NCL Priority Access - Success Stories

[cruiser6467]

I'm booked on the NCL Gem next month (August 2024) leaving out of Boston, and because of a some recommendations I saw online, today I booked the "Priority Access" package for my wife and I.

 

Question: Has anyone recently (within the last year) sailed on NCL, booked the Priority Access package, and had any success in using the package to actually boarding early or getting off the ship early, since that's what the purpose of this package is for?  I have been reading mixed reviews on this package. 

[Laszlo]

Personally I think it would be a waste of money on the Gem in Boston. We got off the Gem two weeks ago. Boston cruise port is easy peasy. The doors don't open for anyone until 10am, not even for suite or Haven. We had a suite and were checked in by 10:15am and on board at 10:45a. Getting off we were off at 8:00am. Our friends who were in a regular cabin were onboard at 11:00am and got off at 8:05, they were inline to get off at 7:30am. 

[arochon1]

The only time I used priority access was on the Breakaway before they offered Vibe passes online.  For that purpose it worked great.  Got to board with the Platinum and above crowd (I was Bronze at the time) and I was fifth in line for Vibe.  I didn't use it for anything else (had shore excursion at tender ports) and I would not purchase again, since I get Vibe passes online as soon as I book.

 

I agree that (in my opinion) they wouldn't be worth it on the Gem (my favorite ship!)

[hernando52]

We had priority access on the Breakaway last September in Europe and met with mixed success.  The cruise was port intensive, so we booked shore excursions on most days.  Some excursions met at 7AM, so having the full room service breakfast every day worked out very well.  Boarding was not a problem because of our Latitude level and debarkation was efficient.  It doesn't sound like you would be needing the room service breakfasts every day, so my opinion is that it would be unnecessary for a small ship with fewer very early morning excursions.