gizfish

If it's important to you, leave it home as there is a chance you may get a security person who is overly zealous.  I speak from personal experience with the NY port for an NCL cruise.  I had a small screw driver set that I received from some company's promotion; small plastic case, maybe 1 1/2" by 2" in size with a handle and different types of screwdriver attachments in it in my purse.  I wasn't planning on taking the ship apart, and in all honesty thought nothing of having it as it was always in my bag.  Sure enough the security person confiscated it, only because she could not understand why I had it, even though it resembles nothing on the list of prohibited items.

Be aware that the theater is used in the mornings for rehearsal, and if you are above it you will hear and feel the bass from the music.

11 hours ago, commodoredave said:

Just go on their website and look at the descriptions of their dining options. It does not have to be in the contract if a company is using the information to attract customers and generate business. It’s commonly known as false advertising and deceptive marketing, which may have reputational and legal consequences.

Wow so I'm guessing someone who goes on a ship that does not have Moderno on it should take NCL to court....I mean the web site advertised that Moderno is a thing, so obviously everyone is entitled to it.  Arguments like yours are the reason McDonald's has to write that their hot coffee cup is hot and my hairdryer has to have a note on it saying I shouldn't take it into the shower.  If people actually bought into this type of thing as false and deceptive, women everywhere would be suing the tampon companies because they still can't ride a horse or ace that high dive.

If you need to eat at a specific time due to medical reasons, fill out the special needs from that should be available in the manage your booking section.  Once you get your key card, if the time on it isn't okay, you can go to the restaurant listed in the daily sheet (I think it was between 1 pm and 4 pm) to ask staff to change it.  MSC assigns dining to those in Bella or Fantastica the traditional way with same time and table for the whole cruise.  If you are in Aurea, you have anytime dining in the same restaurant each night.  You can probably make a reservation for the whole cruise at the same time in Aurea. 

With regards to the "bad reviews," I would hope you don't spoil your cruise before it even starts because of some negative reviews.  People tend to share more negative opinions than positive opinions.  Also, reviews here are not necessarily an accurate representation since the number of cruise critic members are such a small proportion in the total amount of people cruising.

6 hours ago, commodoredave said:

 It should be described up front as part of the booking process. Cruise lines have been forced by law to now disclose all additional costs of a cruise upfront. I suspect in time that they will be forced to disclose up front that what people are paying for may not be actually available on the cruise. It’s just common sense and basic consumer protection.

Fact remains this is still not something you have paid for.

3 hours ago, commodoredave said:

I have paid for something that is no longer available. Instead, a charter group will be enjoying it. Maybe next week another charter will take over the observation lounge. And maybe next month another group will take over something else. Where do you draw the line? 

Let Bistro and other specialty restaurants are technically not something you have paid for.  Their availability is not part of the inclusive cruise price.  A charter group booking the main theater, the main pool, the buffet, etc., for the cruise would be something that you paid for in your cruise price.  Even stretching this to say specialty restaurants are something you are entitled to with FAS doesn't make a good argument since it isn't like all the restaurants are unavailable, just the one you happen to want. Yep it sucks to look forward to something and then find it's not available for your cruise.  And it sucks when weather makes a port stop not possible, or a show is cancelled due to high seas, or the buffet runs out of something.  But stuff happens.  So where do you draw the line with making an inconvenience into a much bigger issue?

Carry ons are generally 22 by 14 by 9.  There is a good chance your 26" will not fit and therefore will have to be checked.

13 hours ago, NowVoyager2 said:

I've travelled on MSC several times in Europe / Med - most recently this past April / May & July.

There were several passengers disembarking early(some pre arranged & some made preparations onboard). Not a problem at all.

 

As far as why someone would do this - ease of travel to another location(I'm taking a TA from MIami to London but will disembark in Spain several days  earlier).  I use the ships as transport - much like a train to my home in Europe.  I don't ask for a prorated fare  - I just pay what I have to.

In the case of the poster  - his friend is inn the Medical field w limited time off.

 

Plus since this is my first time in MANY years that I will sail NCL - after reading some of the comments & reviews about NCL - I can see why some would want to disembark early!!!

MSC routinely has disembarking and embarking at many of the ports of call on a single cruise.  Since their model is to sell their cruises in this way and NCL does not do this, it might not be so easy.

20 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

If you think this is awful, come on over to my live thread on the Jewel and we can commiserate on the awful decline in service on NCL.

 

I just disembarked today. We were in a suite and didn’t have working toilets for 5 days. There was a used contact lens on the floor, hair in the bed, hair in the shower, a sports bra and a foam airplane wedged behind a drawer and no conditioner in the bathroom. We just experienced the worst cruise ever on the Jewel with truly horrible food and service. Don’t even get me started on the entertainment.

 

But you know the sports bra was obviously left "for your convenience..."

