welove2cruise*

On 1/9/2023 at 9:10 PM, Two Wheels Only said:

Ship?

Sorry yes the Escape. Please understand I realize things happen. I think I am most upset by the fact I feel I am being lied to and completely ignored. I had the same cabin booked for next year and now have moved cabins. 😔  If we did not have 2 additional FCC credits to use we would just cancel next year. I do think I need a new TA. I have booked more than a dozen cruises with him and he has no interest in going to bat for us. 

7 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

A different answer is almost guaranteed if you do that.

 

Its still unlikely to be the correct answer though. 🙂

I will try that tomorrow. 

9 hours ago, Homosassa said:

The deck plans I have for the Escape says the angled balconies has a capacity for three passengers.

 

Whenever a cabin is booked for less than the labeled capacity, the passengers can be moved to another cabin to allow someone to book that is in need of a cabin with the higher number of beds.

 

At that point, the status of the life boat station capacity comes into play. The cabin being rebooked at the higher capacity will need to still have space for passengers.

 

Good rule to follow, never book a cabin that can hold more then your number of passengers in your reservation.  If one does book a larger capacity cabin that required by one's party, there is always a chance that you will be moved without notification.

We only have 2 

9 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

If they re-classified the angled balconies, it means they are charging more for them, no?  Its still wrong if to change someone's reservations if they originally booked it unless there is something we dont know. Sometimes people book handicapped rooms and the cruise line will boot you if a handicapped passenger needs that room.  When the Encore was in the pre-sale stage, I booked deck 17 with the larger balconies.  I noticed when the ship came closer to launch NCL started charging more for the bigger balconies.  They did not boot me from the room or make me pay more.  My reservation stayed the same. NCL honored my selection and price at the time of booking.

Its still early in the morning, maybe I am not understanding this thread correctly 🤪

It makes no sense at all. I just don’t understand any of it. I had the same room booked for 2024 and now I’m going to either cancel the cruise altogether or look at large balcony categories. I just don’t want anyone else blindsided like I have been. To be so disappointed a few weeks before going on the trip. 😞 So much for loyalty to NCL. We are Sapphire latitudes members. The thing is I am the one who gets my group organized to cruise. We have 6 cabins of family and friends. My one friend also booked an angle. She was to be a few doors down from us. They did not change her cabin. I kept saying I think they made some mistake. They are saying the ship is full. They moved me from our aft angle cabin near our friends to a forward cabin a deck away. 

4 hours ago, kayjay76 said:

the escape balconies are bigger than on the breakaway, getaway and bliss. you could fit a lounger but not much else. id ask your room steward when you board if they could possibly get you one

Thank you. I hope I can work it out. What a mess. I was looking forward to my angle balcony so much. It is the only type room I have booked for the past 10 years 

2 minutes ago, welove2cruise* said:

They told me it was going fleet wide. It makes no sense to me. 

I could understand if they said the cabin had a problem but this was an unfair and unacceptable situation. I have never had my cabin changed like this and I have cruised over 40 times. We are actually Sapphire status with NCL. 

9 hours ago, phoenix1181 said:

Are you saying they're only allowing 1 occupant?  The angle cabin booked on Joy shows capacity of 3.  Can't see them making that kind of a change. 

 

I think you may have received misinformation.

 

That is what they are saying. The NCL rep also was mystified at this decision. 

9 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Reclassifying the angle balconies to single makes no sense.

 

Read the contract.....they can change your cabin .

 

I'm on the Escape in September. ...angle balcony.  So far, no change.

They told me it was going fleet wide. It makes no sense to me. 

Has anyone put a lounger on a standard BA balcony (removing both chairs if needed)? 
 

I am in such a conundrum as my angle balcony I booked 15 months ago was taken from me with no notice or courtesy call at some point within the last week prior to check in for my cruise in 18 days. 
 

That is where I spend most of my time especially now with Covid and having an immune issue that I have to be cautious of. 
 

If anyone has experience with doing this (please tell me it works). ❤️

I make a point to book angle balcony cabins so that I have room for a lounge chair. I have an autoimmune disease so as much time away from crowds is important. I booked my cabin 15 months ago, made final payment in September and was researching excursions last week all with correct information on my account.

