This didn't start well - Encore

[Homosassa]

First, let me point out that I am not a  NCL cheerleader.  It is a cruise line that is on my personal "Do Not Sail" list for many reasons.

 

However, to be fair, a cruise line can not control the wind and tides that may make a safe entrance into a port a problem at any given time.

 

While a rowboat admiral may be standing on the deck of a ship with the sun shining down, the marine conditions (tides, currents, winds) that are predicted for a port may be telling a different story to the ship's captain and navigation staff.

 

I just looked at the NOAA website and a site specific for the Dominican Republic. There are marine warnings out for the waters of the southern Atlantic and  northeast Caribbean.  They are unchanged from yesterday when I looked  them up.

 

There may very well be wind, tide, and current problems  for entrance into Dominican Republic ports.

 

[Turtles06]

(Deleted)

Edited December 21, 2022 by Turtles06

[Vegasgreg19]

I have commented in another thread about this very thing. NCL knows but plays the "unforeseen" card to save face. We are going on the Encore 1-15-23 and I have been seeing alot about this and the changes recently. I don't have issues with the changes but just be upfront about them. Don't play the "oh gee guess we will not be able to dock there today!" card when they in fact know before hand that we aren't docking there due to the issues with the ports in DR.

[SeaShark]

3 hours ago, TominNC said:

Consider me to be making a judgement on value.  And as to the cheerleader part, anyone who spends any time here knows  there are those who defend their line of choice to the bitter end.

 

As do they know that "cheerleader" is a passive-aggressive insult toward anyone who disagrees with someone who just has an axe to grind.

 

If a point is valid, it can be made without resorting to demeaning labels. You simply can't expect 100% of the people to agree with you 100% of the time. This is a public discussion forum...not a support group.

[SeaShark]

2 hours ago, Homosassa said:

First, let me point out that I am not a  NCL cheerleader.  It is a cruise line that is on my personal "Do Not Sail" list for many reasons.

 

 

Maybe, but IMHO that carries a lot more weight when you aren't scanning, reading, and posting to their boards. Doing so is like stalking someone after a break up. When it's really over you simply just move on.

[AwesomO]

3 hours ago, Homosassa said:

 

 

I just looked at the NOAA website and a site specific for the Dominican Republic. There are marine warnings out for the waters of the southern Atlantic and  northeast Caribbean.  They are unchanged from yesterday when I looked  them up.

 

There may very well be wind, tide, and current problems  for entrance into Dominican Republic ports.

 

The Escape was damaged when trying to leave Taino Bay back in March of this year. Yes, it was winds that caused the issue. But since then, none of NCL's larger ships have gone to Taino Bay. In my own research, the only NCL ship I have confirmation of stopping there since then has been the Sky, one of their smallest ships. Every other DR visit has been into Amber Cove. Not sure why you are so adamant that it's the weather keeping NCL out of Taino Bay when there has been months of evidence that NCL is avoiding Taino Bay with its larger ships. 

[TominNC]

It is what it is.  I’m sure most are having a good time

[ggTexasGal]

1 hour ago, AwesomO said:

The Escape was damaged when trying to leave Taino Bay back in March of this year. Yes, it was winds that caused the issue. But since then, none of NCL's larger ships have gone to Taino Bay. In my own research, the only NCL ship I have confirmation of stopping there since then has been the Sky, one of their smallest ships. Every other DR visit has been into Amber Cove. Not sure why you are so adamant that it's the weather keeping NCL out of Taino Bay when there has been months of evidence that NCL is avoiding Taino Bay with its larger ships. 

You are mistaken!

The Encore did dock at Taino Bay on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, and it was a nice, easy, walk into the Taino Bay complex to gather for excursions, or for shopping in the stores there.

Edited December 21, 2022 by ggTexasGal
added photos

[Homosassa]

3 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

Maybe, but IMHO that carries a lot more weight when you aren't scanning, reading, and posting to their boards. Doing so is like stalking someone after a break up. When it's really over you simply just move on.

May be, but the entertainment value of certain cruise line boards are irresistible. 

 

Also general cruise knowledge that applies across the board to all cruise lines can be helpful to many questions asked by cruisers.

 

As far as the break up and stalking comment goes, sometimes you just want to warn the newest target of what is in store for them....

[PATRLR]

5 hours ago, Homosassa said:

First, let me point out that I am not a  NCL cheerleader.  It is a cruise line that is on my personal "Do Not Sail" list for many reasons.

 

However, to be fair, a cruise line can not control the wind and tides that may make a safe entrance into a port a problem at any given time.

