Garden Villa

[msescada]

Oh my this could be really dangerous... I didn't think about mixing and matching...

hot and sour soup and ribs from Ginza

a Sierra Nevada pizza from La Trattoria

maybe some crab legs or lamb

Cheesecake from La Trattoria

Coffee Creme Brulee from Cagny's

Oh my :eek: I am going to have to pitch the scale for sure!!!

And then to think... kids can order whatever they want from whereever they want it... one will get plain pasta with butter or maybe chicken tenders

the other who knows

and they don't have to order from the same place I do

Oh boy!!

 

Before you go overboard (pun) you do realize that you have to pay the fee for the specialty restaurants for EACH of those restaurants, don't you? You just racked up, oh, let's see AT LEAST $40 depending on where you got the lamb/crablegs from... One of our suggestions to NCL is that if you're in the GV you shouldn't have to pay for a drink in the casino or the fee at any restaurant. Obviously, they haven't done either of those things yet, and we only got at most two complimentary dinners (villa and platinum lattitudes) with the villa unless we dined with one of the officers.

 

And there are ONLY microwaves in the villas on the Dawn/Star, NOT on the Jewel class ships.

 

And not even a Villa on the Epic....

[BarbCT605]

Before you go overboard (pun) you do realize that you have to pay the fee for the specialty restaurants for EACH of those restaurants, don't you?

Only for the entrees, though. You could still get the cheesecake from La Trattoria!

 

When dining in any suite, if the dinner (entree, anyway) is from a pay restaurtant, the restaurant charge does apply.

 

P.S. In the post-cruise survey, I've asked for complimentary laundry services. This was a great perk on HAL.

[watchdiva]

Even though we haven't yet had the luxury of sailing in a GV I'm in agreement with you Barb - the complimentary laundry that HAL offers suite pax is great! It doesn't make much sense to me that when someone is paying well into the thousands for the GV that they have to pay for laundry:eek:.

 

I see that it's now a perk for platinum - why not for the GV pax?

[szdiver]

I agree on the laundry - HAL has done this for years.....it would be nice if NCL would also do that for GV and OS. I am getting lots of ideas for our cruise - by the time it gets here I will have a list a mile long. he he

[AdoptAtty]

maybe NCL would get the hint if we all set up a laundry line on the outdoor space for everyone to see... do a little laundry in the sink and hang it on the line :D

[BarbCT605]

maybe NCL would get the hint if we all set up a laundry line on the outdoor space for everyone to see... do a little laundry in the sink and hang it on the line :D

Or throw a few unmentionables in the hot tub and press the "percolate" button. :)

[NoPiratesPlease]

Or throw a few unmentionables in the hot tub and press the "percolate" button. :)

 

 

I'm all for automation!

[szdiver]

You guys are soooo funny - can't you just see the Butler coming out to serve breakfast and seeing all that laundry hanging up? or in the hottub? ROFLMAO - too funny!

[AdoptAtty]

Hi Guys: As promised, I am back regarding the OBC issue.

 

Here is the answer from my TA. I am actually very satisfied with this "split the difference" settlement. I feel it is very fair.

 

I argued at length that they should consider the fact that since you bought the GV at full fare, you should get the 2 SBCs. NCL has different rules for upsells vs upgrades and as you were not an upsell, they said it was a different circumstance than the examples you mentioned in your last e-mail. They would not agree to my argument that you qualified for both cruise credits, stating that the promotion allowed only one SBC per stateroom. However, I convinced them to give you an additional $250 SBC. Even though I feel you are entitled to a full credit, this appears to be their stand.

I went as far up the ladder as I could to plead the case.

 

 

Well, I finally settled my OBC pending issue. When I started on my mission to surprise my family with the Garden Villa (they still don't know!) I talked to my PCC... this was the one who tried to tell me the Star GVs share a private pool with retractable roof, and the hot tub areas each have their own retractable roof the butler can open and close. (Thank goodness for CC or I might have believed this!) I really think she just didn't know. She was very anxious to sell me the GV but said there was no way we could keep our OBCs... my parents have $500 and the DH and I have $500 (thanks in part to all the great info from CC). I told her then no way was I spending that kind of money, but if she could work it out, to let me know. I do think she tried, she said she went to her supervisor and was shot down.

