TR--NCL Encore Caribbean poker cruise 12/4-12

[KKB]

Well, better late than never!

Since we tacked on a week in Vegas...and hit the ground running with holiday planning & prepping, I finally have a moment to breathe today. 

 

DH won this cruise in 2019 on another poker cruise...and thank you, COVID, it took 3 years to finally go!

This is my 9th cruise this year (DH's 5th...I'm doing some solo cruising for the 1st time this year, THANK YOU retirement!)

Our 2019 cruise was on the Getaway & that is what I sailed for 2 weeks solo in August, loving what I loved before (and still begrudging NCL's shortcomings)

 

I will do a "subject" review...sharing my thoughts on the various aspects of the cruise.

 

We stayed at our local casino & I hit 4 deuces THREE times that day--a nice start to our trip!!

 

We had a bizarre Lyft incident trying to get from MIA to our hotel...I SPECIFICALLY said what door/pick up area we were at (letter & number) & somehow this guy could not find us. Said he was there...I'm texting, no answer & the guy can't find us &  WON'T CANCEL THE RIDE. Seriously, it went on for about 30 min. I could NOT find a way to contact Lyft...I finally did Uber, got a guy right away, no issues, then the Lyft guy finally cancelled. Bizarre.

 

We stayed at the EVEN hotel in Miami. I really liked this hotel--it had it's own mini-gym IN the room!! Small bar & restaurant. Food was decent. Sat outside by the pool on a remarkably dry evening. 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by KKB

[KKB]

Embarkation...not nearly the cluster as at New Orleans, but I Celebrity & Princess are SO orderly in their embarkation, we are spoiled. But a VAST improvement over New Orleans. And a lovely pier.

 

Room---we upgraded from their TINY interiors to balcony, which cost us less than an Oceanview when we were allowed to use 2 Cruise Next certificates. We like a balcony. WE JUST NEVER USE IT. But NCL may be the only line that an interior is just TOO small for me (135 sq. ft? NOPE)

 

We were on deck 10--a great spot to make going up or down easy & we didn't always have to take elevators. (we take stairs a lot so we don't have to hit the gym!)

[KKB]

Food

MDR was good...about the same as Getaway. 

 

Specialty dining: LOVED our waterfront views, but these meals were NOT as good as my fantastic meals on the Getaway at the same restaurants. They were included, so..oh, well.

Cagneys--overall pretty good

Ocean Blue--OK

 

The Local--gosh we loved O'Shehans in 2019 but I was left disappointed in August. The Local is about the same...it was a little better than August but not as good as 2019. It was a better place to get an omelet in a timely manner than the buffet. But seating is bizarre with the bar area...people do not realize those tables are part of the restaurant.

 

Buffet--it was OK. Very very repetative.

 

Bar & drink service--servers were VERY few & far between in all areas of the ship. We tipped as we went along this trip. We usually give $20 to our fav bartenders/servers at the end, but it was clear early that would not be the case. Waits to get a drink at a bar were often long. If we walked by a bar with no one, we usually stopped as we knew it might be our only chance!

 

The Brew pub is a GREAT place with a great selection--that & the Q were usually good places to get a drink easily.

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by KKB

[KKB]

Entertainment:

We played trivia a few times...the 30 something couple who have sailed 20x together KINDA made it NOT as fun for the rest of us...I mean, how fun is it to see the same trivia over & over?

 

Movie Sketch Comedy by the Entertainment staff on the last night was HILARIOUS. Princess does a similar Hollywood Hiccups (which I LOVE), but this was a kick up! DO NOT MISS!

 

Choir of Man--HOLY COW! SPECTACULAR! Definitely one of the top 5 Broadway style shows I've ever seen. Loved the premise. The singers were the best male vocalists I have heard at sea--and it's a large cast! GET THERE EARLY! 

 

Kinky Boots--very good. The lead is FANTASTIC. I wish I had seen this one 1st. It is good, but Choir of Man was SO good, it was tough competition.

 

Beatles show--good, but a little low energy

 

I REALLY miss Syd Norman's & much prefer it to Club Cavern...to have 5 nights with Syd Norman performers is a vast improvement to a couple nights of Beatles (one more night was in theater) & the lackluster cover band the other nights

 

DH wandered into Q the next to last night...and found a GREAT country band! We wish we had found them earlier! The do all sorts of country from old (not our fav) to new, and they do it WELL. If you like country DO NOT MISS! Was NEVER crowded--only easy place to get a drink! Be SURE to try the smoked peach (I think it was peach) margarita!

Edited December 24, 2022 by KKB

[KKB]

Ports of Call

 

Great Stirrup Bay--LOVELY private island. Go past the 1st beach area & you will find may open seats on the next beach. Our poker "party" was on the 3rd area...a bit of a trek. Since drinks are included here, not sure the importance of the party. Food was quite good at the food truck & BBQ buffet. It POURED on us the last hour...luckily we had started walking toward the tenders & were under the covering as it began.

 

St. Thomas--I am not a fan of this port area. But we did stop at a neat open air bar, got a good drink & free wifi & chilled after walking around a bit. We have been to St. Thomas many times, so we were fine with this.

