realcindylouwho

We will be at the port of Miami with our happy faces on while you are getting off the ship with your sad faces on in seven days. Have a groovy cruise and I can't wait to read the rest of your posts!

We are also wanting to find out if Evelyn is the bartender in the Haven. I've asked a couple of times on your Roll Call. Can you ask someone staying in the Haven this week (during your Meet and Greet tomorrow) if they can report back on this, pretty please? We would love to see her again next week!

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When we got home from our cruise my kids asked if I could bring them breakfast in the morning like Carlos the butler did and please make sure its the filet mignon and eggs.??? Fricken spoiled brats?????????? Oh and don't forget the gummie bears????

Oh Carlos! When we left the Garden Villa on the Pearl a number of years ago, our sons, then 14 and 18 turned to us at the site of the long security line at the Miami airport and asked where Carlos was. After all he got us to the front of the line for everything on that sailing. It was the family joke for several months later, "Where's Carlos?!!!"

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Do you remember if Evelyn is the bartender in the Haven? Did Virginia say how long she will be on the ship?

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Thank you for your story. Glad the insurance worked out.

 

My son's friend who is 12 is battling Testicular Cancer. YES 12 years old! It can happen even at that age. Best wishes to your son. And yes, check your balls and talk to your kids about it!

The average age is 15-35. My heart goes out to that young man and his friends and family. This is a part of the body that males do not like to talk about, yet it is so important to seek help promptly. Our wishes he has a complete recovery.

In early 2015 my DH and I booked the Dawn for a 9 day cruise out of New Orleans. If you have booked this far in advance, you know the time creeps by so slowly and it seems as though the day of embarkation will never arrive!

Time does go by and 2016 was a hard year for us with family illnesses, two deaths, a divorce, and a major health and job transition for our oldest son. I turned 50 this year and at this age we have growing concerns with our aging parents, don't we?!

Introduce late September, we are getting SO excited about our rapidly arriving cruise. Two days in the French Quarter before getting on the boat and drinking, sunning, snorkeling, eating and laughing with friends on our aft suite balcony. Our happy place is approaching!!!

However, as life is in control, this is not what happened. Our newly turned 20 year old college student son called us on September 26th to tell us he had just been diagnosed with Testicular Cancer. in the following days he had surgery, CT scans of the torso and MRI's of the brain. His final diagnosis was T.C. with metastasis to the abdominal lymph nodes and both lobes of the lungs. Stage III. We had been kicked hard in the gut and as a parent all you want to do is fight for your child to be cured. We pulled him out of college, contacted one of the top specialists in the nation and gathered a team of doctors to treat his aggressive form of cancer. The cost to fight cancer is high, treatments are pricey and just one shot he may need to increase his white blood cell counts would cost $18,000. We have excellent insurance through my DH's employer and are fortunate that we have the financial means to pay.

Honestly, I was sad about needing to cancel the trip and I allowed myself to have short little pity parties over it, I'm human. We made the call to our PCC and he instructed us the next steps to take to receive a refund through NCL's travel insurance, which we ALWAYS purchase. Yes, I know there are other companies out there, yes, I know we could do it cheaper, for better coverage. The simplicity of adding this on when we book our cruise is a convenience we use. Truly, its just EASY. In the meantime, NCL refunded us our taxes, gratuities and other costs we had pre-paid.

An e-mail was sent with a document that we and our oncologist would need to fill out. Our doctor was familiar with the form and handed it off to his nurse. A few days later it was handed back to us completed and it was sent on to the company. An e-mail reply came to us with confirmation they had received our form and they would review our claim. Exactly three weeks later we had an e-mail stating everything was approved and a check was going out in the mail in two days for $xxx amount of money. 100% of our cruise costs were refunded between NCL and NCL's travel insurance. The amount of time it took was just over three weeks.

Rarely have I read on C.C. cases of NCL cruisers taking out NCL's travel insurance and needing to cancel. I wanted to give our story with the timetable for others to refer to in the future.

