nudistcruzer

I think it is the ship previously known as the Flying Clipper. Really, what else could it be? It is probably a sign that it is getting close to finding a buyer. Hopefully if that buyer is going to use the vessel as a cruise ship, they will lease it to Star Clippers.

The common term for a back to back cruise is "back-to-back". Even if a crew member barely speaks english, they'll know what "back-to-back" means. Also, Carnival has a whole page dedicated to back-to-back cruises and much of it will apply to NCL. https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4529/~/back-to-back-cruises Note: Some of what this page says doesn't even apply to Carnival's cruises, for instance I always got my new Room key before I left the ship for my Passport check.

I've done back to back sailings many times on different cruise lines but only in Florida ports so far and I have always stayed in the same cabin both cruises. By and large, over the past 10 years we have had to first meet somewhere on the ship then get off the ship and have our passports looked at, then either we had to wait to go back on board or we have been able to go directly back on the ship. Only once, many years ago was I able to go somewhere on the ship to get cleared. The last time which was in Tampa we were able to go immediately back on the ship after first having met in the main lobby by guest relations. I will be doing a back to back in New York in February 2024 and then Miami in February 2025. I will update this thread if anything changes. I am starting another thread on other issues regrading back to back cruises. To be clear, I have always been able to leave my suitcases in my closet and my stuff in the drawers. Keep in mind when the ship arrives in the U.S. the authorities have the right to search your or any cabin or any other area of the ship during the process of clearing customs. I have never, to my knowledge, had my cabin searched. You personally are generally not going through customs your are only going through immigration, this is a Passport check only. If you are leaving the ship for the day to see local sights, only the stuff you bring with you technically goes through customs. So if you bought a $30,000 Rolex in St Maarten, you generally would pay the duty after the last leg of your cruises. Since you can get into trouble for this always ask the question, especially if you plan to spend any time ashore back in the U.S. for the day. If you are spending the day ashore, they will often give you an "in transit" pass, to make it easier to go back on the ship.

The same person said they hold back 35% of dining reservations for booking on the ship. I think it was the same person that told me because I am platinum, partly. I have 5 Speciality Dinners for a 4 night cruise. The information available to customer service is clearly not organized very well. When I first went to the Posh club on the Epic, they were only booking on the ship. So, I would be surprised that they went from only booking on the ship to essentially only booking online. I feel so lucky that I found this info. I have never been on an NCL ship Epic or newer and not had the Posh/Vibe Club.

I just booked the 4 day on the Viva for December 2, 2023. They said the Vibe is either sold out or they are not booking for some reason. Also, they said that there are always some spots left that can be booked on the ship. I actually booked a Vibe Cabana instead. They look awesome. Not cheap for a 4 night cruise though.Since it is out of Miami, it should be warm the entire time. Can't wait.

NCL has told me that you have to book to find out if the Vibe Beach Club is available. You have 24 hours to cancel, regardless, they said, but this policy is not written.

I have been on 19 nude cruises as a single. I am part of the Nudist community and a Life-Time AANR member. So, when I’m on a nude cruise I am well connected and never feel isolated. Actually, very often neighbors are on the cruise. One time on a small ship I ended up with one next door neighbor on one side of my cabin and the other next door neighbor on the other side. This was not planned, but made us feel at home. So, for many people, if you are single on a cruise, if you’re going with a group that you’re have something in common with, you’re likely to not feel isolated. Beside, nude cruises I have been most comfortable in the Studio cabins on NCL. There is a studio lounge and you always have a chance to meet people to eat with. I have found that organized single groups tend to have people there to just party or sometimes they are swinger types, looking for hookups. So, I have been staying clear of many single events. The single gatherings / dining tables arranged by the cruise lines, generally don’t have many of these issues.

In my case I have one reservation number for my back to back 20 total day cruise. So, will I get only $100 for a 20 day cruise or will I get $200 or $250? I really have no idea. We will see. Then, worst case, I just sell my shares and never have to worry about it again. I will report back here.

