Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin

Have the testing requirements changed lately? We are headed to Bermuda in August (so I haven't checked lately), but the NCL site and the Bermuda site both allowed for testing 4 days out from embarkation (not arrival in Bermuda) for NAAT test (PCR, LAMP or TMA) OR supervised antigen test 2 days before embarkation. This is for fully vaccinated cruise ship passengers.

Following......we will be on her to Bermuda in less than 2 months! Yay! So ready! If you go to any caves, would love to hear your experience. We missed them 1st trip there, so want to catch them this time around. Also, will be interested in your Bar Harbor experience. We are thinking of just going out on our own.

As I recall, we paid a lower deposit, could pick our cabin (I asked to look at several cabins before we made the decision, since it was our 1st RSSC cruise), and received an onboard savings of $250/each for the future cruise we booked. (There were only 2 of us, so not sure if there were more people, if the savings would still be $250 each.) We booked the Grandeur and when I was talking with friends and looking to see if they could join us on the cruise, everything was waitlisted, so guess we were able to book early on!

I have actually booked a couple of Regent Seven Seas Cruises for not much more than NCL Haven (especially considering you get airfare included....and business class for overseas!) While not in a named suite, the service, food and beverages offered were fabulous (lobster still on the menu) and I will be happy to sail on RSSC again! I have been pleasantly surprised that the pricing for RSSC hasn't gone through the roof, considering it is also part of NCLH. It is a different style than NCL, much more laid back and low key, but I loved the library, cooking classes, and had the craps table almost to myself! Of course, the ship was 1/2 full, so maybe that made a difference? Bringing my son & his wife on next year's trip to Rome; we'll see if they miss all the water slides, etc.

I'm with you this time around. I have now sent 2X for my August cruise. In the past, I have received it almost immediately. Didn't know if there is now a time limit on how far in advance it can be sent in? Like the 21 day limitation on starting check-in.....

Illinois casinos are also non-smoking! Yay!

Thanks, Gary. I always enjoy reading your posts. My DH is also a Haven aficionado. I love it, too, but I am the budget person, so much more conscious of the prices! If it were up to me, I'd be fine in a balcony stateroom, just as long as I am on a cruise! DH works long, hard hours and wants to have space and privacy when he vacations. Haven gives him that, plus. Have finally started booking Regent's. The pricing between Haven and a regular stateroom with RSSC not too different these days! If our first Regent cruise is true to norm, the experience is wonderful! However, I haven't been able to beat Haven's 2 bedroom when adding children (even adult ones!) or better yet, the 3 bedroom GV if you have friends to travel with and share the expense.

I agree you can transfer FCC to another person. A couple of caveats: if it is the "bonus" that was given because a cruise was cancelled, that cannot be moved. However, we had paid for our 4 adult children to cruise with us, moved several times because of continuing cancellations. Eventually, moved the FCC to us and we have applied to a single cruise (even though it was from multiple initial cruises). Could not move the bonus amounts, but the FCC that we paid could be moved to another person. The person who "owns" the FCC has to request that the FCC be moved to you...there is a form on the NCL site to accomplish. Make sure you do a screen shot of the person's NCL account, as it has information that makes the move smoother! You need everyone's NCL latitudes numbers, also.

Captain Serena was Captain on our Regents Seven Seas Splendor TA in 2021. She is very interactive with the passengers!

What a lovely cruise review! I am so glad you had a wonderful trip and were kind enough to share! We are on her in August, so this really makes me want to get back on a ship! (We didn't purchase the drink package, but I will spend lots of time in the casino at the craps table!)

Received an email this morning from Celebrity Cruises. They have done away with the expiration dates for FCC. The additional amount (like 10%, 25%) still maintains the expiration date, but the amount you paid no longer expires! Now, if I can get NCL to offer that......and for the Cruise Next deposits, too!

You should check out Betsynh's review of the May27th Pearl trip. Quite informative!

Right now, I can't even get a seat assignment and I booked directly with an airline! I booked AA for a CONUS flight. They put me on JetBlue (this is the 2nd change of handler!). The AA site says to go to partner site to pick seats. The partner site says to go to the site I booked on to pick seats. Maybe its just too early....flight not until August. Just frustrating!

