Steve007NY

One of our favorite stories was taking my nephew who had recently turn 21 and was interested in learning more about wines on a the Spirit Venice-Barcelona as a graduation gift. The very first night, literally, as we were talking to him about the difference between dry and sweet wines,and explaining the role of tannins, the cruise beverage director came over to introduce himself. When we explained the serendipity, he sat down, spend 15 minutes with us talking to my nephew about wines and for the rest of the cruise regularly stopped by with suggestions and insisting that we try pairing three or four different ones with different entrées or appetizers. It was like providing my nephew with a private wine appreciation course!

(My nephew subsequently took a job working for a wine distributor!)

Bought 100 shares of Carnival for our first Seabourn cruise. So far $700 in OBCs and it's doubled in value! NCL as mentioned I've traded in and out of over the years. OBCS probably made it doubly profitable.

DO research travel insurance. Allianz has policies that cover reimbursement for Family and individual is traveling with someone who needs medical intervention or for whom the trip is interrupted. Reimbursed us for $7000 when a family emergency forced us to return on a few hours notice from Bangkok.

As a psychiatrist, with a MIL who spent years in a nursing home with AD, and now with a mother who, although she lives on her own at home, but couldn't find our cabin last year (and I'd chosen a cabin with something like 1500 on purpose) I'm finding folks' suggestions for future cruises with Mom. Thankfullyshes in an early enough stage that she still largely can participate in most onboard activities.

We've also found that some of the "ship within a ship" areas on Norwegian and MSC- with their smaller number of passengers and more staff focuse have helped. We're trying to convince her to come on Seabourn since the ships are smaller and the service intense, but she is stubborn and wants the show and casinos (don't ask!) of the big ships! God bless her.

Thanks. Every $100 helps!

Put in carry-on. Openly let them know. They will take them, tag them and return them the night before disembarkation. Never had a problem bringing local liquors on board, at least in ports. Never embarked with inquiries on NCL but no problems on other lines- just wave goodbye to the bottles until the last night.

we are in no rush, hate huge crowds and are simply picking up rental car (Alamo shuttle to airport for rental). What's the latest we can disembark...When will they throw us off? :D

Just driving to Delray to see my Mom, so DH is especially in no rush!!

On the stock, then sold it, then bought it back in early August. I've been waiting for my 8/31 shareholder statement which came this morning. Filled out the shareholder information form and that page of my statement. Got an automated confirmation of receipt from shareholder services. My sailing is 9/16. Do you think it's likely that I'm going to lose the benefit because it's 14 rather than 15 days? Didn't know how else to provide the information they needed except waiting for Fidelity statement

Are EMPTY bottles allowed? I'm a bit of a Crystal Lite peach iced tea junkie. Usually bring empty 2 liter bottle to hotels with me and mix with tap water (started when travels took me to places with horrible tap water and I could barely afford bottled water). I suppose I could ask room service for a pitcher but bottle fits better in cabin fridge.

If not will manage... somehow! 😃

when I hit "print luggage tags here" I get clear image of the tags.

When I try to print, it divides the tag into two pages, one with

Ship

Cabin

Location

Date

All in black and white, and second page with

MAROON

Space for out information to be filled in

This page is in color!!!

Is this something I'm doing wrong. Tried printing from my iPad and MacBook. Both separate these two pages.

I imagine I can upload as photo and print that but curious if this is a known problem? Last. Step before packing..

Thanks!

Knew about the rail which doesn't bother us. I'll book tomorrow!

About to book a November Odyssey cruise. After much household debate, decided on booking a specific cabin rather than going for OB 'lottery' or 11/23 additional 5% discount.

From the deck plans, it's hard to figure out. Does Suite 508or 510 have a full-size balcony?

Thanks

Are your kids studying a foreign language in school? Announcements on MSC cruises I've been on are in English, Spanish, Italian, German and French... great learning opportunity for the kids.

Done several cruises on MSC AND NCL. very different experiences though I'd give MSC the vote for food and service, NCL for shows and activities. WE go mostly b price and ports

It seems as if low-ball bids from inside to balcony are getting approved pretty often (judging just from these posts). Lowest bid offered for our balcony to any Haven are starting at $400pp. With UBP & SDP not sure worth it but hey, if it goes down (9/16 sailing) might give it a shot. $7k cruise on Seabourn in November a bit of a budget buster for our 2017 cruise budget!