 

While a rowboat admiral may be standing on the deck of a ship with the sun shining down, the marine conditions (tides, currents, winds) that are predicted for a port may be telling a different story to the ship's captain and navigation staff.

 

I just looked at the NOAA website and a site specific for the Dominican Republic. There are marine warnings out for the waters of the southern Atlantic and  northeast Caribbean.  They are unchanged from yesterday when I looked  them up.

 

There may very well be wind, tide, and current problems  for entrance into Dominican Republic ports.

 

It's been pretty well known that NCL is not using Taino Bay.  For our Nov 13 Encore cruise, I knew by looking at  a couple port tracking sites and the Amber Cove site that Encore was going to Amber Cove - I knew it weeks before we got onboard.  I'm sure eeveryone at NCL knew it too.  But we weren't told until we got onboard.  NCL is simply atrocious at communicating with its passengers and there really is no reason to be that way.

 

[wil e coyote]

At the risk of being lumped into the "cheerleader" crowd, I'll simply observe that there is a lot we don't know, and probably can't know unless we find someone at NCL who will tell us.

Is it possible that NCL is planning ships into the DR with no intention of actually docking there? Yes, though I'd like to hope this isn't the case.

Is it possible that NCL is working to get back into Taino Bay with their larger ships and can't predict when that work will conclude? Yes, this is possible too. Perhaps NCL is negotiating with their insurers as some have speculated. Perhaps Taino Bay is planning to do some dredging work and it keeps slipping out. Perhaps it is something else.

I'm not claiming any of these possibilities are in fact what is happening - simply that there are other possible explanations. I do think it is interesting that the Escape is on Taino Bay's schedule every Monday into the beginning of January.

[kitkat343]

The Getaway has been cancelled for the Dominican Republic's sailing leaving on 1/8, replacing it with a sea day.  There were already two ships scheduled in Amber cove for our sailing, so it was unlikely this would happen.  The question was whether they would redirect us or add a sea day, and they chose to replace a port with a sea day.  

[AwesomO]

Happy to be mistaken that the Encore has visited at leastnonce since March. Not sure how many more times that was the case. Too bad it's not easier information to find. 

[KAYKAY121]

On 12/20/2022 at 12:47 PM, TominNC said:

No dress up days.It’s NCL

I know. But there are usually two with Dress UP or NOT in the dailies. 

[Homosassa]

44 minutes ago, KAYKAY121 said:

I know. But there are usually two with Dress UP or NOT in the dailies. 

This is correct.  Even on non-dress up days, there will be a recommended dress code that will be enforced in one of the dining rooms and other on board restaurants.  

 

If one wishes to eat in those venues, the dress code will be enforced.

 

(Stated as one that started cruising NCL in 1978 and has a long perspective of the on board NCL experience and not as the newly designated category of "Cruise Line  Board Stalker. See Post #30).

[SeaShark]

30 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Stated as one that started cruising NCL in 1978 and has a long perspective of the on board NCL experience... 

 

Maybe, but your perspective of NCL is skewed negative to the point where you won't cruise with them again. So your viewpoint is biased negative, and that bias has to be considered along with the advice you offer.

 

1 hour ago, KAYKAY121 said:

I know. But there are usually two with Dress UP or NOT in the dailies. 

 

Dress UP or NOT really is misleading and irrelevant, no? The dress code, fwiw, is the exact same each and every day on NCL. You can dress up or not each and every day as you see fit. There is no restaurant or venue on any ship that changes their dress code based on a "dress up or not" schedule.

 

 

It has been two DECADES since NCL did away with the "traditional" dress codes and moved to freestyle. Its about time we, as guests, move on from the pointless "formal wear" debates.

Edited December 22, 2022 by SeaShark

[KAYKAY121]

26 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Maybe, but your perspective of NCL is skewed negative to the point where you won't cruise with them again. So your viewpoint is biased negative, and that bias has to be considered along with the advice you offer.

 

 

Dress UP or NOT really is misleading and irrelevant, no? The dress code, fwiw, is the exact same each and every day on NCL. You can dress up or not each and every day as you see fit. There is no restaurant or venue on any ship that changes their dress code based on a "dress up or not" schedule.

 

 

It has been two DECADES since NCL did away with the "traditional" dress codes and moved to freestyle. Its about time we, as guests, move on from the pointless "formal wear" debates.

