JerseyBird

Hi!

Our ship (Viva) arrives Lisbon at 6am in November. We have to be off the ship by 9am, I am guessing? But our flight, booked through NCL, departs at 6:50pm with Portugal Air. 

I was just wondering where can we store our luggage if we want to tour the city for a few hours?

We do have the cruise line's transfer to the airport.  Can we get to the airport and check in our luggage, say 8 hours before our flight time?  If not, is there a luggage storage service at the airport?  Or better yet, any luggage storage service at the cruise terminal?  or anywhere close to the cruise terminal?

Any deas, suggestions are appreciated! 

16 minutes ago, cabincop said:

Between time change & Im sure they amount of email they get it’s understandable. Usually get a return email within 2 to 3 days.

okay, they are not forgetting me, lol.

Thanks!

Thank you all for your reply!

I am currently in communication with SDT.  It took them 2-3 days to get back to you in email.

Is that the case with you too?

Just got little anxious... 

50 minutes ago, julig22 said:

You can request it but but they factor in the current price of your airfare so it usually has to be a pretty big price drop.

I see. They do consider the whole package, not just the cabin part alone.  Thanks.

I did see a  price drop (still 50+ days away), actually, it is a better cabin at the same price we paid; but we have a package with airfare combined, the current one doesn't have the BOGF airfare anymore.  So can I still request an OBC or alike?  

Thanks.

Hi!

We haven't been on a cruise for three years due to Covid, very excited for our upcoming November Mediterranean trip! 

I know NCL is Free Style, probably more on the casual side. do people still dress up for dinners, photo shots etc. these days?  What's the overall dress code/atmosphere alike, please enlighten me😀.

TIA!

Hi！　I just got a quote back from SDP for a trip from Malaga to Granada.  

I was very surprised that the price is about 30% higher than the NCL offered. From the descriptions, they are pretty much identical. The only difference I can think of is assume NCL's is a big bus, bigger group, vs we are a 10-person group, you will get a better TLC.

In the past (before Covid), when we book with a local tour operator, it is always cheaper, a lot cheaper than the price cruise line offered. Has things changed lately?

What are your experience and your advices? 

Thanks a lot!

On 8/28/2023 at 3:47 PM, Hlitner said:

I will toss out a related suggestion which is to plan a couple of nights at the Parador de Granada...which is actually located inside the Alhambra.  It is arguably the best Parador in Spain, and rooms must generally be booked far in advance.  Of course this is not an option for cruisers that are simply visiting Malaga for the day, which is just one more reason why land tours (or driving trips) to Europe can give a perspective not enjoyed on a cruise.

 

Hank

I am debating this question.

I have always longing for Granada, I believe it deserves a couple days/nights there. But we are arriving Malaga on Nov. 14 on NCL.   If it is summer time, we would stay in Malaga, and just leave Granada for another land trip later. But November in Malaga, I heard most places will be closed.  So I am thinking to hire a transportation company (we are a group of 10), ship ducks at 6am, hoping we can get on the road by 7am, then I book the 9:30am guided tour of the Palace etc, maybe even have time left to tour the old town part.  The ship leaves at 6pm, so we should leave Granada around 3pm, to be back by 5pm?

Does this sound reasonable?

TIA!

20 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

The Haven has a sauna and cold room, but otherwise you'll have to go the thermal suite. There are hot tubs around the ship. If available, day passes can be purchased. I've seen prices between $79 and $99, but I always get the cruise length pass. I do know on a couple cruises I've been on, day passes were never available. 

Got it. Thanks!

On 9/9/2023 at 1:44 AM, MammothMan said:

We sailed the Sun in May out of Seattle. When I looked at the cruise (aft penthouse suite) the running discount was 50% off. I thought that was great so I booked the cruise. I was a happy camper. I then called the suite concierge to book dining reservations and she noticed my wife’s latitude number wasn’t attached to the reservation. So she looked up my wife and saw my wife had a 50% off coupon in her account. So, with supervisor approval we got her 50% off added to the original 50% off. Needless to sat that worked out well. 
 

A few weeks ago I booked a 10 da med cruise on the Viva. I screwed up the online reservation up and by the time I was done had 3 owner suites (ok 70 years old and computers sometimes kick my ass). So I called up Ncl to correct the problem and found as a vet I got 10% off. He also put my wife’s latitudes number and again…she had a 25% off coupon. Wow 35% off. 
 

Bottom line I don’t learn well from my mistakes but thought I would pass this along. Even though you and your spouse have always cruised together it doesn’t mean you both have the same discount codes. 
 

I only hope my wife doesn’t see she had all the power here and takes the pool boy with her on the next cruise. 

 

 

 

Thanks for the tip.

Does it mean it is better to book w the cruise line directly?  Don't think my TA is trying hard to find any discount for us, we paid the book value, didn't use any coupon (don't even know we have any). 

Can you buy a day pass? We have a port day everyday on Viva in November.  After coming back, we have dinner reservations, not sure when we will have time to the thermal suites, at least not everyday. 

Is the thermal suite the only place you can get suna, jacuzzi etc (no such facility else where on the ship), or it is just a less crowded, more prestiges private place? 

TIA!

On 9/8/2023 at 11:01 AM, debbie2000 said:

Any idea on airlines that NCL uses for flights from US to Rome?

We are from NYC area.  We are assigned Air Canada to Rome. stop at Montreal. 

Thank you both!

Dear Board,

We are arriving VEC at 9am on Wednesday morning. Is the easiest way taking a taxi to the Port?  anyway knws how much for two?

I heard there is a water way to get there too; is it straight there?  if I have to transfer or alike, that's too much trouble.  Not sure if it really saves much money

If I get to the port, say around 10-10:30, can I get on broad then?

is it easy to get off the boat to tour Venice? We have been in Venice before, so this is not a "must".  But if it's not too much trouble, I don't mind seeing her again :-)

Thanks for your insight!

JerseyBird

So nice of you. Thanks you!

and vs versa? Thanks!

Dear Board,

Hubby and I are trying to take a mini vacation on Oct 30th, only these RCL Majesty and Norwegian Sky fit our schedule. I know they are similar, in the same calibers, can you please still voice your opinions as which is a better choice in terms of:

1. Which boat is in a better shape?

2. Which food is slightly better?

3. RCL goes to Cococay, Norwegian goes to Great Stirrup Cay

Which island has a better beach? Better for snorkeling?

Thank you very much for your input!

JerseyBird

Both the information desk and train ticket sales office will have the card for sale, both are located in Terminal 3 and so is the train and metro station.

 

For recommendations in that area i would say Cafe Ultima in Tivoli for Italian food or færgekroen or Brødrene Price' restaurant for traditional danish food.

 

If you don't want to eat in Tivoli then I can recommend that you go to the little square called Gråbrødre Torv where several good restaurants are located, one of the best are Bøf & Ost.

Danish,

we arrive the airport at 9:50pm on Saturday. Do you think the information desk and train ticket sales office will still be open by the time we get there?

We don't have time to use the card pre-cruise. but I want to get it ahead of time, because they don't sell the card at the cruise terminal, but we want to use it to get to our hotel after disembarkation. So is it OK to pre-purchase the card and not start the clock until we use it the first time?

thank you so much for your information!

CCL buffet was terrible, but MDR was way better than RCL. Sad to find out CCL food is still better than RCL now days (from what I read so far), because I already paid the whole thing for upcoming August sail on RCL, no "change of mind" here any more :(. Hope I won't be too disappointed.