 

Tortola--Nice port area. Ended up at a little bar along the water called On the Rox. Sat there several hours, chatted up the owner & his girlfriend & he gave us his number, said give him a call next time we were in Tortola & he would give us a tour of the island. THAT makes for a special stop! VERY cool!

 

Amber Cove--Really a lovely port area, I had been in Aug. The pool area had been VERY crowded that day but wasn't so much that day, wish we had worn our suits. We did walk up to the Hill Top Bar (wanted to in Aug but I had tweaked a knee). FANTASTIC views. 

 

 

[KKB]

Poker: 

It was nearly as much a cluster as in 2019. 

One advantage was that the majority of the main event & such were held on one side of the Observation Lounge. They were a bit more organized than the casino but not HUGELY.

 

We played satellites to win a spot in the 2023 Poker challenge both there & in the casino. 

The casino had very poor organization (I remember that from 2019) & they do some strange things....they start when everyone is signed up, 30-60 min after announced start time...they do slot/blackjack/poker tournaments 30 min apart so doing more than one is nearly impossible...they are poor about balancing tables when players go out (and considering u usually started with 6 players that is a BIG deal)...they dealt to dead dealer buttons (I've played for 20 years, in Vegas, FL, IA & NEVER seen this).

 

All that being said...I WON A CRUISE/SPOT FOR 2023!! WOO HOO!

Joy Nov. 2023

DH did not cash in the tourney...got late into day 1 but that was it.

 

Gambling: I did well, Hit a .05 royal flush, 4 deuces several times, did well at a poker cash game one night.

Wish DH could say so much...🙃

Edited December 24, 2022 by KKB

[KKB]

Friday night after sitting in the theatre seats I stood up & my back went OUCH. No idea why.

But I was IN PAIN that night & next morning. 

Decided to buck up & book an overpriced massage as I didn't know what else to do.

(Long Island Ice Tea DID help...😉)

I ended up with a "deal"...not quite sure how...only about $100 more than I would pay at home.

Luckily it was a solid massage!

 

Final thoughts on the ship:

We didn't find the service we have on other ships...we didn't "connect" with any servers, bartenders, etc. like we have on other ships. On the Getaway in August I had bartenders come out & give me hugs the last day.

 

Uh, when you made the pool space too small for the number of passengers, so you put CHAIRS out all over the lido decks...VERY few loungers. 

I walked by TWO HUNDRED loungers in stacks strapped up back by the gym. I'm guessing when ship is less full they pull the chairs & put the loungers out. 

WHO WANTS TO SIT AT A CHAIR BY THE POOL. I have NEVER seen this to such an extent on ANY other ship. DESIGN FLAW

 

Atrium has the same issue...they would bring out folding chairs for various things as the space isn't large enough for what events they are doing there. 

Again, DESIGN FLAW

 

In many places audio was very loud...one JARRING moment on the deck when they were trying to get the soccer game audio one. It jolted all of us sunning straight up! It was remedied fairly quick, but WOW. And the gaming machines were pretty tightly packed & pretty loud...I quit playing some because the machines behind us were offensively loud. (that's never happened in other casinos where it was grating like that)

[KKB]

Disembarkation...pretty smooth...

LUCKILY we wisely get to airports  at least 2 hrs prior to departure...

We were flying to Vegas via Frontier.

Logging into Frontier kiosk at MIA & it says "NO RECORD AT THIS LOCATION"

Wait... WHAT??!!

HOLY CRAP WE ARE AT THE WRONG AIRPORT! 

Now, our flight shows delayed so we SHOULD be OK...BUT we all know, A delay is not ALWAYS a delay..

Run out, flag cabbie, say GET US THERE FAST.

That dude FLEW.

Car pool lane ($3 more...WORTH EVERY PENNY).

$120 later...ugh...RIGHT AIRPORT

 

BUT WAIT....the saga continues!!

 

We check out bags, go to TSA precheck (regular line is NUTS) & it is NOT on DH's ticket.

HUH?!?!

So run back to Frontier line, show them his number on reservation, they print us tickets, good to go.

SO YOU WOULD THINK.

Get to TSA guy & he says to DH "you have been temporarily kicked out, it happens--you need to go to regular line" 

WTH IS GOING ON??!!

I have a mini-panic attack, say it is 30 min to (original) departure, we won't make it...

Guy takes pity, says I will cut him in the line so you guys make it, 

'BUT YOU SHOULD GET TO THE AIRPORT EARLIER"

Oh, for crying out loud, WE DID, WE DO... just happened to be the WRONG ONE  this time....

 

Apparently there was a wrong middle initial on DH's Frontier acct (NO idea why) so it didn't match his TSA, thus the issue. 

Well our 1st flight was delayed a couple hours...

No biggies we had MANY hours in ATL (Thank God Atlanta--Priority Lounge!)

2nd flight ALSO delayed...then NOT delayed so much. 

So DON'T think you can go get a meal or another drink...or you might almost miss your flight!

 

Needless to say, DH was OVER Frontier, irregardless of their DIRT CHEAP last minute flights...and we changed our flight home to SWA. 

 

 

[KKB]

We had a GREAT time...but it is tough to sail NCL after Celebrity the month before...the service & food does not compare.

BUT the shows are AMAZING.

And we have a good time no matter what we do!