VideoTech

We've done Alaska on the Pearl in both Forward and Aft suites. Still much prefer the forward suites. Like seeing where I'm going, not where I've been, and the views from the forward suites are amazing.

However, the aft suites have the advantage of being more sheltered.

Never had any problems with checking email on the NCL ships. The service is slow, though, and he may have to change his usage habits a a bit.

Since you're charged by the minute for every minute you stay connected, it's better to bring your own device, and use an email program that downloads the email to your device. Then you can sign off, compose replies, and sign on again to send them.

But maybe he'll get into the vacation spirit, and realize that some of the emails can wait...after all, that's what a vacation is for!

We have never had any NCL crew member, including the butlers, enter without a direct invitation to do so.

Contemplating a Hawaii Cruise, and may be lucky enough to be able to do it in an OS.

Can anyone tell me about the size & quality of the balconies on the two forward OS on deck 8 (cabins 8500 & 8000) versus the same with the one on deck 11 (cabin 11000).

I've always enjoyed the forward balcony suites on other NCL ships, but the POA has a very different design. The forward balconies on other ships are large and very open, but the ones on POA appear to be quite small and, particularly in the case of the ones on deck 8, very dark - at least as far as I can tell from a photo search on the net.

Any comments on those forward OS versus the ones on the sides of the ship, with particular emphasis on the balconies? This appears to be the kind of cruise where you'd want a nice open balcony to maximize your sightseeing.

Thanks!

On all of our NCL cruises, the ships changed time to match the port.

.....We are 50somethings who enjoy seeing the local attractions and culture. We are not interested in shopping in lots of t-shirt and curio shops, doing extreme sports, hanging out in bars, or lounging on a beach for hours on end, although we do enjoy strolling a beach for an hour or so. We enjoy dressing up a bit for the MDR. We would prefer avoiding lots of kids and college students, so the dates above make sense to us.

 

Which itinerary would you recommend--and why? Thank you!

We've done both itineraries, and the realistic view is there's not that much difference between the two (or between any Caribbean itinerary). Each itinerary is designed to provide much the same mix of beaches, shopping, sports, tours, and of course, shopping.

Having said that, I will say that our favorite destination on these specific itineraries over the past years has been Roatan. We like it because it seems a "little" less touristy & developed, although I'm sure that's changing quickly.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, we like Cozumel the least. But we may be influenced by being from Texas, as we find Cozumel to be not that much different from any border town we can drive to.

If you're interested in cultural attractions, Belize and Costa Maya (Mexico) offer access to many of the best ruins in Central America. Check out the ports boards for information on those tours.

I disagree with the many who did not like the Jamaican destinations. We thoroughly enjoyed Ocho Rios, doing the cave & grotto tour there and of course, Dunn's river falls. Never had anyone offer us drugs, or felt threatened in any way.

Bottom line: Since you can't avoid Cozumel on either itinerary, I'd suggest the Roatan/Belize/Costa Maya itinerary.

Only one of the MDR's is usually open for lunch on embarkation day. That can account for some of the confusion.

Can't tell you specifically about the Oasis, but my in my experience, VP paytables on ships are even worse then they are on land. However, they do have most of the same VP games that land casinos have, so chances are good they have Pick Em.

Of course, people hit Royals on ships just as they do on land. Your chances of hitting one are the same as they would be playing anywhere else.

http://casinogambling.about.com/od/slotsandvideopoker/a/Video-Poker-Royal-Flush-Odds.htm

Hi all. I Am going to be on enchantment of the sea next week and was wondering how the slot action has been recently and on what machines...VP is never a winner for me, I like the pennies, nickel or quarter machine. I have never ever won on a cruise slot machine. I am hoping maybe an informed hunt may help turn the tide!!!!:p

Can't help you specifically with the Enchantment, but as a long time cruising casino player, I can tell you that in general you should not expect much from slots on cruise ships.

In general, payback percentages are set very low on cruise ships. There's no reason for them to be set anywhere near normal land-based casinos, since they have a captive audience with no where else to spend their gambling dollars. You will usually find a mixture of mediocre and low paying machines, but if you're lucky you can find one of the mediocre ones and stretch your playing money a bit.

Of course, random chance does work in any casino, on land or sea, and you will always have the possibility of hitting a jackpot. Best of luck to you...let's hope that happens!

I stand corrected and I'm sorry. I was confusing NCL with Carnival, and the fact that I had funds on my NCL players card from the slot website.

 

BTW NCL if you're listening, I would prefer it be the way RCCL and Carnival do their tracking.

