Anthony&David
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Posts posted by Anthony&David
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We were on the 11/20 Breakaway sailing. The night prior to the cruise we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn - Times Square (on 42nd near Bryant Park). It was an easy drive from the Lincoln Tunnel, easy and relatively inexpensive overnight parking across the street from the hotel, a newer hotel and well located, and an easy drive to the cruise terminal the morning of departure. An unexpected bonus about its location is that after boarding the ship I realized I left my iPod in the hotel room. I called the hotel, they located it, and they held onto it until we returned the following Sunday - it was an easy drive back to the hotel after the cruise to retrieve the iPod. I would stay here again pre-cruise.
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Thanks..was it warm enough Friday on the way back to go in the pool?
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We were on this cruise. Friday was a great weather day - barely any clouds (until around sunset) and in the 70s with little wind. The outside decks were packed on this day.
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We stayed at the Westin for our recent cruise that departed July 1. The room was quite comfortable and the hotel was well located. But, they were renovating the elevators and the morning of our departure it literally took 25 minutes to get to the lobby from our room. If they are still having these issues, you might want to factor this in, especially if you will be calling for a car service. Regarding taxis at the hotel when we were heading to the port, the only ones readily available (without waiting additional time) were Toyota Prius, which have space limitations that might not make them a suitable option depending on number of passengers and amount of luggage.
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We were on the Reflection Pied Piper post-Thanksgiving sailing two years ago. This time, we booked directly rather than through a group. But, the martini bar (and the replacement of the molecular bar) will certainly be a place we will visit.
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We are on this sailing too. Less than a month to go! :-)
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I still have not heard anything from NCL...So...???
We have heard contradictory information from NCL about our cruise, so hearing something still has us in your position and also asking the question "So...???"
We had/have an Epic cruise booked for November 20, 2016. On Monday, an NCL customer service representative told me it was cancelled and we also received the cancellation notice via e-mail. Then, on Thursday a customer service supervisor (who I had spoken with earlier in the week) called me and told me that our cruise was not canceled, but instead there was just a change to one of the ports. I asked her if she was sure, because everything else points to it having been cancelled. She said that she spoke with the revenue department and they were sure. But, then she backtracked and said that she would need to look into it again and that she would contact me again after she checked (I have not yet heard back from her).
That NCL decided to introduce all of these cancellations was irritating in the first place, but more irritating has been the way NCL decided to implement this: not having enough staff ready to address customer questions and thus requiring long holds, not having complete re-booking information available at the time of cancellation and thus providing only one part of the cancellation equation, writing/sending an e-mail that attempts to spin the cancellation as a positive change and not providing options of value in relation to the cruise that was booked, etc.
We have enjoyed cruising with NCL; actually, they introduced us to and got us hooked on cruising. But, at the moment we are quite happy that our next two cruises are with Celebrity and we have some time to make a decision about whether we will continue to cruise with NCL.
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For those who have purchased the bottled water through NCL...what size are the bottles?
When we purchased water on the Getaway in November 2014, the bottles were 1 liter (approximately 34 ounces).
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When we were on the Getaway this past November, I ran on the running track five times, four times in the morning and once in the afternoon (the afternoon was while we were docked in St. Thomas). Compared with other ships, I did not find encroaching lounge chairs to be problematic at all, but instead the width on three of four sides was relatively sizable and accommodating. The one slow-down area was when passing by the rock climbing wall and Flamingo, where there is also a walkway from/to the aft elevators/stairs. I only ran when the rock climbing wall was closed (in the morning, I was done by 9:00 am), which I recall being the officially posted hours of the running track anyway. Generally, I found the running track usable and much more comfortable than the two times I ran on the treadmill, because both times I used the treadmill area of the fitness center it was quite warm with minimal air circulation.
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On the Getaway in late November 2014, we paid approximately $80 for 24 one-liter bottles. We purchased this at a bar soon after boarding and it was delivered to our cabin within a couple of hours.
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We looking to book escape for 2016 and would like to try the haven. What are the pros and cons of an aft penthouse outside the haven and a courtyard penthouse inside the haven. Would be interested to hear views of anyone who has stayed in either.
Thanks.
This past November, we were in an aft suite on the Getaway. Pros from our perspective: larger size and more useful room layout (separate bedroom and living/dining room), size of balcony (huge!), and cost (on our cruise, it was less than a suite in the Haven). Some might think the distance from the Haven is a con, but we did not mind this and at times we liked the walk to/from the Haven. There was only once that I was using the Haven sundeck that I realized I forgot something and it would have been more convenient to have our cabin nearer.
Before this recent cruise, we once were in an owner's suite (on the Jewel) that had Haven access but was located outside of the Haven at the front of the ship. As with the Getaway, we enjoyed both the cabin and the Haven.
Our one experience staying in the Haven was on the Gem. It actually became a bit stressful because of a couple of loud/messy groups that monopolized the space. Being in the Haven, we experienced and noticed this quite often when we tried to use the space and when walking from and to our room. It was our only cruise where afterwards we felt that we overpaid for the experience. But, the Jewel class ships have smaller Haven areas and perhaps this is less likely to occur on the newer/larger ships.
