NayRN

12 minutes ago, mafig said:

WHAT in the world is "traditional cured speck?"  

~ off to Google I go~   

 

Edit:  It's like bacon, or pancetta.  Who knew?  Did anyone?

 

 

Nope! I Googled it as well!

I enjoy an occasional ice-cold Yuengling! While it’s brewed in America’s oldest brewery in Pennsylvania, it is not sold in all states. I have to drive to a neighboring state to grab one (or go on a cruise). 🍺

8 hours ago, dexddd said:

We have fourth YC coming up in March.  Done with FDR's death by a thousand cuts.  We too Plat Plus but only had one cert expiring in one year I recently offloaded for trade for a newer cert IF NCL can ever earn back our suite business.

 

You'll love it in YC, much more consistent good treatment VS NCL overworked crew.  The only real downside is size and variety of rooms VS NCL.

FWIW, I am also Plat + on NCL and have jumped over to MSC! I booked my first YC1 - and it's so much less expensive sailing solo than on NCL - I just cancelled my 2020 cruise with NCL...deck 9 aft balcony on the Breakaway (my first non-Haven/suite since my second cruise with them).  I always thought I would sail exclusively with one cruise line, but my TA convinced me to spread my wings! I'll be on the Seaside out of Miami with (gasp🤯) different stops in the Caribbean!! If all goes well, I may try a new line after this one! 

Cruise deck plans dot com has Jade 8088 pictures....I just am clueless as to how to post them for you!

2 hours ago, Lasnoreau said:

Thanks everyone for your help and support.

Here I was thinking this place was not for me/that I had « violated » some kind of unwritten law of this board...

 

People are always more courageous when they’re anonymous behind a keyboard. Ignore the snarky comments........

Sailed on the Breakaway in September....and booked another cruise on her in 2020! Like someone else said, no cruise is ever perfect. Forget about about the negative Nellies and have a great time!

I did just that in September...and it’s a great way to use non-refundable OBC if you have any left and have nothing to spend it on.

Have you tried dayuse dot com yet? I book thru them and the price wasn’t too bad. Some hotels have options to book 9AM - 4PM, 11Am - 6 PM, etc.

12 minutes ago, peg013 said:

 

In my experience, you will get dinner for two if you take someone with you. Many Platinum solos end up with 4 meals by sharing their 2 dinners for two. What they have stopped is letting a solo go two different times for their dinner for two - now it is take someone or you just get one dinner. 

Thanks! This makes sense! I am in agreement that I shouldn’t get 4 meals for myself....but I’m happy that I can take a friend with me! 

Thanks, Keith!!

On ‎9‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 11:44 PM, peg013 said:

You will all get your dinners with 2 vouchers.

https://www.ncl.com/latitudes-rewards-program/faq

I am traveling with other Platinum, Platinum Plus or Ambassador guests in the same stateroom? Do we each get a voucher?

No. If there are 2 Platinum, Platinum Plus or Ambassador members in one stateroom, only one Welcome Back Card will be delivered. This gives the correct number of Dinner for Two vouchers the guests are entitled to.
For 3rd and 4th Platinum, Platinum Plus or Ambassador members in the same stateroom, an additional Welcome Back Card will be delivered.
If there is only a 3rd Platinum, Platinum Plus or Ambassador member in the same stateroom, an additional Welcome Back Card will be delivered but this guest will be treated as a solo traveler who get one dinner only. The benefit is only if there are 2 guests dining on the same visit.

This pretty much sucks! I'm traveling solo but paid full fare for 2 people! Why should I only be given one dinner when I may have a friend to take along with me?

Good questions!

Once on the Sky - our luggage didn’t arrive as planned for my friend who was sailing with me. I had instructed her the night before to put her travel mug in her carryon and she forgot. Needless to say, I was a little irritated with her when she was told she had to go to the  Naughty Room. After standing in line for about an hour, our butler saw us standing there and asked what the luggage looked like. He went in the back to grab it and was confronted by security. He calmly let him know that we were sailing in the Owners Suite and had no reason to smuggle alcohol as we got the 3L that came with the suite.  He opened the suitcase and the only thing they could find was her travel mug. She looked sheepish and I had a martini! Now, anytime I sail with anything that could remotely be confused with a can or bottle, I put it in my carryon!

Personally I enjoy the quietness of the location and while it is a walk to the Haven proper, I do not mind it at all....think of it as burning all those extra cruise calories that get consumed! I do not eat every meal in the Haven dining room, nor do I order every drink from the Haven bar. The pool in the Haven is small and while I do enjoy an occasional dip, I am more the type of person who lounges - which I can do on my HUGE aft balcony. If you're "worried" about cocktails, the aft elevators on the Escape, Getaway and Breakaway stop on deck 8 - directly in front of the Prime Meridian bar which is very rarely busy. It's also a good location for the majority of the restaurants.

In my experience ONLY, I've never seen any different level of service from the butlers. They've been just as attentive, sometimes even more! The only person I've had less interaction with is the Concierge.....

I will be sailing in the Haven on my next cruise only because I'm sailing solo and will require some of the Courtyard human interaction.  I never thought I'd enjoy sailing aft so much - but like your first time sailing in the Haven, once you try it, it's difficult to go back!

Loved the Getaway the three times I sailed on her! I stopped reading reviews because some people are just never happy and I can make up my own mind! If you board with a negative attitude, you’re destined to have a bad cruise.

