Everything... Norwegian ENCORE! Launch Nov 2019

[bragstarr]

My head is spinning after reading this entire thread.

 

Just booked the November 2020 Panama Canal that leaves from NYC and ends in Miami. Panama Canal has long been on the bucket list and the timing and the start and end ports work perfectly for us. DH is a gym rat who goes when it opens in the AM and I may have to send him for lounge chairs then but....🤔😋. I do have a few concerns now after reading all of this but let’s see what develops over time, I would have plenty of time to cancel if need be which will hopefully not happen. One question which I’m sure is answered elsewhere but can someone tell

me quickly that the go-cart charge is?

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I just booked Encore yesterday after the dining was announced.  Booked a balcony w/ the "take all" promo and got free air promo as well.  We are cancelling a sailing on Symphony to do Encore instead.  When calculating Encore we tookin to consideration the price with all service charges/fees NCL charges (included DSC) adding 4nts additional dining, upgrading to Premium Plus beverage package (which we may not need actually to do) and buying Vibe passes.  We still came out better than sailing the Symphony by about $200pp.  For Symphony we calculated minimum full oceanview balcony, buying drinks and unlimited dining packages separately and estimating air for a similar week in December this year.

 

While NCL has many extra charges, in this case for the things we might add on we still save enough that we don't mind paying for those add ons (Vibe, Prem Plus, Go-Karts, Laser Tag, etc) as we will still come out ahead.  Yes the ships are VERY different, but we know and like that they are different :)  Ultimately it's about the bigger picture and all cruise lines have LOTS of waays they can milk you for some extra $$$$$ - you just have to know upfront what the competition offers and carefully compare!

[neffqueen]

6 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

I just booked Encore yesterday after the dining was announced.  Booked a balcony w/ the "take all" promo and got free air promo as well.  We are cancelling a sailing on Symphony to do Encore instead.  When calculating Encore we tookin to consideration the price with all service charges/fees NCL charges (included DSC) adding 4nts additional dining, upgrading to Premium Plus beverage package (which we may not need actually to do) and buying Vibe passes.  We still came out better than sailing the Symphony by about $200pp.  For Symphony we calculated minimum full oceanview balcony, buying drinks and unlimited dining packages separately and estimating air for a similar week in December this year.

 

While NCL has many extra charges, in this case for the things we might add on we still save enough that we don't mind paying for those add ons (Vibe, Prem Plus, Go-Karts, Laser Tag, etc) as we will still come out ahead.  Yes the ships are VERY different, but we know and like that they are different 🙂 Ultimately it's about the bigger picture and all cruise lines have LOTS of waays they can milk you for some extra $$$$$ - you just have to know upfront what the competition offers and carefully compare!

I love your post. We actually sailed Symphony of the Seas on spring break after an amazing cruise on the Bliss last year and returned to NCL in a heartbeat. I have young kids and camp is a salvation for us. I booked cruises depending on the activities my son will enjoy and at the same time, we can relax. Never used Vibe or the Spice place and still had an amazing experience aboard a huge ship. My favorite place to hang out was the waterfront couches with my mojito. We did the race track once and laser tag once. That was enough as our little one loved loved loved camp at Bliss 110% more than Symphony or the other RCCL ships we sailed in the past. 

This thread has been a huge amount of opinions but all a bit premature. Cannot judge without even trying it. Go with an open mind that you are going to enjoy and stop trying to nag about those things you cannot change. It will dampen your cruise.

-----Counting my days till first sailing Nov 24th ! out of Miami 🙂

 

[Harratine]

On 6/10/2019 at 11:29 AM, Kingkonig said:

 

I’m no construction expert, but that looks like temporary scaffolding?  It would look odd if it remained once the construction is complete

It’s pipe scaffolding

[macondon77]

I am pretty sure I read that the Encore will NOT have basketball courts.  Can anyone confirm.  Also, I do not see a ropes course on the deck plans... Anyone have info on this as well? We are 2 families traveling together with 4 kids total and we want them to kerp busy and have fun.  Thanks!!  We are thinking of switching to the escape even though we have already done that itinerary... Thoughts? 

