WorkNCruise

Exactly what I needed.  Thanks Bird!

I have a balcony cabin on the Bliss this month.  I usually get coffee pods from the room steward but occasionally they are out of regular and only have decaf.  What brand could I buy on Amazon that would work with their coffee makers?

First of all, as others have already indicated you should tip with cash.  It is just easier for you and the person performing the service.  However, consider the reason why you are tipping.  Also, consider how much you have already tipped before you set foot on board.  If the math adds up or you received excellent service and want to show your appreciation it, go for it.  Nothing wrong with that.

There is nothing wrong with tipping extra.  All things being equal, the bulk of the passengers you will be rubbing shoulders will be paying the same built in service/charge gratuities as yourself.  This means that everyone is equal in terms of how fast the bartender will get your order. Tip after all stands for To Insure Promptness.  Therefore, you must tip cash in order to be served quicker.  That is the only reason I tip.  Below is why.  the example is from the 15 Panama Canal on this Bliss this November.

After you remove air fare, the vibe, and taxes/port fees, etc the cost to set foot on this ship is $1049.

I remove those items from consideration because they have nothing to do with service on the ship except for the vibe which has a fee attached to cover this added level of service.

There are $644.80 worth of fees tacked onto that $1049 which means tips, DSC, account for 61% of the voyage fare.  Now I don't know exactly how the money is divided up between NCL and the crew but I am only tipping if the service is slow, and I hope to speed it up.  It works on every cruise with NCL I have ever been on.  If you flash cash, they will serve you faster and more often that those that don't.

Hello,

I cannot find the email that I received from NCL to place a bid for an upgrade.  Is there a link to the website that hosts the program?

Thanks

59 minutes ago, RalphWiggum said:

To be fair, the OP already knows this lesson as the original flight was for tonight and airline rescheduled it for tomorrow.  Tomorrow flight will likely work, but OP is looking for our thoughts as to whether s/he should chance it.  
 

 

I want aloha to get on that ship and have a great vacation.  A typical NCL cruise in inside-balcony costs between $2500-$3500 when all costs are totaled up.  My advice to book air travel to arrive a day ahead time for a cruise is directed at all who read it and not just aloha.  I know I wouldn't drop 3K in a slot machine and hope it comes up 7's and neither should anyone else planning international travel using multiple vendors to get from their home and back to their home.

Your profile says you are from DC.  Get in car and drive to Boston to get to the ship.  

The lesson here is to arrive at the cruise port the day Before your ship is scheduled to depart.  There is added cost to this but added costs are part of cruising.  If the cruise cost X dollars plan on spending about 20% in additional costs to cover all that may be needed.

2 hours ago, habitatnal said:

What if the only thing that cruise lines required was a negative test/proof of vaccination to get on board and then the experience was like in 2019?  Would you be ok with that?

I am ok with it as it exists today.  I've done 3 cruises since restart.  Its the general public that has to fill the ships and turn a profit that have to be ok with it.

Encore Jan 23 to 30th.  Heard it was 1500.  Several crew stated that 300 people had canceled.

On this cruise you could walk up to the pool bars at anytime day or night and be served immediately. 

Crew came to take drink orders if you were anywhere on the pool deck, observation lounge, cigar lounge, the smoking box, anywhere on the waterfront, and pretty much any seating area close to a bar.

Service in all respects was excellent.  The crew were so underworked that a empty glass or a plate at any restaurant only lasted about 30 seconds before it was gone.

Food and drinks from any restaurants came very fast.  The bar at the buffet never had more than 1 or 2 people there at a time.

On the observation deck you could sit right up front pretty much any time. 

This may be the best cruises you will ever be on as far as space and service.

Well I am no legal expert nor do I pretend to be.

Here is my take on this.

Mask mandates are on a rapid decline in the United States.  There are many examples and some exceptions that are to much to list here.

Previously the attitude was that if I can wear it shopping, working, or wherever then putting it on to cruise will be as normal as life back home.

If mask mandates mostly disappear on land in most all aspects of life people are not going to pick a cruise for their vacation where a mask is required  Especially after they get used to not having to wear it.

I am not advocating one way or the other just stating my opinion on how people are going to mull the prospect of not wearing a mask at home and then wear one on vacation.

I just got off the Encore on Jan. 30th and I can say for myself that it didn't ruin my vacation.  I didn't see anyone else fuss about it either.  I look forward to when its no longer a thing.

So the Coast Guard, CDC, and whomever can legally require whatever they see fit but if cruising experience does not return to the way it was in 2019 the cruise industry is toast.

With rising inflation and a crashing stockmarket it may toast either way because of the double shock of a pandemic mixed with a recession.

I sure hope I am wrong because the 2019 cruise experience is how I want to vacation.

They all have different options.

Escape, Joy, Encore, Bliss all have a big slide with a 2 person tube and a drop slide.  They also have a kids splash area.

The Breakaway, and Getaway have 5 slides.  They are 2 racers, 2 drop slides, and a more mild slide.

