JuneauWhatIMean

23 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

You know... wouldn't it be a fun to have a thread with us just posting when we think the next cruise will be....

 

I'll place a $1 bet that it will be Feb. 27, 2021... 

 

The winner gets Kudos... LOL 🤣

I like it!  But I don’t think we’ll be cruising for at least a year, so I’m going to bet on July, 2021.  I guess I value my life more than travel.  🤣. I feel so bad for all of the businesses that are suffering.  I fear we have a bumpy ride ahead.  
 

Happy Trails and Sails everyone.  Now $1 up! 😷👋🏻🇺🇸❤️🤍💙

35 minutes ago, Suite Heart said:

 

My guy and I did the Canal on NCL Star in 2011. Yes, it was the partial transit as my cruise in Feb will be. And I have been to most of the ports already. The main reasons I am taking this particular cruise are:

1 - the price, and

2 - the ship. I have never sailed the Joy, and it has some things on-board that I have not done, e.g., the Galaxy Pavilion (virtual interactive animated 3-D experience), race track, laser tag, the American Diner, the Food Republic (sounds like a multi-nation food court - - we'll see), and the Cavern Club.

 

I would like to do the A, B, Cs (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) and to try the Mexican Riviera. We did Hawai'i and Alaska 20 years ago, but would definitely consider them again.

 

Nice "talking" to you. Be safe, and be well!

 

 

I really miss and dream of Puerto Vallarta and the beach escape excursion.  Boat ride to a private area, buffet lunch, go to the beach with water toys, and get unlimited drinks served to you at your beach chair, visit the monkeys, (albeit in a cage), shower and boat back.  Heavenly.  Wishing you happy trails and sails, Friend.

On 6/28/2020 at 5:25 PM, BatchawanaBabe said:

 

I agree with you.  We've done over 10 cruises starting around 20 years ago and a lot of vacations where we flew in, rented a car and stayed in hotels, b&b's, and vacation rentals in order to experience more of a country than a half or full day excursion would give you. Yes, everyone took their freedom to travel for granted.

 

I'm glad that we had a great time visiting the ABC's during our last cruise in November.  We just cancelled our November Panama Canal cruise going from LA to Miami. We don't plan on travelling until this pandemic is over and/or vaccinations are available and it's under control.  In the meantime, we have our memories, photos and videos.  We've made friends that we keep up with on FaceBook.  We're fortunate that we live on a relatively large property with a sandy beach on Lake Superior so it's great that we're not confined to a dense urban area.  We have a condo in Florida where we stay for half the year but there's a good chance that we'll have to stay in Canada over the winter until we feel safe enough to travel 26 hours there.

   Beautiful post.  You sound very intelligent and I agree with you totally.   Stay safe in your perfect retreat.

What do you mean by “concierge class”?

Hi Henry!  Great to see you again and thank you so much for sharing!  Have a great cruise!  🤶🏻☃️🍽⚓️⛴🛳

I’ve brought enhancers to add to the free iced tea because I don’t love iced tea.  Huge improvement.  Cruising is becoming waaaaay too much work. 🥴

2 hours ago, monl765 said:

In January this year, the cigar lounge was taken over by the cigarette smokers.  They were in there endlessly, and the smoke drifted out into Gatsby's bar every time the door opened.  This was a problem since many shipboard activities are held at Gatsby's.  (Most of the cigarette smokers, my roommate included, chain smoked 3-4 cigs before leaving.  It was way more smoke than the cigar smokers put out.)

 

After many complaints (both by cigar smokers being driven out, and the people at the activities), the cigarette smokers were told to leave and smoke at the proper areas, which were the casino and the Bimini bar on deck 13.

My husband and I couldn’t stand the casino on Dawn last May due to the clouds of cigarette smoke.  It’s a small room.  (Cough, Cough).  So go ahead and smoke to your heart’s discontent in the casino.  Hopefully they lose so much money that they ban it fleet-wide.  Flame on.  

Welcome to Cruise Critic, frogdream.  I’m so sorry you experienced these, (understandably), exasperating situations.  I’ve never had anything like this happen to me on any cruise line, but I usually have the beverage package and don’t use the spa.  Good luck with sorting this out and be sure to spend more time here on CC before your next cruise to make sure you’re well informed in advance.

We used Carmel Limo coming in and the driver was very nice and had a clean car.  And the price was very reasonable.

On 5/3/2019 at 7:58 PM, njhorseman said:

As you exit Pier 88 on street level turn left. It's just past the first group of bus stalls. But the large NY City car services are likely not going to pick you up there because they've been told they have to pick up across the street. Uber and Lyft are supposed to pick up across the street too. I get away with it because I use a car service based not far from my home in central NJ and they apparently haven't been told they can't pick up directly at the pier, but some day the police might catch on and refuse to let them in too.

Thanks,  NJH.  We got back last Saturday and I picked the most 'New Yahker' porter I could find.  I told him our sitch' and he took us up in the elevator to 2.  He said we could call a car service or use one of the cabs already there.  We went with a cab already there.  Easy peasy!  Thanks so much for your help.  (As always!)  😊

14 minutes ago, Yo Adrienne said:

We've always had a great experience at Cagney's on the Pearl and the Jewel--and looking forward to cruising on the Jewel again later this year.  What kind of issues have you had at Cagney's and were they recent...?  

When we cruised on the Star to Mexico last December Cagney's was practically inedible.  The pork belly app was shoe leather with uncooked fat on top- yuck!  And the 'filets' were actually very tough top sirloin.  And I use the term "top" loosely. 

