dalgirl

Thanks so much for this information. Very helpful. I am also considering a private tour company if it will maximize our time. I will pull up the maps and decide.

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Thank you for the information. How far is the metro from the cruise terminal? I assume we can get a taxi to both stations?

Also, I will want to visit the Rijksmuseum. I think all three - the canal cruise, museum and Anne Frank house can be completed in my timeframe? I plan to get a return ticket in Copenhagen for around 3pm (15:00) to have plenty of time to return to the ship. Would you suggest seeing anything else during this visit?

We will be in Rotterdam for one day on a Saturday (8am -5pm) and as I have always wanted to see Amsterdam, I wonder if it is be possible to take a train or other transportation for a DYI day? I haven't found a lot of private tours for this port.

Thanks for your input!

Ditto - crate from your steward, this gives you a chance to meet them and to sort out anything else you need in your cabin.

As to the question: I actually get confirmation of all of my OBC - especially since I use a TA. This gives the accounting dept. plenty of time to sort out any errors. Then I review my bill around 4-5 days into the cruise to make sure the charges are correct so far - no lines at all. Then on the last full day of the cruise I just look at the long line of people trying to sort out their onboard accounts, smile, and go have fun:D

Agreed. Second city is just not good, especially if you have seen the act two, three, four times etc. Same ole crap that wasn't really funny the first time. I suppose they are cheap and NCL saves a couple nickels booking them.

Lot's of people like Second City (including me) I don't see how they are supposed to save a nickel by using a brand named product. Getting a local comedian I would say is cheaper. All three - second city, single act and blue man group (also a brand) are different styles of comedy. Having some form of comedy on all ships is ideal.

We use a capital one money market account that charges no transaction fees. We notify them before we leave and have a 4 digit pin number. Some cards will only be accepted at an ATM that is compatible such as the "cirrus" network - if your card network is not listed on the ATM, it won't work - check your system compatibility before you leave and look for ATMs with that system listed. Take a backup ATM card, if possible, with another system compatibility to maximize your chances. Even if that card charges extra transaction fees, you are stranded.

Venice airport is small - before you exit for the water taxis, buses, etc. there is an ATM near the exit over near a shack bar. We just exchanged money using our MM card and there was even a men's room nearby where DH could place his extra cash in his money belt in private. The easiest ATM we every used.

If you do a search on these boards you will see a lot of discussion about this subject. Nothing has changed, ATMs are still the cheapest way to go. But if you are a very nervous person who doesn't travel abroad a lot, get some cash before you go - the most important thing is to enjoy yourself, not stress over finding Euros. And don't forget, credit cards are just as easy to use over there as here, but that, of course, is another discussion covered a lot on these boards (Andrews Federal Credit Union and Capital One credit card).

If the day is sunny and the seas fairly calm, you might want to consider a ferry to Capri. You can make this as short as you wish and it is a lovely island.

It is $199 per person regardless. If you have done thermal suites on other ships check this one out first. We did not care for it nearly as much as the Epic or the Pearl.

It is always a good idea to check the spas out on whichever ship you are sailing, but I really liked the spa on the Getaway - different from the Epic, which is different from the Pearl. But if you go to the spa for therapeutic reasons and not just to lounge, they are all good.

In Sept. the Getaway had comedians doing standup - they were fine. So no, they are not getting rid of comedy on ships - it may be in the form of a stand up in a smaller venue or even second city, but in the US you will still have the opportunity to enjoy this entertainment.

And don't forget Epic has Blue Man Group - that is funny with no need to speak English. Epic will be moving at the end of this season to Europe permanently.

Yes and no

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Yes, thanks so much for the pictures, I wonder if the refurbishment they plan will include changes to the spa? We will see.

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Thanks , I hope it is a real update . Sometimes they will add a restaurant or more suites and not really refurbish the decor . New carpet is always good .

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When is the star update? We sail in September.

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We will be on the Star next Sept. and I am so happy they have a real spa - miss that on the Sun (sailing again Jan 2016). I am also addicted to the spa pass for the week - it keeps me going with all the sightseeing we do.

when i booked my inside room, I asked how much was oceanview and was quoted ~$100 more.

 

as for check-in, I was referring to the possibility of a FREE upgrade to oceanview if I ask?

You can always ask, doesn't cost anything, but the days of getting a change at check-in I believe are over - call the during the week before you leave - use your PCC or TA, that is what you have them for. If you booked without assistance, then call.

Yes the last few were aarp. You can choose both to compare prices.

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May is a great time to do Europe.

Yes, and so is September and October.

I wish I read this post before I booked my NCL trip, I would have save so much money. My trip is coming in Dec, 2014 and I have been observing the price dropping down but I still can't get my cabin up grade. I am so frushtrated that I lost my excitement about this trip. Thanks for the posting

After final payment you are pretty much locked in. If it is during the holiday you may be totally out of luck, but since it is dropping most likely that is not the case. Call your PCC or TA the week that you are to leave and see about getting an upgrade - you may be pleasantly surprised.

