goldesq

1. They no longer have a cinema (movie theater) but do show movies outside "under the stars" on some nights. There were no movies shown in the main theater on our Bermuda sailing in May.

 

2. They have art auctions by Park West onboard.

 

3. Sorry I do not have a room service menu.

OOPS Just realized you went in May. What did you think? I am now waiting for my TA to call me back so I can book for 7/5.

Thanks. I didnt even think Movies Under The Stars as I assumed that was only a Princess thing.

I never buy art on the ship...I just like hearing them talk about the artists and art in general.

I havent been on a cruise with hot food (breakfast in particular) for room service (other than burgers for lunch/dinner and I have have sailed Princess, Carnival, RCCL and NCL) so this time, I will try it! Excited to hear it even if its simple items. After an excursion, I am usually hungry bc I have missed lunch or want to skip dinner.

Thanks again everyone. Its my first time on Celebrity so I am excited.

Curious about a few things on this ship:

1) do they have a movie theater / show movies? I assume they have movies in the room but I know Princess shows movies during the day in their theater and my dad loves that.

2) do they have art auctions on board? I am going to book for the Summit RT Bermuda.

3) does anyone have room service menus that are recent they can post or email me? I will be in a regular balcony (not aqua or concierge so I was curious if a hot breakfast, lunch or dinner could be ordered.

For those who have been to both Crete and Malta, which would you say is a must see city?

I, too, need to pick between the two 10 day Vista Med itineraries. I am very flexible with dates. The only choice, it seems, is to decide which city (Crete or Malta) I should go to, then pick a cruise date for that itinerary. I need to check out the dates that arent, literally, the hottest times in the summer.

I was in Rome once in August and swore, after sweating profusely and paying 8 USD for a small bottle of water, never again (well, never again to the sweating profusely part at least). The overcharge for water in a tourist area was my own fault.

I just read this article about it:

http://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/norwegian-testing-room-service-delivery-fee.html?u=10F35FED-66C8-E411-8B9F-0050568E420D

Norwegian Cruise Line is testing reaction to a service fee for room service delivery.

The “convenience charge” is being charged on two ships as the line enhances its room service menu, Norwegian President and COO Andy Stuart said in a travel agent webinar March 31.

The service fee is $7.95 per order — not per selection or per person — on the Norwegian Breakaway and $4.95 on Norwegian Getaway. There is no charge for delivery to the luxury Haven suite complex and no charge on the rest of the fleet at this time.

The pilot program includes an upgraded menu, especially for breakfast, adding hot items to a menu that currently features mostly cold options such as cereal and pastries. The enhanced menu includes eggs prepared scrambled, over easy, hard-boiled and poached, and sides such as breakfast potatoes, grilled tomatoes, bacon, sausage and turkey sausage. Also offered are oatmeal and Cream of Wheat.

A wider variety of options are offered on the 24-hour menu as well, Stuart said.

While many passengers resist cover charges as an example of nickel-and-diming, room service delivery fees are not unprecedented. Norwegian has charged a $3.95 charge for deliveries made between midnight and 5 a.m. for several years now (Royal Caribbean International does as well). Norwegian also charges $5 for a pizza delivery anywhere on the ship. Carnival Cruise Line has a line on the room service delivery receipt for a gratuity.

But word leaked out online about a room service fee before Stuart’s announcement that it was a test. It predictably generated hundreds of comments on Cruise Critic’s bulletin boards.

“Even coffee and pastry are $7.95??? NCL has one of the most limited room service menus,” reads one comment. “Sounds to me as if they are trying to do away with it completely. That is an outlandish charge, even if the new menu has complete meals. I hope it is not fleet-wide but just an experiment on the Breakaway.”

“This is very disappointing!” another comment says. “I was so looking forward to a light breakfast on our balcony while in Alaska. I guess I will pack a tray, head up to the buffet and schlep everything back to my cabin.”

Norwegian also posted a notice about the room service fee in its Frequently Asked Questions section on its website. It remains to be seen whether a delivery fee will become permanent and how much it would be.

