YangtzeCruiser

Haven't been on RCL post-Covid, but we've been happy with the food on both RCL and NCL (and CCL, for that matter, except for the. desserts).

Cruised on the Jan 3 sailing ofthe Sky. We docked at Taino as advertised on Jan 5

We received pins even before we were Platinum. A cute little souvenir. A couple of dinners in the specialty restaurants is probably the nicest bonus. The only time we've used our laundry benefit has been on back-to-back cruises. Otherwise, it's wash in the sink, dry using the hair dryer

We were on the Sun in 2018 on a cruise that docked in Cuba.

Haven't been on NCL since 2018; took three cruises on CCL in 2022, so some of this may be dated. What we noticed: a) CCL's low-end inside staterooms seem to be a little more spacious than NCL's b) NCL has more varied activities during the day; CCL has mostly trivia c) Entertainment on NCL seemed better. May just be personal preference d) NCL: No lobster in MDR on formal night; CCL: the tails are small, but I had 3 on our last cruise e) CCL: cakes on the buffet were drier than the Atacama desert, but wife liked the food better overall f) NCL: no free specialty restaurants (we've never cruised on a megaship; may be different there) Bottom line for me - unless NCL has drastically degraded service, it's all about going to destinations I want to visit at a price I'm willing to pay. Among the three cruise lines we've used (NCL, CCL, and RCL), if all three offered identical itineraries/amenities at identical prices, I'd just randomly pick one.

When I paid $500 out of pocket for $1000 worth of cruise next certificates that I fully intend to use, then it's like I'm saving $125 each time I spend a $250 CN. Looked at another way, once I've used two of my four CN, I've broken even; the last two are "free money."

Good thing we're on the Jan 3 sailing of the Sky! 🤠

I haven't cruise NCL post-pandemic, but I think the last time I cruised NCL, the aft dining room required long pants. I often find the MDR a bit cool at dinnertime, so no shorts there for me. As for my fellow diners - whatever is comfortable and sanitary.

Blame NCL and their Freestyle Dining. It's a slippery slope. Soon all of the specialty dining venues will have dress codes identical to the dress code at the Garden Cafe. Why would NCL do this? Because it would mean passengers could pack less, meaning fewer pieces of luggage to handle, which means less lost luggage, which means happier passengers, which means more demand for NCL cruises, which means they can raise their prices, which means more profit. That's why. On the other hand, you, ChefMateJRK, are part of this thread, and any lack of cleverness, humor, or entertainment value is a reflection on not only the rest of us, but on you, too. 😝

That would seriously jeopardize my chances of making it home alive

Most likely, I'll just come into the dining room with scuffed shoes. However, if I feel ambitious, I might try borrowing a black magic marker to cover up the scuff mark 😎

I typically compare prices by using a separate user profile which clears everything once I close the browser window and not logging in.

We cruised on (on an NCL competitor) three times earlier this year. Prices are two people (inside cabin) including port fees, taxes, and gratuities (but not excursions). First cruise: 7-day Cozumel/Costa Maya/Roatan) was $895 ((129/. Second cruise: (7-day Jamaica/Grand Cayman/Cozumel) was $614. Third cruise: (7-day Alaska from Seattle) was $1225. Upcoming NCL: (10-day eastern Caribbean) will be $1917 Which cruise line had the real sale?

I bought brand new black tennis shoes that I haven't worn yet just for my upcoming cruise. I DO NOT plan to pack shoe polish 😎

I don't recall seeing 2nd guest sails free before. But rather than get caught up in the hype, I just look at the bottom line for the two of us, including taxes, port fees, and gratuities. I'm not sure what the actual offer was under which we booked our upcoming cruise on the Sky, but the invoice has a line for Guest Fare, and another line for Savings, where half of the guest fare is subtracted off. Second guest free, 50% off for each of us, or ??