SSMcruises

We are arriving in Feb 2020 on NCL Encore and would love to find a restaurant/bar with a view of the sun set.   However we dock at 530 pm and sunset is around 623 pm.  Any suggestions on somewhere close to the port?  Adults and kids !   Thx 

Pixie dust - can I ask if you are flying in ahead of time and what time were the flights you got each direction?   

We are flying in 2 days ahead and spending the weekend before our Sunday cruise and then flying home the day we return.  We are planning a hotel pool day if we have late flights home and will just make it another day of our vacation.  

We are booked for Feb 2020 on the Encore, and I just noticed the Air info shows flights from Toronto to Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale and then flights from Miami to NYC to Toronto for our return.   Any idea if this will change or how reliable it is?  We are flying in two days ahead and if we are going into FLL I will look for a condo rental there rather than Miami.  Either option is fine with me.  

We are on Encore in Feb 2020, called our PCC this morning about this.  He was able to add all perks - $54 more for both of us as the rate had gone up a bit but we got the extra 2 perks, $100 OBC, and our airfare was still free.  

Now, I don’t think the shore excursion perk is any good to us but the wifi was worth it.  

We have opted for the 'free' flights, paying to fly in two days before our Sunday cruise, and home the same day.  

I am sure our situation is slightly different as we are coming in days before, however the PCC told us that flights are typically early morning or later in the evening, generally not during the middle of day.  We were also encourage to call in and speak to the Air travel department to request morning flights.  

We only had to pay for the transfers on the return flight. 

Now to plan a weekend in Miami before getting on the Encore

Last week on the Escape we were told to bring photo ID. The only port we were asked to show it was Nassau....and of course that was the port that my husband did not bring photo ID. Luckily I had mine, and our last names are similar enough (mine is hyphenated) that they allowed him through with me, and my ID.

I was not looking forward to walking back to the ship to get his ID, walking back to the port area and then back to the ship again. Very fortunate they let him through!

I used it last week on the Escape. It is a regular hairdryer that is plugged in under the dresser across from the couch. Not one of those hotel units that hairdryer snaps into a base. It worked well for me, and my friend with thick hair used it as well with no complaints!

Last week on the Escape tender tickets were available the day before for Grand Cayman. We were in group 5 I think and off by 830am and we're early for our private excursion. For great stirrup they did not show up until about an hour before they changed that stop.

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(ok, this is so much longer than I thought it would be....hope you're not bored ;))

While I would not quite call this a trip report, I do want to pay back into the pool of information on CC that benefited my vacation planning!! And I am a researcher/planner! I can not remember how many times this past week on the Escape when someone asking me how I knew something, and my response was CC reviews. HUGE thanks to those who wrote amusing, extensive and incredible trip reports - TheDougOut, CruiseLifeRick, POA1 and many many others.

My husband and I were joined by friends and their two kids (13,10) on the Escape Nov 11-18, 2017. We had forward/midship balconies, on the starboard side. We flew Toronto to Miami on the Friday before and spent an amazing day in South Beach, staying at Winter Haven (Marriott Autograph Collection).

Leaving Toronto - we had the dreaded 625 am flight, which meant leaving home around 3 am. This was only made worse by the first snow of the season starting the night before. We walked out our front door to a sight we had not seen in many many months - a blanket of snow! Thankfully it did not impact our drive too much, and we were at Park and Fly Valet by 4 am, checked in at the airport by 430 am and onto the customs line up. This was our first time checking bags using the automatic bag check system. Note to self - remember to ensure the bag tag matches the passport or that machine will spit your suitcase right back at you! Thankfully it seemed to be a common problem and the airport staff person quickly reset our machine. We flew American Airlines and I was quite happy with it. We had upgraded our seats for extra leg room and were very comfortable. I will say that I am always shocked about the amount of 'stuff' some people insist on carrying onto a plane. Pay the $20 and check that bag - you struggling down the aisle with your purse, your plastic bag, your over the shoulder bag and a rolling suitcase is a bit much!