We would definitely return to an aft suite on the GA/BA/Escape. But, we would not rule out a suite located in the Haven on these ships (we will not likely return to staying in the Haven in a Jewel class ship).
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IS the spa package worth it? Are the facilities crowded?
We have done the spa pass on several ships, including the Getaway this past November. The Getaway spa was the most crowded of any of our past cruises, but still worth it to us. We were there every day at least once and sometimes twice.
Some guests tend to leave towels strewn about, especially on the tile loungers, but I just move unaccompanied towels and I have not yet had an experience of someone claiming I took 'their' spot. It would be nicer if people discarded their towels in the bins and/or if staff would remove unaccompanied ones.
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The Hyatt downtown Miami used to have an enterprise location. I am not sure it is still there.
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It was there in December. We rented from there and it worked out well.
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I would like to know what brand of water do they carry on the Getaway for the water package.:)
On our Getaway cruise this past November, we were given Aquafina.
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If you are sailing in a suite the concierge can book it for you but be sure to do that as soon as you meet them.
As another poster indicated, they restrict it to 12 participants, but on our recent Getaway cruise they upped it to 14.
It was a wonderful experience and would do it again in a heartbeat.
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Hey all. We're on the January 10th sailing of the Getaway in a month or so, and was just wondering about what people though the must-do items were for a few guys in their 30s. We were on the Epic the same time last year, so we're planning to spend a lot of time at Howl at the Moon, which has two of the same players who we saw last year, and who are amazing. We're also planning to see the Illusionarium show at some point. We will probably also do the Chef's Table and Moderno at some point on the trip, as well as hitting the gym and running track to burn off all the food and drinks. What else am I missing? What should I miss? Thanks!
We were on the Getaway last week and had a great time.
My other half very much enjoyed the water slides and said he was impressed by the speed of them. We also both did the ropes course. I had convinced myself that I was not even going to consider attempting it, but then I did and I am glad I did. For both of these, we did them while in ports so that there were less crowds (this was especially important on the ropes course for someone like me who was a bit unnerved by it and preferred not to feel like my slowness was getting in the way of others; there is no set path through the course, so it was not like there was a line of people behind me, but still there are others on the course at the same time and at times you will be in the same area as others and someone will need to wait).
The Chef's Table was a great experience and one we would do again. The food, the service, and the conversation with others were all great. The evening started at 6:00, and although the actual meal ended at some point just after 9:00 (I think), we continued to hang out until around midnight. It was the same night as the fireworks and several of us decided to skip them in order to continue our conversations over drinks in the Haven lounge (the actual meal was held in a section of the Haven restaurant). Added to this experience was a galley tour a couple of days later. We had been on a galley tour on another NCL ship, but this one far surpassed the previous one in terms of the variety of spaces we were shown and the variety of staff with which we were able to interact and see what they do.
We very much enjoyed Wasabi and ended up eating dinner there three times. The food was quite fresh and flavorful and the service was attentive, interactive, and relaxed. We have not eaten at the sushi place on previous NCL cruises, but we have eaten at most of the other speciality restaurants several times. Wasabi has moved to the top of my list as my favorite speciality restaurant.
I used the fitness center every day. For the size of the ship, it seemed kind of small. The aerobic area (with treadmills, etc.) got quite warm. I used this area during the first two sea days, but then I ran on the designated outside track each of the other days. There were specified times the track was open for running (before 9:30 and after 6:00), to which I adhered other than one afternoon run during one of the days in port. Compared with other ships on which I have run, I did not find any problem with lounge chairs encroaching on the track, but the pathway by the climbing wall and Flamingo Grill is a bit narrow and at times congested. The room with the weights (free and machine) had a lot of equipment, but there was not much floor space. For the most part, though, this area of the fitness center was not heavily used (I was there each day and only once did I feel like I was working out on top of others).
We enjoyed hanging out at the Mojito Bar, in part for the drinks and in part for the bartenders who were quite interactive and humorous. Unfortunately, the solo piano player who was often there (not the duo who were sometimes there) was not very good (he played the piano well, but we found his voice to be grating). If not for the entertainment from the bartenders, we would have avoided the Mojito Bar because of this piano player. Something we found out is that the mojitos in the tasting flight are pre-made. There was a definite difference in taste between these and the full-size, freshly-made ones.
Having run by the Flamingo Grill many times during my laps on the track and having otherwise walked by/through it many other times throughout each day, it seemed to be an eatery that was under-utilized. We grabbed breakfast there once and an afternoon snack twice. Some of the items were a bit bland, but others were quite good. I recommend giving it a try as an alternative to the larger (and more crowded) buffet.
We went to O'Sheehan's twice, once for a late-night snack (which was good) and once during the day to play games. The bowling was fun, but at $5 per person, per game, we thought it was a bit too costly to play more than once. We played a few other games, with darts being our favorite.
We also played ping pong and shuffleboard on deck. These are both well positioned on the ship to be somewhat out of the way of the regular flow of foot traffic, so there were few interruptions during our play. Plus, the ping pong table was decently protected from the wind.
