nadeki

You should have long pants with you on this trip as in many of the churches men and boys must wear long pants to go inside. We have found we are packing many more clothes than usual this trip. I would hate to go so far away and then be turned away from seeing things because we were dressed like tourists!

I feel like I have researched so much and just can't take in one more piece of info.

Has anyone done a perfume tour in Cannes? I have read there are some factories that do this for free.

Please tell me how you go to them from the port in Cannes.

Thanks

NCL knows everything about us. They scan your card with everything you do on the ship. They know how much you gamble, what food you eat, do you go to the spa, what you buy in the giftshop how many times you log onto their website......

Their loyalty program and onboard perks could be much more personalized. It is crazy to keep giving cheap champagne when you know I like red wine. That would be such a treat to see when I enter the room.

It is almost as bad as thinking a fruit basket is a treat when there is so much food to eat on board. One of their best decisions was to give a box of Godiva chocolate as that is something different.

They could not which afternoon snacks you prefer and the next time you board that is what you get the first ( or all) night.

There is a lot that can be implemented with some effort. The payback would definitely be positive and encourage more loyalty as a relationship is established. Now, I feel like all they say is "what is your cabin number?"

Wow, Mike what a great husband you are!!

Train tickets will be much cheaper the earlier you buy them.

In England keep an eye on the transportation web sites to be sure there is not any work being done. We have found that there is always work going on somewhere on the tracks and it can delay your trip. However it can be avoided with some research.

Sounds like a great trip and we will all be waiting for your reviews.

I don't think it can include liquor or wine or may just be subject to the $15 corkage feel

Check my signature. It doesn't even tell the whole story. Eight cruises, five if you count the b2b's as one cruise, seven of them on the same ship with the same itinerary on six of them beginning in November 2013.

 

I did start to feel burned out on the one in late March. Same menus, same ports, same casino, etc. But we did this to get away from the nasty Ohio winter mostly and since seven of the eight were "free" cruises from the Caesar's casino chain, why not?

I think a free cruise would make me feel much better!!! I am thinking I need to spend more in the casino!! After all the casino guests seem to get all the VIP perks at check in etc.

It appears a land based Hawii trip is in my future next year with family. They are all surprised I am not pushing for a cruise....hopefully this will cure me and I will start searching again soon. Cruise critic and talking and dreaming is part of an addiction and I will have to go one day at a time.

It was mentioned that on our trip that the west coast is due to get a new big ship soon. It has to have the lifeboats on the inside part of the ship so it works in Alaska. Don't know if this is one of the ships being built now or if it really even in the plan. That would interest me if the costs were not prohibitive.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, sort of like having some AA buddies to get me through this tough time

Someone mentioned the cocktail party. We've only been to one and it was a madhouse. Is there a separate one just for platinum level that we overlooked?

Allegedly there is. You will receive an invitation to an exclusive Platinum gathering. Then it goes on to say come meet your fellow gold, silver and platinum travelers.

I do not go as it does not seem like good use of my vacation time.

You can find this information on the NCL website.

 

http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/gifts-and-more#diningpackage

 

It is buried a little but it is there. If you check out the Ultimate Dining Package and then go to the Terms & Conditions, you will find this;

 

Ultimate Dining Package

The Ultimate Dining Package is available via pre-sell or onboard purchase on days 1-2 of the voyage only. On 3-day sailings, the package is only for sale on day 1. No refunds are available if fewer restaurants are visited. The Ultimate Dining Package is non transferable. A la carte priced restaurants and Ocean Blue are not included in the Ultimate Dining Package, but will be discounted 20% for those purchasing the package. Carlo’s Bakery items, Ice Cream Bar, Gelato, 24/7 Pizza Chef’s Table is not included in the Ultimate Dining Package. The UDP does not include beverages. No Kids pricing, package available for guest 13 and older. Excludes all 1- and 2-day sailings. Includes add-ons in Le Bistro such as Fruit de Mer, Lobster and Cote De Boeuf. The package does not apply to Special Occasion/Holiday menus (New Year’s, Christmas, etc). Latitudes Platinum Guests will receive a $20 discount on the Ultimate Dining Package (as they receive 1 complimentary dinner in Le Bistro). Additional main courses in Cagney’s and Le Bistro will be charged at $10.00.

