Isabella Benjamin

If it was me, I'd probably check in around noon. 

We took our luggage off the ship ourselves as soon as they let people off the ship.  We were in our car driving home before most people had probably finished their breakfast. 

We usually tip $20 on the first day when we give him a list of items we need right away, then we tip another $20 on the last day.  

We're going on our first non-NCL cruise in March.  It's a Disney cruise.  During Spring break.

Wish me luck.  

Ship - Prima

Deck - 10

Stateroom # - 10148

Stateroom Category – BB

Starboard or Port Side - Starboard

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) – Very quiet.

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? - No.

Balcony View - Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue. – No obstructions.

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal.

Was wind a problem? - No.

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? -

Any specific problems with this cabin? -

Any other comments? - Great location.

Here's a review from January of this year from someone who had problems with the noise from the theater in 9500:  Link.

"Speaking of noise, one big drawback of this suite is that it is right above the theater below. That means, almost every day around noon, you will hear them rehearsing for the shows. Then, at night, you get to enjoy two shows almost like you are in the theater. I mean it is LOUD. We often went to early dinner and then the late show as we had no chance of sleeping early if we wanted to."

We were in the Haven in May for a 4 day cruise.  A two bedroom ran us $1706/per person after we applied our credit card points.  

Just now, IAcruising said:

 

That's some serious hyperbole right there. 

 

I'm like 4'11.  I barely come up to the bar.  Not hyperbole.  I should still be able to get a drink though.  

I expect to at least get what I'm paying for on my cruise.  When I pay for a drink package I expect a bartender to serve me a drink, but they all act like I'm invisible.  I've already paid for the drink, yet it isn't available to me unless I'm sitting at a dining table.  I'm not bitter, lol.  

My daughter had her straightener taken out of her luggage on the Encore last month. 

NCL had emailed me right before I went on my last cruise which was at the beginning of May.  They asked if I wanted to be part of a study group to give feedback on some new shows they were considering. 

I signed up for it, but I never heard back from them once I was on the ship.  I would have loved to know what shows they were considering.  

I always use Chrome when I'm on the NCL site.  It's hit or miss on the browser I usually use. 

If I went to my cabin after boarding and found it dirty with the previous guests trash still in it, I would assume that the sheets were from the previous guest as well.  I mean, how would you know for sure?  I would probably want to passive aggressively ask for a fresh set of sheets and my husband would stop me and he would very politely ask for assistance from a crew member.  He always saves me from my worst inclinations.

In our most recent cruise on the Encore I thought it was weird that a couple of hours after we had been given access to our cabin, our steward came in and changed the sheets on the bed that we had assumed were clean.   

Maybe it makes me picky, but I really don't want to sleep on someone else's sheets.  

14 hours ago, Firehunter said:

Ugh. How was your cruise?

 

It was fabulous except for my complete inability to get a single bartender to see me standing waiting to order a drink.  

If it makes you feel any better I was on the Encore this month and the water tasted exactly like the water out of my bathroom faucet.  

Your server will go over everything that is included as part of the free meal.

My family and I just got off the Encore in Vancouver.  We picked it up in LA on the day you left.  We also had a two bedroom Haven cabin.

I agree with a lot of the same things.  The entertainment was not great. I'm so sorry you missed Kinky Boots.  My husband and I saw it on a previous cruise and it was wonderful.  We had seen Choir of Man previously and this group didn't seem as good for some reason.

My biggest problem on the ship was with the beverage service dept.  I am a petite, 4'11 woman, but I AM taller than the bar.  Bartenders just never see me on NCL.  I usually stand at the bar for 10 minutes, watch them wait on everyone else who comes after me and then I get my husband to go get the drinks.  

One morning in the garden buffet I went to get a glass of ginger ale.  There was a line and I was happy to stand in line and wait my turn.  Finally it was my turn.  Just then a group of guys showed up at the bar.  The bartender, who had made eye contact with me several times asked who was next.  I told him I was next.  He was looking right at me, he heard me, and he promptly asked the guys what they wanted.  Even after the guys informed him I had been ahead of them, he would not take my order.

Another day we went to The Local.  I asked a server for a menu and he told me they were no longer serving food on that side and I'd have to go to the other side.  I went back to talk with my husband and noticed a family come in and sit down.  That same waiter immediately handed them menus and silverware.  

It wasn't just me.  My son-in-law was waiting in line at a bar and when it was his turn the bartender actually asked the guy behind him what his order was. 

All of these little interactions put a damper on the trip.  This isn't a one-off with NCL, this is a pattern. 

I guess I just want to know if NCL actually has the right to cancel your cruise that's been fully paid just because you have something in your cart on their website.  

On 8/13/2020 at 7:51 AM, roger001 said:

NCL is posting proposed cruises for show mostly, just to keep some cruise purchase money flowing in.  They don't, and can't have a clue what they will be doing into any of the future.  The virus thing changs every week.  Nothing is more than wishful thinking at this time.  Wish that wasn't so.  

Can you imagine if somewhere down the line they actually came up with proof that they were booking cruises with no intention of them actually sailing?  I'm not saying there is, just that it could get very interesting.  Not in a good way for NCL.

We cancelled two cruises, right before the final payment date.  We got our deposits (just $100/per cruise total) credit back to our card in about two weeks time.  

"The line is also tracking down 177 passengers who left the ship early Friday to alert them to the outbreak."            

The passengers from the previous cruise could have been spreading the virus unknowingly as well.

We cancelled our October cruise before final payment.  We've already received our  $100 deposit back. 

I was really looking forward to this cruise. 😭

There was a singer on the Encore named WT Greer who was amazing.  He would do shows in the Observation Lounge and all the talent from the shows who were off at night would show up and sometimes even sing with him.  It was really fun. 

5 hours ago, GA Dave said:

As desperate as the cruise lines may become, I wonder if they will accept walk-ups, like the old Eastern and Delta Shuttles in the northeast.  Just walk up at least two hours before sailaway, scan your credit card and passport, and off you go!  🧉🥂🍺

2 Hours is exactly how far in advance I feel comfortable booking a cruise right now.  

I booked my cruise in November and it's designated a Club Balcony Suite and the current price is just over $500 more per person.  It was that high last week when I took a look.