Transportation - We used UberXL from the airport to the hotel. Unfortunately we were not able to specify what vehicle we wanted (does Uber allow this??) so we ended up crowding into a small sized SUV, it had three rows of seats, but not much room was left for luggage in the back. Thankfully my husband is a Tetris master and managed to get most of the luggage stowed.....but not all, as we sat with a suitcase on our laps for the trip. I did have a laugh at the fact that were were spending $1000s on this trip and were all crowded into one Uber to save $20! The drive over to South Beach was ok, if you overlooked the fact that my husband had to participate in an unexpected conference call while we were all in the car. Nothing starts a vacation off great like a work emergency!

When we were getting ready to leave the hotel for the port on Saturday morning, the valet offered to get a bigger car for us. He called 'a friend with a big SUV' to come drive us. Thankfully the most delightful lady showed up with a HUGE SUV. The bags were quickly stowed and we all rode in comfort to the port. We made sure to get her contact information for a pick up upon our return.

Check in - We arrived at the port around 1045 am, and were through security in no time, walked right up to the check in desk and were on our way to the waiting area in no time. We received boarding group 7 (maybe 9, hmmmm??). They were already calling group 4 at that point. We waited about 15 minutes and were on our way onto the ship by 1130 am. I was very surprised and happy with the speed of the whole process!

Plans VS Reality - As I said, I am a crazy, over the top vacation planner...or I should say, researcher. I think to read everything I can about everything and go from there. I had explained to our group that we would board, head straight to the dining room for lunch and by the time we were done the rooms would be ready and yada yada yada. What actually happened is we planted ourselves at the pool area, ordered a few rounds of drinks, tried out the slides, went for a dip in the nearly empty pools, and just hung out. I don't think we made it to the rooms much before 3 pm! After Muster we must have grabbed a bit to eat somewhere, most likely the dreaded Garden Cafe buffet as I have drink tax charges from there on my account. But I have to say, it was exactly what was needed. Everyone could grab what they wanted, we could all talk together about things so far and let the vacation begin.

I wont say that I threw my research out the window, but I took a deep breath and went with it. Ahhhhh, vacation!

The Slides - lots of fun. I received the wedgie of a lifetime on the drop slide!!! The 10 year old was not able to ride the drop slide, but he enjoyed the other two options. The 13 year old weighed in at 98.5 lbs, and you had to be 99 lbs to ride. She was bummed but we quickly explained that a few days of eating on the ship and she would most likely be on the slide by the end of the cruise. I will say that the slide with the inner tubes was much more fun when you went with someone else. They allow two tubes at a time!

Fast forward a few days and the 13 year old got weighed again and was 100 lbs! Success, she was crazy excited to try the slide. Except she got stuck...in the slide!!! Inside the first loop. Thankfully she is an adventurous kid with a good head on her shoulders - she did not panic at all, she quickly used her hands to scoot herself along until gravity took over and did its job. There is an escape hatch there just in case, however she did not need it. I will say I was kind of shocked that she got stuck. In my past life I was part of a team that operated an indoor waterslide at a hotel. There were weight and height minimums that were greatly exaggerated to ensure safety. I had assumed if the slide said 99 lbs minimum weight, that it would be safe at, lets say 80 lbs, however they put a safety cushion of 99 lbs just to be sure! Needless to say, she was fine, wanted to ride again! Just a word of caution if someone is right at the minimum....you might not make it all the way around !

The Ropes Course - it only opened once the entire cruise. We had high winds for a first few days, and the ropes course was closed. When we arrived back on the ship in Costa Maya on the Wednesday the course was finally open and those who wanted to quickly changed and headed up. They loved it! My husband and the 13 year old walked the plank and pulled the rope for a picture. We were all anticipating the photos and after checking the next night, we realized that the camera was on the completely wrong side and everyone's pictures were of their back!!! Oh well, we were able to take a few nice pics of them from the deck below!

