skatie

@jy_cruisefan thanks for your first hand information.  We are also on Celebrity in February leaving from FLL - I know the airport is very close, and in past we have booked a noon hour flight to get home to YYZ, but is there more time needed these days for disembarkation so we should maybe book the 5pm flight just to be safe?  Thanks

Thanks Ken for all the info. We are on the east route of the Apex in February. We were booked in an inside cabin but just tonight I changed to a SV sunset balcony on deck 9.  Super excited for the large balcony and loved your pics and intel that we should ask for loungers!   You mentioned that these aft cabins have a vibration and lilt. Was this constant and something you always felt?  I have a tendency to motion sickness if lots of motion but really wanted to try this location.  Any other Cons to these cabins??  Thanks! 

I have the same question - is there any list of "approved independent tour operators" at the enclosed port area in St. Kitts?  I'm on a February Celebrity cruise and this letter they received onboard was provided by a current cruiser.  I'd just like to hire an approved taxi to take us to and from a beach (not the one the Cruise ship tour is going to-Carambola) but would also like to see whatelse these approved operators could provide.  Thanks!

I believe if you don't want to worry about minutes and would prefer unlimited wifi, you can upgrade once on board to the Unlimited Wifi package and use the $130 value of the Free at Sea package to put towards  the cost of the unlimited wifi package - we ended up doing this on our first NCL cruise once we realized how quickly the minutes were being used up. 

I have the Encore booked for Nov 2021 - originally scheduled for Nov 2020 and we pushed it out to Nov 2021.  I am Canadian and have a mixed vaccination (AZ + Pfizer) and there are still many border restrictions/testing even with flying.  Payment is due Sept 1.  So I think we need to back out of this cruise.  The deposit I made was with a Cruise Next certificate (which I believe I had to have used by earlier this year).  So my question is a) if we cancel this cruise outright, can I still use that cruisenext certificate - will they extend the "expiry timing"?  or b) can I do a second lift and shift and push this cruise out to Nov 2022 without any penalty or additional cost?  or c) any rumblings that Encore won't be doing this route (Caribbean from Miami) in November so NCL might cancel on us??  Thanks

If a ship incurs a large Covid outbreak is the state of Florida happy to take it back into port and accept all positive passengers back onto its soil/hospitals?

I had the same question - I booked our very first Celebrity cruise on Apex Feb 2021 inside cabin just before pandemic shut down world.  We shifted it to Feb 2022 and I'm still a little leary of what might happen if outbreak on the ship, but when I checked the cost to move up to balcony, its a lot more, plus I'd lose a lot of the extra perks I had when I originally booked (upgraded beverages, OBC $300, spec dining).    I was hoping maybe I'd get a Move Up offer, but since I booked through Big Box store, I don't think I'm eligible.   So for now we will just keep what we have and keep an eye on what is going on in world.  I'm double vaccinated and raring to get back out in the world, but lots can happen between now and then.  🤞

I know, I know, I should never wait until last minute - but I started to place a booking for the Prima Sept 2023 cruise and I want to put my two cruise next certificates against the deposit (which is applicable for this promo).  When I get to the payment options, it shows both my certificates, but it only allows me to click on on or the other for the deposit.  So I wanted to place a courtesy hold to lock down the price and the 2nd person flies free offer until I can talk to someone live tomorrow (both chat and phone line says no one available until tomorrow), but it says that they are unable to process the courtesy hold at this time!  I know these promotions get extended all the time, so should I just place the deposit with the one cruise next for now and get someone to adjust it for me tomorrow or just wait so we don't have to undo everything I just did in order to add the second certificate for the deposit?    Thanks!

So can I just confirm - If I find a cheaper or more direct flight, will I know the NCL arranged flights prior to the time I can cancel them from my reservation without penalty?  Also has anyone had success in getting more than a 2 night deviation for European cruises?  Thanks

I was looking at the Prima Transatlantic with the free air for second traveller from Southampton to NYC and I’d definitely want to add a few days in London ahead of time. The airfare when I was on site was $700 which seems really cheap for two people. So I would definitely take advantage of the deviation in London, but we may want more than two nights. Has anyone had any success in getting a deviation on one end for maybe 3-4 nights?  Also I always want a direct flight so am wondering if you have any say in requesting direct flights or you have no choice and could end up with two stops?  Is there any rhyme or reason with what flights you are given?  Is it also possible to add the flight promotion to my booking now and then just cancel that part later and keep other perks if I decide to book on my own ?   Thanks!

I'm sorry if this is already buried in another topic, but have any cruise lines announced what the protocol is if someone becomes sick while on board and tests positive for covid?  I believe the assumption is that at least for the first little while that anyone that wants to cruise will have to show proof of full vaccination, but as we know vaccinations are not a 100% guarantee that a person will not get covid.  Would that person who tests positive  and close contacts just be quarantined to their room like the norovirus protocols and we all just carry on as normal with the cruise? Prior to pandemic I booked an inside room on Apex for last Feb and lifted and shifted to Feb 2022 - and I'm fine with an inside room, but if cruises state that the entire ship would be quarantined to rooms if covid detected while sailing, I think I'd go stir crazy in a room 24/7  without a window/air.  Is there a policy published yet and is it standard across all cruise lines?  Thanks

My Big Box store travel agent called NCL and they did basically a "lift and shift" from this Nov to next November - same 4 perks and $300 cheaper.  They were on the Joy and now on the Encore.  He said there was no problem using the Cruise Next on the new cruise even tho it was set to expire well before the 2021 cruise!    Phew!

