UKstages

it wasn't always this way. but, yeah, i have direct experience with this very thing today. I hav pretty strong play and was looking at a 15-day panama canal cruise on the bliss. i was quoted $2400 for that cruise as a solo traveler in a BA category balcony room. yes, port fees are high on that itinerary and, yes, there are nine ports and, yes, admin fees run $300 on a fifteen day cruise... but they were charging over 1K for three extra days! i routinely get 12 days comped. and have had several 19 - 24 day back to back cruises comped. (in other words, paying only fees taxes and gratuities). i passed on my $2400 "free" cruise! the math made no sense. they will comp me 24 days on a back to back or even 36 days on a B2B2B. but a 15 day cruise? no that's crazy talk, apparently. (even though it would save them on CAS and latitudes benefits... just one set of benefits... one OBC distribution, one set of in-room amenities and fewer dinners on a single cruise). ruby player, current tier score of 75K.

whenever I see the stock going up, i always assume that investors have discovered that NCL has removed veuve from the plus beverage package, the smoked salmon from the breakfast buffet and hash browns from the entire fleet. whenever I see the stock going down, I know its because investors have realized that certain passengers are bringing their own wifi routers onboard and that some passengers are requesting thirteen shrimp in their haven shrimp cocktail.

my experience was the same as smillerholmes... in NYC. CBP came onboard and did a routine passport check. i think we gathered in the social. (the venue may depend on how many B2B guests they have.) in miami recently, we were required to get off and go through a CBP checkpoint and do a biometric eye scan. they gathered us in la cucina, there were about 40 of us... and it took forever because they had to clear the ship and get a 0 passenger count. it was close to 90 minutes before they took us off the ship. then they led us off as a group, and then returned us to ship as a group before new passengers boarded. (that is key, if you want to be first in line for vibe passes or new or revised restaurant reservations.) obviously, i preferred the way they handled things in new york. even so. there is no guarantee of steaming onboard, CBP could decide they want everybody of the ship.

that's fantastic. new england/canada? i did that same itinerary on the joy last year, also in september, also on a B2B. (but the other cruise was bermuda.) great ship.

hurry. the offer expires december 15th. and I was told today that it's a real deadline, unlike most of NCL's other false calls to action in their marketing efforts. the cruise consultants I've spoken to have all referred to it as "the gift of giving." however, the email offer I received refers to it as an "exclusive holiday offer" and does not reference "gift of giving."

yes, that's exactly the point. you get the qualifying cruise out of the way quickly, so you can enjoy the next longer cruise with the increased benefits. you take a short cruise, five days or less. maybe for as little as three or four hundred dollars. and, let's say, you move to platinum. the "trivial" benefits you receive will include two extra meals for two (conservatively valued at cagney's or le bistro at $220 for two people X 2 = about $440). throw in a "free" bag of laundry. (let's call that $29.) you'll get an extra 5% off spa treatments while in port. (let's call that $20.) you get priority embarkation and disembarkation (benefit varies from port to port and itinerary to itinerary, but NCL sells a priority access package - along with other features for $129 - $329. it includes many features you already get as a latitudes member, so let's just value this conservatively at $15 per person.) you'll get a 15% discount on internet upgrades... let's value that at $15 per cabin. you get concierge service, which we'll vale at $0 since it's pretty much an illusion and not a benefit at all. you get "wines around the world" and a "behind the scenes" tour, which jaded platinum members might think have no value, but to a platinum newbie, may be appealing. let's value each of those very conservatively at $20 X 2 = $40. you get to prebook some entertainment and dining before many other guests, which i won't place a dollar value on, but many consider an indispensable benefit. if you choose wisely for your short cruise, you'll send as little as $400 - $600. and you'll be getting benefits conservatively estimated at more than $500 on your next (and subsequent) cruises. so, at the very least, it's a bit of a wash. BUT... now imagine that your next cruise (after you qualify) is a special cruise... a honeymoon, a 50th anniversary, a trip with your mom, a rekindling of an old romance... is it worth it to take a short qualifying cruise to ensure those benefits on that special cruise? or would you rather travel without them? are the benefits trivial and illusory or worthwhile? bear in mind, some benefits are greater as you move up in tier status and that may push the needle further when moving between other tiers. and also remember that those with casinos at sea status may have even more tangible benefits that can be secured by adding another short cruise in before a more significant or longer cruise. those benefits include substantial amounts of OBC and even car service pick up to and from the airport. every person must weigh the options before them and make a decision that is best. the decision i make might be very different than a decision somebody else makes.

