Azure Moon

Thank you, TheChiefNL!  I like it when lotion is supplied, but my husband loves it. My skin seems to soften during cruises but my husband's seems to continue needing lotion.  

rkacruiser, RuthC, and Lovely other, thank you for your replies!  This makes me happy and even more excited for the trip.  I love some of Elemis's products.  Can't wait to find out if any supplied are the ones I like. 

For the Inside and Oceanview cabins, do they really provide Elemis products or do the dispensers just say that?   Years ago NCL used to provide Elemis in dispensers of Inside and Oceanview cabins, but discontinued that.  Their dispensers didn't say Elemis on them, but for a while after discontinuing still said the fragrance.

We used Harv and Marv.  

Booked with them before our cruise.  Wonderful!  Our boat driver/guide was knowledgable, personable, and a good driver. He knew the habits and locations of the wildlife during the previous days of our visit so was able to anticipate where to go for best opportunity to see whales, seals, etc.  Price was good, size of group participants was good - 6-8 people, so viewing, seating, picture taking, videoing was optimal.

We would happily use their company on a future visit.  

Thanks for that information, broberts!   A lot has changed during my time away from Cruise Critic - some for the better, some not.  

When I've felt under the weather during or after a cruise I'm pretty sure it came from the airplane flights.  

So far taking Airborne the week before flying to our last two or three cruises and taking Airborne during the cruise may have helped. I think I took it the week following a cruise once.  I probably should do the following week every time now that I'm getting older.  

 I now also turn the air off when I arrive at my seat on planes.  I think the blowing air directly on me affected my sinuses and maybe blew more germs at my face, eyes, nose, throat.  So far with the air not blowing at me seems to have helped my eyes and throat not dry out so much too.

I have to watch the temperature and, if possible, the direction of the air vent in the cabin during the night.  If it's too cold and pointed straight at me, I'm more likely to have problems, but then,  I have to watch those things at home too, or I end up not feeling 100%.

I clean some items in the cabin when we first arrive and occasionally during the cruise because I'm more aware of keeping my hands cleaner and away from my face than my husband is.  

Thank you for remembering and liking that feature as well, Turtles06!   I would love for them to think about adding it in future, too, thanks for asking about it. 

CCHelpJenn, thank you for letting us know it's not on the to-do list currently.  I hope you will consider bringing it up for consideration, though.  The signature is condensed, but it does seem unnecessary on every post in a thread.

broberts,  thank you for bringing up that point.  I think if someone wanted to see someone's signature later on in a long thread, the person could click on the member's name and see the person's signature without needing to go back through previous posts.

Hello.  When I reply multiple times on a thread, how do I turn off my signature so it doesn't appear in every post I make in a thread?  Having it appear in one or two submissions is fine, but every reply in one thread is a bit much.  I think there used to be an option on a reply box that you could click to keep your signature from appearing.  Thank you!

These reports are not making me look forward to my first Holland America cruise.  I have put off sailing on the cruise line for a couple of reasons - one of them being less entertainment, especially later in the evening.  Now I learn they are cutting back even more.     I do not want to go on a cruise to sit twiddling my thumbs and going to bed at 10 pm.  I am content to entertain myself with reading, playing Sudoku, and watching the scenery, but I also want entertainment I don't normally attend while home.

I would appreciate it if Holland America gets the pricing sorted out before June 21st.  As others have stated, the substitute port itinerary (Key West and Half Moon Cay) should have lower pricing.  It shouldn't be too hard to figure it out.  They've been to both of those before so should know their worth, port fees, taxes, etc.

This would be our first Holland America cruise - November 6, 2019.  

Bermuda substitution would be terrific, but I know there is no chance of it happening.  

Wonderful trip report! Thank you for posting such detailed information and gorgeous pictures. Some of the places bring back great memories and you are making me want to book another Med. cruise on the Spirit to see some of the places you went to that we haven't been to! Thanks again!

I asked the same question few weeks ago, I can't find the check in time. I am on the Epic though. Just show up when you want. NCL is not like Carnival, if you show up before your check in time at Carnival, you have to wait until your check in time..

That is interesting about Carnival. Thank you for that information. It reinforces my decision not to sail on Carnival. We have to do enough waiting at the airport, we shouldn't have to wait to board a ship.

We tip $1 or $2 a bag, depending on weight and if we do most of the maneuvering of the bag.

Good for you ColinIllinois! If I'd been held "hostage" such as you were, the driver wouldn't have gotten anything from me, either!

I voted for both - BBQ and Mexican.

That way if someone doesn't like one, they may like the other. Having two restaurants in one seems like they could fill it pretty easily. Especially if they have great

margaritas!:cool:

Rocket! HAHA

+ my lol! :')

Check this out from the Escape from Miami review:

POA1

 

#538

 

Posted Today, 10:39 AM

Last edited by POA1; Today at 10:55 AM

 

By a show of hands, who wants a "cheese explainer?"

 

No one? Okay, here you go.

 

Queso de Cabra is a soft goats' milk cheese. If you like Chevre or similar cheeses, you'll like this. (The literal translation is "cheese of the goat."