In addition, (too late to edit last post): I should also tell you that NCL Customer service said essentially the opposite of what you said, but, I do not believe them and I do believe what you are saying. (Not that it makes me happy.) In all likelihood, I will do as you do and book it as two separate cruises in the future, if it becomes clear there are no advantages to booking them as one. With Carnival at least with the Shareholder benefit, even if it were possible, which I don't know, there is no benefit to booking as one since you still get the full $250. With Carnival, I always have submitted both cruises at the same time specifically requesting the full $250 OBC and they have always given me the full $250. Carnival doesn't use a form, you only write a letter with your request. BTW Carnival does again accept emails, they had stopped that for a long time. Aside from these issues, NCL has been my favorite cruise line.

On Carnival I always got the full $250 even when they were two different Booking numbers with a total of 14 days. They would put $100 OBC on one cruise and $150 on the other. So Here I am on a 20 day cruise and they count it as two 10 day cruises. So on my invoice it will show an OBC of $200 instead of $250?? So a 20 day cruise with one booking number is still considered less than one 14 day cruise. It will be interesting what the invoice says. I will certainly advertise that NCL's Shareholder benefit is not nearly as good as Carnivals if what you say is true. I looked up my old boarding documents for Carnival to verify that I indeed got $100 on one and $150 for the other. The only cruise line where I have one booking number for two cruise has been NCL. I didn't have any Specialty meals or OBCs the last time(s). On Carnival since the other cruises have always been charters it wouldn't be possible to join them. Also Carnival has a support line for the Shareholder benefit and NCL does not, so I can't even call NCL to ask them. Do charters get the shareholder benefit? I will also be on a charter on NCL in 2025.

I am booked on back to back 10 day cruises under the same reservation number. How does that work on the ship. Are there two separate accounts, one for each 10 day cruise or do I have one account for the whole 20 days? Likewise, since I am on a 20 days cruise the benefit is $250. How is this applied? If I only have one bill for the whole 20 days, then it is simple. If it is two then I assume they apply the OBC to each segment $125 for each 10 days cruise?? Likewise, I have the "FAS Dining Package Upgrade – 2 meals" and "1 Meal Speciality Dining Package" times two. This is a total of 6 Speciality meals for the 20 days. (I paid double the price for one 10 day cruise.) So, if I only use 2 the first 10 days will the remaining meal carry over to the next cruise or will I lose it?

Yes, hopefully, it ends up back with star clippers. I am surprised that they didn’t alert the passengers prior to the subsequent cruise(s). But, no one had to change existing plans, if they had hotel reservations in Cannes. Actually, if we had been the the ports that were originally planned, we would’ve had a terrible time. A huge storm hit the area we were supposed to have been. Our voyage turned out great as well.

I was on the Royal Clipper when, after the first stop which was off of a French beach in Corsica, our itinerary was abruptly changed to avoid all French ports. The cruise line was afraid of the ship being seized by French authorities. We were on the frontline of the dispute over the “Flying Clipper”. Still, the now renamed “SV Golden Horizon”, sits unused, I believe, in the center of another financial situation. I will go out of my way to sail on the “Flying Clipper”, if she ever becomes part of Star Clippers. I have been on the “Royal Clipper” many times and one of their smaller ships once. I am looking forward to my next Star Clipper cruise. Does anyone know the full story and perhaps the future of the ship formally known as “The Flying Clipper“?

The Invoice for the Vibe Beach Club implies you can cancel and get a refund before the cruise. Double check this, when they are open.

Hooray!😅

I have, also, studio cabins have a maximum of one person. I certainly would not want to pay double for the same 3 meals. Because the price I paid was twice what the 10 day was for the upgrade. As was the Vibe Beach Club Twice what the 10 day price would have been.

Yes, all of them. I'm so jealous of someone that has never had to do laundry. My mom had a maid. She would do my wash, but she always managed to turn my white underwear pink. So, from 14 years on, I did my own laundry. On the dishwasher subject, I saw the results of when a husband at a rented vacation condo squeezed a quarter cup of "Lemon Joy" into a dishwasher. I have never seen so many suds in my life!!!

