hallux

1 hour ago, Sundodger2 said:

Also we were surprised there was only one cabin service per day and it was at really random times - sometimes it was morning; sometimes mid afternoon, sometimes late like during or after dinner

As noted - the once-a-day service started in January last year.  The after-3 cabin readiness started last year around the same time as that was when they reduced the number of cabin stewards.

On my cruise (the one before the subject of this thread), the first couple times seemed to be a little late/random but my cabin steward seemed to figure out my schedule and my cabin was usually cleaned by lunch time.

There's no way to know with certainty which of NCL's 21 MDR menus will be prepared for what days.  They do not publish them in advance of the cruise, and only those needing special dietary preparations or those knowing you can ask will know what the next day's menu is.

I don't recall what the port side of the Joy had with regards to the Vibe, but I know they removed laser tag and made deck 20 where the laser tag was into part of Vibe.

4 hours ago, TYCruise said:

Hopefully they won't be adding more cabins to where the observation lounge is like on the Joy.

It would be a little more challenging to do this on the Bliss and Encore as the Joy was actually built with cabins in that space to begin with, then the OL was expanded in 2019 when she was 'Westernized'.  As a result - there was already SOME kind of cabin-related infrastructure in that space on that ship, unlike her sisters.

4 hours ago, TYCruise said:

I would be okay with them removing the Laser Tag area though

If they do this and put in Spice H2O I would actually consider sailing on this ship

6 hours ago, dlh015 said:

I've been kinda wondering what 300 minutes of 'Internet Connectivity' gets me. Hopefully, I'll be able to text my sister but if not, I'll upgrade to the next level after I board.

If you both have iPhones you may not even need to use that time.  iMessage generally works for iPhone to iPhone messaging (text only, and even if one party is not on board) without being online on your minutes.  If you have WiFi texting on your plan then the minutes will work for Android messaging.

That lineup may not be entirely accurate on channel numbers.  On the Bliss all the news type stations were first, then the movie and TV show stations...

1 minute ago, EngrJones said:

I've transferred CNs to another person and was never charged a fee.  Is that new?

I think they were referring to fees for the money transaction...

1 hour ago, cruisinmeme said:

I have had the same PCC forever.

Lucky you I guess?  I used my assigned PCC over the summer to book my cruise, by the time my friend called her to book she had been promoted.  I now have a different PCC, whom I haven't heard from yet, even as a follow-up to my recent cruise.

18 minutes ago, FPMoosally said:

 

Thanks. Hopefully that will also happen in LA for the last week of the cruise.

 

They'll do it anywhere.  On my cruise it was done in Guatemala...

1 hour ago, FPMoosally said:

Are you certain they do that?

I did a 15-day Panama Canal cruise earlier this month, once we got through the canal and made the first port stop after Panama the comedians from the first half of the cruise left the ship and 2 new ones came on for the second half of the cruise.

2 hours ago, Pitzel said:

Or, bring a refillable water bottle and fill it up at the buffet or at any bar.

THIS.  The ship's water is as good as, if not better than, the water you gt from most municipalities.  If you drink that much, a refillable bottle is the better option...

That would probably depend on how you book the cruise.  If you book through the UK site (or call the UK phone number to book) or a UK TA it would follow the UK pricing and policies.  If you book through a US-based TA, use the US site or call the US number for NCL you would get the US pricing/policies.

forgive the silly question - what's the difference between down and feather?  Isn't down feathers?

53 minutes ago, DuckTollerFans said:

And wondering who I may make friends with by the end of the week

On my cruise on the Joy 2 years ago I chatted with a woman and her nieces while waiting to board, ended up being their '4th' for meals and hung around with them much of the cruise otherwise...

1 hour ago, CruiseeCrazee said:

Other cruise lines I've sailed just give you a boarding time, not an arrival time that's hours before boarding starts, so I'm just...confused.

Boarding time, even on other lines, can't be guaranteed.  On my last cruise they could have given me an 11AM boarding time but they would have missed the mark as the previous cruise was still disembarking the ship.  As noted - you could have picked a later time.

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

Also, if you haven't done so already, consider signing up for the ship's Roll Call for your sailing

and if there's a roll-call going they may have a M&G in the works (it's kind of early to be setting one up, but I guess it's possible someone contacted the ship already).

By the way, OP - no need to shout, I can hear you fine (all caps on the internet is considered shouting and generally disliked in forums in addition to being a little more difficult to read).

Looking at the Breakaway roll calls board, it seems one may NOT be started for your cruise, OP.  You could start it (or maybe a host will move this and make it the Roll Call for your sailing).

Here- I've done the hard work for you, for finding a roll call on the BA in January - https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?type=forums_topic&search_and_or=or&search_in=titles&nodes=626&q=Jan January

10 minutes ago, Grumpella said:

I want to book 3 a la carte meals at those restaurants, 1 my FAS and the other 2 are my platinum rewards.

Then book them as desired.

8 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

You determine how you wish to pay for the dinner at the restaurant. The reservation system does not know or care how you intend to pay for your dinners. You can use your Platinum vouchers, your free at sea dinners, other vouchers, purchased dining packages, or a room charge. 

8 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

You want to book fixed price restaurants (like Teppanyaki or Moderno) first before a la carte restaurants. 

You're contradicting yourself, Bird.  The online reservation system DOES care, a little bit.  The second quote indicates that.  If the passenger does not have enough FAS credits to cover a fixed-price reservation based on other specialty restaurants being booked before it, the pre-trip reservation system will try to charge the cover charge.  If the reservation system actually didn't care how you were going to pay (as you indicate in the first quote) this wouldn't be an issue.

The problem you run into when booking the dinners pre-cruise is if you try booking flat-fee restaurants.  If you have the free-at-sea meals you will need to book any flat-fee places FIRST so they accounted for as free-at-sea meals.  The system doesn't recognize status for the purposes of booking meals so if you book a-la-carte first then try to book flat-fee it's going to try charging you since the system doesn't think you have credits to use.

39 minutes ago, coolrider71 said:

If I have balcony cabin on the Bliss which side of the ship faces the Arch in Cabo while anchored?

Nothing is assured, the ship could rotate while anchored (it did when I was there in 2019) so you may not always face the arch.  When I was there earlier this month the port side of the ship kind of faced the arch when I was able to see (when I wasn't on my excursion)

7 hours ago, psuboater said:

Port side has buildings but you get the sunset!

For the record - you mean the side that faces the port itself will have these views.  Port side of the ship (using the nautical port/starboard) could have either that view or a view in the other direction.

16 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

just let the wait staff know you're using a dining credit

On my recent cruise they ASKED so they could be sure they gave the right direction for ordering.  Granted - I was dining as part of a larger group of solos...

I suppose they might need to be reminded of their own T&C's - 

https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions

Specifically, this part - 

All guests booked within a singular reservation will be booked on the same flight.

If they expect the guests to abide by the T&C's, why shouldn't they?

51 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

Escape's Haven sundeck is still (unfortunately) only starboard side.

For the people that worship the sun and can't afford to pay for Vibe access it's very FORTUNATE that the Vibe on Escape is only on one side.  For a warm-weather itinerary for someone on a budget, the Escape is a GREAT ship for this very reason - HUGE free-to-use sundeck...

1 hour ago, SeaShark said:

(something that all the NCL ships you've sailed on don't have)

as a clarification - ALL NCL ships have 'solo' cabins, starting with Jan 2, 2024 sailings. They're re-classed cabins in their respective categories, but they're called solo cabins nonetheless...