KeithJenner

120 days unless you are platinum or higher latitudes

We had that exact choice for our upcoming Dawn cruise and the aft balcony was the easy choice for us, as we much prefer being there. The only reason we would have gone for the family suite would have been of there were more than two of us, as I think it is bigger, but for us two the aft was much preferred.

I like the Asian places on NCL and we went there on the Jade back in April. It was very good. It certainly isn’t a leisurely meal though. They bring everything out very quickly. I always say that next time I will order each course individually, but then forget and end up with a table full of food, all courses. 🙂

I have no problem with doing the muster drill, but I wish they could find a way of making sure that everyone gets there on time. At a point you just want to get on with your holiday there is nothing more frustrating than seeing people strolling in twenty minutes after tmot should have started. I’m not sure what the solution is. Maybe sending a small electric charge through all the hot tubs 5 minutes before muster would get some of the people moving. 🙂

I am not interested in having three sit down meals in a day. For dinner we almost always eat in a restaurant, and like to have a relaxing breakfast, but for lunch I much prefer a snack, so it is o’Sheehans or the buffet for us. The buffet is perfect for that.

I think that this is the same poster who started going on about gambling in a discussion about whether free at sea plus was worth it. If so they do seem to have a particular interest in the subject.

Beer is covered up to $15 (there have been beers available in the District Brewhouse that cost more than that) however they come. In most bars it is from bottles. District Brewhouse has lots on tap and a few other bars have one or two available on draught.

Yes. Before 3rd September everyone still needs these. After that you will still need it to show that you don’t need to test (non vaccinated need to show a negative test).

Absolutely. Those of us who have used NCL for a while, or spent time on these boards and heard what people have been told, know this well, but a newcomer would think that they can rely on what they are told by NCL phone staff. I’ve had a few discussions on these boards where I am trying to help people but they dismiss what I am saying because NCL phone staff said something different.

Thanks. It sounds like it is the problem that we knew about, but for some reason you had the extra issue of the restaurants disappearing. My guess would be that they would be back again if you went back, but its irrelevant as you still wouldn't be able to book them. You did the right thing by contacting NCL anyway. The only ways round this that I know of are either to call/chat with them or wait until onboard.

I'm not sure from your post whether you took offence, or whether you're having a joke with me, but no offence was meant. We often have these resurrected threads on here, and I was just pointing out that it was an old post that you were replying to. Sorry if I worded it badly.

NCL links never work when I provide them as they are on the UK site. Maybe ours has changed before yours (it has updated recently). I'll try pasting it: Testing & Pre-Embarkation Protocols For all sailings through September 2, 2022: For cruises originating from a U.S. port: Age Vaccinated Unvaccinated < 2 years No testing requirement. No testing requirement. 2-11 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Negative NAAT test (i.e., PCR) result administered by a verified third party within three days of the embarkation date, as well as additional antigen testing at embarkation and disembarkation administered and paid for by NCL. ≥ 12 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Unable to cruise. For cruises originating from a Canadian port: Age Vaccinated Unvaccinated < 5 years No testing requirement. No testing requirement. 5-11 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Negative NAAT test (i.e., PCR) result administered by a verified third party within three days of the embarkation date, as well as additional antigen testing at embarkation and disembarkation administered and paid for by NCL. ≥ 12 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Unable to cruise. For cruises originating from Piraeus, Greece: Age Vaccinated Unvaccinated < 12 years No testing requirement. No testing requirement. ≥ 12 years Provide proof of one of the following: 1. Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date 2. NAAT test (i.e. PCR) administered by a verified third party within three days of embarkation date 3. COVID-19 Recovery Certificate* Unable to cruise. *Please note, a COVID-19 Recovery Certificate may be presented as an alternative to the testing requirement as noted above if you have tested positive within 90 days (US) or 180 days (EU) of your scheduled embarkation date. This excludes all voyages visiting Bermuda. At check in, these guests must have one of the below acceptable forms of COVID-19 Recovery available (dated no less than 10 days and no more than 90 days (US) and 180 days (EU) before embarkation): For European citizens, this would include an EU Green Pass or comparable certificate. For guests unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. U.S. citizens), a doctor’s note, plus a laboratory-confirmed PCR test result with the proper information (i.e. name, date, date of birth, positive result etc.) will be accepted. Cruises originating from all other destinations: All guests are not subject to pre-cruise COVID-19 testing.

In case you haven't seen it, the page has now been updated to say that no testing is required before 2nd Sept for cruises other than US, Canada or Athens.

I'm sure they did enjoy their cruise back in March. 🙂

That's what the website says now..

NCL site now shows the following for cruises before 2nd Sept: Cruises originating from all other destinations: All guests are not subject to pre-cruise COVID-19 testing.

If you have the negative test before you leave and it is within the required timeline then it gets you on the ship, regardless of whether you have caught anything on the flight. The test does accomplish that very important thing, and removes the risk of making the flight for nothing.

You have no choice but to plan for that for now, but I still don't think that we have the definitive answer yet. The person you talked to is probably working off the same (possibly incorrect) information as we can see.

This is NCL, so there is a very good chance that it is just a communication issue. My guess is that there will be clarification soon that testing isn't required in Europe.

Interesting. Just to clarify, you said that after booking the first four meals you could only see the complementary ones. Had the others disappeared from the dining page, or could you just not book them. There is an issue at the moment which means that you can only book each restaurant once, but you can still see all the restaurants, they just don't appear in your basket if you add them. I can see all the restaurants on my upcoming cruise despite having 5 booked, so it sounds like you may be seeing something different to what I have experienced before.

I’d be surprised if NCL offer any refunds or FCC for this change.

The only reason I fear getting covid is if it would ruin my travel plans, so catching covid onboard is no more of a concern to me as catching any of the other things I could get. I'd rather not get it, but if I do then so be it.

I’m surprised that all of the comments so far have been about testing. From previous comments I thought that there would have been some discussion about the removal of the vaccine requirement.

I suspect that it is just the typical bad NCL wording. Your problem will be confirming that is the case.

The situation isn’t quite as bad as birdtravels post makes it sound. Not everyone wants to get off the ship straight away. The Italian ports are early arrivals and many people aren’t in such a rush. The only hold up to get off the ship is scanning your keycard, so it really shouldn’t take long. In Rome and Livorno there are restrictions getting in and out of the port, so make sure you know where you are meeting your guide. If it is outside the port then your biggest hold up could be getting on a shuttle bus. If they pick you up at the ship then you shouldn’t have too much trouble. Tendering is more of an issue. I’m not sure on what ports the Epic is doing at the moment, but I would be wary of booking anything too early at places like Cannes because of the possible delays tendering. We always wait an hour or so before getting off and there is never a queue then, but I imagine it is slow before that.