 

 

Rochelle

Thanks, I wish I had known that last week. Think we will try this for our June trip.......

You get a $20 discount on the price of the UDP because you won't be using one night because of your platinum dinner which I think is quite fair. Plus they now added the dinner show the first evening (on the ships that have one) to the UDP.

How do you know about the $20 off? I have not seen that anywhere.

Change the cheap champagne that is given to platinum members and suite guests...... it would be nice to have a choice of a cheap bottle of wine.....usually you can get it changed but it is not easy and it is a waste of vacation time.

In the restaurants the complimentary wine menu for platinum guests offers some very undrinkable selections.

Bring back fruit soups and proper cream in to go with the scones in the afternoons.

It seems the platinum perks are not worth that much because you can't buy the unlimited dining package because you already get a free dinner one night. Spa discounts are only on signature treatment on sea days etc....

For us it's mostly the same food over and over again that has us suffering from burn out. But that could be solved by switching lines. We just happen to like NCL, find them to usually be the most convenient for us. ;)

 

Like Budget Queen, for the most part, we focus on the destination. I kept thinking during our Faroe Islands/Norway cruise aboard the Star last year that there was no other way we would have been able visit all of the countries we did on a land-based vacation without it costing far more in time and money.

 

Not to mention all of the packing and unpacking. :D

 

We deal with food burnout by hitting the buffet more.

The food is a big part of my feelings..... and I to keep thinking the buffet has some of the best food. However I love the sit down restaurants..... and again am a contradiction myself.... I get tired of the same menus everyday ...then complain when they take away the chilled fruit soup, mozzarella sticks etc, have steaks that can't be cut with a steak knife and the worst of all.... the afternoon scones used to be amazing. They were offered in the buffet in afternoons with amazing creme and raspberry jam and good scones...they now use whipping cream, old biscuits and cheap strawberry jam. So, my afternoon ritual has changed.

Hopefully they keep building ships with an outdoor area to the buffet and then it is nicer to sit there.

Sounds a little like the "honeymoon" is over and you need a marriage counselor! (And I am being tongue-in-cheek, but also semi-serious.) Isn't it the little things that happen (or don't) that make us most miffed about our significant other, too? The difference is this: you are not actually wedded to, nor have you spoken any vows (I presume :rolleyes:) to NCL. Yes, just as in marriage, there are definite perks for faithfulness and loyalty, but (unlike in marriage) maybe you need to have a little "fling" (with another cruiseline ONLY!!) and see if divorce (from NCL) is inevitable or whether the "trial separation" is enough for you two to work things out...

I love your metaphor.... thanks for listening and putting it into perspective....I have been researching some other options today for an upcoming family reunion on land..... feeling better now.

Thanks everyone for your input..... I guess I did not explain... it is 3 cruises in 12 months, not in 2014.

I live and breathe cruises and my friends and family laugh that I am always planning something. They are going to be surprised that I am thinking about changing it up for a while.

Thanks for some suggestions and support..... I am sure I can get back in my cruise groove soon... perhaps this afternoon when I have done all the laundry and am thinking about cooking dinner.

I believe the comment about familiarity is right on. I am surprised how often we know the "rules" etc better than the staff.

The 25% discount is only on the SIGNATURE full priced treatments so most discounts offered by the ship are a better deal.

I the fire and ice mani/pedi mixed and it was $120 on sea days and $99 on port days before the gel add on.

