KeithJenner

In Santorini the excursion starts on the ship, as there is a special tender for tours. All shore excursions start at a central meeting place (usually the theatre), so there is no need to get ashore to meet your tour for the scheduled time.

That’s correct.

Yes, there are always anomalies, especially since Covid, and people may always find that some things aren’t available to book at the time that they should be. However, MDRs and Speciaity restaurants are scheduled to be available, and in my experience are available, at the same time.

Yes they do.

NCL are very slow at updating their website, and there is often conflicting information because of this. The vouchers can be used in all restaurants.

They are too far out for the full list of excursions to be offered yet. Excursions are added as and when NCL release them. It can vary, with some appearing years out and some only a few months. In the OPs case there are only a few showing for a cruise over a year away. There will certainly be many more added.

Late departure times are relatively common in Europe, and I have done quite a few cruises where departure was after 7pm (including some where we haven’t left until after midnight). Without exception, boarding has still started at around midday. You can usually check in and then leave if you want (I’ve never done this myself) and as far as I am aware latest boarding time has always still been a couple of hours before departure (although again I’ve never been that late).

There is no Palomar on the Spirit. Le Bistro doesn’t allow shorts and in the past Windows (aft dining room) has also not allowed them. The dress code in the aft dining room can vary by ship, but I would expect this to still be the same on the Spirit. Shorts will be fine everywhere else.

There is no “two bottles of wine” rule on NCL. You can carry on as much wine as you want but corkage is charged regardless of where you consume it. However, if you have the beverage package then the corkage fee isn’t charged.

You can either pay per meal or buy a dining package for the kids. In the a la carte places it may be cheaper to pay the menu price rather than get a package, depending on how much they will eat. Have a look at the menus to get an idea of how much they are likely to spend. Regardless of how you plan to pay for them you book the restaurants in the normal way.

You will get wildly differing amounts suggested, and it is up to you. Don't feel pressured to overtip if you don't use their services though. If people are using the butler and concierge for lots of things then it is appropriate to give a decent tip. We are similar to you and don't request anything from the butler. We may use the concierge once or twice during a cruise, if we tender for example. We do tip them, but much less than others suggest. We don't stay in the Haven, so probably have less interaction with the Concierge especially than you may have in the Haven area. That could affect things.

The big difference is that Tile relies on people with devices that are running the Tile app in order to report the location (unless that has changed recently). Airtags locations are reported by any iPhone. The chances of nobody with an iPhone walking near your luggage is slim. We have travelled numerous times with AirTags and the location is always correctly reporting when we first check, which is usually soon after leaving the plane.

You won’t be able to get a reservation for 3. Book for 4 instead.

I think this is the answer. I suspect that the OP is looking at the upgrade. If they look at the normal package they will be able to purchase for their daughter.

We sailed with our teenage son for many years and were always able to buy the dining package for him. I’m not sure why your daughter isn’t showing as an option for purchasing. If you don’t want to phone now then you can always wait until you board to get her the package. Waiting does run the risk of the price increasing though.

If it says 120 days for entertainment then yes, that is incorrect information. Until recently you couldn’t prebook entertainment at all. They are reintroducing it again now, but currently they are as mentioned above.

You can attend the solo gatherings regardless of the type of cabin you are in. I think they often hold them outside of the studio lounge these days, but even if it is held there then they prop the door open for others to attend.

Yes, hallux is correct. I am able to make reservations 125 days out due to latitudes status, but the system always quotes the date 120 days out. Things always open at 125 days for us. I’ve not stayed in a club suite but I understand that to be the same. Ocean Blue is covered. Whilst it isn’t mentioned by name, it is covered by “seafood” in the dining package details, the same way that “Italian” means both La Cucina and Onda without those restaurants being named. IN WHICH VENUES WILL MY SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE BE HONORED? Specialty Dining Packages are honored in the following restaurants: American Diner, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Food Republic, Italian, Le Bistro, Los Lobos, Moderno Churrascaria, Pincho Tapas Bar, Q Texas Smokehouse, Raw Bar, Seafood, Sushi and Teppanyaki.

Just to answer your other points. You can cancel individual reservations up to 24 hours beforehand. Officially there is a charge for no shows, but it isn’t really enforceable in a la carte places, and I’m not aware of anyone being charged. It’s good manners to cancel though if you aren’t attending. Ive never cancelled a dining package, but most add ons are cancellable up to a short time before embarkation (with refund to credit card). Cancelling onboard would be harder, if it is even possible.

I don’t think the price limit was ever actually enforced. It has gone now anyway. The latitudes meals are now effectively the same as dining package credits. There is still some confusion over exactly what is covered with the package (apps, salads, sides etc) and I’ve seen reports of people being allowed different quantities, but I suspect that was confusion by the staff over what was covered rather than a difference in packages. Many of us (me included) plan on using them at fixed price places if we are going to them to avoid any additional confusion.

Anyone can make dining reservations, regardless of whether you have a package or not. The only difference that having a package makes is that if you don’t have it then you would have to pay up front for the fixed price places (Moderno and Teppanyaki). This would be refunded on board if you use a dining credit, but is best avoided. In your situation, as you have two free at sea meals you can book those two first anyway, so no need to pay up front. The only real risk of not buying the package now is that prices can go up at any time, and without warning.

I think this is referring to the snacks (stuff like chocolate covered strawberries or canapés) which will be delivered to your room a couple of times. I don’t know whether you have any say in what you would receive and when. We tend to get them a few times anyway, for various reasons, and they are quite nice but not something I would miss if they didn’t come.

The platinum benefit now includes all restaurants.

That will almost certainly be the case for you. It is extremely rare for you to have to leave the ship in Europe. The most likely thing to vary would be muster. I’ve had back to back cruises where we didn’t even need to attend and others where we had to sit through the whole thing (4 muster drills in 5 days once).

They will almost certainly have to clear the ship in that case. I believe that is the standard for a US port. There will probably be an area you can wait and then reboard fairly quickly.