LCfromFL

 NCL's Peace of Mind policy is a crock of &%@#/!!! 

Our Trans Atlantic cruise on the Escape (4/16/2021) was booked with a FCC after NCL cancelled our April 2020 Alaskan cruise. The NCL Peace of Mind policy states that they have waived their cancellation fees if you cancel 61+ days in advance. So I called NCL and my TA.  NCL will NOT issue a refund. Period. When accepting the FCC, they have some nasty small print language that essentially says the FCC is not worth any money and if it expires without use it is just gone. Since we booked with a FCC, they only thing we can get is another FCC. At this point, our best hope is that NCL cancels the cruise and issues a FCC and then somehow returns to operation prior to the expiration of that FCC.

I'm furious. 🤬

We booked the 15-day TA cruise (4/16/2021 - 5/1/2021) on the Escape after our 7-Day Alaskan cruise (4/2020) was cancelled. In my mind, this pandemic situation would have surely resolved by April of 2021 - heck, I was even looking at cruises for last autumn because the pandemic was only supposed to last a few months, right?  My company transitioned to a 'work from home' approach right after the pandemic began and my DH is retired...so we were planning to spend a month or so in the UK following our cruise. I was REALLY hoping this whole COVID situation would have fizzled by now - but it just doesn't look like it's happening any time soon. 😩  The DH and I are both under 65 - and not healthcare workers/first responders. So I'm not sure when we'll be eligible for the vaccines (we ARE planning to get them). I keep playing the calendar game ('if we get the first vaccine by XX date...and the second by YY date...and if the UK opens by ZZ date...') but we're running out of calendar days. It looks like NCL is issuing refunds for cruises cancelled through March 2021 - rather than do the 125% FCC.  Their business has been closed for a year - while they've continued to incur expenses. That worries me about the future of the company. Businesses across America are closing forever and I'm concerned that the cruise industry will also see something similar.

Stupid COVID. 

Hey - is anyone else having issues when trying to access their cruise details online? I keep getting HTTP 500 errors. Ugh!

Thank you, Shmoo and Beth! That's exactly what I wanted to do. :)

What does Disney call their onboard 'daily activities' sheets? I have a Bahama cruise next month on the Dream with my 6 yo grandson (his first cruise ever and my first cruise on Disney) - I was hoping to check out their daily activities to get a sense of what we may do. Thanks in advance!

I am taking my 6 yo grandson on the Disney Dream in March. His first cruise and my first cruise with Disney. I thought about booking a 7 day cruise with Disney - but their only option during his Spring Break was a Western Caribbean itinerary. I didn't want to pay the port fees to keep him on the ship and really didn't want to bring a 6 year old ashore on some of those Western islands. So I chose the shorter cruise that goes to Nassau and Castaway Cay and has a sea day. Since it's his first cruise, I've opted to do the Atlantis Aquaventure thing while we're in Nassau. I've done it before, so I know he'll have a blast. I've had cruises parked next to the Disney ships in Nassau and always thought they looked like fun. That water coaster was open - and just looked awesome.

Whatever you choose to do, you'll have a great time. :)

There is a "Deluxe Beverage Package and the VOOM Surf + Stream - 1 Device Package" available for $54 (pp per day) on our 6/11/17 sailing on Oasis of the Seas. I'm actually on this board looking for info on VOOM...LOL. There are 4 of us going (all 21+) so I'm pretty sure we are going to buy the beverage package...just not sure what VOOM covers.

Hi Everyone -

We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise to Bermuda aboard the beautiful NCL Breakaway! Since this was our first trip to Bermuda, I did quite a bit of research on places to go and things to do...but somehow I missed the important fact that reservations would be needed for high tea at Sweet P's in the Bermuda Perfumery! :eek:

So Wednesday, our first day in port, my DH and my SIL took the ferry to St Georges and made our way through the beautiful town to the Bermuda Perfumery...where we learned that we needed reservations! :eek:

The gracious hostess was very, very sweet and was able to accommodate us after a very short wait. High tea in their gardens was beautiful. The sandwiches and little cakes were delicious and the setting was simply perfect.

So if you are interested in doing high tea there, here is the information on how to make your reservations:

http://www.lilibermuda.com/pages/afternoon-high-tea

Enjoy!

I admit it. I don't get why this question keeps coming up. I mean, pretty much everyone realizes that if you buy two admissions to the movies (or a theme park, or the zoo, or...) you can't bring your six friends or usually even your one child along for free. So why is it so strange that if you pay for two Haven passengers that you only have access for those two people?

 

 

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The question comes up because people are simply asking an honest question. :mad: It is not that uncommon in the travel and hospitality industries to extend these sort of courtesies. This sort of thing happens all of the time. It is not something that is flaunted or proclaimed...or touted as a privilege.

also, they won't let SIL wait with you in the Haven waiting area. You won't even be checking in together .

You can still do this but your traveling companions won't get priority embark, priority disembark, etc.

 

What ship is this for?

