Shih-tzu

We received some $$ back after our Panama section of our cruise.  I believe they take the bill the ship receives and then determine how much it cost per passenger and refund the difference.  I suspect higher port fees are being charged by the port authorities based on the fact that ships are getting larger and larger and there will have to be a capital expenditure for updating facilities.   Take Vancouver for example.  The megaships coming on line won't fit under the Lions Gate Bridge.   (One of the Norwegian ships clears the bridge by only 5 feet at low tide).  The port now has to look at creating berths in another area of the lower mainland.  That's going to cost a lot of $$$. 

I'd try to do mine to see, but when I looked they have one of the Mariner numbers wrong, so waiting for that to get fixed first - 

25 minutes ago, shof515 said:

if you still have a copy of your edocs, the latitude number is on it.

Found them - went in and tried to change the Latitude number and it wouldn't let me.

Went and created a new account with the new number but now won't let me on with the user name -keeps bringing up the old one...…..

Maybe I'll have to create yet a third one using a different user name...…. but when I used the "new" number and set up the account it didn't say the name was already taken.    We'll give it a day to see what happens 🙂   

Thanks everyone for your help/suggestions.  

31 minutes ago, hallux said:

Are you contacting the general support folks or the Latitudes folks?  When I was booking my next cruise my TA didn't have all my info for the hold booking to get me quotes so it generated a new Latitudes number, a quick call by her to the Latitudes department got the accounts merged into my old one and everything is square...

The e-mails were to the Latitudes folks.   The call was to the general number.

28 minutes ago, Mr Smarty said:

Why don't you just log into the account that has the cruise posted to it? 🙂

They created a Latitudes number but when I asked for it she indicated that it would be merged with the "My NCL account" that we can see.  If I knew the number (or knew where to go to find it), I'd do that and try to go backwards.  Would it be on his old key card if I could find it?  

HAL just introduced "Club Orange".   Same idea... but doesn't appear to be quite as many benefits by buying it as this one.   I personally wouldn't purchase any of them as to me these things are a "thank you" for being a loyal cruiser.   The idea above about being able to purchase if "linked" with other cruisers with the benefit (i.e. extended families) - fair enough.  Only way I would consider it is for priority boarding or room ready if a medical or physical condition required me to avoid waiting for the regular "cattle call".  

My husband and I took our first Norwegian cruise the first week of May.   My NCL account shows my 7 nights, but my husband's doesn't.   I have e-mailed Norwegian at least 5 times and called once.   The rep that answered indicated that he had two accounts (the one that we created when we booked and another number they assigned him) and they were going to submit info to IT to have them merged into the one account.  On every e-mail and call I gave them the reservation number, ship name, room number and my account number so they could cross reference the booking if required so they should be able to find everything.

To date, his NCL account is still showing he has never had a cruise.    Anyone else had this problem?  And how many calls/e-mails did it take?  Am we alone on this issue?

On my last e-mail, I indicated until such time as the issue is fixed we wouldn't consider booking another cruise.   It seems they don't care if customers return.   I sent my last e-mail 3 weeks ago and **crickets**.   

Their Latitudes site indicates that you can only get credited for past sailings within a year.... seems like it may take that long, but instead of chasing any more for Latitude points, I'd rather be looking at cruises to purchase - and so far HAL and Carnival have gotten this winter's bookings (just on principle as at least our points/VIP/Mariner status is up-to-date).

Wow..... we had the theme nights in the buffet on the Gem in May.   (didn't notice speciality baskets but we only ate there once.)

Halifax and Charlottetown were hit fairly hard - flooding and downed trees.   All schools in Nova Scotia are cancelled for Monday, Sep 9.  As of 7pm Sunday - there are 31, 088 customers without power in New Brunswick, 263,258 in Nova Scotia and 44,701 in Prince Edward Island.  So it seems that Nova Scotia has already restored power to 100,000 since this morning....  The military is going to be assisting with clean up in Halifax so most if not all streets should all be passable in the next few days.   That having been said, the NHC Hurricane center is now showing two yellow "X" spots, which could turn into something.....but they may fizzle.  