UBP - what can you say? It makes a vacation a whole lot of fun! We were fortunate enough to find a great server on the pool deck, which allowed us to avoid lining up for drinks. She kept us hydrated each day bringing mixed drinks for the girls and providing a regularly filled bucket of beers for the boys! She would even bring the kids a soda or something if they were around. We started off by trying the signature drinks in each restaurant but quickly realized that we were not enjoying them. Most nights it was the CabSav wine and we all enjoyed it. I am a Moscow Mule drinker, it is my go to drink on a regular basis. I found them to be ok on the ship, sometimes hit or miss. When someone took their time, muddled the limes and used the shaker, they were outstanding (shout out to the guys at Spice H2O), when they just tossed the ingredients in the cup and passed it along to you it was so-so (looking at you Atrium!!).

Specialty Dining - we chose Moderno, Cagneys and Teppanyaki for our three meals, plus one night in Food Republic. We enjoyed each meal, rated Food Republic as the best, hands down. Teppanyaki was the most entertaining. I will say, for the boards showing limited availability at each restaurant, there were a lot of empty seats during prime times! All I can say get the brussel sprouts at Food Republic!!!! Best dish of the entire cruise!

Taste and Savor - I would have thought we would have eaten here more, however we only had 2 dinners and 3 breakfasts. One dinner was quick, as we were trying to get to a show and the server was very attentive and even asked if we had felt too rushed! The food was good, I was hoping for a better french onion soup but it was passable Our other dinner was the longest, most ridiculous experience ever. We dined after the 730 pm Brat Pack show - we thought the show would be less than an hour, however it was 1 1/2 hours, meaning we did not get to dinner until 9 pm. We were immediately sat in the booth right behind the hostess stand. It was at least 10 minutes before we even got water, and everything else was just as slow. We were still sitting at dinner when the restaurant had closed and the staff were attending a meeting in the back corner. It was close to 11 pm when we left. Unfortunately we were also sat at that booth for a breakfast that also took forever to come out....moving forward we avoided that booth at all costs, there must be some invisibility cloak around it or something.

Entertainment - we saw the comedic juggler (I napped...in the theatre...during the whole show!!!), the Brat Pack (too long IMO, and I am an 80s chick!!) and Howl at the Moon! It is true what they say, the crowd really makes the difference for dueling pianos. The first night just my husband and myself went and we had a blast. Some of the guys from After Midnight came in and joined in for a while and it was incredible!!! We dragged our friends there the last night and it was lacking, but mostly due to the songs being requested. We also attended the Glow Party, which was unfortunately moved indoors at the last minute due to monsoon rains. It was ok, but I think if we have been able to be outside it would have been much better.

Itinerary - we booked Eastern Caribbean and got the Western, which was completely understandable given the storm situation this year. The western ports we got were not be greatest, but we made the most of them. Falmouth Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya Mexico and it was supposed to be Great Stirrup however ended up being a last minute change to Nassau

Falmouth - we stayed in the port area, enjoyed some jerk chicken and red strip and a bit of shopping. The weather was not the greatest in the afternoon so it was nice to be close to the ship. This port is far enough away from most attractions that we really had no firm plans for the day.

Grand Cayman - we went all out and booked a private boat with Crystal Charters. We spent an amazing 4 1/2 hours on a boat with Matt and Alex and they made the day spectacular. We snorkeled off this great little reef, visited Starfish Point, stopped by a beach bar for some drinks and then headed to Stingray City. If we were not already sold on our decision to use Crystal Charters, our arrival at Stingray City sealed the deal. There were a number of what we called cattle boats there - huge two deck boats with at least 75 people on them, and just a couple of guides. There were people everywhere around those boats and very few stingrays. The 6 of us and our two guides had at least a dozen stingrays and Matt and Alex had names for them, explained so much about them, and was even able to calm those of us (ok, ME!) that were nervous. The memories and pictures we have from that experience will never go away. The charter left from Camana Bay which was a short taxi ride away and was a little piece of heaven itself. We arrived back at the port around 230 pm and the last tender was at 3 pm. While tendering is never my thing, NCL certainly made it better by offering cool towels, cold beverages and lots of welcoming smiles!!!

