wallaceralphl

On 1/1/2020 at 3:24 AM, megansdad1 said:

per the passenger contract.  any kind of knife would be prohibited

 

(e) Forbidden Articles: The Guest agrees not to bring on board the vessel, under any circumstances, any firearms or weapons of any kind, ammunition, explosives, or other substances of a dangerous nature, nor animals of any kind, except service or guide animals, provided that the Guest notifies the Carrier, prior to the cruise, of the Guest's intention to bring such animal and agrees to accept full responsibility for any expense, damage, losses, or injuries associated with or caused by such animal. The Guest further understands and agrees that any alcoholic beverages purchased ashore shall not be brought or consumed aboard the vessel under any circumstances, but shall be delivered to the vessel's crew at the gangway to be retained by the Carrier until the Guest disembarks at the end of the voyage. The Guest assumes all responsibility for complying with any applicable customs or import laws relating to any such purchase. (f) No Solici

Thanks.... Just needed confirmation since "sometimes" small items can be acceptable (hence why an earlier poster said place them in the toiletry bag...).

Anyone! Any rules on simple pocket knives bringing them on board? Corkscrews (with small blade attached)?

On 12/23/2019 at 11:56 PM, ShelleyQT said:

 

Thanks for the in-depth review.  Love the pics!

Can't wait to board the Encore this coming Sunday for a New Year's cruise!

 

Would love to hear your comments, since we're sailing on the January 19th cruise. Have they added Great Stirrup Cay to your itinerary? Cheers!

7 minutes ago, MrsKC08 said:

WOW! What a great price for a Haven suite. I cannot imagine getting it for that price. I just might have to check in on that for our March cruise!

 

Thanks. I do check my messages daily in there...but nothing yet. Just the standard stuff.

Just wanted to ensure clarity - we had already paid for our regular priced mini-suite; the $2000 was the difference in what we had paid and the final price.... Regardless, a very good deal.

52 minutes ago, huntersh2 said:

Ok then. Can you be a little more aggressive next time 🤔 😉 Thanks !

 

7 days. March 1st to March 8th. 

 

 I've never lost before because thousands of people on this site over the last 3 threads have given us the numbers they have used that have worked to secure them a successful bid in a certain category or room type. So then you play around with those numbers to successfully attain me a win. 

However,  I've never seen anyone use garden villa numbers before so was curious if anyone has at this point...secured one through the bidding process that would care to share or are even on this site.

 

**Another words using the site for what it is meant to be. A place to ask questions and receive answers. So I was seeking out anyone who had won a garden villa and what they had to pay to upgrade. For me to buy directly into the 3 bedroom garden villa, that is around 10000 ft² ,would cost me $19,500. So instead I was trying to get a number in which people were using successfully to win the garden villa via bidding process. 

 

Thanks all and as I stated before Good luck all!!

 

Shaun

On Encore, we bid in the low "Excellent" range for three separate Haven suites, with each one totaling roughly between $3400 to $3800 if won. Based on the original booking price of each suite, we would have saved about $300-$500, We asked our NCL point of contact if there were any suites available for the Jan 19th sailing, and he gave us the availability and total prices if we were to upgrade today (actually, two weeks ago). Instead of winning a bid, we chose to purchase the upgrade because the straight purchase was for $2000. Yes, $2000 total. In other words, if we had just settled and hoped to win, if chosen we would have paid close to $1500 more than what we have gotten. So, we got the last Haven Courtyard Suite on the port side, deck 18 (a short walk to the Haven bar and restaurant). I strongly advise everyone to keep all of your options open and contact your reps about a month before the cruise to see about last minute specials that don't get announced on the NCL website.

1 hour ago, CazV said:

I finally had time to binge read your post today... loved every minute of it! I had an awesome time the week before you and still need to make some time to write my own review. I definitely made the right choice not to attempt a live... I don't have the patience for it lol 

I hope you feel better soon... I was suffering with cruise crud for about a week after I got home. 

Re that dive bar Marilyn's in San Juan... I did a Cocktail Walking Tour booked through a local tour company and that was our final bar. 

 

But how does the bar compare with some Glaswegian's on the West side? 😉 I actually like Deacon Brodies on the Royal Mile....

