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DaisyGoldberg

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  1. I noticed more immediate service in the MDR (telling me there was a 15 minute wait, then scanning my card and taking me right in) this past trip with my Sapphire card than previously with my Haven card. Other than that I attribute special treatment to being a good tipper (which might also show up on your profile, I suppose). One exception - if you stay in the Garden Villa on a Jewel class ship they must send your photo around to the desks, because we were pulled out of line without scanning our cards and instantly escorted to a table even though there was a wait. They can only have done it by knowing what we looked like even though we hadn't yet dined there that week. Now THAT'S a halo!
  2. I had one on Pride of America long ago and it was okay. The one I had on Getaway much more recently was basically cold ice milk with ice blended in. Not worth the calories if you have decent ice cream places at home.
  3. I hate to see that this has creeped into the Jewel class ships. It is one of my highest criticisms of the larger ships. We certainly have stopped attending all of the games and game shows when they're not in the theatre. Apparently it's more profitable for them, however they determine that, so it will continue. But it has taken over the public areas to a very unpleasant degree. For us it ruins both the game experience AND the walking through the ship experience.
  4. I loved my Pride of America cruise, but as others have said, it is so port intensive that I'd weigh whether I needed the Haven. (Clearly if you love it and it's not oppressively expensive to you, go for it!) As I recall everybody came back exhausted and went to bed and the evening activities were much less attended than any other cruise I'd been on. I assume the daytime activities were similar as everybody wants to maximize every port hour.
  5. On the jewel sized ships I'd do a regular suite (non-Haven). You still get the dedicated dining for breakfast and lunch in Moderno/Cagneys, just not the access to the lounge. On a NE/Canadian itinerary, one factor to consider would be how much you're getting off the ship. If you anticipate wanting to stretch out on a lounge chair or get in a hot tub inside, the haven may be worth it to you. If you're getting off at every port and anticipate participating in many ship activities during the day, it may not be worth it. Just got off the Getaway for the second time this year and I can't wait to sail again on a Jewel class ship, as the activities are so much more enjoyable and accessible since they're held in the theatre and not the atrium. It makes us FAR more social to have that kind of breathing room to enjoy it. I do enjoy the dedicated dining room on the big ships, but I think the tradeoff of the rest of the ship design/overcrowding/weird insistence on scheduling everything in the atrium has put me off them. Re; first class discussion up above, just as Gary introduced Haven lite, I highly endorse "first class/business light" where you buy an extra ticket in coach. If you're alone, it gives you all the elbow/wiggle room you want. If you're a couple, book the middle seat as well. For a few hundred dollars on a flight it's far cheaper than first class but still a relief to know that nobody in that line of boarding people is going to squeeze in beside you.
  6. For the record, I'm not stuffing creme brulee in a ziploc. But I got in the habit years ago of carrying a small baggie on me (great for getting ice on the way back to a hotel room, etc) and if I had it on me and wanted to go back to my room with the second half of my sandwich from O'Sheehans, yeah, I'd use it 🙂
  7. They have multiple theatres, yet put the most popular crowd pleasing activities smack in the middle of the most traveled area of the ship, limiting the # of people who can enjoy them. It is a giant flaw of the big ships and I still cannot understand their logic.
  8. Depending on the dessert, a ziplock bag will do the trick...
  9. Your bill also displays on your room tv (in newer ships, anyway). There is a little lag time, but it will usually be current within a day. So you can watch it and take pictures if you want to see things itemized as you go.
  10. Thank you - precisely the information I was looking for! Will book the car service and find them when the time comes!
  11. Very timely as I was flirting with the idea of not doing the usual car service next month and just grabbing a taxi, because the hassle of finding our driver last time was considerable. But I'm going over to NJ, which I assume could be an issue (or lead to a ripoff of some sort?)
  12. I've always had one in my cabin (usually under sink in bathroom. though I've seen them on the counter or a shelf as well)
  13. In the Haven lounge they usually distribute forms to fill out with requests for shows/dining and can collect them then or you can drop them at the desk on board. They do ask you to do it as soon as possible. Confirmation will appear in your room later. There is a Haven section and you're free to go to it yourself at your leisure, or go in a group with the concierge - they usually leave the Haven about a half hour before the show, and the ropes blocking off the Haven section are removed about 5-10 mins before the show starts.
  14. We were in the Garden Villa once, and when it was time for dessert decided it would be cool to just take it upstairs and eat it there. But they insisted on calling the butler, so instead of a 2 minute walk/elevator ride then dessert, we waited close to an hour. I don't blame the poor butler - it was a service we didn't request and he likely didn't have time for. I wish they'd be more flexible with the policy if you're willing to take it yourself. Another vote for travel insurance - have used it twice now, once when my sister had emergency surgery the week before my mom's cruise and she was the only one who could care for her after discharge from the hospital and needed to cancel, and this past winter when Mom got covid on board and racked up $11k in medical bills. You can't just whip out your Blue Cross card - you have to pay it immediately and then deal with whatever insurance you have (including NCL insurance) after the fact. Either way, be sure you have the capacity for a LARGE onboard bill and even though it's a hassle, the ability to recoup that money after the fact. (It was very good care, by the way - probably superior to what she would have gotten at home, where she would have sat in an ER for hours)
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