littlelulu01

New Spirit itineraries were supposed to be released August 6.

Now two weeks late and nothing today either :(

Something is up. You don’t send out a press release on July 18th notifying everyone that the Spirit and Jade are available to book on August 6 and then crickets unless there’s an issue.

Least expensive is to get out of an actual bank machine using your debit card once in Europe. My bank doesn’t charge a fee so it’s just a straight exchange. Some atms charge a couple euro fee per withdrawal.

Most expensive is to exchange on the ship. They offer the service as a courtesy but charge handsomely for it.

If you’re uncomfortable arriving without local currency, check with your bank. My bank offered, “free” exchange but the rate was terrible. Just checked and going rate today is $1.14 which is really good.

Your local Travel X store might be the best bet if you want to arrive with euro in hand. They do have a fee but it was much less $ than my bank. I had to budget a little time waiting in line just because we only have one Travel x store in my city so about a half hour wait. They’ll also buy back what you don’t use at a better rate than the airports.

I’ve been assigned one as a sail away booking. The accessible rooms were the only one left in the reasonable price choose your own room with the perks so I went with the sail away rate instead in hopes I’d get a regular mini suite. Even with the sail away, I was assigned the same accessible ms they were selling as a pick your own room. I don’t think there’s any way to change out unless someone with a disability needs it at the last minute.

As far as I can tell, the deck 10 accessible balcony stateroom looks to be the same as the accessible ms. They don’t look ideal for a non disabled passenger. There’s no sofa and no chairs. Just the one armless metal chair/stool which doesn’t look like something you could actually relax in- it looks more of a step down from a very basic office chair. There’s definitely more floor space but not necessarily a functional space for non disabled. I’ll try and take pictures and video of the room. I guess a person could take deck chairs and put in the cabin for a place to sit? But there’s no table unless you want to face a wall. Here’s a link to the accessible deck 10 balcony.

I guess you don’t go to a spa... when you typically get a message, you usually go 1 hour a head of time to enjoy the sauna, Whirlpool, etc... this is the norm not the exception

Pricing structures are different on cruise ships. They are different between cruise lines too but many mega ships sell spa staterooms at a higher price with the only difference being access to spa and location close to spa. Luckily they also sell a limited number of passes to those not in spa rooms and passes typically sell out on each sailing.

Our upcoming Bliss sailing was $249 pp for the 7 day spa pass. That was a tremendous savings over booking a spa inclusive stateroom.

Our recent Aulani stay didn’t have an option for a day or length of stay pass. I spent around $1500 for my family of 5 to get the least expensive massages and have access to the Laniwai spa for ONE day. Once we left the Aulani spa we couldn’t return. I would have jumped at the chance to get a week pass for $249.

Especially for anyone on the Bliss recently. I understand with the speciality dining package, that Ocean Blue is limited to one app, one main, one side and one dessert with some saying they have been allowed multiple apps. What about the oysters section? would that be considered an app? Any experiences?

Don’t have an answer but also wondering. Debating purchasing a sdp and with the upcharge it seems we might do better just paying oop. In looking at the menu it’s confusing how to use a sdp credit plus the $16 upcharge to get one main, one app and one dessert and come out ahead. Perhaps worth it if the sdp was a perk and just the 20% gratuity but from what I’m seeing it looks a lot less $ to pay a la carte prices unless I’m missing something.

Our 7 day Alaska sailing was $249 pp pre purchase. According to website that’s the pre purchase rate and a $20 pp savings over purchasing onboard. Pricing of spa category rooms varies but on my sailing the spa pass inclusive mini suites are $1100 more than the mini suites without the passes.

I wish I would have thought to call my NCL rep. Ocean Blue and Cagneys were both sold out a month ago ( for 2 people reservations) when I started to make my dinner reservations and I thought that I was making reservations early for my 8/18 Alaska trip. Settled on Teppanyaki (did it before on Breakaway and enjoyed it) and La Cucina and Los Lobos ( 1st time for both). I'm pissed that I waited too late for Ocean Blue and Cagneys. Won't make that mistake again!

I made reservations today and the phone rep told me to book for 3 or 4 even if it’s only 2. It was the only way I could get into ocean blue and Cagney’s. I was able to get some 5:30 pm dinner reservations and 7:30 show times by playing around with the ncl app. It’s a bit tricky and took many tries. It would sometimes say Cagney’s not available but then click on Cagney’s and it gave me times. Phone rep today could not book but after holding for 30 mins she was at least able to cancel my mdr ressies so I had the times freed up. I was then able to jockey around between laptop on my Ncl, and phone app I downloaded for Bliss, and get all 7 nights speciality dinners for September sailing. Getting Disney dining ressies on Christmas at be our guest is an easier task!

