bellevuemountain

Every picture was amazing, thanks again @PistolPete13. The sunsets / sunrises / flowers were some of my favourites, felt like time stopped and being part of the moment. Thanks a million, looking forward to all of your reviews!

@mking8288, thanks for the info (even if it was for @PistolPete13, useful for myself). Have you ever tried the New England cruise / mid September? From QC? I’m curious about the sailing conditions. I would like to try out a B2B sailing that does not involve a plane trip. Would you recommend a bigger ship (Joy) or a smaller ship (Pearl)?

Oh the food pics… thanks @PistolPete13. That’s my favourite part of cruising. You gave me the overwhelming urge for lava cake and ice cream ☺️. Viking and Carnival have the recipe on their website. So if you get the craving, the recipe is easy to make.

And then some. Being French Canadian myself, I can only so well imagine the scene and giggle. Rest assured, we are not all like that. Many of us are plain Jane 🙃. This being said, it reminded me of a term seen on the urban dictionary. I believe it might coin the situation @PistolPete13? Thanks for the laugh!

@Naismith I agree. I personally find that the gamification in loyalty programs has been hit hard in the cruising industry. Which cruise line I choose now depends on my needs at the time of booking. @cruiseagona It’s perfectly fine to shop around and compare cruise lines to find the right fit for you for a specific trip. You are not jumping ship unless it’s literally during your cruise 😁. I have taken a liking to broadening my horizons and trying out different cruise lines. A vacation remains a vacation.

@shippmates, I am sorry that the milestone anniversary sailing did not work out as planned. I have yet to try QM2, I was worried of feeling alone since the fares are higher. How was the experience different from other cruise lines? I am interested to hear more.

@Greenpea2 thank you so much for taking me on your cruise. I can’t travel for the moment, but I am hoping to use my insurance credit for a cruise experience by December 2023, travel insurance permits. I am yearning to learn more about the H6 on the Prima… please keep us posted.

I would tend to agree. I have not been on as many NCL cruises as you, @www3traveler, but my main impression has always been that they do inquire, and aim to please. I am not sure it’s related to cruise critic, hoping to not burst anyone’s bubble. I have noticed that being in the Haven does bring extra attention. I would expect that for the price difference.

@BirdTravels I stand corrected! Thanks for the pics.

@Cruising Lynne thanks! I also had no clue either on what soca meant. I enjoyed your post, check this out: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/soca-music-guide. I learned even more… IMHO if I noticed there was a chartered group onboard, I would not be worried and go with the flow. But then again, I enjoy learning new things. I first heard about William Belli onboard a cruise… and I do hum certain of his song parodies to this day 😊.

I highly doubt it, the Prima does not have the “standard pool deck” as the links you’ve referred to on YouTube about Soca cruises. From what I have understood, about 20 people can fit comfortably in / around the public infinity pool. Go check the deck plans of the Prima on NCL, infinity beach is on deck 8. It can get crowded without much happening 😁. With all of the information you have been provided, I’m guessing you will be able to reach the decision you are comfortable with. Staying onboard the Prima, and go with the flow… or switching to the Pearl.

@OrangeCatRamblersI also get it. But I don’t think you are being punished, I’m sorry you feel that way. I was trying to figure out how to make it less frustrating for you (I fully understand you). I pretended to be the one booking. I checked out the price difference (mock booking) for those sailing dates between the Prima and the Pearl to Bermuda. It is indeed about 2k more on the Pearl. In that sense, there is no penalty fee. The Prima was priced accordingly to what would be available onboard. Frustrating? Absolutely. Unfair? I am not so sure. You should have peace of mind on your vacation. I don’t think you will be comfortable onboard the Prima with your teenage son roaming the ship. Keep us posted on your final decision.

My sympathies to the OP. I did check out SOCA cruises on YouTube. Not my cup of tea. I understand the frustration. From what I understand, you were given three options by NCL (status quo, canceling or switching to the Pearl). @OrangeCatRamblers Had you purchased cancel for any reason travel insurance? It might be an alternative. If not, IMHO, switch the family cruise to the Pearl. Memories are the best part of family trips.

@luv2kroooz Yes, I am aware of this. I am disappointed to not be able to cruise because of insurance constraints in my province. I am satisfied that it is transferable, good on NCL. I can most surely gift some of my passion of the open sea to family / friends. In exchange for a nice souvenir ☺️.

