mpcaruth

I enjoy a rum and coke.  Any issues with ordering a class of coke and a shot or two of rum on the side with the Easy Package?

Unfortunately, the CLL credit card OBC has only been delivered on the the first day of the cruise for us.  I would love to use it to pre-purchase items before the cruise, but in the end, we will use it for gratuities.  It has worked like this for 10+ cruises, and we have always received the expect amount of OBC on our folio when we board the ship.

For our upcoming cruise:

• $100 obc from Carnival for booking our cruise rate showed up on invoice and available to use pre-cruise.
• $100 obc from Shareholder benefit showed up on invoice and available to use pre-cruise.
• $400 obc from CCL credit card does not show up on invoice.  
•  

Sites I have used to plan for our day in port:

https://www.whatsinport.com/Sydney-Cape-Breton-Island.htm

Toms Cape Breton Island Driving Tour Guide from Sydney, Nova Scotia Canada (tomsportguides.com)

Toms Sydney Nova Scotia Cruise Port Guide (tomsportguides.com)

I have a tour booked with them in October.  I confirmed the booking via email and talked with him on the phone the following day to pay deposit.  I think I called twice, but he was working from his car (I assume doing tours that day).  He has alawys been very responsive via email.

In December, I booked a 4-day cruise on the Liberty for May 2023 at a bargain:  $727 (total for 2 people including fare, fees and taxes).  Today the same category cabin is $1702.  Yikes!

I have a cruise booked on another line in October that has a stop in Portland.  I really hope it doesn't get cancelled. We RV'd last summer up though Maine to Acadia National Park, and intentionally skipped over Portland, as we knew it was a stop on the next year's cruise.

I just checked my Carnival NE/Canada cruise booking, and there are no excursions listed for Portland.

Can you check in on the website site rather than the phone app?

Haven't cruised Royal in a few years, and it appears My Time Dining has significantly changed and reservations are recommended.  For my upcoming Liberty cruise in May, the app has the earliest available MTD reservations as 7:15 for every night.  I am concerned that this reservation time may impact our ability to catch shows.  I have read some reports that even with reservations is can take 15-30 minutes to be seated.  If this is the case, then I don't think we will be able to make it to the 9:00 shows (or at least not early enough to grab a good seat).

I don't mind eating in the Windjammer one night, but we enjoy the Main dining room meals.  Any suggestions for getting into dinner earlier and making shows?

TIA

22 minutes ago, oteixeira said:

It wont change.  We were never told onboard in November, it just showed up on our dailies that we were going to Amber Cove.  As far as changing things, it wont, the ports are not very far apart and you can still do anything you booked...and honestly, the Puerto Plata port looked messy and still under construction, we drove right by it.  In the end, I was happy we were in Amber Cove instead.  If it was a huge change I would agree with you, but nothing other then where you park is really changing.  Also, I knew before we left as I checked Amber Coves site and we were listed as expected to dock there that day.  You could do the same, and then let your private tour operator know, but my guess is they already do as this has been happening for many months already.  As I said, the ports are close enough that your private tour company wont cancel, they will just pick you up at Amber Cove.

I think you misunderstood my previous post. We will not be stopping in Dominican Republic at all, and instead it appears will be going to Nassau the day before.  The fact that NCL knows this and is not letting passengers know before the cruise is unethical in my opinion.  I had a great deal booked with a dune buggy tour in Dominican Republic... now I will have to figure out what to do in Nassau (for my 12th visit there, yawn). 

I agree with you that the difference between Amber Cove and Taino Bay (the two ports in Puerto Plata) are miniscule and easy to remedy switching tour pick-up locations.  

I am extremely dissapointed with NCL, but not at all surprised!!!

I still have not received any info from NCL about Puerto Plata for the scheduled top for the Escape on January 9.  There are already two CCL ships scheduled for Amber Cove that day, and based on research, I was pretty sure the Escape would not be docking in DR that day.  I have also read where other ships in similar situation ended up in Nassau or Ocho Rios.  So... I searched the other cruise port calendars and guess what?????  The Escape is scheduled to be in Nassau on the 8th. (Unforeseen conditions my arse!) 

https://www.nassaucruiseport.com/schedule?fromDate=&toDate=&cruiseLine=0&pageIndex=2&pageSize=10&pageLastDate=undefined

I re-checked my email... nothing.

I re-checked my NCL.com reservation... still shows Puerto Plato on on the 9th.

I have a private excursion booked and paid for on the 9th in Puerto Plata... that I will have to wait until NCL officially notifies me before I can cancel.  UGGGGHHHHHH.  This is unacceptable NCL.  Let your passengers know!

Came across this interesting comparison of gratuities/service charge today:

https://cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/index.php

Called NCL and talked with Shore Excursion team member.  I asked about DR's Puerto Plata  and about the probable cancelation of that port... scripted response repeated to me three different times: "if there is an itinerary change, you will be notified by NCL" or "Once there is an itinerary change, all guests will ne notified".   Even with prodding about the recent cancellations/issues and that NCL knows we will not be stopping at PP, I got the same scripted response.  No acknowledgement of any issues what-so-ever with PP.

I literally debated between this Escape cruise and a Carnival cruise (both because we had not been to PP).  Hmmmm...I'm afraid I chose poorly. 

We are scheduled to be in DR on the Escape on 1/9.  One of the main reasons for choosing this cruise over others (considered RC and Carnival) was the DR stop.  I have a private tour booked, and will not be happy if we miss this port, especially if the cruiseline knows in advanced and chooses to hide this info from customers.

