Smitheroo

56 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

Not even the song "Kiss"?

Julia Roberts sang it in the movie "Pretty Woman" (bathtub scene).

Not a "movie queen" lol either so dont recognize the name of the movie. But if I heard the song Kiss its very possible I would recognize it as knowing it. I just wouldnt know who sang it.

57 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

yes, I realized that was the case.  I brought my own, no problem

I was also thinking of the sign  out and return poolside. I have no experience with taking towels off the ship.

53 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

I've signed out towels at the pool and I've also seen some towel carts when you get off the gangway at the pier. Problem is, not all port stops have the cart and you won't know if they have them on the pier until after you've checked out and gotten off the ship. If not, you have to check back in (going against the sea of humanity exiting the ship) and go all the way up to the pool deck.

 

Best strategy is to check (at the CS desk??) before any port stop in the Caribbean (or anywhere else with beaches) to see if towels will be provided at the pier.

Or avoid all of this and just bring your own. One of the advantages of traveling alone.  A beach towel fit nicely in my suitcase. It was on the thin side so it dried quickly.  I agree, sand would be a problem. i used mine poolside

On 1/21/2024 at 8:01 PM, MrsKC08 said:

Million Dollar Quartet for me! It was fantastic on Getaway.

I just saw that and thought it was excellent.  In fact, I think the performers in that show were every bit as good as the original artists. (I dont have much opinion on Carl Perkins as he was a bit before my time)  

On 1/21/2024 at 6:38 PM, dpepper64 said:

Choir of men on all ships would be the best for all cruises

I thought that was kind of dippy but I did enjoy the singing

2 minutes ago, Asawi said:

I travel alone all the time and I can honestly say that this has NOT been a problem! I think my plate may have been removed in error a couple of times, but only becuase there was very little left on it. I almost always get my food, leave it on the table and go back for drinks (cold or hot). I do leave a personal item as well to indicate that the table is occupied. At least if there isn't much left on my plate and I'm off to get dessert and/or coffee. 

But I do agree that trying to get everything in one go is a potential recipe for disaster!

Leaving a personal item is the key to not getting your food removed I think.  (not that removing food is a bad thing, no one wants plates of food hanging around)  Also, if its obvious that if the food hasnt been eaten that might indicate someone  is returning.  I sitll like the idea of a tray which I am going to try next cruise.   Your method probably wouldnt work on embarkation day- I had to go find a seat out by the deck chairs. Wouldnt want to leave my food unattended out there.  Maybe one those plastic covers I see on room service plates would work but that would be tricky to bring in a suitcase.  One of many reasons why I prefer the MDR.  I can see myself getting questioned walking into the Garden Cafe carrying my tray

On 1/21/2024 at 5:13 PM, complawyer said:

sorry!  i'll pass regardless of what color the rain  may be. and fyi, im an aging baby boomer with no interest or connection to prince or his music

I will add that I am also an aging baby boomer and while I do know who "Prince" is I could never identify his music.  

19 hours ago, Snowball15 said:

LOL. maybe a serving tray should be added to one of those: 9,999 essential items to pack for your 3 day cruise, lists. It won't take up much room in your suit case.

might work!  Thanks for the tip. Unless you are a solo passenger who has made a lot of friends to dine with  you are probably not aware the difficulty carrying a plate of food in one hand and a hot beverage in the other without some kind of mishap.  So either bringing a tray in my luggage lol (It will lay nicely over my clothes, the way my brought from home beach towel does) or making a sign to put over my food at a table "Do not remove, Coming right back"  will work. I think I prefer the first. Not a good idea to leave your food unattended.   I dont even want to think of having to use a cane. I guess the Garden Cafe is off limits for me.  

