GreenValleyDogWalker

Have sailed on several NCL ships - but not the Epic (or any in that class) 

LOVE those AFT suites !

Looking at the Transatlantic in December 2022 (certainly optimistic that we will be sailing by then !) Will probably be using FCC's from canceled cruises in 2020 and 2021 ((!!)

As of now there are aft suites available on decks 9, 10, 12, and 13 - Any recommendations for which deck would be best ?? 

THANK YOU  

My original post was not about having a tub or not - it was to try to find out if the tubs on the S class ships are as horribly HARD to get in and out of as the M class ships

Yes - I want a tub - but one that you don't need a ladder to get in and out of....actually - we prefer a separate tub and shower...

Thanks to all that posted 

Thank you for that info !! 

On 9/29/2020 at 11:54 AM, dolphin lady said:

My husband & I are booked in a sky suite for next Aug (hopefully) for a 12 day cruise. We have been several times in a Haven on NCL.

We would've stayed with NCL, however the cost was the same for seven days on NCL versus 12 for Celebrity. I'm wondering if any one can tell me how much of a difference between the sky suite & Haven suite?

Sky Suites are much smaller that most of the Haven Suites - bathrooms have shower/tub combined 

The restaurant for suite guests on Celebrity is MUCH nicer than the Haven Restaurant

WONDERFUL HUGE choice of "Specialty" restaurants on NCL instead of just a steak house, italian, etc. on Celebrity 

Looking forward to cruising again !!

We were on the Millie - in a nice Celebrity Suite a couple of years ago - loved the Suite - EXCEPT for that AWFUL HIGH, HIGH, HIGH bathtub ! (many different reviews re: that) -

Anyway - booked on the Equinox for a Caribbean cruise in September 2021 (hopefully !) - (this replaces a canceled one from September 2020)  ...

Can anyone tell us if the tub on the Solstice Class ships are closer to NORMAL height ? (MUCH easier to climb in and out of than those on the Millennium Class ships ?)

This probably sounds like a dumb/silly question to anyone that hasn't experienced the tubs on Millennium Class ships - appreciate hearing from anyone with first-hand experience - trying not to have to pay for upgrade to a Royal Class suite...

Thank You ! 

Thanks for the post

We are just used to flying in the day of - when the ship is departing on the West Coast - done it many, many times.... 

Of course - that we "pre-Covid" !!  😀

We are still optimistic that our Alaska cruise - R/T Vancouver will take place - August 2021 !

Starting to look at air travel possibilities - as far as arriving into YVR - it looks like we can take a flight that arrives at about noon the date of departure - and head directly to the ship (wonder if Celebrity will still offer "USA DIRECT")

For returning home - it looks like a flight that departs YVR at about 1:00 PM would work ???? - Or do we need to allow MORE time 

(Have been to Vancouver many, many times - so really don't want to spend "additional" time there this time !)

Yes - thank you for the great idea !

Dessert from Luminae delivered to our cabin is now on my list !! 

El Crucero  - 

Here in Arizona - we are going for a record (I think it is 39 days) number of days that it is at least 100 degrees ! 

Today the high is forecast to be 107

Times like this, we miss living in Pismo Beach California !! 

We are booked on the Jade for the TA in April 2021 (HOPEFULLY it will sail !) in a Category SN - Aft Penthouse with Large Balcony 

As long as we still get to eat breakfast in one of the speciality restaurants, we will be happy ! (our favorite suite perk !) 

We rarely use the Butler - sometimes the concierge to help make reservations

2 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

I well remember all the excursions and touring.  There comes a time when you have reached the saturation point.  Once you have climbed all the mountains, seen all the museums and swam in all the oceans, etc, etc. you get the urge to chill.  As the new ships got bigger with more extensive amenities it became easier to make the ship your destination.  Lest you get the wrong impression of all my sybaritic doings onboard...  

 

Our last cruise was in 2017 (three months later I was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure which totally killed our cruise plans) and we, DW and I, agreed to stay onboard from now on.  Hopefully, we will all be able to resume cruising somewhere down the road when this Covid19 insanity gets resolved (and I receive a new kidney).  
 

I am heartened to see how many here are looking forward to resume cruising.  Chemmo hit the target when he said, “most of us will just walk around with large contented smiles on our faces”.  Isn’t it ironic how we appreciate the insignificant and mundane once we are deprived of them.  

My stage 3 Kidney failure was diagnosed in 2017 - Right kidney removed in November 2017 - we have been on at least 6 times since then - and looking forwarding to our next cruise (hopefully a TA in APril 2021)

HANG IN THERE ! 

I love all of the posts - makes me miss cruising even more ! We have been used to cruising about 3 or 4 times a  year - luckily we managed to get in a cruise in early March - just before everything shut down

I guess what we will do as soon as we cruise again (hopefully a TA in April 2021) is simply relax and enjoy being able to cruise again - watch the waves from our aft balcony - and do lots of nothing !! - 

We are still hoping to be able to cruise on our TA April 2021 (re-scheduled after the TA in April 2020 was canceled) 

We have already applied the FCC's from the canceled cruise to the 2021 cruise. (even had some "left over" credits ! )

1 hour ago, ready2cruzagain said:

If I have to wear a mask, I won't go on a cruise.