We went to Carlos's bake shop once. My other half very much enjoyed the lobster claw (puff pastry filled with cream), but the cupcake I had did not taste fresh (it was cold and dry).
We found the iConcierge app to be quite helpful as a way to check out what was happening on board each day, to view restaurant menus, and to review our transactions. It does not provide a calendar of dinners/shows you have reserved, which would be a nice feature for NCL to add. But, overall, we found that we used it much more than we anticipated (we did not use the added phone/messaging features). And, other than the first day, the connection was consistent.
I used the Internet once to check email and I did so from the Internet cafe. This was while in port in St. Thomas and the speed was quite fast. After finishing, I mentioned this to the staff member at the desk and he said that they were connected to a shore-side satellite, which is why the speed was faster than usual.
I hope these thoughts are helpful in your planning. We tend to cruise for the ship and the weather (much more so than the particular ports visited) and we would definitely book the Getaway again.
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Today the ship was docked in Miami facing the ocean. And, like several other weeks that I watched the sail away on the port web cam, including those weeks when it was docked in the opposite direction, the Getaway was the first to leave port.
Regarding clothing, after a tiring week this past week, I changed my mind about bringing suits. So, for the moment, our initial packing does not include a suit for either of us. This certainly helps to reduce what we will need to carry with us and will contribute to a relaxing week away.
Fingers crossed next week is nothing like this past week with regard to the weather. We are looking forward to boarding our flight for an on time departure. :-)
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We each will have a suitcase and backpack. We are trying not to over pack...
We tend to pack a lot, which is one reason we like Southwest given their no-fee policy for baggage. We will likely each have a suitcase, a large duffle bag, and a backpack.
We are still deciding on dressier clothing for a couple of dinners, which would require a bit more space. For each of our previous cruises we have brought suits (or tuxes), but we have not yet decided for this cruise. Decision time will need to be soon - less than three weeks remaining! 😄
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Sail away location...I might shoot for the Vibe as it has a bar and is on the starboard side (pier side) to see the push away.
We have watched the sail away the past two weeks and the Getaway has been docked in Miami facing toward the city; therefore, if in this same orientation for our cruise, Vibe would not be pier side during the initial push away. But, with the trip to the turning basin and then back out the channel, any location is likely a good location.
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Purchased the premium meal package....so looking for table mates. Has anyone booked specific meal times in the specialty restaurants or waiting till the day of to reserve a table?
We decided not to purchase the dining package. This will be our first NCL cruise on an Epic/Breakaway-class ship that has a haven restaurant for dinner. So, rather than plan to have dinner at specialty restaurants, we plan to dine in the haven restaurant and then once on board make a decision day-to-day about whether we want to eat elsewhere. We do want to do the chef's table, if it is available. We had planned to do it on our Dawn cruise in 2013, but they cancelled it due to lack of interest.
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We are on Deck 11 in an H7 and looking forward to all the ship has to offer.
We are on the opposite end of the ship in an H6 on deck 11.
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This has been quite the quiet role call. We will be spending Thanksgiving at home (as well as taking our dog to his boarder) and then flying to Miami Friday morning.
Today marks two months! It has been a relatively warm September for us, but I imagine there will be some cold days ahead before the end of November, so it will be a great time to take a warm break as winter sets in.
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There is an informative thread about 11908, which I understand is the same configuration as your cabin. http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1871807
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Twice we have sailed late May. The first (2010) was the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend on the Jewel out of NYC (to Florida and the Bahamas). The second (2012) was the week of Memorial Day weekend on the Celebrity Summit out of Bayonne (to Bermuda).
On the Jewel cruise, there were several high school senior class trips and some groups of college students, but this was not evident on the Summit. The most significant difference we noticed (compared with cruises at other times of the year, three times in November and once in January) was at night in the bars/clubs - they were more crowded and stayed more crowded later into the night (and the deejays tended to play current dance/pop/club music rather than a more balanced mix inclusive of music from the 70s/80s/90s).
Based on our experience, we would not purposefully avoid booking for this time of year.
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Help! Can't get same answer from NCL about Platinum beneffits/LeBistro
in Norwegian Cruise Line
Posted
Based on my experience, I agree with the previous poster's suggestion. I assume the suggestion was simply about the order in which the reservations are booked online, not the order in which they will occur during the cruise.
We had purchased a three-night dining plan plus we were to receive two platinum dining vouchers, for a total of five dinners. When we made reservations ahead of time online, we first booked two nights at LeBistro. Then we booked another restaurant. And when we booked the fourth, Moderno (which is not a la carte), the system wanted to charge us, because it did not recognize the first two (at LeBistro) as to be paid by the platinum dining vouchers, but instead assumed them to be part of the three-night dining plan. Once the first three were booked, I was not able to cancel them online myself. I called NCL and the representative said to book the three-night dining plan reservations first, if any of these restaurants require pre-payment, because the system is setup to first deduct reservations from the dining plans (it does not know if you intend to use a platinum voucher). She was very helpful and made all of the necessary changes.
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