tiger-91

I thought it was just me! This is very much like what we experienced on the Carnival Elation (not sure what ship you were on). But yes very consistent and kept waking me up. I had to request another cabin the next day. Even when they came to see (or hear) what I was talking about they agreed saying it was something outside hitting the ship.

Which cabin did you vacate?

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Also look at two 2 person interior rooms. Can be connecting or just near each other. Might be cheaper. .. and you'd have more wardrobe space.

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Although this cabin is close to the stairs and elevators, it had some strange loud noises that happened periodically. At first we thought it was the neighbors, but it wasn't because it was too consistent. We think it was due to the lifeboats that hang right below it. Either way, I wouldn't stay in that cabin again. I woke up every night.

Which cabin?

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I don't understand why, if it was found in your stateroom, the "normal" procedure isn't to have someone call the phone number on file for the passenger.

Also i lost my reading glasses once during a cruise, and it was never turned in to guest services. After that i noticed eyeglasses laying around a bar cash register. I inquired and sure enough, they'd been left behind. Several days passed and they were never turned in.

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I'm sailing on LG on Thursday.

There has been an OS available for weeks.

I would love to upgrade, but it would be AUD 8700.

So much for RCI offering upgrades to D+ and Pinnacle C&A members.

Looks like we sail with an empty OS.

Yes, I have my preference set as automatic upgrade.:mad:

But I'm quite willing to pay a reasonable price.:eek:

Call them rather than waiting for them to call you! Tell them you're C&A level. You never know what might happen. Computers can make mistakes.

I'm absolutely gutted! Just received an email from RCI offering us a special offer on a balcony cabin upgrade for £200 when the current price difference between a prom and a balc is £900.

The problem is that they won't allow our girls to move who are in a connecting cabin as their booking reference hasn't been selected for the upgrade. I've tried everything. It's my 40th, never been inside before always have a balcony, circumstances meant we had to downgrade etc. Mario was brilliant and even checked with management but the computer still said no.

The nearest balcony to their prom is 14 cabins away. I can't do that as in an emergency we'd have different musters. Gutted!!first time offer of upgrade and had to say no!. Now praying someone cancels a deck 7 mid ship port side balc cabin before departure. :(

Did you try to move the kids to a same-category prom cabin that would be closer to your new balcony?

The big beds are two twins that can be pulled apart, i guess. (you mentioned wedging a cot in between as if that's how you want you and your husband's beds.) or pushed together as in the video.

Hi there --- we are cruising on Epic next Month and am a bit concerned about tipping --------what is the procedure for this on Epic? On other cruises we have had tips taken at time of booking but it seems NCL does it differently.Thanks a lot --- you sound a really nice couple!:)

NCL does the same. You can prepay online. The default is to pay after the cruise by having the daily service charge automatically charged to your on-board account (usually a credit card on file). You can tell guest services on board that you refuse the automatic daily service charge. This lets you give cash (maybe in envelopes like olden days) to whomever you wish, or not.

But keep in mind that you'll likely never have the same waiter. You will see the same person at a particular restaurant as a host, at least I noticed that in the free restaurants. (even way back when, I never interacted with a maitre dee unless he bothered to tour the tables and ask how the meal was. I didn't put much cash in that envelope.)

I think the only person that will stay constant on NCL and gets a share, I hope, of the daily service charge is your room steward. (A bartender or spa attendant doesn't get a share of the DSC. That's why an automatic tip is added to any bill. I'm sure you could request a lower amount, thus a credit, at guest services.)

I was just reading a recent cruise review and the writer indicated that they did have a gratuity added even though they had the "free" UBP. Can anyone else confirm this to be true? http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=501105

I had the UBP on NCL Epic in March. Barstaff still gives you a paper for you to sign. The paper shows the drink price and the 18% auto-gratuity. You can add an extra tip. That tip will show on your account. The auto-gratuity does not.

Usually when I got just a soda, there was no paper transaction.

I was recently on two NCL cruises. The first I had the UBP and the second I brought my own soda onboard. Neither time did I notice slack service. The pool bar was busy. It was spring break!

I tipped extra when there was extra service, like at the martini tastings. I doubt the tip went to the server who ran the card, but also to her fellow server and the bartender/entertainer.

When I had the soda in my room, I would often stop at a bar on the way to the room to get a cup of ice. I never got flack for it. But I felt guilty about not being able to tip on a slip easily. If I'd gone to just one bartender, I would have added it to a drink.