Costa Maya - we booked with Maya Chan, and everything they tell you about the trip there is 100% correct. The road is crazy bumpy and full of lake sized pot holes. For that matter, just getting out of Costa Maya port area is like running the gauntlet. The cruise ship companies really want you trapped in that area. Since we had booked a private excursion, we had to walk all the way out of the commercial, revenue generating complex to get our taxi. The directions provided by Maya Chan were detailed and very helpful. Our day at Maya Chan was great, although the sun kept hiding away on us. We enjoyed the space, the peace, and the amazing taco bar. And I am not a rum punch lover, but my goodness, it was great there! Perhaps a few less rum punch would have made the ride back to the ship easier!! Thank goodness for gravol!

Nassau....scratch that....Great Stirrup Cay....scratch that.....Nassau - with our original itinerary we were scheduled to be in Nassau, so my husband used Marriott points to secure us a room at Atlantis. This would have given us water park passes for 2 adults and 2 kids. Great solution to experience Atlantis without spending the crazy amounts they want for tickets on the ship. Nassau got cancelled so we cancelled the room. Well then Nassau got rescheduled the day before arrival, which did not leave us time to get anything set up. I had done limited research for Nassau since we knew we wanted to experience Atlantis. Needless to say we could not get a room organized in time, and we also could not swallow the thought of paying almost $1000 for the 6 of us to go. So we flew by the seat of our pants and ended up at Cabbage Beach. We had a great time, however it was not relaxing. The waves were crazy huge, and swimming was impossible. Trying to stay standing was near impossible. It cost us $60 for 4 loungers and one umbrella. Cab fare was $4 each way, per person, so another $50. Again, we had a great time, however wish we had lucked out on a calm bay someplace. Or someplace with a bathroom!!!

Disembarkation - so so so easy. I can not say this enough. Since we had a 2 pm flight we were in no hurry at all. We had an 830 am breakfast in the dining room, sat in the Atrium for a bit and were called around 945 am. We were curb side by 10 am, with our luxury SUV pickup just minutes away. Travel days are rarely fun, especially when the vacation is over. There is something to be said for having a nice final relaxing morning before heading out...almost like we extended the vacation by just a little bit!

What we expected and what we got -

• crowded pool decks, very much expected and very much received. I am an early person who loves to sit outside and read in the quiet morning. I would be on deck by 7 am ish and was able to have a pick of chairs. By 9 am the deck team was marking chairs with red stickers, however I never actually saw them remove anything from chairs. Whatever their system is, it is flawed. I was sitting out one morning from 7 am until after 9 am. We all went to breakfast and were back at our seats by 10 am, less than an hour and our chairs had been marked, however there will still towels on other chairs since before 7 am!
  
• crowded elevators, very much expected, but not as bad as we feared. Aside from Muster drill, or when arriving back on the ship, it was not that bad. We were on deck 13 so it made it much easier going back and forth using the stairs.
  
• balcony divider not able to be opened, but it was!!! When we boarded the divider between our neighbours balcony and ours was left open, however our friends were on the other side of us. Our steward quickly closed off one side and opened the other. It made for a nice place to sit together and relax. It was closed and locked sometime during our last day in Nassau, however it was not a big deal.
  
• Motion sickness...always expected, but always prepared. I took ginger gravol every morning and drowsy inducing gravol a couple of nights. I was not nauseous at all, and I am always nauseous, it seems to be a natural state for me. I would much rather prevent it than treat it. Also, all the fresh ginger in my Moscow mules might have helped too!
  
• The rocking and the rolling....so much worse than I thought it could be. Some reviews have talked about a shimmy, a vibration, a nonstop movement on the ship and boy did I feel it. We had high winds and some rougher seas throughout the week but I felt it all the time. The best way I could describe it was it felt like someone had their foot on the back of my chair and was shaking it, all week long. There was such a vibration in some chairs at Howl at the Moon that I had to change seats. I never let it stop me, but it was very very annoying to feel it. And needless to say, I am still feeling the motion of the ocean. Hopefully another day or two and it will pass.
  

We ended the cruise with a variety of opinions and thoughts. I think I might be done cruising - the movement of this ship might have done me in. Others (including my husband) want to try Royal, some want to try the Med. We shall see. All in all, it was a fabulous vacation that I will never forget. I really am appreciative of this information that I discovered on this site before our trip and hope that I have paid that back to someone in someway!