I know the up charges are pricey but I figured if we’re going finally try a mega ship may as well get what we want. Given the Bliss Alaska price of non Haven, It makes no sense stopping a few hundred shy for some add ons that can make or break our vacation.

From the reviews I’ve read, it seems like you can have an airport type of vacation, standing in long lines for ok food, crowded venues... or plan/schedule ahead and pay a few hundred more in add ons for a good vacation. Of course you can pay 2k a night more for a Haven experience but that’s just not worth it for me.

I purchased a dining pkg for husband and a fewer night package for me. For some venues I figure he can get whatever and I can order off the menu a la carte for less than the package price in a couple venues. I’m not crazy about lack of freestyle and service fees on top of service fees....but that’s the structure. The spa passes were $249 pp. I figure the add ons will make a big difference in my vacation enjoyment. I debated a Haven bid (many left) but I think I’d rather have some great speciality food, a few room service fees, great entertainment, spa ... for a fraction of the upgrade minimum bids that would likely not come through anyways.

The vibe pass might be overkill and for Alaska pointless, but I’m thinking about getting those too just in case the mega ship experience is not our thing.

Thank you so much for the very kind words. Yeah the aft balcony was pretty spectacular! I know you will enjoy your Caribbean cruise on the Bliss. She is a beautiful ship! IMO, NCL really hit it out of the park with this ship!

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy your first cruise on a mega ship as much as we did. We absolutely loved the Bliss! And some of the things we were worried about being on our first mega ship (too many people and long lines onboard, long waits for elevators, long lines during embarking/disembarking in ports) never materialized. We never had any of those issues.

 

I don't know how helpful I can be on the coffee as I have never brought my own coffee onboard and just drink what NCL provides. But here a link to some pods I have seen referenced on these boards in the past. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FAHPQX8?psc=1

Thanks for the link. I really think we’ll enjoy the Bliss. I figure a little prior planning, making a few activities ressies once onboard, taking stairs when elevators busy and not worrying about getting off ship early and we should be just fine.

I talked to a rep today to book some speciality dinners. She said they just had a meeting regarding some initial complaints about Bliss dining and that the issues were a new ship, new crew settling in. Said everything is flowing great now and reports are the food and food service are really good. I’m interested in trying ocean blue but the menu really confused me.

I was able to make dinner reservations at 5:30 for the Jersey boys and Havana nights and the early shows.

There’s quite a few Haven suites left on our sailing but to be honest I’m likely not even going to bother bidding. With all there is to do I think we’ll be very happy in our mini suite.

Thanks so much for your review. After reading it and a couple others we finally decided to try a mega ship and picked up a last minute sailing on the Bliss Alaska. Appreciate the time you took to post pictures too.

Thanks so much for your review and pics. After reading your review I booked a last minute sailing on our first mega ship. I ended up getting the spa passes. $249 pp but I love the Pearl spa for Alaska and hope we will get our use out of them.

I read the platinum venues on Bliss includes q so we made reservations for q and Le Bistro. Went with the sail away rate. Most of the dinner times are taken so I don’t think we’ll purchase a sdp.

Question- we have a mini suite and will have the same coffee maker you showed in picture. I’m not a fan of Ncl included coffee and want to bring some for the room. What type of pods or packets do you think will work?

I know it’s a little more clear cut for folks who really benefit from the ubp. We don’t but could potentially benefit from the other perks depending on the price and sailing.

I just booked a last minute trip on the Bliss for Alaska. The lowest priced mini suite with perks and pick your stateroom was $250 pp more than the sail away mini suite rate. They had only one room available in the pick your room rate with perks. It was a handicap mini suite so I felt we could potentially get bumped out and I wasn’t crazy about a handicap bathroom setup. My pcc recommended we go with the sail away rate. the internet perk has a $105 value compared to pre purchase discount. We saved a good chunk on the sail away rate and were immediately assigned the same exact accessible mini suite available with pick your stateroom and perks. I figure we might still get bumped. Never sailed this class of ship I don’t have any particular room I care about.

For our next med sailing we booked almost 2 years early and got the dv perks plus obc and free at sea for what I felt was a great price. We booked a suite so could have all the perks. It was less $ to bag my, “free” ultimate Bev pkg and just purchase a soda package instead. It’s my pet peeve they won’t exchange the ubp for a soda pkg on suite bookings or come out with a non alcoholic beverage package alternative.

The retrofit to replicate the Bliss, did not include solo cabins. I sent an email off to a VP I met on the Bliss to express my dissapointment. My solo friends and I will stick to the Bliss, Epic, Escape, Breakaway and Getaway.