as others have mentioned, you can book just about any cruise through CAS, except for pride of america (as there is no casino onboard). certain players have newer ships like the prima and viva excluded, as well. the stateroom category and the length of the cruise for auto-generated standard offers varies based on play... but tends to max out most often at 12 days. but, assuming you have some strong play, they will custom design an offer for you based on your demonstrated track record (of play). tier status, just as in a land-based casino, usually has nothing to do with this. you can be a "ruby" player that has stronger play and higher ADT than an "elite" player. the elite player may simply have gone on more cruises. so, just call them and tell them where you want to go and when and they will run the numbers and tell you wether they can comp it or if you'll be expected to pay for a portion of it. as far as back to back cruises... i have done several of these through CAS. they are usually treated and booked as separate cruises. so if you have a couple of offers for 12 day cruises, you can book a 24 day cruise by using those standard offers, provided you can get two B2B itineraries that you like. and, yes, you get 2X the tier benefits... once for each cruise. do it in your birthday month and you'll generally get free play, too. did anybody get the current "gift of giving" offer? this is a holiday-themed offer they've done variations of in the past, but this year was really compelling... my offer was a 12 day comped cruise for me in a balcony and a "gift" of a comped cruise for my guests in an inside cabin. we pay taxes and fees, but the admin fees are apparently waived. i haven't booked it yet, but will likely do so this week, as it expires december 15. travel is good through november of 2024, which is a very generous booking window for CAS.

i agree that geraiger is an absolute must! be aware, however, that you may not stop in isafjordur. the prima has skipped it on most - if not all - itineraries this season allegedly due to the port not being ready. (needs to be dredged.) whether that continues into 2024 is anybody's guess.

i have always had them in the room in club balcony and above. upon request in balcony.

even quicker for simon's departure. when i sailed on the prima in may and june, the cruise director was a woman. and i believe she's now onboard the viva in the same position.

are they using the improv for comedy on the viva? on the prima, all comedy shows were moved to the theatre. the improv was for triva, karoke, solo traveler meet ups and such.

there are two ports and either could - technically - be used, but the prima generally docks at skarfabakki, which is intended for lager ships. (the prima is a smaller scale large ship.)

there was a time when frequent flyers would do what were known as "mileage runs" at the end of the year to maintain status in their preferred program. one december, i booked a cheap flight to london, stayed one night and came home. the immigration officer asked how long i was staying and i told him and he said, "doing a mileage run, are we? we've seen a bunch of you today." some on the same flight apparently didn't even stay the night, but took the same plane home. this doesn't happen (or at least not quite in the same fashion) nearly as much since the airlines changed the way they award miles, with a focus on revenue versus distance flown. anyway, this reminds me very much of that. if you're just a few points away from a higher status (particularly platinum, with a couple of meaningful benefits), it often does make sense to squeeze in an extra short qualifying cruise so you get the higher status and can enjoy the benefits on a longer or more significant subsequent cruise. the same thing may be true of casinos at sea status. i am just a few points away from "elite" status and the benefits are substantial, including free unlimited wifi and a larger amount of OBC, so i am considering taking a short Q1 2024 cruise to cement my status. as for latitudes... the only other way to "manufacture" points is to check your latitudes account and make sure you were credited properly, including bonus points, for all cruises taken. if not, ask for the credit within a year.

it's pretty standard in all the observation lounges. prima and joy, too. many people go there on embarkation day for a light lunch. a lot of people go there after an excursion while the ship is in port. it's not so much that the buffet is small (which it is on viva and prima), but that the observation lounge "snacks" are often available before the buffet is open.

midori was available at select bars onboard the joy a couple of months ago.

oh my, such a sweet talker you are! you've been given all the answers you need in this thread. in the first few posts. and you've been given step by step instructions. you've chosen to overcomplicate things and ignore the clearly stated answers laid out before you. and you are conflating "internet" with the ship's wifi. they are two related things, but they are not the same thing. the app does not connect to the internet, unless it is accessing NCL data on its website, in which case, it's accessing it at n charge to you because that domain has been whitelisted. if you don't understand the concept of an intranet, you're unlikely to be able to understand from your anonymous online friends here in the forum how to text while onboard. you're best bet is to wait till you're onboard and explain what you want to do to the friendly internet manager. he or she will hook you up. if you have android phones and you wish to text while at sea, yes, both of you will need to pay $9.95 and use the clunky app. where are your friends located? are they on the ship? if so, text away, provided they also are using the app and forking over $9.95. if they are located off the ship, you will not be able to text them while at sea, regardless of what operating system they have because you are on an android phone and the backend loophole you speak so fondly of does not apply to you or your phone.

