SAPMAN

A different WiFi Internet question.   We have 4 of us (wife and I and 2 adult working sons) in a cabin for 7 days.  2 sons use internet for occasional work. 

In our package wife and I each get WiFi (Standard level) for 150 minutes.    Can we upgrade one of the two to Premium Unlimited and one to Standard Unlimited?    Also can 2 people share each of those plans by signing off and other signs in?  If I upgrade to Premium Unlimited, can my son register and sign in as the main person and he share with his brother.   And then my wife and I share the Standard?

 I did share 1 plan on HAL with wife, but unsure on NCL.   

Confusing, I know.  But appreciate any help.  Thanks

I wish they would print one or two copies of a more fully featured newspaper for the Lounge - with BIG letters DO NOT REMOVE FROM LOUNGE.   Maybe put on a stick like some restaurants do or big ring to discourage people from taking it out.    Cost minor, but would be nice to read the news in the morning.

I tried from midnight to 1:05am Eastern time,  but could not check in for my NCL cruise.  Got up at am and check in open.  First check in window was 9-9:30am.   But I wonder if they will really be open then, but if you want on 1st - maybe?    I decided to sleep in in Athens and took a 11 - 11:30am window.  A long cruise and no need to get on too early.  Took about 10 minutes to complete (have to sit for 1 min video on safety).  Have your passport info, credit card, emergency contact info, etc ready.   You can take a pic with your phone or take one earlier and just upload from your PC or phone.  Head shot.  

Strange my NCL page said 21 days to cruise at 12:01 am, but would not open the check in section then.

I dont' think you can print the edocs until about a week ahead - they will email you when ready.

I hit day 21 tomorrow 23 Oct.  Will try at 12:01 midnight Eastern to see if Check in is open and if I can select a check in time slot.  If not, likely not try until about 7am Eastern.  For an Athens trip.  And try to post my findings. 

I know check in starts 21 days before embarkation.  But is that 12:01 (after midnight and start of day 21) or 8am Eastern or ??    I think they still give out check in times and the early slots get filled up right away.  So good to check in asap.   But have also heard the door to check in does not look at one's check in time so anyone can get in even if their check in time is an hour or later?     Comments?

On 2/2/2022 at 9:27 AM, WYB! said:

A representative of eurofins performs the collection.

 

Remember to create a eurofins account and register your cell phone number with them so you get a text when your test results are ready, otherwise you will need to pay attention to the number you are assigned.

I have my Eurofins account and then have myself, wife, and son loaded as Members under My Account.  Each person has their own Cell phone loaded (as do I).   Do I need to have their cell phone # with their Member # or should I put my Cell # in each person???   

I do have the Bar Code printed for all 3 people.

Is the process on embarkation NCL tests and then they scan bar code and it sends each an email with results AND also records it on MY master Eurofins account?

Can a private pharmacy (Walgreens) load at test I do with them into Eurofins?

Thanks for any info you can give. 

We like to get as early as possible check in times now they are, I think, assigned so that Covid tests are not overwelmed right away.   

I know they say Check In starts 21 days before sailing.  Does anyone know do they open the web site up at midnight Eastern time on day 21 before, or in the morning of day 21, or about what time??   

I would rather get up at 1am and check in (15 min) and get early ( and faster) boarding time than get to embarkation in middle of the mob.  

I know it may vary, but if you have any experience, thanks. 

34 minutes ago, OrcaGirl said:

 

It was: drop off bags, wait in line to enter testing terminal, wait in line for actual testing, get tested, wait for results; then shuttle to actual check-in terminal; go through security; check-in; then board.

 

We walked (10 min?) but the hotel did have a shuttle. Heard other people booking it when we were checking in.

Thanks so much for the reply.  I think I am glad I have a 9-9:30 check in time... Even if a wait somewhere in the process, should get a good seat.   Once you know, list the shows and times if you can.

Great posting.  I am on the 9 Jan Bliss, but got a 9-9:30am check in.   Maybe a wait after test and check in before boarding - but at least likely seated?   Was the process: 1 line up for covid test and get results, 2 go to check in for ship card, 3 wait for shuttle to the ship (do they board based on when you finished covid test?).   

 Do you know when they started Boarding?

We are at Crown Plaza also.  Do they have shuttle to ship or is it easy to haul bags to ship or should be Uber/Lyft?    Thanks

On 11/22/2021 at 7:26 PM, Oakman58 said:

I’m following your trip report.  We will be doing the same cruise on Dec 5th.

 

Not wearing a coat to the airport was my philosophy too until we came back home a day after an ice storm.  Trying to get into a car frozen in ice and temps in the lower 20’s without a coat is not fun.  For cruises during cold weather months I now pack a flannel shirt, a hoodie, and GLOVES.