We also avoid March to August when we can, but don't dismiss May too soon - it is after spring break and right before most schools let out - so the middle of the month we have had some really good vacations with relatively few kids. Good weather too.

My point really was that there are many advantages to booking cruises early and it can also be the best price - don't necessarily expect all cruises (with exception of suites) to go down:

Our POA cruise was booked 18 months in advance based on a good promotion at the time and it never went down before final payment. We booked inside based on advise on these boards that it is was so port intensive it wasn't worth upgrading to the balcony. It is an expensive cruise no matter when you book or what category. It never went down. I only called about the free balcony upgrade because, why not? If the answer was no, I would have been just as happy - I booked it, I live with it. But the price was not the factor, they happened to not have sold the family balcony on the bow.

And I have seen suites at incredibly low prices at the last minute on some itineraries. It happens.

Your strategies are very sound if your only goal is for a low price. And all cabins in a category are not created equal. It's like booking guarantee cabins - a sometimes very economical choice. But don't do it if you aren't comfortable getting the worst cabin in that category. And don't complain.

As for getting those last minute fares, that is great if you can take off at a moments notice or if you aren't nervous booking your flights, hotels, etc. and getting maybe an inside cabin when you were waiting for that balcony price to go down - balconies tend to sell out so that the last minute cabins are mostly insides. If your goal is to get on the ship, be prepared for whatever you get.

I see a lot of value in OPs post and hope that newbies will read it and get some good pointers on bookings, and maybe an explanation about why these things fluctuate so much. But keep in mind that price is not the only consideration. Just as timing, price and perks need to be weighed into booking equations, so does personal comfort level in cabin category choices and your personality for taking off at a moments notice.

We had an AFT balcony and that was the best views - you could see everything.

Yes, and no, for me.

 

I agree that once onboard everyone should put aside thoughts of what he paid and have a good time.

 

But I'm OK with a little vitriol because in my opinion getting a good deal really shouldn't be this hard. PP5 put a lot of work into the initial post and responses, and other people including you have chimed in with useful info. I'm grateful for all of it. And I use my education and past experience to put in the leg work to come to Cruise Critic and another fishy site daily to try to maximize my experience while minimizing my cost.

 

Many people I'll be cruising with won't have heard of Cruise Critic, and I'll bet 90% won't have seen this thread. A lot of these people will have paid hundreds or thousands of dollars more than they might have. If somebody wants to get sour at how complex the landscape is, I'm OK with that. I really appreciate all the light this thread is shining, but my goodness it really shouldn't be this hard. That this thread is necessary, in a way, is a sad statement about the industry.

Buying a car, a house, timing airline tickets, shopping at the grocery store, or shopping at the mall etc. requires homework, patients, and some gambling spirit. This is not a statement about the cruising industry, it is about all aspects of consumerism. Life is complex - it is only simple for those with a lot of money who don't have to look at price tags unless they want to, or those that don't care to get the best bargain, they just want to buy and go. Good for them if it makes them happy. For those who don't know about these sites or using strategies to get the best deals, then that is their choice. I found the site, you found the site. I bet you know people that pay whatever price in on the tag, and if that makes them happy, then I am not going to worry that they paid to much. I worry about what I pay - and hope to sometimes pass on my experience to those who have taken the trouble to try to also save some money, find the best excursions, and maximize their vacation experience. For those 90% that don't know or care to negotiate for good deals, then no harm no foul - ignorance can be bliss;)

And for my friends and family who know how obsessive I am about all aspects of consumerism, who are (IMO) also too lazy to do any homework themselves, I am the go to person for saving money. I have saved them a lot of money too:p

That is good news - I really don't have a set time when I eat on a cruise: If there is some entertainment we want to see we may go to dinner early. If we have a late lunch, then dinner will be pushed back. It is good to know that you can eat when you want. I don't mind a line if they will give out a beeper, I can find a cozy bar to wait out the time. Do they have beepers if there is a wait? If not, they should implement the system.

I thought the whole point of select dining was to go to dinner when you wish and they will find a table and sit you there. Like in a restaurant. Am I missing something? I chose select so that I wouldn't be locked into a time or table.

I would say Europe - we have done both Hawaii and the Med (the Med 4 times). Last year we took our then 26 year old son with us with 4 days in Paris pre-cruise. It was the best vacation he every had. Hawaii is very nice, but it is a beach and it is technically in the US - he could most likely take that cruise any time. Europe is not only a fabulous vacation, it is an adventure and not to put him off.... educational;)

DS loved the Epic (he had a studio cabin) and enjoyed every minute of the Med cruise. He jumped at the chance to go with us next Sept. on the British Isle cruise - Copenhagen to Falmouth England with Ireland and Scotland included - he is seeing the world, and you can't beat that.