njhorseman

Interesting that you say you want to keep this thread on track but the only part of my first reply that you comment on is the aside on some lines giving cash refunds. I suspect that's because you know that what I said as the main thrust of my comments is true...that you will get your points back when you make $1500 in purchases on the credit card...$1500 in goods or services that you won't have to lay out one thin dime for . Of course acknowledging that fact blows up the basis of your argument.

I suspect the poster mistakenly believes that Oceania has been run by "NCL people " since it became part of NCLH a few years ago. Of course nothing could be further from the truth as "Oceania people " have run NCLH virtually from the start of Oceania becoming part of NCLH. FDR was CEO of NCLH until his recent retirement, and his hand-picked trusted assistants installed as senior management of NCL, Oceania and NCLH, with his son taking over as CEO of Oceania and FDR's right hand man Harry Sommer taking over as CEO of NCLH. If anyone has the right to complain about how their cruise line has changed because of new management it's NCL cruisers, because former Oceania managers have been running NCL ever since the merger. I also suspect the poster doesn't fully comprehend the damage done by the COVID shutdown to corporate balance sheets, which is what has caused many if not most cruise lines to make very visible cuts to their product. You see complaints on virtually every Cruise Critic board about reductions in product quality. It's very noticeable how many former Celebrity cruisers are now trying Oceania because of cutbacks at their former favorite cruise line.

That is my understanding of how it works.

You're going to get the points back when you spend the $1500 credit by charging $1500 of goods or services to the card...$1500 of goods and services that you won't have to pay for because you have the credit on your account. BTW, I know of two cruise lines that will refund your unspent refundable OBC in cash...Oceania and NCL. Perhaps others do the same. Admittedly I've never had that much money due back to me...although I do recall Oceania refunding a few hundred dollars to me in cash.

Try something more upscale . Oceania, Azamara, Viking, Regent Seven Seas, Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea.

Your leaving the ship early creates a change in the passenger manifest. NCL is required to report it to USCBP even if you're the only person doing it.

Correct: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/drugs "Cannabis It is illegal to take cannabis across the Canadian border, whether you are entering or leaving the country. This includes products containing cannabis, such as edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals, and all products containing CBD."

No, the first port in the US requires clearing immigration, not customs. Clearing immigration involves checking passports and visas to ensure passengers will be permitted to enter the USA. Clearing customs occurs when you permanently disembark the ship at the end of the cruise and involves clearing the baggage that's in your possession to ensure you're not bringing contraband into the US and that you don't have to pay any duty on what you're bringing into the country. While this process is usually perfunctory and in almost all cases no longer requires filling out a customs declaration, USCBP still has the right to take you aside and conduct a search of your baggage. So...to disembark the cruise early in it's first US port requires NCL to notify USCBP that you are doing so because USCBP will not just be doing the standard immigration check on you as you will not be continuing on to the cruise's final port.

The poster won't be able to message you any more than you were able to message them. As you already discovered the PM function on Cruise Critic is disabled.

Per this article, at a hearing on Friday the judge overseeing the case suspended the deadline and sent the case to be mediated by a federal magistrate: https://6abc.com/post/hearing-could-chart-new-course-ss-united-states-amid-latest-legal-battle-historic-ocean-liners-future/15298213/

While marijuana is legal in Canada it is not legal to bring it into the country unless you have a valid prescription for a drug authorized by Health Canada. Even if you have a valid and authorized drug you have to declare it. (Source: Canada Border Services Agency)

The best person to contact is Katty Byrd, senior VP for guest services. I believe her email is Kbyrd@ncl.com .

Correct. A call at any foreign port is required for any closed loop cruise such as this LA to LA itinerary to satisfy the PVSA requirements .

FYI, the Jones Act governs the transportation of cargo. The law that governs the transportation of passengers is the Passenger Vessel Services Act. I don't care if everyone at Oceania corporate headquarters calls it the Jones Act, because they're wrong if they do.

I don't know what happened when you posted, but I wasn't the one who said "...has anyone else experienced this".

Never. Not on Oceania, nor on the 10 or 11 other cruise lines we've sailed on.

First, as the previous poster said, MSC sails from Brooklyn, so you can just drive from wherever you're staying to the cruise terminal and park there. There are no ferries or other ways to get your car from your lodging to the cruise terminal. Second, please permit me to disabuse you of the idea that NY City is "very unsafe". In fact per this recent study NY City is the safest big US city for gun violence: https://engineering.nyu.edu/news/nyc-ranks-safest-among-big-us-cities-gun-violence-new-research-nyu-tandon-school-engineering#:~:text=New York City ranks in,efforts to mitigate homicides there. Other measures of violent crime also consistently show NY City to be one of our country's safest cities. Obviously you'll be in a big city and crime rates vary by neighborhood, but someone driving from one location in Brooklyn to another should have no concerns...and your car will be in a secure parking lot at the cruise terminal.

I don't see anything about Connecticut in the post. The title says Bayonne CT...again CT meaning "cruise terminal"

I suspect they're using "BCT" to mean "Bayonne Cruise Terminal", which as we know is not the name of the cruise port in Bayonne.

Bus #119 runs from Port Authority Bus Terminal to Bayonne. You would take this bus to the stop at 27th St. and JFK Blvd in Bayonne. From there you would need to take a taxi or Uber/Lyft to the Cape Liberty cruise terminal. Here's a link to the bus schedule: https://content.njtransit.com/sites/default/files/bus_schedules/T0119_0.pdf . However, if you're traveling with anything more than an absolute minimum amount of luggage I don't recommend taking the bus as it's almost certainly going to be a city bus without any place to store your bags. Another possible way to go requires multiple transportation modes...without all the details, NY City subway, PATH (a subway-like service that can take you from Manhattan to New Jersey), Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and finally taxi or Uber/Lyft to Cape Liberty. Again, not something I'd recommend to do with anything but minimal luggage. My personal choice would be to take Uber, Lyft, or a car service such as Dial 7 or Carmel Limo directly from Port Authority Bus Terminal to Cape Liberty. This would likely cost about $75 to $85...maybe even a bit more, including tolls and tip

The ship would anchor in Great Sound, not Hamilton itself.

If you had read more of the thread before posting you would have known that the poster admitted they were wrong about Celebrity ships docking in Hamilton and St.George. you

This happens several times every year: https://www.royalgazette.com/court/news/article/20240904/visitor-fined-thousands-for-drug-violations/ Please don't be foolish enough to being marijuana or other illegal drugs on your cruise to Bermuda. Authorities do check and if you're caught the fine can be substantial. This passenger is fortunate to have only been fined as he also was found to have MDMA and PCP. Remember that marijuana may be legal in your home state, but by international maritime law it's illegal on cruise ships, and it's illegal in Bermuda.

You need an extra set of eyes on watch with the fog. Not sure how they hold their binoculars using their wings though.

No one's ever reported the Brooklyn terminal parking lot being sold out, so no need for reservations. However, if you'd feel more comfortable having a reservation don't be concerned about the 12pm time shown on the parking reservation web page. the lot will be open if you arrive between 9 and 10.