I am single in a single cabin. I get 1 per each 10 days standard, then with the premium upgrade I get an additional 2 per week making a total of 6. If I was in a balcony cabin solo, I would get 4 per week making a total of 8 for all 20 days. If I was on two 7 day back to back cruises. I would get the same 6. If I was on 3 7-day back to back cruises making 21 days I would get 3 per week including the "FAS Plus" upgrade totaling 9 dinners in the 21 days. Balcony cabins get an additional 1 dinner per person per week under the standard "specialty dining package". On the invoice below, the quantity 2 pertains to the two cruises not to two people. As a solo I get 6 meals which is the standard 2 plus the additional 4 from the paid "FAS Plus" upgrade. Again, If it was 21 days, It would be 3 per person plus an additional 6 from the paid "FAS Plus" upgrade. Also, if I as a solo booked a balcony cabin for 21 days with the FAS Plus Upgrade I would get a total of 12. Again, with back to back cruises under the same reservation, all upgrades need to be booked over the phone and the amenity invoice always looks screwy because of the quantity. The only disadvantages of having a back to back booked under one reservation is having to book upgrades, including the vibe sun deck, over the phone and not online and having the invoices look screwy and the total due on the web-site is always wrong. AMENITY INVOICE copy_Redacted.pdf

Actually, I get six. See the attached "amenity invoice". Notice the Quantity column every line item shows quantity two. I paid for the all-in-one upgrade to premium. I was not able to book this online, the online system can't handle a back to back cruise booked as one booking. All the prices for upgrades are doubled. Even the amount due on the website is incorrect. I have a studio cabin. Had I only booked 10 days I would have gotten 3 with my upgrade. AMENITY INVOICE copy_Redacted.pdf

Since the ship is not yet finished, I think they are waiting to open this up. As soon as anyone reading this thread has booked the Vibe on the Viva, I'm sure they will update the thread. They have had to push back the first voyage a few times. Until the first voyage date is 100% assured, I don't think they will have opened this up. Norwegian Cruise Line Delays Norwegian Viva's Debut to August 2023 It does look like she will be ready though. The sea trials are going on now as the interior work continues! Norwegian Viva Sets Sail for Sea Trials You can check out her current position at: CruiseMapper: Norwegian Viva

Regardless, as you say, staying on ship's time is the most important thing regardless of whether the ship changes to the local port's time or not. For me, it is much easier to stay on "ship's" time if they change to the local time. Since I have an Apple watch which will not stay on anything other than local time, (an iPhone can stay on something other than local time, an Apple Watch may not.) As soon as I leave the vicinity of my iPhone the time on my Apple Watch changes to local time and there is no way to know this has happened, there is no alert. The only way to make 100% sure that your Apple Watch is not giving you the incorrect time is to leave the watch at home. If you live near a time zone border the only way to make sure your watch is not giving you the incorrect time is to use a hammer and destroy the watch. Setting the time zone on the iPhone only keeps the watch set to that time zone when the watch is connected to the iPhone. If you keep your iPhone with you at all times, then, that Apple Watch on your wrist serves no purpose and should be disposed of. Besides, sometimes, you run out of battery power on your iPhone, then, your watch will also revert to local time. If you are in the military and you must stay on "Zulu time". Don't ever use an Apple Watch. Hopefully, Apple will fix this bug. Currently, an Apple Watch Ultra with WatchOS 9.5 and an iPhone 13 Pro iOS 16.5 has this bug. I just tested it again by setting my iPhone to "Zulu time"(UTC) and then I turned off my iPhone and my watch after a few minutes changed back to local time...

I find this so sad for some reason.

Well, I spoke too soon! Bare Necessities Tour and Travel just announced the very first nude cruise on NCL!! It is still too early to book, but: Click on the Roll Call below to see more.

As a reminder to everyone, this is a Carnival Thread. Of the 20 plus weeks I have spent on Carnival Ships, only once have we changed time on the ship and it was only a one hour time change. The difference is, it was a 14 day cruise with the majority of the time being in Atlantic Standard Time. All of us, including the crew, were surprised when they instructed us to change our clocks forward by one hour; that shows how rare it is on a Carnival cruise that is returning to the same port. So, as you said, on Carnival, it is nearly a certainty the ships time will not change. Of all the cruise lines I have been on, I think Carnival has been the most sensible when it comes to changing or not changing the time.

After twenty plus weeks on Carnival cruises all leaving from Florida. This past February was the first time we ever changed the time on the ship. It was only because we were in the other time zone so long. On other Lines, we would always change to match every port. Certainly on any Carnival repositioning cruise they would change the time zone. There is a 12 day cruise out of New York in February, I think every port except the home port is on Atlantic standard Time, I assume they would switch to Atlantic time, shortly after leaving New York.