There are 2 Carnival ships, one RC, and the Escape currently on the Amber Cove schedule (cruisemapper.com).  And based on history, it appears to be only a 50% chance of making it to GSC! Oy Vey, fingers crossed.

24 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You can only use a Starbucks gift card at a real Starbucks. Not all NCL ships have installed real Starbucks stores. 
 

Lots of places display the Starbucks logo saying “proudly serve Starbucks products”. But they are not Starbucks stores. Heck, the Shell gas station down the street from my house “proudly serves Starbucks products”,,, and I would not call their coffee Starbucks. 
 

 

Thanks!  This is what I have seen posted a few times.  But I still do not know if  the Escape has a "real" Starbucks?

I've seen numerous conflicting posts on here and FB regarding the Starbucks on the Escape. Can anyone confirm they have used Starbucks gift cards (or the App) for purchasing Starbucks coffee on the Escape?  Many have said yes, but others have said no because there is not a "real" Starbucks on the Escape.  The coffee shop just sells Starbucks coffee.  My daughter loves Starbucks frappuccinos, and has many gift cards, she would like to use. TIA

I checked the Pre-Black Friday sale (2nd guest free) this morning:  My cabin price went up $600 from yesterday.  No commentary needed!

We have cruised in a single cabin for four at least 15 times.  In fact, we have a cruise book for January in a balcony cabin on the Escape.  My "kids" are now 20 DD and 21 DS.  My only requirement when booking a quad cabin is to have a sofa bed and a pullman above for the kids/adults.  Otherwise, the layout is awful. Typically inside cabins are smaller and do not offer this layout.

Yes, it can be crowded, but we are low maintenance folks and everyone is in a better mood when on vacation. The guys frequently use the pubic restrooms and occasionally (depending on ship and cabin location) will shower in the gym locker room. It's not that we cannot afford two cabins, I am just frugal; 3rd & 4th guest sailing free or super-discounted is just too good to pass. We take many types of vacations a year.  We have an RV,  and last year 6 of us travelled across county in a 32' RV for 16 days. We visited 9 National Parks. I won't lie, there were times on that trip that I thought I could murder, but we had an amazing time and fun memories for a lifetime.   We have also traveled across country in a Amtrak sleeper.. now THAT is tooooo tight and we will not do that again.

20 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

Technically, yes.  If you buy a $250 cruiseNext, you get $125 in OBC.  I say technically because it really just goes against the cost of the cruisenext.  So it's not like you're really getting anything extra.  they could just sell the cruisenext for $125 and have it be worth $250, like they do the cruisefirst certs. BTW, these aren't sold thru the casino, although I believe they may host a cocktail party in the casino.  The cruisenext desk is located down with customer service, credit desk, and shore excursion desk

People seem excited about the value of CruiseNext. I am not sure I understand... what are the benefits of a CruiseNext when you can purchase a CruiseFirst right before you decide to book? CruiseFirst is $150 for $300 deposit.  Cruise Next is $250 deposit for free $100 OBC. With the latter, it appears you are loaning NCL $, and only getting a perk of OBC; which I typically don't "need". Maybe I am missing something.

On 10/28/2022 at 8:38 PM, romalley99 said:

 

Syd Norman's has been there since mid 2020 (changed during the shutdown). 

Does the Syd Norman's on the Escape have similar entertainment as the Breakaway and Prima?  i.e.  Fleetwood Mac tribute show?  From the most recent Dailies I could find, it appears there is a "Pour House" on the Escape, but the nightly entertainment is Karaoke. 

Maybe I missed it, but when are your cruising?  December?

I received our balcony assignment 2 days after final payment (worst cabin location in the category)... then received an upgrade offer 2 days later for our January cruise. Not a big fan of NCL's guarantee cabin approach. I would have much preferred to have picked my cabin location, but guarantee was the only option offered in the lower balcony cabin categories.  Upgrade offers are again another guarantee "surprise".  Regardless, I still booked guarantee because I like the itinerary and the price was good.

Where can I confirm the amount of OBC on my reservation? I should have shareholder benefit OBC and NCL credit card OBC added to my reservation, but I have been unsuccessful in finding it under my "Vacation Summary" or elsewhere.

TIA

1 hour ago, qdog123 said:

I wouldn’t worry about it. I had the cabin directly next to DBH on the Escape and the only noise you heard was from the fire door directly outside your cabin that seals off the corridor from the DBH corridor. I loved the room as I could quickly look into the BDH from the balcony to see how busy it was.

Good to know; I think I am going to keep this cabin.  I do like the idea of being close to the lower decks. 

5 minutes ago, JaynBNA said:

The cabins on 8 forward are not a bad location. Unless you are directly adjacent or in the second cabin forward of the DBH, you might consider staying put. Very convenient location to 6 - 7 - 8 activities.  I'm staying on 8 forward of Food Republic on Joy next week.

Uh oh... I am in the second cabin from DBH. I assume this is due to noise?  Any chance they would move my cabin forward a few if I called them?

We are 100+ days out from sailing.  I had booked a BF guarantee cabin and received my cabin assignment 2 days after final payment for a cabin super-close to the District Brewhouse. A few days after that, I received an upgrade bid offer for a Club Balcony Suite. (I feel as if they gave me the worst cabin they could, as early as possible, and then immediately offered an upgrade). I don't think I want to bid.  If I ignore the offer, will other offers come my way closer to sail date? And if so, has anyone had better offers waiting?