tleahcim

I was on the Dawn last week as well and asked the server about this because I had seen this post before I left.  His explanation was that the reason the ribeye was currently off the menu was due to a quality issue from the supplier.  Apparently the fat cap on the ribeye was dissolving when cooked, so the cut ended up like a strip.  For awhile they were having a similar issue with quality with the porterhouse and they were off the menu too, but it looks like issues with that cut have been resolved.  I'm not sure if that's a line they were told to feed passengers, but I thought I'd pass that tidbit along. 

In place of the ribeye is a t-bone that while cooked fine, was probably the thinnest cut of meat I've ever had from Cagney's.  If people are interested, I have a photo somewhere in my memory card and can post it when I go through my pics from last week.

They always seem stale and just not good tasting...

Totally agree - it’s like they wait until a loaf of bread is just about to mold before they make canapes out of it. Remember when they had chicken satay and the non-bread based food items at those parties?

When I was aboard the Breakaway this past July, they were using Gosling's in the Haven bar. I can't speak for the other bars though. It was the Bermuda itinerary so I'm sure it was readily available. :-)

[*]Can you grab a photo down the hallway of where stateroom 14136 (Haven Spa Suite) is ...

I'm staying in Cabin 14128 next week so I can grab a photo for you. I'm hoping that the rumors of being treated like 2nd class Haven passengers isn't true just because we're not in the actual Haven area.

When I booked my most recent cruise through CAS, the PCC mentioned that the comp value on all cruises has gone up significantly. Instead of getting comped a suite, I was only able to get a balcony - without a change in my play. Similar to your situation, I also noticed a reduction in the number of tournament and other special cruise offers from CAS in the last year or so.

I suspect this is a result of new management's changes that people have been unhappy with. IMHO, if the thought is not to be seen as an "economy" cruise line, then alienating a subset of your clientele that is known to spend money onboard is not how I'd approach it.

In my suite on The Sky, they were in the closet when I arrived. For my mini-suite on the Getaway, I had to request them, but the attendant said they would have been there normally - just a delay with the laundry.

I have never had a robe for an inside or balcony cabin but also never requested one.

If you add the USB drive option when purchasing photos, you get a copy of the release on the drive itself. One problem though is that NCL is inconsistent with whether or not the leave the borders on the photo. When I was on the Getaway, I was told they borders would be removed, but they weren't. When I was on the Sky, the borders were removed from the image I purchased.

My best man ordered the package for my bachelor party. This is how it looked in my suite aboard the Sky:

The cabin was decorated when I arrived (around 11:30AM) and the cake was pretty good - vanilla flavored sponge cake. I don't know if you can choose from a variety of flavors but it was pretty good and kept for the duration of our 3-day cruise.

To give you an estimate, when I called to book the 9 day Bermuda cruise on the Getaway for July 2016, the cost to upgrade from OV to mini-suite was $400 per person. FWIW, after booking a mini-suite in April, I went with the balcony upgrade for $230 per person because the only real difference I saw was the sink and shower.

Nothing on ours either. We sailed at the end of this past March.

Just got home after a week on the Getaway and specifically asked a couple of dealers how tokes were split and if NCL took anything off the top. The answer was somewhat surprising but also good to hear: When each boat docks, the tokes are offloaded and pooled with the tokes from the rest of the fleet. Dealers get a share on top of what their contract guarantee is. I asked if NCL took a cut off the top or if floor personnel got a share and the answer was no in both cases.

Don't ask me how shares or determined but I'm sure it's similar to land based casinos and toke committees there and your hours/days worked will have some sort of influence. Also, I have no clue how shares are different for the different length cruises. Hopefully this sheds some light on the original question.

Just got home after a week on the Getaway: Got to the terminal around 10:30 and we were in boarding group 1. We were issued numbers 15 & 16 when we got to the Vibe representative. However, another Vibe guest was in boarding group 6 and he got number 26. There's obviously an initial rush from those who check cruise critic and as word spreads among repeat cruisers, I'm sure it'll get harder and harder to get a pass after the first couple of boarding groups.

Never had a problem getting a lounger or day bed all week. After the first couple of days, people seem to get into a routine of where they like to sit and most people respect that. Friends for a week and whatnot... :-)

Booked an inside cabin on the Jewel the first time we went to Alaska and didn't have any issues finding places to enjoy the scenery during the days and sun bathed nights. There's also an odd sense of camaraderie that develops when you're huddled along the bow with other passengers as you cruise up to Sawyer so you don't lose your spot.

That being said, and I'll say it again with everyone else, having a balcony during our second cruise way more convenient!

While I can't speak to the specifics of how tokes are split among the dealers, I do know that floor personnel also get a portion of the daily take. As a Vegas local, I always make it a point to try and get to know as much of the casino staff as possible and the topic of the floor getting a share did come up so that's also something to consider as you're tipping. Remember, it's the floor that's keeping track of your rating so if you're trying to get that next cruise for free, they have a vested interest in who tips and that might encourage them to bump your rating. :)

I believe the room service food is prepped in the same area as the Blue Lagoon because both are available 24 hours so you might be able to get items from that menu. On a whim, one night I asked for the wonton soup and it was delivered even though it's on the Blue Lagoon menu but not the room service menu.

To get around the $5 pizza charge, I've included an order with items off the room service menu and haven't seen a service fee yet! Knock on wood...

To throw in my 2 cents, I also suspect that your Latitudes level may also play a small factor into what type of stateroom you'll be comped. All of my NCL cruises have been comped (2 from Caesars, 2 from CAS) and when I booked my first CAS cruise, I was comped an Inside cabin for the Star (Latitudes Bronze), but my second was comped a Mini for the Getaway (Latitudes Silver). My level of play was consistent on both qualifying cruises (table games only), which were both aboard the Star, and another player in our travel party who plays at a higher level, but is only a Bronze, was offered a Balcony for the Getaway.

In other news, I was also told by the Casino Host that I didn't qualify for any dinners or spa treatments while onboard so just because you don't get anything while onboard, doesn't mean you won't get a comped cruise when you call CAS directly!