Aurea also includes access to the spa thermal area. If that is of value to you, than the extra cost for Aurea may be worth it to you.  

Maybe it's like one of those motels that offer "hourly rates...."

I agree with those here who say you should have checked deck plans etc., to see what your actual room was at some point in the thirteen months before the cruise.  Personally one of the high points of looking forward to my cruise is studying the deck plans and searching on line for my specific cabin number to see videos, pictures, etc. That being said, if an NCL agent gave you specifically wrong info during your call (yes there is a separate dinning area, yes separate sleeping areas...) than NCL clearly sold you a different room than what they promised you. You know how all their calls start with "this call is being recorded...?"  That may be your friend here.  Stop emailing and call NCL and ask to speak with a supervisor.  Insist they access the recording of your call where you were specifically lied to.  Only problem here is I doubt they have the tape from over a year ago. If at some point before the cruise you had done your due diligence researching and noticed this problem, the recording would have been a slam dunk.

Our experience with the ice cream by the pool was different.  It was only on sea days and only a few hours, from like three or four till maybe seven.  Also the buffet/ pizza was open for like 19 or 20 hours a day.

1 hour ago, ryarger said:

The reservation guarantees you a table when you get to the front of the line. People without reservations may get to the front of the line and find there is no room and have to get on a waiting list.

 

The reservation doesn’t entitle you to cut the line. That would be rude.

Where I come from, when one makes a reservation, it's for a table at the time they make it.  It certainly is not rude to expect that someone with a reservation should be seated before those without.  How can it guarantee a table when you get to the front of the line?  That would mean they were already holding the table since they can't predict which parties of what numbers will reach the front of the line when.  And, since they are holding the table, why not just seat the people who reserved it when they get there?  If NCL does start taking reservations for the MDR, they should simply do what the other cruise lines do and have a separate line for those with reservations.

Careful...if your doggo realises what you are taking the pics for, they will surely insist on going with you.  And then you will have to start another thread about emotional assistance dogs vs. service dogs and we all know what that leads to.

The people not included in the tip pool are butlers, concierge staff and children's counselors.  Don't feel pressured by people who love to tell you how much they tip.  Tipping is obviously a personal choice, and just because someone says it on the internet doesn't make it true.

It was the Carnival Triumph, and an engine room fire was the cause.  The ship was later renamed the Sunrise.  

Even if it's the beginning of college spring break, the majority of college students do not meet the age requirements to sail without an adult. This is probably a better week to sail to avoid kids as it's past presidents week and before the spring holidays.

This is truly a horrible thing to happen, way more than just an inconvenience, and I personally would lose it if it happened to me. That being said, a problem of this magnitude is pretty rare and certainly not a risk for any specific ship or cruise line.  Don't we all remember watching the news about the Carnival poop ship where everyone was having to go in buckets?  They had to rename that ship afterwards (ok maybe it was just their regular rebounding of older ships but still...)

Since you do not have trip insurance and although you don't say specifically where you are going, but based on the long flights, obviously somewhere pretty foreign, you may want to cancel.  Medical care abroad may not be covered by your health insurance, and in many countries does not come close to the quality at home.  If you did have an issue, your health insurance would not cover medically evacuating you, and that cost would be exponential.  Hopefully your credit card provided trip cancellation insurance.  Unfortunately when people consider whether to buy trip insurance, they decide not to based on the cost of the trip.  They don't realise the big reason to get the insurance is in case of medical issues during the trip.

23 hours ago, TheBeardedCruiser said:

I tried every single brunch item, except maybe one. I loved them all! I had the strawberry shortcake three times. Each time it was delicious. 

 

In my opinion though, the steak and eggs was the best. It was the perfect size for a late breakfast. I sure hope that they keep the brunch menu, because it a game changer for me! I enjoy sleeping in on my vacations and I don't know of any other cruise line that serves brunch in the MDR. Please tell me otherwise if I'm wrong!

Carnival serves brunch on sea days.  It started as a comedy "George Lopez" themed brunch many years ago. They dropped the comedy part and kept the brunch.  Royal Caribbean served a brunch on sea days in the Mediterranean style restaurant on Oasis class.  Not sure if they still do.

Keep an eye out for the chocolate panna cotta at the buffet.  It will be masquerading as something boring in a foil container, possibly behind the other trays of desserts.  Take a couple back to your cabin to stash in the fridge for bed snack.

When we were in the Haven, pre-covid, there was complementary champagne on the Haven Sun deck during sail away.  The concierge or butler should tell you if they are doing that.

2 hours ago, Dudi76 said:

We will be on the Bliss. In which SD restaurant can we use 2 FAS and order enough food to share with our son?

Technically you can do this in no specialty restaurant.  Sharing is specifically specified as not being allowed.  You way be able to use a dining credit at Food Republic which entitles you to four items, and share in that way.  But again this is technically not allowed and YMMV.