Anyway, what I did was mention the good service in my NCL survey.

One of the best ways to help an employee get a bonus or promotion is to specifically give them, by name, a glowing review on a comment card. NCL has free-style dining so you rarely get the same servers. When I get a good one, I get a comment card and fill it out right away. The dining rooms have comment cards on the table or at the hostess stand. I believe general service comment cards are available at the Guest Relations desk. The OP could have done this to differentiate to management the good bartender from the mediocre.

A different kind of tipping....maybe I'm a cheapskate, but I do care.

I loved my studio on the Getaway last year. On my sailing they were full but this area of the ship is very quiet. Also enjoyed the ability to go get water, juice or a little snack at any time in the Lounge without having to go far.

 

I have booked connecting Studios for my son and I on the Getaway in September. We didn't really want to share a cabin so this option will give us each our own space. :)

 

Deb

I'm interested if yall use the connecting door. Haha. I would prefer it not be there. It just lets noise through, even closed.

It's interesting that you make no mention that others have of kids running through Spice to get to the Sports Deck. Maybe you weren't around the bar?

I enjoyed your tequila tasting review. I feel guilty that I could understand what you were saying!

Great review.

And i'd like to add to my other posts about the increase in service charges and drink prices...

 

IF you work with a good travel agent (such as myself) you would've been notified about the increase in service charges. We found out that they were being increased from $12 per day to $12.95 per day back in the middle of February. I immediately emailed my clients and notified them of this. Norwegian was giving anyone who was already booked prior to the increase of March 1st, the opportunity to pre-pay their gratuities before their sailing. So, if you weren't notified by your travel agent, then shame on them and if you didn't take advantage of pre-paying your gratuities, then don't complain when you get onboard and they've gone up. Just sayin... :cool:

 

As far as drink prices, again, prices go up. Cruise prices have remained steady over the past 20 years. They make their money on drinks and casino. You're on vacation - have a drink and if you can't afford the increase, then stay home :D

 

I went to my local pub last weekend (i don't go out much) and was shocked that I'm paying $5.50 for a Corona. Same price as a ship. Go figure!!

NCL notified me via e-mail and reminded me I could prepay in February at the lower rate. I didn't read anything in this thread about complaints about service charges. What I read was a comment about the drink gratuity being 18% now. I think it was 15%.

Thanks!

A lot of studios have connecting doors, so check that out if you want to be separate but close to a friend. The webpage shows floor plans. Rooms with double-arrows indicate connecting rooms.

Studios are smaller than inside staterooms and have less storage space. But for the price, can't be beat!

I DON't UNDERSTAND, DOES THE LIGHTS GO ON ONLY AFTER INSERTING YOUR

 

CRUISE CARD? HOW LONG DOES IT STAY ON? PLEASE EXPLAIN

 

THANK YOU

A card must be inserted for the lights to turn on. There is a separate switch that can turn lights off and on, but regardless the card must be in there. When you take the card out, the lights automatically turn off after a few minutes, regardless of switch position.

Just in case you're not aware, there are limits (one or two liters per person) to how much alcohol you can legally bring back duty-free.

Items which can be brought back from the Caribbean duty-free

But, if you bring back more, you just have to pay a tax when you return. Duty-free doesn't seem to be your main goal.

Having said all that, I've never been searched when disembarking the cruise to confirm that my declared 750ml was accurate.

These are the cruise compass dailies for the May 2014 crossing of the Liberty of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale to Lisbon, Cadiz, Palma de Mallorca and finally Barcelona. Next year may be different, but maybe reading these will help those who are curious about what is offered on such a cruise.

https://plus.google.com/photos/115361110611221945814/albums/6027830323420866401

I just got off the Epic last week. O'Sheehan's sells pitchers for total $15.81 with gratuity. They have plastic but since I was the only drinker, they gave me a chilled stainless steel pitcher which kept the Newcastle good and cold the entire time.

The pitcher holds a little over three tall glasses of beer, which go for $6.84 each. A 12 oz bottle of Newcastle is $6.04.

A 16 oz aluminum bottle of miller lite is 6.33.

I remember Newcastle and Stella being on tap. But there were others. (Though NO Irish beers)

If you get the bucket of beer and ice melts away, get another bucket of just ice from any bar or waiter. They don't mind.