Also, consider Seaborn. Are cruises on their ships have been among the most delightful experiences of our travel lives (a few Southeast Asian luxury hotels are the only exceptions). If one uses website that allows you to look at discounts, there are times when the Seabourn Cruise line cabins are priced well below those of Norwegian Haven. You want lobster every night? No problem. Caviar and blini served in your cabin with kettle one? No problem. No additional charges, no tipping, and a very informed, friendly, and congenial set a fellow passengers. The quality of service by the staff is simply extraordinary. A year pass between two cruises we took, yet when we hit the bar, they remember that we liked caviar with our vodka and it was there without us even having to requested.

We're sailing Norwegian in a few weeks (it's not like we don't appreciate what it offers-and we've got an angle balcony cabin) but Seaborn is a whole other sort of experience.

As New Yorkers, we are used to service employees expecting not only tips but almost ridiculously high ones (taxis, when you pay by credit card, offer 20, 25 and 30% as options!). In Asia, in contrast, rounding up tithe nearest dollar or two brings smiles and thanks!

How was the service? A guide who is constantly providing information and is personable and engaged for 6 hours deserves far more than one who mostly chats with the driver. I can recall a driver who took my elderly mom under his wing, helping her in and out, seemingly always there with an arm every time we returned to the car. He got 30%. One who barely seemed to acknowledge we were there got a couple of Euros.

I think the "how much" needs to be tied to "for what". Which is why I sometimes mourn the old days of tipping on cruises in person and individually rather th th current fixed or-set model.

Check out some of the menus (google 'ncl gem menus")

Keep in mind that if none of the entrées is of interest you can order three appetizers. You can even order three appetizers per person and two entrées. The only downside that I found on Norwegian are the MDR lunch menus which get old fast.

recently spoke with NCL directly. Apparently, only 20% of the tables at the specialty restaurants are available for advance booking. So when it says "not available" when you try to book online, there are still available tables which you could book once on board. Or so they told me. I'm certainly hoping so, since we really want to dine at Cagney's and it's listed as unavailable for advanced booking.

We just booked parallel cabin on the Escape. On a prior cruise, we were in the cabin next door and would discreetly steal views of the angle balcony. I don't seem to recall there being a way to access it from our cabin balcony.

My mother, who lives in Florida (I live in New York) he is addicted to my chicken noodle matzoh ball soup. Last time I flew down, my suitcase had five carefully wrapped quart containers of frozen soup in it. I previously I tried to take it as carry-on, which made the TSA agent crazy.

Knee-it's frozen chicken noodle soup.

Him-it could become a liquid while you're in flight

Me-hopefully not since it's in an insulated bag, but then it would be slightly defrosted chicken soup.

Him-liquids Aren't allowed

Me - it's full of carrots, celery, noodles and cut up chicken. Even defrosted it's not terribly dangerous…

He finally let me through, but now I put it in my checked bags :-)

Uneamie-

I was kidding about the Tupperware but always carry several sizes of ziplock bags- for airline lounge and buffet to go functions.

You mean others don't travel with various size Tupperware to bring things back to their cabins?

In seriousness. We have even asked the MDR for a plate to go and taken back to the cabin. Sometimes 'cause my mom wasn't feeling up to walking but sometimes we just wanted a breakfast, or other item that wasn't at the buffet. Never even a raised eyebrow

One would think that their algorithm is even ore complex, and that the "total expenditure" model you propose would also take into account the demand for the cabin type you are vacating. If they have demand for MY -say- OV, but none for your balcony, or many unsold in your category, wouldn't rev management take my bid and sell my of cabin rather than hope for new demand for yours?. I'd think that's why man pay don't fclear unti shortly before boarding (fly more than I cruise and Delta RM has this down pat :-(

But only a guess.

Apologies for that last almost incomprehensible post! Should never post after the second martini! What it should have said:

Just got upgrade offers from our angled balcony on the Escape 9/16 sailing. It looks like most of the haven suites are not yet sold. For a brief moment , I had the fantasy of making $200 offers for the forward and aft Haven cabins, but it looks like there are minimum bid requirements. Did I miss a prior discussion of this part of the upgrade bid process? It would be nice to try out the Haven, but we've already got one of our favorite regular balcony cabins, have the dining plan and UBP.

Do they ever reduce the minimum bids closer to sailing?

I would advise that if your preferred beverage is something rare, or hard to get is your embarkation port you give them as much notice as possible - e.g.Diet Mountain Dew in South America. They'll find it!

Just got upgrade offers from our angle of the balcony on the Escape 9/16 sailing. It looks like most of the haven suites or not yet sold. For reef well, I had the fantasy of making $200 offers for the forward and after cabins, but it looks like there are minimum bid requirements. Did I miss a prior discussion of this part of the upgrade bid process? It would be nice to try out the Haven, but we've already got great cabins. Do they have reduced the minimum bids?