BirdTravels

The casino bar is normally open late and until the tables close. The bars listed as closing late stay open while there are a crowd. No customers, the bars close. If you are desperate for a late night drink, the SWIFT room service (not included in beverage package) is always available for online ordering.

Bars close when the entertainment and crowds end. No point in keeping a bar open if they are empty. There is at least one typo in this list from the Encore.

The suites breakfast has been very disappointing. We prefer the MDR, if open, or she windjammer.

Since we sail multiple times a year, we mostly just go to the beach when in port (or stay on the ship). For us, CocoCay is a free beach day which is a bonus. No additional cost for loungers, umbrellas, food, drinks. Bonus!

While it is true that shows normally are licensed for 5 years, that was to coincide with major dry docks when new shows were installed. On some ships, that has included opening the hulls of the ship to get set pieces off/on the ships. The pandemic kinda screwed up both dry docks and show licensing.

Buy the cruise. Watch pricing for drops. Rebook. There may be a sale where a guest n2 is free. There maybe a sale where guest 3 and 4 sail free.

Recent reports are about $129. I didn't notice being advertised last week, but I didn't look for it. We take the Platinum tour for free (which is shorter than the paid tour).

This was recent

NCL shows more English football than American "football".

This was the Vibe on the Bliss during a pre-pandemic cruise to Alaska in June. It was very windy (along with rain), so they had all of the furniture secured. BTW: The Vibe passes were sold out on this cruise.

Unfortunately, it is exactly in accordance with the terms and conditions that you agreed to. For a steeply discounted air fare, they get to pick the flights, airlines, and times. Not you. And I would not expect them to pay more if you don't like the flights, airlines, and times they select. They held up their end of the discount fare.

Guys, you are answering a question asked 7 years ago. And that is why it is bad to bump a long dead thread. The Vibe pass process has totally changed since the question was asked 7 years ago.

GWAR (go without a robe) since there are only OSFA robes on ships.

Le Bistro is better on the Breakaway

To get in earlier, they would have had to leave a day earlier on a red eye. Which would be outside the deviation window?

We like NCL air. We use it with full understanding that NCL is going to pick the cheapest flights to/from our cruise ports which are not going to be the flights that we would have picked if we booked on our own. There should be no confusion about the fact that flights are going to be sub-optimal. It's like using an Uber at an airport. I can get in a taxi and leave immediately after getting out of a terminal. The taxi will be of a general, expected quality and cleanliness. Or I can save money with an Uber, standing in the cold (or hot) for 15-20 minutes, getting a car of varying quality, and a driver who does not understand that when they accept an airport run, they can't have their trunk full of Costco purchases with no places for a suitcase.

There continues to be a complimentary tour done by CruiseNext for Platinum and above. It is first come first serve, so sign up early on embarkation day if you want to go. The paid tour by ShoreEx is more extensive.

You can skim through the menus in my live post from last week below. Unless you are sailing on the Prima, NCL uses 21 main dining room menus that they select from (6 MDR menus are included in attached thread) (i.e., there is no "normal Monday menu"). There are also specialty dining menus from most popular restaurants on the link below. (If you are sailing on the Prima, I have another link)

As soon as you embark, head to The Social Comedy Club (Deck 6 Midship) and book your entertainment. Main theater shows including Footloose and Elements open for online bookings 21 days prior to departure, 12 midnight eastern time (at the same time you log on to check in and select your port check-in time). Comedy shows can only be booked onboard. Once you have your entertainment sorted out, head across the hall to Teppanyaki (Deck 6 Mid-ship) to make your dinner reservations. By completing your entertainment first, you can avoid conflicts with dining. But, be forewarned that prime time dining reservations at popular restaurant will sell out quickly onboard, especially on sea days. So, do your reservations as soon as you embark. Enjoy the Joy, she's a beautiful ship!

Look through the Freestyle Dailies on my post from last week on this thread to see what was open on sea day and what was open on port days... along with all things Encore.

The duration of the cruise is not a factor in making a shore excursion decision to us. We'll get off the ship and do something,,, even it is just walking around. Or a beach transfer.

If you want a peek at the Quantum from last season, the link below was to my live post

Keep watching. RCCL pricing is nuts now. There is little to no advantage for purchasing the club pass now. I have been to CocoCay 5 times since restart, and went to the club a couple of times when recovering from knee surgery (I could get a cart from the gangway to the club entrance, and it was a short, paved walk to the beach/pool).

The OP is asking whether they can remove food from the ship. The answer is no. Whether others follow the rules is totally irrelevant. What is relevant is the ship's and US Government laws. For Alaska cruises departing from Seattle:

Last week, the Encore had 4 hosts. 1 Exec Host, 1 Sr. Host, and 2 Hosts. The junior hosts were responsible for continually drumming up business over the PA (getting poker players, selling scratchers, selling lotto tickets, running tournaments). That being said, the crummy land-based CAS reservations seems to be taking its toll. There were only 350 casino guests on the Encore last week (4800 total passengers). Normally, you would see somewhere between 10% and 25% of the adult passengers sailing on a casino offer (CAS direct or land-based certificate). I.e., ,closer to 1000 adult passengers sailing in a comp'ed or discounted cabin.