Escape "LISTING" cruise 3-3-19

[graphicguy]

Hey Henry....good to see you over here.  No flight tribulations this time.  Although, LGA is still a mess.  From what I heard, it's not supposed to be finished until 2022...so a few more years yet.

 

I actually copped a flight back home from Newark.  Much less stress going out of there.

 

eBags is another company I like.  I have a couple of pieces from them.  Again, their "eBag" branded products have a lifetime warranty.  My backpack is around 3 years old, and I sling it around with me, throwing it in and out of overhead bins, in and out of UBER trunks, etc.  No problems with it.  Been curious about the TLS MOTHERLOAD series.  I just don't need new luggage currently.  That's curious because every 2 years or so, in the past, my luggage was so ragged from my abuse, it needed replacement. Not so with Away and eBags.

 

Anxious to see what (if anything) Samsonite does with eBags.  I hope them don't "cheapen" them.  They're already a good buy in my estimation.

 

Will talk about the shows a little bit later. 

[graphicguy]

Here's where the grumpy part comes in.

 

You'd have to nearly throw me overboard for me to have a bad cruise.  This one was no different.  I had a wonderful time.  There were some extenuating circumstances which....how should I put this......changed my perspective a bit.  The first, which is the title of this thread, I'll get into in a bit.

 

The other, well....let's just say it's not NCL's fault.  The differences between the cruise lines are less than you'd think as far as experiences.  I've sailed quite a few lines.  Compare and contrast is inevitable.  NCL has the whole "Freestyle" thing down pat.  Hungry?  Show up somewhere and eat (and there are plenty of those places on board).  Want to hang out and tip a few?  Plenty of those, too.

 

My favorite feature of the new(er) ships is the Waterfront.  It's a series of bars, restaurants, and just lounging areas where you can sit, read a book, relax, play cards, eat a meal, get a drink, or just stroll.  This defines a cruse to me.

 

The interior areas of the ship are the same.  You want to be in the hub of activity?  You head to the Atrium, or look down while sitting along the railing in O'Sheehans (or whatever they are calling the area above the atrium these days).

 

Lounger reserving around the pools has been replaced by seat holding in the Atrium and O'Sheehans bar area, as well as some of the chairs in the Waterfront.  What?  I've never seen that before.  Books or articles of clothing placed on a seat in the above areas early in the a.m. and left there for hours at a time until the activity of interest is scheduled.

 

This was not a "Spring Break" cruise.  It was a little early for that (although I heard Canada was on Spring Break).  So, this was not teens doing this.  Every time I looked, it was a.....ummm....a "senior" doing the reserving.  Seriously?  Really?  Must you?  There are thousands of passengers.  The vast majority are quite polite and accommodating.  It's the few who make things so much more irritating by being so much more narcissistic.

 

Saw the same thing at the height of lunch in the Garden Cafe.  Large groups taking up chairs and tables just to play cards, when people were trying to find a seat to eat their food.

 

I've got kids.  I love them.  I'd do anything for them.  The tweens/teens on this cruise were a delight for the most part.  The parents?  A whole other story.  I've made this point before in other threads, NCL IS NOT the line you would book if you need a large stroller (not the small fold up ones, but the huge double wheeled jobs).  They will not fit in the hallways, and especially if you have others passing you in the other direction, or room stewards with carts in the hallway.  YOU WILL NOT FIT with a large stroller, or a big electric scooter. You'll frustrate yourself, and those around you.

 

I can't be all that easy packing a stroller from the airport, to the ship, storing it in the cabin.  And, for what?  I'm sure NCL would not agree with me stating this, but I've seen the frustration from everyone trying to negotiate strollers and scooters around an NCL ship.  It's not fun, for anyone involved.  

 

The silver lining, there were no pets on this cruise.

 

It's interesting.  I met some of the kindest, funny, interesting people on this cruise.  And, I saw some of the most selfish, uncaring, oblivious people (in the minority) who made things more difficult for everyone.

 

Go figure!  Rant over!  Onto the "good stuff".

 

 

 

 

 

[graphicguy]

Having secured my Vibe pass, and having my first "cruise drink", it was time to grab some lunch before muster.

