mamagina

Definitely choose STT for your off the beach snorkeling day. The cat to Nevis from St Kitts is a nice day.

You have a few beach options with amenities on STT -

Coki is a small bay and typically gets very busy on ship days so it has a more lively vibe. Several vendors and good snorkeling but probably the most crowded snorkeling conditions. Many families and some people feed the fish which can be distracting (not to mention harmful to the fish).

 

Sapphire is a bit larger bay and is home to 3 condo properties. So no vendors and much quieter. It can get busy around the dive shack and swimming area, but there is room to spread out along the shore where there is lots of natural shade. You will find a reef, as well as a separate seagrass area where you may spot rays or sea turtles. There are a couple food and drink options, and the dive center rents anything you need. The Banana Canana beach grill serves an amazing Mahi Mahi sandwich.

 

Secret Harbor is a smaller bay and home to a condo property with a beach restaurant and dive center. You'll find the best food here. SH is probably the most protected bay of the 3 so the water is generally calm.

All are a $10 - $11pp taxi each way and taxis will be available to pick you up. One option is to hit Coki early then taxi to Sapphire for the rest of the day because they're not that far from each other. Just a thought!

Hi blue water! Thank you! We are in St. Thomas today and at your suggestion we were heading to Coki to snorkel. There are 5 big ships in port today so our cab driver ( Bruce from Chicago who is running for senator) suggested secret harbor instead. [emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]. Just amazing here. Great choice. We have been to Magen's, emerald and sapphire and so far this is the most peaceful. And calm. No vendors and great amenities. I knew to say ok because if what I read here!

Thank you! Great info. Leaving tomorrow. Will do this in Martinique

Finally assigned cabin. MA mini on deck 14! Can anyone tell me about this type of cabin?

Congrats!!! We had one once. It is like the balcony cabin. The balcony is pretty much the same size. Maybe a little longer. Maybe just a tad wider but really it has a great bathroom with a really nice big shower with multiple sprays and a double sink. I think even a coffee maker.

What did you originally book? Was this an upgrade?? I hope so! Did you join the Roll call??

People on the 1/3/16 roll call are reporting that they are getting their assignments. Most who had minisuite guarantees are saying that they were assigned MB suites.

the cabins on deck 8 are forward but 8 is pretty low. when the ship moves it usually moves all over. LOL :)

These prices can'r be beat. mini suite guarantees are $1299pp

Balconies are down to $949pp

Thanks. This will be the vacation of a lifetime. I don't know the next time we will have the extra money to spend on such an extravagance. I just finished chemotherapy for breast cancer on December 17th, so this is a very special occasion.

 

 

 

Yes, you're got it right. It cost us $5450 for 3 of us total. That included the Ultimate Beverage Package as well which we always like to have. On a 14 day cruise, it would have cost us the extra $2000 just to purchase it. Totally worth it to us. :D

WOW! You got a great deal. And congratulations on finishing chemo!!!

We are on the same cruise. We got the email 2 weeks ago and were offered the forward, aft and penthouse Haven rooms at $500pp (the two bedroom that you got at the same $1000pp) or the Haven Spa Suite for $750pp. We took the spa suite because we had already paid $598 for spa passes and we got that back so it really only cost us $900 to upgrade. The access to the spa cinched the deal for us. That and in 10+ NCL cruises we have never been in the Haven! You have lots more room and a second bathroom. If we were three, I would have definitely taken the room you got! Congrats!!! Hoping to meet you on the cruise!

Gina

We are booked on the breakaway, January 3rd sailing. Still no assignment, we are guaranteed balcony. I did notice that there is a lot of available cabins. Could that be the reason?

Yes! Hoping you get a nice extended balcony! Are you on the roll call? There will be a meet and greet on Monday at 11 at La Cucina

yes I have never seen anything like the pricing and the itinerary for this cruise. On the one hand I wish we had waited and booked a balcony guarantee now but we booked a balcony in November and we have worked our way up into a minisuite and now were offered and incredible deal on a Haven suite. I'd probably never book a Haven suite from the get go so Im excited. We also got to keep our 2 perks from November.

I'm guessing that they are waiting to assign cabins until after they sell some more. Hoping that people waiting get nice spots. I bet they will with all the cabins available.

I'm trying to convince a newly widowed friend to come along. There are still studios available at $1099. That's a deal for a 14 day cruise!

Wow! How weird!!! So sorry. On our cruise 1/3/16, the studios were sold out and now they are back and all prices came down. I'm trying to talk a single friend into coming with us because the single price is only $1099 for a 14 day cruise! Crazy

I think the prices of these winter cruises are coming down because the weather has been so warm. People don't seem to need to "escape" the cold. We are on the 1/3/16 Breakaway 14 day cruise. Just today all the prices dropped again. We started out in a Balcony in November. The price has dropped over $500 pp since then. Last week we were offered an upsell to a haven spa suite and we took it because we had purchased the spa passes and were able to get that money refunded. I wish I had waited until this week to purchase the upsell because I think I would have been able to negotiate more because there are plenty of cabins. If you are OK with the inside, I would wait.

We came in to the city last night for the Billy Joel Concert and decided to treat ourselves and stay to spend a day in the city today. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn at 325 33rd Street. Literally just one half block from Penn Station west of 8th Avenue. Sooo easy if you are coming to Penn Station the night before a cruise! At the height of the Christmas season we only paid $152 AAA rate plus tax. We are leaving our bags here all day while we explore and we'll take our train home to NJ from Penn Station tonight. The place is brand new and pristine. Excellent breakfast included. Really superb coffee!

