Middleager

Can you please explain. When there is a long line to get in the MDR, how do you get to a table very quickly?

No. It was TD First Class visa all the way. There was nowhere BMO came into the picture, except when TD used that reason to deny the claim initially, then admitted they made an error, and re-opened the claim (then later denied).

Love your reports. we got into Cape Town ourselves last night (after flight delays). Our Protea Breakwater hotel has pretty good breakfast with omelet station and they make much better omelet than NCL ships.This morning we went to Robben Island (had delay departing due to fog), which was great. At the end I gave the prison tour guide (a former prisoner) a good tip and a big hug. After that we went to the Long March to Freedom site of statues. On the way back to hotel, we stopped by city hall, with a Mandela statue -- marking the place where he walked out of prison and gave a speech for a large crowd of people waiting in Cape Town. After cruise, we go to Viva Safaris Tresmina Lodge for our own Kruger NP stay. We'll see you and others on Jade tomorrow.

Huh? The airlines won't reimburse anything. Whether you're flying home, booked a $40 roach motel, or booked a $50,000/night presidential suite, the airlines won't be on the hook for anything you booked at your destination.

Most hotels these days require you to cancel 1 day before, some 2 days before, and some even more days before. There had been many last minute cancellations before, and the hotels cannot hold rooms, especially during times of high demand. Booking hotels through the cruiseline would get high rates, and you don't get loyalty points because it is booking through 3rd party, but for delayed/cancelled flights the cruiseline may be able get something back, or not.

In our last cruise, Epic, late 2022, people found they can still get/send gmail emails, just no attachment. My wife uses gmail, and was able to use it, while connected to NCL intranet (i.e. can also use NCL app, Cruise Critics) but not connected to use up any internet minutes.

Hmm. That's good if it's 75%. But I guess it was 100% when I paid it and travelled in late 2021. There was one time when aeroplan redemption tickets were not covered, even though you'd pay all of the tax/fees with TD aeroplan visa. They've changed that.

I hear that from wives a lot.

We purchased a NCL Getaway cruise for 2021.12.5-22, and bought airfare from NCL. My wife and I flew on 2021.12.2 with KLM, YYZ-AMS-FCO to get Rome on 12.3, then get on cruise 12.5. One of two luggages (mostly my wife's cloth, face lotion, etc.) did not arrive Rome on 12.2. We quickly asked a TD rep back in Canada and was told there is coverage for delayed luggage, and to keep our receipts for claims. The luggage got to Rome on 12.3 and we asked if they can get to our hotel before we leave for the ship. Didn't get it. We got on ship, NCL tried to work with KLM to get the luggage to us in one of the upcoming ports. After 7 ports, nothing. After getting home, we submitted our expense claims to KLM and TD. After that, KLM returned our luggage back to our home. Took KLM 7 months to reimburse a bit -- which we informed TD. TD claim processing was bad, encountered error messages in submitting online sometimes, re-submitted. They kept asking questions (we paid on credit card, so some were in euro and some in US, then showed us on our Canadian CC as Canadian currencies..), and we kept answering. Late last Fall TD said they rejected our claim, closed the case, saying we paid part of the cruise using BMO CC ?!?. We re-submitted the TD statements and NCL statement/invoice, showing there is no BMO any where, everything was paid with TD 1st class visa. They then said they'll re-open the closed case and review. In late Dec/2022 TD said our claim is rejected because we paid part of our cruise fare with Cruise Next, and provided their T&C. We were supposed to pay the cruise in full with TD, in order to be covered. Anyway, it took TD one year, where they had system errors and asked us a lot of questions, then said BMO, then eventually rejected the claim because we did not pay the cruise in full using TD CC. We tried to explain that CN is like a discount, etc., but oh, well. So beware. If you did not pay your cruisefare in full with TD 1st class visa, you won't get any travel insurance coverage with TD. Other CCs may use similar reasons to reject your claim, but for sure TD does. Lesson learned. This is a consideration for using CN certs, when buying airfare through cruiselines. P.S. NCL CruiseNext cert is something we can buy onboard a cruise. Buy one cert for US$250 and get $100 OBC, or buy two certs for $500 and get $250 OBC, can use the OBC to pay for that CN cert. Carnival had something similar.