 

We totally agree - I hope that the cruise-lines will make it VERY CLEAR what the guidelines on-board will be - BEFORE we actually commit to the cruise 

(So we can cancel) -

If we have to wear a mask - we won't cruise - even though we really, really, really miss cruising !! 

I simply cannot believe that cruise ships will sail again with a REQUIREMENT of wearing a mask !! 

What kind of a vacation would that be ?? 

(Just my 2 cents) 

12 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Well I spent some time reading this thread and put some likes on comments I agree with. Like others on this thread I will "choose" not to go on a cruise if a mask is required. Not because I can't breathe with one on, or any number of other real or imagined problems with a mask. I don't enjoy wearing a mask and do not choose to pay for a vacation where I am required to wear something I find unpleasant. I do wear a mask when required or social distancing is not possible, it's the right thing to do.

Be well everyone.

THANK YOU for this (well written) post !  I agree......

We were scheduled for a Transatlantic to sail in April 2020 - which, of course was cancelled.  We requested, and received (took about 1 month) 125% FCC.

We quickly used part of that FCC to book another TA in April 2021 - with all of the perks - even had about $3,000 left over FCC - used to partially pay for an Alaska cruise in 2022 

We've booked a couple of ship's shore excursions (Iceland) and also some private tours with ToursByLocals (all fully cancellable - which, I sure hope we don't have to do !)

Air travel booked using Frequent Flyer miles

Trying very hard to be optimistic that by April 2021 this mess will all be settled and that we will be able to sail   

1 minute ago, ColeThornton said:

Not sure what line you are going on but I know on NCL you can ask your steward for an iron/ironing board or call housekeeping to get one.

 

No need to improvise with a flat iron or a waffle maker.

Oh - I forgot about that ! - Seems that I did that once - several years ago and I had to wait for a long time for them to be delivered - but - will certainly try that again - thank you so much 

Ha ha ha - a "waffle maker"  ???

I read somewhere that  you can use your (hair) flat iron to iron your clothes (well - sort of)  😀

Has anyone tried this ? - What brand/type of flat iron

Thanks 

(I know this sounds like a trivial question during these trying times - but still optimistically planning on cruising - next booked one is in December ) 

On 7/13/2020 at 4:29 PM, Noworkforme23 said:

 
I saw that information about the European return as well. We have a thermal suite on our December 12, 2020 Encore Cruise and if the thermal spa hydro pool is closed, that is a deal breaker for us, we will cancel the cruise. Our final payment is due 8-14 and I will be calling to extend the due date until October before I give them my final payment. So far, all I have paid is the $100 deposit. If they won’t extend the due date to see what the restrictions will be and if it even sails, we will just cancel. 

We have a cruise booked for December 6, 2020 - Final Payment due in August - totally agree that if the thermal spa is closed - pretty much a deal breaker -

You mentioned that you will be calling to extend the due date - is that possible ???  I have never heard of that

Thank you 

Just some more (very) wishful thinking here - we had to cancel our September 14th cruise (since the current no sale runs through Sept 15) bummer -

Our next one booked is a short 1 week out of New Orleans on December 6th - sure hope we get to go !

Then the next booked cruise is an April 2021 TA (replacing our canceled April 2020 TA) - I am thinking better odds on that one !

Stay safe, everyone 😀

Posting this just FYI:

We were owed a total of $1,530.00 from Celebrity (long story - change in room) - Credit showed in our account on-line - as a credit due 

Call to Celebrity on Jun 2nd - were told "total amount of credit will be issued against form of payment used" (our Credit Card) - information sent to Credit Card company today "

On June  28th our credit card showed a credit from Celebrity in the amount of $1,318.78 - I tried to calculate just how that amount was determined - to no avail...

Then on July 2nd our credit card showed a credit from Celebrity in the amount of $211.22 

Grand total = $1,530.00 !   ta da !! 😀

Here is our story:  

Our April 2020 TA was cancelled - we got 125% FCC (we had not yet purchased any kind of insurance from anyone)

We booked another TA for April 2021 - used most of our FCC - no problem - Same room, same perks 

still had a $3,000 FCC - just used it for a short Mexican cruise in December (hope we get to go !) - no problems at all (we use on-line discount Travel Agent)

Never told we HAD to have insurance 

We were booked on the 11 Night Southern Caribbean September 14, 2020 from Ft Lauderdale ---- no 11 night cruises next year that we could lift and shift to (only 12 night cruises) - we waited until that cruise was cancelled - and received 125% FCC - which totally covered our 12 night Caribbean cruise in 2021 - with a little bit left over - turned out to be a good deal !   😀

15 minutes ago, Host Carolyn said:

Don't get your heart set on this. Covid has just started ramping up on Roatan so may not be any cruise ships this year

OK - Yup - trying to stay optimistic (while also staying realistic)

Thanks