Happy travels everyone!

I thought you can't get buckets with the drink package.

We didn't order the buckets, the server just brought them. I assume its easier/faster for her to restock the bucket with beer and ice a couple of times a day, rather than getting individual drinks each time. I also saw other people with buckets around their chairs, but not sure if they were ordered or not.

Just off the Escape with the UBP. Daily my husband and his friend were provided with a bucket of their choice of beers, all unopened. Our server would keep it refreshed with ice throughout the day. Any beers left at the end of the day were taken back to the room for a late night drink on the balcony. I could totally see why someone would use a small cooler.

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If you have FB, check out Roatan Marine Park. They are on the front line of this news, not only talking about it, but taking action as well

From their page -

Recently published photos of a “sea of trash” on Roatan have gone viral in the media. While these images have brought much needed attention to the global garbage crisis that our oceans are currently experiencing, the story behind these photos has not been accurately explained. These photos were taken after major rain and weather events in the region. The floating “raft” of trash was observed offshore and was not in fact choking our beaches and shoreline as many of the articles have described. Unfortunately the same currents that brought this floating raft of trash into our waters, have now taken it out to sea or to another unlucky location. Our island paradise is still a beautiful Caribbean destination, and these images should not deter anyone from visiting and appreciating the abundance of natural resources Roatan offers. Since the photos were taken we have had over 1 million tourists visit our island and have been continually voted as top caribbean travel destination. The only thing these images should deter or reduce is our use of plastics. The important thing is to act responsibly and NOW, to reduce your single use plastic. Our oceans are filling up with trash. You can help us protect this paradise. Let’s bring more alternatives to single use plastic

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Nov 11 sailing

Jamaica - Monday

Grand Cayman - Tuesday

Costa Maya- Wednesday

Great Stirup Cay = Friday

It is unfortunate that this happened during your vacation, and that you were frightened and upset by it.

I have worked in large hotels in the past, and I can assume what could happen during an incident like this.

1) its overnight, when the least number of staff are working, including security. Most guests are in the cabins and asleep, hence the reduced number of staff, including security

2) Security could have already been involved in another incident / injury / illness elsewhere on the ship

3) Security could have been on their regular patrol, on the far side / end of the ship, which would take time to get to the cabin

I agree that the letter is too lengthy. I am not sure of the purpose of the letter

- to get some reassurances that something like that will not happened again?

- to get some compensation?

- to help you get past the incident?

It would be difficult to give any reassurances, other than 'we respond as quickly as possible to any situation'. NCL has to assess each situation individually and handle it the best way possible - for that individual situation. As you can see from the responses already, incidents like this happen and are unfortunately not uncommon.

IMO, NCL responded by relocting you to another cabin, to help reassure your concerns. I personally would be satisfied with this and not needing anything further.

This is obviously still bothering you, as it has been two weeks since your cruise. As some point you will need to work on moving past it, and focusing on the great memories from your cruise.

Good luck!

I have experienced seasick and get motion sickness regularly. I swear by the Natural Source Ginger Gravol. I take it daily, and it does not cause drowsiness at all. I also carry the patches, bands etc just in case, but have not had to use them.

The other main thing about seasickness and motion sickness is to ensure to eat small snacks etc regularly - an empty stomach can contribute to feeling ill. I find keeping some crackers or other bland type food available helps. Believe me, I will be eating something before getting in a tender boat for sure!

Have a great vacation

I was able to book dinner for two cabins, without having purchased the dining package yet. I was not required to prepay for Teppenyaki or Moderno. I made our reservations in July and just bought the dining packages yesterday.

Thank you to those who gave some great suggestions and ideas - I am sure it will go a long way to ensure we all have a great vacation. Good to know that I will need to start the marching in the afternoon and not the evening. ;p (this emoji depicts the humour and tongue in cheek personality that I currently have)

To everyone who is so very worried about the welfare of the children, the parents, their family, my family, our friendship and my so called 'trying to parent' - I want to assure that that at no time will anyone be hurt or harmed in the making of this vacation! Nobody will be forced to spend time together or apart (well, except for my husband and I (;p more humour). Nobody will be forced to participate (well, except for that ropes course, someone with a fear of heights will be doing that for my shear enjoyment. Nobody will be forced to consume copious amounts of food (well, except for all of us, this is a cruise for goodness sake!)

