alanstarr

And it says this specifically on my boarding pass: LATITUDES REWARDS. As a Latitudes Rewards member, you will receive special offers and promotions, onboard benefits and Norwegian Cruise Line news. No action is required on your part.

I don't believe its a charter anymore, its an interline cruise. And from the NCL website:

No longer available to book, expired earlier this week. If you search for NCL Breakaway and Perx, I'm sure you'll find the info.

Actually, on this particular cruise you DO automatically get the drink package with the Haven. Its one of the reasons why the Haven rooms were 2k while the balconies were 10% of that. And I think that specialty dining will be VERY empty. Combination of few passengers, and also fewer elites than usual.

As an aside, there's no FAS for this cruise. It's an oddity - a cancelled charter that was being resold through a single website. Super cheap deals ($129 + fees for a solo balcony), but no FAS offered. (You can buy the drink package, but it's like $85/day.)

As I mentioned above, it wasn't necessarily about budget. It was about food waste. (Although I guess you could argue they're related.)

"Free At Sea"

At the Viva officer's Q&A yesterday,we were told the lack of cookies was a corporate decision. Biggest reason is that, by far, cookies were the food most often found left uneaten on plates in dining rooms and cabins. Contributed greatly to food waste. They also mentioned that if you ask for them specifically, in any dining facility, they are happy to provide them.

Currently on the Viva, and haven't found cookies anywhere yet. Not in Observation Lounge in the afternoon, and no late evening snacks in the casino either.

Try app.ncl.com, I've used that trick in the past.

There are 12 ports (14 if you count departure and arrival cities). And 11 of the 12 are new for me. A solo inside can be had for $3100 including drink package, I think that's notable for an almost 3-week cruise.

NCL just dropped the price on the Viva TA on April 7th, San Juan to Lisbon. Its 19 nights, and I just booked a balcony all-in (with drink package) for $4057. Not the cheapest, but $2k less than it was yesterday. I really want to check out NCL's newest ship, and its a great itinerary for me (only been to one of the 12 ports). Of course, Inside and OV are available for less as well.

In October (on NCL), I did a half-day tour with Vigne Authentique. Picked up and dropped off at the port, and visited a couple wineries. Would definitely recommend.

So what happens if you put down a second guest who then is a no-show. Do they try to charge you more once you board?

If you wear earplugs a lot, it's worth investing in a good pair. I recommend going to an audiologist and having molds taken. Many use Westone as a vendor, and they're great! They have removable filters, so you can choose 15db, 25db or solid blocking. They allow the highs through, so nothing is muffled, just lower in volume. Been using them for 20+ years now. Cost is around $225, but they last forever (or until you lose them 8^).

Just got off the Sapphire today, had a room directly across from the laundry (A612). Never heard a peep.

Cool! I travel mostly on NCL, and OBC can't be used for daily service charges or gratuities added on at a restaurant/bar. That's good news for my cruise next month on the Sapphire, thanks!

But probably not daily gratuities, right? (If you don't have one of the Plus packages.)

You could take the commuter rail train from North Station to Salem, which drops you right downtown. You'd just have to get to North Station, about 3 miles from the pier. Maybe Uber or taxi. Then either explore Salem on your own, or I'm sure you can find some walking tours.

I think you meant 200 business days a year not 2000. Changes the numbers significantly!

Yes. I was on it the past couple weeks, internet was Starlink. I posted these in another thread, but these were the upgrade options on Day 2 of my 10-day and 13-day cruises (B2B).

Which is exactly what I sent via the app as well. A PDF of my account with numbers redacted. No need to give them anything more than that. And "potentially dangerous" is such a broad statement; absolutely anything you do online is potentially dangerous to your privacy and finances. But there are such things as reasonable risks. I'm not trying to defend or be a fan-boy of the app. Just trying to tamper some of the knee-jerk resistance for those who haven't used it yet.

But that may not be the case in the future. Princess seems to be forcing folks to use the app, possibly discontinuing all other methods. NCL might go the same route in the future, essentially outsourcing this task.

It's a multi-step process. First you upload your stock info on the app. Then that gets approved (usually just a day or two). After that, you'll see the programs you're eligible for. At that point, you can click on Princess and submit for your cruise. Then it takes 5 more days after that.

Looks like you haven't submitted a request for your cruise yet. Has your portfolio been approved yet? That's the first step, then you can apply for OBC for a specific cruise.