pghflyer

Thanks for sharing, and the code works online too!!! Sorry but eventually this company will understand the average customers don't want to call and do a sales call to see their options and make a booking.

We did 14-nights on Noordam in Australia / NZ last year, and while they had daily trivia somewhere most days, they didn't have progressive (team points add up over the cruise to name an overall list of winners for the cruise) trivia. Does HAL ever do progressive trivia or not really a thing?

Yeah definitely sold out for the TA only portion, too bad, it looked like a nice atypical routing. https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details/?voyageCode=H622

The issue is nothing is ever really "free", they just hold or raise the cruise prices, or reduce / eliminate OBC, or don't offer drink package discounts, etc.........so if you happen to not want the "thing" they are using to support their price, you are actually paying more.

The cruise industry is really the only industry I have encountered where a small number of passionate fans (CC) use intricate legal contract language to defend poor customer friendly practices. My local Walmart can probably LEGALLY provide open air sink hole restrooms in the middle of the store, never clean their floors, and turn off the air conditioning....but that doesn't mean they should do it while pulling out obscure legal loopholes in their contract for operating that location. I think NCL has a great product and have thoroughly enjoyed all my trips with them. I agree NCL is allowed to wipe out all ports on an itinerary based on the conditions we all agree to as part of our purchase, but it simply is not in good faith or customer friendly to optionally change itineraries at the last minute claiming "environmental benefit" and simultaneously save on fuel costs (which customers don't participate in that savings). I fully support them making more environmental friendly itineraries - just make them and sell them that way so I know what I am buying.

Very sorry that this happened to you and all the challenges - travelling now days is often rough and needs multiple days buffer for safety. Unfortunately, NCL is better at marketing a sale and getting you excited about BOGO airfare than they are about being clear about the risks and responsibilities. If you have never travelled or always used agencies, I can understand and empathize with someone thinking NCL is going to help more than they can/ will. NCL has zero influence with the airlines, so unfortunately it isn't realistic to hold them accountable for those issues. The only thing they have ownership of is if they book you too tight of an arrival time where it isn't feasible to make the ship. Not sure what their criteria is there - 8 hours from departure? IDK. Realistically, they should just force everyone to come in the night prior, but then the forum would be filled with people complaining they have plenty of time and don't want a hotel.

I am not sure how us randos would know anything about your particular "special group rate" but the T&Cs don't mention anything specifically about any rates affecting eligibility, although there is the old helpful classic "other restrictions and exclusions may apply." Sounds like you registered (and waited 3 days?) before booking so it should appear there now so if not, yup give them a call.

Interesting article about a new cruiser who had no health insurance or travel insurance and had a medical event. Honestly, compared to my local medical facilities, his charges on board are actually lower than I would have expected. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/05/21/1252428534/he-fell-ill-on-a-cruise-before-he-boarded-the-rescue-boat-they-handed-him-the-bi

I definitely think a real cyclist will die of boredom on the tour. My port schedule is 2 half-days basically, so not very conducive to the whole rental transaction and return and all aboard time. Generally the reviews say a lot of the trail is covered, somewhat unmarked, and has sections where you have to lift your bike and walk apparently. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147255-d148021-Reviews-Bermuda_Railway_Trail-Bermuda.html https://www.alltrails.com/trail/bermuda/smith-s/bermuda-railway-trail

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/shore-excursions/kwb/royal-naval-dockyard-bermuda/railway-trail-bike-beach-swim/bkn8 Seems it is handled by this company: https://kswatersports.com/fantasea-tours/bike-railway-and-beach-tour/ Anyone done this recently? While the description from RCL says 5-8 miles of biking, a lot of reviews say it is more 3-4 of slow biking and the rest is bus ride/ walking tour stops/ beach time? It seems you don't even pick up the bikes until Ely's Harbour, which is right near the fort.

Same as @crystalspin I just had my TA run an updated booking confirmation for me and they produced a new one with the updated total I expected for OBC (but had not told them) - honestly my TA has no idea what extra stuff I have going on, they just see it when it refreshes. What I get from my TA does not break down the individual OBC but just has one overall OBC total from Holland and one over OBC total from the TA.

