chisoxfan

Frustrating that there is no simple answer to this question as it seems somewhat ship dependent based on age/ tech of slots? Here is what we found after posting for info on boards and being on Ascent a few weeks ago. My wife was (for some unknown reason) initially locked on her room key for slots. This was unlocked and she put in 100 dollars and played maybe 40 and cashed out. She was locked out again from adding more and we approached attendant/mgr. type. He gave us a voucher for 200 (charged to room) and said we could 'do anything' with it. In general, he said you needed to play 50% of NROBC on a slot or would be locked out from adding future money. He also stated (I think he was wrong) that this was 'per machine' and suggested that we play small amounts on each machine? He added that you needed to tap your card to receive credit on each slot which my wife did not do to that point. Having the 200 dollar voucher I said 'let's cash this out and see what happens'.... no problem cashing out but this locked out wife's card (so card info must have been on bar code). Interesting.... so my conclusion is that the voucher(s) from machine or cashier are coded with bar code to users room. In theory this should give your information to each machine for slot play credit. Understanding this not sure why attendant insisted that card needed to be tapped for each machine. With my wife's card blocked I was able to use mine and we(my wife) played with the 50% play rule in mind. Bottom line is we probably cashed out 500 on 600 non refundable OBC and my wife enjoyed playing so all good. So as I think about this there is nothing to stop one from loading the limit (500 I believe) of NROBC on card and cashing out after one play. They can't refuse to cash you out but can lock you out. So if your goal is to cash out NROBC you would be good. You could use each room key which should cover 1000. Ironically, at time of booking cruise I told my wife she could gamble all our NROBC which she wound up not doing since at different points she had cash in hand and did not want to gamble 'real money'.

We were midship/aft in SS and one night heard distinct 'banging'- very intermittent (maybe every 15 minutes) and initially thought it was a bathroom or patio door hitting (we were on deck 11). Then thought it could be some balcony furniture moving.... after checking, none of the above. Strangely I only noticed it one night and not during any weather event. My wife did not notice and it did not really keep me up. Like a hotel issue one wonders if is worth the hassle of reporting and/or moving to a different cabin. That said it is difficult to access and document (like my sudden Xfinity data overages). I agree that you should not be afraid to complain about anything that keeps you up. Best to complain early and often if it is so bothersome.

Hope everyone has a wonderful cruise! We elected not to do this itinerary and cancelled today. We had an aft VS balcony on 8 if anyone has an interest.

Thanks for your posting and comparison. It is pretty much inline with our experiences- Ascent 1/21, Apex 10/6/22 (SS's) and Seaside YC JAN 2020. For us X wins..... Food close but would nod to X Boarding..FLL is just easier and very civilized boarding process. FLL a simpler port to fly to. On board theatre, bars, music and specialty restaurants -on MSC we pretty much stayed within YC (not a bad thing)... really liked expanded Sunset Bar on Ascent MSC wins.... YC Lounge was expansive with great bow views and ability to step outside for a relaxing drink, live music every night was a big plus.. just an are you want to hang out at where Retreat lounge while nice was like a library with booze Access to a very cool and expansive spa area- never was a huge fan of X thermal spa and regardless not free for suite passengers Mini bar stocked with water beer and some wine Both had wonderful 'basic' suites (all we need) but did like the X bed facing forward and bathroom design Was a bit put off by Luminae on Ascent which seemed even 'tighter' than Apex. Not much opportunity for those of us who might appreciate a touch of room from our neighbors plus tables for 2 are really small and often require a food balancing act 'expanded' Retreat on Ascent was great but not much lounging area in shade and crowded on sea days....nice bar and dining options but MSC had an expanded cook to order area on YC pool deck which was perhaps better... Overall, 'what's not to like' paraphrasing the Mercedes driver in a favorite movie 'Lost in America'. So for us-maybe a tiny nod to X because of port, overall ship experience but being so close in 'value', would be a toss up determined by price with MSC winning every time by a large margin especially after cessation of included X tips and OBC. We are going to try the Princess Suite experience next Jan. on Sun Princess.... seems like every line is driving to the 'dedicated suite area' starting with NCL, then MSC, then X, and now Princess. Regardless the cruise lines have seemingly been successful in driving us from (all we need is a drink package and balcony on newer ship) to covet a suite and dedicated area. Our comments are based on the Caribbean cruises and for a port intensive or colder weather itinerary we would still gravitate towards a 'normal' balcony. Thanks for indulging our thoughts/opinions.

