Shynook11

Thank you will post in the disability board.   I had to cancel a cruise to New Zealand this month for this reason.  We are local to the cruise port for our March cruise so it's not a "once in a lifetime must do everything" cruise.  My dr said it would be until June-ish before I felt comfortable walking and a year to get back to everything I like to do.  Thank you!  It's not been a fun experience!

• •  184
• March 27, 2012
• United States

Hi!   In October I broke my heel/ankle on my left side and Tibia Plateau on the right.  I am currently just graduated to partial weight bearing with a walk boot and walker.    I rented a scooter for our cruise on the the NCL Joy for March as I wont be back 100% for quite a while.   I am looking for any suggestions for activities for the following ports that are mobility scooter accessible.  I can walk short distances now but don't want to over do anything and certainly most likely wont be walking with stamina in 2 months time ( was off legs 100% 9 weeks so lots of muscle to regain and rehab to do..

Cozumel, Roatan, Costa Maya and Harvest Caye are our stops.   We have been to all of these ports prior and certainly don't need to do any specific, but I would love to get of the ship and do a couple things as able.   I am 52, normally very active, sailing with my husband,  17 year old and her friend.  I am fine staying aboard for they can do something I cannot, such as tendered ports or an activity that is to vigorous for me.   

Any tips are greatly appreciated, including navigating on the ship.  Never used one of these before!  I have the option to bring a manual wheelchair as well, which is much lighter and takes less space, but thought the scooter was more practical.  Am I making the right choice?  We have a balcony cabin and currently no handicap cabins available.   We figured we could disassemble and store on the balcony perhaps?  New to all of this....very seasoned cruiser.  Advice very much appreciated.

Thanks to anyone with input.   

17 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

 

is this the same cruise as the one in which the observation lounge was scheduled to be closed for the entire sailing for the artwork sales or are you describing a refund for a different cruise?

I was on that sailing....it was a 20% FCC

We booked a cruise for next summer for Greece/Croatia on the Pearl leaving out of Trieste.  Ends in Athens.  We would like to stay a night or two to actually see Athens before flying home to Florida.   Has anyone any recommendations where to stay and if it's better to book air/hotel on our own or through NCL for this extension.  

"

On 6/23/2023 at 1:35 PM, FLAHAM said:

No mention by OP of Indulge, a great innovation by NCL?

It was decent.  My family liked it a lot.  I am more of a picky eater so it wasn't my fave.  I did enjoy the dining rooms, the Local, speciality dining and the buffet (more so if there was adequate seating) 

Hi!  I am the one who had the Prima Meh review and cabin noise issues who many felt were "normal".  I am happy to report that NCL gave us 2K in FCC for our cabin of 4.  This is in addition to the 20% FCC NCL gave everyone aboard our sailing due to the horrible embarkation process, lounge closure due to Park west all 11 nights and port changes.

I love sailing NCL and am grateful they recognized the issues and hope future passengers don't have the same noise issues. Ports were amazing as was staff.

As I stated in my initial review, we love NCL and while Prima is beautiful, we missed the varied entertainment/ comedians/ variety shows and activities on the few sea days and evenings that we normally enjoy, as well as larger space to sit at venues. This is a personal preference.

We have booked Greece and Croatia with our discounts on the Pearl, which we know and love, for next summer and our daughter is currently thoroughly enjoying the Bliss in Alaska.

Thankful for customer service NCL showed us.

"

On 6/24/2023 at 6:08 PM, UKstages said:

as often as people say this, i will come along to say, yes, of course cabin noise is normal on a cruise ship… but, no, the type of noise people speak about on the prima is extraordinary and unlike anything you have experienced before… unless you’ve been unlucky enough to sail in one of these cabins on the prima.
 

it will absolutely ruin your trip… it’s not a question of flexibility or attitude, this cabin noise is due to a manufacturing defect within the ship and can only be corrected in dry dock, by tearing down the walls of the cabin and fixing whatever the hell is causing the incessant noise. it is reprehensible that NCL continues to sell these staterooms.

AGREE.  I am very grateful NCL took care of us in the end.

UPDATE.....heard back from NCL re: room noise issues.   2k credit in addition to the 20% they gave every cabin on board for for the general cruise issues.   Very pleased.  My daughter is on the Bliss this week.  LOVES it and we have used our credits to book  9 night to Greece next summer on the Pearl, which we have sailed on before and loved.

Here is a small sampling of the daily 6am-10pm noise.  I have videos as well as audio to prove this was IN the cabin above us, but this upload is audio only.  Maybe others think this is reasonable noise for 16 hour a day in a cabin.  These are chairs sliding across the surfside girl.   Turn audio up.  Interested in opinions if I am overreacting.