 

O'Sheehans was close, so that's where I went.  For as crowded as it was, service was quick, and the hot dog I ordered was delish, and service was exemplary.

 

 

[graphicguy]

By this time, it was announced that the cabins were ready (yay!).  Just a quick update, I booked this cabin about a month ago, or about 4 weeks before sailing. I had been scoping out some cruises from NCL, Celebrity, RCCL, and to a lesser extent, Carnival.  Celebrity was kind of interesting with their drink promos, but they were a tad more expensive.  I had taken one Celebrity Cruise several years ago, and let's just say it was not very exciting.  I'm sure it  has its appeal.  Just that the highlight was the glass blowing demonstration.  I can't in all honesty say that my thrill meter jumped at all by glass blowing.

 

Ended up, NCL had the best deal.  $2,200 all in for a mini-suite with large balcony with all the perks (drinks package, dining package with 3 specialty restaurants, 250 minutes internet, $50/cabin excursion credit).  That was about the same price as a regular balcony cabin.  What's not to like?  A GTY cabin (no perks) was around $1,900 and change.  Even a solo cabin was $1,700 with no perks.  Here's my math.  With the drink package you pay around $20/day for tips/service charges.  All the drinks I want are included (I like Bulleit Bourbon, Tanqurey Gin and Tiutos vodka...all included).  I DID NOT find a beer that WASN'T included.

 

If you don't have a drink package, you can "pay as you go" or buy a drink package once on board ($99/day).  To me, the drink package that IS NOT included is the worst way to go.  You automatically add $700 to your cruise, without even including tips.  Pay as you go....if you only drink beer, the ones I liked ran $7/ea.  Craft beers are more.  But, for simplicity's sake, let's say they were $10/ea with tip.  5 beers/day?  That's $50/day.  I'd say wine would be about the same.  That's $350/week.

 

Mixed drinks?  $12/ea plus tip.  5/day?  $60/day plus tip.  Let's say that figures out to be $500/week with tip.

 

Big assumptions made  for only 5 drinks/day.  I would have at least a couple of beers in the afternoon while running around....maybe try one "drink of the day".  I'd have a couple of Bulleits, or Tanquereys, or, Titos before dinner, and a couple of Martinis at night....one before a show, and one after.  Let's say 7 drinks/day at an average price of $11/ea...that's $77/day + $15 tip= $92/day or $644/week if I were pay as you go.

 

The math is pretty easy.  The drink package they include is least expensive.  Pay as you go would be next up from that.  Buying the drink package on board is the worst way to go.

 

You can adjust up or down and see what works for you.  The above works for me.

 

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by graphicguy

[graphicguy]

Cabin #108726....

[graphicguy]

More cabin.....

 

Between being Platinum Latitudes, AMEX Platinum and my TA, I got two bottles of bubbly, chocolate covered strawberries (which will figure in prominently as the review progresses) and a big bottle of water.

 

In addition, I got a dinner for 2 at LeBistro and $200 OBC credit from AMEX Platinum.  I received two specialty dinners for two from NCL for being Platinum, plus free laundry service.  Finally, I received $210 of OBC from my TA.

 

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by graphicguy

[graphicguy]

Time for muster.  They were prompt.  I heard some people say they weren't scanned for muster because they were late by around 10 mins and they had to go again the next day.  I'm OK with that.  No use holding everyone else up if you're going to be late.

[graphicguy]

And, it's time for spillway.  Given the weather wasn't really very nice, it was cold and spitting rain and snow, there weren't many who were looking at sailaway on the upper decks.

 

A side note....sailing out of NYC in March, you more or less know what you're in for.  It's not going to be sunny and warm.  It's going to be cold and damp....at least for the 24-48 hours after sailaway.  That was never more true than it was for this cruise.  Not good.  Not bad.  Just the facts.

 

 

[graphicguy]

Another side note...want to give a shout out to @sid_9169 for recommending this stuff (Rebound).  It's a patch that you put on an hour before drinking.  There were days I started drinking with a Bloody Mary in the a.m. and throughout the day, had a mix of many beers, bourbons and "drinks of the day".

 

While, it didn't totally erase the after effects the next day, it certainly blunted those after effects to a great degree....

