Kimberlyr22

Was on the Sky this weekend -- and we know that guy. He/they were everywhere we were, including a very small elevator in which the pounding music from his speaker on wheels combined with my group's hangovers would have led to a confrontation had the guy with the rolling speaker not been 6'4 and jacked.

That group looked like a traveling rap video. They almost got kicked off the tender to GSC because of the music, lewdness, and slapping of an NCL employee's butt. We passed them on the main drag in Nassau and several shop owners and others in the vicinity were not impressed. On the boat, him and his entourage pretty much took over the pool bar in the evenings. We were a little shocked that NCL allowed him to openly blare music everywhere, and everywhere he went, we avoided, which included the pool bar where he and his entourage set up shop a lot.

It was my first cruise out of Miami -- I typically cruise out of Baltimore or New York, and the demographics were completely different from anything I've seen before. There was a little bit of everyone on the boat!

I had a nightmare they took the hot tubs off the decks of the Deluxe Owner's Suites!! That is the only thing they could do to the ship that would make me sad. Although, a little sad about the bowling! Can't wait to see the new pictures, read brand new reviews of the changes, and sail on a whole new ship in June!

My stepson's mom is always prepared just in case, as her last name is different from her son's last name. He's 14, and twice in the past he's been asked questions while traveling to ensure she's his mom. She travels with his birth certificate and copies of docs showing how she went from the name on his birth certificate to the current name on her passport. She also takes a letter from his dad that it's okay to take him out of country (in your case a copy of the death certificate), we do the same when we take our stepson out of country just to be safe.

She does this just to cover all bases...she's never needed it -- the times he's been asked the questions, he's answered them correctly -- but you never know. Being overly prepared isn't a bad thing.

Heading out on the Sky this Friday for the 3-day. Normally I only cruise out of the Northeast, but I had air and hotel points and decided to be a 5th wheel on my sister's vacation with her husband and another couple.

Looking forward to my aft balcony and UBP. Haven't cruised this year because we cancelled our September 7-day and booked a 13-day B2B on the Gem for June 2016. I hate not cruising once a year...so this is my fix!

Has anyone confirmed that the 18% is on the up charge food selections and the note at the bottom of the menu doesn't just apply to the wine on the menu? I think it makes sense that the wine would incur the gratuity and beverage service charge.

19 days till a 3 day on the Sky that I just booked to help cure the depression that hits me when I realize my Gem B2B is still 232 days away!

1. Two weeks off work and away from reality.

2. Swimming in beautiful clear water.

3. No cleaning or cooking and sleeping in a made bed.

4. UBP

5. Relaxing in the hot tub under the stars (and sun).

6. Trivia every morning and afternoon.

We were able to do this as well. We had a DOS with the 10% OBC promo that ran last year. When the Feb promotion came out that offered four "freebies" I called customer service to see if I could switch promos even though my category was sold out (I was still outside of final payment). The initial rep said no. I called back and used the latitudes line and talked to a rep that was more than happy to help. Price stayed the same and we upgraded promos. Not sure if being in the Haven helped with that request, but my suggestion is to call until you find someone willing to help you - because theoretically you should be able to cancel and then immediately rebook. But, doing that comes with the risk that the price of your cabin will go up when it goes back into inventory, although the rep I had was able to see the "new" price before she made any changes.

Why would you ever pay the price for the Haven. I can go on a luxury line for the price you pay for the Haven.

Because I never have to dress up or worry about if I'm wearing something appropriate on an NCL ship. I find nothing enjoyable or relaxing about changing clothes three or more times a day. At NCL I only have to go from swim suit and cover up to shorts/jeans and top. That fits our personalities much more than a luxury cruise line.

I laughed when I saw this post because I've been thinking it all week, but didn't want to come out and be the first to say it. But with all the new fees it kind of makes the Haven perks that much more "perky."