1 hour ago, grandmarnnurse said:

I was quite disappointed when I sailed on NCL to find that they do not give complimentary lobster in MDRs. Missed that, and very pleased that Carnival still offers that. 

But didn't Sid report on the free seafood crab nd lobster at the complimentary buffet on Tuesday night? (by the way, Local or Garden Cafe?)

3 hours ago, Calker said:

I also add my thanks for your review of the Encore.   I thoroughly enjoyed all of it!  My spouse and I will be boarding her in January and your review has gone a long way in our planning for our cruise.

You with us on the 19th?

On 12/1/2019 at 5:13 PM, sid_9169 said:

NCL dining room opens at 5:30

Unless you have a large ~100+ group and specifically ask for an early 5pm seating just for the group in the Manhatten..... What's happening for our sail away dinner January 19th.

On 12/7/2019 at 3:18 PM, BirdTravels said:

Yes. Thank you for the correction. 

No worries! Least I could do to help out after your outstanding review of the cruise we'll be departing on January 19th. I know STT and BVI quite well, since my best friend lived there for decades, and he and I have sailed all around those waters. My wife and I were married there in 2016, at Secret Harbor. We're taking many friends on this cruise back there to show them the wedding site on the beach, and have lunch/drinks at the hotel's tiki bar restaurant. If we have time, we're hittting Duffy's Love Shack before we return on board. Thanks again for the great review!

On 12/3/2019 at 9:34 PM, BirdTravels said:

Havenaight

Havensight.... (slight slip of the finger)

On 12/2/2019 at 9:52 AM, dshefter said:

 

Jan 12th? You doing a B2B? 😉

1 hour ago, zymurgy1999 said:

I had this package when we were in the Baltic in June.  I am leaving on the Encore on Sunday and I purchased it.  You can get two drinks each time you go to the bar (or Starbucks).  I know sharing is not allowed, but on the Getaway this summer I sat at the bar with my wife and ordered the premium beverages and the bartender had no issue sliding one to me and one to my wife.  When we sat at dinner with another couple, our friends, we ordered bottles of the premium wines and champagnes the waiters brought 4 glasses to the table without asking the others for their cards.  When I went to Starbucks and ordered two coffees and went to wait as they prepared them they slid one to me and one to my wife.  I don't know if this is protocol for the ship.  I certainly was not trying to take advantage or "share" an un-paid for package.

 

I am a bourbon drinker and they have Whistle Pig rye on board.  The bourbon on the regular package is not what I enjoy drinking.  Additionally, I enjoyed trying many of the premium liquors, things that I would never pay for shore-side, like Patron Anejo, Macallan Quest, Johnny Walker Platinum, Armagnac VSPO.  I would not have had that opportunity without the package.

 

Each day we had about 4-5 coffees at Starbucks (sometimes with 3-4 shots of espresso to liven the drink up), 3-4 of the "premium" liquors and a bottle or two of the premium wine/champagne at dinner.  We actually drank LESS, but had more high quality drinks.  Whether the math worked or not I cannot tell you, but what I can tell you that the overall experience was worth the upsell.  This is a personal experience and is different for everyone.  Looking forward to the different experience this time on the Caribbean where the trip is more of the ship experience over the port experience.

I like your style

3 hours ago, purpleally said:

When are you cruising and will you report back on your experience?

Encore - January 19th sailing

Yes, although I doubt I'll get so involved as some here on Cruise Critic....

2 hours ago, erdoran said:

Remember, it is NOT all or nothing-if you want a $18 drink you pay $3 extra, not $18–so for the $18 drinker, even including the autograt (so let’s be generous and call it $19, $4 extra - that’s 9 drink/day for the slightly more expensive drinks to break even on the upcharge.  

 

The folks that seem to make out are the ones who are expensive champagne drinkers, or like a bottle or two of wine or champagne at each meal, and bring the extra back to the cabin.  Just one bottle/day of $99 champagne pays for the upcharge, and there are some that post they have more than that.

And we are going to absolutely hit that very hard!!! We'll have Veuve every day, morning, noon and night. 7 days, and two of us ordering (since we each have the program) so I think that is a reasonable approach for the value....

