BandM

Perfect, thanks for the info!!!

9 hours ago, bkrickles1 said:

I was on the Escape this past July and frequented the District Brewhouse virtually every day. It's a great spot with live music every evening and super comfy seating by the windows, with great views. Pre-dinner was my favorite time there.

I drank many beers there and none that I drank or that I saw on the menu were above the $15 limit. In addition, my cousin joined me a few times and she doesn't drink beer but all the drinks she had there also were included.

I'm sure there are some drinks that are served there that may be above the limit, but the beer (and it is a brewhouse) seemed to be totally included.

Have a great trip! It was a fun ship to be on and don't miss the Waterfront, Howl at the Moon, or the Choir of Man.

 

Looking forward to our trip on the Escape in November!  I'm assuming all the drinks at the District Brewhouse are covered using the UBP as long as its under the $15 cap???  Appreciate anyone's input that has visited this bar.

We were also on this cruise, weather was nice after Monday. One dinner in the Manhattan, one at Cagneys and the rest in either Taste or Savor. All were good, probably our last in the Manhattan, it just takes too long. Little kids were fine and well behaved, spring breakers were fun and surprisingly well behaved. They’re blowing off steam and a long winter, weren’t we all alittle bit?!?! Room steward Nilo was great, never needed for anything. Bar service was good, especially from Bryant whom we first met at the spice h2o bar. It’s surprising how far a few dollar tip here and there goes. Booked a large cabana at GSC, what a fun time we had!!! Definetly worth it for us, drink service was on point; they were constantly checking on us for whatever we wanted. Disappointed that sketch comedy troop is no longer there, the comedians were just ok. All in all a great vacation, sorry to hijack your thread!!!!

Being from the UK it sounds very strange that 19 and 20 year olds can fight / die for their country , get married but can`t legally drink until their 21 ? :confused:

One of the many silly rules in the US!!!:rolleyes:

I really appreciate all these answers - hubby and I are from both schools of thought - I'd like to pay the service charge and then tip cash here and there as deserved ... he doesn't want to pay the service charge and wants to tip cash as deserved...

Have you been on a cruise before? Sounds to me like he doesn’t want the extra charges adding up throughout the week. Just pay the DSC and tip above and beyond if you want. All the employees work their asses off all week, you see them late at night and right back at it first thing in the morning.

We always take the UBP and have had great service. I will tip the bartender accordingly if he is prompt and pours a good drink. I was sitting in the atrium bar last cruise and they literally are in constant motion sometimes for hours!!! What I always make sure to tip is the servers, a couple bucks here and there seems to go along way with them and we found they will take great care of you drurjbg the deck parties etc...when it’s really crowded.

There’s still travel agency’s?????

Reserve your cabana ASAP. They sell out fast. We just got back this weekend from our NCL cruise and rented a small cabana on GSC. It is worth every penny. I don't know how the others at the beach could sit in the hot sun for hours with no shade. They charge $39 for an umbrella or clamshell. We overheard so many inquiring if any were available because the shade was so limited.

 

We had 4 adults in a small cabana and there definitely is room for 6. You can't beat having your beverage order taken and delivered to you. For us it was a splurge on our last day of vacation. We already booked our next NCL cruise that stops at GSC and there is no doubt we will reserve the cabana.

We have a large cabana reserved for our trip in a few weeks. Did you get to pick your cabana our was it assigned? I’m guessing assigned, who and how do you find out which one you have?

Woooowwww....I’m usually a by the book kinda guy but looks like NCL could have done something more during embarkation. I understand everything this couple could have done and should have, but boy this is tough..

Good morning everyone...i would like those who have gotten out of bed on the RIGHT side to answer my question please...I am new to NCL and am beginning my internet searches. This forum is an excellent tool for the inexperienced. While I have sailed on Celebrity numerous times, and I understand there is probably not a lot of differences between the 2 when it comes down to processes, I am still learning. Did someone mention that renting a cabana is considered an excursion? I am wondering if it would be wiser to book a cabana on line pre-cruise? Do they sell out if I wait to book on board? Do you have to wait to make final payment to book on line excursions? Thanks a million. Julie

Great questions, we just booked a large cabana for our March cruise. It is considered an excursion, you get priority tendering, and i’d book early.

I sailed on the BA her first year, and am signed up for a fourth sailing in March. Just so you know, people have been complaining about her since her first voyage. The atrium is too small, there's too much smoke, you can't book any shows blah blah blah. You'll have a good time if you decide to. If you find fault with everything, you will. I'm not concerned at all.