We just took an upsell to Spa Suite 14136 on the Breakaway for 1/3/16 for $750 tonight (NCL wouldn't budge or negotiate).

 

Wow, we just booked a spa mini suite and it was $1100/pp more for the haven spa suite.... what were you upgrading from?

 

A regular mini suite which I got as a complimentary upgrade from an angled balcony in November.

 

I mean, I originally booked and paid for a regular balcony in the summer and got a mini suite in November because the price of the mini suite came down to what I originally paid for the balcony. I got an email from the upsell department with the offer.

Well it's all out the window now! Tonight we got an upsell offer for a Haven Spa Suite and we took it. Same bathroom as the mini suite, I think, but it also has the jacuzzi in the room and access to the spa which we were purchasing passes for. And of course access to the Haven. I'm excited! Although I think that the angled balcony would have still been bigger! [emoji3]

We just took an upsell to Spa Suite 14136 on the Breakaway for 1/3/16 for $750 tonight (NCL wouldn't budge or negotiate).

Is butler service included in the Spa Suite? In the video, (wonderful I may add--we will be in 14136 on 1/3/16--Thank you!!!) Spaniel mentions that the butler taught his wife how to use the coffee machine. On the website it only mentions the butler for the "Haven" category not the "Spa" category--priced in different tabs.

First time in the Haven for us. What does the Butler do if you have one?

Thanks. Again that review and video are excellent!!!

I gave up an angeled balcony and took a chosen mini suite on the 1/3/16 cruise. I thought the bigger shower would be nice. I hope I don't regret it. If I could be sure that there would be a lounger on the balcony I would have kept it. I believe the cabin interior is the same size as the balcony.

Oh no, that sounds bad. Which ship was that? And how late did the noise continue? I think after midnight or before 7am would be really unreasonable.

I don't remember for sure but it actually happened twice to us. You would think we would learn. I think one was the Carnival miracle or Splendor (it was from NY) and I think the second time was the Breakaway because we were upgraded to a spa balcony the week before the cruise. I knew it might be a problem but we love the spa. And yes it was after midnight and we reported it to guest services and they explained that it was the only time some staff could use the gym.

We were under treadmills and yes staff used them at night after the gym was closed: doink, doink, doink, doink, doink, doink, doink, doink, doink, doink,

I hope it works out for you! Fingers crossed. We were on the middle of January Gem cruise last year which did start out higher because like this year it was the one that contained both weekends so less vacation time required. Did you see that the Gem has been renovated? I really liked that ship before (much better than the Breakaway). It is really going to be beautiful now, I bet! Also NCL, as of last night is offering two promotions again. They switch it almost daily! When I logged on last night to check my price, it said "two days left"

Yes, we took the dining package and it was specialty dining every night. Actually even lunch at the hibachi place was included. We're not big drinkers so we took the food over the booze.

I'm sorry, I don't remember exactly but I don't think it was that high when I started watching. It was also when they started the dining and beverage promotions. The promotions are now back to just one choice. If you have two promotions locked in and $300 onboard credit, it might be a good deal to lock in and then try to get a better cabin later on. You just have to be satisfied with the price. If you take a lot of cruises over the long run it will work out!

That was a true drop judging by this years's prices! I do need to book 30 days prior to sail date, though, because I need UBP for my DH. BTW, the BA 14 days cruise is what I really wanted to do and it is priced much better then Gem, but I can't take off for two weeks , Friday through Monday on Gem is very convinient. Enjoy.

Yup! That's exactly why we picked the gem last year! We went to work Monday morning right from the ship!

I have a cabin (Balcony, $1,359 per person + tax/fees) on hold for Gem 10 days Eastern Carib. sailing out of NYC and I don't need to fly. Hold includes Black Friday special from online TA ($300 OBC) and two out of four perks from NCL. Ship looks 1/2 full (when trying mock bookings on any balcony categories). I don't know what to do, should I just go ahead and book or let go of hold and wait till 55 day mark (which is tomorrow). Identical sailing before this one (Jan., 12th) is $160 less, and one before that (Jan., 3rd) is $259 less PER PERSON for same balcony cabin. Any insights appreciated.:confused:

We did that cruise in 2015 and I watched and booked about 14 days before because balconies came way down--I believe to $749, but you never know what can happen. Its a tough decision! Our NY 1/3/16 Breakaway cruise is on its way down as we speak:

This year we are doing the 14 day on the Breakaway leaving 1/3/16 which I booked in the early summer when it was still a 12 day. Before final payment it came down $400 pp. Since final payment, the balconies are now another $200 off so I called and was upgraded to a mini-suite which was still $20 less per person than I paid for the balcony at final payment but it has a bigger bathroom and they are both mid-ship. Oh well! I'm now waiting for the spa balconies to come down. If they go lower than what I am paying, I may try to book one because a spa pass is going for $300 pp for our sailing and that would be a true $600 savings.

Thank you Blue_water. We'll be there in January! Taking the Breakaway from NY which also stops in Tortola so I have been reading your advice there too.

Also there are quite a few videos on YouTube that are really accurate. Search the Baths on that site.

We did it last year on the Gem with the ship's tour and it was just amazing. At first I was a little skittish to go through the caves with all the climbing so we went down the path to the left instead of the right with the big crowd of passengers. After they all came through the exit of the caves we went in that way and did it backwards. There were quite a few others with little kids and even babies in carriers on their backs going both ways through the caves. It is doable. We went all the way and then came back through the other way. It was nice to do it without the big line of people.

Are there restrooms on Sapphire Beach? Lounger rental?