8 minutes ago, Steff79 said:

missing the birdy with you can´t compare prima to the big ships, you should compare to the small ships and that could happen to you at every other cruise line too. :-)))))

We have been on the Pearl, Sun, Escape and Epic.  Loved them all.  Not Prima. Concept is not great for our family for sure.

6 hours ago, dexddd said:

Welcome to CC. 

yes 4 pp in cabin, drink package tips, specialty dining tips, 3 pp thermal suite plus tips and I am including the air cost in the 16K total as we bought through NCL.  Am not including shore excursions.   Bottom line if they have a problem with cabin noise that is documented, they should offer some small compensation for those who suffer through the noise.

9 hours ago, robinium said:

Hey, I was also on this cruise and was very unhappy about the Observation Lounge closure. I was in touch with corporate while on the ship. 
 

We also experienced the same re: scrambling to get a refund of our private shorex for Isafjordur. I am continuing to press NCL corporate about the shady practice of continuing to sell Isafjordur as a stop up to embarkation when they already know they’re going to cancel. 
 

Did you get your 20% FCC from NCL yet? Ours hasn’t appeared in our account. 

Not yet on 20%....not sure we will use.   Eyeing a Pearl Greece itinerary for next summer...but not sure yet. 

14 hours ago, uneamie said:

I am not familier with that cabin....were you in the  Haven? You mentioned you paid 16K for your cruise so that could only be in the Haven. 

Not in the Haven  16K was total cost with air for four.

Just now, Shynook11 said:

 

I would expect a cruise credit or partial refund.  Not a lot....but something for the 11 days of unnecessary frustration.   We have never had an issue on any cruise even remotely like this.   Had they followed up as they were supposed to do onboard and provide me with the paperwork documenting the problems, it would have been better.  Limited seating....just you wait until you are aboard.  This ship is something else entirely with regards to the venues vs passenger capacity.  You can read about it in almost every review.  Same problems.

1 minute ago, Shynook11 said:

 

2 minutes ago, Shynook11 said:

 

2 minutes ago, Agent999 said:

 

Not sure what this means. No ship sailing for any line has unlimited seating for anything. All seating/venues are limited.

 

 

They apologized. IOW they did SOMETHING. What exactly were you expecting?

 

 

Why? You said there were no alternate cabins. You have to realize that they can't change the flooring mid-cruise. What did you think that 11 days of complaining would do that one would not? What specific resolution were you looking for?

 

 

Except that it is tiered. Both by length of cruise and by cabin type.

2 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

The reduction came Jan. 18, 2022. 

2 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

The reduction came Jan. 18, 2022. 

3 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

The reduction came Jan. 18, 2022. 

3 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

The reduction came Jan. 18, 2022. 

Sad.    Ncl was always our favorite for the dining perks.   We don't do on board excursions or get enough use for drink package.   

Just now, Two Wheels Only said:

 

It depends on when booked. Stateroom type also later became a factor.  

 

It used to be one meal for 3 to 5 nights.

Two meals for 6 to 8 nights.

Three meals for 9 to 10 nights.

Four meals for 11 to 14 nights.

Five meals for 15+ nights.

 

The OP must have booked after the reduction.

we booked a year ago.... balcony.  Only 2.

Just now, Shynook11 said:

 

We have never had an issue being under a restaurant before.  We know better than to be under any entertainment venues.

2 minutes ago, RoundGuy2771 said:

 

 

I'll let others explain why a "seasoned cruiser" would never intentionally end up in this cabin.

 

11 minutes ago, RoundGuy2771 said:

 

 

No Prima fan here, but this does not compute.

 

What does not compute?  Cabin 16180  you can map it.

22 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Could NCL put some of these...

 

 

...on the bottom of the chair legs?

 

 

It is tiered. 12 nights gets 3SDP for balcony and above. 

I guess they could try...but no idea why 75% is carpeted and the small center section is not.  Probably due to the high tops and the bar stool type chairs not gliding on carpet

I don't.  Not much onboard entertainment to be had.   Donna Summer show offered 3 nights.   Price is Right a couple of nights....need reservations for both.   Karaoke nightly but very tiny venue arrive early for a seat or be prepared to stand.   Music in atrium but there is a weird wall so only like 20-30 people can sit to hear and watch the music....there is a weird couch further back.   Syd Norman's offers some music shows as well, get in line an hour ahead....tiny venue...limited standing room.   Random Bingo 3-4x and a few passenger games at random times also in the tiny venues of Improv and Syd Norman.   We just sailed the 4-15th of June.

3 minutes ago, Shynook11 said:

Like many others we did have many issues with the June 4 sailing on the Prima.  I can forgive 99% and not let it ruin the wonderful ports.  It is simply a ship unlike the other NCLs we love. The layout, small venues, sorely lacking entertainment /activities, small buffet area, limited seating to listen to music were deal breakers for this particular ship in the future.

