podgeandrodge

7 hours ago, goodmanl1975 said:

I also bought some of those Abbott at home covid tests with the emed option to take prior to flying into Rome, and then another to take before we go to the pier to board the ship. 

I bought the emed ones so I have the option to take them with or without the virtual visit option. 

You can take one of those yourself while being watched via your phone or computer up to 3 days prior to flying home and use the results to board the plane home if you test negative. 

So that will eliminate some fears about testing positive I think.   

5 hours ago, Trimone said:

Currently, guests who are residents of the United Kingdom are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test, performed by a third party and taken no more than 72-hours prior to embarkation, upon boarding. Additionally, these guests will receive an antigen test at the terminal as part of the standard protocols. Those that cannot present a negative test at the terminal during check in will be denied boarding without refund.

It makes absolutely no sense that they require the option of a negative fast antigen test within 72 hours or embarkation, when they are doing a rapid antigen test at the terminal.  

4 hours ago, Mrs_Reevo said:

The author of the article is from the UK and currently NCL are stating that UK passengers must have a test within 72 hours of boarding in addition the the pre boarding test by NCL.  It can be PCR or Antigen.  I did see something today in a roll call that this may be a misinformation but when we go in september we will do the test just in case.  No test, No cruise, No refund is what they currently are saying

Good point.  He probably should have referenced it as a UK only rule.  However, he was incorrect to state that NCL requires "proof of a negative PCR test", as it clearly states PCR or antigen.

"Currently, guests who are residents of the United Kingdom are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test, performed by a third party and taken no more than 72-hours prior to embarkation, upon boarding. Additionally, these guests will receive an antigen test at the terminal as part of the standard protocols. Those that cannot present a negative test at the terminal during check in will be denied boarding without refund."

Not clear myself why they insist on a 3 day old antigen test when they are doing one at port anyway.

3 hours ago, goodmanl1975 said:

Please disregard if already seen.

 

Live From Norwegian Jade: What It's Like On The First NCL Cruise Back in 16 Months (cruisecritic.com)

The article also states, apart from 100% vaccination requirement that "The line also requires proof of a negative PCR test and conducts a rapid antigen test just before you are given clearance to board."

That's not true.  Unless I'm reading it wrong.  (The PCR test bit, not the antigen test)

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

1% of 2400 passengers (at 60% capacity) is 24 people. 

But isn't that if every passenger gets covid? On a fully vaccinated ship we expect that hardly anyone should catch it. While they say that it protects 90% against hospitalisation for people that DO catch it, very few vaccinated folk should get it due to reduced transmission, and protection from impact.  Let's say 1% catch it from some fully viral loaded passenger, creating 24 cases. Of those 24 cases, 2 or 3 could result in hospitalisation.  And that, hoping not to sound ageist, is more likely to occur in the upper 70's/80's age group.  Even then, the odds are quite good.

Of course, my math is not good tonight after the pubs have opened in Ireland, so perhaps I'm talking complete nonsense.

2 minutes ago, NCLGirl2013 said:

Also, if you look at that thread no one that is actually on the ship has posted any updates on it. Just the one cruiser upset about the kids stuff. No actual information of how things are on the boat. 

I thought I saw a video posted from the first night?  Anyway, sorry, was only trying to help.

54 minutes ago, NCLGirl2013 said:

Good morning!

I tried looking but could only find the roll call for this sailing and I was just curious if there was anyone onboard doing a "live" thread/stream of their experience on the Jade this week? If someone knows of one, do you have the link?

You should have looked better - thread a few below yours! 🙂  called "Jade Athens - Pre Board and Trip Experiences"

Sounds like he was enjoying himself anyway 😄

On Jade's debut yesterday, Harry Sommer put the reality of covid quite well:

"Sommer said the stringent protocols -- 100 percent vaccination, pre-cruise testing, a proof of a negative PCR and end-of-cruise testing -- was designed to make a Norwegian vessel "the safest place on earth".

