Ozzieru1e

Unfortunately I’m out of luck…I’m in the haven and It’s sold out❗️

I am booked for a May 2024 upcoming cruise that is now listed under the Latitudes Rewards Insider Offers.  Would I received the additional extra point per night even if my booked cruise isn’t a new booking? Thanks.

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I've cruised many times and never seen this.  I hope you're not on my next cruise.

I’ve cruised four times with NCL and I received once a flier indicating someone didn’t receive their luggage.  The flier asked us to check our cabin including under the bed for the lost luggage.  Luggage occasionally do go missing on cruises.

22 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

I’m guessing there were flight delays here in the nyc area, heave rain and winds all day yesterday.

Sad situation 😫.  That’s why I will not fly for a cruise‼️

A bid amount depends on how much you want an upgraded balcony cabin.  Bid a comfortable amount.  Keep in mind your bid amount will be doubled…it is based on two guests occupying the cabin.  If you bid the max of $400 it will cost you $800 for the upgrade but it will increase your chance of winning your upgrade.  Club Balcony Suites may be sold out now but that can change…cancellations can occur or cabins can become available due to upgrades to suites/Haven suites.  Also watch for price drops because sometimes it is cheaper/less stresssful to outright pay for an upgrade then go through the bidding process…this way you get to select your cabin rather than have the cabin selected for you.  Good luck with your choice.

3 minutes ago, UKstages said:

unless your bag is generally considered a "carry on"  (and 28 inches does not qualify), you can not bring it on the ship yourself. you won't even be able to try. you won't be able to get into the security line with it... you will be asked to check it.

Oh well…I guess I better pack only what I am willing to lose in my main luggage just in case it gets lost❗️Thanks everyone for your responses.

23 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

If your luggage is 24 x 16 it should fit, any larger I won't. Our carry on bags are 22 and they seem to just fit as far as I remember

The luggage I had in mind is 28” lengthwise/height.  The 24 x 16 applies when the luggage lies flat.  The main problem I see is if I can pick up the luggage and place it on the scanner.  I will know the day of the cruise.  I usually carry my own luggage off the ship so the gangways shouldn’t be a problem boarding the ship.

15 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

You can't take full size luggage on, I've seen it attempted

Why not❓

On my last NCL Escape cruise in 2019 we were in an Haven Courtyard Penthouse (won upgrade advantage bid) and we were able to drop off our carryons in our room even though it wasn’t fully ready.  I was thinking we could do the same with all our luggage.  That Haven experience spoiled me so now it’s the only way I want to travel/cruise.

I’ll probably check my main luggage and hope for the best, I sailed in a mini suite (now called club balcony suite) once and my daughter main luggage arrived much later in the evening of day 1 of the cruise…it was a nerve racking experience.  We couldn’t relax until her luggage arrived that evening.  Yes I will pack all essential items in my carryon/tote.  Thanks for everyone responses.

I was wondering if cruisers can transport their own luggage onto the ship.  I will be staying in the Haven complex and will be able to place my carryon into my suite.  I would like to wheel in my main luggage too to avoid worrying about it getting lost.  Have anyone skipped having their main luggage delivered to their cabin by ship workers? 

2 hours ago, Miss Ellsworth said:

I'm wondering if there's a shortcut to figuring out how many cabins of a certain type are open. I don't know of any way except to do dummy bookings for each cabin type and then check for open cabins for each type and on each deck one by one. Do you have an easier way?  Thx

I wish I knew of a shortcut too.  I did dummy bookings just as you described…was curious because I was participating in the Upgrade Advantage Program.  Decided I was better off upgrading on my own rather than waiting to see if I won an upgrade.  It did cost a few dollars more than the program minimum upgrade amount but I have the peace of mind to have now my desire cabin. Choices…we all have control over our choices.

10 hours ago, CWMixer said:

Just back from a 7D cruise on Epic, and reading through this thread. 

3 cruises in past 3 years (Breakaway, Bliss, Joy).

