graphicguy

OK...that makes sense. As you say, let security keep them until disembarkation. Still, Android and iPhones are not prohibited on NCL. I've sailed over a dozen times on NCL with both an Android and iPhones and devices, as well as a MacBook Air and iPad. NEVER...EVER had any issues with bringing them and using them on board. So, why the OP thinks s/he can't is totally unfounded...or as my late Mother would say...."much ado about nothing"! To anyone reading this thread who is not familiar with NCL policies....this sort of red flag waving does not even remotely reflect NCL policies. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BRING YOUR IPHONE and/or YOUR ANDROID PHONE on board. You can use it while sailing. Just to be clear.....

OK....I see. No hysteria required on the OP's part. FAS was cancelled with the original reservation. Just call your PCC and tell them to add the FAS package to the new reservation. I don't know the cost as I don't know how many people are on your reservation. But, whatever the tips are, pay them. Confirm them on your on line reservation details before you hang up with your PCC. Done deal!

I'm all twisted around here. But, regardless of who said what to whom and what was or wasn't understood.....log into NCL. Click on the top right (I think) to where your cruise is. Click on VACATION SUMMARY. That should show everything included in your cruise. Barring that, call your PCC and ask for an invoice of amenities be sent to you. It will outline everything. If you were charged for something you didn't get, have your credit card receipts to back up your claim. As far as Carnival being easy to work with, I've taken 4 or 5 Carnival cruises. I've spent more time on the phone with them I should have them on speed dial. I don't know how you got to this point. My guess is you wanted an upgrade, paid for an upgrade, FAS went with the new upgraded cabin. Tips for FAS still needs to be paid. Not casting dispersions, but I do think OP is confused on this....first it was $500 extra, then it was $350. Not sure they know the exact numbers. But, walk through it with your PCC with the what's included, what you owe for...is it FAS or FAS+ (another possibility) until you totally understand. If there's been a mistake, have your credit card receipts handy to show where you were charged for something you didn't receive. We can't do that for you here. You have to do it.

Again....I don't know of anyone who does, or wants to carry a Sat Phone, nor the relevance of any of this. Maybe rethink carrying knives on planes and cruise ships!

I know my TA says the same as does the CN personnel I’ve interacted with.

I don’t know of anyone who carries a Sat Phone. Don’t know why you would. What’s the point of this thread?

Thanks for the review, Henry! Enjoyed every bit of it!

Yeah...NCL does targeted coupon discounts. I have one for 10% off the Bliss to Alaska. Nice itinerary on one of my favorite ships. So, in my case, $300-$400 off, depending on the cabin I choose. Beats a stick in the eye. 😉

63 and a half days out, but who's counting? LOL!

Thank you for the great posts. And, thanks for whetting the appetites of those of us who are setting sail on the Prima.

Now, you make me want to try this. 😉

It's usually fallen my favor for promotions. I know last year they had XX% off Alaska and European cruises (took advantage of both promos) via coupons they sent me. Even being liberal with my math regarding the discount, NCL still charged me less than even my most ambitious expectation. Same goes with military discounts. It's supposed to be 10%. Sometimes it's 12% (or more). Sometimes it's 9%. So, whatever software they use to apply the discounts, there's no real way to understand how they do it. But, as mentioned, it always seems to be in my favor.

Now THAT is an issue. I get it. If he's still working on cabins, that means the time he DIDN'T spend cleaning your cabin earlier, he could have come back and cleaned it later. I understand if he wasn't around because his shift was up. But, the mere fact he was there to TELL you he wasn't going to clean your cabin is a faux pas on his part. Not sure...but I might have called house keeping or visited customer service if he didn't want to clean my cabin and stated as much. I don't have a problem with when they do it. But, if they're still cleaning and won't clean mine, even though I left the DNC light on, I'd probably want to at least some clarification from the housekeeping supervisor about that decision or policy.

That’s a good point. I try to keep my room relatively neat. I don’t throw my clothes around or leave towels in every corner of the room. I leave room for the stewards to work and leave my luggage under the bed when I’m not in the cabin. I don’t leave drinking glasses strewn everywhere. I think it helps them a little and it doesn’t affect me in the least to be at least a little neat. Whenever I get a passing glimpse of other cabins when their door is open I sometimes gasp at what slobs some can be. My first thought is always …”poor steward”! Regarding other cruise lines, I compare cruises in total not just a single item which one or the other may or may not do better. Personally, HAL just doesn’t float my boat, regardless of how many times they’d service my cabin. Disney, same way….don’t want to pay for cartoon characters being around me all the time (OK…maybe Jiminy Cricket…I liked him when I was 6 years old). Carnival…I‘ll sail them if it’s a really good fare. Overall, NCL “fits” me and my personality. But, that’s why there are choices. Pick what you want.

Totally understand that. If you WANT the upgraded drinks, it makes sense. I'm more than happy with the FAS drinks offered and only want the internet. So, for me it makes no sense to upgrade to FAS+.