I haven't been paying a lot of attention to the NCL boards lately as my next cruise is on Celebrity, but my daughter is scheduled on a NCL cruise Nov 2020 and when she booked her cruise, I transferred over my CruiseNext deposit to her as it was going to expire if not used by April 2021.  Now she is pretty sure she wants to cancel the cruise, so I'm wondering what happens to the cruisenext certificate - will it come back to me and will it still have the April 2021 expiry - which would just now lapse 😞 as I don't have NCL plans before that time.   Another option is can she move her cruise out a year with this deposit and still retain the price they have for the Nov cruise - does NCL have the "lift and shift" like Celebrity does?    Thanks

So I'm choosing to remain optimistic that our Feb 2021 Apex cruise (our first with any Celebrity ship) will still take place, but when I booked the cruise, it was well before the pandemic and we just booked an interior room (with the four perks and NRD) so we could save some money to put towards more cruises!  We don't spend a lot of time in our rooms, so were happy with our choice.  Now with the rash of ships that had quarantine in room situations, I'm rethinking my wisdom - i would go stir crazy if i couldn't leave my room and have no daylight for days on end!    I was thinking that maybe there was hope to bid on the Move up to a balcony, but I did book through a Big Box store and believe that I can't bid on the Move up program - is this correct?   I sure hope that by the time we sail that we are back to "normal" health times, but I know no guarantees.  Would you bite the bullet and pay extra $1000 now for a veranda - can I upgrade now without losing my Non Refundable Deposit?  Or should i wait to see if veranda  prices drop once cruising starts back up?  I know I'm asking for opinions and crystal ball gazing for the future, but any opinions welcomed! 

No worries here folks, I'm just trying to absorb everyone's insights - I will buy when I'm ready to buy but I like to hear what others are doing.  History shows that this stock over the long term (could be very long, but thats ok) will rebound, but yes, I can afford to lose the money associated with 100 shares so all good.   Thanks for the opinions!

So I'm a newbie at buying stock, but even before this significant downturn, we had talked about buying RCI stock - mainly for the OBC - so only purchasing 100 shares.   I have an online bank webbroker account set up and have been studying tutorials on how to set up and buy/sell etc, so I'm just wanting to learn from what you are saying...but I know its my mind to make up and no one has a crystal ball!   It sounds like folks are expecting the stock to go below $40 and some have set up a "buy now" somewhere around the $32 or less mark with an "expiry date" on that buy figure to late June - is that correct?  I was feeling like I was ready to buy the 100 shares, but it seems like those with more experience feel it will go much lower?  Thanks for any insights/opinions!

Also can someone help clarify what the OBC can be used for - this statement leaves me with questions...Onboard credit may not be used for onboard service charges or pre-purchased activities.   So does this mean we can't use the OBC to pay for the staff gratuities, nor drinks or their gratuities?  Also it sounds like you can't use the OBC to prebook a massage, but it would be ok to use if you booked that massage once onboard?   Thanks!

We fly into MCO the night before our NCL cruise and are staying at hotel near airport.  I have a rental car to take us to the Port the next morning and will drop it at Enterprise.  There are four of us - -am I better off dropping the three of them at the cruise terminal first with luggage and then going to Enterprise to drop the car and take shuttle back on my own?  Or is it just as easy for all of us with our luggage to go to rental car and wait for shuttle?  I'm wondering how crowded the shuttles get with people and luggage?  I plan to be in Port Canaveral around 11:30am on Saturday, Feb 8.    Thanks  

Thank you for asking this question as I was confused as well!   How is the drive to LB Beef?  Is it as hilly and adventurous as the ride to Cane?  I’m looking for nice beach option without the harried drive and LB Beef looks awesome!    

We've toured San Juan old town on our last cruise and was disappointed when they changed our itinerary this time from a St. Thomas stop to San Juan, so I'm looking for something else to do....  I'd like to venture out a bit, but I've heard there are no good beach stops nearby.  Last cruise I heard from other passengers that they just hopped a taxi at end of pier and asked for a tour around the area - have others done this?  If so, where do we ask to go?  what is of interest to see?  Can we stop for pictures, shopping etc?  Any idea what would a 2 hour taxi tour cost for four people?  Would Uber drivers do this too or stick with taxi?   Thanks!  Jo

We are planning on a casual beach day in Tortola in either Great Cane Beach or Brewers Bay.  I've read up and viewed videos on the Safari Taxi's and it does look adventurous with the narrow and twisty switchback roads to cross over to get to the other side of the island!  I'm concerned that my friend will be too freaked out with the open air, bench seating and narrow roads and not want to take the ride.  Is it possible to hire a regular taxi van or car - being closed in may make her feel more comfortable?   There are four of us - anyone done both safari and regular taxi and have an opinion and any idea what the cost for a taxi van/car would be vs the safari which I know is $8 per person each way.  Thanks!

Hi Alohalivin - we are going to be in SJ in February and would love to get a copy of your Walking Tour!  Our email is daviddesveaux3802@gmail.com   Thank You for all your work! 

On 10/8/2019 at 4:14 PM, hladygirl said:

We chartered a private boat with Magic Mitch. Took 6 of us wherever we wanted. Had the boat for about 7 hours and cost us a little more than the ship excursion including fuel and tip. It was great. Will do it again next time in Tortola.

Do you mind me asking how much it was per person for this excursion?  Thanks

I always prefer to fly in the night before the cruise and always non stop from Toronto. Is there a way to designate those details when we sign up for that perk?

Sounds like you've had a blast so far!  The ocean looks a bit rough in that pic. Has it been mostly smooth Sailing?  We get on her March 23 and I tend to get motion sick in rough seas so wondering how much gravol go bring lol!