Notnewtoit

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Taking a few? We clear the toiletries daily and the the steward replace them. We have our own Haven at home after every cruise! (Not sure what you do with a collection of poufs). We also clear the Tea Forte bags (which cost $2 each at the atrium coffee stand). Our butler dutifully replenishes them daily. 

Yup! Smell is actually one of the best long term memory invoking senses... so being a little 'light fingered' helps keep the memory of the vacation going many weeks later!

To get technical, it's 'involuntary odor-evoked autobiographical memory'. Now, if only I could remember where I left my car keys...

17 minutes ago, stevens397 said:

 

Apparently you are much more knowledgeable and experienced than I am.  Cancel was not only never mentioned but my confirmation number remained the same.  I would assume if it was cancelled and rebooked, the confirmation number would have changed.  Doesn't that at least sound reasonable?

It does sound reasonable on the face of it but the conf# actually also relates to shore excursions et-al, it is possible to cancel ones cabin booking and be rebooked into a new cabin and have any shore excursions (and even dining reservations) remain in place by virtue of the unchanged confirmation.

It know it hurts but this is also a two way street, many many people 'rebook' in order to take advantage of a price drop, in either their existing cabin or a superior cabin... and the rub is ALWAYS "I'm going to lose my original perks". I've personally even given up a $500 OBC to take an $800 OS cabin saving. 

My post was less intended to monumentally p*ss you off and more to underline that this isn't NCL doing anything out of the ordinary, they are still a great cruise line, you're going to have an even nicer cabin and not being aware of a rule doesn't make them bad per sae. Go have a great time and chalk it up to "i'll know for next time".

Meanwhile... watch out for price drops!

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

As multiple posts have indicated, sodas and mixers are provided complimentary for Owners Suites and above (with or without a beverage package).

 

Suites below an Owner's suite do NOT get sodas or mixers (with or without a beverage package). 

THIS people, RTFM.

It's the rule, it is reported in 10,000 posts here and is actually logical (cancel is cancel, book is book). Sorry you feel burned but caveat emptor, it is no secret.

Impressed at these responses, I was expecting a bunch of outraged folks exclaiming how unreasonable this is and how they are leaving NCL forever because of their unreasonable business practices!

NCL has an oversubscribed product, smart people.

Sea day in the Haven on a Jewel... empty private sun deck, SHADED cabana all to ourselves, butler bringing drinks all day, easy access to our lovely private bathroom, no woefully bad band, no kids, no screaming, did I mention SHADED cabana all to ourselves, unobstructed view of the ocean slipping by, deserted hot-tub if we so desire, snacks on hand, deserted plunge pool to cool off, casual stroll to Cagneys for lunch, no lines... THAT's what we pay for, not a grumpy concierge and a special key-card.

Port day in the Haven on a Jewel... empty private sun deck, SHADED cabana all to ourselves, butler bringing drinks all day, easy access to our lovely private bathroom, no woefully bad band, no kids, no screaming, did I mention SHADED cabana all to ourselves, unobstructed view of the ocean slipping by, deserted hot-tub if we so desire, snacks on hand, deserted plunge pool to cool off, casual stroll to Cagneys for lunch, no lines... THAT's what we pay for, not a grumpy concierge and a special key-card.

Yes, in my experience they do have a pretty heavy curtain divider. Someone will be along to contradict me shortly.

Pay what you can afford, they day you want to afford it. Then... watch the price, if it goes down, take the refund, if it goes up buy yourself a drink. After final payment STOP LOOKING!

IMHO PCC's deliver little value and much more annoyance (unsolicited sales calls). The NCL call center can answer any question they can and there is very little that cannot simply be read on the website. Also in my experience they come and they go...

Why does one need a priest to have a service, the concept is somewhat bigger than a person.  

TPgal nailed it... the ferry transit is the 'full experience' option, a long, hot but well executed day; worth the investment IMHO. 

IIRC you just the basic/latitudes entitlement related to cabin type/status... so nothing more than half a days worth in bottles.

I does come out of the faucet for free though...

As has been mentioned there are so many different excursions that repeat ports needn't actually technically 'repeat' for a very long time. That said, we've been around the loops a few times and do now arrive in ports were we are kinda 'meh' about it... So a slightly different take on it is to say stay onboard! The ship is probably at its MOST delightful when the vast majority of passengers are on land wrestling with ATV's, waterslides, monkeys and the like... Quiet, your chosen place by the pool or sundeck or bar etc. It kinda makes the whole place feel a little like the Haven... kinda. The Haven itself feels like a private yacht! Oh and the spa is cheaper.

... and then one can snooze or gaze with a wry smile at the sweating masses returning to the ship as you sip a fine cocktail and flip another page on that good book...

Boring perhaps, but if it's relaxation you seek, there's a lot to be said for watching other people running about...

