mjkacmom

3 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

You'll most likely be ok with a minivan. 

In manhattan you get dinged even for small SUV’s, I always have to pay the large vehicle surcharge on my odyssey, but I’d be happy not to!

Just booked a Boston hotel for next month, $450 a night, $30 for parking but the website said that’s for cars and that larger vehicles will have a surcharge (I drive a minivan). 

1 hour ago, IAcruising said:

 

That seems really cheap for the Land's End excursion. I'm going to guess, since it says "from $45" that it's after the discount.

 

Regarding the Connell Lake, that is before the discount.

 

I think it’s that pesky word FROM meaning it will cost $45 or more. They can legally charge anything.

30 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

That would be a day pass on the Joy. I would be shocked if it's less than $300 for a 7-day.

 

Yes, I agree,definitely closer to $300 than $100.

Depends on the ship, date of sailing, length of cruise, it’s fluid.

12 minutes ago, fethiyeden said:

The couch is turned into a bed & left as a bed for the duration of the cruise. As the stewards now only do one visit per day the bed cannot be changed.

While it should be easy for them to do themselves, folks have reported that the stewards will put up and down the pullmans, so I suspect they will do the sofa bed if asked. 

5 hours ago, njhorseman said:

There have been no changes to NCL'S terms and conditions that would permit them to do this.

 

More than that, the fact that not one post made on the NCL board has reported this...and believe me some regular there would have screamed at the top of their lungs if it had happened to them makes me skeptical to say the least. 

 

Perhaps there's an innocent error in the programming of the tax calculation. Perhaps this first-time poster has misunderstood something or perhaps this is an instance of what we sometimes see on the internet from people who have an ax to grind. 

 

 

It is odd, we’ve always been charged just the sales tax (7%?). I’d try to find an answer while on the ship, 

The sofa bed is really just a twin with a pillow back, I can’t remember if you pull the bed away from the wall or just remove the pillow, but you don’t need the steward to do anything.

You go to guest services and get additional keys, there will be many on the same line for the same reason.

13 hours ago, frenchmeg said:

Hi,

 

Where did you buy the day passes and how much, did not find on resort pass website

 

thks!

https://www.resortforaday.com/destinations/nassau-bahamas-day-passes/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1siQtvaChQMVFptaBR04bQd_EAAYASAAEgIa9_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

17 hours ago, tartist said:

@mjkacmom do you recall where the entrance to splash academy was? Or mind sharing what room number you had? Looking at booking a room on deck 12 and trying to figure out the best option with splash academy being right there. Thanks in advance! 

It was probably 2 or 3 off the hallway from the kids club, not an issue. There were tons of kids onboard since it coincided with a local school holiday. I haas 2 who utilized the teen club, and 3 who would’ve been in the 10 - 12 group but they didn’t like it (none of my kids every liked any tween club).

11 hours ago, barbatkins said:

This was exactly what I needed..    I expect they will go with 2 cabins…. Thank you so much

Yes, really the only difference between a balcony and club balcony suite is a tiny bit more room (sometimes just bathroom) and perks like a free $30 laundry bag, some snacks left in a the cabin a few times, and being able to book dining and shows a few days early. Four adults would be TIGHT (on our last cruise my 14, 14, 16 and 19 year olds shared and it was a bit like camping). Areal suite would be much larger but considerably more expensive.

1 hour ago, barbatkins said:

Actually hoping to get prices for the soda packages and internet.

the suite is almost $2000 cheaper than 2 balconies.  Trying to make

s real comparison.

What kind of suite?

54 minutes ago, pilot said:

Did they lower tips when they cut service 50%?

No increased them, NCL is the highest at $20 pp pd.

1 hour ago, pilot said:

Since we did the Quantum last June we did a 12 day Regal Princess, 14 day Sky Princess, and a 7 day Nieuw Amsterdam cruise. All of these cruises offered twice a day service. The daily service fees were the same for all cruises. Bottom line Royal Caribbean provides less service for the same charge. 
 

Holland America does give you the option to decline turn down service if you don't want it. 