 

I was booked for Pearl that flipped to the Joy with my spouse, but the week I am going dropped Skagway, which was our main objective for the railway. They did upgrade my cabin without a charge. But no Skagway no trip.

Longshot but did you ask pcc if you could potentially switch to a Skagway sailing? My sailing dropped glacier bay and Skagway too. I talked to my husband about the switch and new itinerary and he’s not up for it either. I know it’s a great deal compared to list pricing but we are probably going to pass. We don’t have airfare or anything to worry about so might see if we can get a good last minute rate when the time comes. If you’re fine without perks, Bliss Alaska for this fall has come down quite a bit.

Pretty sure it’s viewed by clicking the check in for your cruise box on your my Ncl. Once you get to the check in page it lists reservation number and stateroom number. Then just look at the joy deck plans and figure out where you’re located. I previously had a mini suite near the elevators. New room on the Joy was also close to elevators same side of ship. I was assigned a comparable stateroom.

Thanks so much for posting this. Now to find out about the ta’s or where the Pearl is going before and after Europe 2019. Was hoping a ta would coincide with the last Jade sailing for med.

Edit- go to your online check in. My stateroom is assigned on online checkin page.

:)

Has anyone received notice yet re: cabin switch? NCL had said we would hear by 7/23

For the switch from pearl to joy the letter said the week of the 23rd so sometime this week. I just checked and no stateroom assignment yet.

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I booked with Ncl , no email in myncl or from NCL, But my reservation flipped with no cabin assigned in MYNCL

 

Perhaps it went to your spam? I got an email from my pcc and also a general do not reply notice from Ncl. Basically it announced the ship change, said price is the same, same dates, same or better stateroom category and new room assignments would show up sometime this week. I checked a while ago and Mine shows everything the same with pricing and perks, just on the joy and no stateroom assignment.

After reading about the Bliss and joy a little more I’m kind of excited to finally get a push to try a mega ship. I’ve always stuck with what I know I like-the smaller ships.

Edit- go to your online checkin page on my Ncl. My stateroom assignment shows there.

Only Sixthman cruise on website for April is on the Pearl, then Jade in August out of Barcelona.

Sixthman site now lists the Pearl for the boaty weekender in August. Makes great sense now.

I think the Jade med itineraries will remain intact.

Absolutely. I agree 100%

 

I also did a similar cruise last year with a very similar demographic. I would have thought it may have been the same cruise, but I’d have thought I’d remember if we’d been sailing together.

 

Chinese customers do seem to make up a very high proportion of NCLs customer base on some itineraries. Whatever happens with mainland China cruises, the country will surely continue to be very important to NCL.

 

Edit: I’ve just checked your posting history and you were on a later sailing than us, but the demographic sounds very similar. Lots of Chinese passengers with a group from Hong King who didn’t seem to fit in well with the others. I wonder whether this particular itinerary appealed to them specifically.

Yes we were on a later sailing. I got some excellent tips from reading your trip report. Thanks to you we had an excellent time in Iceland just renting a car on the docks. I told my husband that a guy named Keith on the Internet recommended ... and that things cost a lot in Iceland. He thought I was joking until we stopped for $35 hamburger and saw the beautiful places you recommend.

It was interesting to see the dynamic of how the Hong Kong passengers really didn’t get along with the mainland Chinese passengers. I thought a few times that different groups were going to come to blows but everything seemed to settle down some the second week.

I’d guess the Mainland Chinese passengers gravitate towards packing a lot into a vacation on the itineraries that aren’t just sun and sand, laying by the pool or beach. My Iceland sailing was the first time I’ve experienced them being the majority onboard, but I’ve had some smaller groups on Alaska sailings. For the med I see a lot of Chinese land tour groups but haven’t been on a sailing where they were the majority onboard yet.

If anything, having the Joy in China first was a great segway into the market and I’m sure they have developed some good relationships with Chinese Travel agencies for future bookings on their other ships and itineraries.

Amen!

 

littlelulu, we will probably lean toward going on the Joy rather than Bliss. We are travelers (rather than tourists) and love to travel the world, eat foreign foods, get into and learn the cultures, see places, décor, etc. And be amongst people of different nationalities.

 

What attracts us to Joy is the décor and I hope they won't make drastic changes or remove the décor during the $50m refit.

I don’t think ncl’s Tropical sailings will be inundated by Chinese tourists but on sailings to Alaska and Europe I can see an increase in mainland Chinese tour groups. Since you won’t know until you get onboard a ship what large groups will be sailing with you, id rather be sailing on the Joy set up to account for cultural differences instead of a ship like the Jade where they had some obvious issues with the passenger makeup/mix

We also love Travel to experience new places and cultures. It was a little different than we anticipated but we ended up going with the flow. They seemed to like the ship food over the local food so the ship set up bag check getting off the ship instead of on. We simply stopped taking a bag off the ship in ports to avoid the shakedown on ship food and utensils.

