mypleasure

I don't tip at all other than what I pay up front.

Due to a health issue that requires surgery exactly when I would be on a cruise I needed to call my PCC and cancel. When I got through to him I was asked if we wanted to reschedule rather than cancel. We found a cruise for next summer that will work for us. I was refunded the money I had paid for a couple of shore excursions I had booked. Everything else including the reservation number, some OBC, our Free at Sea (which had changed since we originally booked but was honoured as per the original booking) was just transferred over at no loss or cost other than a change fee of £35 per person. Better than losing £200 I thought.

I just cancelled my Sept 17 2023 sailing on Prima due to unexpected need for major heart surgery to be scheduled for late Aug/Early Sept meaning I will not be fit to travel. Rescheduled for Jun2024. As it stands the money I paid for Premium Plus Bev Package for 2023 seems to have been used to pay towards our Jun 24 cruise fare. A couple of shore excursions are being refunded but everything else kept against Jun 24. If we want Premium Plus we have to pay again. I am currently thinking it is now not worth what they are asking me to pay and I will stick to my standard Free at Sea. The main reason being cutting back on things like Champagne, Wines such as New Zealand wines that I like a lot, and some spirits. Love Single Malt Scotch Dislike Bourbon. I will review buying additional dining nights, Starbucks/PAYG/Packages nearer the time of departure in June next year when both my health and the drinks selection may have improved.

It is EU and UK law that the price displayed on a menu, or on a sticker in a shop , has to be the price you will pay. ALL taxes have to be added and the total price displayed before you pay and there are to be no surprise charges added. It is absolutely fine to add VAT and Excise duty to the price of a drink but all menus must be reprinted to reflect the addition and show the price that will be charged before you purchase. The first time we visited the USA this was quite a surprise to find added sales tax at the register. We felt a bit cheated but each to their own.

I started sailing NCL back in 2008 and have always found the coffee to be bitter and needing large quantities of sweetener and extra water to get it to a drinkable but not enjoyable state. Since 2010 I have been bringing my own preferred coffee granules and just adding hot water. I also bring my own tea bags as I love a cup of Yorkshire Tea.

Yes you are absolutely right except I am not a booze drinker. I enjoy 2 to 3 quality drinks each evening no more than that. If I cancel my package I will be absolutely fine without booze and my husband will happily pay for any beer he might wish to try as he only drinks beer and soft drinks.

At this moment I am very disappointed that my purchase of the Premium Plus package is no longer what I thought it was. I am willing to give the Pommery a go as I have never tried it before. Hopefully it won't disappoint. I like Moet a lot and really dislike Mumm. The wine list in general doesn't inspire me much. I enjoy a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc so hopefully there will be some Australia and New Zealand wines to enjoy. My after dinner / nightcap is a single malt Scotch Whisky. I hope there will be some choice there as I don't drink Bourbon at all. Right now I am feeling quite disappointed with what I was previously quite excited about. I have a few months until I sail on the Prima for things to change even more and 2 months to final payment so I still have the choice to cancel. I can keep my money in my account and see how things are in a couple of years time as I prefer to sail NCL if I can. Things can get better I hope.

I bring my medications in original packaging along with a copy of Doctors script.

So looking forward to the next adventures.

I have already done the research. Most bars will have both Gin and Tonic. Most will have Coke Zero or diet coke. Wine may be a bit harder but not insurmountable as I am quite flexible and often like to try something new to me. I like a glass of champagne too. My husband loves Real Ale but never drinks beer on ships as he only drinks cask conditioned real ales and cruise ships do not carry this type of beer. He too will drink G & T, Wine or sometimes a scotch. Your point is very valid and will definitely help many people. Thank you for pointing out my omission.

We are booked to sail on Prima in Sept this year. Right from the day the ship launched I have avidly been following reviews of guests who have already sailed. I have read the reviews and have come to realise that this is a ship which challenges peoples thinking. Complaints seem to revolve around a tiny pool deck, a tiny buffet, lack of staff causing long lines to get a drink served and cutting back on room steward service. With the design of the Prima and the future ships of this class we will all have to accept that we need to change our thinking. Prima has a small pool deck and pool but it has the infinity pools on the sides. Prima has a small buffett but offers The Local and Indulge Food Hall as well as main dining rooms to eat all main meals as well as a lot of speciality dining if you like that. Given the complaints about being unable to get reservations for the restaurants it seems they are very popular and will be easing some of the demand elsewhere. There seems to be a lot of bars, so take a short walk and find another nearby with less of a line. Get two drinks if you feel that is necessary. I believe Staffing and Supply chain issues will resolve over time as the world continues to recover from Covid. I am fine with once a day service to our room. Prima has a huge Haven area which has it's own facilities thereby taking a lot of guests out of main areas. Where I think things have gone wrong is by having a virtual reality fun park instead of a decent sized lounge where people could relax indoors in the daytime and enjoy some entertainment at night. Then there is the tiny Pour House and Improv. I am unable to stand in a line for an hour to get in to these areas so have already accepted that those places are off limits to me. I have heart issue that means I can't go on the slides or the carts either. None of this will ruin my experience. I am very much looking forward to the cruise.