Carnival and NCL are also once a day now.

As someone who travels with 5 kids, 2 cabins always beats a suite by a lot of $.

10 hours ago, MacMadame said:

I let my real estate agent do it.

 

Also, where I live, people don't pay the asking price. They pay *over* the asking price. Or they do if they want to get the house. 😉 

I’m in NJ, same, I get solicitations all if the time asking if I want to sell, there’s no inventory. A twin house a block away sold for $200,000+ over asking last month. It’s very rare for a home to sell under asking here.

3 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

I never did say that NCL was making money by retaining the tax - just that they were very good at adding on many charges here and there.  
 

The fact that so many posters do comment on being surprised by the charges that build up does indicate that a number are seduced by NCL’s “all inclusive”, “free drinks” marketing bull crap (to use your term) —-and thus might benefit from some straight talk .

But in this case it’s a minuscule tax charged by the port.

13 hours ago, blue_water said:

I see this post is too late for the OP, just want to comment on the new Cable Beach recommendation.

 

We spent two weeks on Cable Beach a year ago and there was nothing but condo properties and the new Baha Mar property, which we stayed next to. Prior to Baha Mar (years ago) you could enjoy the beach at the Sheraton or whatever hotel was there. Baha Mar does not allow day visitors on the guest beach. 

The nearest public beach access we saw in Cable Beach was next to the Bob Marley hotel, which has since been closed, and there were no vendors or facilities at the beach. We met two couples on the street at Cable Beach who had just gotten off a jitney and we suggested they take the bus back to Goodman’s but they kept walking toward Baha Mar…

 

Goodman’s Bay - vendors selling food/drinks, renting lounges and jet skis. It’s a bit busy and not a perfect relaxing beach, but much better than Junkanoo Beach, that is too close to the ship..

Anyway unless something has changed we’d head to Goodman’s Bay, or perhaps Saunders Beach which is before Goodman’s. Grab the #10 jitney at Bay Street and Frederick and just tell the driver where you are going. $1.25 each way, exact change appreciated…

Good information, I had also heard that going to cable beach is really no longer an option.

In nyc, we show up at 9, the earliest check in, drop luggage with the porters, see it again when it comes to the cabin. The OP said they want yo drop off luggage, check in, and then explore. Nothing is out of order, no one had eyes on their luggage during the time between luggage drop off and boarding. If the all aboard time is at 2, sailing at 4, I can’t imagine why luggage can’t be dropped off early. While waiting in the cruise terminal we still see many disembarking, lots check in before the ship has been cleared.

40 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Is anyone really surprised that NCL seems to have come up with one more way of upholstering passengers’ on-board spending figure?
 

So, your “free drinks” just seem to cost a bit more.

I’ve been sailing out of manhattan for 25 years, there has always been tax charged on drinks while in port (but never $2, usually under $1). No biggie.

Nope you won’t need to buy them packages.

I think I’d train from penn NY to Penn NJ and Uber. 

20 hours ago, FrozenCruisers said:

Our goal was to arrive to the port around 10 AM when the ship is there. We would give the luggage to a porter and check in. Then instead of walking onto the ship, we would go and do some site seeing. Sorry, I don't follow why this would risk the luggage being loaded on the wrong ship. 

I don’t understand either.

24 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

?? I never commented on Secaucus at all much less calling it desolate. Wouldn't be my first choice which is why I didn't mention it. 

 

It is a lot more urban than either of the two places I mention which are in very upscale suburban towns. 

I’ve lived in Essex county NJ my entire life so very familiar with those areas. With traffic it could take 1+ hour to get to the cruise terminal. I think Secaucus is 6 miles away, if one wants a mall with food options American dream is 2 miles away, 2nd largest mall in the country, they can shop, eat, ski, ice skate, golf, see an aquarium, go to a water park or amusement park, go on a giant Ferris wheel… I’ve stayed at the Hilton, they used to have a great Sunday brunch but I think that’s gone. Montclair also has a couple higher end hotels with great shopping and restaurants closer to NYC.