Special Alert from the Port of Halifax operations says "Container terminal operations at the Port of Halifax are expected to resume later this afternoon.  Marine pilots and tugs are looking at the same time frame.  HPA crews are inspecting cruise infrastructure and berths to ensure cruise operations can continue as early as Monday"...… looks like the Veendam and Caribbean Princess are due in to pier 20 and 22 respectively tomorrow.   So fingers crossed for all you hoping to arrive in Halifax.

Can't seem to find anything on Port of Charlottetown right now.

10 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks Denise.  We’re preparing outside and watching the track and forecasts.

They expect Dorian to pick up speed in the Atlantic waters and be a cat 1 hurricane.  Even a tropical cyclone means high winds and preparation.  Hopefully , it is all for naught but it will too rainy tomorrow to do it.

 

Hi there fellow NB'er.   As of 6:00pm Atlantic time today (6 Sep), Caitlin Mitchell's new map now shows Dorian back to a Cat 2 while crossing NS & PEI headed for NL.  When I checked the hurricane model sites, the NHC Miami (who I figure are the best "experts" on hurricanes) show the center hitting between Peggy's Cove and Indian Harbour, then heading out over Stewiack and hitting Murray Harbour and Souris on PEI.   Here in Oromocto/Freddy we have put anything away that might blow around......

For those concerned about damages to the ports - Halifax is used to Nor'easters and winter storms so the port itself should be OK or any damage fixed within a day or two.  Couldn't really guess for Sydney as I'm guessing any required repairs would have to be made to the ferry jetties first as it is the only link to NF from the mainland except by air.   But I am just speculating on the ports themselves, not the rest of the areas.

I read somewhere recently (in the past 2 or 3 months) that people tend to get sick from air travel and cruises because the air is dry in the airplane cabin and indoor areas of ships.  Once the nasal passage dry out, they can't protect anyone from colds/flu/ etc.  After reading that, I'm going to take some nasal rinse and bought a tube of nasal lubricant gel.   Hoping it will help prevent getting the "cruise crud".   

I have pre-booked my pass (for the cruise).   From what I understand, the number of thermal suite passes are limited so there could be the chance that you may not even be able to get one on board (and I suppose "discounts" once on board is because they didn't sell all the passes?).   Day passes can only be purchased on board (unless something changed) and are only offered on a "IF available" basis.   If you're really set on it, I would pre-book.   I have found even on port intensive, it helps get rid of the aches and pains from all the walking during the day.

I had the Quench package on my cruise in 2017 and have it pre-ordered for my upcoming cruise.

Every day I had at least one speciality coffee from the coffee bar in the Crow's Nest, 2 or 3 bottles of Perrier water, smoothies and mocktails.   There was a list of a variety of mocktails.   Also discovered part way through the cruise that there was one bar (by the pool) that made true smoothies (not from a mix) with the real fruit and yogurt.    I know I got my monies worth for sure and because it was pre-paid before I left home, it was an expense that was "out of the way and done with".   Didn't have to second guess if I had a virgin Bloody Mary, didn't have to think about how many cold drinks I had and what my shipboard account was accumulating to.....  absolutely loved it and wish the other cruise lines I have used or have booked had something similar.

2 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Routine dry-dock maintenance and gutting her Mix Bar while replacing it by BillBoard Onboard

Thank you Copper10-8.   I was on the Zuiderdam when she came out of drydock in Nov 17 with some upgrades - new carpets, furniture.....  smelled so "new" and looked great.   If you hear of anything more, keep us updated.... appreciate it 🙂

We know the Volendam is coming out of drydock on 31 October.   Has anyone heard what they are doing yet?   Routine things?  Upgrades?   Anywhere I have searched just mentions it's going to drydock... although there's been speculation, it's quite vague.   Curious as I sail on her on 01 November.

On 8/6/2019 at 7:19 AM, kazu said:

 Have you tried going to the main page (cruisecritic.com) and logging in there?

 

That’s the only way it seems to work until the bugs are worked out.  Once you log in, just click boards and you can get back to the HAL board.

Just tried doing that....if you can see this post, it worked!!!