Last week, I was there all day shopping alone (female), walked down side streets and ate in some local 'restaurant' (aka window cutout) down an alley way and NEVER felt even remotely unsafe.

The 2 incidents the security post mentioned happened at late night/early morning. Interestingly enough, I was considering going to the Fish Fry area mentioned in that security post but found the conch at the Pier area sufficient. Still, I wouldnt hesitate going to Fish Fry as long as it was a day time foray.

Yes , we were on that sailing. The line to check the bags was on the street. Did you check your bags outside near the elevator?

At right before 11 am when we arrived, I got out of the car service, was asked immediately if I wanted to check my bags by a porter and said yes. That porter then took our two bags immediately and we walked inside the terminal. It took all of 10 seconds.

At what point of the check in proess do you get your boarding group number? I'm used to the Allure process where they sit you in seats in the order you arrive. It is very organized and they board you a row of seats at a time. Sounds like this port is VERY different in their processes... including a lack of seats for the waiting.

I received the number soon after walking in the building before getting my card and checking in.

Just off the Breakaway last Sunday and getting off and on ship was terrible. Get there by 10:30 or be prepared for long lines. The port can't handle 4000 passengers very well. It was 1 hour and 40 minutes in line to check in luggage. We did Easy Walk Off when we got off the ship. There wasn't anything easy about it. It took 90 minutes. They had 4 customs agents and the lines went outside to the walkway on the ship. Boat was great but they need a better system at the port.

You were on the 3/15 sailing? I got there right before 11 and was checked in and seated with my room key in the holding area by 1130. How could your check in be longer?

Disembarking was bad. It took about 50 minutes from when my color gray was called (late since it was scheduled for 930 am) until we sat inside a cab to go home at about 11 am. When I hit customs, there was 3 agents for each line (2 lines) so 6 in total.

You do realize that you were on a spring break cruise right? The vast majority of colleges within a driving radius to the ship were on spring break last week and that might explain it

 

 

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The rules don't have exceptions for those on Spring Break and actually, a lot of the college men I saw were dressed in sport coats (beats md why other than maybe to impress the ladies) and the 3 groups of college women I met onboard were dressed really, really well the night I saw them all in the dining room. I really don't think the people who didn't abide by the dress code were necessarily college students. Don't just assume spring break students can't have some class and follow rules. None of them caused any issues at all on the ship or in GSC. In fact, in Headliners they seemed super tame the two nights groups of students were there.

Under he dress code, flip flops are allowed for dinner in all restaurants except the formal dining room (Manhatten) and Le Bistro.

No, they are not.........Straight from NCLs website, "We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants."

I guess you have never been camping or backpacking :eek::D

Expectations go along with your circumstances and environment. Although your comment has nothing to do with my post, and was rather 'smart alecky', yes I would expect bugs on a camping trip while in a sleeping bag.

However the OP was in a bed on a cruise ship and I was in a bed in a hotel. As a result, yes, I was shocked and in disbelief initially when I saw one crawl across the top sheet.

Or maybe you got lucky since the port is right next to West side highway and taxi / car service is either right across the street at like and 12th street (NCL building is), literally upstairs in the building or right next to it.

 

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How is that lucky? Everyone gets dropped off, car service or not, at the terminal and can walk in. Thats what I did. Why does where taxi/car service stands matter in this? I wasnt trying to catch a ride home.

My car service actually had to go to 10th avenue after being diverted from the West Side Highway at 34th Street and travel down 55 Street to hit the pier as all other streets were shut down. At some points between 34 and 42 Street, traffic was crawling. We still made the trip from south Brooklyn to the pier at 55 street in under an hour and got on board fairly quickly.

 

I'm guessing you are right. I was interested in NJHORSEMAN's opinion about the discriminatory expectation that women wear tops but men need not do so around the pool area.

 

I personally think that there should be no gender differences in a dress code but understand that this is not the case today.

 

Whatever the law is, is one thing (I love the law for the most part and I am a lawyer) but do you really think its the best idea with 1500 kids possibly on a ship, to have women walking around topless? Believe what you want or what you think is right (gender this and that), but its basically an American crowd with American morals/ values that are different than other parts of the world. Its just easier for NCL to say no to topless. Sure I believe in gender equality especially as a woman but this is a different circumstance.

