Questions - Technically a NCL Newbie!

[Lunur]

Hello,

 

Returning to NCL after several years, so I'm technically a Newbie! Leaving early July on the Epic out of Barcelona.

 

What bath/shower products are provided? We are in a regular, non-Haven, suite. Is there hair conditioner, or should I bring my own?

 

I see post regarding show reservations. Does the entertainment cost extra?

 

In the casino, are you able to charge to your sail and sign card for the slots, or is it cash only?

 

I really appreciate help and any other suggestions you may have!

 

Happy cruising!

[Harratine]

If you are either the July 3 week or the July 10 week, we will see you on the ship.   There will be shampoo and conditioner for your use, not sure on brand.

 

After Covid, I don’t believe there is much competition on getting into shows, so probably won’t need reservations.

 

Not sure on the casino question

[Lunur]

Thank you! We will embark on July 3 in Barcelona! Coming up fast! I appreciate your help. See you on board!

[complawyer]

if you get the chance you should definitely try and stay over in barcelona either before or after your cruise. it's an amazing and beautiful city. especially sangrada familia cathedral.

 

ive threatened my wife about leaving her and moving to barcelona, but after 53 years of marriage, she just laughs and calls my bluff. but seriously, it's worth it if you can stay a few days

[phillygwm]

4 hours ago, Lunur said:

What bath/shower products are provided? We are in a regular, non-Haven, suite. Is there hair conditioner, or should I bring my own?

 

I see post regarding show reservations. Does the entertainment cost extra?

 

In the casino, are you able to charge to your sail and sign card for the slots, or is it cash only?

 

The shower has a dispenser with shampoo and body wash.  It isn't anything high end so feel free to pack your own.

 

For the big production shows you'll need reservations, however the shows are included in your fare.

 

In the casino you have a few options:  1) You can charge it to your room, but there's a 3% surcharge.  If you're using a card with 3% on travel purchases, it evens out; 2) There are ATM's in the casino.  There's a fee, something like $6.95; 3) You can establish a line of credit with the casino.  The minimum is $5K, which is not to say you have to gamble that much.  This requires an application process and NCL credit staff calling your bank to verifying there are sufficient funds in your account.  I don't know about you but I don't typically keep $5K in my checking account.  So I ask when they're going to call, I'll move the funds in, then move the funds out after I get the approval.  You would settle up (via check) at the end of the cruise.  That's free.

 

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by phillygwm

[FLAHAM]

I don’t believe the Epic has “regular, non-Haven suites.”

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, Lunur said:

Hello,

 

Returning to NCL after several years, so I'm technically a Newbie! Leaving early July on the Epic out of Barcelona.

 

What bath/shower products are provided? We are in a regular, non-Haven, suite. Is there hair conditioner, or should I bring my own?

 

I see post regarding show reservations. Does the entertainment cost extra?

 

In the casino, are you able to charge to your sail and sign card for the slots, or is it cash only?

 

I really appreciate help and any other suggestions you may have!

 

Happy cruising!

There are no non-Haven suites on the Epic. So, I assume you are in a Club balcony (used to be called a minisuite. There are a couple of perks if you are in a club room including 1 bag of laundry. 
 

There is liquid soap dispenser at the sink. And liquid shampoo/conditioner dispenser and bath gel dispenser in the shower. 
 

Main theater shows including Burn the Floor and Priscilla are all complimentary. BTF and Priscilla have reservations. There is one (unnamed) dinner show in the Spiegel Tent which has a few. All other entertainment is free. 
 

Charging to your room incurs a 3% service charge unless you are an upper tier casino player. Consider that $500 advance would cost $15 fee versus the ATM which will charge you $6.99. 
 

Show up early for Cavern Club shows. Fills up fast. 
 

We have sailed on the Epic 7 times and enjoy the ship. 

Edited June 20, 2022 by BirdTravels

[Lunur]

8 hours ago, complawyer said:

if you get the chance you should definitely try and stay over in barcelona either before or after your cruise. it's an amazing and beautiful city. especially sangrada familia cathedral.

 

ive threatened my wife about leaving her and moving to barcelona, but after 53 years of marriage, she just laughs and calls my bluff. but seriously, it's worth it if you can stay a few days

LOL, Thanks! We are flying in the day before. I wish it were longer, but I guess we will have to come back!. Appreciate the advice!

[Lunur]

Great advice everyone. Thank you so much! My reservation confirmation shows "Club Balcony Suite," maybe just how they marketed it. Glad to know about the laundry.

 

Thanks again! Truly appreciate the advice!

[phillygwm]

3 minutes ago, Lunur said:

Great advice everyone. Thank you so much! My reservation confirmation shows "Club Balcony Suite," maybe just how they marketed it. Glad to know about the laundry.