@GeezerCouple thanks for all info. I also tried on the insurance thread here on CC. Mainstream travel insurance is not available for Quebec residents. The rules for obtaining a full travel insurance for preexisting conditions in Quebec are full of exceptions. You should see the form that needs to be filled out and signed by a doctor. It almost makes the doctor liable, thus they are wary of signing it. I will try again in a year. But thanks!

I am very sorry for your loss.

Thanks everyone for the tips / answers. I did receive an answer from NCL, I was pleased by it. The FCC is transferable in the event that I am unable to secure a travel insurance before it’s expiration date. Everything is good.

@EngrJonesthanks. That is what I am doing. Quebec rules seem specific, I even tried through the NCL insurance provider. They do not cover my province. I’ve tried all kinds of insurance providers for Quebec residents. Refusals. So my next logical question is “what are my options pertaining to the FCC if I am unable to be insured”. I tried contacting NCL. I do want to travel, I am simply unable to get insurance to do so.

@GeezerCouple, correct. I’m in the province of Quebec, Canada. The rules seem different. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Broadwaybb thank you again. I remain ineligible. I made it to the quote amount, but the stability issue came back, with “some matters related to specific medical conditions even if they are stable”.

Thank you @Broadwaybb, I will! Exactly the info I was searching for. Will let you know.

Hi! Am looking for any tips / recommendations in regards to a FCC. A little bit about myself - I love cruising. I am platinum (not that it has any incidence, simply gives an idea of previous cruise history). Long story short, I had to cancel a cruise planned for last October on doctor’s recommendation. I was still in a good time frame to cancel (almost 3 months before). I was issued FCC that will expire in 2023. Here’s my current problem. I unfortunately learned that I am unable to secure travel insurance. I’ve tried for pre existing conditions insurance, I cannot demonstrate stability, and will be unable to for the foreseeable future. I can understand any insurer’s point of view, it’s risk assessment. Can I do anything about my FCC or should I simply forget about it? It’s about 1k. I would love to go on a cruise, but not having travel insurance is irresponsible, I will not risk it. I will read other’s live threads instead ☺️. Thanks for any tips!

I agree with your analysis of the situation. These issues are not specific to any one cruise line, it’s industry wide. Many land-based positions became remote positions with the shutdown. And under the right conditions (no children, etc.), the comfort of working from home is undeniable imho. Many are not interested in returning from remote to full-time. I can imagine that for some, there was no incentive in returning from a land-based job to a contract on a cruise ship… Which cruise line to pick probably comes down to the individual purchasing the product. What has the most value to the customer. I’d presume that this is where each cruise line has their own branding. Hence my curiosity in this thread, it’s informative.

I will be following this thread, thank you OP. I am interested in gathering more information. I have a 1000$ credit with NCL that I need to use before 2024, and choices to make. I had a medical issue and will need to travel differently when allowed to do so. I am currently platinum, solo traveler, and I am concerned that I might need to opt for the Haven for concierge service. I feel this way because of the cutbacks I have read about. Thank you @Clay Clayton, perhaps I should also consider on forgetting about the 1000$ credit and try a different cruise line that could cater to my needs once cleared for travel (I don’t need pampering, but I do need familiar faces).

It’s industry wide. When the CDC made certain changes on July 18th, I waited to find out what the different cruise lines would do. I asked my specific questions in regards to a cruise I had booked, evaluated my personal level of comfort with the answers given, and opted to cancel. As cruiserchuck, I also suspect there will be more Covid cases onboard going forward. I have not cruised since 2019 either, I’m confortable with my decision to cancel following the recent changes. From my understanding, the cruiseline has a contract with the passenger until disembarkation. What happens after becomes an insurance claim (HAL does mention covering certain expenses, the excess fees seem to be addressed via the insurance policies that one should have). To my knowledge, there is no written timeline for quarantine measures, one must address these issues before traveling. I do not expect any cruise line to waiver a country’s regulations in regards to sanitary measures. I do find the OP’s situation unfortunate, but it is done. I do wish the OP’s wife a peaceful healing so she may return home, and for the both of them to file an insurance claim for non covered quarantine fees. The rest is not as important as health, that’s why insurance exists.