PaperSniper4

5 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

Thanks - Canceled other reservation and booked the same one you did. 🙂

Make sure you bring the receipt they will send in email. That's what you need to get into the garage apparently. I was not sure which of the emails was the actual receipt, so I printed them all, about 4 pages, and will have that on my car's dashboard when I arrive in New Orleans. This is a very good price; I hope the garage is as nice as it sounds on their webpage......😗

The papework did not indicate, but we can either drop the bags off at the (RCI) terminal then go to the garage, or simply take them with us on the shuttle from the garage to the terminal. We will probably do the first so we don't have to manage the bags on the shuttle, at least going to the terminal on the day our ship departs.

 Doug

5 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

I did some google search and found this  https://go.lazparking.com/search-results/100-Poydras-St-New-Orleans-LA-70130-USA   I'm wondering if the top link is a legitimate one?? 

 

It has two options "Reserve Ahead (Taylor Swift . . . " $320 OR 7 day pass for $250 

Ya got me, Dorothy. Weird. I booked the Fulton place in my post above. It's not very close to the terminal, but has a shuttle and the price for a covered spot was under $125.

 Doug

1 hour ago, DorothyB said:

I just booked a cruise today for late October.  The recommended lot is booked full.  Any other suggestions?  Thanks!

I just booked here: https://neworleansparking.com/reservation. There are several lots listed at that page, so choose carefully, some are covered, some are not, some are not for cruise passengers, etc. I booked the covered Fulton garage, 901 Convention Center Blvd.

Cost is $120.50, pay now, refundable less $5 up to 48 hours before your scheduled arrival time. They have a shuttle between the parking garage and the cruise terminal.

 Doug

35 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

I just booked a cruise today for late October.  The recommended lot is booked full.  Any other suggestions?  Thanks!

WOW! Already? I have a cruise booked for min-October 2024, and had not even thought about reserving the lot. BTW, when we took our last cruise from NOLA last October, the the "Whale Lot" was still being used. No idea if it is still. There are many places to park in NOLA for cruises I hear, but I have only used the Whale Lot about a dozen times, and the new lot (Hilton Hotel garage) once.

Please post what you find as I may be booking right after you!😎

 Doug

UPDATE - I just now tried to book the Hilton garage for dates in July and October 2024, and for March 2025, and get the same error message. I wonder if their computer is down or something right now? I'd suggest trying again in a day or two.

Apparently no one paid any attention to the above. The NOLA Whale Lot was still being used by many cruisers as of 10 March 2024. However, the 100 Poydras Garage, which is actually the Hilton Hotel garage, was a fine place I used. Covered parking, more secure than the Whale lot.

 Doug

On 3/10/2024 at 5:53 AM, boffoboffo said:

Our destination is in sight. 

This is our second straight cruise where the clocks changed for daylight savings on our last night and I am not a fan. Turns out we got up an hour earlier than we were planning to. At least the ship is quiet and nearly impossible to get around since all the stairwells on 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are roped off. I guess they’re trying to do a better job than they do in NYC of keeping people from lining up early. 

Very irritating that the purser's office insisted the time would not change at 0200 on arrival day. I asked several at the desk the night before; none simply responded "Yes, we are sailing from from ET  to CT but there is a DST change resulting in clocks not needing to be reset". I wish cruises on similar itineraries would simply stick with the departing port's time zone; forget about local time, stick with the ship's time.I found it irritating to change the clocks by only an hour so many times on a 7 days cruise.

7 hours ago, wncretired said:

.......... I think I will go ahead and purchase my 100 shares of NCL.  What have I got to lose? (Except maybe $2,000 😂)

 

 

 

 

If it makes you feel any better, I bought 100 shares of CCL for the OBC benefit back when it was trading for over $60.😳 Do the math, I'm too depressed over that acquisition..................😭

 Doug

I looked it up at the hotel's web page:

Parking

47 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

It was in the room rate, maybe 3

$30 more. You only have to stay 1 night.

You were able to park there for $30 total for a 7 night cruise? If so, that's a REAL bargain!

 Doug

On 2/14/2024 at 8:53 PM, Panhandle Couple said:

.............If you haven't gotten a hotel in NOLA yet, the Holiday Inn Superdome has a stay and park option that we used both times.  The parking is in their secure garage. ...

What do/did they charge for parking? Parking near the port is not inexpensive.

 Doug

3 hours ago, seemoreroyals said:

 

Most itineraries  have a McDonalds at at least one of their ports.  For now anyway your wife will need to get her hash brown fix there.

HA, we're not quite that desperate.....yet!😎

12 hours ago, Yesimapirate said:

.......

Having studied travel related companies pretty closely for 20+ years my take is completely the opposite.   They're going to look at the cuts and the occupancy and think the cuts have had no effect to passengers and only increases the bottom line.   I think they're going to cut even more!  There's no reason for them not to until occupancy levels drop.

 

As I've said before, prices and quality will drop until there's a recession and people slow on the rate they book cruises.

BINGO!🤑

Sad but true. When a company produces more product that it can sell (100% occupancy), there is little reason to change anything to make the product more attractive to potential customers. Basic economics.

We too have been cruising for a long time, over 30 years in our case, and we still love it, but occasionally I wonder if we ought to continue. My poor wife will be very disappointed if there are no triangular "hash browns" on our cruise next month.😪 I can hold out a little longer as long as they continue to have excellent croissants.😎

 Doug

21 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

........
Not being an NCL hash brown fan, I was reluctant to try one. The grease sponges never seemed appetizing. But in the spirit of taking one for the team, as well as our impending boarding, I gave it a go.