In addition, our son will be starting his third round of chem on Monday 12/05. As you remember from above, he was staged as three. After his first round of chemo, blood cancer markers were drawn and they were in the NORMAL RANGE!!! He has the most aggressive form of Testicular Cancer yet it is the MOST responsive form to this advanced blend of chemotherapy (BEP). This type of cancer can double in size every 10-30 days. Please, do monthly self examinations! Women, tell every male in your life how important it is to self examine and anything feels abnormal to go to a doctor immediately, do not wait a week, a month. T.C. is the most curable cancer a man can get in his lifetime IF it is caught early, as our sons was. He will be done with chemo on 12/19 and after another month of his parents doting on him, he will return back to college in January, 100% cancer free! As a "Thank God 2016 is finally done!" DH and I are likely jumping on the Getaway in late January.

Moral to the story is two part: Buy travel insurance for all of the WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS and SELF CHECK YOUR BALLS!!!;)

We were in the penthouse on the Sky in March with our 19 y.o. son. He slept on the sleeper sofa in the living room. We had our own seperated bedroom. The bathroom (which we shared) was in the "hallway/entryway. This bathroom is small compared to the other suites we have sailed on NCL. The bedroom was tight for my husband and I, not alot of room to walk around the bed. It was nice to be able to access the aft balcony from our bedroom or the livingroom. The Aft penthouse balcony is so spacious and it a great place to people watch in port while enjoying your cocktail and a snack from the Great Outdoors buffet just a couple of decks above. I don't think it could posibky sleep 5. No way I would be able to share one bathroom with 4 other ladies. I want to add we have NEVER had any issues with the taste of the tap water on the Sky. We even sailed her 3 months earlier. However, in March of 2016 the water did not taste good! Even the iced pitchers of water the butler brought had an off taste. He may have overheard us talking about the poor taste quality and brought in bottled water and told us there would be no charge. We will be bringing a bottle with a filter from now on, just in case!

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The benefits are the same as on the other NCL ships. You will have a seperation place to wait for your priority embarkation, breakfast and lunch located at Cagneys on the Sky, little snacks delivered to your room each afternoon, the concierge can quickly take you through the ship if you are running late at the islands, concierge will check on you a couple of times a day to see if you are in need of anything to make your cruise any more comfortable, Captains Party, priority disembarkation. These were all of our experiences on the Sky on our 4 day, March 2016 cruise in an aft suite. We have stayed in aft suites, 1 and 2 BR Haven suites and Garden Villas and even though the Sky may be more of a "booze cruise" style since it is a shorter in length of days cruise, our suite experience was similar to our week long cruises in terms of service and benefits.

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Our experience on the Star 5-6 years ago was this: our friends decided to join us on a cruise after we had already booked an aft suite. We called out PCC and gave him their names and the date he should expect their phone call. When they booked their balcony near our suite the bookings were the linked by NCL under our name. When we arrived at the port, their names were with ours on the clipboard list for suite guest. They received their key cards with us in the suite area. We told the concierge that we would break away from the group upon boarding and quickly show them around the ship and just my husband and I ( having suite perks) would come up to Cagneys for lunch alone. Anoop absolutely wanted our two guests to join us for lunch, extending that invitation to daily Cagneys, but we declined all invitations except for embarkation day and breakfast disembarkation, as he was very insistent that they join us. Again, the bookings were linked with our suite booking at that time. I don't kow if this can still be done now, and I suggest as others have, that you call NCL for assistance with this request.

We are loyal NCL suite cruisers and are going to be pulling the trigger soon for MSC Divina Yacht Club. Wanting to sail late October or early November 2017 out of Miami. We want an entry level suite and are needing suggestions for Y1 suite numbers from those who have sailed before. We don't mind having to walk a distance or go up and down stairs. I've read there maybe some suites that do not have glass on the bottom half of the balcony and instead have steel. Is this true?

We are looking for a suite that will not be near a door which will be slamming shut at all hours of the night, a balcony that is glass on the bottom half and one that is insulated from noise from a common space/bar/club/restaurant/etc above and below. Is port or starboard preferable? Many of our cruises have been aft and we love to sit and enjoy the view and sounds of the wake. We know this will not be an option for us and will need to make new cruise traditions.

