cantgetin

And complimentary beverage package on each one......

See my response on the "would I like VV" thread. I actually LIKE the bar tab deal better. It costs less and lets you share.

I actually prefer the "bar tab." The deal is that for every $300 you pay for the bar tab, you get a bonus os $50-125 depending on the current offer. Right now, the bonus is $100, so you are basically getting 25% off any drinks you buy. The advantages are that that you can share your bar tab with anyone, It is not per person and length of cruise is irrelevant. The price you see on the menu is the amount deducted for the drink--the grats are already included. So that $10 glass of wine takes $10 off your tab, not $11.80 or $12 as on other lines! If you end up with extra on your tab on the last night, treat your new best friends or buy a bottle of wine to take home. What I really like is that I see people drinking more responsibly. I've never seen an ugly drunk on VV, perhaps because no one is trying to max out their drink package. The bar tab concept can work for almost anyone and gives you a discount, unlike a "drink package" where you and your cabin mate must drink quite a bit to make it worthwhile. If you are a light, or even a moderate drinker, many drink packages are not a good value. NCL just raised their price to $129 pp per day, while most lines charge $80-100 and then add gratuity. The only kicker is that you need to estimate up front how many "bar tabs" you wish to purchase.

Absolutely no reason not to use one. If you don't, the cruise line keeps what would have been their commission. I'd rather support a small family owned business, and I WILL take advantage of their services rather than going thru the cruise line. Another huge point, if you ever need help with a dispute with the cruise line, submitting an insurance claim, or whatever, the agent is on your side! With VV, the big thing is not waiting on hold forever. Another point, my TA is on the same cruise I'm on next. If they haven't straightened out my Sailor's Loot, we both have documentation. Agent says no worries, it WILL be right.

I'm not Tacocat, but I can supply some info. It doesn't make any difference who booked first. If one of you used a TA, it is easier to go thru them--let them hole and let them have the info from both parties. The code only works if you use it at the time of booking. Otherwise the party who calls needs the name and booking number of the other person as well as their own. You just tell the rep on the phone that you need to add a referral to your reservation and supply both booking numbers and names...and if the VV rep does it right, you will each get $50. It is supposed to show up on your account on the website and on the app. Good luck with that part. I can see all of mine on the website but the app is missing some.

When you check in for the first leg, ask if you can be changed to stay in the same room for the second leg. If they say they can't do anything, ask again at Sailor Services. The worst they can do is to say , "no."

Let your "First Mate" do all of it. No point in you spending your life on hold or waiting for a call back.

On the VV web site, go to "see my account" in the upper right corner (it is part of the drop down to see cruises you have previously searched. This is the little "person" icon. This should show your nearest upcoming reservation, but you can go to "upcoming voyages" across the top to see any others. On the voyage you want to look at, go to "add ons" and look at the arrow at the right hand side of this colored panel. Click on details, and it will open a new area showing the names across the top and any add ons you have--sailor's loot, deep blue rewards, etc. You can toggle between people in your cabin to see if something got assigned to the other person or whatever. The process is similar on the app, but my info on the app is WRONG! It is missing $150 of Sailor's Loot and says nothing about Deep Blue.....perhaps because on line they show 2 sets of deep blue for my daughter and none for me.....I applied for each of us, then when I didn't get it, sent a second application for myself. I do have the email.

Well, the 50% off second passenger/no single supplement sale ended yesterday. I was seriously considering booking a December cruise, but the price doubled from yesterday to today.....so no way!

I applied both under my name and my daughter's (my travel companion). I never heard anything, so I reapplied....then I looked and saw that daughter had been awarded the "deep blue extras" twice. I never saw that e-mail as it obviously went to her. About 3 days later, I got the email, but it still doesn't show up under my account.

Yes, they have some "tricks" in their system. I had to go thru it with a TA friend. OK, so if I have $300 off for rebooking on board, they take that off first. THen THEY figure out a percentage discount for whatever deal I have. For example, if they figure that I have 50% off on the "no single supplement deal, they don't take the 50% off and then subtract the $300. They take the $300 off, then remove 50% of what is left. So if my cruise started at $1000 (JUST for explanation purposes) they will take the $300 off, then subtract 50% of the $700 that is left, charging me $350. The way I thought it would work would have been to take the 50% off, leaving $500, then subtract the $300...meaning I would pay $200. Bottom line, any flat amount comes off first, then the percentages come off what is left. And none of it comes off the taxes and government fees, obviously. Those are added in after all the discounts on the "cruise fare" portion. This has amounted to about $200-$250 more on each of my bookings than I thought it would. If you use a TA (first mate), they detail it all out on the documentation that they receive.