 

I don't like to plan for a vacation. If dining is crowded, I go somewhere else, or have another drink while I wait.

 

If a show is sold out and I want to see it, I wait at the door and get a last minute seat (there are always some).

 

As for those who complain about food, seriously, try an AI. We like to do them to change it up every once in awhile, but honestly, the worst food on a cruise ship is 10 times better than that.

 

DH and I are headed out for $2100 CANADIAN, all in , taxes, port fees, only the DSC to pay. The nearest I could come with an AI (4 star, because I'm a chicken) was $3000 Canadian. I'd pay 2100 to sit in the sun and eat Lean Cuisine. I'm paying for the sun and that blue, blue water, and, if the gods smile on me, a Vibe pass.

 

The BA will be fine, your cruise will be what you make of it. I hope you have a super, super time! :D:D

We’re scheduled for our 3rd trip on the BA in March, we’ve also sailed in her sister ship the Getaway. We totally agree with you, the BA is not perfect, atrium is too small, not enough pool area, etc...But you can’t beat the price out of NYC, we’re booked for barely $2k which includes UBP and prepaid tips. It’s all what you make of it, go with the flow and have a great time!!!

The cabanas are great! Yes, book early, as they definitely sell out. Not sure how reimbursement works if you skip GSC, but I'd assume it's OBC (I paid for the cirque show ahead of time with credit card, but when it was cancelled, they gave me OBC instead of reimbursing my credit card).

 

The large cabanas include:

-big sectional sofa

-two loungers

-two club chairs

-a hammock outside

-a shower in the back (great for washing post-beach sand off your feet)

-four floating mats

-food credit (we got charcuterie and shrimp - so good)

-mini fridge (we kept it stocked up with beer that we requested when we got there, as we all had the UBP)

-towels (no need to lug any off the ship)

-ceiling fan, which helped with the heat

 

Also worth mentioning that it's considered an excursion, so you get priority tender. This is a fantastic way to make the most of your day.

 

With the UBP, we had the waiter bringing us an endless stream of drinks for our group. They also offered to bring us food from the buffet, but we opted to get our own so we could wander and check out the rest of the island.

 

If you like music and are planning on bringing a speaker on the ship, bring it to the island for your cabana. This is the one thing we regretted leaving behind, and will remember for next time. There are several outlets in the cabana, so you can charge your cameras/phones if need be.

 

Ultimately, GSC was our favourite of the six ports we visited. The cabana played a huge part in this!

So, it’s a priority tender??? I can bring the other 4 with us that are sharing even though I paid for it?

Best purchase ever!! We have done a Small Cabana and it was a lifesaver. you are close to the bar, and bathroom, and of course the BEACH! Enjoy every minute!

We’re really looking forward to it, this will be our 3rd trip to GSC and it can get hot on the beach! It’s nice to do something special and 2017 was a crappy year, gotta live alittle;p

Also, remember you will pay tax on drinks consumed on embarkation day and on drinks you consume if you have a US port day. These taxes will show on your cruise account.

We booked today, super excited!! What is the food voucher for? We already have the beverage package, is there food other than the bbq? It says it comes with a $50 food/beverage voucher.

Getting ready for our 10th overall cruise and 4th on NCL, cruising with friends that have never cruised before. Took advantage of the 10% off we receive on excursions and booked the large cabana for our beach day. It’s definently a splurge but it can get hot on the beach after a few hours and figured it would be special to do. Anyone have any cabana experience????

Food is always subjective....but I don’t mind going there to snack. And this opinion is coming from a non-drinker.

I love hanging out at the bar having a few drinks, I totally agree with you on the food. It's not the best food on the ship but totally palatable.

If the food is complimentary..., then why do they have prices for ice cream?

 

 

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They charge for the ice cream bar, sundaes etc....there are plenty of complimentary desserts.

Cagney's is a don't miss in our opinion.

We were not crazy about our first trip on the Breakaway two years ago. We sailed its sister ship the Getaway last year and had an amazing time. We're giving the Breakaway another chance because we received an amazing price. I think the biggest draw back is the mix of people on the ship. Going out of NY it's mostly northeasterners and we're not exactly the easiest to please. Many people from NY, NJ, and CT make being rude a full time job and it showed the last time we were on.

Thanks!

We've never spent time in cocoa beach when ported in Florida. The ship has a shuttle for $19 pp, are there taxis at the pier? Has anyone used uber or lyft, is it best to just use the shuttle?

SAS was awesome

We were on the same cruise and experienced some of the same issues you mentioned above. MDQ was a great show, glad we went to see it.