I got call shenanigans or you & your friends are extremely lucky to board that quickly at port of NY because its super slow and disorganized. NYC Marathon, full ship, half a sailing, NCL, Carnival Splendor or not - that port and the lines are ridiculous.

 

And yes, a minute really makes a difference because that when other passengers wanting to board at 12 or 1pm decide to arrive for the 3 or 4pm sailing .

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Call shennanigans all you want. I left from Midwood (south) Brooklyn on 3/15 in a car service and hit some traffic at about 34th street because of the half marathon on that day. Once we passed 42nd Street, I reached the port right before 11 am. I received card number 7.

We went through the check in process quickly, maybe 15-20 minutes tops partially due to my father asking the rep to repeat things because he is hard of hearing. There were 3 families in front of us on that check in line but there has to be at least 15 reps checking people in. Maybe it was fast because we were Bronze, I am not sure. We sat in the staging area for a short while and after casino, handicapped people and groups 1-3 then 4-6 were called, my group was called.

I immediately dropped my luggage in the room at the front of the ship #9124 and made my way to Savor in the front of the ship. Met my friends at 1245 and had lunch. There was a table next to us empty as were some other tables empty scattered around.

Maybe I walk fast. The ship was full. I did not see another ship at the Pier. There was nothing disorganized about the check in process. There were no lines other than 3 families in front of me at the check in area.

Disembarking is a whole 'nother story. It took almost 2 hours but it was partly due to marine traffic causing a delay in docking.

Technically only Bermuda shorts (which are very specific style of shorts) are permitted in Manhattan and LeBistro on a Bermuda cruise. Whether the crew actually can distinguish Bermuda shorts from other styles is questionable at best. Also the dress code states that Bermuda shorts are to be worn with a blazer, long socks and loafers.

 

Otherwise, no shorts are permitted to be worn by adults in LeBistro or Manhattan. Shorts are permitted in Cagney's. Sandals are fine at breakfast and lunch. I have worn leather sandals at dinner too and have never been prevented from doing so. If they tried, I would point to my wife's sandals, which are permissible, and strongly suggest they better think twice about attempting to enforce a discriminatory rule like that.

 

I have a question about the gender differences in dress: is it ok for women to wear only shorts or swim suit bottoms around the pool area? I don't mean this as smart alecky as it comes across, I ask because 20 years ago, the highest court in NY stated that women could not be penalized for going topless if men were not penalized

 

NY Law doesnt apply on the ship.

 

I really think they would ask you to cover up.

I'm so totally surprised, under the circumstances and their protocol, that the new hotel let you change clothes in their gift shop changing room, since you could have passed the bugs from your old clothes to their clothing, carpet, etc. Maybe they might new protocols.

They actually asked us to go buy the clothing and bring the new clothing back down but I decided to change in the changing room (it was actually stock room but I wont get into specifics as to this). I wanted that old clothing off so fast that I actually was freaking out a bit in the gift shop so they let me go to that room.

I am always puzzled when I see the occassional report of dress codes not being adhered to in the MDR. In my 7 NCL cruises I have never experienced this.:confused:. Note that on Embarkation day, the official code is casual all over the ship as a concession to the fact that some may not have luggage in time to change for dinner. I think some people do not realize this and think the code in not being enforced. And even then, most men do wear long pants.

 

There are plenty of places to dress casual for dinner if even dockers and jeans are too much for someone. Cagneys, La Cucina, Moderno, Teppanyaki, Taste, Savor, O'Sheehans, Buffet and probably more.

Dont be puzzled. I just got off the BA Sunday. There were a ton of people in the Manhattan Dining Room in flip flips (not sandals but flip flops). I would say 25%. Tons in t-shirts and shorts. Usually this leaned towards the 2o something crowd but plenty of guys over 30 wore that t-shirt/ short combo to dinner. Women in ripped jeans were all over the place. Women, maybe more towards 20-30 year olds, wearing super short shorts was common.

I know about the first day rule. I am not counting the first day.