 

Thanks, Sid!

[zencruisers]

I will be putting these to use on the Breakaway next month.

[sid_9169]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Another side note...want to give a shout out to @sid_9169 for recommending this stuff (Rebound).  It's a patch that you put on an hour before drinking.  There were days I started drinking with a Bloody Mary in the a.m. and throughout the day, had a mix of many beers, bourbons and "drinks of the day".

 

While, it didn't totally erase the after effects the next day, it certainly blunted those after effects to a great degree....

 

Thanks, Sid!

Thanks... I'm glad my recommendations are being used for good and not evil...

[BalconyGal]

Really enjoying your review.  🙂  I can't help but look at those balcony chairs and feel sad that they are at the bottom of the sea now.  

Edited March 12, 2019 by BalconyGal

[RedwingHockeyFan]

I totally agree with your assessment of the scooters and strollers issue.  I was on the Getaway in January and there were at least three elderly people, two man and one woman, on scooters.  The woman, while completely fantastic, had so many issues with it and was always backing into people.  One of the men had ran over another older gentlemen's foot and received a punch to the face for it, which was a complete disgrace onto itself.

[graphicguy]

So, VIBE pass acquired, muster drill attended, sail away behind us, it's time to check out the ship.

 

One of the main reasons I booked the cabin I booked, was not only did I get a great deal on a very nice cabin, but it was on the deck where most of the social spots are (Oceans 678).  I was just outside the Brew House and Food Republic.  I enjoyed the Brew House just about every day.  Got to know the bartenders and they got to know me.  Plus, there were nice big windows there to view the water.  Plus, there were nice couches and chairs all around to huddle with my newly met friends.

 

 

[graphicguy]

 

 

Brew House had great entertainment, too.

 

Food Republic was on the other side of the Brew House corridor.

 

I ate here one night.  It was excellent.  Unfortunately, it was not part of the specialty dining package.  Still, for less than $20, it was quite good with great selections of varying ethnic foods.  I am terrible at remembering to take pics of food porn.  So, I have some, but not a lot.

 

No NCL cruise is complete if you don't get a shot of the proverbial chandelier covering all 3 decks of 6-7-8.

 

[All-ready2cruise]

I'm glad I'm not the only solo cruiser who feels that a balcony/mini suite/or suite is the way to enjoy a cruise. 

 

Loving your review, thanks so much for taking the time (love your watch) to post. My DH left me a Jaeger le coultre automatic and I love it, wear it all the time. 

 

I've done 3 solo cruises and have been so lucky to meet so many wonderful pax, it really makes the cruise so much fun. 

 

Cheers

[graphicguy]

Time to hit the VIBE to see what the excitement was all about.  This is a bit of a sticky topic for me.  I was expecting to pay $129/pp, which was recently up from $99/pp/.  The fine tally was $209/pp.  Now, I had some healthy OBC, so I decided to go for it.  But, if you're a couple?  $418 is a tad steep to just get a lounger and a bar in a quiet part of the ship.  

 

I made fast friends with the bartenders in the other parts of the ship, so I had NO trouble getting excellent service from them.

 

Plus, it being cold (at least for the first two days/nights), it made the VIBE a tad uninhabitable.  Sailing in June/July?  Sailing from Miami, NOLA?  Perhaps.  Doubt I'll be a repeat customer at that price, though.

 

Even when we hit warm(er) temps, I never saw more than 5-10 people in the Vibe.

Edited March 12, 2019 by graphicguy

[graphicguy]

Headed back to Brew House to get the last nightcaps of the first day of the cruise.  About 11:45 I'm in bed.  I'm beat.  

 

In addition to the photos I posted earlier, this is my cabin before I fell into bed.  

 

I like using those little magnetic clips that I clip to the metal walls to hang my FreeStyle Daily, my coupons, etc.

Edited March 12, 2019 by graphicguy

[graphicguy]

Let's talk about the elephant in the room.  The (in)famous listing event the first night of the cruise.

 

You heard some of us discussing the great luminosity of Ball watches some of us love.  This is where that came in handy and how I know the timing of all of what transpired.

 

The pics above were exactly the way it was when I turned out the lights and hit the bed.

