Norwegian Priority Access - worth it?

[anykiad]

Hello,

Has anyone purchased the Norwegian Priority Access for their cruise and if so did they find it was worth the value. We're taking a 5 day cruise so priority access is offered to us at $99. For me I think it might be worth it because we booked 3rd party excursions and I would hate to miss them because we're waiting to get off the ship and tender priority is offered with the "priority access" package. 

Here is what NCL lists the advantages of the package are:

 

• Priority Check-In and Boarding
• Tender Priority When Applicable (Off the Ship)
• Priority Debarkation (Homeport)
• Daily Complimentary Standard Room Service Breakfast
• $50 Spa Discount per person (Port Days Only)
• Complimentary Canapés (Second Day of Cruise)

 

My main question is has anyone taken advantage of this package and do you feel the value is worth the price? 

Thanks! 

[tallnthensome]

I have yet to read one account where people have said it was worth it. There haven’t been too many accounts of people even purchasing it. Are your ports all tendered or  some docked? 

[anykiad]

11 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

I have yet to read one account where people have said it was worth it. There haven’t been too many accounts of people even purchasing it. Are your ports all tendered or  some docked? 

How do I know if the port is tendered or docked. We are stopping at Key West and Cozumel Mexico. 

[Liljo22]

5 minutes ago, anykiad said:

How do I know if the port is tendered or docked. We are stopping at Key West and Cozumel Mexico. 

Those are both docked.  
 

By all accounts it’s not worth it. 

[anykiad]

Just now, Liljo22 said:

Those are both docked.  
 

By all accounts it’s not worth it. 

Thank you SO MUCH! We'll pass up on this.

[Comi.uy]

$99 for that seems like an awful deal.

[coldferret]

We were on a cruise out of Tampa in January when many if not all got an e mail a couple of days before sailing stating that no one should arrive before noon and that they would be turned away if they did. We were sitting next to a couple that had paid for priority so you can imagine their feelings. Then salt was rubbed in  when people on our roll call posted that they had showed up early anyway and were not turned away plus they started boarding at 11.

Debarking was worse as they decided they were not going to honor the color tags and we had people with early flights and yellow tags being held in a waiting area while other colors were called.

[YankeesFan4Life]

I booked it..  For a hundred bucks, you get $50 per person spa credit, which we’ll most likely use.  Our itinerary has us at GSC twice, so instead of waiting and waiting for a tender, and getting shut out of a shady spot, we figured why not take advantage....We plan to get to the cruise port around 11am or so, figuring we could get right on the ship, instead of waiting for our boarding group, which was about an hour and a half of waiting around last time. Don’t care much about the breakfast, or the canapés, but more for the tenders and the early boarding.  Still wondering if our baggage will also be prioritized to get to the room.  Had to wait til almost 4:30 last time on BA..

[esm54687]

20 minutes ago, YankeesFan4Life said:

I booked it..  For a hundred bucks, you get $50 per person spa credit, which we’ll most likely use.  Our itinerary has us at GSC twice, so instead of waiting and waiting for a tender, and getting shut out of a shady spot, we figured why not take advantage....We plan to get to the cruise port around 11am or so, figuring we could get right on the ship, instead of waiting for our boarding group, which was about an hour and a half of waiting around last time. Don’t care much about the breakfast, or the canapés, but more for the tenders and the early boarding.  Still wondering if our baggage will also be prioritized to get to the room.  Had to wait til almost 4:30 last time on BA..

Just make sure you understand the Spa credit has this condition: "Offer is only valid on port days for any 50 minute or more face or body treatments."

 

So that $50 credit may cost you $200 to actually use it. 

[Named-Tawny]

3 hours ago, anykiad said:

• Daily Complimentary Standard Room Service Breakfast

Isn't the standard room service (continental) breakfast already free?  Or has that changed?  (Or do I misunderstand what they mean by standard?)

[YankeesFan4Life]

1 hour ago, esm54687 said:

Just make sure you understand the Spa credit has this condition: "Offer is only valid on port days for any 50 minute or more face or body treatments."

 

So that $50 credit may cost you $200 to actually use it. 

Hmmm that’s good to know....I assume that a couples massage would qualify, we’ll see in a few weeks!

[YankeesFan4Life]

16 minutes ago, Named-Tawny said:

Isn't the standard room service (continental) breakfast already free?  Or has that changed?  (Or do I misunderstand what they mean by standard?)

I think there’s typically a $7.95 fee

[Named-Tawny]

20 minutes ago, YankeesFan4Life said:

I think there’s typically a $7.95 fee

 At least when I last sailed (about three years ago) the $7.95 fee was for anything other than the continental breakfast, which was still free.  =(

My dear partner is not going to be happy.

