MohrPfun

I wanted to read the letter, but…

53 minutes ago, ludalex said:

Well, that's good to know.  Do you mean that they didn't restock the food for those who came to eat after 9 am?

It sure didn’t look like it.  I was just going through this report again to make notes for our trip on her next week (exchange shorex tix for wristbands at Adventure Landing for gondola in Icy Strait to avoid line, for example and thanks Yvonne!) and between 9a and its closing at 10a, Garden Cafe was a wasteland.

It was also nice to reread the wonderful experiences that you did have (birthday cakes and animal towels!) and despite so many issues, there were some truly incredible moments and magical memories that I hope you hold onto, even if Dad can’t now.  The photos are just incredible of you and Dad, especially with some of the amazing crew members.

13 minutes ago, julig22 said:

I'm out of the exclusive group too- there are always chairs on my balcony, always thought they were deck chairs.

I’m so glad this vital discussion has transpired!  Interestingly, it’s NCL that brought it to my attention.  I always assumed that you could use the term interchangeably, but NCL no longer does.  They have loungers and chairs in their nomenclature only now.  

Welcome home!!!  What a fantastic report, I loved it so much.  Your writing is so great, especially with all of your pictures and interesting details.

Thank you for taking us along on a great cruise.

ps:  I love the new tattoo, great color work!

Oh Schmoopie, you’re actually one of the funny ones around here, I enjoy your sense of humor very much.

It’s something “most of us” around here should strive to embrace, as opposed to the vitriol scattered amongst ALL the deckchairs.

;-)

8 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I certainly have.  That's the movie where the poor people in steerage are having tremendous fun and the rich people in first class are miserable trying to out-snob each other.  Hmmm....

 

Fortunately, NCL doesn't have lockable gates to keep the steerage passengers "where they belong."  Of course, I still can't get my keycard to take me to the Haven....😎  I'll just have to stay put until @complawyerinvites me up for that Scotch.

Huh?  I'm not sure if you're trying to deflect here, or what, but the reference was to the topic at hand, which is deckchairs.  In that reference, the band played on the boat deck while steerage passengers listened in deckchairs because there were no more life boats left...

Anyways, I'm glad we can finally put this nonsense to rest.   HAHA, who am I kidding, this will certainly continue for several more pages, because that's what people seem to enjoy here. 😉 

7 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I didn't!

No.  Google beat you to it.  Nice try though.🤣

I thought you were ex-staff?  Certainly everyone here has seen Titanic at least once?

Valiant effort at playing coy, though. 😉 

Oh c’mon people, enough with the chair nonsense.

Most of us know that the term deckchair is the English version of lounger.

https://www.fritzhansen.com/en/categories/by-series/steamerdeckchair/steamer-deck-chair?sku=S1550505

What’s funny is that nowadays, the term deckchair is usually referring to those hideous canvas strap models:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deckchair

So no, NCL doesn’t use either model any longer, but on the larger private balconies (suites) you may have loungers and you may also have chairs, as NCL doesn’t use the term deckchairs for either of those two options that they provide.

Does that help everyone…?

23 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Per order. You can have as much as you want on an order.

 

But if you order coffee. And 30

min later order a muffin, that’s two orders. 
 

Yes. Tip the delivery person like you would tip a pizza delivery person or Uber Eats driver  

I agree on the tip too, and I do the same at hotels,even with service charge added.

To confirm, if in a suite (or Haven), the 4.95 plus 20% (breakfast) or 9.95 plus 20% service charges don't apply?  

I guess I would tip a few bucks more in that category, if that's the case.  I'm asking because I'll want breakfast delivery for sure, and am in a suite next month and want to make sure they're taken care of - are these different servers/delivery persons than the butlers, or same?

Yeah, the hotel part is a whole ‘ other story.

In Anchorage next month, decent properties are north of $400/nt.  I thankfully had enough Hilton points to use for that, which worked out to be a great redemption.

1 hour ago, Ellis1138 said:

It's limited to one hour of use (or at least 1 hour of it being hot). I can't afford haven or hot tub suites, but I find it hard to believe that this is for "public health" when they no longer make people wash their hands or sanitize at the buffet.

At a time, yes, but not per day, which is the point here.

It stays hot for an hour.

They drain it.

They clean it.

Have them refill it.

Use it for another.

Repeat this process for as long as you want.  I find this even better than public health, this is my personal health.  Hot tubs are gross to begin with the chemicals that dry out your skin, this seems like a far better solution to me.  

38 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

I thought it was just me.  How is it dishonest and deceptive for asking you to call housekeeping after each tub use so that it can be cleaned and sanitized?  

Right?  And to get paid $500 for it as well…sign me up!

^ how is it unavailable?

Use, have them drain, and refill, right?  Wash, rinse, repeat.

Am I missing something here?

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

It's a good idea to fill them out while still on the ship while accomplishments are still fresh.  We also ask for people who we want to remember on the survey if we can take a picture of their name tag.  That way we get the spelling and title correct.

Will do, thank you!

4 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm sure your butler would be happy to bring you a stack. You can also grab a stack from the concierge at any time you pass by the desk. That's what we typically do.

Awesome, I wasn’t sure where, thank you!

I’m so glad to have stumbled across this thread, as it’s on my to do list for our (1st time) sailing next month.

Is it ok to just ask our butler to bring a stack of them to our suite at their convenience?