No apologies needed, everyone here just likes to make sure that people get accurate information when they ask a question. I'm certainly guilty of confusing cruises and ships in the past too!

As for me, I'm happy with the way NCL does the CAS card. Ticket in/Ticket out doesn't bother me much..it's just like a land casino.

That has been my experience on the last 3 NCL cruises I have taken, which have all been in the last 2 years.

 

If you have funds left on the machine when you finish playing it, where do you upload them to? I have also drawn against my onboard account, while at the machine, rather than going to the cage and leaving the machine.

Hmm, that's odd. As for funds you have left over on the machine, you receive those in the form of a ticket. You can put the ticket in another machine, or cash it out at the casino cage.

It really sounds to me as if you're describing what some of the other cruise lines do. Carnival and RCI both use the key-card (which is tied to your onboard account). You can load your machine up with money initially, and then when you cash it out, the balance goes on your key card and you move to another machine with it.

On those lines, since your key card is tied to the on board account and credit card, I would assume that you could get a cash advance directly to your key card from your on-board account.

Just to be certain, I checked with DW, who most recently got a cash advance in an NCL casino. She confirmed to me that she received the money in cash.

In any case, the OP's original question was about the availability of a cash advance from their on board account. You certainly can do this on NCL, as noted previously.

..........If you plan on only playing the slots, simply upload money from your onboard account onto your players card and spin away.

 

If you want the money for the tables, keep in mind that if you go to the casino cage and/or the tables to do get funds, you will charged a 3% convenience fee. To avoid this, upload money to your player's card on the slot machine, then go to the cage and "cash out". THEN you can take your cash to the tables without paying the 3%.

Sorry, that's not my experience of how the casino card on NCL works. The casino card is only for keeping track of the points you accumulate as you play; it does not carry any cash value.

You are correct in that you can get a cash advance from the casino cage, which will be charged against your on board account, and will carry a 3% service charge fee. The money will be handed to you in cash, however. The advantages of doing this are two: First, no secondary ATM fees. Second, since the cash advance appears on your on board bill as just another purchase, you won't pay a cash advance fee to your credit card company.

Any video poker players out there who can report on the pay tables on the Epic. Are they as bad as on other ships?

Well, my Epic cruise was two years ago, and they were not good then. I see no reason to expect they would have improved in the meantime!

Basically, I've never been on a cruise ship with decent VP pay tables.

There are some rental car offices in the downtown Miami area. They're not terribly close to the port - you'd still have to get a cab to take you from the office to the port (or port to the office) if they wouldn't drop you off or come pick you up.

Do a web search for "auto rental downtown Miami, FL" or go to the major auto rental chain sites and put in Miami.

You'll also want to check and make sure that the downtown offices are open on the day you arrive.

VideoTech, what is the difference in boarding for Suite guests?

At most ports, there's a separate line for suite guests to take care of their account and key card. Then you're usually taken to a VIP lounge, with snacks and coffee and so on available. In at least one port (sorry can't remember which) the key card and credit card are also done in the VIP lounge.

You meet the concierge in the VIP lounge and if you have any arrangements you need to make with them at that time (dinners, spa, shore excursions) you can usually get them started on right there. The concierge will also give you the first day's Freestyle Daily, and tell you about any special events coming up.

Sometimes you also meet your butler in the VIP Lounge. Then an NCL staffer or your butler escorts you around the long lines waiting to board, through the security kiosk, and onto the ship. Since it's normally around lunchtime, you're taken directly to Cagney's (or which ever restaurant serves the suite guest luncheon on that ship), and you sit down for your first lunch. If the timing is right, you'll hear the announcement that your cabin is available shortly before you finish lunch.

Even if your cabin is not available when you finish lunch, you can often go down and at least drop off your carry on luggage in the cabin. We've done this on many cruises; we just find the cabin steward and let him/her know what we're doing.

Those are the differences..it's just a lot smoother, quieter and quicker boarding process, with almost no standing in long lines.

Hello, when you get to the port your taxie (or whoever) will drop off your luggage with the porters then you will proceed to the terminal. You will have to go through a security check point like at the airports.

 

You will need, for embarktion: your cruise document/ticket, passport, and credit card.

 

I hope this helps, enjoy your cruise and flight over.

 

Debbie

Just to extend this a bit; here's what happens after you enter the terminal - but first, a note: You do not have to give your luggage to the porters at the pier, if your suitcases are small in size and you can manage them up escalators and several long ramps to get them on the ship yourself. If you're accustomed to traveling in just a carry-on size suitcase, this is quite manageable. If your luggage is large enough to have been checked on your flight, let the porters take care of it. It's much easier.