We are on the Pearl in August. SOOOOOO looking forward to it!!! We did church in the Caribbean before while cruising, and had arranged for transportation to pick us up in an hour! Little did we know that church is considered a family day thing and services last much longer than in the states!!!! Did you find the same in Bermuda?

You also might want to check out the Casinos at Sea forum!

@KeithJenner I have never seen anything like post #4 to be able to look for a different stateroom. How did you get to that selection?

I have noticed the past few times I have tried to do a booking that it automatically assigns a stateroom, at the top, like in post #10. I have yet to figure out how to change from that stateroom. 😞 Used to be able to see the available staterooms, I thought!

Just hit the refresh screen and now have the visual and audio! Yay!

I had the countdown screen, then the Welcome Members screen. No sound, no movement. Its now 10 minutes after and I can't tell if its me or what.....

We have a 7 day Splendor cruise next year, Rome to Barcelona, so I will be following your adventures. We had done one RSSC cruise, last year TA on Splendor. Next year, we are also bringing along my son and his wife...graduation present for my son's Master's degree.

Okay, not really a dessert, but I have to say that the sorbets on the Chef's Tasting menu were absolutely delightful on our Splendor TA cruise! Different every night!

We, too, have done both Yacht Club and Haven. I agree that I would not be impressed sailing on MSC outside of YC (we were on Belissima from Genoa early in her career). On NCL I have sailed both in and out of Haven and would do so again. Hubby is sold on Haven. The reason MSC prices have been so much more affordable than other lines is because they were trying to break into the US market, in my opinion. Now that they have established some reputation, I think that is why the prices are headed up. Have always felt at home in the Haven. The YC was wonderful space, with string quartets playing in the lounge some nights. We were in the largest suite, so the Maitre d' bent over backwards to ensure we were pleased with the food/wine. Haven has those wonderful 2 bedroom suites available for families, with the extra full bathroom. The OS on MSC only had a single bathroom, even though there was plenty of space in the stateroom for more than 2 people! We recently sailed in the Retreat with Celebrity. We were on an older ship, the Summit. Stateroom was lovely, but bathroom rather cramped. I like the Haven idea of having everything you need in one area (of course, not all of the ships have the restaurant and bar in the Haven area). The Retreat on Summit included a separate area for Retreat guests, but not on the same floor, and restaurant in one area and bar/concierge in another, not even near each other. I would sail with any of them again, though! (But MSC cruise points expire after 3 years if you don't keep sailing, so that's a downfall. We sailed under the matching status, so were top tier. With pandemic, we haven't sailed with them again.)

Hands down, CRAPS! Love the social aspect of the game! (And throwing dice, of course!) I don't even bother going to a casino that doesn't have CRAPS.

I was looking for a cruise and PRIMA seems to be much higher than other ships. Guess that's the price you pay to be on the latest and greatest, but personally, I now pass by any itineraries that are with PRIMA. Prices are already high enough, even on the oldest ships! Driving me to MSC Yacht Club or Celebrity Retreat.

Not dumb at all. Yes, if you own 100 shares of NCLH stock, you can get on board credit ($50 for shorter, 6 day or less cruises, $100 for 7-14 days, and $250 for 15+ day cruises). You can get this on NCL, Oceania, or Regent's cruises. You have to complete the Shareholder Benefit Request form and send with a copy of your brokerage statement (or photocopy of your shareholder proxy card) to the mailing/email address found at the bottom of the request form. Based upon what I have read on this forum (and my own experience), the email method works best. I think it is limited to one OBC per stateroom....as we have 200 shares, but it doesn't get you any more OBC (unless maybe you have 2 cabins booked and each shareholder is in a separate cabin?) It is based upon whose name is on the Brokerage statement, etc. Pretty good deal for those who bought shares at the Pandemic low. In fact, they are still a good deal, in my opinion. Unfortunately, I bought during 2019! Links: https://d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net/nclhltd/files/documents/Shareholder+Benefit+Offer.pdf (tells about it) https://d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net/nclhltd/files/documents/Shareholder+Benefit+Offer.pdf (actual form)