graphicguy

The way it was explained to me (at a Meet and Greet last October on the Epic) by the head of Housekeeping, the stewards had twice as many cabins to service, but only had to service them once instead of twice. Their days were consistent instead of broken up into two sections. Now, each day, once they're finished, their day is done. Before, they had to service each cabin twice, with a break in between, resulting in longer hours overall. Don't know what a short touch up is....unless that was considered a clean the bathroom, make-turn down the beds, replenish ice, etc.

Different guys. The two who got into it with Adrian Bica, the chief Concierge, were horrid, pretentious and precocious YouTubers who pitched a hissy fit because the concierge wouldn't allow them to dine in the Haven because they did not book a Haven Suite.

If nothing else, they got a huge uptick in views as a result of this fracas. My opinion (because no one asked LOL!)? I understand the cruise is a write off as a business expense for them. But, you ask me not to film on your ship? OK....I'll just be a tourist. It's already a business expense. Let's enjoy ourselves! But, I suppose the whole "we're leaving the cruise before it ends because we can't film" has a more dramatic effect, which in turn, turned into views.

Speaking of which. the Rumors show on the ships that has Syd's is outstanding!!!!!

Nice. This was in the late '80s, early '90s. Being a "funk" fan at one point (my protest against disco was to be a funk fan), and having the Ohio Players, Zapp Band, Bootsy Collins Rubber Band, all being local, they'd show up at the clubs around Cincinnati and Dayton all the time...driving distance for me. There was a venue around University of Cincinnati who specialized in local groups (Bogarts). Anyway, Bootsy Collins was playing there one Saturday night with his band. After about 30 minutes of his set, he introduced Sly and the Family Stone. Now, this was well after the much documented Sly Stone not showing up to his own band's gigs. But, here he was on stage. They only played for about a half hour. He was obviously on something as he only sang like every 3rd note and his keyboard playing was....well....interesting, as the rest of the band tried to cover up. But, I did indeed see them. I know we can all tell concert stories, but I'll share just one other one. Two weekends after the Sly concert, it was rumored that Prince was going to play at the same venue. The venue only holds about 1,200-1,500 people. So, I didn't lend much credence to the "rumor". My circle of friends said they were going to see if it was true. I took a pass. Sure enough, Prince showed up. it was a "tune up"-dress rehearsal for his Purple Rain Tour. I missed it.

Whadya mean? You and I are the most compassionate people in this thread? 😉

Had cookies on the Prima outside of CoCos and again in the Casino 5 weeks ago.

Talk about over indulgent, they were backed by my school's marching band (Miami U). I think on the Tusk album, they were backed by, I think, USC's marching band? Maybe? I know it was a big deal because Fleetwood Mac donated a sizable amount of change to our marching band's budget to perform one song in their set. Only saw them that one time. But, I guess if you're only going to see them once, that was the time to see them.

Ronnie James.....;)

I think OP has long left the building. A few things could have happened. First, the port authority found their luggage and contacted them (if they had any sort of contact info on or in their luggage). 2nd, they filed an insurance claim and already got a check. 3rd, filled out the forms NCL provided and are awaiting....I don't know....something. But, if they got an insurance claim, they can't double dip and file anothe claim (at least no payment for a 2nd claim).

First concert of a MAJOR BAND, believe it or not, was Fleetwood Mac, in support of the TUSK album. They played it in its entirety. Took an intermission. Came back and played RUMORS is its entirety. And came back for an encore of OH WELL. Great concert. Didn't know how significant it was at the time, though. I was a Black Sabbath guy. But, the GF loved Fleetwood Mac. So, of course, I became a fan of Fleetwood Mac. Funny, I don't recall her becoming a fan of Sabbath...EVER! 😉

Appreciate your posts. On this one, I disagree. I found the newly refurbished Haven in the Epic to be my top pick. Probably the Prima Haven would be a close 2nd.

Did you go to ncl.com? It's working.

Some claimed they didn't have cookies. There are cookies, but it's become a sort of game to find out where they are. I'll add that there are cookies in the Casino. too.

