Marine Mom

21 hours ago, mking8288 said:

 

@cruisernut88 and @Marine Mom 

FWIW - this was shared on one of our upcoming NCL cruise's roll call - (edited/snipped for "key points")

Kinky Boots on the Encore ... , sorry ... but NCL is closing the show in January for "financial reasons". The current cast on board was told yesterday that they're getting their contract cut by almost 3 months. NCL is also closing Priscilla on the Epic and a handful of other production shows across the fleet. 

 

Wow, I am surprised about that.  It's too bad because I always thought NCL had great entertainment.  I guess another thing taken away....

2 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

Sad to see not much in the Stardust Theater, sons and grandson have enjoyed shows in the past not vocalists, adult comedy ok but not for me with sons.

Thank you so much for posting the daily events page, I can plan around the nights with nothing for us. First night lad to see a real show so it will be a good start to our week, hope they have nice costumes.

We were on the Pearl last week and same thing, not much entertainment in the Stardust Theater.  It was a comedian 3 nights and Sonia Selbie one night and Legends (which was very good).  Other than that, nothing.  Strange, I have been on many cruises and that was a first.

We were on the Pearl sailing last week and I had purchased Thermal Spa before the cruise for $199.  Waste in my opinion.  We could never get a thermal lounger, it was always very crowded.  I would never purchase the spa again.

15 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Completely agree about the late night snacks.

I agree as well.  We were on the Joy in November and the buffet had late night snacks until at least 11:00 p.m.  

On 4/9/2023 at 1:23 PM, styles27 said:

Today’s Freestyle. 
We’re staying on board today. Nice and warm so we’re enjoying the pool with less people around. 
 

Last night they had a great soloist. Two shows 7 & 9 we went to the late one and there were only about 100-150 people there. I felt bad for her but she did a great job keeping up her energy and great vocals too!

We sailed last week on the Pearl and also saw that show.  She is super talented.  I've seen her in on another cruise years ago and she is very talented. 

22 hours ago, Heronymous said:

Despite the flamers who feel it necessary to insult those who don’t agree with them, and there are always many on CC, I agree with you. This is nothing but a money grab for them, especially now since filling out the travel authorization serves no purpose other than to collect a fee. They’re are no longer demanding a copy of a negative test and using it to determine authorized entry, they’re relying on the cruise line to collect that. I was on the very first NCL cruise to Bermuda after the pandemic at the time the application was a two part process requiring a copy of your negative test to be uploaded. They approved my application by mistake without even having the test and when I told them as such on the phone, they didn’t care.. they had my $40.  If they need money due to the lack of tourism, this is not the way to go about it. All it does is make me resent the fact that I have to go through this process in order to board a ship that includes this destination that I really couldn’t care less about; Bermuda is nice but it’s not worth the effort or aggravation. I’m going through it because I’m forced to since I do want to go to the remaining ports on my next cruise and it’s a requirement to board the ship, it just makes me resent the fact that we’re stopping in Bermuda. I’d be just as happy if we went somewhere else. I don’t consider it selfish at all. My entire family has had various health and financial issues related to Covid, I’m not charging my friends $40 to see me when they come over. 

Totally agree with you.

24 minutes ago, rbxlady said:

I have a related question— we are bidding into the Haven for our October cruise on the Getaway, and we are cruising with our two sons so have our eye on the two-bedroom Haven suite.

 

There was another price drop this AM, so the base fare to upgrade is only about $200 more than our standing bid x2– for example, if our bid were $500, the cost to upgrade would be $1200, so $200 more than our bid x2.

 

We are 67 days out. According to my mock booking, there are 9 two-bedroom Haven suites available. There were 12 last week.

 

While it’s tempting to book the upgrade and guarantee that we get one of those Haven suites, we are hesitant to pull the trigger because it’s possible the price will drop further. In that case, we would reduce our bid if we didn’t upgrade ourselves.

 

It’s also possible that these suites will sell out before another significant price drop.

 

However, I have my doubts that NCL will give these suites away for a song, so I’m not necessarily convinced that continuing to wait is the best option.

 

If we book the upgrade, and the price drops further, does NCL give OBC for the difference? I know they don’t have to, but I guess what I’m asking is, is that a common practice these days?

 

edited to add: or FCC?

I would not wait.  If you want to be in the Haven, I would definitely upgrade myself for the $200 difference.  You have no assurance that the price will drop and others on your cruise may snatch up the remaining Haven suites and there won't be any left.  Also, if you book the Haven outright, you will receive 2 latitude points per night rather than 1 point.  

2 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

NCL is leading the entire industry in removing vaccine requirements for cruisers!!

 

This is huge news. MUCH bigger than just removing pre-testing (although the unvaccinated will need still to be tested for the time being, this too shall pass). Since only 67% of the United States is vaccinated, this move give NCL a real competitive edge in the industry. The other cruise lines will follow in removing their vaccine requirements too, but for the time being NCL is the only line to allow 100% unvaccinated. 

 

 

 

Of course, passengers will still need to follow the rules of the foreign ports they visit. I believe Spain is the only port in the EU with any covid protocols. I also believe Canada and Bermuda still require vaccination and testing. Rumor has it Grand Caymen has removed all covid protocols but I haven't been able to confirm that yet.

 

I know this sentiment won't be shared by all, but IMO What a glorious day for NCL!! 

 

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

I’m thrilled. This is great news!!!!

No more mask mandates for sailings beginning March 1st. 