Another great live full of facts and amazing humour. I missed your Dad's input at times as he is so funny in a curmudgeonly sort of way. Looking forward to the next adventures.

I love seeing any people whatever rank they hold that I met in the past.

I pre-pay daily service charge and tips on drink/dining packages. These in themselves are large additional fees over and above my cruise fare. As someone from a culture where workers are paid a reasonable wage and tipping is not part of their pay, I simply do not tip everytime someone gets me something that it is their job to do so, and have already, by performing such task, received 20% of the value of the item requested. I also resent tipping in order to get some sort of perceived "special" treatment. If there is a line you wait your turn. On the final day I normally give an additional amount of cash to our room steward and sometimes a crew member who may have done something special for me. That is not a guarantee, it is a one off.

I have drunk plenty of it over the years with the below $15 package.

I am due to sail on Prima in September. We booked this month for a few reasons. Firstly it is a time when children will be back in school so it is likely there will be far less families onboard and it will be sailing at or undercapacity. We are sailing from a UK port so less will want the expense and associated hassles of 2 transatlantic flights. We are sailing in early autumn to Iceland and Norway when weather will be changeable with some good days and some inclement days. So, we are not expecting the ship to be massively over capacity. I think a lot of my reasoning may well apply to you too. Prima is definitely a very different vessel to those that came before. It appears to be far from the older concept of a corridor running from front to back with all venues somewhere on that corridor. I think many people have struggled to understand this. The pool deck is smaller than what people are used to but the new concept is to also have the ocean boulevard with it's infinity pools. Take the recent reviews and apply a pinch of salt. This was a carribean season when a lot of kids were on board. A totally different personality to when you will sail.

I tend to just have eggs and bacon as I try to stick to my low carb/high fat/moderate protein ketogenic diet. Smoked salmon is good too.

In summer I go to the farm about half a mile away and pick my own. When picking I am cautious to keep the stalk and leaves intact. This keeps them fresh for a few days. When I use them I remove stalk and leaves with a strawberry huller. On board a ship I use the stalk to hold the strawberry in my fingers and minimizing touch of the berry and the chocolate while I nibble it. I woulds never want a stawberry with no stalk and the top cut off.

I agree, traffic on motorway could be a massive delay, roadworks, accidents just make it worse. Long delays at security and check-in unless flying Business or First Class. I would not consider a morning flight, too much that you cannot control could go wrong.

Greece and Italy tend to be all about ancient monuments, churches, galleries, museums and sometimes food. The advice already given is excellent. There are a couple of ports with beaches.

To me it means pay for everything you want up front and only minimal account to pay when you disembark. I have never thought it means everything is free as in you don't pay anything at all before, during, or after the cruise. What works for me doesn't have to work for everyone. It is personal choice.

As always a fantastic live report. Love your Dad and the things he says (and does) that you amuse us all with every day. I am looking forward to next time. Thank you for doing this journal of the trips you go on.

It seems that NCL has decided that this sort of behaviour by others that makes others uncomfortable and distressed is acceptable. The lady should have been asked to leave and if this made them unhappy security should be called to deal with them. I think that guests displaying poor behaviour and allowing other guests to have their evening ruined by having to terminate their own meal is just wrong.

This is us too! I talk to our steward on day 1 to give them an idea of our needs. I explain that we tend to be in the room between 6 and 7:30 in the evening, don't need ice, will need towels replacing every few days when we leave them on the floor rather than hanging them up. I tend to make the bed myself most mornings as I hate seeing it in an unmade state. I keep the room tidy by putting things away, l put rubbish in the trash and we are generally not messy people. This is all fine by me to switch to once a day.

We sailed with Rumi on the N.Sun around S.America in Feb 2007. We loved him he was such a great guy and a friend of Armando da Silva (former HD N.Spirit). If you get chance rember Mr and Mrs Morgan from England to him and give him my best regards and a hope to meet again in the future. As always I am loving your live report and the exploits of your Dad and yourself. Looking forward to the rest of the cruise fun.