Today I did the online check in and after it was all complete I immediately noticed my room number was wrong??
 

They moved me to a non-angle balcony with no notice, no courtesy call, nothing. We are Sapphire with NCL and have been extremely loyal over the years. Hours on the phone and they say there is nothing they can do. The worst thing is they said they are “reclassifying” the angle cabins to single. I had the same cabin booked next year. 
 

So just a warning to anyone who has booked one of these cabins. 
 

I am so disappointed. This was going to be our first cruise since 2020. 

I am wondering if I can fit one lounge instead of two chairs on a regular balcony. We can leave one chair inside if needed. I am the one out there all the time. My husband likes to watch TV. 

On 1/7/2023 at 7:55 PM, wil e coyote said:

We're on the same sailing. I would say it looks doubtful that we will actually stop at PP. Escape has only used Amber Cove for several months, and AC will be full on the 30th with two Carnival ships. When there are two Carnival ships at AC, Escape has been taking a sea day instead.

Of course, things could always change...

Thanks. This cruise is becoming such a disappointment after 3 years of waiting. They took my angle balcony away with no notice (booked 15 months in advance) and moved me to a regular balcony cabin without the extra room for a lounge chair. I just found out today. 😔

We are scheduled to stop in Puerto Plata on the 30th on the Escape from Port Canaveral. Is it common this port is canceled? 

On 1/2/2023 at 8:51 AM, 2dot2dot said:

We will be there in February.  We just booked with Dominican shore excursions to go into town and then to Blue Jack Tar Beach. I am hoping it is a fun time!

 

Do you have a link for the excursion company? Have you found reviews about them? 

We are wondering the same. There is no option to book shows before the cruise for some reason? We are sailing at the end of January. 
 

On 9/28/2021 at 9:39 PM, BirdTravels said:

-For testing, is it true that despite requiring vaccinations Norwegian is requiring testing at the pier?  Are they covering the cost of pier testing?

 

Yes. Since the restart, NCL has been testing 100% of the fully vaccinated passengers at check-in. And yes, they have had multiple COVID positive tests. NCL is covering the cost of the antigen rapid test. 

 

-If testing is mandated at the pier without an option to get tested a day prior, what happens if someone who is vaccinated tests positive?  I would much rather take a test a day prior on my own than spend the time and money traveling from New York to Florida with the possibility of being rejected.  Seems a little much and unnecessary and may go with a line that requires vaccines and testing a day prior rather than at the pier after traveling.

 

IF, you take your own test within 3-days prior to arriving at the terminal for check-in. AND if you were negative in New York, then NCL will whisk you off to one of their quarantine hotels and give you a food allowance to wait out your quarantine. So, yes, you need to take your own test before flying to Florida. And yes, there have been people who have tested 3 days prior to cruise, then fail multiple tests at check-in and are escorted out of the terminal and to transportation to a quarantine facility. 

 

If you did not take your own test in New York, you are on your own. 

 

If you test positive, you are not allowed to return to New York until you are COVID negative. You are not allowed on commercial flights. You are not allowed on trains. You are not allowed on buses. You are not allowed to rent a car. 

 

-Are ships going to be at full occupancy?  Is there going to be regular entertainment?

No, the ships are not a full capacity. Yes, there is regular entertainment. 

 

-Since everyone is tested and vaccinated, are masks optional?

Currently, for Florida cruises, masks are optional. 

 

-Did NCL replace the air filtration with the special updated hepa filters?

Yes. 

 

 

Hello, I just wanted to clarify something.  We plan to drive to the cruise port in Miami this year as the airfare is outrageously expensive.  We will get tested at home prior to leaving and will be extra cautious traveling on the way down but should the unimaginable happen - would we be able to just get in our car and go back home? I plan to buy cancel for any reason insurance.  We have an RV and are debating just camping for the week but I miss cruising so I am trying to decide if we should take chance.  