No matter what you do with your luggage, you'll first go through an airport style metal detector and your hand luggage through an airport style x-ray.

Assuming no problems, you'll go into a large area where you will be directed to one of many lines to check in. If you're in a suite, you'll be directed to a special line, as suites have different check in procedures. Otherwise, you'll wait your turn, and this is a good time to fill in the simple, one page health declaration form which will have been handed to you right after your security check.

When you reach the counter, the NCL rep will examine your travel documents, check your reservation, and register the credit card that you will use to secure your on-board charges. They will take your photo with a small web-camera, and then create your identity card for the ship.

The identity card is used every time you get on and off the ship, and is shown for all purchases on board. It's also your room key.

Once your documents and key card are done, you'll join another line waiting to get on board.

Last stop before boarding is a kiosk where your ship's identity card is scanned. After that, you go on board, and (unless you're in a suite) you are on your own to do what you will. You can eat lunch in one of the dining rooms or the buffet, explore the ship, or just find a deck chair and wait until the announcement is made that the cabins are ready. This usually happens around 2:00 pm, but the time can vary.

If you left your luggage with the porter at the pier, it will be delivered to the hallway outside your cabin door sometime that evening. If you've carried on your own luggage, there is usually a place where you can leave it until your cabin is ready - ask one of the many NCL staff who will greet you, or at the ship's desk in the main lobby.

Hope that all helps. If you're in a suite, let us know, and we'll give you the rundown on suite boarding, which is a little different.

.....but for some reason, my travel hair dryer always raises flags at airports.........

Ummm....take a look at the shape of most hair dryers? :rolleyes:

I took my "free" cruise from Tropicana a few weeks ago on the Sky.

 

How much does one need to gamble to get some discounts from CAS?

 

This was my 4th NCL cruise and I am a gambler, but 95% of the time I play table games.

 

Since I am planning my cruise for 2013, I called CAS yesterday to see if I qualified for any kind of discount, etc.

 

They said NOTHING

 

I find this hard to believe. I don't know if it is because the SKY cruise was a short cruise or not but when I called after my pearl cruise last year they were at least offering me 15% discount when I called.

 

Just wondering if there was any method to their madness LOL

In a way, you've answered your own question. If you had all your table play tracked, you apparently did not play enough to qualify for any future cruise discounts. So, if you know how many $ you put in play, you at least know you'll have to play more than that next time to qualify.

The other problem is that your credit for table play relies on the pit boss to accurately observe and credit your play. It seems from the many comments on this that it's very hard to get table play tracked well.

However, the future cruise offers do not seem to follow a set formal. They are influenced not only by your tracked play on your last NCL cruise, but by the popularity of the ship & itinerary you are trying to book, and the number of cabins CAS has available on the ship. It's much easier to get a comp cruise on an older ship on the Western Caribbean run, than on the Epic on the Eastern Caribbean, or any of the Alaska runs.

If you are a rated member of Harrah's Total Rewards program, you are always entitled to a % discount based on your status. For Harrah's Diamond level players, I believe that is 20%. There is a webpage on the NCL site that lists the levels and the discounts.

Finally, here's the formula used on board for points calculation, at least on the slots:

Casino points: 1 point = $5 through the machines ($10 on VP).

1500 points for the free drink card

2500 points to qualify for end of cruise credit.

I *think* the formula is the same for table games. If you know the # of points you were awarded on your last cruise, you can use this formula to determine if you got an accurate count for your play.

We have our "free cruise" Foxwoods. Does anyone know the connection between foxwoodsband ncl?

Yp

Unless Foxwood's is a Harrah's/Ceasar's property (and I don't believe it is), there is no connection.

The marketing groups in most land casino chains work with different cruise lines to setup promotions; the benefit to the casinos involved is obvious.

I'm not sure if the reason US Citizens don't get a W-2 for more than $1200 in winnings is that in International Waters, it is not required? In US territorial waters, it is?

It has nothing to do with where the ship is. It has everything to do with where the company that owns the ship is based.

For instance on NCL, a U.S. citizen will get a W2g for a jackpot at or above $1200 because the company is a U.S. company and follows U.S. revenue laws.

........Are Harrah's and NCL Casinos at Sea cards linked in any way?

 

........And while I'm on a roll with newbie questions: are the discounts/perks better booking through CAS, Latitudes, plain ol' NCL.com, or do they all end up together in the end?

Harrah's/Ceasar's and NCL are both owned by the same holding company. There is no direct relationship between the two frequent gambler cards; that is, your Harrah's Total Rewards points do not carry over to the Ship and your CAS points do not carry over to Harrah's.