On 8/4/2019 at 4:04 PM, Crazy For Cats said:

For several weeks I can not log into CC on my tablet.  I can view everything.  The icon to sign in are there but do not respond.  No problem on the laptop.  My preferred method to check in is the tablet since it can be done while watching tv or sitting outside.

Same here.... I can see everything but can't log in to comment, etc.

I seem to get the post-dry dock cruises.   In '17 they managed to run the cable in the Zuiderdam because the TVs were all interactive.... and the Volendam is smaller.   We'll see... 

My biggest disappointment was that when the ship returned to FLL there were SEACANs on the back.  They were removed just after she docked, however and all the furniture from the Sea View pool area was IN the pool.   It was two days I think before the back deck was up and running and the pool re-filled and opened (and then had to shut down again to get the chemical levels up?).

Well, at least they won't be touching the beaches 😉

I was up there in 2017 - about 1/2 way between the Crows Nest and the door leading out to the glass dome.   Our balcony had a small table and two chairs - about the same size as we had on the Norwegian Gem and Carnival Liberty.   I was fine with it.  (I know there is one ship that it just the Juliette balcony style, but the room I was in on the Zuiderdam was an actual balcony).   It was nice and handy to get an early morning coffee in the Crows Nest 🙂 )

Agree with kazu.   Probably more activities will be planned based on consecutive sea days...… 

I find it more relaxing because it is more quiet....

Their food is good

Love their "Quench" package....  NCL or Carnival don't have a drink package like that

I was on the Zuiderdam for the 1st cruise when it came out of dry dock/refurbishment in Nov 2017.  There were still contractors on the ship and things being done.   

Worked just fine for us.   Others on our cruise were mentioning that they still had to pay the 20% gratuity on the beverage package even though they got it for "free".   On a 7 day cruise that is about $140/person.   So not only did they pay more for their room, but each person had to pay $140.00 more.   Neither my husband nor I drank $140.00 between the two of us.

I only wish Norwegian had something where you could choose your cabin but go without any of the "free?" perks.  The cabin we had was fine - no issue there.   Just was a long walk to some parts of the ship and as we get older we would prefer to be in a different "general" area.

I'd book Sail Away again.

On 6/13/2019 at 12:30 AM, Ryanryanryan said:

Carnival has turned into a ghetto cruise line.  If NCL starts to attract the Carnival clientele, I’ll move on to another cruise line.  

Why do some people think that people that have cruised Carnival are somehow a "lesser" life form?  

I have sailed HAL, Carnival and NCL (and have friends that cruise much more often than I am able to due to work;  we have had the same observations in the last year or so).  Maybe it was just the sailings/time of year/embarkation port,  but I found more "ghetto  behaviour" on the NCL ship than I did compared to my Carnival cruise.  There were some pretty loud people who obviously were trying to get their free drinks in and on a few occasions there was so much EXTREMELY loud rude/vulgar talk that we left that area - and of course the behaviour also spilled over to buffet etiquette, etc..  

The similarities between the Carnival and NCL are way more numerous than the differences - but from what I saw, the Carnival crowd on my cruise were less "rowdy" and the buffet food was better.  On the other hand, NCL had better entertainment in the theatre, and although their balcony cabin was smaller, I loved the bathroom set up.  I can't compare speciality restaurants or Haven/Havana areas as I didn't use them.   I don't think NCL or Carnival cheerleaders could call the other cruise line a "ghetto" compared to the one they prefer - there are only subtle differences.  Maybe (and with most main stream cruise lines) the "drink packages" are attracting a clientele that they didn't before.   It could be that cruises are more affordable than before (given salaries, etc).  And if you take a break from cruising for a couple of years (or an all inclusive resort, or Disney World which we visited for many years) you will really notice/see changes in service, what you get for your $$, and how the clients/patrons act).

Would I sail on NCL again?   Sure.   Would I sail on Carnival again?  Sure.  Do I have a preference??   No - It would just depend on ports of call and value for the price I'm paying ..... (and the ability to avoid the mega ships …. I like the Dream/Conquest/Jewel size or smaller.)

Loving this and your sense of humour.   I'm hoping to be on the Breeze in February and debating on the Cove Balcony...thinking it may be cooler as it's more shaded from the sun.   Let us know what you think 🙂