[ColeThornton]

From the NCL Frequently Asked Questions;

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#norwegian-cruise-line-now-charging-room-service

[Comi.uy]

5 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

From the NCL Frequently Asked Questions;

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#norwegian-cruise-line-now-charging-room-service

Buffet breakfast is just way better anyway. The few times we did it, explaining by phone what you want is a big hassle, for us at least.

[Named-Tawny]

From the FAQ:
"Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge of up to $9.95 USD will be added to each order placed (Morning coffee, continental breakfast and orders placed by guests sailing in The Haven will not attract a charge)"

Phew!  Good to know.

Always so nice to have a first breakfast of fruit and pastries while getting ready, and then heading to the MDR for second breakfast. 😃

 

[anykiad]

2 hours ago, Named-Tawny said:

Isn't the standard room service (continental) breakfast already free?  Or has that changed?  (Or do I misunderstand what they mean by standard?)

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking...because isn't "standard" breakfast is on the regular room service menu

[anykiad]

1 hour ago, Named-Tawny said:

From the FAQ:
"Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge of up to $9.95 USD will be added to each order placed (Morning coffee, continental breakfast and orders placed by guests sailing in The Haven will not attract a charge)"

Phew!  Good to know.

Always so nice to have a first breakfast of fruit and pastries while getting ready, and then heading to the MDR for second breakfast. 😃

 

Second Breakfast 💓

[wilycoyote76]

7 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

I have yet to read one account where people have said it was worth it. There haven’t been too many accounts of people even purchasing it. Are your ports all tendered or  some docked? 

I’ve seen a couple trip reports that thought it was worth it to ensure getting the Vibe passes.  Other than that, it’s been lukewarm. I went ahead and got it for my trip to get the Vibe passes and hoping it helps me get off the ship faster for my 12:30pm flight out of LGA.  I was excited about using it to get an omelette in the morning but the reviews for room service omelettes sound awful lol.

[owlgirl31]

On 2/22/2020 at 2:26 PM, coldferret said:

We were on a cruise out of Tampa in January when many if not all got an e mail a couple of days before sailing stating that no one should arrive before noon and that they would be turned away if they did. We were sitting next to a couple that had paid for priority so you can imagine their feelings. Then salt was rubbed in  when people on our roll call posted that they had showed up early anyway and were not turned away plus they started boarding at 11.

Debarking was worse as they decided they were not going to honor the color tags and we had people with early flights and yellow tags being held in a waiting area while other colors were called.

Absolutely we had the priority pas on this sailing and got totally screwed. we id use the 50 credits toward massages in the spa.

 

[anykiad]

6 hours ago, owlgirl31 said:

Absolutely we had the priority pas on this sailing and got totally screwed. we id use the 50 credits toward massages in the spa.

 

That really sucks! 

[dexddd]

On 2/22/2020 at 1:27 PM, YankeesFan4Life said:

I booked it..  For a hundred bucks, you get $50 per person spa credit, which we’ll most likely use.  Our itinerary has us at GSC twice, so instead of waiting and waiting for a tender, and getting shut out of a shady spot, we figured why not take advantage....We plan to get to the cruise port around 11am or so, figuring we could get right on the ship, instead of waiting for our boarding group, which was about an hour and a half of waiting around last time. Don’t care much about the breakfast, or the canapés, but more for the tenders and the early boarding.  Still wondering if our baggage will also be prioritized to get to the room.  Had to wait til almost 4:30 last time on BA..

We've stayed in suites and not really any special rush for bags to get delivered.  At the port they get lumped on cart with everyone else.

[YankeesFan4Life]

4 minutes ago, dexddd said:

We've stayed in suites and not really any special rush for bags to get delivered.  At the port they get lumped on cart with everyone else.

 

Was wondering, like at the airport, if you buy first class, or have priority access or something, they put a tag on the luggage so it's first on the baggage carousel.  Oh well...

[noahboo9802]

Folks let me help you here - it's a scam or even fraud.  $249 for a 10-day cruise.  No priority embarkation....the staff had never heard of PA.  No PA during tender as we had an excursion planned.  When disembarking, the staff had never heard of PA and the process was an un-mitigated disaster.  I filed a formal complaint x2 and still haven't heard back from Norwegian after 16 days.  Frankly, this is 100% unethical on their part.  We will never go on Norwegian again.

[laudergayle]

1 hour ago, noahboo9802 said:

Folks let me help you here - it's a scam or even fraud.  $249 for a 10-day cruise.  No priority embarkation....the staff had never heard of PA.  No PA during tender as we had an excursion planned.  When disembarking, the staff had never heard of PA and the process was an un-mitigated disaster.  I filed a formal complaint x2 and still haven't heard back from Norwegian after 16 days.  Frankly, this is 100% unethical on their part.  We will never go on Norwegian again.

Where were you sailing and on what ship?  We have PA on an upcoming trip.