 

About 15-20 minutes later, I hear the balcony furniture crashing against the sliding glass door, and then sliding back out, and then sliding back again, over and over.  It settled down for a minute or two, then I'm thrown from the bed onto the floor.  I can't see anything but I can hear the ice bucket hit the floor and the ice clanking off the desk. The two bottles of champaign hit the floor and roll towards me as they bump into my thigh.

 

Feeling the cold from the ice, I grab the side of the bed and prop myself up.  I find the bedside light switch and turn on the light.  The furniture is still banging around.  Using the couch as a guide, I move towards the balcony door, then flip open the drapes.  The furniture is doing a dance....literally.  There are two loungers, two upright chairs, one small table and one larger table, looking like they're jitterbugging on the balcony.  Quite frankly, I should have been scared but was mesmerized by this scene and could do nothing but stare at it, frozen.

 

One of the chairs and one of the tables lifted off the balcony and looked like they were shot from a canon out in to the abyss off the balcony.  Don't know of they landed on another deck, or are still in the ocean somewhere.  It reminded me of the the tornado scene in Wizard of Oz.  That's the first thought I had as I saw that.  I'm a weird guy.  It hit me that I probably shouldn't be standing by the sliding glass door and backed up slowly, only to feel something prickly under one of my feet.  I looked down, saw red on the ball of my foot and figured I cut my foot on some glass.  Sitting on the couch (actually being thrown down on the couch in a sitting position), I grabbed the bottom of my foot seeing if I could fin the glass stuck in it.  Instinctively, I looked at my red fingers and barely touched them to my tongue.  To my surprise, I had stepped on a strawberry as the taste was sweet.

 

🙂

[graphicguy]

(cont)....

 

Since I was semi-upright, I grabbed my sweatshirt and shorts from the couch (the ones I just took off to go to bed) and slid into my Crocs.  

 

The wind was still throwing around everything on the balcony.  The bottles were rolling back and forth on the floor.  

 

Getting awake and my wits about the prior 15 minutes of what I had just experienced, I thought..."we've hit something".  Then, my mind went to "well, what is so big that would cause this ship to tilt?  A Whale?  There aren't any icebergs this close to the coast.  Were we attacked somehow?  Why and who would attack a cruise ship?  I wonder what's going on with everyone else?  I have a bruise or two and strawberry toe jam, but that's about it.  I should help.

 

Strange what goes through your mind in those sorts of situations.

 

I didn't hear anything but the wind (which was loud), the balcony furniture banging around (which was just as loud), and the champaign bottles clanging around on the floor, hitting the ice bucket every once in a while.

 

I got to the cabin door.  Thought enough to grab the key card to take with me (boy, do they have us conditioned).  And, headed out to the hallway.  People were holding on to the walls, some were crying (I couldn't figure out why because they didn't appear hurt).  I heard the code calls on the intercom, but don't remember what they were. Headed down to the Atrium, where I did see the one lady on the floor flailing.  I went over to see if she was OK.  There were a couple of people assisting her, and she was able to get up with their help, so I figured she was OK.

 

The crew were there moving people away from the windows and the bartender trying to put the gate over the liquor.  I'll assume it was keep it from flying around, but I'm sure NCL didn't mind if they didn't lose as much, either.  Crew were professional and "on point" on what to do.  They were impressive.  Frankly, there wasn't much I could do to assist so I went upstairs to the casino to see if there were anything I could do there.

 

There was a lot of spilled drinks and water/ice on the floor.  I DID NOT see anyone crushed by a slot machine.  I did see one sitting upright on the ground, but no one was around it.  I actually saw one guy calmly playing his slot. I guess he was bound and determined that any money he put into it, he was getting his worth out of it.  I finally saw a lady helping people get up and walk (assuming they had fallen).  She was a passenger and I asked if I could help.  She said to just make sure no one was passed out somewhere under a table.  Again, the crew made certain of that....all professionally and calmly.  As I was getting ready to leave and go see if I could help elsewhere, I talked to the nurse about injuries. She said she had been in the casino since the start of the incident and the only thing she saw was a lady lose her footing and bang her head on a slot machine.  THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT A SLOT MACHINE FELL ON ANYONE, nor did this nurse, who was there the whole time, see anyone get crushed by a slot machine.  If that had happened, that's not something that would be hidden.  Or, something that would be immediately cleaned up.  