 

Manchego is sheep's milk cheese. Think Jarlsberg or a nuttier Swiss with finer lacing.

 

Idiazabal is made from raw sheep's milk. The eagle-eyed among you might notice that this cheese is missing from the chef's selection or mixto plate. A common cheese that would be a good substitute would be Gouda. Like Gouda, Idiazabal comes in both smoked and unsmoked varieties. (Or in the case of today, not at all.)

 

Mahon is made from cows' milk. It's a semi firm cheese that I'd describe, taste wise, as a cross between Parmesan and Cheddar.

 

Each cheese costs $3. Or, you can order the chef's selection for $11, saving $1 over the per cheese pricing. You would think that the mixto would give you all four cheeses. You would be wrong. You get three cheeses. Perhaps the chef has selected to pocket the extra two bucks. (You'll have to wait until the Friday Pincho's review to see if today's three cheese sampler was an oversight.)

 

 

Thank you for the post and picture! I enjoy trying cheeses, but know next to nothing about them. All of those sound good.

Great story and why if there is a safe you should use it. I bet most of us have hid things away at home and forgot where we hid them when we want them.

Been there, done that kind of thing with so many items over the years :o :rolleyes: .

I always use the ship's safe, but I don't always trust a land hotel's safe. If something feels "off" about the safe or the hotel, I just keep all of my important items with me.

Yes. That is the setup they will have. Both will not have the outdoor balcony like the sun. That means a view of the glaciers instead of a row of people that looks like muster drill

That sounds awesome! I'm so glad NCL is including a public lounge. <3

The Spirit on a Mediterranean cruise is the best, in my opinion. The tiered open decks on the back of the ship make pulling into port and leaving port the best seats on the ship! Sitting there, sipping on a alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink, thinking about the day ahead or the day just enjoyed is a wonderful experience.

The ship's front lounge is terrific.

The ship's size is terrific.

You're sure to have a great cruise!

Returned from NY-Canada-NY cruise this week. We had to do forms though they barely looked at it. Actually, the passport/immigration person took and and put in a pile. Line was long to go through the line to show passports. Too long.

 

 

(no global entry)

I had the same experience on the Gem (Sept.23-30) NY-Canada-NY in having to fill out forms and the officer barely looking at it.

TSA did look through my checked bag sometime during my flight home. I declared my bottles of Maple Syrup and Blueberry Juice on the customs form, but TSA needed to make sure that's what they were. Glad they were able to refrain from sampling :-p...yum maple and blueberries

Hey look.

 

It's perfectly okay to be upset/annoyed/disappointed with itinerary changes especially at this level, while still being sympathetic to the reasons for them. Humans are funny that way we can hold more than one emotion at a time.

 

What's not cool is to accuse the cruise lines of doing things just to annoy passengers or make life easier for them or even to take advantage of disaster to make money because 99/100 times these things don't happen. On the flip side, its also not cool to expect a change to the rules because you don't like the new itinerary.

 

I'm not referring to a specific poster btw, we've had all of these on the thread so far plus on similar other threads.

 

When it comes down to it, the mass market lines operate under a set of systems. Many of these favor the cruise lines, some work out well for passengers and some depend on where you book who gets the most out of it. As a consumer it is your responsibility to learn what those systems are and make an informed decision whether or not to book. Once you do, you have agreed to honor those systems, even if you do not like them.

 

Itinerary changes for various reasons are part of cruising. They can be minor or severe. And if they happen inside the penalty period for your booking or while sailing, the only obligation the cruise line has is to adjust port fees. That's it. They may CHOOSE to do more, but there is a difference between choice and obligation. You can be unhappy even furious about it, but you have to accept that's all you are getting as a guarantee.

 

I would be very upset to go from 8 ports to 5. And no, saying that 'wow it's still a great cruise so you shouldn't complain' or 'I wish I was doing that' would not make me feel any better. Telling someone to just 'suck it up and smile ' is not only unproductive, its rude. Explaining what their options are and what the rules are and why they are that way is helpful. And that includes suggestions on working with the cruise lines to find options they are willing to consider (but are not obligated to provide).

 

It also needs to be noted that Sept 2017 probably throughout the end of the year is a special case. The amount of disruption is literally unprecedented. This means the lines have far less options than normal and that needs to be recognized too.

Exactly, very well said! The biggest is " literally unprecedented "

Excellent posts!

As a "freebie", yes I think it's a good choice. I wouldn't order it if I had to pay the $89 a day on top of the gratuity each day. My husband doesn't think either is a good choice, so will probably never chose it again. We don't need the internet, the dining pkg, or excursion pkg (because we don't always want to go with the ship's excursions), or 3rd/4th person option, so the package choices don't hold any attraction...maybe a casino package or bingo package needs to be created :confused::D.

Other hand dipped flavors: Chocolate, Strawberry

It seems anymore my first drink has a lot of alcohol in it and the second one I order barely has any alcohol at all. I'd much rather have consistent amounts of alcohol...the amount the recipe calls for measured with a measuring instrument, not some guess-as-you-pour producing too much or too little alcohol in the drink.

I get tired of trying to find a bar that offers consistency.