(Sigh)...this isn't only for NCL but cruise reviews overall. The mere fact that you are here and started this thread tells me you are skeptical of the reviews you read. Smart move. First, the vast majority of cruisers are Seniors...Virgin and maybe Disney may be the exceptions, but overall, Seniors make up the bulk of cruisers. 2nd....you're always going to find someone, somewhere who doesn't like their cruise. Generally speaking, most do not realize there are 3,000 other guests that the (usually) kind and hard working crew have to also take care of. The fare you're looking at is reasonable because it's not a "round trip". It starts in one port and ends in another (in your case, Barcelona). I don't know who's telling you the food is bad. I've sailed NCL 15 times...4x on the Breakaway. ...from a solo cabin to the Haven. It's a big ship....among the biggest at sea. There are a wealth of dining options. If one is crowded, another isn't far away. The Garden Cafe is their buffet. If you go there at peak breakfast, lunch or dinner hours, there will be lots of diners, as is true of any cruise line or ship. Same for bars. If there's a line at one bar, walk 75 feet in either direction and you'll find another. Oceania is NCL's smaller cruise sister. Different type of cruise, and much more sedate. Looked at Oceania a couple of times but found the fares to be very prohibitive given my cruising budget. Plus, for me, I think I'd become bored. Some like it, though. Celebrity...the smallest ship I've sailed with them was the Solstice. The largest I've sailed is both the Edge and Apex. Different "vibe" between the Solstice and the Apex, for example. Solstice is more like the Millenium......smaller ship but can hold fewer passengers. Apex, bigger ship (like Breakaway) with more passengers (but also more room to spread out). I had a dickens of a time getting EDEN reservations on both the Apex and Edge. But, I just found another date/time to dine there. Same goes for the Specialty Restaurants with NCL. Bottom line, temper whatever bad "review" you read with those here who have sailed NCL more often than a reviewer who went to the Garden Cafe at lunch time and found a line at the burger station.

Amazing how many people we fit in a dorm room designed to hold only 2….😂🤣

I like the Club Balconies, too. They seem to be the sweet spot between cost and cabin amenities. Who doesn't like their "bigger" bathrooms. And, those are the balconies that offer some of the. best showers at sea (I love NCL showers). That said, as I've become......uhmmmm....."more mature", I just can not be happy in an inside cabin. Even the nice Solo Cabins that NCL offers are just too claustrophobic. I love having a view outside when I go to bed every night and when I get up every a.m. Plus, the balconies are where I have my first cup of coffee every a.m. and my last "night cap" before bed time. I've sailed the Solo Cabins/Lounges, inside cabins, Ocean View Cabins, balconies, all the way up to a 2 BR Haven Suite. They were all great in their own rights, for a variety of different reasons.

The "AWAY (+)" ships have a soft spot for me. I do love me some Prima and Epic, but the "AWAY" ships are what I keep gravitating towards when I start looking for NCL cruises. They just seem to cruise to the geography I like (Bermuda, Alaska, Europe). Albeit, I did have a grand time on my last Eastern Canadian cruise I took. Looking at that one right now.

Kind of feel the same way about MSC....not really my cup of tea. But, no issues with those who like them. Their customer service issues are taking some shots. That was my biggest issue with them. Not going to get into my problems, but I guess I'm not alone. Still, if you like MSC, cruise them. I think we're outliers. I loved the Prima, too. But, saw a couple of posts where people did not like her. C'est la vie!