3 hours ago, TSUmom said:

I have been against being vaccinated but am now considering it.  Why?  Because we have a cruise coming up in August and I want to cruise.  The only way I will be able to go is to vaccinate.  I want the cruiselines to come back strong and I know I can contribute to their come back so......that being said my DH has an appointment tomorrow for his and in the next few months I will suck it up and do it too.

This is exactly why I got vaccinated.

I don't think it will hurt their business at all.  I watched Del Rio on TV last night and although he says he  isn't in the business of telling people to get vaccinated or not to, in order to get his ships sailing, he feels the only way the CDC would give them permission to sail is for NCL to require everyone on board be vaccinated.  This means all the crew and passengers.  This may change down the road but for now, it is the only way they can hope to get the CDC's blessing to start sailing from the USA again.

On 3/23/2021 at 5:08 PM, boatseller said:

Well, we have lots and lots of very nice things in Florida like open theme parks, open resorts, open restaurants, open beaches, open bars, unrestricted travel, no mask mandate, low unemployment, a budget surplus.

 

We would gladly be cruising right now if not for the complete and disgraceful incompetence at the CDCP.  They alone are why we're not cruising.  There is zero, none, zippo, nada scientific or rational justification for their costly inaction.  They're just dumb cronies more concerned with protecting their power.

 

FYI, Hong King Disneyland just reopened in February, our parks have been open since June.  Australia's 'success' came at tremendous ecomomic and social costs.  Their lives are hardly normal and it will take years to recover from the damage.  No, it did not have to be that way, Floridians know that.

You are 100% correct!  

Just now, seemoreroyals said:

What does WDW stand for?

Walt Disney World

On 2/6/2021 at 10:00 PM, Tippyton said:

You sound like me 😁

Sounds like me too!!! So over this.....

On 2/2/2021 at 8:14 PM, bucfan2 said:

And the ‘stay scared’ montra continues. 

Exactly......

On 11/15/2020 at 5:06 AM, put me on a ship said:

No worries though, DeSantis wants cruising to start again. Not because he thinks it's safe, but because he wants the dollars in the state. He wants the tourist dollars, and he wants port workers back to work.

As he should! 

On 9/30/2020 at 9:49 AM, RocketMan275 said:

We see the lifting of those restrictions as a positive development.   We can't continue to cower in our basements until there are zero infections.

I agree with you 100% 

1 hour ago, roger001 said:

Until there is a cure/vaccine, it is all pretty much a logistics impossibility...or at least so cumbersome and user unfriendly as to make a cruise under those circumstances very undesirable to most of the potential guests.   With all that's proposed, no way would I pay money for it.  

 

I just read the first 70 or so proposed protocols.  Bless their hearts.  But to implement all of that would be a workload impossibility I think for a ship load of passengers.  And, just little things like where do we line u for our daily temp check, so much that would just not be compatible with the terms "relaxed and fun".  Nope.  But thanks for trying..... I guess.  

I agree 100%.....plus, don't forget your mask.......

No thanks, I'd rather stay home......

Just now, PTC DAWG said:

I don't see anyway we will ever be 100% safe from a virus...

 

I would board a cruise tomorrow.  

EXACTLY!!!

32 minutes ago, Corliss said:

 

Sorry the projections were wrong and the scientist himself revised them down dramatically before the mitigation.  And even those numbers were way too high and have been further revised down by the IMHE first to the 100,000 - 240,000 range and then again to the 60,000 range.  We are at 26,000 currently so even those latest numbers are likely to be too high.  The models have been a failure which induced widespread panic.

I agree with you 100%.  I cannot wait to sail again!!!!!!!

7 hours ago, knight2096 said:

People who were leaving this weekend should have gotten the same deal as everyone else from the March 13th announcement. It is not right what NCL did and they need to reverse their course of action and do the right thing. At the very least give these customers their refund or give them the better credit offer. The other cruise lines have made good on this and it is time for NCL to step up.

I agree 100%

1 hour ago, Glitterbutton said:

We cancelled our cruise leaving on March 15th this past Thursday and were given 100% future cruise credit minus our travel insurance(what a joke that was). Not 24 hours later we learned that people that didn't cancel are now being given the option of a refund or 150% future cruise credit. We are pretty annoyed that we were not given this option. We are hoping they might give this retroactively?

 Anyway, when I was looking this afternoon at future cruises I found that you can't look at them. Dates never load. It seems we can't even begin to get our next cruise going for the time being. I am also concerned if there will be an NCL to book a cruise with our credit in the future.

 

Same thing for my son.  Him and his fiends were booked on the March 15th out of Miami and cancelled on Thursday night and  less than 24 hours the credit is now 150%. I think that’s terrible and will be writing to NCL Miami. Just not fair and the Cruiseline should give all who were cruising this weekend the same FCC. 

5 minutes ago, xkritter said:

Everything is great so far. Yes...that is our itinerary as well and we have had no problems.

Thank you.

2 minutes ago, xkritter said:

I am currently on the Pearl and crew is serving in the buffet. This began on Day 2 around lunch time.

My son and his friends are leaving on the Pearl on Sunday, how is the ship? Is your itinerary also Mexico/Honduras? My son and his friends are looking forward to their cruise but I'm getting sucked into all the media hype and just want to have all the facts.  Thank you.

5 hours ago, peterwl694 said:

On the Encore? My friend and I need some friends this trip

No, the Pearl.