KeithJenner

All sorted now. You can get drinks if you have the beverage package.

Following. We are doing this cruise (in reverse) in September. As we are British I know the ports quite well already, but I’m following to see how the logistics go in port (and in case you find anything I’ve previously missed). We use the HGI at Heathrow regularly. It is a decent and good value hotel, with an above average breakfast for a British hotel. We stay there when we are in the area, not just when using the airport. It’s an excellent choice and the tube station is very handy. Have fun this weekend. I’m keeping well out of that lot. 🙂

No formal nights

Yes, per cabin. It will be based on the highest level person in the cabin.

You have to pay taxes whilst in some ports. How much of an issue this is depends on the itinerary. In my experience, when you have the beverage package it is mainly an issue in US ports.

I think the idea is that the MDRs will each have their own fixed menus, like the speciality restaurants do. I seem to recall talk of some daily specials, maybe coming from the speciality restaurants. Edit: from the CC article: ” The new concept is that the menus will be fixed -- typically on cruise ships, the menu changes daily, with a few fixed items -- and extensive. It will feature dishes from all over the world, including two that the line showed off to shipyard tour guests March 7 in Venice: shrimp arancini and Greek bruschetta. Other options might include Spanish paella and Italian mussels prepared in a white wine sauce and vegetarian options such as mushroom risotto and cauliflower piccata. Both venues will also feature a build-your-own-pasta section where guests can request a tailormade Italian classic pasta dish by selecting their choice of pasta, sauce, and topping, providing more than 24 meal combinations. The menu will also include a "Specialties" section where cruise goers can select a dish from one of the ship's specialty dining eateries. The revamped menu will debut on Norwegian Prima and will roll out to the rest of NCL's 17-ship fleet through 2023.” https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/6807/

I’m not sure what you are asking. NCL announced that the Prima will have the new fixed menus, and that this may go fleet wife afterwards. There won’t be any changes yet, and I wouldn’t expect them on other ships this year. Are you saying that they aren’t doing the fixed menus on the Prima any more? That would sound unlikely now it’s been announced.

Yes, to confirm, they are giving $25 per cabin to platinum and €50 per cabin for sapphire and above.

I doubt they are saving much money as they are giving out OBC to people who wouldn’t even be taking part in the missing things. It takes a couple of people an hour to do a behind the scenes tour (plus a little bit of disruption to people working in the visited areas). Instead of doing that (and some other similarly time consuming things) they are giving out a few hundred dollars OBC each cruise.

I would book a transfer for 7am. Disembarkation should start at 6.30 for self walk off. It is rare that there are any delays at Rome.

Yes, this is the issue where you are only able to book an individual restaurant once per cruise.

I can’t think of any reason why it would be different as a solo.

Firstly, your Teppanyaki reservation is fine and will be covered by the dining package (assuming all 8 people have it). That is why you were able to book it without paying. The wording you quoted isn’t clear, but it is referring to the dinner shows that are on some newer ships, where you have a show accompanied by a meal. I don’t know exactly how these work these days (I have only ever gone a couple of times and those were years ago), but it seems that those need booking onboard, based on my understanding of what they are saying there.

The two meal upgrade works well for us, as we then have 6 meals on all our upcoming 10 night cruises, which is about right for us. It does make it much more unlikely that we would go for more than that number though, as it makes the per meal cost for a bigger package a lot higher. If you plan on using the specialities every night on a 10 day cruise then it is less of an issue.

@willetstravel don’t be too concerned about any comments relating to customs clearance etc. That won’t be an issue for you arriving in Athens. Disembarkation is consistently quick and efficient in the Med. No customs to worry about for these round trips (if you are going to Israel then that will have been dealt with earlier in the cruise) and the weather is reliable with likely a short journey from the last port. There are never guarantees, but problems are very unlikely.

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I think people may have missed my post earlier, but it doesn’t actually charge extra if you select a different cabin. Ignore the costs shown during the selection process and then compare the final price when you have selected your new cabin. If it is in the same category then the price will be the same.

It is the next screen which comes up after you select the cabin category. I would say maybe it’s just a UK thing, but post 4 is from someone in the US. I can’t think why I’m you wouldn’t get see it.

They introduced the upgrade option for the dining package a few months ago, but only for cruises booked since then, so it doesn’t show up for everyone. It will be there next cruise. It gives a discount off the two meal package, if you have free at sea. I don’t know the dollar costs, but for my next reservation the costs are: 2 meals - £59 (£29.50 each) 3 meals - £108.69 (£36.23 each) 4 meals - £133.44 (£33.36 each) etc its a nice offer, but it does make the 3 meal package particularly unappealing as you pay £50 for that third meal.

You click “choose a different stateroom” on the page shown in post 4

If you buy additional meals over the free at sea ones the best value is two more, as that is offered as an upgrade. If you go for three then that third one is extremely bad value. Then, as you say, it does get cheaper per meal as you add more on.

I just tried this on the UK site. I picked a category and then selected choose a different stateroom. Every option had a +£xx amount next to it. However, if I then selected a deck or room the prices weren’t increased. In fact, on one of them I seem to have selected a lower grade balcony and the price went down. My conclusion (and this rings a bell from when I booked a few weeks ago) is that the amount it is showing an increased fare from isn’t the cabin you were originally selected. If that makes sense So, if I pick a balcony, it recommends 9178 at a total of £1,978. If I say I want to choose another then it says mid ship is +£124. If I select that it says deck 9 is +£137, but then if I select room 9182 the price is still £1,978. it’s just badly presented.

If you are carrying your own bags off then you don’t need to do anything in advance. Just leave when you want. If you do decide to leave your bags out then you need to collect a coloured tag a couple of days beforehand (first come first served I think - I’ve never done it), which will determine your time.

I’d have to ask why you should stick with the information coming from NCL when it was so obviously incorrect, and in conflict with that was printed in the freestyle daily. The thing that has annoyed me most about this was when NCL were saying that the reports were false. Openly calling your customers liars is not a good look.

Someone on Facebook has just reported being able to get a drink whilst in Mykonos on the Gem.