Yes the cruise that we looked at was Navigator. We never had an interest in the Royal Caribbean mega class ships and liked YC on MSC but rarely ventured outside. That was a nice thing on X that we could enjoy the entire ship and hope Princess may afford this.

Appreciate the comments here that are dwelling down to the 'value equation'. Maybe a new player not high end but promising is Princess. Their new Sun Princess has a dedicated suite area (pool, lounge, restaurant) and looking at options for our next Jan 'getaway' this may work for us. Hate to cite pricing that always changes but for us Ascent SS(same cabin we had last week) was over 10k with non refundable deposit, MSC YC 6k with non refundable deposit and Princess 6k fully refundable. Princess is new 175k ton ship. Everything is included (grats, 4 device wi-fi, drinks to 20, unlimited spa access, some specialty dining, mini bar set up). Anyway maybe a new player in 'suites' and we are willing to try it. I understand the focus on luxury lines and understand value vs. X Retreat but as I looked at Regent in Jan. ship was 25k tons. My wife and I enjoy the options of a larger ship and in place of smaller ship probably would look more at All Inclusives which are a great option but sometimes don't have the 'energy' of a cruise. My opinion for what it is worth.

Great point. Inconsistency is a major issue at X. Without dwelling on 'minor points' on Apex last year no head butler ever introduced himself (not sure there was one) and contact with room attendant was happenstance. On Ascent head butler and attendant introduced themselves on boarding and presented cards which was a nice touch. Either way our room was immaculate and we were fine. On Apex drinks on Retreat pool flowed freely and glass bottles were served at pool which surprised me. Sometimes in the hot tub I was told that I was welcome to have drinks in hand but they could not serve me there (well some did and some didn't). On Ascent the Retreat pool game was really interesting. A sign said no glass or food.... perfect and sensible. On first day after drinking all day (not referring to being hammered just that there was no comment made) at the pool an attendant told me alcohol was prohibited? OK I thought. The next day drinks were everywhere. One lady drinking was told no alcohol at pool while myself and others were not harassed sipping our drinks nearby (oh no maybe a X profit center.....drinking around pool is only for more premium packages 🙄). This became a bit of a running joke. On the last day I overheard (directly behind my lounger and difficult to ignore) a heated argument with a passenger and officer. He was told he could not drink at pool (at least 1000 drinks had been enjoyed there during the week) and stormed off. Returning to the bar he said he had had it with X and the reason he was told no drinks were allowed was because the environmental officer did not want any alcohol tainting his 'testing'. I know this may sound like much ado about nothing but it shows me management has no control over the situation and in some half hearted attempt to inconsistently please one 'department' they were happy to infuriate their (supposedly) most valued guests.

Will certainly check it out.

Looking forward to more comments. So far am in agreement on room etc. based on previous YC on MSC experience. Contrary to post from Billc23 we actually felt service on Apex was 'friendlier' and more polished. In Retreat and Luminae on APEX we had servers bringing us drinks upon seating. The Luminae hostess on Apex was particularly helpful in sorting out our simple (hopefully) table preferences. We don't expect a four top at the window but would like a little privacy. Seating and tables at Luminae were tight on Apex but seemed worse on Ascent. The APEX Hostess noted our preferences and it was always a positive experience. On Ascent I felt our simple request was always a burden to hostess and there was no consistency where the attention on APEX was amazing. The level of service on APEX was not something we expected or demanded but it set a high bar compared to what we experienced on Ascent which was certainly acceptable. JMHO

Please post your thoughts. We were in Retreat on this 1/21 Ascent cruise and on Apex in October 2022. After a very favorable MSC YC cruise in 2019 are looking to do this again and am most interested in your recent comparisons.