Jamie...didn't mean to hijack your thread.... But, you sent me on a hunt... Found this... February 16, 2021 Dear Valued Guest, As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities around the globe, we have made the decision to suspend all voyages with embarkation dates through May 31, 2021. We are very sorry for any inconvenience these changes may have caused. REFUNDS Please be advised that a full refund will be automatically returned to the form of payment you provided at the time of your most current reservation. No further action is required on your part; your refund will be automatically processed within 15 business days. You will see the refund returned within 7-10 business days from the processed date. The visibility of the funds is dependent on your financial institution’s internal policies. If your most current reservation was paid via a previously issued Future Cruise Credit (FCC), 100% of the FCC used will be re-applied to your Latitudes account. No further action is required; the FCC will be automatically added within 7 days. For additional information pertaining to refunds, please visit ncl.com/suspended-sailings. OUR THANKS TO YOU We sincerely appreciate your loyalty to Norwegian Cruise Line and as mentioned previously, we cannot wait to provide you with the cruise vacation you were hoping for and likely need now more than ever! Therefore, in addition to the 100% refund or return of your FCC, the following offers may also be available when you chose to rebook your Norwegian vacation through your Travel Advisor: A 10% OFF* discount on your next cruise with us, combinable with all available promotions at the time of booking. The 10% OFF discount will be added (or returned**) to your Latitudes account and will be available as of Wednesday, February 17, 2021. This discount can be used to make a booking through February 17, 2022 and can be applied towards any sailings through December 31, 2022. *Should you already have a 10% OFF discount FCC from a previous suspension and have not yet applied that discount FCC to a new reservation, an additional FCC will not be issued. **If this suspended reservation used a previously issued 10% OFF discount FCC, the 10% OFF FCC will be returned to your client profile. An additional FCC will not be issued. 30% OFF! For a limited time only, take advantage of our current promotion if you book a new cruise by February 28, 2021 for any published voyage through 2023, and receive 30% OFF! TAKE ALL! Again, for a very limited time, if you book a new cruise by February 28, 2021 for any published voyage through 2023, you may TAKE ALL. This limited time offer is a tremendous value allowing you to add all five of our Free at Sea amenities (TAKE ALL) when you reserve select stateroom categories for any published voyage. Amenities include a free unlimited beverage package, free specialty dining, a free Wi-Fi package, free shore excursion credits and reduced rates for family and friends - a value of up to $2,890 per person! A $150 discount + Lower Deposit! If you purchase a $150 CruiseFirst certificate, which is a certificate towards your next cruise, we will match it with an additional $150 discount. For CruiseFirst terms and conditions, please visit ncl.com/terms/cruisefirst. The combined value of these offers is well over $3,000 per person. This is our way of showing you how much we appreciate you. Please contact your Travel Advisor today to review and take advantage of any of these offers. NEW ITINERARIES TO INCREDIBLE DESTINATIONS We have recently opened for sale amazing itineraries through summer 2023. When you visit ncl.com, you will find new sailings to Alaska, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada & New England, The Caribbean, Hawaii, the Mediterranean, and more on the most innovative ships at sea. Our goal is to provide you with the opportunity to plan and book your next extraordinary vacation as far in advance as possible so that all you have to do is savor the anticipation of a truly memorable cruise experience. YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY During these extraordinary times, we are doing our part to provide you with peace of mind however and whenever we can. It goes without saying that our very first priority is always your health, safety, security and well-being so I encourage you to read all about the good work we are doing at ncl.com/book-with-confidence. If you have questions or would like to redeem your discount, please contact your travel advisor. We look forward to exploring the world with you in the safety and comfort of an amazing Norwegian Cruise Line ship!

Didn't find a COVID correspondence yet. Did find this from 13 years ago. Epic Balcony cabin. No FAS. $2,117 all in (Remember drinks for this cruise being somewhere in the neighborhood of $700). DAxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx INVOICE DATE: BOOKING DATE: RESERVATION: PROMO CODES: SAILING: 30-Apr-2011 CATEGORY/STATEROOM: BK-BK/8006 SHIP: ITINERARY: NORWEGIAN EPIC - 7 DAYS WESTERN CARIBBEAN EMBARKATION: DISEMBARKATION: MIAMI, FL MIAMI, FL PAYMENTS DEPOSIT due on 01/26/11 11:59 pm Eastern Time FINAL PAYMENT due on 02/14/11 11:59 pm Eastern Time PAID by CC# *8159 on 01/25/11 PAID by CC# *8159 on 02/10/11 TOTAL PAYMENTS APPLIED to 07-May-2011 10-Feb-2011 25-Jan-2011 19322719 PGWAVE11, PGAARP1 CONFIRMATION - GUEST COPY BOOKSAFE AIR PRE-CRUISE CHECK-IN POST-CRUISE CHECK-IN TRAVEL GUESTS AGE CITY HOTEL # DAYS HOTEL # DAYS PROTECTION 1 xxxxxxxx DANIEL 2 xxxxx LISA INVOICE TOTALS GUEST FARE GOVERNMENT TAXES/FEES TOTAL 56 48 NO NO AMOUNT (USD) 500.00 1,616.88 500.00 1,616.88 2,116.88

Amen to being grateful. I remember those letter(s)...yes, I had more than one from NCL during shutdown. Truthfully, out of all the cruise lines, I think NCL handled the COVID polices for sailing on their ships the best. Although, after assuring me (and you, too) we would be sailing out of San Juan, PCCs doubling down on those assurances, a few emails from NCL stating for certain it was happening, and then they canceled it to "reposition" the ship somewhere else, really left a bad taste in my mouth. I got over it. As the FCCs were generous and the fares were dirt cheap. But, I know you and I both were pretty ticked off at the time. I don't know if I kept any of those letters. I'll have to do some digging.

Move it up a couple of months. We could have a sizable Buckeye presence! LOL!

Nope. Not sure how it works, but I've heard some TAs don't work with AMEX (Platinum) to offer the perk. But, mine does. I know booking through NCL direct, they don't offer the AMEX perk, either.

Cool! Looking seriously at the 9/10 sailing!