 

Yes, "Club Balcony Suite" isn't a suite, not even close.  It's really just a slightly larger balcony cabin with a couple perks (a bag of laundry, some goodies, but not much else.)  I do prefer the Club Balconies and will pay a (small) premium just because the bathroom/toilet area is larger which is a really nice benefit for a bigger boy like me.

[cruisekitty22]

The shampoo/conditioner is terrible.  Bring your own!

[ChiefMateJRK]

15 hours ago, phillygwm said:

You would settle up (via check) at the end of the cruise.  That's free.

You take your check book on a cruise?  Really?

[cruiserbear55]

18 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

You take your check book on a cruise?  Really?

      CAS rules state you will provide a check to the casino cashier before any funds are disbursed. So, yeah, I guess you'd need a check!!

[Twocoasts]

FYI--You do need show reservations. Burn the floor was fully booked when we were on a couple of weeks ago. We got in right as the curtain was going up because there were some no-shows.

[phillygwm]

56 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

You take your check book on a cruise?  Really?

You need to bring a check (drawn on the account you provided NCL) to open your line of credit on the ship.  On the last night, if you have an outstanding balance, you'd just fill out the amount.  If your balance was zero, they'd return the check to you.

 

Is it a hassle?  Sure.  The paperwork takes some time (maybe 10 minutes?) to open/close the line.  Plus, I so rarely write checks.  But it's cheaper than billing it to your room or going for multiple ATM hits.

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by phillygwm

[ChiefMateJRK]

33 minutes ago, cruiserbear55 said:

CAS rules state you will provide a check to the casino cashier before any funds are disbursed. So, yeah, I guess you'd need a check!!

 

8 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

You need to bring a check (drawn on the account you provided NCL) to open your line of credit on the ship.  On the last night, if you have an outstanding balance, you'd just fill out the amount.  If your balance was zero, they'd return the check to you.

Wow.  How 1950's.  😎  Fortunately, at the level I gamble, cash works just fine.

[phillygwm]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

 

Wow.  How 1950's.  😎  

Tell me about it.  My job, literally (among other things,) is getting corporate banking clients to move away from checks to electronic disbursements.  I have one personal check each month, to my HOA, and I let my online billpay service handle that.  Otherwise, hardly ever.

[cruiserbear55]

44 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

 

Wow.  How 1950's.  😎  Fortunately, at the level I gamble, cash works just fine.

  

   I'm sure they require the check as an additional form of payment for all the folks who, at the end of the week, don't have enough credit on their cards or have limits on ATM withdrawal amounts, and can't come up with the funds to pay off the credit line.

Then if someone tenders a bad instrument ( writes a bad check) NCL would have the option of filing charges and having the offending person arrested and charged with a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the amount of the check.

  

 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, phillygwm said:

Tell me about it.  My job, literally (among other things,) is getting corporate banking clients to move away from checks to electronic disbursements.  I have one personal check each month, to my HOA, and I let my online billpay service handle that.  Otherwise, hardly ever.

Yeah... I really want to give NCL my routing number and account number. They can't even get my bar bill correct. I suppose I could move money around so that there is very little in the account so they can't "accidentally" drain my savings. 

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, Lunur said:

Great advice everyone. Thank you so much! My reservation confirmation shows "Club Balcony Suite," maybe just how they marketed it. Glad to know about the laundry.

 

Thanks again! Truly appreciate the advice!

So,,, we always book a Club Balcony on the Epic. It gives you a full size shower versus the "transporter tube - literally" and give you more space around the toilet. 

[phillygwm]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Yeah... I really want to give NCL my routing number and account number. They can't even get my bar bill correct. I suppose I could move money around so that there is very little in the account so they can't "accidentally" drain my savings. 

I'm not worried about that; you have 60 days to dispute an ACH debit and if they don't have an authorization from you, you'll win that one easily.  Of course, the funds are out of your account until your bank puts them back in, which can be a few days (or more...)

 

[jkrislc]

As others have said, you should really considering bringing your own conditioner if you use it as NCL only provides shampoo. They claim it's conditioning shampoo, but it's barely shampoo and I didn't experience anything that would suggest it was conditioning.

[cruiseny4life]

10 hours ago, jkrislc said:

As others have said, you should really considering bringing your own conditioner if you use it as NCL only provides shampoo. They claim it's conditioning shampoo, but it's barely shampoo and I didn't experience anything that would suggest it was conditioning.

I'm not a girl so maybe I just don't understand...I've also been balding since 17, but won't your hair survive just fine for a week or two at sea? Heck, I've used bar soap on my hair before!