are you saying what i think you're saying? that the local bar area had limited food service, a truncated menu with only ten items? this is a big change from the way it used to be... there was always full menu availability of all items at the prima local, regardless of which side you were on. (with the same limited late night menu on both sides.) it's disturbing to read your account and @cruiseny4life's account of the change to the indulge food hall's grab 'n' go concept. it worked well and i have no idea why they have abandoned it. as for trays... trays were always available at breakfast back in the good ole days... like seven months ago. i'm shocked to hear they have removed them. most know i'm not a big fan of the prima, but i have to say that when i sailed in may and june, senior F&B officers were all over the joint, talking to customers, soliciting feedback, listening to unsolicited feedback and helping people find seats. once again, it's disturbing to find that is no longer the case. i always said senior management on the prima was clueless, except for the F&B folks!

yes. i've done exactly this before. they are not cross referencing your flight info... all they are doing is checking that the time or arrival for your "flight" (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) corresponds to the available transfer schedules. that's it. i've also done this after a cruise, when i intended to stay in town. taken the transfer back to the airport, then public transportation to the center of town. enter a bogus flight number that allows enough time for the transfer and to "check-in" for the fantasy flight.

befriend a bartender and tell them what you're after... mocktails and smoothies and such.. they will create something just for you. the prepared mixes go well beyond pina colada and banana and strawberry daiquiris and such and also include a whole line of syrups, including watermelon. the vibe bartenders made me all manner of watermelon drinks, both alcoholic and non, on my last cruise onboard the joy. but the "regular" bartenders also rose to the occasion, especially if you caught them at a slower time. pro tip: bring some fruit or soft-serve ice cream from the buffet and ask your bartender to mix it in with your drink. i never had a bartender yet who refused. and there's nothing like a mock banana daiquiri made with actual bananas!

lounging around and being fed peeled grapes... nice work if you can get it! the hardest i think he worked was the hunt for hash browns. "love" is such a strong word. you're swell, but can we agree on a more nuanced concept? you can stop using them. NCL has. you don't need special dispensation from the pope or nancy reagan to just say no. i cringe every time i see it. besides, i'm pretty darn sure the "1" in "pr1ma" was meant as an introductory marketing tactic... it was effective... for a m1nute, but it soon grew tired. it was never meant to be sustained. we're a year in now... sorry to be the one to break the news, but you're not among the "f1rst" to sail the prima. there were fingerprints on those sculptures long before you ever got your paws on them, with your greasy breakfast potato fingers. you missed out. los lobos is one of the best restaurants on the prima. not upscale or fancy at all. and the margaritas and tableside guac is fantastic. indulge used to have true grab and go breakfast sammies wrapped in paper, as well as breakfast bowls. this is indeed a change and it sounds like the crack copy editors of the freestyle daily haven't kept up. or they're on crack.

well, that would be a switch. up to now, the only thing they've allowed me to drop in the casino is fistfuls of cash. great photos, thanks so much. i love the whimsy of the rock, paper, scissors sculpture! with regard to the towel animals... is that standard for your cabin attendant, something special for the inaugural, or in response to your specific request?

indulge, hands down, every time. it does depend on how early you board. as the bird pointed out, savvy folks with early boarding are now on to indulge and eager to try it. on the prima out of new york earlier this year, i was eating lunch at indulge by noon. but i was seated by 11:45. you'll have plenty of time to sample hudson's. indulge will get progressively busier as the cruise wears on, more people will try it and like it and you'll have to plan to be there a good twenty minutes or more before the start of meal service to ensure a table.(or towards the end of service.) haven't been on the viva yet, but on the prima, you could drop embarkation-day hand carry luggage off at the improv while you gallivanted about.

tipping for drinks included in your beverage package is not required (that's what the 20% on the inflated value of the "free at sea" drink package is for. many people do tip extra, although most do not. tips for "beverage service" without a drink package, or for the portion of a drink that exceeds the dollar limit of your drink package (generally $15) are added to the bill at the time of service.

it did. it does. it's what i call the "haven halo." it follows you around the ship. it's a real thing. at least it has been on my haven sailings. it's why they seat you quicker at this place or that or why you get a preferred widow table. it's why there's an extra olive in your martini and an extra dollop of sour cream on your chili. (and a song in your heart.) and it's the reason the hostess at the local looks at you incredulously when you say you want to dine there...because she can't conceive of why haven passengers might want to lower themselves to dine with the hoi polloi.

you also get "dinner with the officers," pending availability and as long as there are no scheduling conflicts. that dinner, however, is often in the MDR and not a specialty restaurant.