Seems logical it be pre-dinner, shuffling, annoyed, to a muster station, while I contain two Manhatten's, half a steak and some mushrooms, to sit among people having their dinner too would be odd.

3 hours ago, kernie968 said:

If I drink one Old Fashion at home I have a buzz, but I had 3 in an hour on the Escape and did not even feel like I had had a drink. I watched them make the drinks and pour the alcohol straight from the bottle so the only thing I can think is maybe because I eat so much on the cruise that my stomach is always full so the alcohol cannot do its job! I guess next cruise I will eat less.

Eat less??? Let me reframe the problem for you... the additional well-deserved, long-awaited food is maliciously and uncaringly absorbing your carefully mixed and ingested alcohol and ripping the sought after, an undoubtedly very well earned buzz from your grasp - right?

Drink more my friend, drink more!!!

Given the high rate of stock turnover on these ships I'd probably trust it more than I would in a land-based chain-restaurant i.e. where it's not fresh every day.

3 minutes ago, Wendy&Grumpy said:

 

I'm confused. UBP & UDP are perks of the Owner's suite? Since when? Is there documentation on this available somewhere so I can get a refund for our service charges as well? 

This is totally new news to me too... fascinated to hear more!

FWIW I received this list, this week for a sailing in August:

Liquor

Please choose 3 bottles from the list below to have set up in your suite upon arrival.

Caña Brava Rum

Bacardi 8 Rum

Aylesbury Duck Vodka

Ketel One Vodka

Fords London Gin

Tequila Cabeza 100% Agave

Dewars White Label Scotch Whiskey

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey

Bulleit Kentucky Straight

Jameson Irish Whiskey

Crown Royal Blended Canadian Whisky

Campari

Cinzano Sweet or Dry

Bailey’s Irish Cream

Kahlua Original Liqueur

Hidalgo Reserva 12-Year-Old Brandy

Sauvignon Blanc North and South Norwegian Proprietary Wine

Chardonnay Robert Mondavi “Private Selection”

Rosé 6ème Sens Gérard Bertrand Languedoc

Red Blend North and South Norwegian Proprietary Wine

Cabernet Sauvignon Beringer Founder’s Estate

Sandeman Founder’s Reserve Port

Sodas

Pepsi

Diet Pepsi

Sierra Mist Soda

Orange Soda

Tonic Water

Ginger Ale

Club Soda

Nearly spat my coffee Oakman...

That said, I did once get complimentary Haven for a non-Haven cabin in return for a favor.

Balcony... if you can stretch to it without crippling yourself or missing out on excursions.

1. It's Alaska, you've paid enough to be there, soak up as much as you can every minute you can.

2. Stars.

3. Personal experience upon entering Glacier Bay - Captain over PA: "Hello everyone, if you look to the port side we are being treated to a group of humpback whales breaching". Walk out on balcony, there they are... (This happened a few times).

Yep I'd vote for AFT in this case... dining options above and below you with elevators close by. 

...and it's hard to beat those aft penthouses full stop.

6 minutes ago, ALS1214 said:

My bliss cruise went down about $400 if I price adjust would I lose the $200 onboard credit. Also would they apply a fee to do an adjustment?  

IF you are pre-final payment they will adjust you to the new price and whatever the CURRENT perks are, which may or may not include the $200 onboard credit; even if it does not, it seems a good deal. If you are post-final-payment, they may offer an additional OBC or such to compensate for the price change, but it is discretionary at that point i.e. not an entitlement/given.

...or... you can do the appropriate level of research before you drop 20,000 on a cabin on deck 11 which will pretty much certainly be underneath something or other. "They put us in", did you not choose your cabin?

10 minutes ago, spanishguy1970 said:

true, however if NCL drops their prices after final payment is fair to say they should expect customers to come back and ask for adjustments, give or not, is human nature to try to save money specially if you are on a budget. Coming back to what i said before,  booking at the last minute is hard to manage, yes the price may be better but what if you have to book airlines? specially if you go abroad? airlines prices can make the cheap cruise price not worth it, so every situation is different.

...of course the whole reason that there even is a final payment date months in advance is so that they CAN check load factors and adjust pricing accordingly. I sense a tenuous grasp on reality here... you buy any product, the price may go up or down the next day... it's called "life" or "s**t happens".

5 minutes ago, spanishguy1970 said:

good grief, not everyone can be flexible, school year, work, adjust to children vacation etc. That said,you can't answer OP threads without trying to understand where they are coming from, being an NCL apologist is not the way. Yes, you seem to play the game every month and once again this falls under the category that is YOUR experience, your way of booking and not everyone can do that, once again not everyone can be flexible. People expect fair pricing and quite frankly NCL  pricing is far from fair. Yes, is about demand but they need to start being more flexible if they care to keep customers. 

Agree 100% on flexibility. 'Fair' is subjective however...