Ellis1138

I might be the only one who really liked being in a Studio Cabin. Not just for the Studio Lounge, but I loved the "pod" feeling, like I was on a space ship. It helped that I'm only 5 feet tall, so I fit in the little toilet room and shower on the Escape Studio. I also liked being able to change the lighting colors to red instead of white. But yeah, if a regular inside is the same price AND also would give lounge access, I would consider that.

I'm also a fan of Gary and watch his videos because they're so informative. He also doesn't just review it based on just his needs, but keeps in mind what other cruisers might like. I was worried about the Prima because of the CC reviews, but since I don't go to shows, I do a variety of eating venues and the cold doesn't bother me (I've been in the cruise pools when it's 35 F on deck), the Prima might be a good fit.

I believe the Getaway has Starlink, too. It would be nice for the Escape to get it.

It will depend on your carrier, but Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile generally have good signal in ports and on the populated parts of the islands. (You might lose signal in places like Road to Hana, Haleakala, Waimea Canyon, etc). The general consensus is that it's not worth upgrading the PoA wifi. It isn't Starlink and is very slow. Also, you'll be asleep overnight (or should be) during the times when you will not have a signal from land.

In my experience, yes, you need to fill out the NCL Access Desk Form. Ideally a few months before your sailing. If not, call the number for the Dedicated Access Coordinators. If you don't pre-arrange anything, you run the risk of it not being available for you.

If you have a balcony room, you'll get like a hot-shot style Mr. Coffee thing, not a fancy coffee maker like suites might have. You are not allowed to bring anything that has surge protection. Since I have a CPAP machine and I always send in the NCL Access form, the cruise line has always supplied me with an extension cord and distilled water, so I haven't had to bring my own. A little Anker charging cube from Amazon has been all I needed to bring. I don't know if my cabin plan diagram will help you or not, but here it is. I have the outlet places marked down.

They should have it listed in a freestyle daily or just ask someone when you board about which place is the carry-on drop off.

On the Facebook page for the PoA, people were coming off and complaining about a terrible sewer smell. I wound up changing my cabin from 9644 to 9622 to reduce the chance that we'd have the problem. I tracked any reviews and complaints for months and made a Google Doc to see if any particular places or cabins were more susceptible. https://docs.google.com/document/d/177PtRV7gu31oHHax3Cb2-SY2SRbs4NQ1vfJG9iYCGFc/edit?usp=sharing

I read the negative reviews, too. Not so much for entertainment, but to see if there's any valid complaints that would also concern me. Like finding out about The Sewer Smell in the aft part of the Pride of America. (And looking up what I can do about it, if it happens to me.) Another one, a thread here, was the Coffee Mate thing. It means a lot to me to have actual cream in my coffee, so having the forewarning was good. Some stuff is ridiculous, like the woman who couldn't find anything to eat. If I, with my severe food allergies and restrictive diet, could find plenty of options, I feel like anyone can. I also deduct points for reviews that start with "I am a Platinum/Titanium/Gold-pressed Latinum level" or "I've been on (number) of cruises and..." And some stuff is valid but doesn't affect me, like long bar lines, chair hogs or getting into the small entertainment venues. But you're not the only one perusing the low-rated reviews.

I accidentally wound up with that on the Escape. The restaurant manager felt it would be easiest with my severe food allergies for me to eat at the same table with the same waiter in the same MDR at the same time each day. But that's an extreme situation.

The CruiseNext has the best discount if you buy 2 of them while on board. Do not spend the "OBC", since as someone said if you do that, then you paid full price for them. Sometimes, if you have a cruise you're eyeing, the CN rep can try to get you a deal. As an example, I had booked the Hawaii cruise for 2024, but then later decided to do a NE/Canada cruise in Sept 2023. While on the Escape, I acted like I was on the fence for CN certificates and to sweeten the deal, the rep adjusted our existing Hawaii fare lower if I bought the 2 certificates. Sometimes they offer things on the next cruise that you wouldn't get if you later booked direct.

That is correct. When I went, the Thermal Suite was about $200 for a 7 day sailing. I think they ran day passes on port days for $54. The "Non-Vibe" areas on Deck 19 and 20 are perfectly fine, but outdoors. Unfortunately, the Deck 8 Waterfront doesn't go around the front of the ship, but you can get great views of sailing away and the wake.

I think they start taking luggage around 10 am HST. I imagine the first available check in time would be around 10:30 am. I know the cabins aren't usually ready until about 2 to 3 pm. Just do the check in 21 days before your cruise and choose a time that suits the great transportation deal.

I went all the way up top to the Deck 19 forward section. There's windows in the way but a good view.

When I was on the Escape in September 2023, the Spice H20 in the day remained child-free and honestly, just about "everyone except smokers"-free. It was a New EnglandCanada cruise and the weather was not that warm; I assume on Caribbean cruises, the place would be packed. The smoke from the smokers section did not get over to the hot tub or grotto area, but the smokestack emissions did.

I was told by the NCL person that once you get the price drop, post-final payment, that's it. You can't call in for another. I suppose you could try and if they say no, so be it.

