Homosassa

Just curious if you know the meaning of the word "putz" - including the slang usage?

And in case you paid no attention to it, carefully read your cruise confirmation. The information for passports will have been included in the confirmation.

I have to give credit to anyone who voluntarily interrupts their vacation to "work" on a live review.

Glad you found it. I guess I remember the story as the dress was hanging from the ceiling. That was probably my interpretation because of the inconsistencies in her story such as hanging the dress from a rack above the TV (what rack?) and then saying it was hung by the balcony door or the fact that the sprinkler head was located above the middle of the bed and yet her husband was tall enough to hit it when placing the dress on the bed. The thread was "cleaned" before closing as it was much longer and the inconsistencies kept appearing. Let's not hijack the thread any further (LOL- dress code and the chain mail dress incident).

She felt no responsibility for the the incident. She also felt that the head of security and the hotel director treated her rudely when they paid no attention to her complaints of missed dinner, ruined electronic and clothing and being placed in an interior cabin for the last night. As the cabin was flooded and all bedding, carpeting and maybe some furniture would need to be replaced, the cabin probably was out of service for at least the next trip .

There was a thread here on the MSC several years ago written by a woman about her family's travail in getting ready for dinner on the last night. They were in a balcony cabin. They had a reservation the last night in a specialty restaurant and were going all out to gussy up. Because the daughter's dress was wrinkled, the husband hung the dress from a ceiling sensor and proceeded to use a smuggled clothes steamer to steam the dress. The steam up by the sensor turned on the cabin fire suppression sprinklers and an alarm sounded. Cabin was flooded and was not habitable for the last night. Family had to move to an inside cabin on a low deck for the night. Electronics laying on the bed for packing were damaged. By the time the fire crew left and security was finished, the restaurant was closed and so was the MDR. The woman posting was angry. She felt that the problem was MSC's fault and was demanding compensation in the form of one day's cruise fare for the loss of the last night in her balcony cabin, compensation for the electronics and and other clothing items destroy by the water, and an offer of a discount on a future cruise. She also felt that the family should not have had late night food in the buffet as their only food option. She felt that she have been offered the specialty restaurant menu in the buffet at no charge. It was an entertaining thread to say the least.

Fog can be a problem at any port depending on the weather and water conditions and temperatures. In Tampa, the worst time for the possibility of fog can start in November and goes through February. It happens when warmer air is over the cooler water and it is wind still. This allows the moisture in the air to condense and not be moved away by a breeze. The possibility of fog is predictable and is sometimes predicted several days in advance on our local weather reports. Similarly, it is also known that clear conditions will exist. As we are local to Tampa, we have cruised out of Tampa in January over the years. We have never had issues with fog delaying embarkation or debarkation. We plan on being on the Constellation again in January.

LOL - anyone else getting a visual on this? It could explain those posts about noises heard in some cabins. (OP, I know what your post meant - it just gave me a mental image that made me giggle).

Maybe all the interior cabins that hold three passengers in your selected experience level are booked. A good travel agent can help you find a cabin.

The only thing you can be sure about on a cruise is that "ship" can happen. I would not assume that the internet will be accessible at all times on any day of the cruise. Besides the loss of satellite signal that can occur due to the ship's location, the availability will also depend on the number of passengers trying to use the system at any one time. Sea days are always a problem as the system is often overloaded. Your TA will be mostly sea days with passengers planning on using the internet during the day.

What you miss is that a cruise line can enforce the requirement for a passport for all their passengers. It doesn't matter if it is a close loop itinerary or someone says "No problem - just stay on the ship." If the cruise line says a passport is needed to board, then a passport is needed. Just ask the large family group left standing on the pier for a closed loop cruise Princess cruise . My upcoming Celebrity closed loop cruise that stops in two ports that require passports has a statement in the booking confirmation that a passport is needed "Valid passports are required for all passengers, regardless of age. Passports must be valid for six (6) months after you disembark your cruise. Passport cards or photocopies of required documentation are not acceptable." No statements that one can decide to stay on the ship at those ports. There are cruise lines that do require passports for all their sailings. HAL has a specific requirements for a passport for all in a cruising party that consists of minors and a single parent (guardian). To tell people to ignore the documentation that is required by the cruise line because of some quasi loophole is a disservice.

And what difference does this make? I live in a concrete block, rebar reinforced bunker with double glazed impact resistant to 185 mph windows that is code here in hurricane . I can still hear and feel the super boom boxes.

