hoops71

The flights were great and had a great cruise. Had one stop layover for hour and half at LAX on outbound trip to Tokyo. Had direct nonstop back from Seoul to DFW. Total cost of airfare through NCL for both my wife and I was $1,100.00. Which was at least two thousand savings. No issues with the flights. Still fighting the jet lag though!!

I have use NCL air many times and have had great success for the most part. The only exception was out of Seattle after an Alaskan cruise. Our flight left at 11:59pm, the absolute deadline! I will say that we live near a major hub Dallas/Fort Worth which I think helps, but we have saved a lot of money on airfare through NCL. I have found international flights to be quite the bargain through the NCL promotion with decent to excellent flight times. We have done London roundtrip, Rome/Lisbon on the Viva, and about to take off for Tokyo/Seoul on the Jewel in two days. Each of those trips we saved over a thousand on airfare and about half with direct flights.(never more than one stop) On domestic flights I am more careful. First because it is not as big a price benefit. Second, if its on the West coast is is easier for NCL to put you on a red eye to save money. If the cruise is out of eastern port and the price savings are significant I might consider it. That being said you are always locking in price now and forecasting for later.

I have sailed on NCL 14 times. Six of those after the pandemic. I have also cruised Carnival and Royal. I would say the certain things have declined across all three lines, but nothing that would make want to stop cruising with them. It is annoying that basically things cost more for less now. Examples that come to mind are new or higher upcharges in the specialty resturants or the thermal suite pass now being a lot more than it was. But clearly the demand is still there at those prices and I am still part of the demand. I still feel it is all worth it. Dollar for dollar cruising is still the better option than land vacations for me and my family. I am sure there is a price or a quality level that would change that. But NCL has not reached it and I still have an overall great time on their ships.

Really confused now. Been following this thread for about month because I was sure I would have to deal with the issue. However, just got off the Viva Rome to Lisbon yesterday. It stopped in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. Yet we were never charged VAT on any of our drink package or even on a couple of upgraded drinks. Whatever is happening seems to be ship to ship.

Do you think it would be any different if I only use my Casinos at Sea free drink card while in their Spanish waters? Never had to think which drink plan I was using in the past, but might now. Just trying to think of work arounds or loopholes. We will be on the Viva Rome to Lisbon starting 9/23, but 5 of the 8 stops are in Spanish ports.

We were on the Prima NY-Bermuda on the April 30th sailing in only an inside cabin. I am also Sapphire, but alas only Pearl with CAS. I thought for the most part the ship was beautiful, and that the great majority of the complaints I had read leading up to the cruise were either nonexistent or blown out of proportion. That being said, the only major complaint I had was cabin noise on the two days at sea headed to Bermuda. I almost went mad by the second night. There was all the creaking, and somehow on deck five midship you could hear bass coming from a club till 3am on the second night. (maybe the elevator shaft which we were near funneled the noise?) Whatever it was it is a serious flaw to the ship. One I somehow missed in the barrage of other complaints about the Prima posted online. And I can truly empathize with the OP. It definitely effected my enjoyment, mood and attitude those first couple of days. My only solution was to self medicate in the casino until I thought I could sleep through a hurricane. (Not the healthiest option) I can't imagine if that had gone on for two more days. Therefore, I think the $500 is a bit cheap IMO.(especially considering it turns out there were other options the entire time) But different people put a different value on sleep. Does anyone think that it being a new ship creates this problem? In other words, as the ship ages will the creaking work itself out, or only get worse?

Just got off the Prima on Sunday, but it did set sail on April 30th if that matters. Wife and had the P-plus drink package. She practically took a bath in the Veuve. So these possible changes were clearly not in effect on that sailing. They were out of the Sinatra Jack Daniel's (I made do anyway!). Had a great cruise.