On your Dec 5 trip, how was check in and boarding.   And what was your check in time?   Thanks.   We are on same voyage in 2 weeks.  👏

On 11/7/2021 at 11:10 PM, pinto18 said:

This is what we do every time we are there..except we end up at Lety's ( great coconut shrimp!) 

Been to Stone Island 2-3 times.  We go to Molokay (about 50 yds before Lety's) but will try Lety's in January.  We are on Bliss also, but we arrive early - but Stone Island does not get going until about 9:30.  And ship departs at, I think, 2:30pm  - so not much time during peak hours when one has to allow 45 minutes or more to return to ship - we will leave Stone Island by 1:15.   

Anyone else reading this have other restaurants they enjoy?

following

On 11/1/2021 at 7:43 PM, TeresaJ said:

I was hoping that there is going to be either an extension to book and sail by or ability to convert the original FCC to a refund. We took the FCC when our March 14, 2020 cruise was suspended. Tried to sail in January 2021 and that was cancelled then rebooked for January 2022. Now, we are not going to be able to go on this cruise because long story short, I was hit by a car and sustained injuries and had to have surgery 12 days ago. I will likely be having another surgical procedure in January around the time of the cruise.

 

At this point, I really want my money back because we don't know when we are going to cruise again and as policy stands right now we have to book by 12/31/21. Ugh, I know I sound whiney but I'm just so over trying to use these credits. Our final payment is due on 11/16/21 in which we don't owe much but obviously won't be making so I'll be cancelling before then but I'm assuming I have no way of getting a $ refund. I did buy travel insurance however I'm not sure if I can get a refund when I booked this cruise with credits. I guess that's a whole another can of worms there.

 

I have a feeling others are in the same "boat"...booking future cruises that they end up on not being able to take and then out the value of the FCC.

Let us know how the Travel "Insurance" works with FCC once they are past the book by date.  Assume you bought from NCL.  I have some concern as I had LOTS of FCCs that I used to book a long cruise in NOV 2022.    I have a chat that says they will cover cancellation fees, but concerned as I used FCCs, they will not refund me cash and the orginal FCCs will be passed book by date and by Dec 2022 passed sail by date.   Does anyone know how the "Insurance" will work with FCCs?

On 10/21/2021 at 9:41 AM, Serengeti228 said:

I have a future booking on the Epic TA in April 2023. I have yet to get NCL approval to apply one of my FCCs on that cruise which it exceeds the sail by date timeline. Does it make a difference even NCL approves to apply the FCC? I doubt. When the cruise price has gone down during 2022 till Jan/Feb 2023, the FCC will well past Dec 2021 book by date.

Good questions.  I know other lines (Royal) just give you OBC if the price goes down. My agent watches that and did that automatically for me 3 months ago.   Also my NCL agent said if I book now for 2022, I could change the cruise (not sure past Dec 2022) and he could apply the FCCs I had used on my original cruise - so would not lose the $$.

On 10/23/2021 at 11:53 PM, BirdTravels said:

The expiration dates of your FCC is shown on your MyNCL account. 

But it should also show the Book By date (or else it will be voided) - which it does not. Many will think they have FCCs they can use to book in 2022 and then be upset when they find out they are no good any longer.   And we are talking about thousands of $$ for many.

My agent said I could book before 31 Dec 21 for a 2022 cruise and apply the FCCs now. Then, if I wanted to change to a different cruise, he could just move the FCCs from the 1st one to a different one (although I assume it still must depart before 12/31/22).    But if I had to cancel due to say health issue in early 2022 (not rebook), then the FCCs would be expired and voided.  

Really very confusing and no good NCL detailed explanation - seems normal for cruise lines.  

I am going to book for mid 2022 and apply all my FCCs before Dec 2021.  And just hope that i do not have to change.    

I can see people not booking their FCCs by 31 Dec and then get very upset they become worthless.  And in the same vein, book for late 2022 and then just prior to sailing have to cancel and lose all of their FCCs.  

I understand the FCCs given back in late 2020 seemed ok as it would be a year to book and use - then most cruises did not sail until July or Aug 2021, shortening the time that one could book/use.  They should, like hotels, extend the expiration dates by at least 3 more months.

I believe most FCCs are book by Dec 2021 for cruises up until Dec 2022.   I did not hear of any extensions of these deadline - correct?

What if one books by Dec 2021 for a July 2022 cruise and uses a bunch of FCC (received due to Covid cancellation); then in, say, Feb 2022 needs to cancel.  What happens to the FCC?

1.  They are allowed to rebook a cruise still in 2022 and use the FCCs?

2.  They just expire an one loses the FCC value?

3.  They can put back into one's NCL Latitude account and use for a later cruise before Dec 2022?

Or what?