I was just looking for which days they designate as Dress up or Not in the daily as they have several camera stations on those days. As a seasoned NCL Cruiser, I understand there is no dress code. Right now the daily only shows it on day 3 but my past cruises have had two. Thanks for the very detailed explanation. 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by KAYKAY121

[SeaShark]

15 minutes ago, KAYKAY121 said:

I was just looking for which days they designate as Dress up or Not in the daily as they have several camera stations on those days. As a seasoned NCL Cruiser, I understand there is no dress code. Right now the daily only shows it on day 3 but my past cruises have had two. Thanks for the very detailed explanation. 

 

 

Well, I was on the Encore just this month. Surprise of surprises, there are camera stations set up each and every day...no special day required. Not only that, but since they now have the perspectives studio, one can arrange of those special photos whenever they choose.

 

BTW...Freestyle cruising's dirty little secret is that EVERY day is designated as "Dress Up or Not" day.

[Homosassa]

7 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

 

It has been two DECADES since NCL did away with the "traditional" dress codes and moved to freestyle. Its about time we, as guests, move on from the pointless "formal wear" debates.

Over and over again we see the misinterpretation of "Freestyle" as only being about a dress code.

 

When it was introduced it was defined, and still is, as the idea that one is free to follow one's own schedule and not be forced to follow a fixed schedule. 

 

One of the components of following one's own schedule is also the idea of being free to dress up or not.

 

However, NCL also recognized that there are passengers who enjoy dressing nicely at dinner and appreciate being in an atmosphere where dressing up is encouraged. To that end, there were provisions to have dining options where the recommended dress code is enforced in a MDR and some other  food operations.

 

(Revising the title of  my Do Not Sail" list " to ""Will Sail under Very Limited Circumstances")

[SeaShark]

9 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Over and over again we see the misinterpretation of "Freestyle" as only being about a dress code.

 

 

Speaking of "misinterpretation", where did someone say that freestyle was "ONLY" about a dress code?

[ChiefMateJRK]

6 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Speaking of "misinterpretation", where did someone say that freestyle was "ONLY" about a dress code?

Nowhere.  When I first cruised NCL, it was marketed as mostly no assigned dining times but also no formal dress codes.  I think they also advertised that by pre-paying gratuities and DSC, you were "free" to not worry about tipping.  I embrace all of those.😎

[TominNC]

On 12/22/2022 at 10:44 AM, Homosassa said:

This is correct.  Even on non-dress up days, there will be a recommended dress code that will be enforced in one of the dining rooms and other on board restaurants.  

 

If one wishes to eat in those venues, the dress code will be enforced.

 

(Stated as one that started cruising NCL in 1978 and has a long perspective of the on board NCL experience and not as the newly designated category of "Cruise Line  Board Stalker. See Post #30).

Saw plenty of non dress code attire in the main dining room (after first night).  We did get a message the day before our dinner at Ocean Blue reminding us of the dress code. 

[cruiseny4life]

On 12/25/2022 at 3:29 PM, TominNC said:

Saw plenty of non dress code attire in the main dining room (after first night).  We did get a message the day before our dinner at Ocean Blue reminding us of the dress code. 

Which main dining room? Only one requires fancy dress up gear. In the others I can be comfy and not have disgusted looks from fellow beautifully dressed passengers wondering how dare I, a knuckle dragging Neanderthal, was allowed in. 

[CruizinSusan70]

On 12/22/2022 at 12:00 PM, SeaShark said:

 

Well, I was on the Encore just this month. Surprise of surprises, there are camera stations set up each and every day...no special day required. Not only that, but since they now have the perspectives studio, one can arrange of those special photos whenever they choose.

 

BTW...Freestyle cruising's dirty little secret is that EVERY day is designated as "Dress Up or Not" day.

Since you recently cruised on the Encore, are long pants required in the Manhattan dining room for men?  They were not required on our Bliss or multiple Escape sailings nor at Hudson's on the Prima. We have two nights reserved at Onda and just wanted to know about the other five.

[AnitaVacation]

On 12/20/2022 at 12:50 PM, TominNC said:

And it gets worse. Just announce that”due to unforeseen circumstances” we’re not going to Puerto Plata.  So two ports we sign  up for and we go to neither.

 

And the “unforeseen”is total BS. They knew damn well we couldn’t go there so why sell the cruise.

 

Shows cancelled, ports cancelled. Time to check out other lines.

We were fed that same line a few weeks ago on the Getaway... it's not 'unforeseen' at this point... they know they cannot dock there.... I think they wait until the last minute to see what other arrangements (other ports) are available, for us, there were none... and too rough to tender to the beach...so three sea days, YAY! 🙄 (and still no refund of port fee)

 

Seems like NCL is making alot of bad decisions lately...

 

ps.... you cheerleaders crack me up...