On 11/19/2019 at 1:35 PM, RNRcruisers said:

We just had our bid accepted for the January 19th sailing on the Encore! We were in an inside and are upgraded to a balcony. I think our bid was about the middle of the range so not a super bargain but still quite a bit less than paying it upfront. I didn't really figure we would get it, have never won one in the past, so I bid a little bit higher than I might have 🙂

 

This is our 15th cruise and we have never had a balcony so I'm pretty happy about it. 

Are you in our Roll Call for the 19th?

10 minutes ago, threewide said:

For sure!

Celebrating my 5-0 on the 20th, our first sea day.  Pub crawl?  Hmm

You are on the Roll Call, aren't you? My wife is celebrating her birthday with her first cruise, and she is a champagne drinker... I expect to be spending most of our time between the Cellars and the Mojito bar (since her other favorite is a Cosmo, and I hear the Cosmopolitans are made there by one of the best bartenders in the NCL fleet....). Mayhaps we can all come together for a B-Day bash... Look us up on the NCL app and message us when we're on board?

4 minutes ago, threewide said:

Ralph,

 

See you guys on the 19th!!!

Join us in The Maltings on the 24th to celebrate Robert Burns Birthday with a few toasts and a few "Wee Drams!" I'll be seen about the ship on occasion in my Wallace kilt, so you won't be able to miss me.

15 hours ago, Greenpea2 said:

I am about 110 days out. Received my invite to upgrade. I am in the Haven and I just saw that every Haven category is sold out. I assume they send these invites in case there are cancellations?

Interesting... Talking with a NCL agent re our upcoming sailing on Encore Jan 19th, he told us NCL sends out emails (and posts notifications on the NCL website) after final payment is submitted, and around 80 days before the sail date. We've submitted our "excellent" bids to up from a mini-suite to a Haven suite.... And there are suites available for this sailing date, so I'm unsure of why they would send opportunity to upgrade when there are none available?

Doug (and therefore Sue), I've had to take a hiatus in cruising for a few years due to  life's challenges (my last was about ten years ago). However, I had learned then about CC, and so came back here to learn about the Encore, since my wife and I will be joining 100 other friends and colleagues on the Jan 19th sailing. You've certainly made this a much easier vacation (my wife has never cruised before, and has some trepidation), and over my past 8 cruises since 1996, I would have enjoyed the time with you and all of the other "regulars" I've spied here. Since I've been on NCL before, I'm happy to return, and am choosing to stay with the line to build up those Latitude points.

Thank You for your OCD, and thank Sue for understanding that this is a part of you, that part that enjoys "giving  back" to all of us who like to cruise. I hope to meet you someday, and raise a stout together.

Ralph

20 hours ago, threewide said:

 

Until the Leonardo's start up! lol

 

Thanks for all your time and effort!

 

Can't wait to sail her Jan 19, 2020!!

We'll see you then and there!

On 11/10/2019 at 1:48 PM, TheDougOut said:

Maybe best cheesecake on ship?

 

 

Where?

On 11/5/2019 at 11:32 AM, derek005 said:

It looked like the Mojito Bar from the pictures.

Thanks! After looking through the posts, I figured that out, too... But thanks!

On 11/2/2019 at 7:14 PM, Aqualung22 said:

I have never seen Macallan 25 on a cruise...If it is covered by this package, I am all in!!! That is a $1800 bottle of   scotch.

I truly hope that we have it on the Encore..... Talk about heavan on earth....

13 minutes ago, kjquilts said:

I'm enjoying following along with your trip report .... would have been great to be on an NCL ship with you leading the roll call thread. 

 

Could you do some of us a favor and check out something regarding the Premium Plus Beverage package.  When we were on the Bliss the Veuve Cliquot was listed as $99 per bottle and high $30 something per glass.  It was included both by the glass and by the bottle in the Premium Plus Beverage package and we enjoyed both options.  Someone who is on the Encore now posted a little while ago saying they are being charged for the Veuve Cliquot by the bottle and were told it is no longer part of the package.  It is still shown as included in the Premium Plus Beverage flyer on NCL's website.  I haven't seen anyone post the enhanced wine menu available in the restaurants that had a * next to each wine included in the PPB.  If you have time could you check it out please.

 

Thank you:)

 

Onda looks great - which it was on the Sun which is our next NCL ship come May 2020.

I, too, am very intrested in this. My wife Loves her Veuve....