 

 

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It's for the Breakaway...leaving next Sunday (the 12th)

I'm thinking about upgrading from an M9 to an H9.

My DH and I are booked in an M9 (Spa Mini Suite)...and I'm wondering about upgrading to the H9 Haven Spa Suite With Balcony. DH's sister is cruising in a balcony cabin (purchased the Thermal Suite pass) and our friends, are in an Inside Guarantee.

Is The Haven totally off limits to them? Would we be able to invite them in to the bar for drinks before dinner? Could we have them over for cocktails on the balcony? DH's sister is a solo traveler. Could she wait in the boarding lounge with us?

Really interested in any experiences you've had when you've been in The Haven and are traveling with those 'in steerage'. :D If it were just DH and me, we'd book it. Just unsure about our traveling companions. Thanks in advance for your reply!

Thank you for your semi-live review! I have been following along and really appreciated your pictures and story. We will be sailing on BA two weeks from today - and I cannot wait!

Safe travels home.

Thank you for your 'almost' real time review and pictures! I am really enjoying them! We are sailing on BA on the 12th...and I cannot wait! :D

Cruiser1978 - did they have the 'dueling pianos' in the comedy club on your cruise? That was one of my favorite things to do in the evening when we were on our cruise on the Getaway. I talked that up a lot with my DH - so hoping it is still one of the entertainment options.

Thank you for your review!:)

I've never heard of the Glass Beach. Is it literally bottles and glass broken up and washed ashore? Smoothed over time by the surf and sand? We will be in Bermuda in June and I'm trying to figure out how to spend our 3 days :)

I think it depends on the legal drinking age where you are cruising. We sailed on the Getaway to the Caribbean when my DD was 18. I signed the waiver for her - and she could drink beer and wine. I was not able to sign a waiver for her best friend, though - and don't think having a notarized form would have worked, either (I think we looked into this before sailing). I don't believe you need a waiver on European cruises - the drinking ages are younger there than in the US.

We're first timers on NCL and were wondering what the boarding situation was like.

I notice the time stated is 12:00 for a 16:00 sailing, but what is the likelihood of getting on any earlier? Would it pay to rock up much before 12:00?

 

Thanks in advance

I never pay attention to that 'don't show up prior to X time' thing...LOL We usually get to the Miami port between 10:30 and 11:00. Between unloading the car and then the DH parking in the garage and walking over to where we are (we live in FL - so we always drive), that takes a bit of time. Meanwhile, I enjoy people watching and there are always interesting people getting off of a cruise :cool:. Anyway, getting through Security and then getting checked in takes a few minutes with not much of a line at that time of day. Then it's time to find a spot to sit (more people watching for me while DD plays on her phone and DH catches up on some reading) and then they call to board. It never seems like a long wait - and we are usually on board by 11-11:30. Easy-Peasy!:D

Guess she is out of the bad stuff for now. Here is the marine forecast: 6-7 foot seas (max 12-14):

Southwest Tropical North Atlantic & Caribbean Sea (OFFNT3)

SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE

HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE

MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT.

Synopsis for the Caribbean Sea & Tropical North Atlantic from 7°N to 22°N

AMZ001-132100-

SYNOPSIS FOR CARIBBEAN SEA AND TROPICAL N ATLANTIC FROM 07N TO

19N BETWEEN 55W AND 64W

333 AM EST SAT FEB 13 2016

.SYNOPSIS...A STATIONARY FRONT FROM WINDWARD PASSAGE TO THE NE

COAST OF HONDURAS WILL GRADUALLY DISSIPATE TODAY. STRONG WINDS

ACROSS THE S CENTRAL CARIBBEAN WILL PULSE TO MINIMAL GALE FORCE

SUN NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE N OF THE AREA WILL MAINTAIN FRESH TO

STRONG TRADES ACROSS THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN...AND MODERATE TO FRESH

E WINDS ELSEWHERE THROUGH WED.

AMZ025 Zone Forecast

AMZ025-132100-

OFFSHORE WATERS LEEWARD ISLANDS-

333 AM EST SAT FEB 13 2016

.TODAY...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT.

.TONIGHT...E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT.

.SUN...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. SCATTERED

SHOWERS.

.SUN NIGHT...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT.

SCATTERED SHOWERS.

.MON...E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT.

.MON NIGHT...E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT.

.TUE...E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT.

.TUE NIGHT...E WINDS 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT.

.WED...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT.

.WED NIGHT...E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 8 FT.

FORECASTER MUNDELL

The Jacksonville cruise port is small - and parking is an easy walk from the terminal. I'm usually a fan of valet parking, but trust me, the daily parking/surface lot is easy-peasy. Enjoy your cruise! :)

Thanks, everyone! I was hoping they did it :)

I swear that I read somewhere that Carnival is also doing a White Out Party where they encourage everyone to wear white and have a big party. (We sailed on NCL Getaway in May and this was a big hit with my girls.) I'm trying to confirm that Carnival has this on the Glory? Appreciate any comments on this from recent past guests...thanks!:)