get what you pay for, and imho, it's worth the few extra $$$ to upgrade your service/experience and rocketman, i usually agree with most of your posts, but how can it be a bribe, if youre asking for their help in getting your luggage from the pier to the ship. isnt that the same as tipping someone helping with your bags after in the pick up area after the cruise. especially in longer cruises, who wants to drag out pieces of luggage to a cab. when we travel with a friend, between the 3 of us there are always at least 3 large pieces, some smaller ones, and assorted bags. it's well worth it to me to give the guy 10-20 to load it up on a cart and wheel it out to the curt., news flash!! in no way can this be considered a bribe

on the other hand, were you able to check out the cruise i suggested? what was more of thrill as a teen in the 60"s was meeting Al Kaline and Norm Cash at a sponsored event in Oak Park

for the past few years, whenever we have booked a haven if it doesnt have it's own restaurant, or a suite, we have always been taken to cagney's for lunch! That being said, however, the menu hasnt changed in years! our last cruise was lst july-august, and the lunch for suite guests if they wanted to go there) has been cagney's

hey redwing!. there is imo a very comprehensive 14 day cruise from/to miami jan 3re-jan 17 2025. you may wish to check it out. I would love it, and book in a heartbeat, but my wife doesnt want to go to the Carribbean while i am aware that price is all in someone's perspective, i think for a 14 day cruise the prices are reasonable. BTW it's on the NCL Pearl as an anecdote since you are a redwings fan: having grown up in Detroit, many, many years ago, i was working at an exclusive men's clothing store, when i waited on a customer who spent a lot of money. After the transaction was competed, a few of my co-workers came rushing over and asked if i knew who i had just helped. I had no clue, but they told me it was none other than Gordie Howe! Not being a hockey fan in the slightest, i just schrugged my shoulders and went HUH! i was however a rabid Tigers fan throughout the 60's depending on your age, i thought you might get a chuckle out of this story

well, obviously a great number of people will disagree with me and think GSC is terrific, i would personally stay on the ship as GSC has absolutely nothing to offer that i want. therefore dear married90, to each his own. the opinion expressed regarding GSC is strictly my own. yes, there is a lot to be said for the bar-b-q, the beach etc. I'd just as soon pass

hey, chief! the irony of this entire thing is you probably have much more fun when youre out and about from steerage, then i ever have, even if im in a suite or the haven. i guess im still a grumpy, antisocial miserable old man. it's funny (at least to my way of thinking) that the only things i really care about are the particular ports. i dont drink very much anymore, im happy at cagney's and le bistro, la cucina and moderno not so much. i dont mind the food in the MDR's , and during the course of my cruise, i dont mind visiting the buffet a few times. i find the assortment and selection of choices to be amazing. by 10 p.m im ready to crawl back in my cabin and cuddle up with my kindle, while my wife makes friends with the casino. so, as much as i would enjoy having a drink (or 2 or 3) with you should we ever find ourselves on the same cruise, im afraid i would be a terrible disappointment to you. plus i hope the other guy figures out what you mean by steerage!

well chief mate ole buddy, it appears that trying to set the guy straight is a waste of your time (and anyone else's) he just doesnt understand the analogy. i know from your previous posts, you love steerage, and willl only come out for a tall cold one. cant say i blame you! (LOL)

phillygwn. thats the whole idea. i have always said the in terms of itinerary choices, you can't beat norwegian.i acknowledge there are cheaper cruises, but in the places i want to visit, ncl takes the cake. the problem now is the prices are outrageous

i really didnt expect this much feed back. thank you all

ok,mcmc100, allow me to continue...no they don't!!!!!

hey flaham, thank you (not) for your enlightened input. Im quite aware that if i dont like the price i have the option of not booking. my point was i have been cruising exclusively with ncl since 2010, have over 25 cruises under my belt, and we are diamond status. i was just commenting that for what ncl is now charging, it's almost pricing me out of the market. i even get a 10% military discount and my wife an additional 10% CAS discount. while it makes the total cost slightly more tolerable, it's still much higher than it's been in years past we were lucky enough to book a 2 bedroom suite on t he star this april from rio to lisbon for under $6,000. for 17 days, i consider that a steal. looking ahead to other potential cruises, i cant find anything going any where that can match this or even come close. so thank you for your sage post (sarcasm intended)

hey flaham, thank you (not) for your enlightened input. Im quite aware that if i dont like the price i have the option of not booking. my point was i have been cruising exclusively with ncl since 2010, have over 25 cruises under my belt, and we are diamond status. i was just commenting that for what ncl is now charging, it's almost pricing me out of the market. i even get a 10% military discount and my wife an additional 10% CAS discount. while it makes the total cost slightly more tolerable, it's still much higher than it's been in years past we were lucky enough to book a 2 bedroom suite on t he star this april from rio to lisbon for under $6,000. for 17 days, i consider that a steal. looking ahead to other potential cruises, i cant find anything going any where that can match this or even come close. so thank you for your sage post (sarcasm intended)