On Ascent return Sunday1/28 and ship disembarkation could not have been easier. Sat in Retreat until walk off at 7:15 and luggage was waiting for us. Customs was a walk through with facial recognition. Lyft was a bit frustrating. Initially 8 minutes quoted, then after booking turned to 14 and then different cars assigned. We probably waited 30 minutes before pick up and the driver was across the terminal (said he was directed there). Frustration for us was being out so early when everything was wide open but by the time our car arrived traffic and passenger numbers were increased. Anyway we were at our gate around 9:15 for a 10:40 flight so ultimately no issue. For an early flight next time might arrange a car for less hassle. I also believe that Saturday AM would be busier based on our previous negative experiences.

Thanks for the great review. When looking at ratings, etc. (best food I ever had vs. I would not feed to my dog) one can only try to evaluate how similar the poster's views are to one's own. We just cruised Retreat on Apex and Ascent and your sentiments/highlights struck a chord. Your review seemed fair minded and brought up FOR US too many potential negatives. (We also love the E Class SS bed layout bathrooms, NEED bottled water, want many choices for entertainment bars, a casino, etc.). We had looked at Oceania as an alternative but sensed it would strike us similarly (I was only surprised by food quality comments, totally subjective, of course, but would have expected a superior level to X). Like many posters we will continue to look beyond X (no pun intended) primarily because of price but so far aren't seeing the smaller 'luxury lines' as a good fit. Thanks and happy future cruising.

Thanks for the invite. We are leaning towards cancelling this cruise but will certainly sign up if we do go.

Everyone has different needs. I would question 'cancel for any reason' because it is so expensive and typically only gives you future cruise credit (when purchased through cruise line). These policies typically also must be paid at time of booking. Insurance (IMHO) should protect from significant financial trauma. If I loose several grand on Caribbean cruise I won't be thrilled but it isn't going to break me... a 75k evacuation would be painful.

Our insurance is typically pretty cheap. Coverage through Chase Sapphire which has trip cancellation to 10k. Nice small print is that you need only to pay for part of the cruise with this card. We used to have Reserve card which also included 100k evacuation. Personally I feel evacuation is critical insurance as the costs can be so unpredictable so we now purchase separate evacuation (typically bundled with secondary medical) . On our upcoming 7night Carib found 150k evac, for 17 bucks from reputable firm. Square Mouth and Insure Your trip good sites. Key is really just buying what you need and using CC coverages which can be liberal and free.

I think they want to ring a bell and ask Jeeves.... where did you put my paisley ascot?😉

The suite gives you a larger cabin, access to Luminae, and Retreat. If they removed one of these I would agree that X broke their 'contract' and I would be the first to complain. On Apex SS last year we only met our cabin attendant a few times but the room was immaculately cleaned twice a day and this is all we required (we were actually happy that this housekeeping was handled so well). Retreat staff at the Lounge were always there to help if needed. To me a primary question is what do you expect the butler to do..... help unpack. Stock your mini fridge, serve dinner course by course. As indicated before the general time demands of dedicated butlers really don't work since some passengers will dominate their time while some butlers wont be that attentive, etc. etc. I am more concerned that the premium drink package has 'declined' on our upcoming cruise but not looking to start a law suit on this either. These changes happened after initial booking..... unfair? As always, we will evaluate cruise options, including suite vs. cabin and make a decision accordingly (one of the few vestiges left of the free market). Right now, for us, X has lost out for various reasons but primarily pricing. At some point we all have to accept that companies (no matter what business) will change their direction and maybe, even as previous loyal customers, don't desire us any longer. Time to move on.

Concur fully with comments above. There are several shaded lounge areas in Retreat pool area that consist of two loveseats a large table and a few chairs and the accepted 'courtesy' seems to be to allow one or two individuals to inhabit this large section(s). We followed this protocol ourselves but if things got 'tighter' I see no problem in sharing these spaces which should alleviate any shortage of shaded space. The few cabanas (near pool) seemed to be dominated by 'chair hogs' who had the area staked out every day but seldom used it. A topic for another post. Finally, attendants were available to move umbrellas to provide shade to loungers by pool. In short the Retreat Pool experience and accompanying service is great... whether it offers a reasonable value is another question with multiple facets. Happy cruising.

