numberguy

Hello everyone thank you for helping me figure out this Freestyle cruising.

 

1. I checked in online and it tells me that I am scheduled to check-in at the pier between 1:00-1:30. My flight gets in a 9:00 am. Will they let me check-in at the pier early (say 11:30)?

 

2. We did a balcony guarantee and I have been assigned a cabin and it appears to be directly above (The Cellars Wine Bar and LaCucina Italian Rest - more towards the Wine Bar area) - do you think I will hear noise from below from these places, or do you think I should be okay. Has anybody had any issues with this area?

 

3. How many pools are there on this ship?

 

4. I noticed an Adult only area, is there a pool or hottubs in this area?

 

5. Is the Haven swim area open to adults or only if you booked a Haven room?

 

6. Is there a charge to use the steam rooms or sauna? I have HORRIBLE asthma and sometimes going and sitting in a steam room can open up my lungs. If there is a fee to use the steam room does anyone know what it is? Is it a fee that covers the entire cruise or a per use? Also, the therapy pool, does anyone know the fee to use that?

 

7. Does this cruise (ESCAPE) have a ropes course, Zipline and Plank area?

 

8. I have the SDP, can I use this at some of the places that charge an alacarte fee?

 

9. Are the beds SOFT or HARD? Do they offer any eggcrates to make it softer if requested or should I purchase my own and donate to them after? I have all my joints replaced (hips & knees) so I really need a soft bed. The beds look super soft but sometimes that can be deceiving.

 

I am excited as ever to go on this cruise and completely learn about the Freestyle options. I promise to post a detailed review when I return.

 

Kristin

I can answer only some of these:

1. I think so. I haven't encountered them checking your check in time. Others might have a different experience.

2. Doubtful, they weren't loud areas on my escape cruise.

3. One publicly available, might be another in vibe, but I don't know about that.

4. Pool, no; hot tubs, yes.

5. Only I'd you booked a haven room.

6. I don't know.

7. Yes, yes, and yes.

8. Unsure.

9. I find the beds comfy, ams my bed at home is rather soft. I think they do offer egg crates, but I've never asked for one.

--Michael

Deck 19 mister (or whatever it's called)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

That wasn't working the week I was on the Escape (week after Thanksgiving). Sigh.

--Michael

When it was originally rolled out, it was $11, then increased to $15. The $11 is probably just something they haven't updated yet.

Just to point out that it covers drinks up to $15 each. Anything over that, you have to pay the difference.

This will be my first time on NCL, I have been on 17 cruises mostly RCCL and wanted to try something different. I have several questions

1. What time can you get to the port? ( i like to be on board by lunch, the earlier the better)

2. Can I pay tips with cash? ( I like to pay them in cash so they don't have to claim them)

3. I have read I will be charged a tip fee for my Drink package I got when booking?

4. How is the attire? (use to wearing dresses)

I feel so lost and not sure what to except. Any tips would be great I have been reading all the posts on here.

1. It varies a bit by port, but getting there around 10 or 10:30 should be ok.

2. You can, but "claiming them" isn't necessarily a thing as they are probably not us citizens, so tax laws vary by country. The DSC could suffice, but you'll get a large number of opinions on this topic, so be forewarned.

3. You should have been already charged the 18% service charge when you ordered the drink package, unless you ordered it early in 2015, when there was no service charge on it (or the charge was part of the free package).

4. The attire is almost anything you want, although shorts and t shirts nor so much for dinner in the dining rooms (buffet: all bets are off).

I'm sure others will chime in with different answers; this is just my experience.

--Michael

Are you asking about embarkation day or disembarkation day?

Duplicate information, please ignore.

Ate there twice for lunch during our post-Thanksgiving cruise. Really excellent. I very much recommend it. Other than trying Bayamo for the sake of trying it, this was the only other place we paid for food on the ship all week.

--Michael

Just got off the Star. We were in an aft suite. Breakfast and lunch was served in Moderno, but I think the venue you are thinking of has changed. Moderno is now on deck 13 across from Cagney's.

Oh! So Moderno is where a bar was? Maybe I need to cruise on the star again! Moderno used to be deck 8 mid, across from blue lagoon. A lot can change in 16 months!

It's in Moderno now.

Thought that might be the case; just want sure when you cruised vs. When I did. Sorry for the old info, OP!

--Michael

Erroneous post. PLease delete.

Suite breakfast and lunch on the Star is held in Moderno... deck 13, mid.