You are the experts, help us become ex-NCL suite cruisers and professional MSC Yacht Club cruisers!!!

We have been on both the Star (aft penthouse no Haven on this ship) and Getaway (one BR deck 16, steps away from Haven). We have also been on the Pearl ( aft penthouse non haven access, 2 BR suite in the Haven and Garden Villa) the Sky (aft balcony and aft suite no Haven on this ship) and the Jewel ( Garden Villa) Our Garden Villa experiences included our two sons ages 14 and 18 and once again ages 18 and 22. As a physically active family we enjoy port days spending time being busy, busy, busy! It is wonderful to have your own private space, deck loungers and hot tub in a Garden Villa. However, the cost would be far more than what you are looking to spend. Out of the options you presented to us fellow CCers,

I would recommend the GETAWAY. You kids would love having the extra outdoor features such as the putt putt, the rock wall and the zipline/ropes course. The water slides/drop are so much fun as well. My husband and I spent time doing all of these activities on the Getaway last December. The Getaway does NOT have a roof over the Haven, so during bad weather that space is not as usable. The lounge in the Haven is like having our own livingroom and bar and the service we received from Evelyn the bartender was top notch. The Haven waitstaff is excellent in the service they provided and our meals were delicious! We aren't into shows, we would rather sit and relax and visit with others around us to pass the evening.

Whatever ship you decide upon, enjoy the time you are spending as a family AND enjoy some couple and alone time as well to recharge your batteries. We love cruising and enjoy sharing our experiences and opinions with others.

Hi Guys, If I were to cruise the week commencing 26/27th of November, what is the liklyhood of the ship being full of kids. Is it school break time in the U.S.

Thanks in advance

That is an excellent question to ask if you are not from the states, or no longer have school aged children.

Traditionally, my husband and I sail the week after Thanksgiving, which is the week you are asking about. We have (almost) raised our kids and enjoy vacationing without kiddos around. Been there, done that, and we enjoy cruising with LESS children around.

The answer to your question is...there will be far fewer children on this cruise than the average week. In our experience, there have been fewer than 100 18 and unders on our week after Thanksgiving cruises out of Miami and New Orleans. Kids have had at least the day before Thanksgiving off or in some districts the full week out of school. (The week of Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for extended families to sale together.) I cannot reply for sailings out of the east coast area.

So if you like lesser amounts of high pitched screaming, less strollers banging into your ankles at the pool deck and fewer teens blocking the stairs as you move about the decks, this is a great time to sail. FAR lower prices as well. Now, I can't help you out with screaming adults, drunken boasting by the 50 year old ex high school football player or the scooter and wheel chairs blocking the main corridors of the $10 sale tables. We take our chances and just enjoy being at sea!;)

First, I'd like to thank the OP for this thread. To get the best value for our money in all aspects of life we must be given access to information to be able to make the best choices for ourselves. The OP wanted to let others know of her experience as a wine drinker and due to the limited/restricted choices offered during her cruise, she felt the UBP was not the best value for her. She wanted to pass this information along to allow others access to information to make their own decisions. Why this has turned into a "why didn't she just drink shots, mixed drinks, beer to receive a better value" discussion is beyond me. She is a WINE drinker.

Secondly, I experienced a a huge reduction of wine choices as well on our cruise in March. After reading this thread, I decided to do more digging into the NCL wines included in the UBP. The links are provided below.

As posted by NCL,on their website in 6/15, there were 41 wines by the glass being offered with the UBP. They were categorized as White, Red and Dessert. https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/WineList_Fleetwide_07092015.pdf

On February 27, 2016 as posted on Cruise Critic, there are photos showing the NCL wine menus. The category types have changed to Whites Sparkling, Sweet Off Dry, Light, Medium and Full. Reds Light, Medium and Full. There are now 7 White Wines to choose from versus 20 in 2015 and 7 Red Wines to choose from vs 20 in 2015. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=49227301&postcount=37. The UBP selection has been cut by nearly 2/3rds. There are zero options under the UBP if your preference is a White or a REd Medium or Full Intensity wine. ZERO choices for free under the UBP.

