laudergayle

Thank everybody for providing great info for new Princess cruisers. Really appreciate insights from others. Thanks 😊

THANK YOU SO MUCH for these links. I appreciate your sharing and not telling me to go search for it myself. Thanks!

Got it…thanks for clarifying.

Sounds perfect! So, with Premier I could order sushi as part of the unlimited casual dining and champagne up to $20 (or pay the cost above $20 plus grat) using the Ocean Now? Besides a tip, is there any other cost associated with a transaction as you outlined? And, to clarify, this is done using your Princess app on your phone. Once it arrives do they scan your medallion for payment, or is paying done automatically through the app?

What’s with the Medallion? We are more old-school types, and while we do have smart phones, we are not really technologically advanced. We are use to carrying a room key for purchases. The Medallion seems like it wants a lot of information about you, and to me it feels a little intrusive. I read on the drink thread that you have a 15 day limit and sometimes the bar tenders won’t use two medallions so the drink count gets out of whack. I also read that if the security photo on the Medsllion doesn’t match you the purchase won’t go through. All of this seems so complicated. Am I overthinking the Medallion?

@OrangeCatRamblers ditto😊

Yes!

Just stumbled on your LIVE. Thanks. I just convinced DH that we need to give Princess a try. There is a LA-Catalina Island-SFO-Ensenada-San Diego-LA next April. Your review answered so many of my questions? Thanks. p.s. I loved your Blue Moon pic. ❤️🐀

Didn’t you hear…it’s been rationed. No more “loading” of bacon. Sorry🤣

Tempting!! The 5th or 12th?

Glad to hear you enjoyed Princess. I was poking around yesterday on their site and discovered their Plus package and thought the same thing relative to NCL FAS. I priced out a couple itineraries in a balcony with the Plus+ option and was pleasantly surprised at total cost. And DSC were included. We haven’t sailed Princess since 2004…so I was iffy on experience…so thanks for sharing you perspective.

This or that. Not at the same time. Just sayin’.

Duh. Which if you had read my entire l post, that WAS my point. Pick and choose which cruise lines seemingly offer the best value/cost/experience for you. Then check it out. Seems like you think NCL is a good choice for you. Which is perfectly ok. 😊

Congrats…you win for the FIRST and ONLY 🤣. I expected more. But…not from the simplicity of Hash Browns and Cookies. On their own…not a big deal. I guess you failed to see how far down the “change chain” this element resided. It is a culmination of change that creates the outrage around Hash Browns and Cookies.

NCL really is pushing more and more people towards other lines by messing with the quality, quantity, and availability of one of the elements needed for human survival…FOOD. (Okay, I’m ready for the 🙄 and 🤣.) And, while we all know no one will starve on a cruise, food offers comfort and enjoyment to most of us. Cruises have historically been a place where we can indulge beyond our norms with food items we don’t typically eat at home. IMO, NCL has gone overboard. First it was quality, then portion size, then reduced operating hours in buffet, then the elimination of crowd favorites (hash browns, crepes, cookies)…now reducing the number of venues offering food & beverage. My prediction of next to go: bacon (less often in buffet, fewer pieces put out at a time), French fries (they will be frozen baked not fried), specialty dinner bread will be now basic dinner rolls, butter will be margarine, half and half will be coffeemate, OJ will be cut with water, ice cream will carry a charge. There is a reason I still have unused CF certificates. We have two NCL cruises booked, but more snd more we are checking out competitive cruise lines, with 2 already booked on MSC.

Those sloths are so darn cute! Who knew😊

YUM. I’m impressed. Lucky bakery to have you at the oven.

This is true. I accidentally added $500 CN to a booking that already had a $500 CF as the deposit. While it was never caught by NCL, I checked daily after final payment to make sure they hadn’t canceled my reservation. The worry wasn’t worth it.

Well they sure have improved the Platinum tender process. Our cruise in November there was almost a mutiny with a room full of Platinum +. The entire tendering process was a total cluster.

Nice cruise. Wishing you happy sailing😊

That is a true. When we upgraded from OA to BA, I saw a lot of cabins on NCL.com that the WP rep couldn’t see.

We booked an Oceanview where as we typically do balcony for the exact reason. And…to save a few $$, too. Wishing you a fabulous time regardless which one you choose.

I thought of something that might make a decision a little easier. The NCL cruise is on the Sky, which is one of their older ships. From what I seen on YouTube videos, the cabins are extra small. Also, if you like a more active cruise while onboard, it seems like Virgin offers more to do like yoga sessions, onboard parties, dance lessons. While NCL does have some activities, IMO the activities are more subdued on NCL.

Ignore my comment in #4. I realize now that must be the Virgin itinerary. Sorry about that.

I noticed in your highlighted text you show Agidar but on the visual itinerary it doesn’t show.