However, he added: "I can't guarantee there won't be a COVID case onboard, in fact given how things are today, I'm pretty sure there will be a COVID case onboard from time to time.

"What I can guarantee is there won't be widespread outbreaks, everyone will be safe and that if the occasional case happens it will likely be an asymptomatic case and life will continue onboard as normal."

Separately, it was announced that "Norwegian Getaway would be based in a brand new homeport for NCL -- Katakolon (Olympia) from Starting September 17, 2021. The announcement marks the first time NCL has added a secondary homeport in Greece, as part of its ongoing exploration of new itinerary options and is a testament to its ongoing partnership with the Greek government."

As Getaway is starting from Rome and Piraeus over the next few months, and Katakolon is only a stop on route, what do they mean by homepart in this regard - I presume it doesn't mean schedule changes?

Indeed.  Just rang the local number and got through to an agent in the US, who applied my 10% voucher (from a cancelled sailing) and then the voucher.   They said the system should be allowing customers apply the cruisenext as a deposit, but that they had "had a few calls on this where there were issues".

Thanks middleager.  Are you sure - it is definitely allowing me pick the cert as a "payment type" - the only issue is that the amount is showing short.  There are 2 payment types allowed (on the European site anyway) - "Coupons and credits", which includes the cruisefirst, and "credit cards".

If you are correct, then their site is saying it can do something that it can't.  Wouldn't surprise me though, given I'm typing in €1 and it tries to take the full €235!

I have a booking and the deposit required is €235.  I have a cruisenext voucher for €234.  So if I try to use the voucher (by selecting 'my coupons and credits) it says it's insufficient, clearly.  There is an option to "add another payment type" and I select VISA and it offers an amount box (NOTE - if paying the deposit in full by card it doesn't have an amount box, it just takes the full deposit).  So I enter €1.  All goes fine until I get my secure message from my bank asking to authorise €235 from my card.

Does anyone know how to get around this, or is it a defect in the site, and a phonecall to NCL needs to be made to make payment this way?  €1 short, how annoying!

Great to see!

2 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

I have never booked a sailaway (I need my drinks!), but I have booked a guarantee... once for myself and once for my parents. Both cabins ended up being in good locations. It's really just luck.

Thanks. Maybe it's just the EU site, but sailaway category is called BX for me, and allows me to get the Free At Sea for the usual price add on.  

1 hour ago, victory2020 said:

I'm thinking that if they're not sailing at full capacity you have a better chance of getting an upgrade. They will have a few higher categories that they haven't sold, why not give them out & get you hooked or just give them to you for goodwill.

Thanks. Yep, that would make sense wouldn't it.  But no "guarantee" (hah) that it would happen.  And hangovers with too much noise are too much at my age.  I will probably not take the chance!

30 minutes ago, EllieinNJ said:

We just booked MCsC Fantasia in April to continue in Europe another week after our Epic Epic transatlantic.   I'm a little nervous about liking it because it is an older ship and probably 95% Europeans.  But we did get a great price for an aft balcony.

We're not that frightening.  Honestly!

So I am thinking of going on Epic in Sept, and sailaway balcony category is approx $250 cheaper than picking a balcony cabin.

Is it rare to get a decent cabin upgrade, or are you far more likely to get a balcony in an area that's going to be noisy and underneath a restaurant or a hull etc.?

I know there is no guarantee either way, just wondering do people have much experiences of the general outcome with sailaway balconies.

thanks.

52 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

Aside from RCCL, most cruse lines in North America are requiring 95%+ vaccination. Tell me one place you could go on land where you are guaranteed to be completely surrounded by vaccinated people. To me, a cruise seems like the safest possible vacation right now.

But still, the media put a covid case on a ship as a significant headline, as if ignoring the fact that a) cases are rampant on land so why wouldn't there be the odd case on a ship and  b) with 100% vaccination, it shouldn't pose too much of a risk to those on board (though obviously not eliminating risk, but no worse than going out and about on land). 