Was on Epic b2b Med cruise 2022.11.15 and 2022.11.26. No offers at all.

We were just on a Med cruise ending in Lisbon 2022.12.7. TAP had a strike and was not flying on 12.7 and I think the next day. So there were quite a few cruisers panicking and trying to make alternate arrangements. The year before for a cruise in 2021.12, we flew KLM to YYZ-AMS-FCO. The flights were fine, but 1 of our 2 luggages didn't arrive FCO. It eventually arrived the next day. I kept on calling, and asked if they can deliver to my hotel by 10am next day as we were leaving Rome city, to board the cruise. They said they'll try. The luggage didn't arrive. On the ship NCL said they'll try to arrange to have KLM deliver to our next port, or next port (we had 7 port days in a row). The luggage never arrived the ship. Only by the time we got home, after repeating trying, they delivered the luggage back to my home. Applying for reimbursement for our expenses, were met with almost no reply, and only website update saying it's been processed. Only after 7 months did we get partial reimbursement. No communication and no response when I asked what was included or excluded in our claim. So that's the experience with KLM. AC is usually good in our previous flying to Europe. Delta just announced they'll provide free wifi on their planes. Don't know the rollout timing/plan, but it's coming.

Point redemption fares don't get points. But paid fares are supposed to get points, regardless who paid, because the name is the person flying, and the person flying if providing FF number should get the points. But there are changes to how points are earned, including some low fares less than 500 miles don't get points. Or did the airlines now come up with paid fares that just don't earn points.

Ah, ok. Thanks for that info. We were on the Jewel, doing full transit last March.

From Miami, you'll go through the Gatun locks. If you're doing a full transit, it usually happens in the morning, around 8am, and it'll be around 4pm to exit the Miraflores locks in the south. It'll be good to look at the map, and see some videos of Panama canals, and how the locks operate. That way you'll get a better appreciation. Be ready to take lots of pics and videos. Have them charged up, ready to use.

We were on Getaway in 2021 Dec, TA cruise. Getaway is a big ship. So take some time to familiarize yourself with the ship. We liked going to the two smaller dining rooms, Taste and Savor, especially tables by the windows. They are smaller than the main dining room, and just felt better. The Shanghai noodle bar was fine, but it's right beside the casino. The first day we tried it it was fine. After that when the casino is in use, the smoke from the casino was bothersome, so we didn't go there any more. NCL needs to change the design to not have any restaurant immediately beside a smoking area. The rope climbing station is pretty good. On warmer days I tried it twice. There is one bar that sticks out of the ship. Only 2 persons fall into the sea each week, and I wasn't one of them -- just kidding. It can feel scary. I did it, but some people don't try that. We tried all the specialty dinings. Like Le Bistro but it felt crowded/rushed. Cagney and Moderno were good, but I'm a steak eater so they suit me. La Cucina was so so. Ocean Blues was so so, I ordered a lobster and it wasn't too good. I heard NCL has a challenge to source good consistent lobsters. It's a nice ship. Enjoy.

On our Epic Med b2b cruises, we had to sign up for the Wine tasting as we embarked (and re-embarked). We enjoyed it. We heard it was capacity controlled, but don't know if anyone was turned away for being full. No BST. We booked one NCL tour from our cabin, using the TV/remote. Found out the Plat discount was not applied. I went to the Shore Excursion desk to ask, the guy said that's right, the discounts are not auto applied, and he'll have to manually apply them. If we hadn't noticed and gone to ask, the discount won't be applied -- they need to fix that.