If you are a wine lover and enjoy trying different wines based on the food selection, or your mood or for whatever reason, picking the UBP will greatly reduce the value you will receive from this selection. Yes, there is the options of purchasing a bottle of wine with a percentage discount, but you have already "paid" for "free wine" and purchasing a bottle comes with additional costs to your shipboard account.

Going back to my personal cruise experience in March: We are NCL suite cruisers and although I was offered the "free" wine in the suite dining, I pressed to see the wine list and once presented with it, saw for myself the limited choices. My preference was no longer allowed on the plan but our server sought out different wines that she thought I would enjoy as a replacement. I found one that was fine, but it was not my first choice, as it was for two weeks we spent cruising in December. Again, thank you OP, for allowing us to take your experience and seek out information on our to make our own decisions to receive the best value!

when traveled out of new York, had ubp, and we were charged taxes on the drinks we had while in port before we sailed. is this also the case while in port in Miami?

You titled this NCL SKY. If this correct, you have the OPEN BAR on the Sky. You will not be paying taxes on drinks once you get on the ship, not while you are sailing, not while you are at any port. Simply walk up to any bar, order your drink, thank the bartender after they hand it to you and walk away. The only time you may be asked to present your card is if you look young and they will swipe the card to make certain you are 21 and over OR to see if a parent has signed a waiver for those between the ages of 18-20. I was on the SKY 3/14-3/18 and this is how it works on the NCL SKY...currently.

No. You can sign for your son but a parent or legal guardian must sign for his friend. You and your son have to present your ID's at Guest Services verifying you parent/child and both have to sign the authorization. The same must occur for your son's friend.

My husband (wildcatrock) and I just did this on the SKY with our son for the 3/14/16 cruise. Son was not allowed to order a beverage on his own until we sailed from Miami per NCL policy. He was allowed to consume any alcoholic beverage we as his parents ordered, even if they contained spirits. As an under 21, NCL limited him to only one order of beer or wine per hour. I respect this NCL decision to limit consumption in this way. Only once did a bartender ask for his card, swipe it and check if he was allowed to consume with consent of his parent. Our son is 19, but he can pass for being younger depending on the age of the people around him.

I am using the term "order" because on NCL Sky, the bar is OPEN and one does not purchase a drink if it is listed on the OPEN BAR MENU.

WildcatRock and ricksurf - I don't want to highjack this thread but - I have booked the Jewel Garden Villa for us and two other couples for Alaska. It looks like a fabulous way to travel. I have a few questions.

1. Are the two second bedrooms about the same size as a regular balcony stateroom?]I've only stayed in one aft balcony cabin on the SKY but the smallest suite (the middle one) is much larger than the Sky's aft balcony. [/color]

2. Is the deck pretty private or exposed? On the Pearl, the upper deck only has one part that is very private. It will have sunbeds, a hammock a table with chairs and a couple of loungers. On the Jewel, the deck is forward and you can view the activities going on at the pool deck level and the stage. Again it features a hammock, loungers and chairs. When the Jewel adds on the suites it is working on, the GV deck space will be cut/made smaller for the outside space for these new suites.

3. Is the upper deck private or exposed? Upper deck meaning the deck that all Haven guests have access to? Private from access to those who shouldn't be there, but not private if you are wanting to do any "banned" activites ( nudity and smoking come to mind).

4. Is there a private sauna or steam room as part of the cabin or deck features? Both the Pearl and the Jewel have a steam room that is outside in the same area as your private hot tub. We have never used it.

5. From what I have researched, the Garden Villa seems to be very large. NCL claims it is 4,800sf. In your opinion do you think this square footage includes the balcony? Not sure about the measurements, but it is large, as in you may find yourself thinking that it is too much space and feel you couldn't possibly get your money out of it. So much room to spread everyone out. If you set your sunglasses down, you will be hunting upstairs, downstairs, inside and outside trying to find them!