59 minutes ago, MichiganBound said:

Do we know that indeed is the case?  These cruises to nowhere out of Singapore started in November 2020 before vaccines were even available.  I have read nothing yet confirming everyone on board was vaccinated.  Do we know if that is confirmed?

1 hour ago, podgeandrodge said:

So, and open to being corrected, this appears to have been a cruise that allowed passengers on the basis of a rapid antigen test prior to boarding - a far cry from looking for 100% vaccination, or even 95%.  One would (or should) imagine that a case aboard a 100% vaccinated cruise would deliver a completely different response.

 

Cruise industry, and everyone else - especially the media, need to accept that if there are cases on land there will be cases at sea.  But we still have media headlining a case on a cruise ship to make headlines.

According to Forbes, "The passenger was fully vaccinated and had tested negative in a rapid antigen test before boarding".  But none of the various articles appear to address whether vaccination certs were shown.  You'd think a journalist might ask.

Instead of reporting at the outset that there were breakthrough infections, but mild enough, thus proving the usefulness of vaccines.

So, and open to being corrected, this appears to have been a cruise that allowed passengers on the basis of a rapid antigen test prior to boarding - a far cry from looking for 100% vaccination, or even 95%.  One would (or should) imagine that a case aboard a 100% vaccinated cruise would deliver a completely different response.

Cruise industry, and everyone else - especially the media, need to accept that if there are cases on land there will be cases at sea.  But we still have media headlining a case on a cruise ship to make headlines.

.

Just now, The Traveling Man said:

I figured it had to be something like that.  Customary practices, customer expectations, regulatory requirements, or some other obscure reason had to be at the bottom of it.  Sorry about your 15 minutes, though.

I enjoyed it!  It's good to know (for me anyway!)

On 7/10/2021 at 6:36 PM, podgeandrodge said:

I checked USA site with a VPN and it's fine. Only EU site. Funny, EU site main page says 'explore 447 cruises'. US one says something like 368. Hope that's not an omen!

On 7/10/2021 at 9:17 PM, The Traveling Man said:

The different numbers are because of the way NCL markets cruises in different countries.  Sometimes there are legal requirements in one country which are different from another.  Sometimes it's just a matter of customary practice or expectations.  As an example, sometimes they offer two B2B cruises as a combined cruise to passengers in one country, but only as separate cruises in another.  That would add an extra listing for the first country that doesn't appear for the second.  There probably are several other possible examples that could add up to dozens more listings in the UK than in the US.

On 7/10/2021 at 9:33 PM, All-ready2cruise said:

Would they count 3 cruises for bookings offered from 3 different departure ports? Seems to me, that would have be counted differently and could account for  the additional cruises. 

 

Correction, I think  the number would only be 2 different ports per cruise.  

So, for the hell of it, I looked into this.  It seemed strange that they would market individual cruises in different countries in terms of numbers, as they go from the port they go from. 

So..I counted by ship the cruises on the EU site, then the US site.  Differences still 368 vs 447.

Duh!  The reason for this is that the EU site includes the "Fly & Cruise" packages.  When I removed them, it's the same number of cruises.  Exactly.  Which, when you think about it, sorta makes sense.  Anyway, there's 15 minutes of time I will never get back!  🙂

Same problem here.  Doing the booking, it offered me to add a "past guest", but no way to find my wife, despite her having latitude number already.  So it generated a new latitude number and I have to ring NCL to get them to merge as I can't use her 10% voucher on the new booking.

11 hours ago, casofilia said:

Mine is working in NZ; I know you asked about EU but thought I would butt in!!

 

However could I suggest that you never use your full email address anywhere on Cruise Critic; I think it is a prime site for spammers to trawl.

 

Look below for the way I put mine on CC

Who are you addressing your reference to email addresses to?

They are saying 60% capacity for first month of cruises for each ship I think.