We're on the same cruise, and will stay in Cape Town for 3 days after cruise, then fly to JNB to go to Kruger NP for 6d5n. Would love to hear your experience in Kruger. After Kruger, your probably won't see as much from safaris from Cape Town, or port stops in Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Durban, or Namibia. But Addo park (Port Elizabeth) should have different species of elephants, St Lucia wetlands (Richards Bay) will have lots of hippos and crocs, etc.

The airfare is paid fare, so you'd get points with the airline (Air Canada in this case). The airline doesn't care who it was booked with, to them it's paid fare. So you just provide the aeroplan number, to cruiseline if they take it, or directly to the airline. We've got points when flying on Star Alliance airlines, when booking airfare from cruiseline.

Totally allowed. We also had 3 children, so know the challenge of finding rooms that'll take 5. In your case, it's good you have parents willing to take 1 of the kids, and help to relieve congestion in your bathroom.

So at least you had a PCC who said the request was entered, and then can see the request. At least that 's a good sign. Keep chasing after them. Hope you can get that sorted out. In the mean time, with my wife and my FCCs, we now have to find a cruise we can go on by the end of Nov.

Did you use a TA, or booked directly with NCL? And who was it told you NCL would provide FCC -- that'd be the person to put in the FCC request. We booked with a TA, and the TA put in the request, and told us in the email how much the FCC would be, and we'd get it at the completion of the respective cruises. The problem we're having is we can't see them on my wife and my accounts, but at least NCL can see them.

That's what I was told, can only go toward cruise fare. Also expires one year from date of issue (completion of the cruise that you got the FCC for), got to book and sail by that date.

Last year in Jan. we got FCCs (Future Cruise Credits) for a cancelled cruse (my daughter got Covid). We then applied the FCCs toward NCL shore excursions and thermal spa passes, for an upcoming cruise (as well as payment toward cruise fare). We just finished b2b Mediterranean cruises (Epic, 2022.11.15 and 2022.12.7). For those two cruises, the price dropped after final payment, and NCL gave us FCCs (can do that one time, for price drop). Those FCCs were applied to my wife and my accounts after we finished the sailings, but we cannot see them in our respect accounts when we log on. I called NCL and they assured me the FCCs are there, even though I don't see them. I just tried to book an NCL excursion and wanted to apply the FCCs, but there isn't a way. I called NCL, and was told those are FCCs of the type "Discount off voyage", and can only be applied toward cruise fare, and expires within the year (need to book AND SAIL). The agent doesn't know why we cannot see them on our accounts, so I requested she send an email asking that to be fixed. Anyway, so I've now also learned that there are different types of FCCs. The ones from cancelled cruises can be used toward excursions, thermal passes, etc. Then there are those that can only apply to the fare of a future cruise.

We just bought Blue Cross again, for our upcoming South Africa cruise trip. Up to 31 days, multiple trip, for 1 year.

It should be different. For us on the Jewel this past March, it was the first time Jewel started sailing after 2 years of pandemic and many cancelled cruises. Both the port of Colon and NCL were unorganized, didn't communicate well with each other. After we got off our shuttle, we saw a line to a small building booth, and another line to the cruise terminal. We then found out we're supposed to go to the first line to pay a Panama exit fee, in US cash. But we then saw a bus unloading people and they were just waved inside cruise terminal, some then came out to line up but not all of them coming back out. In the line going into the cruise terminal, we also had to show proof of vaccination, and a negative Covid test within 48hr (we did go to a clinic in Panama city to pay and get that testing). Then we continue to wheel our luggages (no porters outside), in one line, to have our passport and cruise docs checked, and leave our luggages with the porters behind that counter. After that we go line up for NCL check-in. Fortunately the ship only had 1/3 capacity, so there were line ups, but not huge long line ups. Oh, all the cabins were ready as soon as we get on ship, again because it was the first sailing of the Jewel, so there were no passengers before us. Ship capacities have been going up, and the Covid testing/vaccination requirement have changed a lot, so the check in experience going forward should be a lot different.