20 hours ago, UKstages said:

NCL doesn't want you to take food all over the ship, including your stateroom.  (they have room service for that.) one notable exception is the indulge food hall on the prima (and presumably the viva). at breakfast, they have trays. at least they did in may 2023 when i was onboard.

well, not all of us are agile enough to carry a plate of food and a cup of hot beverage. And when you are traveling alone you really cant leave your table and go back for something else because if you do, most likely your food will be gone (not criticzing, just stating the facts) I suppose I could write up a sign, "do not remove, coming right back"  That might work.  I know I almost dumped a cup of hot tea on the head of a child who was below my elbow. Not doing anything rambunctious but there due to the crowds.   So there are several problems here  1) holding the plate and cup without dumping it  2) risk of injuring someone you bump into or more likely who bumps into you  3) losing your food if you leave it unattended to go back for a cup of beverage.   A tray would be so much easier. I could still carry my food all over the ship  without a tray, so the lack of a tray isnt helping with that all that much.  We are forced to carry plates and cups to the outer deck when its impossible to get a seat inside the Garden Cafe.  The only thing I can think of is that it is one more thing for them to clean and that might be valid. Another solution would be to avoid the Garden Cafe, which I try to do. Traveling alone has its negatives and this is one of them.  

10 hours ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

Yes we have. It’s not like getting off a bus or train but it’s not “that” time consuming to make it not worthwhile to get off the ship. The cruise is of northern Europe. Several cities are right there, walkable or a short cab ride. We also have friends in a handful of the areas who are excited to pick us up in their cars and show us around. And we’ll do NCL excursions for the ports without friends that are a long distance from the sights we want to see. 

Great!  Too much energy required for me though. Sounds like you will enjoy it

10 hours ago, gizfish said:

That's actually a fallacy.  Tip is not an acronym.  https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tip-sheet/

good to know

30 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

But it only takes one port day to realize the sign-out list is a farce.  You may indeed sign out towels but no one is signing it back in when you get back to the ship and are told to throw your towels into the big bin.

yes, I realized that was the case.  I brought my own, no problem

4 minutes ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

We enjoy being busy! Having done the backpack through Europe thing and a few other trips where we spent just a few days in each city and got on a train every few days, unpacking once, leaving everything on the ship, and just stepping off in a different city each day sounds luxurious 😂

Have you  cruised and experienced getting off in ports?  Its not like a bus. It can be time consuming. Day after day?  Hmmmmm  I'm still wondering which cruise this is that stops in so many ports in 12 days?

I've seen warnings that if they are returned, there is a $25 charge per towel. (you sign them out) I've seen this on all 3 ships I've been on.  I brought my own, a thinnish beach towel that served as a coverup over the top of my clothes in my suitcase. It dried very quickly  But again, one person traveling alone is a lot easier than providing towels for a family. 

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

It shows the cost of the room per night.  And, the room charge changes.  You'll pay more (usually much more) on a weekend than you will on a Monday, for example.

 

The "resort fee" was buried in the very bottom of the reservation page, in tiny print.  IIRC, it doesn't show up until you check in and sign your registration.

Ok, I guess I've gotten so used to looking for it I forget when I didnt know about it. I dont ever recall being surprised though. Which means I knew about it before hand.   As far as cruising NCL goes, you have the option to "prepay service charges"  which should trigger the question in your head "what service charge" are they referring to?    I agree that with the OP (I read the post over again) a service charge of $960 for a family of 4 (children over 3 yrs old)  for a 12 day cruise is an eye opener but if someone can afford a 12 day cruise for 4 they can probably add on another $960 and consider it an expensive lesson. This is the way it is done and I sure hope people wouldnt consider still cruising in the future and not paying it. (because they dont have to)  

3 hours ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

Thank you. Others have said there are only certain days the desk is open and that the lines are very long. That is what I meant by jump through hoops. Although getting to the desk by 5:45 AM would be a bit of a hoop for me in and of itself  😂 

As far as I could see Guest Services was open for a wide range of hours. True, the line can be long at times but there are times it isnt. It wasnt very long when I got on it the morning of disembarkation to check on a possibly lost item.  A crew member often goes down the line asking what your question is so perhaps that person would get the form for you and give it to you to fill out while you are standing in line.  Think about this. Do you really want to do this?  For a 5 day cruise we are talking about $100.I realize that's per person and it may be less painful for me because I'm only 1 person  If the reason is " it's not the money, its the principle"  I have to ask, do you think you will make a difference in the way NCL operates?   If I had a problem with the concept of the service charge I would choose not to cruise rather than removing it. I'm cringing just thinking about it.  The above was my experience on the Getaway a week ago. Of course it could be different on another ship or even the same ship at another time.

