david_sobe

If they re-classified the angled balconies, it means they are charging more for them, no? Its still wrong if to change someone's reservations if they originally booked it unless there is something we dont know. Sometimes people book handicapped rooms and the cruise line will boot you if a handicapped passenger needs that room. When the Encore was in the pre-sale stage, I booked deck 17 with the larger balconies. I noticed when the ship came closer to launch NCL started charging more for the bigger balconies. They did not boot me from the room or make me pay more. My reservation stayed the same. NCL honored my selection and price at the time of booking. Its still early in the morning, maybe I am not understanding this thread correctly 🤪

I have never heard of them serving breakfast. The lunch buffet is always good though.. Although I see a marketing idea for NCL: Pancakes in the sand $14.95, 20% gratuity added for your convenience. Squeeze your own orange juice excursion $9.95 pp.

Extremely good. Fresh home made sauce and pasta compared to the fake stuff from La Cucina. Just as good as a real home town Italian restaurant. Its my favorite NCL specialty restaurant. This sounds crazy but the bread is so freaking good its like a meal itself. Baked in salami and cheese.

Congrats on the comp. You must have spent a fortune so its well deserved. A butler tip is a personal decision on how much you use them. They will deliver daily treats even if you don't request anything special. There is no rule of thumb. We never asked for dinner deliveries or parties and just had simple requests and for one week over the past 10 years the tip I would leave would be around $100. If you dont use them for anything then less would be appropriate. The butler duties changed too. Many years ago the butler did much more including escorting you to shows with seats, etc. Everyone will have a different opinion because everyone has different experiences. Some have butlers who check in twice a day while others say they rarely see their butler.

My first cruise was a 5 night cruise. No real difference except you will be sadder 2 days sooner. I believe NCL still gives you perks for 5 nights or more with latitudes.

Covid will never stop replicating to new variants and those variants will never stop spreading. You must take care of yourself and get vaccinated. With the vaccine you greatly limit your symptoms. The world will continue to spin and life must go on and that includes cruising. Anytime you leave your house there is a chance of something happening.

On Encore the concierge stated Haven guests can invite non-Haven guests to eat dinner at the restaurant twice during the week. There is an upcharge for that.

I have always seen the solo cabins as very expensive. They are very popular and have seen inside sail away cabins less expensive than a studio for 1. As far as the target market these days........it changed many years ago with FDR. The target market is really none of us (here on CC). NCL and other cruise lines knows the loyal cruiser that flood these boards will always cruise. They gain nothing with luring back loyal customers who will always be there. The target market is young families who have never cruised before. They may not care if they never cruise again but they want their business. The new cruiser is not aware of all the slickness of booking cruises today with all the "free" stuff. They make lots of money off these new families. Us loyal cruisers are always looking for deals especially with our loyalty perks.

One consistent theme of Prima is how good the Food Hall is. When Haven guests give up their embarkation day lunch for a crowded Food Hall, you know it has to be good!

I know, .....a few more increases in gratuities and fees will have this paid in no time.

Curious if the OP ever found any solution or answer to their question. This is very strange. Could it be a glitch that somehow some non-Haven guest's billing got accidently billed to their account. Many years ago before the drink package you could get drinks delivered to your room. One night in the Haven we got drinks delivered. A few days later I saw this bill for the Atrium bar. We never stopped there let alone get a drink there. I went to the concierge and they told me it was the drinks we ordered the other night. Then it clicked. I have no idea why the drinks were not made at the Haven bar (Epic) but maybe it was closed. There was a logical explanation to the charge. I am curious how this one turns out. It seems like someone's drinks got billed to their account.

It seems NCL has moved on from the piano bars. While always crowded and a hit, cruise marketing is focused on a younger crowd thus go carts, laser tag, etc. Piano bars attract the older more traditional cruiser. Those people will always cruise. All cruise lines are going after a younger crowd with kids.

Funny because the rest of Prima is so nice the Haven does not stand out. You would think these photos are of any other part of the ship 😁

A 16 year old boy will love the race track, huge Laser tag course, and Galaxy Pavilion. You can play hoops anywhere. That's not a fair comparison at all. Encore has more bells and whistles. People tend to rationalize and justify their choices instead of being objective. Clearly you can have a blast on either ship and without a 16 year old boy I may lean Escape for a more traditional ship. But a teen boy is who the Encore was built for.

I like the new names. Its time to change things up. So many NCL ships are so similar.

If I ever hit the lottery I may seriously book one 😁

Of call the cruises I have been on people love my cowbell and I usually get tips and calls for more cowbell. Its small and fits conveniently in a suitcase. I think only once someone knocked on my door at 3:30 am and told me it was getting on their nerves and they were trying to sleep. Sure enough it was not long before they too were asking for more cowbell. If you hear a cowbell on your cruise, you know its me. Its just unfortunate NCL wont let me join their cruise ship band with my cowbell.

Bring a can of cooking spray and you are good to go 🙂

NCL started an upgraded beverage package that includes water. Is this for the upcharge beverage package or the original beverage package? If my memory is correct, for another $50 per day the package included water, Starbucks, specialty coffees and all top shelf liquor.

The Food Republic is open for lunch and I would suggest trying it at least once. I think the sushi bar is open too. The American Diner is also open. The majority of specialty restaurants only open for dinner.

I have not been on her for awhile. But my experience both times sailing her was it was more of an older crowd or a booze cruise with not many kids.

I cant speak for current Sky conditions but the Sky has never been a kid friendly ship. No slides, no water park, no bells and whistles for kids.

I remember your story of the hide and seek games in the Horizon lounge. There is a video on youtube but wont post because they are children but they are screaming so loud and its echoing because the roof is closed in the Haven pool area. You definitely drew the short stick that cruise. This is why I like to cruise in February when kids are in school.

My favorite Xmas cruise story was on Epic on Xmas eve and watching A Christmas Story in the Atrium on the giant screen while eating popcorn. Bring your Santa hats!

I can imagine. NCL wants to impress all the travel agents and VIPs. Its not really a fair comparsion cruise for the rest of us. As I said, by the 5th sailing we can get a better report of things. I dont even care that much for seafood and that seafood buffet looked incredible.