We didn't specifically choose the Haven on NCL, we fell in love with the DOS on the Gem bc it has its own hot tub. It just happens to be in the Haven, so we get all that comes with that. We booked our 2015 and 2016 cruises under the current promo, so our cruise is pretty much all inclusive at this point.

Bliss turned into an 18 and over bar at 11pm on our last cruise on the Gem. So kids can bowl in there up until the age restriction kicks in.

My thinking is completely the opposite of the OP, which is why I've booked our 2016 cruise just this week. For our cruise this year, we re-booked in January using the UDP/UBP/OBC promo and prepaid gratuities at the then going rate. And I just locked in our June 2016 cruise to take advantage of the gratuities, UDP, UBP, OBC, and 1/2 price 3rd guest. I feel better about booking a suite or haven cabin because I'd rather pay all up front and have the packages, than be "nickle and dimed" throughout the cruise.

Bookings are open!! The website didn't have them but my PVP did. Booked on the 8/1/16 sailing. Amber Cove, GT, HMC, in an Aft Wrap (8328) Whoo Hooo!!!!

That's the room/itinerary/date we were looking at! Although I've also been eyeing up the captains suite. My husband and I cruise for the good rooms and my stepson loves good water slides. So we are excited for a different ship. I should go call Carnival now.

Our favorite is the Gem, but it's purely for selfish and personal reasons. 1 - She currently sails out of New York, and we don't fly for cruises. 2 - Cabin: Deluxe Owner's Suite is the best room ever (Garden Villa is probably better, but we're only 2 people). 3 - Dining options: just enough, not too many, and we've never not found something we wanted to eat when we wanted to eat it. 4 - Crowds: The big ships are just too big, my husband doesn't do waiting or standing in line on a cruise ship.

My 13 year old stepson would say the Breakaway is his favorite ship for his own selfish and personal reasons: more activities, better water slides, better entertainment, more food options. Although he did say the Gem had better virgin strawberry daiquiris.

I know it hurts, but this is not just the way NCL works; After final payment it is rare to get any adjustments of any kind, plus often these promos are for new bookings. I fully understand. Heck we are leaving in a little over a month, I would love the booze package, but I do understand. Look at it this way: if the rates went up 50% after you booked and paid, would you want NCL to raise the price? Of course not. If you bought a washer and dryer, had it delivered, paid for it and the same model went on sale, would you go back the store and ask for an adjustment, or if the airfare went down, after you paid, would you repect the airline to give you ar refund? That is what you are asking for...This is why I never look at prices or promos after final payment.

Actually, most retail stores offer price matching on appliances and other items up to 30 days after purchase so that's a bad example. But that's in the contract when you purchase just like no price adjustments after final payment is in a cruise contract. After final payment, I stop watching my cruise price and promos, just like I stop watching the price of that new washer and dryer after 30 days.

I found this out when I changed our promo from the 10% obc (booked in 2014) to the current promo (made the change last week). My final pmt date was moved from June 7th for a Sept cruise to May 7th.

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We book cruises based on the rooms, not necessarily the itinerary or the brand (one beach day satisfies our need to get off the boat). My husband is a very picky traveler -- he would prefer not to travel ever, but I love traveling, so he doesn't get off that easy. However, in order to compromise, I make sure that when we travel (once a year), it is in the most comfortable way possible -- and it seems as though the Haven in NCL offers that.

Neither of us are much for crowds, but we're also not looking to be completely isolated for an entire cruise. The Deluxe Owner's Suite on the NCL Gem really ends up fitting everything my husband and I could ask for in a vacation. It's out of New York (4 hour drive), priority embarkation, first day lunch not among the masses, quick access to the room, large deck with two loungers and private hot tub overlooking the pool deck (hear the music and see the activity without being right in the middle of it or fighting for a comfy chair or space in the pool), a few nice little perks in the room (alcohol, snacks, free soft drinks and mixers), large bathroom, and the ability to eat in our room or deck if my husband is feeling really anti-social.

