kddy

I read through all the pages and didn't see this question addressed.  If a traveling companion tests positive, (she does not live with me and is coming in from a different state), am I still able to board and use my booked cabin solo without extra cost?  Can I bring someone in her place, and if so, is there a deadline to make a name change?  We sail on Sunday, Sept. 4.  

Thank you!

My husband and I did the 4 day Sky cruise June 30. We thoroughly enjoyed the ship - I love the Hawaiian decor and the set up of the smaller ship. I am watching the beautiful scenery of the water around me, so if there were issues with the ship, I didn't focus on it (even when the heavy rain turned some parts of the ship into waterfalls!). We did not got to any shows or night clubs, but we thought the pool bar area and crew were very attentive and our room steward was excellent.

What exactly are your concerns?

My first balcony was last year on the Spirit, port side. It was almost magical watching the ports come into view each morning on our balcony. Each one was very unique, but I loved Mykonos and Istanbul the most. I got some of my best Instanbul pictures from the balcony. We were also able to watch the pilot boats come to the ship and see the pilot literally jump and climb on board. It was very much worth it to have the balcony.

My husband and I are driving from the Keys the morning (Monday) of our cruise out of Port of Miami. Which location would be easiest for us to get to on a Monday morning - the Miami airport or the downtown location (Budget Car Rental- SE 2nd St)? My plan was to be in Miami about 10 or 10:30 am. The downtown location has a shuttle to the port; I was planning on taking a taxi from the airport.

We have never been in Miami, and are picking up the car at Ft. Lauderdale airport.

Thanks for any advice!

Thank you very much! It does help. :D

I know that there is a $50 food and drink credit given with cabana rental, and a special menu is given for food and alcohol a couple of days before GSC day to pre-order. My question is do you have to use the menu and pre-order, or can you use the credit at the bar on the island? Also, do they sell the buckets of beer?

This sounds like a silly question, but I just want to make sure.

Thanks!

Last year, my cabin mate's suitcase was left in the Barcelona terminal. We used NCL transport from the hotel to the port and thought we knew the bag got off the bus there. They tell you to make sure you spot your bag at the port, but the baggage handlers were not happy that we were in their way checking for our bags. She had a black suitcase, and in the sea of other black bags, we assumed it was off the bus.

She reported the missing bag the first night of the cruise, and in the morning when it didn't show up, she made sure they knew she had not received her bag. NCL started the search - starting with the hotel, bus, etc. Our first port was Toulon, so we had a great day shopping in a French mall, getting a bathing suit and other necessities- again, hoping the bag would show up at the next port. The Spirit staff was phenomenal with her - $100 credit immediately, free laundry, bottles of wine and chocolate covered strawberries, priority tendering when she asked, and daily reports of the bag search. They did ask for an inventory list of what was in the bag.

It was finally found on a luggage trolley in the Barcelona terminal and shipped to Venice (our last port). We have a great picture of her hugging her suitcase when delivered. She was lucky she was traveling with me and two other ladies - we shared t-shirts, shoes, and scarves. It was a pain for her, but she had a fantastic attitude and we have a great story to tell. Also, she will never use a black suitcase again.

I'm loving your replies. So, do you replace your personal tags with NCL tags? If you do what help is an address other than your cabin on the ship? Possibly a more important question is: Do cruise ships lose luggage, that has been dropped with their baggage drop folks, at the dock right next to the ship? Also, since 9/11, we're experiencing a completely new world, all around the world, and a need could arise when every cruise passenger needs to be connected to their bags and possibly not at the same time. Maybe it's similar to flying, you're not suppose to be able to leave your luggage and depart the plane.

Yes, it does happen!

Last year, my roommate never received her suitcase for our 12 day Med trip on the Spirit. We used NCL transfers from our Barcelona hotel, watched the suitcases get taken off of the bus, and put on the luggage trolley by the baggage handlers. We never saw it again until Venice 11 days later. NCL investigated the situation and the bag was found in the Barcelona port terminal a few days later. We don't precisely know what happened to the bag and where it was found. Nothing was missing - including her two name tags (with address) and her identifying bow on top.

She had a great attitude about it - and thank goodness she was traveling with three other women! We got to do lots of extra shopping, and NCL was fantastic with OBC, wine, strawberries, etc.

Small cabanas are $199.00. Just booked one for our June 30 Sky cruise. :D Thanks for posting that these are available!

Booked day pass for Saint John Resort and they say most of the cruise ships dock in the new port, which is called Tourlos. I hope that's where we will dock, but am not sure. Can anyone help out?

Thank you!

 

Here's their message:

"there are 2 ports in Mykonos (old & new port). Most times cruiseships dock at the new big port called Tourlos and in this case our driver will be waiting you exactly there at the exit of the cruiseship.

 

However, some other times cruiseships tender at the old port which is downtown. In this case, since no cars or buses are allowed to enter the capital (the capital being very narrow), you will be picked up from the meeting point called Yacht club about 150m from where you are taken out in tenders."

We booked the day pass for St. John's in June, and tendered in from the Spirit. It was quite a walk along the beach to the Yacht Club. Everyone you ask will tell you that the Yacht Club is closed and look at you strange when you say you want to go there anyway, but they will point you in the right direction.

The yachts in the distance is where you are picked up - if this picture loads.

Are on the Spirit quite places to sit without music?

We enjoyed the aft area on decks 11 and 12. There would be music sometimes, but we were able to move away from it and just have it in the background. If you want to be inside, the library and the Stardust area at the very front on deck 12 seemed very nice.

I also did not see many men wear a jacket for dinner, but you would not be out of place if you did. The Windows dining room was more formal, and no shorts were allowed at dinner.

Are on the Spirit quite places to sit without music?

We enjoyed the aft area on decks 11 and 12. There would be music sometimes, but we were able to move away from it and just have it in the background. If you want to be inside, the library and the Stardust area at the very front on deck 12 seemed very nice.

At least they gave you a time. We called beforehand to ask so we could be on the ship in time, and they didn't know! I guessed it would be at 5pm, but I guessed wrong.

Was your sailaway at 7:00 pm as well? I can see where there will be some people missing the first drill and having to do a make-up one, since NCL says you have to be on board 2 hours before sail away - which would be 5:00. Confusing!

Thank you for the muster drill information. NCL is telling us 30 minutes before sailaway, and 6:30 didn't make sense - right in the middle of dinner times.

If anyone remembers, what time was the muster drill in Barcelona? The sail away time is 7:00 pm, and we are trying to figure out dinner arrangements.

Thanks! Less than 30 days to go now!

I have been following this thread - I appreciate the insight from more experienced European travelers and residents. In the US, we are constantly bombarded with warnings to not give out sensitive information, so it feels very unusual and somewhat uncomfortable to give out what I consider "sensitive", i.e. my passport number. It is because of Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor that I feel better about using this tour. For one thing, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one getting this request.

Thank you!