I am wildcatrock's wife and I thought I would help to answer these questions. We stayed in the GV on the Pearl with two adults and two teenage sons. We stayed in the GV on the Jewel with a set of grandparents, us and our 22 and 18 year old son. This truly is a fantastic way to cruise! The Jewel cruise was the week of Thanksgiving in 2014 and we were able to entertain new friends and have the Meet and Greet in the GV. Even for the 6 of us, we had tons of space. My opinion is the back bedroom is larger than the aft penthouse Jewel class sized suites with a similar layout, the middle bedroom is a tiny bit small than the aft penthouse and does not have the "dressing room" makeup area, and the Master bedroom is large, but I don't have any other type of suite layout to compare it to.

Due to the many questions with a wide range of answers, we will try to nail down some firm-ish answers:rolleyes: during our cruise next week.

First, we are ages 49, DH wildcatrock 51 and College DS 19 sailing in an aft penthouse suite on the 9th deck. The SKY now has an Open Bar and we have purchased the 4 night SDP with reservations already made at Cagney's and La Bistro. This cruise will have many college-aged cruisers from College Party Cruises. In addition it is Saint Patrick's Day. Throw in sleep deprivation from Daylight Savings Time and a 5:25 a.m. flight...I'm not counting on getting a lot of rest on this cruise!

We were recently on the Sky in December 2015 in an aft balcony with VIP privileges from NCL. At that time we had the UBP and the UDP. We were able to freely order premium spirits, higher end wines and receive two drinks at a time if we wished. Most bartenders learned who we were and I think there were times where we did not have to hand our card to them. With the UDP we ordered the add-on priced entrees with no additional charges.

What questions would you like us to find answers to from the ship's officers? Our last cruise, Jean-Michel Dhelin (Hotel Director) stated he would be on the ship this week and we were to let him know when we arrive.

DH and I have decided if we don't get vomited on while on our aft balcony or anywhere else on the ship, it will be a great cruise! I've packed ear plugs and a sound machine for relief. Does anyone else have any tips for middle aged parents while cruising with a young crowd? I may add, we don't exactly act our age and are young at heart! We are ready for this new adventure, cheer us on from home. We will be giving our report next weekend!

Our slogan is "What happens on the ship never happened"

I like that better!

My husband and I agree 100% with the huge thumbs up to the staff on the Getaway's Haven Bar. They are outstanding and we spent a couple to several hours a day/evening sitting and visiting with Evelyn. She is a wonderful asset to NCL with her quiet personality and sweet smile! :D

The bar was usually getting set-up around 8 in the morning and would be closed by 11 p.m. The shut-down/accounting process would begin around 10:15 or 10:30 each evening. Evelyn was happy to pour or mix an additional beverage to take back to your suite or onto another part of the ship before they closed for the evening.

I was spoiled by the glassware and beautiful garnishments and presentations of my cocktails. I wasn't able to find that in other bars around the ship. The Haven bar herb infuses their syrups and alcohols which make for superior drinks. Let them know if you will be taking your beverage outside so they can pour it into a plastic cup.

She Said:

I am so lazy and my husband keeps suggesting I finish up this review. I decided to see if I could figure out how to add photos, and I hope I am successful. If so, we should be able to see a picture here:

That was one of my all time greatest accomplishments and it only took five minutes of a C.C. search to find out how to copy and insert photos. I guess my DH needs a little tutorial from his DW?:rolleyes: If you are ever on a cruise with me you will see my world famous cruise hat. The much loved hat is on my head anytime I am out in the sun and goes in the water with me as well. I bought a new hat this year but it just isn't the same. I will likely wear my favorite until it rots apart.

