NeurosurgeryNP

Didn't think I was being discriminated against. Just wanted to know the answer. On our last Princess cruise a friend was able to purchase even though her room mate didn't due to medical reasons.

I am cruising in March with my elderly mom for the first time on NCl. She won the cruise. She can't drink due to medical reasons. Will they still allow me to but the package as the other cruiser in that cabin? Wondering if there is a medical exemption. Thanks.

I am cruising with my elderly mom in March on the Breakaway. She can't drink for medical/medication reasons. I know usually need to have all 21plus cabin members to purchase the package but will they make exceptions for medical reasons?

I am too new to NCL (free cruise won -going with Mom on the Beakaway) and usually cruise Princess.

So, can you give me tips on the Breakaway, and also I've heard no formal nights, dress code very relaxed?

Thanks for the update. As for the Platinum/Elite lounge, you can order any of the six featured drinks any night. You are not limited to that drink that night. I often order a Brezza Marina or a Chairman of the Board no matter which drink is featured that night.

There is a Platinum lounge as well? If there is, I didn't know this when I cruised on the Royal in March.

With a visit to the Ship's doctor, who says you can't go on an excursion due to illness, they will refund your excursion fee if you've missed the cut off. Wonder if they will do the same for the drinks package.

Interesting it was offered because from what everything I have heard, it was only supposed to be offered on the 7+ nights cruises.

Just read the entire thread....I was on the same cruise and also had late dining in the Allegro. To me, that is the only way to go. I like going to a show and THEN going to a leisurely dinner.

 

To the OP (Jen and Tim): Were you by any chance at a six-top table with only four people nightly? Just wondering if you might have been the folks next to us in the dining room.

Yup - That was us! :) The last night must have been quite amusing for you - we couldn't stop laughing with our new friends.

Didn't realize the gelato and crepes were included. Oh well - next time.

We just got off a 7 day on the Royal and we saw none of that - not one instance of an obliterated person - it was the first week of the package on that ship. Agree that the staff have to cut off intoxicated pax - as we did see this on pax even without the plan this trip - they were obliterated, but they were intoxicated, but they did get cut off due to their behavior in the night club.

Thank you for answering my entertainment questions and thanks for the review. I am 17 days and 6 hours away from boarding and your review is very helpful to me for planning our sea days.

 

Do you know what was available at the Horizon Court on the formal nights in the dining room? I just know I can cram more shoes and clothes in our suitcase if I don't have to leave room for suits for my DH and DS for formal nights!!

 

DS doesn't eat lobster and DH will get his at Crown Grill so if the dinner offering in HC is pretty good on formal nights, maybe I can win this debate.

I can't comment on HC dinner - we were always in the MDR.

As for the towels - on the Royal - they also had towels up on the pool deck for use - you didn't need to sign them out.

We used the clamshell on PC and got off early so we could get one where we could see the water and not the back of another clamshell. So we did go for a tender ticket. We were off to the right of the ship of you're looking at the flags but the rental house. There the beach was sandy and we didn't need water shoes.

We have always used CSA. Our TA always does it for us.

While we get it for the medical side, we got delayed and missed a connection last year and missed the last flight of the night out. While Southwest paid for our hotel, meals were not paid for, and I did save our receipts. I called CSA and they did reimburse us for our meals! It worked out to almost half the price we paid for the insurance.

We do the Luxe plan because it covers pre-existing conditions.

Can you tell me just how crowded was the mainpool area Did you find it very noisy with the MUTS? Did you try out the adults only pool? I understand that it is very windy. Thanks for any information you can give me.

It was somewhat crowded. we did have to get up to deck early on sea days to get prime locatiom for loungers. There were definitely chair hogs. They were removing towels from the chairs, but if you had another object like a bag or book, they didn't seem to be remkoving those. In fact, DH and I went to lunch and sat at the pool bar for a brief period and the towel was removed from his chair and we lost his lounger. Mine had a bag on it so it wasn't touched. Never had an issue with getting in the pools. We did not go to the adults retreat pool at all. We like the busy areas and the people watching is fantastic. The MUTS pool tended to be loud but not obnoxious for us.