7 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Ummmm…had to dig it out of the tiny print when booking a room. Obvious because I already know they charge it.  That hotel charge doesn’t even cover a tip for a meal, or even a meal.  It’s just a charge.  You don’t see it until you check out.  And, it’s not removable.

 

So, I do get weary of the whining and acting like it’s a surprise.  It’s the cost of taking a cruise.  I would rather no about it than have it buried in the fare!

The Resort Fee  doesnt show up with the estimated cost of the room?  Its supposed to cover all that goes along with using resort type activities, even when you dont use them. I refuse to pay it. Pretty hard in Las Vegas although I did find a hotel on Fremont St that didnt charge a Resort Fee.  That was back then, they may have given in.  Kind of like the Cleaning Fee for Air BnB's.  I suspected they got some kind  of tax advantage by charging inflated prices for that and I was right. Not sure exactly how it works but it helps them tax wise to have a big cleaning fee. 

18 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Sounds like you probably need to find another vacation outlet.  You’re asking the cruise lines to save you from booking with them.

 

Just randomly pulled this up on the Wynn Vegas web site for per night rates.  This is before any tips for dining in their restaurants, tipping the concierges or the housekeeping staff, etc.

 

This should not be a surprise to anyone!

 

WYNN AND ENCORE RESORT FEE

A daily resort fee of $45 plus tax will be added to your room account

Now, I agree, that "resort fee" is maddening  But again, its obvious 

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Actually, the majority of 'kids in a candy shop' would figure this out.  The issue is a matter of preferences.  Some adults believe the cruise line should advertise in the ways those adults would prefer.  The main issue is those adults have never run a cruise line but still imagine they are imminently qualified.

I have to admit I did quite a bit of complaining in the beginning (about a year ago)  I dont think I felt quite as angry except for my experience with the CruiseNEXT certificates. I was told and soon agreed, forget all the advertising, choose what you want and decide if you like the bottom line.   There were several opportunities to "prepay the Service Charge" so any questions about that should have been asked at that point. What is the service charge they are offering me to prepay?   I think some people really need to use travel agents because they just dont take in everything they need to visually. Like the woman I described in another thread who didnt know she was supposed to pick a color tag for her luggage for disembarkation. I was like "how could she miss that?"   I read everything which is probably why I got so confused about all the advertising. You just get confused reading all the banners on the website

On 1/19/2024 at 12:11 PM, UKstages said:

hey, now!

 

i watched "band of brothers" and "saving private ryan" and enjoyed them very much.

 

on the other hand, i watched "commando" and felt that the director should have thanked me for my service afterwards. (the special effects were good, though. in one scene, they actually made it appear as if schwarzenegger was acting!)

 

sorry, i just wanted to share my combat experience, so i could fit in with all the kool kidz.

When I watched Saving Private Ryan and saw all the boats approaching the shore I started yelling "turn back, turn back now".   My grandmother had 3 boys in the service at that time and one of them was killed at Normandy.  My father was "lucky" in that he was a small man and was hand picked to be an officer's  chauffeur. When he answered "but I cant drive, Sir" they said "we'll teach you" and they did. 

1 hour ago, ConcettaBonetta said:

You just described what difference it makes. It’s false advertising. You hook people in by showing them lower fare, they look into the ports, the ship, what kind of airfare they can get, get excited to go on the cruise then bam, it’s actually 20% more! By that time they’re invested and want to go on the cruise. If they had seen the $6000 upfront, they may have looked at other options. Again, we know about tipping, and we expected to tip, but not 20% of the fare. 
 

Haven’t you ever heard the saying the customers always right? 😉😂

It’s not just me. The suggestion I made is all over this website, as well as other others. I have seen comments from crew saying they don’t get the service charge and prefer cash tips to a pizza party. You cannot assume what they prefer. But one thing is guaranteed, it’s good for NCL corporate or they wouldn’t do it this way.