 

 What I cannot forgive, is we had a massive noise issue in our cabin and the lack of any adequate resolution is the most frustrating.    Our cabin was located directly under the Surfside Cafe and had the misfortune to be under the small area where the high top seats are on tile.  Most of the cafe is carpeted.  From 6am -10PM every single day we documented constant dragging of chairs in our cabin and on the balcony.   We videoed multiple days of proof of this and presented to GS, who were apologetic but did nothing.   This unfortunately left us unable to sleep or enjoy the cabin during the day.   I went to guest services every single day for the 11 day cruise to document.  There was nothing to be done as the ship was full and could not offer a cabin switch until the second to last day.  This is a design flaw in the ship...nothing can stop the grating sliding high top chairs in the buffet, except carpet.    GS promised to provide all the documentation to me on the last night of the cruise to our cabin so I would have proof to escalate with NCL off ship.  They did not, and once off the ship I called NCL and they said there was no way to retrieve the information on the issues.   I spent hours waiting over 11 days at GS for a resolution.  I have filed with NCL a case but do not really have faith that anything will come of it.   16K for a cruise that had a beautiful cabin with unacceptable noise is certainly not what we paid for.   

 

isafjodour:    We were not notified until in our cabin on embarkation day of the port change.  This should have been notified to us earlier as it seems an ongoing port issue.  We were left scrambling to get a refund on our non-ncl excursion.

 

We are seasoned cruisers with NCL, Carnival, Royal and Princess.  Would not sail on Prima or the sister ship Viva in future, venues tiny, not enough to do on board on sea days.  Thank goodness we bought the thermal passes, though don't love there is a 20% gratuity now added.   Thermal suite offers no personalized service, so I do not feel that is warranted, especially since they upped the price to 349.00.

 

Also dislike that NCL offers only 2 nights of specialty dining for 11 night +  in their package.   I feel that should be tiered based on length of voyage.  IMHO

 

Not sure how the Prima can service warm weather itineraries as the pool area  & lounge chair seating is almost non-existent

 

They gave each cabin 200 on board credit and a future 20% off  for the embarkation failure, closure of the observation area for Park West entire cruise, and itinerary changes.    Still waiting to hear back from NCL....

 

 

Like many others we did have many issues with the June 4 sailing on the Prima.  I can forgive 99% and not let it ruin the wonderful ports.  It is simply a ship unlike the other NCLs we love. The layout, small venues, sorely lacking entertainment /activities, small buffet area, limited seating to listen to music were deal breakers for this particular ship in the future.

 What I cannot forgive, is we had a massive noise issue in our cabin and the lack of any adequate resolution is the most frustrating.    Our cabin was located directly under the Surfside Cafe and had the misfortune to be under the small area where the high top seats are on tile.  Most of the cafe is carpeted.  From 6am -10PM every single day we documented constant dragging of chairs in our cabin and on the balcony.   We videoed multiple days of proof of this and presented to GS, who were apologetic but did nothing.   This unfortunately left us unable to sleep or enjoy the cabin during the day.   I went to guest services every single day for the 11 day cruise to document.  There was nothing to be done as the ship was full and could not offer a cabin switch until the second to last day.  This is a design flaw in the ship...nothing can stop the grating sliding high top chairs in the buffet, except carpet.    GS promised to provide all the documentation to me on the last night of the cruise to our cabin so I would have proof to escalate with NCL off ship.  They did not, and once off the ship I called NCL and they said there was no way to retrieve the information on the issues.   I spent hours waiting over 11 days at GS for a resolution.  I have filed with NCL a case but do not really have faith that anything will come of it.   16K for a cruise that had a beautiful cabin with unacceptable noise is certainly not what we paid for.   

isafjodour:    We were not notified until in our cabin on embarkation day of the port change.  This should have been notified to us earlier as it seems an ongoing port issue.  We were left scrambling to get a refund on our non-ncl excursion.

We are seasoned cruisers with NCL, Carnival, Royal and Princess.  Would not sail on Prima or the sister ship Viva in future, venues tiny, not enough to do on board on sea days.  Thank goodness we bought the thermal passes, though don't love there is a 20% gratuity now added.   Thermal suite offers no personalized service, so I do not feel that is warranted, especially since they upped the price to 349.00.

Also dislike that NCL offers only 2 nights of specialty dining for 11 night +  in their package.   I feel that should be tiered based on length of voyage.  IMHO

Not sure how the Prima can service warm weather itineraries and the pool area  & lounge chair seating is almost non-existent

They gave each cabin 200 on board credit and a future 20% off  for the embarkation failure, closure of the observation area for Park West entire cruise, and itinerary changes.    Still waiting to hear back from NCL....