DanCait

I thought this was such a safe cruise to book because of the "First Ship Back" icon on the website.  I also booked the Jade - the only one of the three left.  I wonder if any of us will go to the next shareholder meeting and complain!

1 minute ago, DCGuy64 said:

Any reason given why? Lemme guess: more $ in Alaska? LOL 😂 

Lol, i felt I was being kind by not saying that!  But I asked if it was Crew related, he said "thats why the joy, but they didn't say for this one.  Why don't you look at one of our great Alaska itineraries"  

lol, so yes, over $1,000 more for Alaska Itinerary (a sub-par itinerary at that in my opinion, because I think one ways are better), compared to a very good Caribbean Itinerary.  In their defense, once you take out the cost of airfare and apply their cruise first certificate savings, I only paid $1181 for 2 people for a Balcony, including the Drinks package and stuff, and getting $280 from the travel agent, so their commission had to be a good chunk of the $1181 for them to give me back $280.   After travel agent and port expenses, that leaves them $40 a day pp for food, alcohol, diesel, and everything else.  They can't be making a ton of money.  (I know on board Spending is a big money maker, but these shore excursions were cheap, and a $50 credit on top of that!).

1 minute ago, DCGuy64 said:

BTW I did a quick chat with an NCL rep 10 minutes ago and she said Gem was NOT suspended. 🤷‍♂️ 

I tried to book the GEM just now, and was told by NCL on the phone they are cancelled.  

I do feel bad the OP's week was the one selected, I'd be upset too. Having a cruise with such high margins for NCL will be great for everyone else booked on Jade (myself included) to make sure NCL has an even greater reason to make sure that Jade is back up and running.  

Charter cruises sell out, don't have "take all 5 perks" - no free drinks, no free specialty dining, no airfare deals, but yet the liquor flows, so it's a big (and well needed) money maker for NCL.. that's several hundred, maybe even $1,000 more profit per stateroom... NCL will do anything to make sure the Jade is ready for that cruise, so those in the weeks before and weeks after will have a better chance at Jade not being cancelled (which those itineraries may be break-even cruises or even at a loss).  Why I think the other weeks are loss-leaders is because this is by far the cheapest cruise I've ever booked when considering the airfare.  My Jade sailing for this itinerary, after taking out the cost of airfare, taxes and perk gratuities, I only paid $323pp for 7 days - I'm not even in the cheapest cabins - and I get free drinks, 2 specialty dinners, and some wifi.  That low rate combined with reduced capacity, they are losing money unless I buy shore excursions (at a $25pp discount) or go to the casino, which I don't.  NCL needs that charter sailing!!!

And in any rate, with all the uncertainty with COVID, why did OP's travel agent not suggest that her flights be booked with the cruise line, first because you get free cancellation when booked with the cruise line and second is especially with the BOGO airfare that has been going on since the announcement of this itinerary.  They offered us flights 2 people for $900, and the cheapest flight I could find was $2,052!

5 minutes ago, RIvacationgirl said:

Looking forward to enjoying the Norwegian Pearl in April 2022. Which ship is the most similar?  

Is this anybody's favorite ship? If so, tell me why!

Thank you!!!

Hey RI, I'm not too far in MA.  I don't have much of real value to add, as I haven't been on any of the Jewel class (Pearl being one of them), (I'm booked on a Jewel class in 124 days!).  Hopefully you loved your time on the Jewel (of course the Pearl has been refurbished since then!) 

For me, looking ahead at the deck plans, it looks like the Jewel class is a hybrid of the BEST parts of the Sun and Star, which I loved them both! (Star is Dawn class) 

I hope you enjoy your Pearl experience!

The expected first sailing, Jade July 25, is no longer sold on NCL.com.... lets hope its sold out or a technical glitch... anyone hear otherwise?

I was on NCL's website today and clicked on the current view from the bow, and noticed the Escape is currently in dry dock.  The Escape Activities page still shows the ropes course.  When I booked an RCL cruise, the ship was going to be changing features in dry dock, and they were on the website a year in advance of the dry dock.  Hopefully NCL would do the same, so this would mean the Ropes Course will still be on the ship!  Free activities like that are the only reason I'd ever go on a large ship, I prefer small ships otherwise.  I will see on my June cruise on Escape (if it's not cancelled and if I can fly to Europe!).

The real secret to getting a good deal is:

1) You personally bank at a bank that has $0 transaction fees - I bank at Capital One, which has no fees.

2) Use an ATM in the country whose currency you want (Canada, UK, EU) and select your cash WITHOUT conversion. Note, if you go to a Bank there may be an ATM surcharge fee ($2-$3), but I found every Airport in the EU and UK that I've used, and some hotels have surcharge fee-free ATMs.

You then get the exact rate of the current exchange without any fees. When you go to any bank or exchange counter, even if they say "no fees" the rate they give you is not the current going rate, it has a "fee" built into their price.

So, I went to Canada, used an atm, selected without conversion, and for $400 CAD, my checking account withdrew $305.84 + $6 ATM fee (I accidentally made it in two transactions, should have been a $3 fee). (By the way, had I selected with conversion, meaning I accepted the ATM host bank's exchange, which they add their hidden fee into, it would have cost me an extra $12.)

$400 CAD at the Cuban Gov't exchange rate, less the 3% fee, is $298 CUC, basically with my ATM fee, giving me a blended rate of 4.6%, significantly better than 13%. Of course, saving $25 isn't a huge amount, but its the principle, so if you are in one of those countries anyway, take out that currency from an ATM, select withOUT conversion!