The epic has a toilet bowl slide which is unique.

YouTube videos exist for all the ships that cover the lido deck.

On 2/2/2022 at 7:23 PM, WYB! said:

NCL knows exactly who I am and who you are based on your handle.

 

It is also very possible that because of my review of my NCL Jan 2022 voyage on the Gem, NCL was able to identify me and this is their way of saying “hey, thanks for the review”.

 

Again, I haven’t contacted anyone about anything.

 

- WYB

How would NCL know who we all are?  This is why I don't use my regular email or real name when registering for sites like this.

Now excuse me while I add another layer to my tin foil hat.

14 minutes ago, jeffw67 said:

A little inside information?

The Port of Miami Daily Dock Report provides departure dates and destinations.  Not inside info but you have to dig a little.  Just Google Port of Miami Dade and there are links to the dock report.  You just have to specify a time period.

https://www.miamidade.gov/portmiami/online-services.asp

7 hours ago, zqvol said:

Without another exemption by Congress it can't happen. The law was for last year only. Who knows what the congress will do now, if you think cruise lines are dysfunctional just look to DC.

If another exemption is needed it would most likely pass easily.  Bills like that don't tie them up in knots like other items.

2 of their major ships are actually the Genting Dream and the World Dream.

It is interesting to note that they are Breakaway class ships.

Maybe NCL will purchase them if they are going for fire sale prices.

I hope they do but obviously they have enough trouble of their own to work through.

With the Solo Supplement removed from the Encore 1/23 sailing it's a great opportunity to book two rooms.  You and your travelling companion can book your own room.  

Think of all that extra space!  2 Closets, 2 Showers just make your own multi room suite by getting connecting cabins.  I think I am going to do that to replace my Breakaway cruise that was cancelled.

A Balcony cabin is officially cheaper than a solo cabin! (for this sailing)

7 minutes ago, adamnoone said:

https://upgrade.plusgrade.com/offer/NCL/

That linked worked.  Thank You!

I will check all my settings on my devices.

Just now, WorkNCruise said:

Desktop PC.

I just tried on my phone app to see and it the link does not work there either.  It just says "could not open".

2 minutes ago, wolft927 said:

Are you using a smartphone through the APP?

Desktop PC.

I was reading the other thread regarding the cruise on hold message for the Escape so I thought I would check out my 1/23 Breakaway cruise to see if it showed anything.  It was not showing on hold.  I did not bid to upgrade because I am happy with our cabin but I tried to click the link to see what would happen.  Nothing happened at all.  I tried another browser and same result.  I clear cache and cookies on both browsers and same thing.  The bid to upgrade seems to be disabled.

Can someone else on this cruise look at this?  I have never clicked that link on any past sailing and had an issue.  I am hoping it is a technical issue on not a precursor of a cancelled cruise.

Thanks

6 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

I can't tell if you are being serious.  🙂

The Costa Concordia struck a rock and partially sank 10 years ago this month.  32 people died.

The Captain is still in an Italian prison.

Its a serious question.

Just now, ColeThornton said:

I'm sure there is a plan in place but if you actually need to abandon a vessel that would be just about the least thing to worry about.  lol   🙂

If are confined to your cabin does the door still open for you?  I know you are not supposed to open it cause you can't leave your room but could you if you needed to leave for an emergency?

In the unlikely event that the need to abandon the vessel were to arise do the Quarantied individuals get their own lifeboat?

Probably nobody on here would know but I have to imagine there is a plan in place.

I will be the Breakaway in January.  I would cancel but I do not have CFAR insurance.  I am insured for everything else though.

I did  cancel 3 other cruises.  2 with NCL and 1 with RCCL.

The situation is to fluid for my level of acceptable risk.  

I will be doing land based vacations that I can drive to within 2 days.  Being from the midwest this includes most of the United States.

This is not only because of issues with cruises changing policies or port issues or closed venues/shows it's that you cant even count on the airline getting you there.

Once you leave your vehicle in the parking ramp you are giving control of your destiny to the airline and the cruise lines.  That was fine in 2019 and I eagerly await the day thats the case again.

I love the cruise lines.

I am vaccinated

I have had ports changed and didn't complain.

I wear a mask

But its time for me to say goodbye to cruising until the situation changes.

Interesting destination showing on Cruise Mapper today.  I have never heard of that port.  

I was on the Encore during the 9/4 sailing and they offered a service called Port Valet which we ended up using.  It was very convenient.  For a reasonable fee charged to our onboard account we were able to leave our luggage outside our room the night before and it was checked all the way to our final air destination.  It came with the luggage tags for each checked bag and also the service checked us in for the flight and provided us the boarding passes.  The luggage tags and boarding passes were delivered the last sea day before arriving in Seattle.

It made flying home a lot less of a hassle.

I am wondering if this service is offered in other ports.  I am trying to research but so far I haven't been able to find anything out and I was hoping you experts could help me out.