MKsol

37 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

all I can say is: if you don't want to pay the price book regular cabins like 90% of those sailing do. 

Well thanks thats super helpful as I never even realized that was an option. I guess sometimes people have to state the obvious and feel that it advances the conversation.  Maybe thats how you end up with over 30K posts!

I appreciate the conversation that others have added and their perspectives on the causes of the increases.  I believe we will be changing our current booking as it value just doesn't add up for us - I appreciate those who have contributed meaningful comments and perspectives.

In looking back over the past several years Suite pricing on NCL has been skyrocketing with the rebrand of Haven rooms and it seems as of late it is reaching epic levels (pun intended).

Just 2 years ago the same suites would run in the mid 300 dollars per person per day.  In pricing several bookings in the past few weeks the pricing is now mid 500 to mid 600's per day per person.  The simple truth is there is no way the branding changes have added that much value and NCL is simply seeing how high they can go before no one is willing to book.  

Curious about others thoughts about the magical rising fares that are the Heaven.

Thanks Stephen, had the very same discussion with the DW when she got home and we were thinking about the same thing, some private tour that will enable us to take the bags (she doesn't understand the concept of traveling light) see some key highlights of BA and then get dropped at the airport taking the PM flight.

I did a google search and found a couple of threads on the port over in the Ports of call section - google results are better then the forums search.

After reading them, I am pretty convinced the PM flight is going to be the way to go. We are in a suite and platinum so we will be able to be off the ship as early as anyone but I think this might just fall into the way to risky category even with that perk.

Thanks for posting this - I have been looking for info on BA disembarkation.

If I might ask a couple of questions?

Which cruise line where you on?

And broadly speaking how long did it take for you to disembark and get to the outside area to meet your ride?

I am trying to determine my earliest flight time for my NCL cruise in Nov 2016.

Thanks in advance

Thanks for the info so far. I have looked at flights and there is a 10.20 am that would have me to Miami the same day, and then connect back home to Orlando so spending that night in my own bed - obviously an attractive option.

Its that 6 am arrival /10.20 am flight that has me a bit concerned. I did the google map thing as well so know I am looking at 45 to 60 minutes travel time.

That leaves about 3 hours for disembarkation baggage airport check in etc - seems possible but risky too.

There is a PM (9.15 PM) flight that would get me back to Miami early the next morning and clearly is the safer choice and it gives me the day to explore a bit of BA, but given I and the DW have to return to work on the Monday it would be nice if we could get home Saturday night and have the change to settle back into reality.

Hopefully someone might come along with BA embarkation knowledge, but thanks for the thoughts so far.

Hello

I am hoping to get a some very specific information from someone(s) who has cruised this route (or at least a route that ended in the same port).

Itinerary calls for a final port of Buenos Aires with a 6 AM arrival. We are looking at flights back home and since we cannot stay any longer we are looking at same day of arrival flights to return to the US.

So looking for information about disembarkation in Buenos Aires, transit time to the airport and any other information that might be relevant in considering the earliest flight time we can consider.

I have asked this same question of our PCC but so far haven't gotten an answer so was turning to these forums which often provide great information far faster

Thanks in advance

So to expand a bit. They funnel you into various check in lines. Normal, latitude members (different lines by level), suites etc. So with many latitude bronze level members the lines for bronze can be quite long.

I was on the star last year, wonderful ship so you will have a great time.

well posting this in the NCL section is likely to get more Jewel votes simply since most people here like to cruise on NCL.

But leaving bias aside since I have sailed both - simple answer for me would be the Jewel and thats based completely on 7 nights verse 6. A week cruise goes by so quickly that if all other things are equal, i would take the extra night.

Wow that must have been so uncomfortable for you. We have had 4 suite NCL cruises and each time we really enjoyed our butler interactions. While each stands out in our memories for different reasons they all made us feel welcomed, and never once made us feel uncomfortable or guilty for asking for something.

Not to change the topic but rather as a bit more context I cannot say the same about our experiences with the concierge staff - in those same four suite cruises we have only had one concierge that provided any level of service. Our last cruise just last month it seemed as though he pretended we didn't exist.

I am happy to hear that when alerted to the issue you were having the hotel director took immediate and it sounds like appropriate action so good on them for that - hopefully it didn't distract you from your enjoyment too much.