Go for it. It is a Sunday morning which helps (Saturdays are a nightmare). I am one of those guys who used to agree with the better to book later flights rather than sooner but frankly have had too much of my life wasted at crummy FLL. Even though I was an SWA Premium flyer when you got to the airport 90 or 120 minutes before flight they won't check your bags which is very inconvenient. Get off the ship ASAP and take a cab or Uber and you will be at the airport by 9AM. (hopefully your plane isn't canceled, you forgot your passport, the airline is on strike, everyone at TSA calls in sick ..... there are no certainties only probabilities). On the other hand maybe your 'safe flight' that leaves at 4pm gets cancelled and you can bemoan that you were at the airport at 9 and the 10:30 flight left on time. On our trip this Sunday we are booked at 10:50. If there was an option an hour later maybe that would be perfect but based on past experience (and maybe Sunday football) we will 'live dangerously' based on past experiences here. Good luck.

KAISATSU Thank you so much for taking time to respond. I have done some research online and while I know my question was perhaps too general I was seeking a more cruise centered, broad overview of what to expect and your comments are most helpful. As stated I was particularly concerned as to non excursion related activities in Norway ports as these (excursions) appear more limited than I had hoped. I understand this cruise is not fjord based based which seemed to be a wonderful option/ choice also.

I'm a bit embarrassed by asking such a general question but would truly appreciate any comments by the educated CC community. We recently booked the June HAL cruise below. Sounded great at the time... we wanted to try Rotterdam and got OK air and nice cabin (aft Balcony). That said as we looked at excursions there were almost none available from HAL ie. HAL had a few for each port and many/most were sold out. Going to Viator also was a bust particularly in Norway. Even the Scotland excursions were limited. We expected to see some beautiful scenery from the ship but are in the dark (yes I know we will be in land of midnight sun) as to what we might do/arrange in port in lieu of having excursions scheduled at each port. Would it be worthwhile possible to walk around in these ports and enjoy some sights/ dining etc, or are we 'missing' the boat without tours. I kind of envision an Alaska style experience where we will see much from the ship but have only been as far north as Bergen. Thank you in advance for comments.

Thanks again for comments.

Great, thanks so much for quick response.

A quick question I could not find a simple answer to after initial search. After decades of cruising I should know but rarely had TA credit which I believe is refundable (unless that has changed). It is not a lot but I also have a great deal (for us) of non refundable X OBC. Does non refundable OBC get used first ie if I have 800 of cruiseline OBC and 100 TA OBC and use 800 on cruise... would the 100 remain and be credited after cruise automatically- would I need to go to guest relations at end of cruise. Many thanks in advance.

Apparently all lines are facing declining service and food. We recently booked a 14 night HAL which checked the boxes for us vs. X. 1) newer ship for HAL (Rotterdam) and ability to get a real balcony(and since they have real balconies it is easier in my experience to find an available aft balcony) 2) they have initiated Club Orange which sounds interesting and adds some value ie. you pay 15x2 a day on 14 day cruise and can book any category at lowest price.. ie. an aft veranda at price of obstructed view. They also have dedicated dining area on new (Pinnacle class) ships and some other benes. I am not expecting Luminae or Blu dining but nice to have a smaller area available especially when it is essentially free 3) looks like HAL has not blown up their drink pricing as well as specialty dining which X has taken to new ridiculous levels 4) a game changer for us is music...B.B Kings and RS Rock venue with live bands. A great place to go in the evening. Our Apex cruise had the worst live music I have experienced- I think they were all using backing tracks pre-recorded and the sound was flat. Can't speak to food which is highly subjective (like music) and can change by ship and venue but haven't missed a meal on a cruise yet. I would concede that overall X is likely better. Do love the hot dogs and burgers at HAL Dive. Lower price of specialty dining will allow more of these splurges. Ironically, the first several posters on our Roll call said they were X cruisers trying HAL So we are excited to try a new ship with HAL and will likely only cruise X if some discount Retreat offers surface. We used to love AQ on S class but not sure how ' current ' these ships are. I know Solstice was updated in 21 but it is now 15 years old (hard to believe). ps. was trying to confirm age of Solstice and saw a passenger/crew ratio chart of all X ships. Wow the ratio is dramatically declining for each new ship like the national debt is growing. JMHO