Same with hotel rates or flight fares. Too many variables. The costs aren't fixed, either. Food, fuel, (which are negotiated sometimes at each individual port), docking fees, etc. Those are all fluctuating costs. Add in occupancy rates, and itineraries, and if the ship is new, old, big, small, etc and it becomes a labyrinth of a tremendous amount of moving parts and variables. Probably the only costs that are fixed are labor and ship cost. I know our European brothers and sisters don't seem to understand this, but I just returned from a 1 month trip to Spain, France and Italy. I can tell you point blank, the hotels varied in cost day to day based on their occupancy rates on any given day. They weren't static by any stretch. I think their laws are focused mainly on fixed cost goods (like department store wares).

Our tastes are the same...particularly with Bourbon. 😉. Admittedly, I know wines are red, white and pink. That's the extent of my knowledge. Bourbon? Different story. Personally, the FAS package has all the liquors I normally drink. Buffalo Trace, 1792, gins like Tangurey, vodka like Titos....all good to me. FAS+ drink package offers some other spirits I might like to try. But, I don't see any that I'd be willing to pay extra for when I can get what I like on the regular package. Internet upgrade would be nice as I usually do live reviews that I post here. But, I can buy that a la carte. So, nothing would make me shell out the big uncharge for the FAS+. I view cabin service like a hotel. They don't give me 2X room cleaning at my hotels. Doesn't matter to me if they do it for my cabin. As far as "paying" to have 2x/day room cleaning, you can. It's called the Haven. Want drink service for wines and liquors by the Haven Pool? They got that too. Want a lounger in a private area? Haven! Want upgraded food and restaurant service? Haven Restaurant! Want bartenders to fix you crazy good drinks (like smoky Manhattans)? Haven Bar. Want fancy linens and soaps? Want white linen in suite specialty dinner service? Butlers, Concierges, staff that falls all over themselves to serve you? You can get all that. It's just you have to upgrade to the Haven to get it.

A little common sense and courtesy go a long way. It’s not going to make a hill of beans difference to me whether my cabin is cleaned at 8:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m. The cabin stewards are among the hardest working crew on the ship. I give them as much leeway as possible to let them do their job as easily and efficiently as possible. Further, I don’t find it reasonable to ask for fine wine in the Buffet or at a pool bar. That just makes no sense. It’s no different than me going into a dive sports bar expecting to find Louis XIII brandy!

I like to think that this poor fellow is now fine and now leading a normal life.

I don’t mind sharing tables either. I love meeting new people and find it refreshing conversation. Whenever they ask…”do you mind sitting with someone else?” I always say yes, enthusiastically. EXCEPT….this was several years ago, I was seated with 5 different people (6 with me). Two couples who didn’t know each other and another solo. None of us had ever met before.. Everyone was having a grand time. The other solo, after a bottle of wine, really started to pour his heart out. He was probably in his mid 40s. His GF had just broken up with him. He had decided to take a cruise and “lick his wounds”. He eventually became quite morbid about what he wanted to do to his ex-GF…to the point where I was stunned. Then, he said he didn’t know if he should just “off himself” while on the cruise. Our entire table tried to console him, but were mostly just stunned. At that point, I got up to excuse myself and immediately let the maitre’ d know about the mental state of this man. Within a few minutes, some crew (not exactly sure if they were security or medical personnel) met us as we were leaving the table. They asked me to point to the man (which I thought was a little too obvious who reported the incident). And, they calmly asked him to accompany them. Surprisingly, he didn’t ask why, or offer resistance. He just went with them. Never saw him the rest of the cruise.

Found that on my Celebrity Cruises, too. Talked to guest services on both Celebrity and NCL about why it’s important to them. They were quite up front and said their bonuses and employment perks are based on those ratings. Celebrity rep said it was cumulative. The more good ones they got, the more money they made over time in a “tiered” rating system. I would think NCL would be the same. My advice? Rate those who served you well, great. Unless it’s something very egregious, I don’t give out bad ratings.

Good point. I think the naive look at that marketing (or, the marketing for new cars, or for a host of other goods and services that are perpetually on sale) and see the “regular” pricing and think “great deal” for Black Friday, or Cyber Monday, or Labor Day, etc) and book the fare. For good or ill, a little shopping reveals the “real” deals. If you’re not willing to do that, or expect a gov’t entity to shop pricing for you, take what they offer. Me? I love the hunt! I love shopping fares and get a little bit of a thrill when I find a real deal. Again, if you see a fare on a cruise you like and believe it’s a good deal for you, book it. To hand wring about pricing after the fact is a fool’s errand.

Point being, no one I’m aware of pays a la carte pricing for a single Specialty Dining Restaurant meal. If anyone ever did, NCL thanks you!

That’s cool!!!

Just curious….has anyone paid $80-$90 for a Specialty Dining dinner? If so, why?