dexddd

18 hours ago, erisajd said:

We were looking at June 8 - June 12 departures - and discovered that a $10000 forward facing suite on Jewel was NOT in the Haven [because they don't have it or were sold out] and a $12000 forward facing suite on the June 8 Bliss departure was - so for us it was $2000 essentially!   That was a no brainer.  

 

I'm sure your priority 'pass' will work out - but we had a concierge phone number to call to make all our reservations - which made it easy - plus - we got our requested times on the Speciality restaurants - but given the filet and lobster [and the pork chop] in the Haven restaurant - we only used the two specialty restaurant bookings that came with Free At Sea . . . 

 

We are in Anchorage and Fairbanks pre-cruise and are doing a Glacier landing flight in Denali and then [since I'm a pilot] renting a seaplane and pilot for an hour in Victoria - and looking forward to those non-cruise very expensive splurges. . . . 

On the Jewel Class, the only suites outside Haven that get Haven access are the OS.

In either case, those prices way too high imo.

17 hours ago, mking8288 said:

I double checked the calendar - today isn't April 1st - fellow CC not joking around, right  🤭 🙄 🤔   NCL gonna to serve turkey burger in The Local and O'Sheehan's instead of beef ??   We recognize that the grass isn't necessary greener on the othe lawn.  

 

My real beef burger last week at Cracker Barrel Country Kitchen/Store was quite good 😁 with steak fries and sweet corn ... what are we cruising for ??  

 

 

 

Where's the beans?

Or should it be... Where's the beef...if we are talking about a cruise?

ETA, see David beat me to it.

12 hours ago, GottaLuvCruising said:

Yup.  NCL used to offer guest laundries.  

On some ships but ended like 2008.

1 minute ago, ready2cruzagain said:

14 cruises on MSC and love their food in MDR. I have read on MSC boards many YC people complaining that MDR food is better than the YC.

We have 8.  We last had 11 day.  Walked out three times and either had buffet or room service.  Burgers actually go to or pasta.  Rest not good.  Nothing booked either line this year.

10 hours ago, FredZiffle said:

Did I miss something here?  We cruised on the Bliss in December, and while the food was still pretty poor in the MDRs, they at least had a beef dish on the regular menu every night.  We just got off the Breakaway today, and there were no beef dishes on the MDR menu any of the five days I checked.  The only options were to pay the extra charge for a Cagney's steak or eat that sad, disgusting, tough, gray morass on the everyday menu that they call a strip steak.  Is this something new, and I've just missed any discussion of it, or did we catch an aberration?

Check the 18+ page thread on decline.

I'd be a bit worried for Arnold if they are dropping beef unless he can maybe host nightly entertainment.

6 minutes ago, ready2cruzagain said:

And here I thought the Epic was bad in January. We did have one beef choice every night on the MDR menu other than the really tough New York Strip. Mostly though the emphasis was on cheap fish, (swai, bluefish, hake), some type of turkey several times and cheap cuts of pork.

 

Gone are the days of Grouper, Snapper, Salmon, Swordfish. I have only had turkey on a cruise during Thanksgiving but it is actually one of the main items now the same as pork (pork loin, pork medallions, pork ribs, pork chops, pork belly, etc). 

 

We have a 22 day cruise on the Jewel and then we are going back to MSC because we miss their food.

Hope it works for you.  We always had great food in YC but last October filets and other menu items in YC stunk.

While not cheap, but does include many things, do a ten or eleven day on Paul Gauguin. Hands down exceptional snorkeling.

33 minutes ago, Martink45 said:

SJ 15196, port side Prima, is a great room.  The slide is no problem at all but for decks 12-14 it looked to be more of an obstruction.  The starboard side with the two slides looked to be a bit more problematic.  Loved the big balcony.

Our concierge and butler were both very attentive and available.  They may not answer your call but expect a call back within 10 minutes or so.  Karen, the greeter at Cagney's is a ray of sunshine.

Welcome to CC.

Have a great time.

Safe travels.