I was also on this cruise, I think the embarkation issues are unique to the LA terminal. We previously have cruised NCL out of Miami and found the embarkation to be very smooth and quick there, LA was not at all the same experience. We were in a suite and even with that "priority" embarkation experience it was far below the experience that we have had with NCL in Miami. So depending on which direction future canal cruisers are heading will matter.

Also I came across another thread from this same sailing 11/3 to 11/17 LA to Miami with a nice little pictorial of the canal crossing so be sure to check that thread out as well

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2133347

The lovely wife and I were on the Dawn in 2011 and the Sun 2012. I would agree with the previous posters between the two I would say the Dawn.

Both ships were very nice and I would say the one thing the Sun had over the Dawn is the Spinnaker Lounge is on the high deck still with Floor to Ceiling windows, unlike the Dawn (this was made into Suites on the Dawn).

Both ships are nice so I dont think there is a bad choice here, but if it were my choice to make - I would choice the Dawn.

Enjoy the trip either way you go.

Me and the Lovely wife were on the same cruise, loved the certificate as well. We were fortunate to have one of those forward facing suites which keep us out of the sun for most of the morning locks on pacific side.

If you are crossing through the canal and have the ability to do a forward facing it is really worth it to have a spectacular view without the crowd.

We were in 15256 in December and were told the Balcony was 110 Sq Feet as reported above, the balcony on 12530 was reported as 56 Sq Feet.

I will say that we pulled both loungers onto one side, side by side and frankly we only used half of the space most of the time.

We loved lounging out there and being able to hear the pool music during port time and sail away times - we considered it a huge perk!

I would book one of these suites again in a heart beat!

To reply to the questions.

We dropped our bags and drove back to the lot to park (11 day cruise and we pack heavy so this was a no-brainer for us). Others had their bags at the lot so its really a personal choice.

Traffic was a non-issue at all. Since the lot is about three blocks from the bridge to the port it took me just a few minutes to get there and get back to the lot by cab.

Can you walk - sure its about a mile to a mile and a half I would think. It seemed safe enough and going over the bridge is safe with a pedestrian walkway.

When we returned, we gathered our bags, I left the wife at the port with the bags, hopped in a cab and got the car and came back, it was just easier with the number of bags - all very painless.

I thought I would chime in here as well having just cruised on the NCL Dawn 12/14 - 25 and I DID park at the 7th street lot.

So lets begin.

Upon arrival I turned the corner to see multiple people sitting at the corner in the shade. I noticed them to be more blue collar worker looking then homeless and did notice it appears to be a bus stop. My interpretation was a bunch of people waiting on their bus, sitting on the ground in the shade. Could a couple have been homeless - possible but they certainly did not look concerned about me, my car or the lot.

Upon reaching the entrance I was immediately approach by a worker, who was sitting near his car with a cooler and a large umbrella. I handed him the prepaid receipt and he looked it over and told me to proceed into the lot and select any spot I wanted and that spots that were blocked with cones were specifically for those who have prepaid but I was welcome to park in any spot I choose, but if I didn't use one with a cone in front of it to let him know so him pull a cone from a spot. This tells me that on the day I arrived they were actively monitoring the prepaid commitments they had.

No cabs were waiting, but the attendant did call a cab and one arrived within five minutes. I shared the cab with another couple and my total cost was 6 bucks.

Upon my return, a worker was stationed in the same place the attendant was when I got there, she greeted me nicely, I went to my car, which was absolutely fine - albeit dirty. Looked it over and it was exactly as I left it, got in and drove back to the port to pick up the wife and bags.

Bottom like is for the 11 day cruise I paid $49.50 verse $220 at the port, with cab fare my total cost was $66 for a total savings of $154. In my mind my car was in more more, nor no less, risk of a rude person parking next to me and damaging my car as I would have been in the port garage. Was the car slightly less secure than it would have been at the port garage - perhaps, but not enough that I gave it a moments thought while I was enjoying my cruise. All in all for a savings of over $150 would I park there again - without a doubt.

That was my experience, take it for what it is worth.

Thanks for all the info - just booked for my upcoming 11 day cruise this will save us a boat load of cash!