12 minutes ago, reeinaz said:

I was awarded my upgrade bid today. 6/24/24 Jewel to Alaska.

 

Yay!  From what to what/where to where?!

1 hour ago, Sportquattro said:

Booked a Penthouse Suite on Joy from 7.14-7.21 and was given the option to upgrade to basically everything else above me, all in the Haven. All of my offers were in the Good range, some leaning towards the Fair side, so hoping to make this first cruise for my small family a special one.  Im sure my 3k offer for the 2100 sq ft owners suite will get me to the top of the list, right guys?!?!?

Haha, it might, but unless someone cancels their Haven booking, that’s where you’re going to remain.  The Haven is sold out on that sailing.

If my math is correct, that’s close to a 40% cut in choices.  I would call that significant.

3 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

We would have been lost without the spa. I’m torn, because our time in the thermal suite was very much ruined by a family of 8 that used the spa as their space to connect with each other daily and catch up and chat. I so politely asked them to be quiet on the first day and from that day forward they bullied me, hissed at me and mocked me. I left one day in tears. The spa manager did talk to them but it made no difference. I felt anxious every time I was in there. 
 

 

 

I am so sorry you went through that and what you experienced is reprehensible.  I would hope you put this (and other issues on your cruise) in a formal letter to NCL.  Especially as an Ambassador level client, they would want/need to have these concerns addressed.

 I’m happy with letting it go for us, and as I’ve mentioned, we have so many other things planned (shorex glacier, Jayleen, etc.) and it’ll be our 1st time seeing these ports, that it’s an easy trade-off to be augmented with Andalie’s treatments instead!

On 5/2/2024 at 1:58 PM, UKstages said:

just so you know, NCL is quite specific about the terminology they use. they say that accommodating a price drop after final payment is a "courtesy" and is not in fact a "policy." in practical terms, it seems like most people can indeed get a one time "courtesy" applied after final payment, payable in FCC. Or in lieu of FCC, they can get an upgrade, as a "courtesy," if their paid amount exceeds the current price for a higher stateroom category. FCC is valid for two years from the disembarkation date for the cruise relevant to the price drop. 

 

(again, my comments above apply to price drops after final payment.)

Or it seems there is also a 3rd option…

As noted by me in another Price Drop thread in this forum, I noticed a change in my sailing costs after final payment, and at approximately 3 weeks before sailing.  This was originally a CAS booked sailing for a balcony cabin, which I paid to upgrade into a suite.  The NCL rep actually offered $310 in OBC for my sailing, which reflects online in my booking now.

11 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Some ratings on a scale of zero life rings 🛟 to five life rings

 

overall shipboard experience 🛟🛟

cabin 🛟🛟🛟

comfort of bed 🛟
embarking and disembarking in Vancouver

🛟🛟🛟🛟🛟

entertainment offered 🛟

quality of evening shows 🛟🛟

cruise director🛟

cruise director’s staff🛟

food in free restaurants 🛟🛟

food in specialty restaurants 🛟🛟

concierge 🛟🛟🛟🛟🛟

bartenders and drinks 🛟🛟🛟🛟🛟

overall Alaskan experience 🛟🛟🛟🛟🛟

Thermal spa pass 🛟🛟 (noisy, dirty, often no cups)

massage 🛟🛟🛟🛟🛟

Crew interacting with passengers 🛟🛟🛟🛟

waitstaff 🛟

Latitudes parties🛟

Cruise Next manager 🛟

value for money 🛟

 

We are booked on the Jewel again in August and have already passed final payment. If we could cancel, we would. Neither of us want to go on the Jewel again, especially without Rumi and Armando. Tomorrow I will be canceling the trip we had booked on the Jewel for the Christmas sailing.

There were so many wonderful moments, but far too many poor quality meals and the lack of entertainment both during the day and in the evenings is a deciding factor.

 

When I reflect on the ratings above, what we liked most were the drinks and spending time with Rumi. Both Rumi and Armando made a huge difference on this cruise for us.

I am switching to Princess this summer and have 5 weeks booked with them. I am likely to try both Celebrity and Virgin in the next few years. NCL’s lack of entertainment, decline in food and decline in overall shipboard experience drove me to another line.
 

My dad is done with cruising and our cruise in August will be his last. He kept saying over and over again that he didn’t want to cruise anymore. The music in the lounges was so loud we were not able to spend one evening there listening to music. We used to love this on NCL. 
 

The post-cruise survey doesn’t have space for any comments like these. 

Once again, I can’t thank you enough for all of your insights and the sharing of your adventures with Dad.  
 

Based on your life ring scale (hilarious!), I’ve just gotten off the phone w/NCL and cxld/refunded our Thermal 7-days.  We’ll use that $$$ w/Andalie for massages instead, which sounds far better.

On 5/13/2024 at 6:06 PM, YVRteacher said:

There are going to be changes in two weeks. No more Grey Goose either. Also no more Budweiser (just Bud Light.)

I wonder if they’re replacing the Goose with another brand?

(not a big deal for me as I actually prefer the Chopin in a martini with a few olives, but I do like a Goose & Club Soda)

And this is a good reminder for me, I will absolutely request the same from ours:

It seems like it would impact the aft/port side, but you would know for sure!

34 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

That galley is not above the club balcony suites.

Are you sure?  Here's mid-ship to aft for Deck 12 on the left and Deck 11 on the right...