Any noticeable declines in quality compared to prior 3?

Yes.

Any approaching a "shocking demise", individually or collectively?

Absolutely not.

However, NCL pricing on future cruises can be "shocking".

Our 02/23 cruise on Joy vs 02/25 on Joy, with exact same itinerary and room, is up 68%.

No thanks (even if hash browns AND cookies come back).

 

Approximately a month ago NCL Joy Haven suites were at a standstill for May 2024 cruise until a few recent price drops.  As a result, of the 112 Haven suites available on the Joy only 22 remain open now for booking.  I learned not to book cruises too early because the high prices will reduce over time to encourage cruisers to book.  The disadvantage is the better cabin selection/location will be limited.  Those who don’t want to settle for leftover cabins will pay a higher price but the choice is an individual decision. Rest assured NCL will sail with a full ship.  Prices are going to go up everywhere because nothing stays the same.  My last cruise was on NCL Escape in 2019 so I will not let anything spoil my upcoming NCL Joy cruise in May 2024.  My past NCL cruises were good and I expect this one will be also😎 

3 hours ago, cruiser2015 said:

Upgrading means paying more money for a product that is higher in price - welcome aboard!

Cancelling a service is the opposite.

Furthermore, once payment was made, that insurance protected you - meaning, you've already used that insurance coverage, in part (covering you against an unforseen cancellation.

Independent insurance companies will not refund in this situation - can't believe that NCL will ether.

I thought that would be the case. Thank you for your response.

Have anyone try to cancel NCL Travel Protection after final payment?  Upgrading after final payment is permitted especially since more money is received but is travel protection cancellation permitted.  Thanks for sharing.

4 hours ago, Grumpella said:

My travel agent just called NCL about a price drop of $230 on my May cruise. NCL said they would not notify me until after my cruise is completed if I was approved for a FCC and for how much.

 

is that standard policy? 
 

Thank you in advance for your help.

The email I received titled “Price Drop Inquiry” indicated as a one-time goodwill gesture NCL FCCs will become active upon completion of current sailing and will be valid for sailings within 12 months from the scheduled date of debarkation.

3 hours ago, Grumpella said:

My travel agent just called NCL about a price drop of $230 on my May cruise. NCL said they would not notify me until after my cruise is completed if I was approved for a FCC and for how much.

 

is that standard policy? 
 

Thank you in advance for your help.

That didn’t occur with my request for my May cruise.  I received email the same day approving my FCC request.  

14 hours ago, UKstages said:

i've been on ten different NCL ships. I keep coming back to the joy. It is one of the best ships in the fleet. there always seems to be a harmonic blend among executive management, crew and passenger interests. things just seem to "gel" properly all over the ship. dedicated crew, good food (within NCL limitations) from specialty restaurants and MDRs and lots of things to do.

 

of course, you'll likely experience the NCL cutbacks that have become legendary on these boards, and whatever new ones rear their ugly heads before your cruise, but, overall, you could not pick a better ship for your return to NCL.

 

i do find your enthusiasm for the manhattan cruise terminal somewhat misplaced. i love cruising out of there, too, but mostly because i can walk to the terminal. (i live a few blocks away.) i find the terminal itself lacks services and the contract employees who work there to be particularly clueless and many of them are on some sort of power trip, inventing and enforcing rules that don't exist and ignoring well established rules that do. most check-in agents insist on retaking your photo when you arrive, even though there is nothing wrong with the well lit one, with a clear background that you painstakingly uploaded and that was previously accepted by NCL during online check-in. when i asked about this on my last cruise out of NYC, the agent told me "taking a new photo is at my discretion and i don't like this one!"