Surprisingly, not awful. I even took an extra one.

 

We're cruising soon. Those triangular "hash browns" are one of the top three thing my wife loves about cruising. For me, it's the wonderful croissants; love 'em!

 Doug

14 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

I didn't think you could book FAS and not have the gratuities for those added to your invoice. It adds them in automatically on the invoice the same way it adds port charges and taxes. They're not like DSC gratuities that you  can "optionally" choose to add to the invoice. 

Not sure what FAS is? Don't need to reply, I'm quitting this thread, it's gotten nuts!😜

Looking forward to cruising NCL, no matter how or when I pay!

 Doug

2 hours ago, LloydJr said:

It's the same reason that Toyota kept improving their vehicles even when they could easily sell every one that they could build.  Long term strategy vs. today's bottom line.

I'd be quite pleased if cruise lines would improve the value for us passengers, but I don't have that much faith it them. Good for Toyota. I did not know that, never had a Toyota car/truck. Glad someone does good just to do good!

 Doug

5 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

how exactly were you "stung?"

 

are you saying the price you paid was somehow different than your invoice or included charges, fees or gratuities not mentioned in your contract?

 

As others have probably said, I had to pay gratuities on the drinks and specialty dining package. Yes, that I would have to is buried somewhere in the contract or elsewhere, but I still think it's sneaky the way NCL does it. Doesn't bother me anymore, I know I will be charged that unless I have my TA get me the prince including those gratuities and putting that info on my invoice.

 Doug

On 2/14/2024 at 10:27 AM, UKstages said:

 

...........

 

if people continue to sail at these prices, with these reduced levels of products and services, there may not be a marketplace correction at all.

Correct, except I'd replace "may not be" with "WILL not be". Why would cruise lines do anything to increase our value when the ships are full as it is? Economics 101 folks, supply and demand.

 Doug

On 2/15/2024 at 8:35 PM, realnice46 said:

From what I can see if you choose all inclusive with Celebrity drinks and Wi-Fi include these is no extra charge on the drink package. NCL seems to be a bait and switch making you think you have all inclusive and you don’t when you view the final price.

Yep, when I get a quote for an NCL cruise which includes those package, I ALWAYS verify the price include EVERYTHING. I was stung once by NCL also, but no more!

 Doug

12 hours ago, cheersforbeers said:

We’re old also, I remembe4 big Chief tablets and number 2 pencils. Enjoy your cruise

Thank you!

 Doug

3 hours ago, cheersforbeers said:

Doug,
Glad it worked out. I download our edocs to my iPhone. Haven’t needed to print physically, just a thought. Enjoy y’all’s cruise

I am old....old, old school! Never leave anything on an electronic device if it's possible to print. Only exceptions for cruises are those 15 page insurance documents and the like!

 Doug

Thanks to all you kind folks who replied. I did call NCL, they answered quickly, and the agent said the records showed we were both checked in, and to try to print the documents tomorrow. I was amazed someone answered the phone so quickly!

Ha, if you think NCL has a corner on goofiness, you are so very wrong!😎 I would not even know where to begin to describe the issues I've had with Princess, HAL and Celebrity. 😁

 Doug

It's 21 days until we sail. Everything is done online, NCL.com even says we're both checked in, but I cannot print eDoc/boarding passes.

Below is the note that keeps popping up. I have no idea what a "Booksafe Travel Protection and other add-ins" are. She does not have her own NCL login ID. I completed not adding any of the extras such as travel insurance, more Wifi, drinks, etc for myself. However, when I check her in, the ability to check "No" or whatever is not there.

Anyone know the secret to getting eDocs? I plan to call NCL tomorrow, but do not look forward to spending a couple of hours on hold.😳

 Doug

4 hours ago, FitchburgWIFamily said:

We are on the Breakaway headed back to New Orleans.  Monday, our at sea day was very rocky, very windy.  We were all excited when we pulled up on a sunny day to Cozumel on Tuesday… but we never docked.  Someone shared footage from a ship that did, and huge waves were crashing up over the gangway.  I think the ship could have docked, but I don’t know if passengers could have negotiated the trip to shore.  We got another sea day: this time with more sun.  Roatan and Belize went ok, but they announced we wouldn’t make Costa Maya due to weather, but they would substitute in an afternoon at Cozumel: we were there Friday from noon to 8:00pm.  Must be very specific to winds or something because Cozumel and Costa Maya are not far enough apart to have different weather systems.

 

First time I’ve done this itinerary this early in February…not sure if it’s normal or not to have so many changes.  I’ve done it twice in late March and never missed a port. 
 

$50 OBC per person for the inconvenience and $15 for port fees.

 

We cruise to Coz often, probably 15 times in the last 20 years; usually in early-mid March and or mid October. We have never failed to dock at Cozumel in those years, but probably failed to dock at Costa Maya around 40% of the time. That port is very open to the ocean/winds as you know. Glad you did get to spend the afternoon in Coz, one of our favorite ports.

 Doug

11 hours ago, jean-lynd said:

Main Dining Room - I could have booked Specialty but I don't have any OBC so I would have had to pay for it. Not interested enough in it to do that.

Apparently even with OBC, we cannot cannot book specialty before boarding if we only want to book using that OBC. Kinda sucks IMO. 😩

 Doug

11 hours ago, jean-lynd said:

I am not Platinum or Elite, I am in a balcony cabin and I have not made final payment. I cruise in July and I was able to make my dinner reservations a couple of weeks ago. I hope this helps!

MDR reservations or specialty dining reservations? If the latter, did you use OBC or your credit card?

 Doug