If we were both into cruising and were off the boat at every port and loved socializing and being out and about at the bars or the casino, we probably wouldn't choose the Haven; so for us, the Haven is worth it because of the relaxing, quiet, ability to do everything we want to do from our cozy suite.

Looking forward to this option next year. In the past I've found that my cruise food of choice is cheeseburgers and I could get them round the clock on RCL, but in Carnival they were only available at certain times and involved 10+ minute lines. Love that NCL makes them readily available!

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Booked a suite on Friday for Sept 2015 and only received the 10% OBC.

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I've never seen a DVD player that plays blu rays...so if they are advertising them as DVD players they won't be compatible. A blu ray player will play a DVD but a DVD player won't play a blu ray.

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The room is the most important part of cruising for us for many reasons: 1.) my husband hates traveling and wants to be comfortable and not at all imposed on if he has to be out of his comfort zone for seven days, 2.) my husband hates crowds and mass amounts of people, so we avoid the pool deck and buffets, and 3.) my husband loves working on his tan and hanging out in a hot tub, just not in public.

While it sounds like my husband is a grouch -- he's not. He never went on vacations as a child, and I'm the first person that's made him do it, so it's very out of his comfort zone. If he's not working (which he loves, he's one of those crazy people that only uses 1/5th of his vacation time every year) he wants to be relaxing. He doesn't want to be on a schedule, and he doesn't want to be trekking all over the place. We've found cruising to be the best middle ground for us. He can do nothing and relax, not have to drive in strange places and get lost, dinner is just down (or up) the steps, and he can just chill out. Unfortunately, an interior or ocean view room doesn't provide much ambiance to relax in -- that's where the suites comes into play.

We are fortunate that we can have a choice of rooms (cashing in the 4 weeks of vacation he refuses to use allows it without guilt) and we book cruises based on the room, not the itinerary. He's very much looking forward to being in the Haven next year -- I'm not sure I'll get him to go below the 14th deck b/c everything he needs to relax is right there. We've been jumping around trying different cruise lines, but from things he's read, he thinks that Norwegian may be the right fit.

Excited to read the rest of your review. We just booked for the Sept 5, 2015 cruise. My husband loves cruising, but isn't comfortable in crowds, so I think the Haven will be perfect for him -- and I'm excited to be cruising out of New York.

I never said never! Couldn't resist, we booked the new March 13, 2016 itinerary. 14days!!! :D

Jealous! I am working on convincing my husband that 14 days is not too long of a cruise. He hates taking vacation, but that itinerary out of Baltimore is too good to pass up. Need to convince him before all the cabins I like are gone.

We were on Deck 7 aft in August and I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the room was. I always run hot and worried about the room temp before the cruise, but we never had an issue. Thermostat was right on the wall and I don't think we touched it.

The only time I encountered unbearable temps (with exception of outside!) was in the Steakhouse on a very sunny sea day; the whale tail on the Pride seemed to turn the Steakhouse into a Greenhouse. We ended up not eating there that night and rescheduled for a later dinner time (8pm instead of 6pm) later in the week. Thankfully that day was overcast and the Steakhouse temp was very comfortable.

We were just in 7298 on the Pride a few weeks ago. Vibration on the 7th deck is not as noticeable as it is on the lower decks. We actually loved the slight vibration and slept like babies. For us, the aft wrap spoiled us -- once we saw the room and balcony we became completely anti-social and pretty much left our rooms only for food, trivia, and an excursion or two. There was nothing better than laying out on the huge private balcony (day and night) and watching the water or the sky. Looking back, I regret not doing more around the ship and exploring it, but it was too relaxing in that room to have too many regrets.

We originally booked this room because we brought along my stepson and wanted him to have his own space (and his own tv), but after being spoiled for a week with the balcony, I don't foresee us ever sailing on the Pride without booking one of those rooms.