I also live in Manhattan so what some view as rudeness I view it as someone lacking etiquette or training.  Usually ignorant people don’t offend me but maybe as a New Yorker I’ve learned to have tough skin🤷🏻‍♀️.  Welcome to NYC❗️

2 hours ago, PATRLR said:

It's not that much of an exageration.  If they aren't careful, the cruise ship will become little more than a means for transportation.  Just think about how often we read right in these forums that people choose their cruise based on the ininerary, not the ship.  Back in the 80s when I first started crusing, the itinerary was an after thought, we just wanted to be on a cruise!

I’m one of those people who choose a cruise based on ship and embarkation/debarkation location.  I’ve only cruised four times with NCL (2016-2019) from Manhattan port and was pleased with majority of my cruising experiences.  I would hate the thought of trying a different cruise line and finding it didn’t measure up to NCL. I’m scheduled to cruise on NCL Joy in May and looking forward to it even if I can’t eat all the free lobster tails I want😎

3 hours ago, julig22 said:

Prior to final payment, you can reprice as many times as you see a price difference.

After final payment, they may offer a 1-time courtesy offer of FCC or an upgrade. So yes, lesson learned.

NCL is offering upgrade bids for Haven suites but so far even with the reduced prices many suites still appear available.  The prices are so high other cruise lines are offering better deals.  I expect there will be further price drops…

Thanks for info.

I read NCL allows only one request for price reduction compensation after final payment.  Are there any other compensation other than FCC given after additional price reduction occurs after final payment?  The first reduction of $20 occurred Fall of 2023 which was not worth the effort to call NCL.  Much to my surprise additional Haven price reductions are occurring after I already received $220 FCC.  I noticed if I had waited longer I could have received $620 FCC…boohoo‼️.  The cruise isn’t until May 2024 so I guess I called NCL too soon…lessons learned❗️

33 minutes ago, Ozzieru1e said:

Found an eyesore of a video of a NCL Joy Haven 17132 Balcony suite loaded Mar 2023 on cruisedeckplans. It was unbelievable that they paid him for this video.  It can also be found in YouTube.

 

Https://youtu.be/bzxFY28WK6E?si=JvsemZMMxuGeVOLX

3 hours ago, Ozzieru1e said:

It is such an eyesore.  I imagine those messy room occupants live like that at home unless they have someone picking up behind them❗️ I know when we go on vacation some like to let their hair down but that doesn’t mean you have to behave like pigs 🐷 & have no consideration for others…I feel sorry for the cleanup crew‼️

Found an eyesore of a video of a NCL Joy Haven 17132 Balcony suite loaded Mar 2023 on cruisedeckplans. It was unbelievable that they paid him for this video.  It can also be found in YouTube.

47 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

There will be many who don't bother.  Have you ever noticed how messy some rooms are while you're walking down the hallways?

It is such an eyesore.  I imagine those messy room occupants live like that at home unless they have someone picking up behind them❗️ I know when we go on vacation some like to let their hair down but that doesn’t mean you have to behave like pigs 🐷 & have no consideration for others…I feel sorry for the cleanup crew‼️

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

You can always try. 

 

On most cruises, the Haven [nearly] sells out to paying customers. It's mostly last minute cancellations that open up rooms for upgrades. In general, the probability of winning a Haven bid is near 0%. 

 

On a BA/BA+ ship, there are over 1000 staterooms which could bid on Haven rooms (based on how the rooms were booked). 

 

And your bidding range is totally dependent upon what room you current have booked. For example, I am booked in the Haven and my minimum bid for a 2BR Haven is $200 per person and it only takes a few hundred dollars to get me out of the "poor" range. If you are starting in a Club Balcony, your minimum (and Poor/Fair range) would be higher. And if you are starting in a regular balcony, your bidding range would be even higher. 

 

Bid what you can afford. 

 

Enjoy the room that you have!

 

I’m also booked in the Haven and my minimum bid for a 2BR Haven is $400 pp.  I can bid on a couple of Haven cabins at $200 pp but they are not located inside the Haven complex; and, I only want to be inside the Haven complex.  I’m already spending more than I like to be inside the Haven but I figured a few dollars more is worth a try.  Thanks for sharing!