I can add to this, as well. The important thing is to fill out the Access Desk form in advance, giving them time to prepare and expect you. I also let them know I'm bringing epi-pens along. After doing your muster drill check in on embarkation day, head to the restaurant that's open (MDR) or if you can't find it, to guest services. Either a maitre d', assistance maitre d' or the restaurant manager will come to consult with you. As said, the buffet will be Allergy Roulette, but they will know what things do or don't have which ingredients. They can't vouch for the pre-made stuff they get at the ports. But anything that they make from scratch, they know the ingredients. What I really like about NCL is if I want something that would normally contain my allergens, they will make a version for me that doesn't contain it. As for the Order the Day Before vs Just Tell the Waiter When you Get There, I find it way easier to look at the menus a day ahead and pick what I want. On my last sailing, they assigned me my own table and my own waiter, so that I wouldn't have to keep explaining every time I sat down. I've seen the soft serve carton and it's all chemical, but definitely doublecheck. Just in case. They will most likely be able to make nut-free and non-contaminated desserts. I can't help with excursions. My answer has just been to not eat, even when I was a child. I bring some electrolyte tabs and a bottle of water with me. Be careful of coconuts in the Caribbean ports. Good luck and let us know how it went!

I went in a studio before NCL did the other rooms for solos, but I adored it. I liked my little pod cabin on the Escape and made sure to be down the hall, but on the same level as the lounge and not near white spaces. I brought magnetic hooks and just hung my clothes all over the non-padded wall parts. But yeah, no shelves or drawers for clothing. I also had them bring in a nightstand for my CPAP machine. Space is super tight in the Studio. I'm 5'2" and the toilet room was almost knee-bumping for me.

I bought the 100 shares in April 2020, when everything tanked. I got 100 of NCLH and 100 of CCL, but couldn't afford the $24/share for Royal Caribbean. I didn't buy it just for the OBC, but have a hope that it will all go back to where it was pre-pandemic. This may or may not happen. I did a cruise on the Escape in September. Filling out the form and emailing it was easy. I got the $100 non-refundable OBC. A thing to note is that I booked the cruise with the $50 shore excursion credit Free At Sea stuff. Disclaimer: The following might not happen to you, but it happened to me. So I got on board and found an excursion for $69 that looked good. On the second day of the cruise, a spot opened up and I got that. My stockholder OBC paid for it. The day after the excursion, I looked at my account and I had $31 of non-refundable OBC and $50 of refundable OBC. The shore excursion credit had laundered my non-refundable OBC into something I could use to buy CruiseNext.

The Jewel Class thermal spa is definitely worth it, with the Thalassotherapy pool, hot tubs and stuff. I get the pass when on a ship that has those, but not like the Pride of America or NCL Sun, where it's just a sauna and steam room and some showers. I've found that it's a nice, quiet place to get away from the general hubbub and also to be in a child-free zone.

I would say call the NCL customer service number on the webpage and, armed with the date and sailing and being very polite and friendly, see if they would be able to give you the points for the old sailing? The one issue might be that it's a different parent company. Norwegian Caribbean didn't merely change names, it was acquired by another company (Star Cruises). But it doesn't hurt to try. All you lose is some time on the phone.

The area "between the airport and port" is not a very good one, nor does it offer a lot of places to stay. No matter what, you will need to pay for a cab or rideshare to the port from your hotel. Best Western the Plaza is near the airport and has a free breakfast. It might have a free airport shuttle, but I'm not sure. There is nothing really near the hotel and it's not a great area to walk around. But it's pretty cheap for Honolulu. If I were young and budget-minded, I would stay at the https://thebeachwaikikihostel.com/ . If you don't mind being in a dorm room type thing, it's about $45 a night, which isn't bad for being less than half a mile from Kuhio Beach in Waikiki.

We're going to rent a car on Kauai, but we're going on the PoA. Turo is an option too. While there might be Lyft/Uber or taxis available, the distance of everything makes those a bit unrealistic. You could also book a tour with Viator or something that might include transportation from the port. The most expedient way to see the Na Pali coast line is from the air, either Helicopter or Wings over Kauai airplane, depending on what you like better. Some of the helicopter tours will pick you up at the port. I previously did the doors on helicopter and enjoyed it. You can also do it by catamaran, boat or zodiac, either from Port Allen (30 minute drive) or Hanalei (maybe an hour depending on traffic to get there). There is a variety of available ways to sail past the Na Pali, from adventure zodiacs to day snorkeling to sunset dinner cruise types. I've done Catamaran Kahanu's daytime snorkel one and enjoyed it. There's also the Kalalau Trail, but it's a dangerous and 2 day long hike, so I don't recommend it for limited time cruise vacations.

I'm not sure how far away your cruise is, but contact the NCL Access Desk and inform them of the allergies. While Harvest Caye is technically Roatan, it's still NCL's "private island" and something will be done to accommodate the allergy. If the sailing is soon, then on embarkation day, talk to Guest Services about getting you in touch with the ship's restaurant manager.

On the NCL page, check under the Past Guest Offer and see if any are doing doubles. Some of those are very cheap. I actually wound up getting a 7 day triple point cruise that took me from 7 to 28 points.