I am extremely grateful for our friends, their kids, our relationship and the travels we have all taken together. It is just the dynamic of our friendship - I am the planner, the researcher, the one on the quest for information - they are the ones that just come along for the ride. It works for us, not sure why it should matter to anyone else!

Hope everyone has a great cruise and vacation - I know we will!

PS - Guess I need to go cause some needless commotion elsewhere....does anyone know if we can just leave the kids in the room while we go off on our excursions? (;p, yep, more humour!)

Curious as well - you state you have no issues traveling with your friends' kids ... yet are already planning on passing them off to the kids club straightaway? What if your friends actually want to cruise WITH their kids so they can spend time WITH their kids?

LOL! Yes, I am going to wrestle my friend's kids away from them and force them all to spend time away from each other! You are reading way too much into this - I can guarantee you that we will all have a great time traveling together, and that includes the kids making some friends to hang out with during the cruise. Oh, BTW, the kids are more excited to be away from the adults, then the other way around. Thanks for your great suggestion though! Much appreciated. Have a great cruise!

Why are YOU "marching" them anywhere? What are your friends going to be doing?

Just the way our 30+ year friendship works I guess - I am the outgoing one who does not mind new social situations, and my friends are more introverted. The kids are quite excited to know that I am going to take them to the kids club the first night!

Our friends are first time cruisers and bringing their 13 year daughter and 10 year old son along. We have no issues traveling with the kids, but I have also made it very clear that I will be marching them down to the kids club to make friends the first day! ;p

Are there any other suggestions that I should make for our friends and their kids?

Here's what I have already passed along (from reading recent reviews)

• watch their spending in the arcades (or they may end up with hundreds of rubber duckies in their room)
  
• register their son's food allergies prior to boarding
  
• closed toe shoes for the ropes course
  

Are lanyards a good idea for the kids? Or is it better for them to just carry their passes?

THANKS - 25 days and counting

Quick question: Is it just called Dry Ginger Ale in Canada? Or do they call it back ginger ale sort of like back bacon is what we in the States call Canadian Bacon?

The funny thing is that it is mostly referred to as ginger ale, except when its Canada Dry, and then people say 'Ill have a Canada Dry"

What you call Canadian Bacon is Peameal Bacon or back bacon.

Now I wonder, is a Jamaican Patty just a patty when in Jamaica......

I just received a call from the Restaurant Manager. He's graciously going to send up paper copies of the menus for the Department of Scanning Things (Sitting Division)

 

Yay!

Is the Department of Coincidences (Cruise Critic Reviews) opening an investigation? You post at 8 am that you havent heard or received anything, and voila, by 1 pm you have it all. Hmmmmmm, hope NCL is also enjoying your review as much as we all are!

The Department of Cocktail Adjunct Research (Late Night Division) has reported in. The ginger beer is Gosling's.

THANK YOU Department of Cocktail Adjunct Research ! Of course, finding Goslings in Canada will be near impossible. 29 days and our Escape will begin!

POA1 - I have no snide comments on today's Drink of the Day. I actually like these.

Glad to hear that you like the Mule, it is my absolute go to drink of choice!! But the key to a very good mule is the Ginger Beer - I have actually tried Cock N Bull Ginger Beer and its pretty good, FeverTree is also a great one.

Any idea which brand of Ginger beer is used? Was there a spiciness to the drink? Did you taste the bite of it? 30 days and counting until I can 'Escape' myself! Thanks for sharing your vacay with everyone!

AlexandNessa - amazing choice!!! Did the Free Radical during a Roatan land vacation a few years ago and it was one of the best days of vacation. Alas, we only had 10 ppl on the boat. Totally worth the drive but oh, what a drive it is. Enjoy the rest of your vacay

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