I'll never understand why people are "Shocked" or in "Disbelief". Insects have been around for a lot longer than we have been. And they will outlive the human race. Bugs are everywhere...............

Yup..bugs are everywhere but I dont get into bed at night, particularly on vacation, pulling up the covers, thinking, 'bugs are everywhere' or 'maybe I will see a bed bug tonight'.

So yes, when I saw the first bed bug crawl across the top sheet, I was shocked and could not believe it. I really dont think anyone would not be initially shocked or wonder, what the ###.

Let's stick to the OP's post and not get off track on the WDW experience, but in all fairness, as far as one person only being affected, this is entirely possible. My DH and I can sit side by side and I will be bitten multiple times by Mosquitos. Him, zero. And I think the bb literature also indicates some people do not react to bites and would be oblivious that there is an issue. Either the bbs are attracted more to one person or another, OR, the other person was bitten but had no reaction whatsoever to the bite. And I think she either left the hotel at her own accord on a package which included the rate for THAT hotel. The other was more expensive, and she had to put up the difference.

I only posted because I think people react to bugs differently. Some people are interested in them, some couldnt care less and some hate them while some have phobias of certain bugs (I mean real phobias and not just regular fear).

My mom was not bitten as she did not get in bed yet. And yes, the package included air and hotel. I had to pay out of my own pocket for the new hotel and it was the only one on property available at that time.

Here's the thing - as long as get there before or on the dot at 11am - you get early boarding. Get there at 11:01am and after; and deal with lines into the escalator area AKA the 2-3 hour wait to get x-ray at Port of NY. The difference of 1 minute is very astounding - 11am it kinda empty, 1 minute later looks like sea of people, pribably the only time during the cruise that you see overcrowding of that nature.

 

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Seriously? One minute makes all the difference? Come on.

Furthermore, if the ship has all aboard at 1 PM, there is no 3 hour wait getting there past 11.

I had friends on the cruise arrive at the terminal at 12 noon exactly as they wanted to wait until after the marathon (which they saw from their hotel room) and they met us onboard just before 1245 for lunch at Savor.

It sounds like only you were bitten. How did this occur if you were on the desk all night? Where did your family spend that night?

 

The fact that only you got one bite and WDW says it was a centipede makes a lot of sense. Florida is tropical and has many types of centipedes. Their bites can be horrible!

 

Please put your mind at ease because it probably was a centipede. And you got upgraded to a better resort so THAT was your compensation.

 

You still could have visited the parks while your things were treated.

I dont want to take away from the OPs posting but I will explain a bit more without going into major amounts of detail.

At 1130, I got into bed and within a few minutes, I saw a bug crawl across the top sheet. I got up and immediately showed my mother, who I was traveling with. She had not gotten into bed yet. I was shocked, in disbelief and then started getting very upset realizing what it was.

I called the front desk. Housekeeping then a housekeeping manager came. I took a picture of the one bug I could capture and then the manager took the bug with him in a cup.

We requested a room change and left the room immediately and waited for a new room in the hallway. During that time, I called another hotel and made reservations for the rest of the trip. In the new room at the same hotel, housekeeping changed all the sheets and checked for bugs before we entered the room. I sat on the desk that night completely freaked out by the entire experience.

Bites (multiple) on me were noticed the next morning on my neck and back. It was not a centipede. I have photos of the one bug I captured. It IS a bed bug. There is no doubt at all that what I saw and what I pictured was a bed bug. There is just no way is a hotel going to admit to having bed bugs.

The upgrade to the better resort was paid for by ME. It was NOT paid for by the bed bug hotel or the airline that had this Disney package that I had already paid for in full prior to arriving. Thus I paid for hotel nights in a hotel I did not use PLUS a new hotel that was triple the price that I did stay in (it was all that was available within the Park for that time).

No...we could not go to the Parks while this was going on. We arrived at the new hotel at 8 am. The new hotel knew why we were there (bed bug issue) and treated us well but rightly so, had protocol for situations like this. It took an hour for us to get new clothes and change out of the old clothing in the gift shop changing room. We then gave our old clothing and packed clothing to them which we then had to go through with them, separate as well as document for their cleaning service. That took another hour. We had a quick bite to eat and checked in. Took another 45 minutes. Since they had been completely booked the night before, we had to wait until about noon for the room but by that time, our clothing came back which they wanted us to check to ensure every item came back. That took another half hour.