[JamieLogical]

16 minutes ago, macondon77 said:

I am pretty sure I read that the Encore will NOT have basketball courts.  Can anyone confirm.  Also, I do not see a ropes course on the deck plans... Anyone have info on this as well? We are 2 families traveling together with 4 kids total and we want them to kerp busy and have fun.  Thanks!!  We are thinking of switching to the escape even though we have already done that itinerary... Thoughts? 

 

Definitely no basketball court or ropes course on the Encore. No mini-golf either. The upper deck consists of laser tag and go-carts for an extra charge, the pools and water slides, a large Vibe Beach Club sun deck area, and the Haven sun deck area.

[HowardK]

Why has Spice H20 been replaced with a giant octopus? That's ridiculous.  This will allow them to inflate Vibe to perhaps $249.

 

Has anyone done (on Bliss)  or planning on the $200 unlimited race track plan? The new dining seems nice though. I'd prefer Howl At The Moon but it seems that was phased out on yet another ship as well. 

[timf2001]

20 minutes ago, HowardK said:

Has anyone done (on Bliss)  or planning on the $200 unlimited race track plan?

 

They no longer offer the unlimited race package.

[coriemarie]

Random but not ... is there a weight limit on the go karts? If you have been on previous cruises with a track? My BF is a beefy (hunky) man and was embarrassed when he was weighed at the TOP of the slides in front of everyone. There was also a limit on the ropes course he wanted to do. 

 

We we both have diet goals but, ya know, in case? 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

54 minutes ago, HowardK said:

Why has Spice H20 been replaced with a giant octopus? That's ridiculous.  This will allow them to inflate Vibe to perhaps $249.

My guess is Vibe will not increase in cost much, if any, but as they have more than doubled the space for it, along with eliminating Spice H2O, they can sell that many more passes, so all around a revenue grab by NCL with these design changes

[AtlantaCruiser72]

2 minutes ago, coriemarie said:

Random but not ... is there a weight limit on the go karts? If you have been on previous cruises with a track? My BF is a beefy (hunky) man and was embarrassed when he was weighed at the TOP of the slides in front of everyone. There was also a limit on the ropes course he wanted to do. 

 

We we both have diet goals but, ya know, in case? 

From NCL.com: https://www.ncl.com/cruise-faq/are-there-size-and-weight-requirements-water-slides-rope-courses-rock-climbing-walls-racetrack-a

[DZcreature]

My husband and I are Platinum on NCL, but are not happy with some of the changes NCL has been making.

 

I am very disappointed that there is no Spice H2O on the Encore. I could deal with it if they had not expanded the Vibe area as well. I do not like that the outdoor forward areas of this ship are not accessible without paying an additional fee. 

 

Also, removing included outdoor activities in place of for fee activities makes the ship less enjoyable for parents who have to pay more money to keep their kids entertained. 

 

I was looking forward to this ship because I wanted to see the new onboard shows, especially Kinky Boots, but I may have to reconsider. I am glad that I only have one cruise next certificate to use up, and hope that they do things a little bit differently when the Leonardo class ships come out. It will be good to give us additional options to the amusement park type ships.

 

If they lower the cost of Vibe passes, instead of raising the price, it would help take away some of the bad feelings of this layout.

 

 

[CruisinHarvey]

We're booked on this ship from a land based casino offer, that's too late to change. We learned our lesson. Never book a ship without deck plans. They've removed all complimentary sunning areas, except the 2 decks right by the pool.  People already complain about how crowded the pool deck gets on these large NCL ships. They ain't seen nothin yet.  It will be a complete zoo. For those who've been to Vibe, don't count on that experience either. It's just a tad bigger now, like 4 times. Anyone thinking they'll be having shot o'clock for 250 people?  That environment is gone. Basically, Vibe is now the old Spice H20, without a water feature for $209. Sounds great doesn't it.  