Except for maybe the sleazy way they promote CruiseNEXT certificates, you seem to think you've been tricked. All of the charges are presented and you pay the bottom line.  I agree their banner advertising is misleading but anyone who reads can soon figure it out that all that is important is the bottom line and if you are willing to pay it or not.  We're talking about adults making decisions, not kids in a candy shop.  

I've been on 3 NCL ships in the past year, soon to be 4.  One thing that I notice to be excellent on a consistent level is the crew. (and not that many people mention that in their reviews which are usually about food and entertainment)  I have never met one rude or grouchy crew member. They, male or female, have always been very pleasant to me, with a warm smile and greeting.  The staff at places like Guest Services might be more formal but the crew with the every day jobs to do have been a delight to deal with. 

One incident stands out to me. I had just come out of Burn the Floor and ordered a drink at the Mixx bar. Then I headed down to Headliners to wait for the comedian (I left before the show started) I was there a few minutes when I felt a presence at my side, looked up and there was one of the bar staff (from the Mixx) handing me my key card which I had left behind. Then turned and left. He must have followed me all the way to the club.  He didnt have to do that. He could have left it at the side of the monitor "when she comes back looking for it"  I would have had to figure out where I had used it (realizing that I didnt have it when I tried to get into my cabin).  I left him a Hero card, no name but the location, date and time the action occurred. Who knows if he will get it but I thought it was worth a try.

THinking back, I forgot about the crew member who threw a rude passenger's key card at him when checking out of the ship.  It wasnt directed at me so I found it  entertaining. That guy deserved it. (the passenger)

On 1/21/2024 at 10:22 AM, UKstages said:

ok, i'll weigh on the great cold food debate of 2024.

 

in my experience, MDR food is typically served room temperature, whether it's supposed to be a hot entree or a cold dish, such as a salad or dessert. (the exception: ice cream, which typically does arrive cold... not frozen solid, but cold.) i've found this to be true across all ships of all cruise lines, not just NCL. the stuff comes out of an industrial kitchen and they're serving hundreds or a thousand or more of the same dish. they're not made to order and service being what it is, the plated food will often wait a few minutes before its picked up and brought to your table. the most egregious example of this on NCL is the prima (again, in my experience). so, when people say the food was "cold," i interpret that to mean "room temperature" and i would have to wholeheartedly agree.

 

specialty restaurant food is hot (when it's supposed to be) and dishes from the indulge food hall are always served fresh at the correct temperature (yet again, in my experience).

Never noticed any of my food on any of the 3 NCL ships I've been on to not be the temperature it should be.  Not steaming hot but not room temperature. 

On 1/21/2024 at 5:30 AM, Asawi said:

Interesting read! 

I have not been on Getaway or any other of the big ships.. I've been on Spirit, Star and Gem. Out of those Star was my least faviourite when it came to food, but not even there did I come across any cold food that wasn't supposed to be cold. Entertainment isn't a priority for me, but I do prefer shows with the production cast to any other kind. It seems like NCL is cutting back on those and that's a bit sad.

I would be happy to go on another cruise line if they had itineraries to my taste and good solo pricing. Unfortunately I've been unsuccessful finding any, so my next few cruises will be NCL. Trying out a couple of the big ships with studios and studio lounge with good coffee. That's a good way to keep me happy. 😄 
 

The studio lounge on the Getaway was lovely except there was rarely anyone in it (when I checked)  I heard the coffee was great but I would first have had to figure out how to use the coffee maker lol.  There was a bar but never once saw a bartender.  Looked like a nice little place with nice seating. I helped myself to cookies on several nights. I've complained about the coffee in the MDRs before. Not that it was bad but that it didnt have any zing to it and I found myself craving Starbucks mid morning. But this time on the Getaway it seemed fine to me, no complaints. 

On 1/20/2024 at 11:23 PM, DavidOrawan said:

Where is everything getting this cold food? Just off a week on the breakaway and the only cold food I got was supposed to be cold.

Same here and I was on that cruise on the Getaway. I did eat once in American Diner when I was too late for the MDR and while I didnt care too much for what I ordered (too salty) it was hot. Some women I got talking to didnt care for O'Sheehans