17 hours ago, aggie182 said:

Traffic on IH20 south of Dallas sucks!

Are you drinking already?

16 hours ago, ChiCruzr said:

What I wonder is how a lack of towel animals constitutes a "reduction in service"?  Towel animals are not a service.

Well, they just don't make themselves so somebody who made them provided a service.

Heck, we have a DVD from years ago and DD would brush up and make some for room steward.  Steward never tipped her for her....service in making it?

How has indulge seating been?  Nice enough to sit outside?

Did the ship have an anchor up front on deck?  Viva has one bit Prima looks like it is missing.

On 3/6/2024 at 8:28 PM, MudbugsTherapist said:

Kaj works for Viking now.

What a nice guy.  Felt bad at first meeting I pronounced his name wrong. 

We will be watching for Station Zebra in a couple weeks.  Also hoping a grow operation camera comes into play.

15 hours ago, NotDutchNotMuch said:

 

You are funny Cruise Guy50.

 

Both of you are new here so maybe go have a newbie thread.

Well, done two poa trips and that was a nice part of the trip.  I guess some will argue it is guest enhancement.

Note we don't have any cruises planned this year but will be on Kona in a little over a week. Will be sourcing goods from Costco so premium beverages will be there, once a day turn down, rotating chefs, all day whirlpool.  All for our convenience, of course.

18 hours ago, bkrickles1 said:

Where's all the chatter you mention?

Like you I've never stayed in the Haven, but I've been on these forums for years and have read much of what's posted here, and the vast majority of people love their experiences in the Haven and many wouldn't cruise NCL without it.

And before you argue the point, the one thing that confirms what I'm saying is that the Haven sells out virtually every sailing. Sometimes that's because of upgrades but it proves the popularity and the willingness of many to pay an awfully high price for it.

And it's probably not the elevators and embark/debark perks that keeps them coming back. From what I've read the Haven restaurant is great and I'm sure people love their own Observation Lounge on the ships that have that venue.

Of course it isn't the elevators because those are only on the newest ships.  Special embark is only on first day, none of the ports.

22 hours ago, mac66 said:

We went on the POA in 2008. Flew in, spent a week, got on the ship and flew home after. Went back in 2018 with friends. Again flew in for a week before, did the ship, stayed an additional 5 days on Kona then flew home. 

 

The ship was pretty worn and tattered the second time but we pretty much just ate and slept there so no biggie.  I do think it's a great, maybe even the best way to see the islands.  Would do it again in a heartbeat.

Interesting.  Ship had major drydock March 2016.

7 hours ago, NotDutchNotMuch said:

 

Europeans. We cruise to.

 

Welcome to CC.

17 hours ago, mking8288 said:

These - for perspectives - from 2005/2006 on the Norwegian Dawn, life at sea was simple, upcharge without DSC, and a truly very good to excellent menu of choices, selections and how times have changed.  Fewer "options" in Specialty Dining but some of them were practically, almost free.  

 

It's a good thing that I kept some of these in a bottom drawer ... looking back, how things have really changed.  And, I am touching shows of Jean Ann Ryan Productions ... 😉

 

 

You forgot to mention kids 12 and under were half cover up until just before FDR.

16 hours ago, CruiseMH said:

 

there is still so much potential in getting new cruisers that many cruise lines don`t care that much about loyal cruisers any more.

In the US and Europa alone there are hundreds of millions of people who have never been on a cruise. these people are way more important for the cruise lines than the ten thousands of loyal customers. Cause all these new cruisers don`t know what it was like in the past.So they think the current version is good.

 

 

That was the rational for China a few years back.  Didn't work there.

TBH, last couple trips the Haven food was so good we skipped some included specialties.  While menu does not change, but there can be specials, I've been able to order two steaks.  Cagney's that would be a charge.  Plus Haven service usually quite good.  Apparently Haven is now charging for extra lobster though.

13 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Oh...and welcome to Cruise Critic!  I just noticed your message count.

They've actually been here longer than you.

Food Republic. Would not pay for another two past the 'free' package.