 

[LrgPizza]

12 minutes ago, CruisinHarvey said:

We're booked on this ship from a land based casino offer, that's too late to change. We learned our lesson. Never book a ship without deck plans. They've removed all complimentary sunning areas, except the 2 decks right by the pool.  People already complain about how crowded the pool deck gets on these large NCL ships. They ain't seen nothin yet.  It will be a complete zoo. For those who've been to Vibe, don't count on that experience either. It's just a tad bigger now, like 4 times. Anyone thinking they'll be having shot o'clock for 250 people?  That environment is gone. Basically, Vibe is now the old Spice H20, without a water feature for $209. Sounds great doesn't it.  

 

 

I agree. We used to know every single person in Vibe by mid-week. We knew names, where people were from, what they drank, what sports teams they liked, what they do for a living... We were all vacation friends having a blast together. There is no way that environment will be duplicated, which pretty much ruins Vibe, in my opinion. I also can't imagine the service will be what it used to be. I can't imagine them walking around cleaning everyone's sunglasses, or giving foot massages to those that wanted one, etc. 

Edited June 13, 2019 by LrgPizza

[CazV]

A bunch of Encore sailings have disappeared off the website! Including the TA. 

I know they're having problems with the website because I've seen lots of posts here and on FB about it. Safe to assume that's the issue do you think? 

[rtkenmore]

2 minutes ago, CazV said:

A bunch of Encore sailings have disappeared off the website! Including the TA. 

I know they're having problems with the website because I've seen lots of posts here and on FB about it. Safe to assume that's the issue do you think? 

 

TA is still listed when I look right now...  And everything else from November through April at least before she relocates to NYC.

[JamieLogical]

3 minutes ago, CazV said:

A bunch of Encore sailings have disappeared off the website! Including the TA. 

I know they're having problems with the website because I've seen lots of posts here and on FB about it. Safe to assume that's the issue do you think? 

 

Everything still looks normal in my vacation summary for my Encore sailing in April, but you are right that when I search for the sailing on NCL's site, nothing comes up right now.

[Beardface]

3 minutes ago, CazV said:

A bunch of Encore sailings have disappeared off the website! Including the TA. 

I know they're having problems with the website because I've seen lots of posts here and on FB about it. Safe to assume that's the issue do you think? 

 

I can't find any listings for the Encore before Sept 2020

 

So yes, I think it is a problem with the website

[CazV]

1 minute ago, rtkenmore said:

 

TA is still listed when I look right now...  And everything else from November through April at least before she relocates to NYC.

Everything till September 2020 is gone on my search. 

[rtkenmore]

1 minute ago, CazV said:

Everything till September 2020 is gone on my search. 

 

How are you searching?  I'm searching with only ship name "Encore" selected and 18 different cruises come up including TA, all Miami inaugural season, the NYC Bermuda/Northeast season, Panama Canals and all the way through 2021 to Alaska.

 

[TheDougOut]

Maybe NCL’s data center was displaced by laser tag.  

[QueenOfZoom]

2 minutes ago, TheDougOut said:

Maybe NCL’s data center was displaced by laser tag.  

 

I was thinking VR 🤣😂

[Beardface]

5 minutes ago, rtkenmore said:

 

How are you searching?  I'm searching with only ship name "Encore" selected and 18 different cruises come up including TA, all Miami inaugural season, the NYC Bermuda/Northeast season, Panama Canals and all the way through 2021 to Alaska.

 

 

I do the same thing and get nothing, I try to select any of the dates, and then immediately everything blanks out until Sep 2020.

 

If you're able to see it and others can't, I wonder if they are running off multiple data centers and the cross site replication broke this morning.

[CazV]

7 minutes ago, rtkenmore said:

 

How are you searching?  I'm searching with only ship name "Encore" selected and 18 different cruises come up including TA, all Miami inaugural season, the NYC Bermuda/Northeast season, Panama Canals and all the way through 2021 to Alaska.

 

 

Searching by ship the same as you. I'm not alone, so it's interesting that your search still shows all the cruises lol 

 

The wonders of the NCL website 😅

[HowardK]

Maybe they are repricing all the cruises (increases of course)