I knew there was one I was forgetting. Maybe Trinidad Tobago?

Keep in mind that the passport card is for entry into the US . It is not a substitute for a passport for Caribbean and other countries that require passports for U citizens on a cruise ship. Closed loop doesn't make a difference; if your cruise stops at the following ports, a passport is needed. Countries that require passports for cruise passengers are Martinique, St Barts, St Martin (not St Marten), Panama, and Colombia. I am sure I missed a few - please add to list.

LHP, your complaint does not surprise me. The stage flies for the theater extends up above the stage for several decks. This open space will carry the sound of any audio using the sound system of the theater (shows, movies, games, etc.). We had a similar problem on HAL's Zuiderdam when we were assigned an interior cabin that was above that ship's theater flies. The bass frequencies especially carried. Like you, when I commentated on the problem on Cruise Critic, I was discounted because "the stage is several decks below your cabin." On the other hand, some people researched "flies" and commented that they now understood the problem.

The information about the need for a passport would have been included in your confirmation the booking the cruise. Below is the wording in my Celebrity cruise confirmation for a recent booking: "Valid passports are required for all passengers, regardless of age. Passports must be valid for six (6) months after you disembark your cruise. Passport cards or photocopies of required documentation are not acceptable." For the itinerary I booked, there are two ports that require passports of cruise ship passengers. There are some on my not Cruise Critic chat board for the specific cruise that passports are not required as it is a closed loop cruise from Miami. They will not be convinced .

By all means, call. Everyone needs a chuckle when dealing with the public.

Been there, done that, no tee shirt: Empress of the Seas (old ship, no stabilizers), December 2003, low pressure front , waves 35 feet, winds 40-50 mph. Inside cabin was bottom deck, amidship. Only a slight motion as we were at the fulcrum point. If you cruise in the future, pay to select a cabin that is on a low deck and amidship.

LOL - me work for NCL and defending them!!!!! NCL is not a top choice for me to cruise on. However, I am an experienced cruisier (the stories I could tell on rough weather and other cruise ship mishaps!) I, and others on this thread, are merely trying to talk you down from your "harrowing experience" drama ledge and let you know that your experience is not rare or unexpected. You never did say the location of your cabin? I am willing to bet you had a combination of high deck, and maybe forward or aft of midships.

Commonsense, people, commonsense, but here are some hints: If the ship is no longing pitching, rolling or experiencing yaw, the ship is passed the rough water. If one can not decide if an injury or other condition is severe enough for a doctor's attention, then find a responsible adult that can decide. If barf bags are available, they will obviously be present. They can also be requested at Guest Services. Guest Services will also have OTC sea sickness medications and maybe sliced green apples. Please keep in mind that depending on one's location in the ship, the motion may have been the gentle rocking that many of us enjoy. Also, the greater majority of the passengers on the ship will not be fazed by the rough water and will act appropriately.

LOL - Zuiderdam, 2009 Panama Canal Cruise - woken up by the Captain at 3 AM telling us there was a fire, to wake up, get dress, grab any medications, and wait in our cabins for more instructions. Ship's crew were at their emergency stations. We were told twenty minutes later the emergency was over and we could return to sleep.

Sorry you feel that way. What we are trying to tell you that rough seas can be experienced on any cruise at any time. The rough weather is not within the control of NCL and is not anything that NCL needs to apologize about. If someone was injured, then appropriate medical aid was rendered. If you keep cruising, you will have this experience again. It happens when tides, currents, and wind have the right combination. It can happen under fair skies because of a far off weather system. A good indication that the captain expects the worse conditions is when ropes are strung in the middle of stair wells for extra security and barf bags are left in different locations in the halls and public spaces. Welcome to the world of ships on the water and know that your experience is not a rare occurrence.

Why is any compensation needed? There was rough water that the OP has never experienced before. He /she has learned that a ship will move in rough water and that certain precautions can be taken in the future such as cabin location and securing a cabin for the "motion of the ocean."

Where was your cabin located? Passengers who booked cabins on low decks and amidship probably had a peaceful night sleep.

The announcement was made that a port was being skipped because of bad weather and that the ship was heading straight to the safe harbor of another port. Rough seas were encountered as can happen on any cruise itinerary in bad weather. What else did you expect to be told? By the way, when told that there is rough weather ahead, it is a good idea to secure your cabin by clearing counter tops. Note: There have been a few cruises where the motion of the ship made maintaining a sleeping position difficult.