We just got off the Dawn last Saturday and Cagney's was much, much better.  I've learned to avoid the filets because without a doubt, they are NOT filet mignon.  My husband got the Surf and Turf and didn't mind it, but I couldn't chew his steak to save my life.  I got the shrimp skewers and they were good, but a little overcooked.  When the maitre'd enquired I was honest but not complaining.  I saw him having a discussion with the cooks shortly thereafter.  Now that's good service!  At least they're trying.

So bottom line is, life is like a box of chocolates and grasshoppers should choose wisely.

What Candi said.  Bring your own.  The kind you and your hair are used to.  Just put in in travel bottles and carefully consider how much you’ll need so you don’t overpack.  And have a great cruise!  😎

On 5/2/2019 at 9:23 AM, havenfan said:

 

I'm like some of the other PPs, usually leave $5/day for the room in a hotel.  There I tend to leave something every day or two, not just at the end of the stay, since I rarely see housekeeping and don't know if it's the same person every day.  I know chambermaids (is there a gender-neutral word for this?) in the US do get "proper" salaries, unlike waiters in the US, but I also know the salaries aren't exactly lucrative and anything extra is much appreciated.

 

Tbh, I'm not completely sure why I do this beyond that I believe that I've been extremely fortunate financially so I feel better when I a) give to charity, b) tip 20% for normal service at a restaurant and 25%+ for "over and above" service, and c) tip room attendants whether I'm on land or on a ship.  If you count the number of "I"'s in the previous sentence you'll see that it's all about me, i.e., a purely personal preference.  I don't believe there's any societal norm to do the same.  Unlike the first 15% for normal service in a restaurant in the US.  Or the DSC on NCL.

Truly....a PERFECT post!  I salute you!  😎

On 4/30/2019 at 7:01 PM, njhorseman said:

Yes... we always use a porter and they are normally very helpful in finding a spot where you can be picked up without going across the street. Once in a while we've gotten someone new on the job and we had to tell them where to take our luggage. I actually prefer to get picked up at street level rather than going up to the second level. We usually use a spot that is adjacent to where the trucks turn in to unload the supplies they're delivering . 

This is what I’ve been stressing about.  Should we just wait until the porter takes us outside to call for a service or Uber/Lyft?  We used Dial 7 last time and the porter took us out at street level where the cruise buses were arriving/departing. We called Dial 7 and told them where we were, per the porter, but thirty minutes later there was no driver.  We called back a few times and she kept saying “He’s there!”  We finally found out, 45 minutes after debarking and dragging ourselves with our luggage, across the street to catch a cab to EWR, that he was waiting near that cab stand.  Steam was coming out of my husband’s ears!  So where are the delivery trucks in relation to the departure entry doors?  I remember some port workers yelling at everyone to get out of the way anywhere near those doors.  I DO NOT want to go across the street again!

Great review.  Thanks for sharing!

Yes sir, you are indeed GRACIOUS!  👍🤩

12 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Maybe, urrrrrr ... for a limited time, free upgrade to towel animals package in all family staterooms.  Ooops, torch me for giving bean counters another idea on more free giveaways, I meant ... takeaways. 

 

NCL's sales is like Macy's weekly Wednesday sales, preview for card members on Tuesdays.  Fools shop on other days unless it's a Saturday specials but gift cards are honored for additional discounts, yada yada.  

Ha Ha Ha!!!  You betcha!  (But Marty and I do have to go to Macy’s next week to get a few things for our cruise).  I’ll be on bended knee begging our cabin steward for towel animals.  (Not!).  I like them...just not that important.  It’s the lame excuses I can do without.  😎

And if you don’t like the answer, call back and get someone else to answer your question.  No two agents ever have the same answer.  This is all based on the assumption that you didn’t use a travel agent.  Good luck!

Does anyone know the hours for breakfast and lunch in Cagney's/Moderno for non-Haven full suite passengers?

52 minutes ago, dexddd said:

Yes, free.  Since Dawn went through drydock not too long ago, I'd guess they are on demand.  We've seen close to 100 listed and last time we were on it was probably 75 choices.

Wow....that’s awesome!  My DH will be very happy.  And I’ll be very happy to let him be the Wizard and hide behind the curtain and watch tv all night if he wants to.  I, personally, can’t stand light and noise when I’m sleeping.  💤💤💤

Thank you, dexddd and GrabMyWrist.  You are very helpful!  

 Thanks in advance.  😎

On 4/14/2019 at 9:20 AM, jjlen11 said:

paper straws that break...…….

Uh....uh.....uh......a dromedary?  😀

On 4/14/2019 at 1:53 PM, myjillian said:

It's best to bring your own.

Reusable, of course. 

16 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Yes. If you want something off the suites menus, your butler can deliver it to your stateroom with a white table cloth. Lunch (double cut pork chops!) and breakfast. 

 

For breakfast, there are the standard room service check box cards. Ignore the check boxes and write what you want on the card. Eggs over easy, egg white omelets with spinach and tomatoes, bacon, ham, sausage, grilled tomatoes, filet steak, breakfast potatoes, has browns, breads, juices, and a Diet Pepsi. 

Ha ha ha!  I’m so glad you got the DIET Pepsi!  Thank you, BirdTravels, that was very helpful information.  The only other time we’ve been in a suite with NCL, (besides a Mini), was on the Breakaway in an aft PH.  We never once ate in the Haven just because it was so dang far away.  I’ll always regret that.  Plus, the butler could bring us Cagney’s or Le Bistro for dinner and we filled in whatever we wanted for breakfast just like you did.  So cool, I’m very excited!  

Thank you so much everyone!  😎😍😍😎