I believe tons of FCCs still out there and bookings will be hectic as we near December (as they are no good after 12/31 ?).    And say one books for Nov 2022 and has a heart attack in Noverber - guess they just lose all the value.

Just trying to see what people think or if anyone has heard from NCL?

Any recent (2021) updates on the Westerdam retreat configuation?   I wonder if they allow one to move the loungers inside the cabana and a small table to at least rest one's drinks/snacks..  No need for a sideboard.  

I know with Royal and NCL they have a bidding system to get to a higher category cabin.   They show a "low bid" amount (starting bid) and then show you the chance to win the higher you bid.  You can bid on many categories and, of course, they will look at what your original cabin price is to determine who wins.   We went from Balcony to Owner Suite on Royal for 7 days for $700 last week.  But cruise was only about 30% full, so lots of empty cabins.   Of course, I could not find out if my bid could have been lower and still win - but that is the way it works.    I did hear some bid the miniumum to increase category one level and got accepted.  I did not hear of mine being accepted until 2 days before the cruise.

I guess HAL (I should know, but forgot) does not have bidding system, but just offer you an "upsell" and it seems not much before cruise date.  Correct.   

On 8/31/2021 at 9:03 AM, Sianli said:

Kbonner, thank you. We are to sail on Harmony Sept 15th. We have put in for a royalup, and our "owners suite" offer is still pending, won't let us modify. We also have the unlimited dining package due to all of the restaurants. If we get the OS it would include CK. Would you keep the uld or cancel if you have access to both? I do realize your answer is subjective. Thank you. 

We also made some Royal Up bids.  2 are not Expired, but the Owner's Suite shows Pending and not able to change the bid.  So maybe we will be neighbors?   Mike and Liz from Ohio.

As to On Board Credit.   I got quite a bit from my TA for price reduction.   

Do I need to wait until on board to use it?  Or can I get a CoCo Cay Club pass on line and have them use my OBC.    I am thinking the on board price will be higher than what is online that I can be before the cruise.    Thanks for any info.

I have some non-cruise pricing experience.  What RCL needs to do:  About 4-5 days out, review the bids and cabins available and send out an offer to the higher bids that they can upgrade for $xxxx  - their $$ bid on cat. xxx for 10% more than their bid.  People have no exact number when they bid and usually would accept a reasonable counter offer.   So if you bid $250 pp, they would accept $275pp.  Give them 12 hours to accept or lose the offer.

This would allow NCL to start closing the bids earlier and likely get most of the rooms filled at more than the bid prices.  Continue the process with next higher group of bids until 24 hours before sailing.

6 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I think they will fully approve the Pfizer vaccine by early September. The problem is, that is completely irrelevant to this thread. Full approval will only be for 16+. It will be a while before full approval for 12-16 year olds. I am not sure Pfizer has even submitted a request for full approval for 12-16 year olds yet. Then there is the whole separate issue of emergency use authorization for children under 12. All estimates for that have just said "by the end of the year".

 

If NCL has extended their 100% vaccination requirement through the end of the year, I don't think anyone should anticipate being able to bring children under 12 on an NCL cruise for the Holidays.

Agree on the under 12, but full approval not needed for 12 +.   These have been available for some time.  My grandkids over 12 got the vaccinations 4 weeks ago and have just done 2nd.  So that is not an issue for over 12 sailings.    In fact, if all people so far in USA have done with emergency use and are considered ok for any vaccinated restrictions.

With just recent NCL announcement about all kids need vaccination for cruises before 31 DEC, will they extend the expiration date on FCCs and the dates you must cruise by?   I think many expire by 31 Dec.

Many have used earlier issued FCC for T-Day and Xmas cruises with kids.  If they wait until Oct/Nov to see if vaccines for kids are available, then short window to cancel and use (rebook) the FCCs that will be put back into their Lattitiudes accounts (often takes 7 - 15 days to get FCCs reinstated).    And I expect about 40% of cabins on holiday cruises have kids under 12.    A huge number to give refunds and rebook before 31 Dec current expiration date.

Good news for others.....   If many with kids cancel in Sept or Oct, many cabins open up and NCL will lower prices to get them filled.  Maybe some great fares coming up and less crowded ships.  

On 8/13/2021 at 8:26 PM, cscurlock said:

The FDA will probably fully approve the Pfizer vaccine this month.  I wouldn't sweat it.  As soon as they do just get the kids vaccinated.  Then its a non issue.  

Doubt by this month.  Maybe by mid Sept or more likely 1 Oct.   And if need both shots and then 15 waiting days, not much cushion time for Thanksgiving.   If not approved (and available) by 1 Nov, then little cushion for Xmas cruises.