WYB!

Instead of a watch adapter for the medallion pendant, I wish Princess created an App for the Apple Watch or Phone so that you could unlock the door using either Watch or Phone or medallion pendant.

I imagine it would be easy to create and use the same format as Apple pay or similar.

- WhosYourBuddy

After boarding, do ships specify an area onboard (A baggage drop off area) that you can leave your bags until room is ready?

If you have an American Express card, you may want to login to your AmEx account and check to see if you have a Travel Reward, specifically:

Check your AmEx account to see if you have a travel reward with NCL for $125 when you spend $500 with NCL. (You can find it in your AmEx account under the "Rewards & Benefits" category -> Earn and Redeem -> Amex Offers -> Travel). It might also not be available to everyone. It's either their or it's not.

For me it's been 1 year since it last appeared. As final payment is due for this voyage in September, I contacted my TA and had them pay NCL $500 using my AmEx towards my remaining balance. The remaining balance will then be paid against my NCL BoA card in September, (unless I can find additional AmEx card holders with this deal also available who aren't using it (LMK)).

Safe travels,

- WYB

You only need more insurance after the incident.

That could apply to any incident really...

If I remember correctly, the OP had their laptop in the bag that was lost. Please confirm.

Have you turned on the lost/stolen tracking software for the device so that you receive a notification if the laptop is connected to the internet?

Safe travels,

- WYB

I enjoy the Pineapple juice and Papaya juice at breakfast in the GC on the Gem but I also suggested different juices to be made available at each of the 3 juice stations available.

You're about to find out how well you tipped your cabin steward...

I'm a USAA member and my TA uses both arrivia.com and our vacation center in order to communicate via email with me.

Did you book using USAA's explorer cruise travel?

- WYB

You may be limited by the number of devices you can connect with your account.

What you can try is, turn your phone in to a mobile hotspot by connecting your phone to the ships wifi and then connecting your computer to your phone. However this is just for testing purposes and not meant to actually work to do stuff like work from your laptop.

Good luck and safe travels,

- WYB

2 hours ago, BSR said:

I also have over 150K points expiring in Aug too.

Just doing the math, does that mean in August 2017 you spent $50k on a NCL cruise?

- WYB 

Book a cruise for later (2023, whatever) but call immediately after you book to redeem the points to Meta upgrade (or whatever) before you reach the expiration date  (August 2022) and you should be fine.

The earlier you book, the greater the chance of you getting the Meta upgrade.

Additional information on what you can redeem points for can be found here:
https://www.ncl.com/world-points

Safe travels,

- WYB

I'm guessing your luggage tag might have come off. I usually staple 2 tags (1 on each handle) and then I also put a copy of my ticket or extra tag inside a front zipper compartment on the luggage tag. In addition there is a luggage id card, but I've also been lucky and have gotten my bags each voyage. Did you also tip the baggage guy? Tipping the bag collector guy is also important.

Hope it arrives soon.

- WYB

There is no such sailing for Oct 09th, 2022 on the NCL Star.

Here are links for the Roll calls for the NCL Star on the:

06th of October: 

16th of October:

Safe travels,

- WYB

Disembarkation usually begins shortly after clearance is granted and can take about an hour or so.

That being said are you doing the Self luggage walk off or leaving your bags out the night before and then picking them up in the terminal?

That also being said, what day of the week are you departing? They usually have fewer customs people on the weekends, so while you will be off the ship you may not have gotten your bags and proceed through customs.

It also depends on the number of people on your cruise and of those, how many are also trying to catch a plane or train at or before your scheduled train?

Is thee hours enough. Sure. As long as there are no issues. But there are also no guarantees.

Safe travels,

- WYB

If you can't get the prepaid gratuities and port fees back and you're looking for someone to take her 4th place, I'll volunteer and pay you the prepaid gratuities and port fees...

- WYB

This will not effect most cruise travelers with  2 people in the cabin. 

"Solo guests cannot claim two dinners"

As of 2022 January 19th, 2022, I didn't notice this before, but "Solo guests cannot claim two dinners" is what is printed on the back of the Platinum Level (and above) Specialty Dining vouchers.

So to clarify, 2 people (1 at least platinum) can still use 1 voucher if they are in the same room.

How the dining voucher was being used up until Jan 19th, 2022 was; solo platinum travels would find another solo platinum traveler and then together could double up their dining vouchers to cover 4 specialty dining meals.

My understanding of the phrase "Solo guests cannot claim two dinners" is that "double" will no longer work.