I have (1) Holland Early Booking and (2) Holland Future Cruise Deposit and (3) AARP and (4) Healthcare and (5) TA OBC all on a single booking right now. Plan to add (6) Shareholder OBC before we cruise. I did get things lined up BEFORE booking, but I do hear it sometimes works after too.

We just got off the Star and our group agreed it was the worst food variety and quality we have had on NCL (not comparing to other lines). No cookies, no hash browns, lower quality buffet options and mains........but still perfectly acceptable, never was hungry, and we had a great time. I take it some cruise just for the food, but that is just a means to a destination for us.

We used BOGO air for BWI-JFK-ATH on Delta (same route on return) and it was not much different than I would have booked myself and saved many hundreds of $$. Also if you deviate 1 or 2 days on the inbound or outbound, you can get $25 credit (discount) for each deviation. You aren't obligated to use the bus transportation from the airport and can just ask for that to be removed. You can also book it and then monitor for prices yourself (ex. Google Flights) and as long as you remove it before they book you (I think around 120 days out but don't quote me there), no harm no foul. As long as you are flexible, it is a reasonable gamble for decent savings.

I am assuming it is your or you are a joint owner of the account.....I understand your monthly statement may not have generated yet....but every broker generates trade confirmations. I always use those for my shareholder credits with all the lines, I don't want to share my whole statement or spend all the time blacking out all of it.

This is why I find the cruise I am interested in and then set a price alert on a monitoring site like cruiseplum

I am shocked they actually admitted fault, still rubbing my eyes on that one!! I feel bad you missed a part of your cruise you were really looking forward to, that stinks regardless. The cruise industry does take advantage of their liberal contract terms and we all have learned to accept it, but it doesn't make it a customer friendly practice. That said, I think the 10% offer is very fair and generous, relative to the industry. I mean it isn't exactly the same - but United airlines doesn't issue flight credits when they skip flying over the Grand Canyon from LA - NYC, even if it is their normal flight path and everyone looks forward to it. Anyhow, sorry it happened, but the most productive thing will be to be thankful is that your only travel mishap and look forward to new adventures (at a 10% discount!).

Wish I could convince my SO to follow along with these very logic based, financial decision making discussion ha ha ha

I will say that when you do the "cancel" and "rebook" as discussed here....make doubly sure they remember to re-apply your Latitudes Discount on the rebook as they forgot this for myself and another travel family on two different ships. I have never experienced the loss of an excursion myself on NCL....BUT I was behind in line of someone who WAS told they would not be able to rebook a cancel because of the waitlist on Holland America, so seems in the realm of possiblity.

Very little discussion on this topic. So it sounds like you just have to refer someone BEFORE they book and have them complete the form..........but they can book through a TA and not required to book direct. Any recent reports?

100% of my TA OBCs from many different agencies has always been refundable and can be taken as cash towards the end of the cruise. You have to get creative now that some NCL issued OBC can't be used for CN certificates or gratuities and cannot be used for pre-booking excursions....and you have already obtained your drinks, specialty dining, and WIFI in your package. I mean, if you aren't a ship shopper or spa or gambling person, not sure where you would use that OBC. Normally, I am left with the excursion workaround others have mentioned and I have cancelled and rebooked pre-booked excursions with no problem (just make sure it is still open and accepting bookings).

Just off the STAR and have VZ carrier and Android phone....using my 150 FAS WIFI minutes, I could not receive texts and could not do WIFI calls. The minute I stepped off the ship and connected to a port WIFI, those features worked instantly.

Just off Star....definitely no video meetings will work on the regular FAS minutes.....I did notice discount offers almost every day but didn't pay attention to how they changed. Don't forget if you are Platinum or higher, you get 15%+ discount on Unlimited Internet Package (not sure if that works on Premium though).

Just off the Star and FWIW, I couldn't receive any texts over WIFI or do WIFI calling using my 150 minutes (VZ is my carrier on my Android phone). However, I could make WIFI calls and receive WIFI texts in ports connected WIFI. So something about the NCL basic WIFI minutes was blocking me - I went to the Internet desk and the guy just said some apps don't work on the non-premium WIFI and he couldn't help me. If you have an Apple product, I heard the experience is much better (ex. some stuff works without even logging into your minutes).

Even though I am not eligible, I am happy to see this - the world would be a better place if we all valued educating our children more. Still, kind of interesting for a global company to only support teachers from two of the wealthiest countries in the world.