I don't think it is the "deal of the century." In fact, I booked our cruise about 8 months ago for about $100 less than the current deal + $200 in Sailor's Loot. They always have sales...just wait for one you love. OK, unless you do it today, it is too late for this deal.

Have a wonderful time. Do let us know about the wifi as I'll be boarding the following week. You're sort of our perfect demographic. I'm 68 traveling with my 31 year old daughter.

Thanks for the photo!

I should have said that all forms of "to go" boxes, you select for yourself and take them. THey are all labeled as to contents. The selection of "to go" boxes does change throughout the day. For instance, in the morning, the bento boxes are fruit. Later in the day, they are sushi. Similar changes in the large refrigerated area with other sorts of boxes.

It depends on which food outlet you are talking about. In the sit down restaurants (the ones where you make a reservation), you will be seated. A server will come over and explain that you can view the menu on the app or they can bring you paper menus. They then come and take your order as in any other restaurant. In The Galley, you sit down and scan the QR code. The server then comes over and takes your order. Yes, you view the menu on the app or on the sign boards at each of the "food court" sort of locations. You can walk to the location and ask for the bread or dessert you wish--you point it out and the server plates it for you. You can also go "off menu" in some locations. For instance, they will make your salad any way you wish, provided they have the ingredients. You don't have to stick to the examples on the menu. Just specify what you do or do not want in your salad or on your pizza. Places like The Dock, The Pizza Place, etc. you just ask the server for what you want.

It would be a cool addition to get it in advance, and it was sent with the luggage tag, so that also made sense. However, it would be one more thing to bring....so other than the personalized feature of your name on the band, it is no different to get it at the port.

When coming in several days ahead, the Las Ramblas area is great--near all the transportation to the more outlying tourist spots, and tons right there. When we come in just the day before the cruise, we stay in airport area hotels that offer complimentary shuttles from the airport; our goal is to sleep and recover from jet lag. It is about 25-30 minutes to the port from the airport area.

We cruise in less than 2 weeks, and those bands that they said would be mailed 4-5 weeks in advance have not arrived. I think they are all being handed out at the terminal these days.

Totally agree that the pool is pathetic, and somehow people seem to think that the "spa" is the thermal suite and forget about the rest. I like the concept of adults getting to do "kid things" like the arcade games, playground equipment, etc. which I can do, while many of the big attractions on other ships are physically beyond me. I like the idea that I can be "me" on VV with no one telling me when to do what or standing in lines for ages. I'm with Walter--remove The Net (I can't figure out what that is supposed to be/do anyhow) and put a decent pool in that area. It might not work due to weight and balance issues, but it sure would improve the guest experience. I love The Galley rather than a buffet--other people aren't messing with my food! I think that there are so many things I dislike on NCL and Carnival that VV is a breath of fresh air. But again....the reason many lines are available is that we all have different likes and dislikes.

When Valiant Lady comes to Miami at the end of October, cruises will be 6 and 8 nights.

I've always gotten a rough estimate when I've called shoreside sailor services. For example, I called when the app wouldn't allow me to make dinner reservations, and asked. The agent told me that the ship was about 50% sold out in terms of cabins but because of the "no single supplement" special, a lot of singles were in 2 person cabins, so it was only about 45% sold out in terms of number of sailors. As noted, any of the bartenders, sailor services personnel, etc. can tell you how many are booked, as can the check in agent at the terminal.

It depends on what you are looking for. We don't like the giant ships--much prefer the medium size, so VV scores on that, no kids, food quality, etc. If you want water slides, race track, and like to pay extra for The Haven and specialty dining as well as the most expensive alcohol package at sea, go on Prima. If you want ropes courses and roller coasters, go on Mardi Gras. While we have favorite and less favorite lines, in general I don't feel that one is better than the other--it is really a matter of what each individual is looking for.

World Trade Center port which is the one by the Columbus statue and the WTC hotel (don't stay there, it was $400 per night on line!). It is about 2 miles closer than the big port where the larger ships go.

The above air is very new info. When I booked my 2022 cruise, the rep told me that they didn't offer air packages, but he could help me find some. What he quoted me was several hundred dollars more than I paid, and was more than I'd seen on line for the same flights! He did say that they hoped to be adding an air department and that they were in no way connected to Virgin Airways. My suggestion--it is worth checking out their air, but do your own research. My guess is that they are only dealing with a few airlines and these might not be your preference.