The next photo, as well as the first, were taken at the bar at G.S.C. that is closer to the lagoon. We were so happy to have been able to get to G.S.C. twice on our two week cruising adventure, as we usually take the first tender out and the last tender back. It is a day to relax, enjoy the water, take little (or long) sun naps and partake heavily in the UBP! Hubby nearly exclusively drinks Jack and Diet Coke and on this day I enjoyed several Pain Killers. One I consumed was brown. HEAVY on the alcohol pour.;)

I just re-read your original post. We were in an aft balcony and YES we had a refrigerator and it did keep our water bottles cold, not just cool. Also YES we had 2 robes in our closet. We were also concerned about our mattress being too hard. It wasn't, it was actually nearly perfect and I am a mattress snob.

No kids, your 40th and a Leap Year? I say make certain to pack some Tylenol and Tums!

We sailed Sky for the first time in December and I had done tons of research and was a bit concerned that we may have spent our cruise vacation funds on a product that would disappoint us. From the first 30 seconds stepping on board, I knew my fretting had been a waste of my time. We were familiar with the layout of the Pearl and the Jewel and it was similar which made moving from place to place easier. The Sky is a pretty ship with lots of wood. Make sure to take some time to wander around and look at the wood trim and the art details.

Captain Cook's Bar features a piano player most evenings. This is a good place to sit back with a glass of something worth sipping slowly and enjoying a laid back pace and people watching. It can be a little loud here if you are sensitive to louder noises though, as I am. If you don't see a place to sit, walk behind the piano and there are more seats on that side.

My husband and I had many a cocktail infused laughing fit while playing shuffleboard on the port side one deck above the pool. While the rules are posted on the wall, we made our own rules which made the game 100% more fun. I'm sure those who stopped to watch us play were scratching their heads at our antics. We also took advantage of the free use of golf clubs and practiced our swing while at sea.

When you get on the ship head straight back to deck 11 aft to the Great Outdoors and get your food and drink on. Yes, the buffet is much smaller than the one inside, but you will have multiple opportunities to eat throughout the day and seriously, how many combinations of servings of meat and carbs does one need just for lunch anyway? The bar is right there and usually has at least two bartenders working. Wide open views of Miami from your table and chair and you can park yourself there until the cabins are ready in complete contentment!!!

Have an awesome Birthday cruise!:D

Oh that pesky weather. It can certainly make or break a vacation, can't it? We were on the Sky for the first time in December as an "add on" cruise to extend our Getaway vacation. We were also not staying in a suite for the first time. We did have a great experience on the Sky, so much so we will be on her again in 29 days in an aft suite with our 19 year old son. How was the weather and water at GSC? It was partly sunny, slight breeze and calm still water in December. Perfect day for snorkeling and not having to worry about getting sunburned.

Although it can ruin a sexy beach look, I would strongly suggest a water shoe or sandal at every beach. While it may seem obvious to think about a rock, what about a piece of glass? A broken "spork" from the buffet lunch that is slightly covered by sand? What about a crushed plastic cocktail glass with rough edges? Even sharp shells or a very naturally disguised sting ray laying in the shallows? I 95% of the time wear them when I'm walking around. I don't want to risk an injury, the possible medical expenses related to it and a ruined cruise experience.

i'm not saying your pcc is wrong, but that would surprise me.

 

We know the getaway itineraries for next summer, but i haven't seen any mention of fall or winter. I would have expected them to be announced in the summer.

I just know that I need to have my cell phone ready on the morning of the 15th to confirm our credit card info for Fer*****(I'm not allowed to mention his name here). He said it's going to be a race for bookings. We usually book on the first day the cruise dates are posted. Makes for a long wait until the day of the cruise as we are at least 18 months away. Our preference is to pick our suite location and have found it is almost always the lowest rate, booking early. We do choose to cruise during typical off times and the price could lower closer to the sailing date if the bookings are slow and NCL needs to move inventory. We understand the price fluctuations and know it's a risk.

What about the full schedule for the 2017 Caribbean cruises? I see them listed through October 2017 for Escape only. Looking for the others ships for November 2017.

We have the absolute BEST PCC and he called us last night to tell us that the Getaway will be open for fall/winter 2017 on Monday the 15th. He asked us which week and suite we wanted to book so he can get it taken care of first thing.