However, there is a marketing relationship between the two operations, and your TR status can affect the amount of your discount or comp on your first NCL CAS cruise.

How is it better to book? There's a lot of different theories about that. We feel it's best to book through our Harrah's marketing rep. He contacts NCL on our behalf, and then once we've established (through him) what NCL CAS will offer us, we usually deal directly with them to pay for an upgrade to a higher level of suite.

If you simply book directly through CAS and are a Harrah's/Ceasar's frequent player, you will automatically get a discount on the booking that is based on your Harrah's TR status.

After your first cruise through CAS on NCL, however, it may not make that much difference. As you continue to book future cruises through CAS, they will simply look at your play on your most recent cruise, and make you an offer based on that play level (and considering the popularity of the cruise itinerary and the ship as well).

Once you've started booking through CAS, do not go back to the regular NCL reps or NCL.com. You will not receive the discounts that you would otherwise get through CAS.

Does anyone have an idea what you tip these guys? I have no idea what would be considered high or low since there are no guidelines. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

There have been multiple threads about this but there really is no guideline. You tip what you think is deserved, based on the service they provided. Also consider how many people there are in your suite.

If it's any help, we (two adults) start at $10-15 per day for both the butler and the concierge, depending on the length of the cruise and whether or not we've asked for, and received, any unusually helpful service. Some people start much higher, others will suggest $10 per day PER PERSON in the suite.

I'd also suggest you consider tipping your cabin steward. Yes, they are in the service charge pool (the butler and concierge are not) but when you get right down to it, who really does the work of making sure your suite is the wonderful place it is? Your cabin steward. We always leave an additional tip for the cabin steward, along the same lines as that for the butler.

My husband got the offer from CAS for our cruise. Will we both have players cards and drink cards waiting in our cabin or just him? Also, did booking through casinos at sea afford you other vip benefits like lunch at cagneys or captains vip cocktail party?

Yes, you should both have players cards and drink cards waiting for you.

Unless you're booked in a penthouse suite or higher, you will not get the suite perks such as breakfast and lunch in Cagneys.

Your main benefit, at first, will be the drink card. You'll probably also get some little treats (chocolates, little snacks) in your cabin in the evening from the CAS people. If you play enough, they'll probably offer you a comp'd dinner in one of the restaurants, or a comp'd spa treatment, or send a bottle of wine up to your room.

Don't forget to "cash in" your CAS points on the last night of the cruise. Listen for the announcements in the casino about this; if you have enough points you go to the casino services desk on the last night and they will look at your play and offer you some credit against your final on-board bill.

I sail Friday for a weekend cruise on the Sky. I don't really know how I'm going to feel. I'm a little uneasy right now, but that's because I've been torturing myself by reading everything there is to read on the Costa board and in the news.....

I wouldn't worry about your cruise. Please remember that statistically, the number of incidents like this vs. the number of miles that cruise ships sail is very, very, very, very small. It is still an extremely safe way to travel.

Much the same can be said about airline travel...statistically, very safe. But when something happens, of course it attracts a lot of attention - precisely because it so rarely happens.

The crew on board every ship is trained for emergencies, but you can never predict how well any person will react (or remember their training) when the real thing happens. I'm sure there were many crew members on the Costa ship who did exactly what they were trained to do...but you won't hear anything about them.

And finally, I'm sure that this accident will cause all the cruise lines to re-evaluate their procedures and training. You'll probably start to see differences in the muster drills almost immediately, if for no other reason than that the majority of passengers will now be paying very good attention for a change.

Nothing in an emergency is going to happen the way that you think it will during training. Ever. Emergencies just don't play nice. Things go wrong. People forget things under pressure. Equipment that was just checked inexplicibly fails when needed. Passengers panic. And of course before an accident happens everyone thinks that it won't happen, so they don't take the training seriously. After this passenger and crews from all lines will take the muster a little more seriously. But then complacency will set in again. Until the next time.

Sparks, you hit the nail on the head. In the end, you are responsible for your own life. You can choose to listen in the muster drill, whatever it is, or you can choose to show up half drunk and act like it's all a big waste of time.

Personally, I always learn as much as I can about the layout of the ship, and in the back of mind as I do this is "what if?" I do the same thing on an airplane...where's the exit, what am I going to do "if" it happens?

I don't mean by this that it should be "every man for himself." Far from it. I think the muster drills are important, and I don't think they are thorough enough at all. I think every passenger needs to know what's going to happen after they get to their muster area, and they also need to know what options they have if they can't get to their muster station. None of this is explained at all in the current routine.

But I'm afraid the fact of the matter is that we probably won't see much changing, even after this incident.