22 hours ago, cruiser147147 said:

If you have a solo cabin booked and paid in full and a higher catagory cabin (solo occupant price) drops to what you paid (or less) for the solo, will NCL let you do a direct no bid upgrade?

I’ve sailed solo and yes, you can upgrade from ANY cabin if you’re willing to pay double the UPGRADE price. I’ve originally book solo in an inside and after multiple changes, upgraded to a full Penthouse Suite (not with only price drops but also with just forking out the extra money).You do need to make sure you understand the “rules” in the process because, this can be looked at as a cancel/rebook and some of the offers are for “new bookings” only and you may gain perks -or- you may lose perks.

I always keep an eye on the prices because my TA was “too busy” to do it herself. The last few years I’ve been booking directly thru NCL and have scored some great price drops. I did, however, book my 2020 cruise thru a new TA.....and so far I’m really happy. 🤞🏼

Hi Kim! I’m soooo happy you’re back and writing another review! I’m sailing on the Breakaway for the first time in a couple weeks....but I’ve been on the Getaway a couple times.

Lord....I think the last time I read an NCL review, you had just passed your boards! Are you still in the ER (I think that’s what I remember)!

4 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

One of the many nice things about the older, Jewel-class ships -- the balconies of the forward-facing Penthouse suites are truly forward-facing.  The views are fabulous.   (I believe the same is true on the Dawn and Sun, but I've never sailed on them.)  It was my "dream" cabin for our Panama Canal cruise in 2017:

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

 

 

 

 

I’ve sailed forward on both the Dawn and the Sun and yes, they are truly forward facing! 

Only one device can be logged into the WiFi at a time so, when you log out, he (or anyone you give your log in information to) can log in.

I’ve sailed the Getaway Haven three times - two times in an Aft PH on deck 9 (which I prefer)  and once in the Haven proper. I wouldn’t hesitate to sail on her again; no wait for the restaurant and no loud, crazy people in the courtyard. The only gripe I had was the Haven bar - I could never get close to it when I wanted to due to the same group of people standing around it for hours....but that wouldn’t stop me from sailing on her again.  I’ll sail aft and  just run down the aft stairs to deck 8 and utilize the Prime Meridian Bar!!

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

Oh, it's TOTALLY true! 

 

I think Royal and NCL are probably much more alike than they are different these days, as far as demographics.  

(even more off topic, I'm an RN too!)

I was ICU...got too burned-out so I transferred to education...perfect position to hold me until retirement! 

3 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I'll be Diamond with Royal at the end of this month (my first cruise with them was 2013), and I've honestly never met any of the Negative Nellie types on any of my cruises.  I've been on big ships and small ones, and the vast majority of people are just normal people out having a fun vacation.  

You still get the occasional rude person cutting in line or whatever, but you'll get that anywhere in life.  Most people are just ordinary folks.  I've met people who have become friends in real life, and I'm going to my second cruise-friend wedding next month on Coco Cay (one of Royal's private islands).  I have another couple of cruise-friends who joined me on a second cruise last year and then I joined them on a third cruise in March and a fourth upcoming in November.  

 

If the cruises themselves had the same vibe as the forum here, I wouldn't be such a fan.  I'm a social butterfly, and a snobby, stuck-up, grumpy environment is not one that I would enjoy at all.

Thanks for this!! I guess it’s really true that people are more outspoken behind the anonymity of a keyboard!!

The king beds cannot be made into twins.

8 hours ago, brillohead said:

All it takes is a few who post all day every day like rabid Tasmanian devils to really turn you off the forum, but there really ARE cool folks there! 

 

I just put the Negative Nellies on my "ignore user" list and it makes my experience much more enjoyable!  

To be honest, reading the RCI boards is one of the reasons I haven’t sailed with them yet! Some, not all, seem to be a little bit less nice than I like.

10 minutes ago, Barnos said:

Hi All,

 

We’re lucky enough to have booked a 10 day cruise from Orlando to the Caribbean in a spa suite within the Haven on Norwegian breakaway – I’m just wondering exactly how this haven deal works.

 

 Evidently we have a beverage package included – but is that the basic one with a $15 limit on drinks? Are those drinks still limited within the Haven bar, can you get a bottle of wine at dinner for example? I’m thinking we might be faced with the cost of upgrading the beverage package but I’m unsure?

 

I understand we have full access to the Haven restaurant, but do we have access to all of the other speciality restaurants at no other cost? Or is there a four day limit or something?

 

Similarly with the Internet – we haven’t we have a package but I’m guessing it’s not unlimited?

 

 The truth is, I’m a bit disappointed (At the thought of having to pay for these extras!)having splashed out for a haven suite, and we were comparing this with the other top cruise lines evidently offering completely all-inclusive deals – any guidance help would be appreciated.

 

Big thank you 

1. Beverage package is good all over the ship for drinks less than $15. If the cost is more, you pay the difference. 15 cruises and I’ve never had to pay extra. BUT I don’t drink all the exotic scotches and whiskeys....

2. Haven Restaurant is open for all three meals. Unless you chose the dining package for speciality restaurants, you are responsible for the cover. While the Haven menu doesn’t change, the food is great and you definitely won’t go hungry!

3. Internet is not free - if you didn’t take it as one of you perks, I think it’s expensive. I receive free minutes for my Latitudes status and take minutes as a perk but to be honest, the WiFi isn’t the best and I typically leave minutes unused.

I’ve researched other cruise lines and I really feel that, for the money I’m paying to sail in a suite.....I think feel it’s worth the money....YMMV.