packercruising

Breakaway was the absolute worst so this is good news.

6 hours ago, Single Cruiser said:

 

having never been into a Starbucks I didn’t even know it was supposed to be a Mermaid on the cups so stood no chance.  🤷‍♂️🙄

I don't get this Cappocuno, frappucino, latte, whatever. There is plenty of good coffee in the buffet and it is free.

Thank you Dougout! We will be sailing her Feb 23. I have really enjoyed your precruise posts.

Thanks for posting! Feb 23 for us.

Look at all those tap beers! DROOL, DROOL.

We just booked today, Deck 7, port side aft. We had to go a bit further forward than we wanted becuase all the ones aft of us were already booked port side. That could also be the situation with deck 5. We are booking the port side to be sure we get to see the volcanoes. Others might also have the same idea.

In the videos I have watched, it does not look like the aft balcony are very well covered from upper deck balconys.

I checked our account and we are 25 points from 3 Stars. This is an 18 day cruise, so we won't have a problem getting 7 more points. I have been looking at 3 Stars. Don't need to worry about that for awhile. We just became Diamond after or last cruise on RCI. Our Feb cruise on  NCL will be our first as Platinum.

We were able to get Deck 7 port side and got an awesome deal! Sale ends October 31 so take a look if you want to go to Hawaii.

Thanks, that helps! Looks like I meant Stars. We will have 3 Stars after this cruise.

46 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Happy to add it for you 🙂 

Point system?  Do you mean the Mariner days earned for each day sailed & every $300 you spend and the bonus points if you are in Suite?

Thanks! Right, that point system. DW says we have 3 points. 🙂 

Koningsdam - 03-Nov-20 - 18 day Hawaii
mcrcruiser

This one! 🙂 It is RT from San Diego. We will probably spend a few days there pre-cruise.

This will be our 3rd HAL cruise. The first two were to Alaska. We have never been to Hawaii.

Can someone explain the Point system HAL uses. I never paid attention to it before.

On 10/27/2019 at 7:40 PM, www3traveler said:

Special event charters.  Invited guests, travel agents, etc.

Should be lots of YouTube videos from that one. 🙂 

2 hours ago, Hobcat said:

On our Alaska cruise in June 2019 on the Maasdam there were 6 Alaskan brand beers available -- Amber, White, Freeride, Kolsch, Blonde, & Husky IPA.  It may be cruise destination specific though.  

 

GO PACK GO!!!!  😀

That was awesome! We have talked 4 bars in our area int to getting it, and they are all glad they did. Unfortunately, they only do that for Alaskan cruises. The Roger Jett list is generic. I am not picky as long as it isn't a light beer or a fruity beer. 

Thanks, I never even thought of that and I have it bookmarked. Looks good for me. Hopefuloly DW can find one she likes. She will drink Corona, but isn't crazy about it. Maybe one of the craft beers.

Does anyone have a beer list for Koningsdam? We are thinking about booking it for Hawaii next year and I can not find one anywhere. For our Alaskan cruise we had Alaskan Amber, which is our favorite, but I doubt they would have that.

1 hour ago, SailBreakaway said:

 

The following statement is purely me venting. I’m not expecting an actual answer...

 

Pressure Relief Valve Open..

 

I don’t get it. First let me say, I am on the Inaugural TA because it is the last of the BA class of ships that we have loved as a family (esp 2015 era NCL Management - Breakaway from NY) and my wife and I have wanted to do an inaugural TA for years. Were going to be indoors for many days and that’s something we love. Deck space and outdoor events won’t have any impact on us, nor will crowds like Summertime out of NY.  I had a Summer Bermuda booked on Encore and I’ve cancelled it. I won’t spend 5000$+ on that ship for a summer sailing that is packed. 

 

I keep reading over and over again about the lack of deckspace, the loss of Spice, the massive amounts of real estate made into some sort of Virtual  Reality, the extra charges for everything, and on and on. And then you read post after post of everyone throwing their money at NCL for this ship!!!! WHY? Book Getaway, Book Breakaway, Book Escape, Book Bliss or Joy even, but why is everyone investing in a product they don’t like?? Soon FDR will bloviate to his shareholders how Encore has more bookings than any other ship NCL has had and further out and on and on and on. He will brag how their go to market strategy for paid venues and virtual reality and go carts lead the industry in generating revenue both pre cruise and on board spending, yet over and over educated cruisers say “This is awful.... But I’m booked”. With all the options of ships and experiences and beautifully designed decks,  why??!?!?

 

This is rhetorical. I know some will love the design, mothers and fathers of kids and families may think this design is the pinnacle of cruising (until they want to spend an hour in the sun without the kids)

 

Time will tell, however I just don’t understand why so many will flock to book this ship at premium prices, but will declare the design sucks. 

 

I’m done.

 

Not looking for answers, just to vent. It’s capitalism, open free markets, and it’s what out country is founded on, but I just can’t get over with this design that “If you build it they will come”. 

 

Carry on!

 

Having said all that we are like 17 days from boarding and I’m excited as heck to do this Trans Atlantic with our family of 500 CC members!!

 

I don't care about the design. It is a ship and it means I won't have to shovel snow. What really gets me is that, nobody has even been on the ship yet and so many people are complaining. 

 

 

Likewise!

1 hour ago, JCDCA said:

Sorry to go OT, but I had to comment on this.  What does "traditional" mean in this sense - racist?  If so, then call them what they are and don't use much nicer "code" words.

It means older, more mature, retired. I agree with Cruiser Bruiser and Racism has nothing to do with it.

3 hours ago, CazV said:

 

You could always add to the conversation instead of lurking... 🙂

I think Cruise Critic is generally quieter than it once was.

Much easier to sit on the sidelines. 😀 I think this has been a fantastic thread.

We aren't going to use any of those pay venues and we aren't cancelling. That is 2 decks out of 20. We won't have any trouble finding things to do.

1 hour ago, GA Dave said:

Sounds like the airlines.  And the theme parks.

Yup. On Delta, we have to pay extra for Comfort zone to get the extra leg room they used to have. It includes booze, though. 🙂

8 minutes ago, UFMOM said:

 

We were on the Bliss and the casino had a totally enclosed smoking room. There was just a strong stale cigarette smell right near the door to the room.  There was no smoking in the rest of the casino. It really made a difference. I think Encore is going to have the same set up.  Hope they install this in the casinos on the Away ships during their dry docks.

 

 

Mary Ann

That would be great! Breakaway had open decks above and below the casino and it didn't seem like there were any restrictions on smoking in the casino.

1 hour ago, Noworkforme23 said:

 I am still underwhelmed. The Bliss was so pretty and it was our first NCL ship. This hull art is just not much of a WOW factor for me. 

More of a Yuck factor for me, but we don't have to spend much time looking at it. It is the innerds that should be interesting. We spent almost no time in Spice H20 on the Breakaway, so two decks of Vibe probably won't matter. What might matter is if there are 3 decks with wafting smoke from the casino.

The only way to get us back on Carnival is if we win a free cruise. We wont know the reality of Encore until she sails and people start posting. If they have enough people that want to use Vibe, that leaves less in our free areas. Personally, I think everything will be fine, except for those that are bound and determined to complain anyway, and most of this worrying will have been for naught. We are on a cruise to have fun and we always seem to be able to do that. Well there was that one Carnival cruise....

Not until Feb 23 for us. I am a meat and potatoes guy.

Maybe the off-font C is to divert your attention from the ugly hull art. 🙂 

I figure, with Vibe taking up 1/3 of the front of the ship, that means less walking for us!