I feel this is a fair price and you get a decent treatment

Each experience can be different. The Hotel Director has a lot to do with all the problems you mentioned. Our cruises on ships with Sean or Prem as HD have been fantastic. They work very hard to make your cruise great. I believe Sean is on the Epic. If he is still on there in June, I think you will see a big difference.

Thanks.... we have cruised on ships before with Prem as the hotel director and it has been a great experience....

Hopefully you are right and that is the cure!!

This sounds so bad to complain about but we just returned from a week on the Star and so many small problems annoyed me. This is our third cruise this year and we are going on the Epic in June. I am hoping a new and bigger ship will re-inspire me.

Has anyone else had this happen? This was our 14th NCL cruise and I felt like we knew more than many of the staff. I have expectations of how things should be and usually are.... when they did not happen it started to wear on me.

The things that could be fixed ( such as shampooing filthy carpet) I had done on board. Some things can't be fixed without sounding really spoiled. I am used to NCL staff always welcoming you and using your name at every opportunity. This time every time I approached a hostess even at Cagneys each day I was asked "what is your cabin number?", my name was never used. I would have preferred to hear Good morning or welcome back. The staff seemed inconvenienced even when I was the only table in a restaurant for lunch.

The menu selections at Blue Lagoon are becoming less and less and in the dining rooms smaller and smaller. Perhaps this is good for my waist line.

The menus and ship maps are now printed on copy paper. I was not given a menu all week that did not have food stains on it. There are markings for staff that say "fold here" to put the map together.

The towels, robes and sheets are all past their prime with tears, not comfy etc.

I know all businesses are under pressure to keep saving money and I wonder when it will stop.

Again, these are a few of the small problems and they sound so trite but sometimes you wonder if they are cutting so many things you notice what is happening behind the scenes.

Since I know these sound so silly to complain about I wonder if it is time for me to do an all inclusive and wait a while for my cruise spirit to return. Or, are the new big ships more updated and interesting. I am embarrassed to have noticed so many things but when are cruising more for the ship rather than the destination it seems to jump out at you.

Still enjoyed being a way for a week and being waited on and spending time with my family.

Just want to know if anyone else has felt this way and can it be fixed!!

I just had gel nails done on the Star. It was a $25 additional charge.

That is funny about the bus ( bet it wasn't at the time) I expected it to look very different. Lucky Ben to be made of rubber at times like this. Glad you made it back on time or at all.

We love Messiah and he deserves a wonderful assistant like Ben.

Thanks for todays installments of Ben's adventures.

Come on hurry up.... we want to know how Ben spent the week.....

We will be on Epic Med cruise this June. So far it seems to be all good reviews for Barcelona Day tours and we have had amazing referrals for romecabs.com

Each of the organizations have thoroughly answered my emails within 24 hours.

Thanks for making my day...... I love your wife telling you hold of on the next cruise deposit. But now that you have it, where are you going? I want to be on a ship with you.

Give Dan the Man another try, he really is great and not phony as the others can be.

We have three days in Italy this June on our Epic cruise. I have been working with this company and feel completely confident with their reccomendations. I have needed some adjustments to tours to accomodate kids and a senior in a wheel chair and they have had a lot of knowledge and saved me money and had great ideas.

As they are in this city every day I would trust what they have to say.

I always take a notarized letter with me when I travel with the kids by myself. Canada seems to be the country that always asks for it. The European countries did not care.

It is not NCL that cares it is the border agents at airport and cruise terminal.

I would not go with out one and will have it next month when the kids and I do a Mexico cruise. I think it is the countries that are closest that they think you may be smuggling the kids out.

I have been in Haven with an 18 month old and it was wonderful.

There is not much difference than a regular cabin having a baby. You sound like concerned parents who are not going to needlessly leave your baby crying which would bother your neighbors no matter where you are.

If the Haven is underutilized you will enjoy having the peacefulness to sit outside and have your baby sleep in stroller, sit in high chair etc.

There is no reason not to do this!!