 

After a few days I called someone else at NCL, the woman that had upsold me for my January 31st cruise... but when I said what I was calling about the person who answered connected me to someone that deals with the Star. She was wonderful and said "of course" you can keep your OBC! After spending enough money to purchase a used car... there we were booked in a Garden Villa. But when the reservation confirmation came it said $500 per stateroom OBC... now I was worried.

 

When I could not get clarification, on my attorney letterhead (figured that might get their attention) I sent a nice letter saying I can't get confirmation of my OBC, the deal was for my parents and for my DH and I to each keep our $500 OBC... that way I had it in writing and could at least challenge my credit card charge.

 

Yesterday received a call from a very nice lady in NCL corporate office confirming, yes, we do have a total of $1000 OBC. So now we know... $1000 of OBC IS possible and it IS possible to keep your OBC.

 

I still think my buddy Mooline did ok with her deal. I'm just sorry we aren't on the same cruise! That would be one heck of a good time on Deck 14! And my Dad would probably have talked the ear off of her DH about flying!!

[szdiver]

Great going on getting the OBC.....wish there was a way to get some for us. But we are paying full price up front. So no OBC for us.....Still, it is the GV, so we are happy anyway.

[angeljt]

AdoptAtty, so happy to hear you got the OBC!!! Can you send me some of that stationary... ;)

Sandy, I wish you could get the OBC too, but you'll have a wonderful time in the GV either way.

Jackie

[AdoptAtty]

AdoptAtty, so happy to hear you got the OBC!!! Can you send me some of that stationary... ;)

Sandy, I wish you could get the OBC too, but you'll have a wonderful time in the GV either way.Jackie

 

Sure thing Angeljt... but it will have my name on it... LOL. Looks like the price just dropped for the GVs on our cruise... just in case someone wants to be our neighbor!

[Bocadude85]

Sure thing Angeljt... but it will have my name on it... LOL. Looks like the price just dropped for the GVs on our cruise... just in case someone wants to be our neighbor!

 

 

Fax over that letter head to the upsell fairy requesting she give me a call and I will gladly take the last GV off their hands.

[AdoptAtty]

Hey Boca... I don't know how to fax the fairy... but you can call NCL!! Might as well not let that other GV go empty!

 

Anyone know... do they alwasy sail with the GVs full?

[challada]

SeattleMom- Congrats on your GV! Have a good time! I do want to let you know that taking your kids out of school during WASL testing DOES count against your school district in their adequate annual progress.

[ImADaneFan]

Hey Boca... I don't know how to fax the fairy... but you can call NCL!! Might as well not let that other GV go empty!

 

Anyone know... do they alwasy sail with the GVs full?

The GV's are not always full. When we got our upsell I tried to bargin a little on the price quoted. They told me the price they were quoting was firm. They would sail with it empty before they went any lower.

[AdoptAtty]

The GV's are not always full. When we got our upsell I tried to bargin a little on the price quoted. They told me the price they were quoting was firm. They would sail with it empty before they went any lower.

 

That seems kind of crazy, but maybe they figure if they sell them out cheap as upsells, no one would ever pay full price.

 

OK, so all you GV experts... what time should I try to board (in Vancouver)? This is a surprise to my entire family... and my "dream boarding" includes the butler or whomever walking my family to deck 14 and opening the suite and them all freaking out :eek: ... being totally surprised. :eek: So I don't want to be taken to the ship and dumped and told, wait until 2 pm, your room will be ready then. (If that is the case, I'd wait until 1:30 or so to board... I think)

[OceanDreaming2]

And of course I chose 14500 :)

 

A great choice! We had that suite in November.

