20YearsBetweenCruises

We started cruising as a family when my 3 kids were in grade school. They are all in 20s now and gold latitude status. So just confirming they will get credit for all cruises.

We went to the 10 pm show on opening night. It was fantastic. We all loved it. Music was awesome. And yes, they got a standing ovation. I was very happy to see it show up to book once we got on board ( had 4 shows available for Friday and Saturday) . They were playing all the instruments, right? My 23 year old son assumed that part was not real since it was so good, but I told him they were. (I thought I heard them announce that before show started.) Top-notch! Loved all the performers.

That's a substantial jump-did it work well? We have had mixed experience with it over the past 2 years

 

 

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It was good, not great. We used it last year on the Epic and the year before on the Getaway. No improvements to app or service in past 2 years that I could tell. Previous 2 cruises we had multiple cabins, so it was helpful to meet up with others in our group. So I was in habit of checking for messages and would restart app if needed. This time with only 1 cabin with 2 of us with the app, we rarely used it. Still helpful, but not with $26 for the couple times we used it.

I do like the free part of the app. I used it to check on our cabin transactions, finding out the activities, booking things, and even purchasing our Cruise Next certificates. We needed to carry a phone for a clock since I got out of the habit of wearing a watch!

you mention your travel agent.. must have been a group within the travel agency. NCL will not even include people in your group as part of your group if they booked through a travel agent..( we lost a couple as they had already booked through a travel site instead of directly through ncl..

Are you saying you cannot book as a group unless you book directly with NCL? If so, I don't believe that is true. The TA worked with the group event coordinator for us.. The TA is my cousin working for a small local firm, so was just our 6 cabins as the group.

Just off the Getaway. Taped a luggage tag to a case of water and a 12 pack of coke and dropped it off with our luggage. No problem. Our mini fridge was empty this time, so didn't even need to remove anything to use it for drinks.

Just off the Getaway. The price per device for the iConcierge on-board texting/calling was $12.99 compared to $7.99 last 2 years. I confirmed at service desk that this was correct price. We put it on 2 of our phones. We barely used it this time since there was only 4 of us traveling in 1 cabin. We used it a lot on past 2 cruises when we had more people traveling with us.

I saw a few others reporting it costs $9.99 now. Perhaps they are trying out different price points.

We had 6 cabins, 16 people last year. My TA said you just get more perks with more. I believe we could have just had 2 cabins and still would have been a group. We got the base level which was $50 OBC per cabin. But also made group dinning reservations for 2 nights. I recall it taking a few days so we all made individual reservations online just in case( and later called to cancel those).

We took this cruise last year, from Rome. I think they had different exits for those leaving the cruise all together vs. just leaving for the day. I don't recall waiting in any lines together.

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Last few years we went on cruises with extended family ( total around 16 people). We were booked as a group. Booking as a group got us an extra $50 OBC. It also allowed us to make reservations as a group ahead of time. We had 2 nights where we planned to eat as a group beforehand, our travel agent handled the reservation thought the NCL "group event coordinator" department. We did not have a huge table that held 16, but several tables next to each other.

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We went on this cruise last year, embarking in Rome. Everything is geared towards Barcelona. The dailies will say Day 4 when you board. We had could not book things after Saturday since that was the end of the cruise for Barcelona. We had to wait for Saturday to book them. We had the UDP, and then the first night at the Cirque was suppose to be free. Our first night they did not even perform. But finally it was set up the Barcelona night was free. We had to ask a few time about the mid- week laundry special since it was never published for Rome passengers. Basically what I am trying to say is I think NCL computer system cannot handle a cruise with multiple embarkments very well. So that is probably why it has that date. But most likely on board they will get it set up correctly. Hope it works out. We liked the Rome-to-Rome version.

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From reading everyone's comments, it makes me wonder if the concierges have too many passengers to handle. So they realize they can either be mediocre to everyone or pick a few an give excellent service. Maybe they figured out they make more money serving less people with excellent service? Just speculation, never traveled in suites/haven

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If it is same itinerary as last year's and your port is Cannes, the guys in our group took a train to Monaco. There was a practice run going on that day. I remember on our roll call someone was looking to share a ride like you are suggesting. So perhaps post your request there.

