JandC_Cruising

Did you look at the trains? Livorno to Firenze is about $11 Euro each way and only 1-1/2 hrs or so? Schedule usually has a couple of trains per hour in each direction.

And hence the change....if you realize it's not a "small change", then it's reasonable for NCL's accountants to feel the same way. Remember...they are trying to make money. I think they could still just allow diners to have any combination of two soup, salads, or appetizers to best cater to people's tastes. However, I'm not overly concerned with limiting it to the two... I think this is the perfect way to handle it...you let the server know you understand the rules and then let that server make the choice. Just don't be upset if you get a small bill for and extra $15 or so....

Every time for us...it is always split $50 to me (shareholder) and $50 to DW....Of course DW successfully use all $100 every time with a pedicure on embarkation day! LOL!

Well I bet that ruffled the "Bird's" feathers!!!!!

Thanks for confirming Bird...I knew that something must have changed at some point since I knew things like Clam Shells used to qualify.

Yes. They still offer that excursion on their website. https://www.ncl.com/shore-excursions/MIA_03/Everglades-By-Airboat-Ft-Lauderdale-International-Airport?destination=Bahamas+Cruises%2CCaribbean+Cruises%2CExtraordinary+Journeys%2CMediterranean+Cruises%2CNorthern+Europe+Cruises%2CPanama+Canal+Cruises%2CTransatlantic+Cruises%2CWeekend+Cruises&port=MIA&sort=searchWeight&sortOrder=asc&perPage=12

Based on what I am now seeing online, it seems that is the case. Kayaks and Paddleboards at Harvest Caye do not get the discount. It is funny, however, that I can do a 1hr guided Pedalboard Manatee Watch at the exact same time and they will apply the $50 credit. With our Platinum discount, it is only $17.10 pp. I guess we will do that, rather than spend $31.50pp for the Kayak...

We actually have a very good PCC that we just hooked up with so I may just message him. As I said, it's not a big deal if we end up with OBC. Hmmm....We've gotten clam shells and things (day of) for free with the $50 ShoreEx credit at other sites. However, now that I'm looking online, the Kayaks and Paddleboard rentals do not indicate that they will give the credit, while all the others do indicate it will be applied

Yes. You are correct with the basic free at sea. Although we have Free at Sea Plus, which does provide $50 credit to both passenger #1 and #2. In either case, the Retail value of these (and other excursions and activities) are less than $50, and it seems for those, the system doesn't take the $50 off when you are pre-booking as it does for any excursion or activity that is more than $50.

So we are Platinum and very well versed in the NCL programs. However, in all this time, we have never pre-booked an excursion which is less than the $50 ShoreEx credit that comes with Free at Sea. For our cruise later this year, all our other excursions, which we booked and paid for already, were discounted $50 for F@S, then discounted 10% for being Platinum. Example: Standard $119 excursions, is $69 with $50 Credit, then discounted for Platinum to $62.10. This is the way it has worked for years. We are now trying to book Kayaks at Harvest Caye. The standard cost is $35. So, when we book, the price should be "ZERO", when the $50 F@S credit is applied. But when checking out, they want the $31.50 paid up-front, which is simply the Platinum Discounted price. Is that typical for these "less than $50" bookings? Are they simply going to credit us the $31.50 on board? @BirdTravels I'm sure you know the answer 🤔 Mind you, I have no problem spending the extra OBC when we receive it, but figured I would ask if I am missing something here. TIA

I would contact the company you booked with and inquire if they are waiting for the guests to disembark. Gerainger is not big town. It is likely that the bus tour is expecting most/if not all of their guests to come off the ship. In that case, you would be fine. No sense for the bus to leave if nobody has gotten off the ship yet.

Try posting a question to others on your roll call to see if anyone has successfully purchased passes on your cruise. perhaps it is “sold out”.

There are many cities that subsidize services of all types in order to pull tourism dollars into the area. This is exactly that type of service. Think how much more revenue gets generated throughout the city every time a cruise ship disembarks. They are making it easier for the tourists to run around the city for the day without the concern of their bags. They can do all sorts of shopping and sightseeing before catching a red-eye eastward back to their home. Oh....and for each $ spent at Pike Place Market on a seafood lunch or a Venti Mochaccino at the the original Starbucks, the city and state capture sales tax revenues back from that tourist.

There is definitely not a firm policy about "when" the Vibe passes first become available. We are booked on the Prima in July 2025 and I can buy the passes today, if I wanted to do so. $329pp for 10-day.

As @zqvol said...depends on what cabin your purchased AND the length of the cruise. Here's the chart from the Free At Sea Terms and Conditions:

Yes. it is next to Tobacco Road bar on deck 8 - starboard side.

So, We've never had a problem sharing our FAS+ bottles of wine with others. We've traveled with our adult children and we had the upgraded package, they did not, but we always shared all our bottles at dinner without any issue. Your dinners are specifically assigned to you. They are non-transferable and therefore cannot be "used" for another person. With the upgraded package, you will not be charged for any specialty coffees. The only exception is if you try to use the "automatic" machine in the buffet. DO NOT DO THAT. We get cappuccinos at dinner most every evening with dessert. We drink at least 1 bottle of Aqua Pana with every lunch and dinner. At dinner, we will often ask the waiter for one more bottle toward the end (actually they often already have one for us). We then will leave with that extra bottle and return it to our cabin for our evening. You can also find Aqua Pana at many bars (or boxes of water) throughout the ship. INCLUDED! Enjoy at your heart's content!

It sounds like you are willing to do both itineraries and even hope to do both someday. If that is the case, pick the ship that you like the best. For us, that would be the Escape, hands down, over the Epic. Do Greece/Italy, but on a different ship. Just one cruiser's opinion

For shows, you can go to the Theatre Box office - Forward Starboard on Deck 7. They will have a print out of all the scheduled entertainment for your cruise. For dinner, They will have a table setup at Teppanyaki or next to guest services, both on Deck 6 no more than 25 yards from one another.

EXACTLY THIS! As long as you are on the reservation with your correct Latitudes account number, you or an NCL rep will be able to grab your certificates and apply them to the booking. Sometimes we have certificates in my name and sometimes they are in DW's name. Once both of us are on the booking, either one of us, or the sales rep have been able to pull the certificates necessary.

For NCL's policy, see here: https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents

We were supposed to go to Bordeaux (Le Verdon) on that cruise but it was cancelled due to rough seas in the Bay of Biscay. La Coruna may be a pretty even swap for Vigo as you can do many of the same excursions from those two ports.

We were on the Getaway last summer from Lisbon to Southampton. We stopped at Vigo, La Coruna, and Bilbao in Spain. We enjoyed all three ports. Perhaps one of those other two will replace Vigo.

We have yet to do a cruise out of Seattle, but had heard of the service and figured we would use it one day....was it a "free service"? just curious since you are putting in the cost cutting category. I would think many would actually pay $'s . I know we would if, like many, we were on a red-eye flight back home.

Only you can decide if the cabin will have enough space for you, but there are plenty of Balcony cabins on the Epic (as well as other NCL ships) with a 4 person capacity. NCL doesn't care the age of the occupants as long as there is at least one 21yo or older. Simply look at the deck plans and you can see the capacity for each style of cabin. Here is a screen shot of the Epic's 14th floor cabin listing. see "accommodates" column.