I wonder what will happen to all the Chinese speaking staff they specifically hired and trained for the Joy.

I imagine many will staff the Spirit on the seasonal cruises to China but I can't help but think many will be out of a job

I was on a two week Jade Norway, Iceland, U.K. sailing last year. Over half the passengers were mainland Chinese tour groups. Also one smaller group of about 300 from Hong Kong who did not get along well with the two mainland groups. Ncl had many staff onboard that were from China. Most said they were in training for the Joy but some seemed highly competent and fully trained. The suite passenger hostess was Chinese and she was an excellent employee. I suspect these staff were brought onboard for this sailing. One of the travel agents was in a garden villa.

Ncl may be pulling the Joy from China but they are still interested in serving this population onboard sailings in China and other itineraries. I can see the Joy continuing to serve this huge segment of travel hungry groups. And if the joy is already set up to their cultural differences, it will be ideal for them to sail on for Alaska mixed in with western passengers. The folks I sailed with would have benefited from the Joy outdoor green space. They had to use some awkward areas for morning exercise on the Jade. They also seemed to enjoy the hot tubs but not the pool. I’m guessing the joy is going to be westernized while still keeping some of what the Chinese passengers enjoy.

From my observation, I didn’t see them drinking alcohol, they retired to their staterooms very early to plan their next day, didn’t use the speciality dining much and ate early and at the same time (a bit of an issue on the Jade). They also wanted off the ship first in port and were comfortable with about four times the number of people in an elevator and with public buses and boats, something the locals had a hard time controlling.

Idk if this is a trend for the future, but if the Chinese Travel agencies have developed a relationship with Ncl and continue with group bookings, staff on the joy could easily be assimilated to ships that have the large mainland Chinese groups and then to China for the spirit sailings.

For the Jade sailing I was on the cultural differences were interesting and the staff onboard and Locals in ports had some difficulties accommodating them. The Staff from the Philippines seemed the most frustrated with the mainland Chinese passengers. We made adjustments to times we ate, slept and debarked the ship, used the stairs and were fine but initially it was overwhelming.

I was highly impressed with their diy planning skills. They invested an immense amount of time mapping out their days using public transport... to the point that one day we just figured it easier to bob along following them, knowing they had planned for months what to do and had everything mapped out on their phones. They were highly resourceful groups.

I am booked for the Pearl August 2019, and have not recieved notification yet

Are you booked with a Travel agent or directly with Ncl? Sometimes Travel agents can be a little slow passing on the information like this. Regardless you can login to your my Ncl account and the new itinerary and ship should be in place of your Pearl sailing. The staterooms haven’t been reassigned yet but likely will in the next few days. The new stateroom will be in same or better. Same pricing, same dates, same reservation number, same perks. Just now shows Joy. My May, 2019 itinerary changed a little but depending on the sailing date, it sounds like the itineraries will differ a little.

It sounds like they’re doing some changes with the spa. Obviously not like the Bliss but I think they could add enough to satisfy - something like the Pearl co-ed area? With so few passes available due to limited space to expand, getting a spa pass will be like the current mad dash for vibe passes.

Sorry about your hard sell. I’ve enjoyed the Pearl spa immensely and don’t think I’d sail without a spa pass on the Pearl. I especially love the woman’s sauna overlooking the sea and one of my favorite memories was sitting on the sauna watching a pod of whales bubble feeding. Got pretty hot in there but none of us could leave and miss the incredible action.

I also like the co-ed spa on the Pearl much better than the Jade and jewel spa. The Pearl coed therapy pool has that thing that pounds water on your back.

I actually don’t purchase extra treatments any more. A simple I’m not interested is usually enough to quell the hard selling but I am not interested in risking the need to tell someone over and over that I’m not interested.

I typically can tell them upfront that we’re only doing the passes and they are great about respecting that.

I would check pricing for diy and also call Ncl pcc or your ta and get a quote.

No Ncl airfare experience, but I believe it’s $100 pp each way, max $400 credit off of Ncl group airfare rates, not the best rates you find on your own. Ncl owns the tickets and they are restrictive. It may or may not be a deal but no harm checking into.

I have Ncl hotel distinctive voyage hotel booking for Rome. Cash rates for the same hotel booked on my own are about the same as ncl’s Discount rates but the Ncl rate includes transfer to Cruise port so it’s actually a savings and no hassle deal. I can drop the hotel portion of booking up till final payment no penalty. Ymmv on the hotel credit too so best to call and check.

Good luck