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Just pre paid my gratuities 1 week before my cruise which left 04.24. Paid lower rate dating back to 03/15 when we booked the cruise. Lower rate and exchange rate at time of booking. Not sure what happened with you in the past I can only tell my current experience

 

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Yes, I was wrong in that post. I dug up my old email and it says I have until "final payment" to pay at the lower rate. But my cruise that leaves in 2 weeks is still at the $12 rate for prepayment. So feel bad I posted bad info, but happy I discovered I was wrong. We have 4 sailing, so saving $42 to prepay [emoji4]

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We booked on our own. I'll email them and see what they say. thanks!

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We scheduled the Dolphin Action Swim at Anthony Key. We are coming on the Getaway, which is in port 10-7. Any suggestions on what to do beforehand ? Can we hang out at the resort ? Also, any suggestions on how to get there?

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I just went to the NCL site and was able to prepay our DSC. The rate was $12.95 daily per person. This cruise was booked over a year ago.

 

 

 

For the past week or more, I could not make the payment on the site.

Why you just saved me $42!

I was planning on a paying my service charge onboard since I thought there was a deadline to pay at old rate. But when I checked online after reading this, it is $12 a day to prepay. I found the email they sent when they raised the rate and it says if you prepay before final payment , it is old rate. If you wait until you board it is new rate. Sorry I posted wrong info above about having to prepay by a certain date. The rate went up twice on this cruise, and each time we received an email. We are after final payment, and it still shows the old rate.

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If I watched a ship sail away with my child on it, I would be adding up the minibar and room service costs (my son is almost 30), so I would be breaking down, as well.

This made me LOL [emoji1][emoji1][emoji1][emoji1]

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DSC is based on the price when you booked so you're way off with this conspiracy theory

 

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Not true. Last increase we had option to prepay under lower rate by a certain date. We had 2 cruises booked, one of which I did not think we would really take. So paid the one for our Epic 2015 cruise. Decided to go on the other, which is in a few weeks. Price is current $13.50 a person, not what it was when we booked over a year ago.

But I do think base on what occurred last time, if they increase it, those who already booked can prepay under the cheaper rate. (But if they wait, will have to pay the going rate.)

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2 years ago on Getaway we boarded severally ( my husband dropped us off and then returned the rental car.). No problems and he did not have to setup a separate onboard account. I did that when I boarded first.

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I've done 5 in an inside when my kids were grade school age. While 2 rooms would have been nice, it was what we could afford. I'd rather do that then cruise less. I've never gone on cruise with younger kids. Napping may be issue, unless they can nap with a few lights on. Or one of the parents likes to nap too!

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Well, you got me with the fake rat. The rat in the bathtub picture is what shows in my tapatalk app as the picture for this thread. I thought, no way someone found that in their room! Had to open this to find out for sure![emoji1][emoji1][emoji1]

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Maybe a bit early, but should be happy she was appropriately taken care of in regards to the allergy.

Agree, and she was. Just wanted to point out that you may be served and finished with your meal before others at you table even start eating.

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In May on Epic one person in our party had a shellfish alleged. At 5:45 seating they cooked all food in front of us, but served her before they cooked any shellfish. Second time, was a latter seating. They said since the grill was already used, they would cook her food in the back. She got her food when they just starting cooking everyone else's. So a bit too early.

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My nephew-in-law had a goal to try every beer on the Epic. We were there in May. He was tracking it on his phone. Just got the list from him. Here you go:

[x] kirin ichiban

[x] Buckler

[x] mgd bottle

[x] newcastle can

[x] redbridge

[x] Grolsch

[x] franziskaner

[x] pilsner urquell

[x] bud heavy

[x] boddingtons

[x] miller light

[x] bud light lime

[x] newcastle

[x] heineken

[x] peroni

[x] heinekin light

[x] blue moon seasonal

[x] molson

[x] sam Adams

[x] stella

[x] guiness

[x] dos equis

[x] saporo

[x] red stripe

[x] bud light plat

[x] birra moretti

[x] mich ultra

[x] mgd

[x] fosters

[x] blue moon

[x] corona light

[x] corona extra

[x] coors

[x] bud light

[x] becks

[x] bass

[x] amstel light

On Epic in May. Sticker was on card when we got them at checkin.

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