Moreover, understand I had not slept AT ALL the night before. I was exhausted. By the time all this settling in and checking and changing was done, it was about 2 PM. Also, we still had not received the wheelchair from the old hotel which we were told by the old hotel was being sent over by a mini-van following the town car we ordered to take us to the new hotel. The chair never came even after I called a few times. We ended up having to rent a motorized chair the next day at the Park until the original wheelchair company picked up the wheelchair at the old hotel and personally brought it the next afternoon the new hotel.

The only thing that makes me nervous about arriving for my sailing vs. when you arrived for your sailing and didn't have a long wait, is that when I sail it will be peak summer season, so the ship will likely be full and sold out. Since that translates to more people checking in, I'd rather risk leaving too early than too late to get there.

My ship was sold out. I got there at right before 11 am and was in group 7.

Thank you, we will be sure to arrive nice and early! I think if we leave our house in Brooklyn around 9am, that will give us enough time to allow for traffic as well, just in case.

 

I didn't realize it's that easy to just park and bring the luggage down to the correct level. We have a lot with us...do they have a cart to put the luggage on to get to the elevator? I'm guessing no...so we might have to be dropped off first. We shall see.

ONG do not leave at 9. I left at 10 and even with the marathon traffic last Sunday, I got there at 11 and waited until 1140 to hear Group 1 being called to board. I was group 7 and was called by 1150 and onboard in minutes. At 11 when we arrived at the pier, we spent 20 minutes getting our key card, dropping luggage. There is no 2-3 hour wait after 11 as all aboard is at 1, fire drill is at 230 and the ship leaves at 3.

There is absolutely no reason to be at the pier before 11.

On our Breakaway cruise in July, we are eating dinner in Manhattan Room 5 nights, Cagney's 1 night and Le Bistro 1 night. Are shorts allowed for adult men in Manhattan room? Or should DH wear jeans or slacks and a polo or Caribbean/Hawaiian print shirt instead? (I know it sounds very specific, but that has been his dinner outfit choice on cruises in the past). What shoes are appropriate for men in Manhattan Room, Cagney's and Le Bistro?

 

For Manhattan Room and Cagney's, are children allowed to wear nice shorts (like khaki shorts and a polo for my sons)? Our sons will be 10 and 8 when we sail.

 

For Le Bistro, what is the dress code? DH and I will have a date night there without the kids.

 

I like to dress nicely for dinner on cruises, and I usually wear a nice casual dress, or capris and a nice sleeveless top with strappy shoes. I'm assuming this is fine for any of the 3 restaurants I mentioned?

 

During the day for breakfast and lunch, are men allowed sandals in the MDR? I'm not talking flip flops, but regular sandals, nice ones.

 

Thanks in advance!

I just got off the BA yesterday. I only ate in the MDR, all 3 to be exact. The dress code was never enforced and that bothered me. Just follow the official dress code someone else posted and you will be fine, even over dressed.

To answer some of your questions, shorts are not allowed for adult men in Manhattan room for dinner but I saw about 25% of the men wearing shorts with sneakers. Your husband should wear jeans or slacks and a polo or Caribbean/Hawaiian print shirt instead. It fits more with the NCL code. Appropriate shoes for men in Manhattan Room, Cagney's and Le Bistro are anything but flip flops / slides but I saw flip flops in the Manhattan dining room a lot. A no no according to their own dress code.

For Manhattan Room and Cagney's, kids wore anything and everything. I dont know the dresscode for kids but they would fit in with what you described.

For Le Bistro, the dress code is slacks, collared shirts etc but again, when I walked by, no one adhered much to the dress code. I dont know why they have it when its not enforced. I digress.....

A nice casual dress, or capris and a nice sleeveless top with strappy shoes is fine for any restaurant.

During the day for breakfast and lunch, men are allowed sandals in the MDR. They can even wear flip flops for breakfast and lunch.