 

I headed to 16 (taking the stairs up 8-9 flights, while the ship was listing, reminded me how out of shape I really am).  There was lots of water/drinks on the floor of the Garden Cafe.  Some people had fallen and were either being helped by others or crew to stand up.  

 

About this time (almost exactly midnight) the Captain called "all clear".

 

I was in it from the very beginning, and saw several decks in the process.  So, let me be crystal about what I saw and felt.

 

-The crew were exemplary.  At no time did I see or hear any fear from them.  

-The Captain and the CD were also calm on the intercom.  There was no fear or indecisiveness with either.  They kept everyone appraised on what was happening and what to do.

-I did not see any blood, anywhere, except on the few people who posted their scratches from the incident.  Doesn't mean there wasn't blood somewhere.  Just that on the 6,7,8 and deck 16 busy areas, I saw none.

-I think the final ordeal lasted about an hour.  It was a VIOLENT and SUDDEN wind, as the Captain called it.  I'm saying it was a 15º list.  I don't know about the official report, but it was hard to walk, and things did go flying around.  And, it indeed, throw me out of bed.

-I never felt in danger.  I was anxious as I had no idea what was going on.  What made me even more anxious, I didn't know what caused it.  The wind was loud...very loud, but it almost seemed like there were other unknown weather factors involved. At one point I even thought there could be such a thing as a "KraKEN".

 

 

[graphicguy]

(cont)....I know there were injuries, as I saw people fall and when we docked in Port Canaveral (the first port stop 36 hours later) I saw one ambulance take some people away.  There may have been more ambulances, but there was definitely not a "string of them" as I had heard reported.

 

I talked to yet another nurse who assisted (passenger) later in the week.  She was also in the casino.  She said the only thing she treated were sprains, pulled muscles, bumps and bruises.  She said she also went to 16 before I got there, and treated the same things.

 

The vast majority of the passengers did not freak out.  I did see a few who did.  Then, I saw the posts from instagram......I can't for the life of me understand how clothes can come flying out of your closet or luggage like I saw in one instagram.  I saw the couple on board who posted it, too.  I'll keep it to myself regarding my opinion.

 

It lasted about an hour.  And it wasn't like the ship listed 15º and then stayed there.  It went back and forth, listing, righting itself, listing again, righting itself again, etc.  So, everything rolled around a lot.

 

Posted pics in the other thread I started, so no sense in repeating them.  But, I lost a plate.  I lost strawberries (one to my big fat feet).  I lost one balcony chair and one balcony table.  My carpets were wet until the next day. I almost lost my phone, but my cabin steward, after being up all night cleaning the hallways, found the phone in my cabin behind the sliding glass door drapes at 7:30 a.m. the next morning.  My clothes did not "slide" or "fall" anywhere.  My backpack, which was on the couch, ended up on the floor and some of my electronics fell out, but that's because I hadn't zipped them into the back pack.

 

By the time we left Canaveral, everyone was back on the ship who were treated.  I saw the lady who hit her head on the slot machine with a bandana type thingy with ice on her forehead later in the cruise.  I saw the lady who fell down around the Atrium bar, back at it, at nearly the exact same spot, tilting a few....looked no worse for the wear.

 

Could have been a lot worse.  Saw the media reports.  Jeez-Louise, they were so far off and wrong as to what happened.  Saw some passenger reports, too.  Yeah...it was scary, but it didn't keep you from getting off at the first port (Canaveral) and not re-boarding.  So, I'll take it they were fine.

 

Plus, now I've got an experience to share with my fellow cruisers when I take my next cruise.  

 

Eventful....and this was just the first day of the cruise.  I'll have the rest coming up later.

[Laszlo]

Thanks for the Great read!!!!

[Greenpea2]

So glad to hear a "real" report! Thank you for all the details you witnessed.

[Von & John]

Thanks for the review & the recap of the Listing Event.

Enjoying the cruise w/ you...

[jaja]

Thanks for a great 1st hand report....!!!  And I am so glad you had a good time !!