1 hour ago, phissy said:

You will love the pizza they make onboard.  We were on the Meraviglia , doing Spain, France, Italy and Malta.  We thought the food onboard was good. Also, they made fresh mozzarella every day. Window to watch the whole process.  Even though we were in YC, we went to buffet for lunch to have The pizza.

That sounds great. Caprese is one of our favorites so love the idea of fresh mozzarella! 

 Gold will be fine.  I am glad for the match (just wish I hadn't lost the Black status - I did not know it would expire).  The only benefit I see would have been the one restaurant but we are going to be on a very port intensive cruise and eating local cuisine in Italy/Spain so dinner will be fine whatever they serve. 

I think with Aurea we also get a priorty embarkation area if I read that correct?  I know we have a special place for lunch which I am looking forward to. 

I did my match program in 2016 and was given Black/Diamond status at that time.  I am hoping they will correct mine based on that as we did end up booking this Divina cruise.  I like the itinerary and it allows us to spend extra time in Sorrento after the cruise at an airbnb.  I have actually found that I love the apartment experience in Italy as much if not more than cruising sometimes but it is a really nice thing when we can combine them. I actually think I will prefer the subdued as we are not party people.  Ready to give it a try.  🙂  I'm hoping I really like it as I am bored with NCL's itineraries - and would like to try a newer MSC ship in the Caribbean next. 

I am intrigued by an itinerary I found and have always thought about trying MSC.  If we have the Aurea experience I understand we can eat at the time we decide at a table for 2.  Is there typically a wait for this or because so many have assigned is it not as difficult to be seated?  Also, are there specialty restaurants onboard that you have an upcharge for and/or would any of those be included in the Aurea package? We are spoiled a bit with our latitudes perks (two dinners a week at specialty) and we do enjoy the variety of restaurants on NCL, but this is an itinerary in the Med so we will not be spending a whole lot of time on the ship and I like the itinerary.

I am just trying to get more information to make a decision (always hard with something new)  😉

I also think I read that with the Aurea you have a special embarkation lunch in a dining room.  Can anyone who sailed the Divina confirm that?  Does MSC have any dining rooms open for lunch on a sea day or otherwise?

Thanks in advance for any info!

I did this quite a while ago and was matched to Black.  I have never sailed MSC yet and I don't know if the number they gave me is still good.  I called and spoke with a rep in sales who said I needed to reapply but I don't think she knew what she was talking about.

I sent two of the agents I work with the info that I had previously received hoping they can find it as I am looking at a booking this fall with them.

On 1/22/2020 at 3:43 PM, brookie848 said:

As we've gotten "better" at cruising, we've become more serious about Hero cards. We ask to take photos of name tags so we make sure we get their names correct. 

 

Usually on the last day, we split them up and write up the cards (sometimes at a bar 😋). We know they mean a lot to the staff. I know that they are supposed to give everyone excellent service -- I just see this as a way to show their supervisors that they are doing their jobs. 

We do the same. So many people worthy of recognition and we make the effort to do so. 

We did a two day early deviation. I hope we have direct flights. I never fly in the day of..but I do agree that NCL wouldn’t risk you not having time to get to the ship. Please update when you get your flight info. 😊

9 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

We booked the free air on our spring break cruise. In our case the only added cost was the transfers. I have read on here that if we miss the ship because of flight delays NCL won’t help us. Has anyone actually experienced this?  As of now, 73 days out, it shows a direct Flight from Charlotte to Miami and Miami to Charlotte, but I realize it’s too early for our actual flights to be booked. Should we be concerned about missing the ship and if we do are we really expected to pay our own airfare to Curaçao?  What is the fee to fly in the day before?  Flying in the day before is not ideal because I would have to ask for an extra day off work, which is frowned on in my profession. Is it correct that we would have to do this before our flights are assigned?

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

How far is that from the port?

Just curious as we are flying out of Charlotte to Miami next February..what are the flight times you received and what airline? 

22 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The MDR is only open on sea days. Unless you are doing a TA, not much time to get bored. 
 

Hoping this is the Breakaway lunch menu. Sounds like good choices to me. 

Does the $10 also allow beach access and beach chairs?