Overall just a fantastic cruise! Can't say enough about the service and crew.

Pricing is available up front.

They weren't upfront with us. He showed us the pics first before he would give us the price list. Had we known the pricing we wouldn't have done the sitting.

I'm glad you have more brains than money.

We do. :) Imagine that. But the portraits were beautiful and original, and he captured some amazing memories. Just wish they were affordable.

So, we were "encouraged" to have a no obligation sitting with the "photo artist" in the New Platinum studio on the Royal. The pics were to be in Black and white. Session was fun and the photographer was awesome. We made an appointment the next night for a "viewing" and fell absolutely in love with the casual B+W portraits. Then came the price list - the cheapest a la carte photo of an 8X 10 was $175!!!!!!! :eek: The cost to purchase the CD (so we could print them) of the about 10 photos he took was $500!!!!!! :eek: :eek: While we fell in love with these photos, we definitely didn't have this money to throw away. My heart was broken that we couldn't get them but reason came in of course. The photographer stated it was due to the cost of the actual prints on special paper/thick mount that would last forever. This didn't include any framing. Just want to warn you all when approached for this "special sitting."

Thanks, do you know if they are offering a package (s)?

I did not hear anything about a wine package this sailing - but I wasn't looking for it either.

Re: alcohol pkg. If I did my math correctly, on our upcoming 17 night cruise, the pkg. for the two of us would be close to $2000.00. WOW!

 

Just can't justify it. We like wine, occ. cocktails, occ. specialty coffees, etc.

 

Knowing me, I'd want to get my money's worth and would likely drink a lot more than I should, never mind the added on calories of all those beverages.

 

To each his own, I guess. I wish there was a smaller package to purchase. We will look at the wine pkgs but, not sure that will work for us either. Can someone please post or repost the Royal's current wine pkgs ?

We did meet several couples who by the second or third day had regretted not buying the package. Their bar bills were far over what it would have cost them to do the package.

We did not drink a lot just to drink a lot. I am sure we got our monies worth however. I did get to try new things I would have never tried without the package.

I am also enjoying your posts very much! Thank you.... Could you tell me please if Escargot, Lobster, or beef wellington were served on formal night or as of yet?

All three were served last formal night - escargot for app, the others for main.

NerosurgeryNP

 

Do you mind telling what deck your cabin is on, and location?

Emerald 310 - between davits - and view wasn't too bad at all. When posted, I will let you know with photos.

NeurosurgeryNP - hope you're having a wonderful day in St. Thomas!

 

Wondered if you happened to see a dart board anywhere on board?

 

:D

I did not - my guess is they don't want the liability - have never seen a dart board on any cruise we've taken.

It has been posted on CC Gelato & Crepes are included in the all inclusive alcohol package, can you confirm?

Thanks and sorry to hear it was cool and windy on your first Sea Day!

We did not go into Gelatos so I can't confirm. It was a beverage package sold to us, so I would think not, but can't confirm wither way.

Looking forward to more of your review. We will be sailing on Royal this coming Nov. for our 35th. anniversary, doing the 10 day sailing. Can't wait. Will you beable to post any pics? :)

I have not uploaded any yet - but here is a Flikr link to someone who did a great photo review.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57377062@N04/sets/72157638843840634/page4/

Hi while your on the cruise can you find out for me if someone has a medical condition do they still have to uy the drink package also

I was unable to ascertain this. The packages were brand new on the Royal and the bartenders were unaware. I was unable to get a change to speak to a supervisor.

We'll be sailing next month too! Would love to know the price of the martinis ...foo foo ones not yucky olive ones;)

Most of the foo foo ones were $7.95.

Wondering about checking wine with carry on baggage and how well it was handled in security, if you noticed. Have a great cruise and we look forward to hearing more from the Royal!

Cheers!

Ken

We did not bring wine - so we didn't see this. We did however bring on a mixed six pack of craft beer - we had left over from our hotel stay pre-cruise - we were sure they security was going to take it, but they didn't even seem interested. Maybe because we didn't have wine.