[SeattleMother]

SeattleMom- Congrats on your GV! Have a good time! I do want to let you know that taking your kids out of school during WASL testing DOES count against your school district in their adequate annual progress.

 

Yes. We hear about it all the time. If I felt the test were reasonable, that would bother me. As it is, not so much.

 

A much better educational opportunity to explore the wildlife and landscape in Alaska. And what better way than from the garden villa...

[SeattleMother]

So I don't want to be taken to the ship and dumped and told, wait until 2 pm, your room will be ready then. (If that is the case, I'd wait until 1:30 or so to board... I think)

 

I agree. We're boarding in LA, and plan on a final bit of Disneyland that morning. I'd rather ride the Matterhorn one more time than hurry to the ship just to wait, even if it is with a glass of champagne.

 

Anyone know how early they will actually lead you to the GV?

[AdoptAtty]

Anyone know how early they will actually lead you to the GV?

 

and how late we can stay on the last morning before they kick us out?

 

SeattleMother... I had to write a big dissertation on the educational benefits of taking my almost 16 year old on this trip, so I could take her without causing her to flunk with too many unexcused absences. I started by telling them if she was locked in a room with her 84 year old Grandfather for a week, that in and of itself would be educational... but in addition to Grandpa, she gets to go to Alaska!

 

or since I'm in the same GV right after her, how long after SeattleMother vacates the GV will they have it turned around

[challada]

I'm not arguing the educational benefit for YOUR kids with taking the cruise! I certainly feel a cruise is worthwhile or else I wouldn't be taking my own.

 

It's just from an educator's standpoint, the school district itself gets dinged for the kids not taking the test. AYP (annual yearly progress) is attached to federal money for your school as well as other things.

 

Just wanted to point out that high stakes testing week is NOT an advisable time to take your kids out of school during the era of No Child Left Behind.....it costs your kids' school in the end.

[ImADaneFan]

That seems kind of crazy, but maybe they figure if they sell them out cheap as upsells, no one would ever pay full price.

 

OK, so all you GV experts... what time should I try to board (in Vancouver)? This is a surprise to my entire family... and my "dream boarding" includes the butler or whomever walking my family to deck 14 and opening the suite and them all freaking out :eek: ... being totally surprised. :eek: So I don't want to be taken to the ship and dumped and told, wait until 2 pm, your room will be ready then. (If that is the case, I'd wait until 1:30 or so to board... I think)

We embarked in LA so I'm not sure what Vancouver will be like. But when we arrived there was a sign for Suites and Garden Villa. You don't wait in the normal lines to check in. There is a separate area that you go to and they will check you in, take your pictures for your cards etc. Would it be possible for you to get there a minute before everyone else? That way you can clue them in that the GV is a surprise. There you will meet your Concierge. The concierge will introduce you to your butler. The butler will come to escort you to the villa when the ship is ready to embark. Try to let the concierge know that it's a surprise also, that way she/he can tell your butler. We arrived at the port around 11am and were on the ship by 11:30 or so. The butler will take you directly to the villa, so she/he can explain how to work all the gizmos in the suite. The elevator, espresso machine, blinds, shower, give you his phone #, etc.

It's amazing when the elevator doors open on deck 14 and you walk out into your private lobby.:D

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

It's amazing when the elevator doors open on deck 14 and you walk out into your private lobby.:D

 

They also might notice that the butler has to swipe his card to get to the 14th deck. Maybe you could secretly ask the butler to say something like "your cabin is not ready yet, so we wanted to take you on a special tour to see some of our suites before they are occupied". Seeing it and THEN finding out you are staying there would be a fantastic surprise!

[SeattleMother]

Just wanted to point out that high stakes testing week is NOT an advisable time to take your kids out of school during the era of No Child Left Behind.....it costs your kids' school in the end.

 

I appreciate your point. My point is that my kids do not take the WASL if we're in town, and they don't take it if we're out of town. Our school is not affected any differently if we stay home and don't take it than if we leave and don't take it. My kids, however, miss much less class if we go when half of their classes are cancelled.