Going forward, if you are traveling in a group of 4 people (in 2 cabins with 2 people being platinum level or above), reserve each room with 1 platinum with 1 non platinum to maximize the voucher's benefits. (Once on board, you don't have to physically stay in that cabin (1 platinum with 1 non platinum), just make it that way on paper).

Stay positive and safe travels,

- WYB

Hey did the B2B with you on the Gem.

So on our 1st Gem voyage the Lobster Thermidor had a $10 surcharge, but on the 2nd it had a $25 surcharge.

BUT, we got everything (EVERYTHING) refunded to us for both because of the 1st voyage and booking both as 1 reservation...

We didn't also know we would get everything refunded until a week after the end of the 2nd cruise and it just showed up on my CC.
 

Stay positive and safe travels,

- WYB

Good News/Bad News update!
 

The "NCL Displacement Certificate" is also know as a "Future Cruise Credit".

I called and Passenger #2 received the same amount as I too (Total: $,$$$).

NCL refunded me everything (100%) + (50% FCC)!

When everybody wins, it's a win, Win, WIN!

Thanks NCL!

- WYB

9 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

You are correct to a point. Like one of the posts prior to this, it depends on the sailing.

I have a 36 night booked prior to the new rules which is 4 b2b2b2b s.

Since the new rules I have a 16 night and a 21 nighter booked all double meta.

 

For those asking about new rules. No meta upgrades on any b2b..... You are free to use points for "each" sailing.

Cabin category is maxed at  BA. No afts either.

 

I get the impression that most people didn't know that up until 2021, you could use a 1 meta upgrade (single or double) across a B2B (or B2B2B2B etc) voyage under a single reservation.

I can see the value remaining constant ($0.10 - $0.20) if 30k was being used on single 16+ day voyage, but there are fewer of those voyages in 2022 then there were in 2020 and before and even fewer departing from NY.

Stay positive and safe travels,

- WYB

3 hours ago, Married90 said:

I am sure this has been answered before but I have not found it.   We are Sapphire level and receive the 2 Latitude dining vouchers per cruise.   They say the vouchers are be "cabin".   If we were to have our two kids with us staying in the same cabin could we (guest 1&2) use our dining package meals and have them dine with us using our Latitude vouchers?   Guests 3&4 do not get the promotional meal plan .  I would gladly give up our two vouchers to have them joins us as we use our two meal plan nights.    Thanks in advance for the info.  

How old are the kids? The speciality restaurants also have a special kids menu.

On 2/6/2022 at 9:14 AM, mscdivina2016 said:

Its not the 3% that many of us care about. It's the triple points.

Those points can be worth 10-20¢ per point.

I have a sailing I booked an ocean view cabin, I used 30,000 points for a balcony.

I paid $6000 for OV, balcony is $12,000 so I saved $6000. That is 20¢ per point value.

Keep in mind I also don't take 7 night cruises as a rule.

With the changes to Meta upgrades bookings in 2021, for bookings from 2022 and onward, do you have any idea what your target average or range (per point value) will be for your future bookings?

I can't imagine it can remain as high as $0.10 - $0.20 per point value. I'm guessing perhaps half of that?

Stay positive and Safe travels!

- WYB

Good News/Bad News update!

I contacted NCL today (Feb 14th, my first call to NCL @ 1-866-234-7350) to ask about my NCL account and if there was anything that I wasn't seeing in my online NCL account in terms of reimbursement for my voyage (Jan 09th - 29th, B2B on the Gem).

The NCL rep looked me up and presented me with what is called the "NCL Displacement Certificate" (Hint: It's also a dollar amount)! Valid until Jan 2023 with a sail by of May 2023. In order to use it, my TA just needs to inform NCL for my next voyage booking. This certificate wasn't appearing in my online NCL account so you should call NCL to see if you have one as well.

I'm pretty happy with everything (the voyages and the refunds/credits/reimbursement). Thank you NCL!

Stay Positive and Safe travels!

- WhosYourBuddy

I’m very happy with the NCL’s cruise next certificates program.

Recently All of my cruise next certificates have also been extended by 2 years but I also typically only buy 2 or 3 at a time.

stay positive and safe travels,

- WYB

11 minutes ago, casofilia said:

@WYB!

 

Hope that NCL doesn't cancel ONE of the two parts at very late notice.

We sailed on the 09th of Jan 2022 on a 10 day voyage and they cancelled on the 13th of Jan 2022.

We also stayed on for the B2B which started on the 19th and returned on the 29th.

But for me and perhaps the rest that sailed on the 09th, it worked out pretty well without having to jump through any hoops.

Stay positive and safe travels,

- WYB