Your information might be more recent than mine, but in September 2014, it was Cagney's. Just throwing more info out there.

--Michael

Going on the Jade in September, and we selected the UBP and the Shore Excursion credit. If we do a shore excursion, we do it through the ship, and we tend to only eat at specialty restaurants once or twice a cruise.

For those who pick the wifi, please realize that the connection speeds are glacial, and the minutes could go quickly.

--Michael

Not sure which ship you plan to cruise, but the Escape DOES provide official, vetted, etc., childcare (not in your room). I don't have children, so I can't give you details, but you should be able to look up the Guppies program on NCL.com on the Escape.

--Michael

We were on the Escape Nov 28-Dec 5, and ate six of our seven dinners in the three MDR's (two each, I think). We really enjoyed them.

Had one meal in Bayamo, just to try it out. It was good, but sometimes trying to "elevate" food sends the elevator above my penthouse level.

Really enjoyed Le Bistro on the Star in September/October 2014, but part of that was because my partner became my fiance on October 1. He's now my husband (he asked me).

--Michael

Thank you everyone for your replies,

 

My booking on NCL was actually to help a friend out. Her cabin mate canceled on her, so instead of her having to pay more and go solo my hubby and I discussed it......... and being a good friend we decided for me to take up the hardship and cruise with her :p :p good thing I did, since her son proposed to my daughter Saturday night :D :D

 

Figured this would be a good way to see if I enjoy NCL and if so we will book again. Just a little concerned because I have only cruised the Carnival way.

 

Congratulations and have fun! Now you two can spend time planning for the wedding!

--Michael

We got one too but from a balcony to a haven for $500 per person on the same cruise.

 

Enjoy .... only days left!

Actually, the original post was from about three weeks ago. We disembarked on Dec. 5, but I wanted to let people know about keeping the Latitudes points.

--Michael

And final report on this wonderful sailing/upgrade:

We got to keep our UBP, the sofa was by the balcony, and they allowed us to keep our extra Latitudes points for booking more than nine months in advance, so we're now Platinum! YAY!!!

--Michael

We were on the Nov 28-Dec 5 Escape cruise. We ate at MDR's six out of the seven nights, and decided to splurge on Bayamo. Bayamo was good, but possibly my palate isn't refined enough to appreciate it as I should. Also, we were told the only available times for our night at Bayamo was 8:45 and later. We arrived at 8:40 and the place was about 1/4 utilized. Either everyone ate quickly and left, or I don't know what the problem was.

We had very few issues with the MDRs. My husband ordered the chef's special every night and thoroughly enjoyed it every night (it was a cut of meat every time). I tell you, the NCL chefs have doneness calculations for meat down to a SCIENCE!

I usually got my meal from the revolving menu, although I did order the standard ceviche appetizer twice. There were tiny things, like the crab cake appetizer could have been cooked a minute or so longer, or something like that. But nothing major.

We are very low maintenance, and don't NEED to eat at specialties, because MDR is good enough for us. But, if we wanted to, we could.

NEVER had to wait more than five minutes to be seated in an MDR.

--Michael

I don't mind signing for every drink, it's a good way of keeping up with how much I would have spent on the drinks if I didn't have the drinks package...

Although it would be fun to see how my signature changes throughout the day...

--Michael

Congrats! Which deck? If it helps, we were on the Escape 3-day in a balcony near the aft - 12272. It had a bed by the balcony. If you're on deck 12, perhaps that will help you determine the bed-by-door-or-be-by-balcony question. :)

I'm on 13

Now I'm just wondering if it's bed by the balcony or sofa by the balcony.

Ahh, #firstworldproblems

--Michael

Just finished an upsell transaction with NCL directly, after they e-mailed us offering to switch from a forward-facing Oceanview to a Balcony for $100pp. We snapped it up. It's not a cancellation/rebook, we keep our totally free UBP, and we're right next to the aft elevators.

Now my fear is that our first balcony will spoil us. Oh, and this is on the Escape, departing this Saturday.

--Michael

Five days to go, folks! First thing I'm doing? Looking in the daily for when/where the LGBT meeting will be!

--Michael

Thanks to everyone for their updates! If anyone who just returned from the 7 day has dailies, would love to see them.

Go to http://www.cruisewithgambee.com then click on "Dailies" on the left, then click on "Norwergian" [sic], then click on Norwegian Escape, and there they are.

--Michael

If I'm not supposed to do this, someone just let me know, and I'll ask the moderators to take this post down.