uncleah

Although I wasn't on this cruise NCLs actions really incensed me and wrote the following email.  I was on RC Explorer for one of the norovirus cruises.  We missed ports and the cruise was cut short.  The captain had a meeting in the theater where we were offered a pittance for compensation.  He nearly had a passenger revolt.  He said he would go back and talk to corporate.  He later came back with a compensation plan that was very fair and we left happy.  That certainly wasn't the case here.  The following was sent to Ponder at NCL.

We did a tour from Paris the last time we were there.  It is absolutely worth doing. 

When you stand on Omaha and look up at the hill that had to be breached it is hard to believe that anyone was able to survive.  The American Cemetery was extraordinarily moving.  We also got to visit  Pont du Hoc and the Peace Museum in Caen. 

If there is anyway for you to visit, it is well worth it.  

The traffic to LGA and JFk varies between bad and worse and worse than that. I have been in traffic jams on the Belt Parkway to JFK at 4 in the morning. LGA with the current construction is even worse than usual. I try to use EWR when ever I can. The pre-screen is always a help. Sometimes when I travel with my family, I stay with them and don't get to use the pre-screen but they let me through without having to take my shoes off. A little favor for spending much too much time at airports.

Do you mean to imply that tendering isn't always great fun?

Once when we were leaving Grand Cayman we discovered they had stopped bringing passengers to shore because of the rough conditions. There were 2 crew on the dock and 2 on the tender basically grabbing the passengers and hauling them from dock to tender. Once in the tender, it was up - down - sideways into the dock so hard that some passengers were sliding off of the benches and onto the floor. Fortunately the ship blocked the wind and waves when we got back so it was a lot easier getting off than on. We got an unexpected thrill ride at no additional cost.

We didn't do one with the ship but we chartered a heli out of Anchorage before we took the train to Seward for the cruise. It is really great. We weren't far from Anchorage but it was like walking on another planet. You will love it.

The train ride is great. Ours had to stop for a moose on the tracks. The train crew was really great and recorded the moose for us. If you have a little extra time, Anchorage is fun to visit. The native cultural center is worth the trip. If you have a little more time, a day or overnight trip to Barrow is fun. We got off the plane on July 31 and were greeted with snow. When we were there, the wind was blowing in an unusual direction and the pack ice was blown into the beach on the Arctic Ocean. That was an unforgettable sight.

Before we went on our first Alaska cruise, we asked several crew members on another cruise what they thought was the best time to do Alaska. The consensus was the end of July - beginning of August. They were right. The first time we went, the cruise line was taking photos of the ship in Glacier Bay to use in their advertising. Crew on the ship said it was the best weather they had all season.

A porter will take your bags and tag them if you haven't already done so. You will go through a security line with airport type scanners. After this you will show your documents to RC personnel that will direct you to the check in line for you. You will check in and be given your Seapass card and given a boarding number. You will be sent to a waiting area where you will remain until your boarding number is called (or if you are in a suite you may be sent to board directly). When you go to board you will enter the ship where they will scan your Seapass card. After that you will be on the ship and can go where ever you want. Depending on the time, you may not be able to go to your cabin as they may not be ready. You can go for lunch or you can just go look around the ship. They will announce when cabins are ready and you can go to your cabin. Your luggage may or may not be there but it will get there eventually. They will make announcements about the safety drill and you will need to go to the area listed on your card at the time they tell you. Sometime after that the ship will sail.

You can explore the ship, go for dinner in the evening, see shows, visit the casino or just go to bed. There will be a newsletter in your cabin that tells you all the events going on that day. You will get one in the evening that tells you what is happening the next day. You can order room service for breakfast the next morning or just get up and go for breakfast.

You can basically do as much or as little as you want. There are lots of things going on and you can go to them or not. It's your vacation so have a great time.

There is nothing you really have to know, just go with the flow.

We always use a travel agent. On our upcoming Panama Canal cruise, we got all the suite perks from NCL and a $600 on board credit from our agent. No way were we going to get that from NCL.

If you are going to have some time in Anchorage or Fairbanks before or after the cruise, consider a day trip on Alaska Airlines to Barrow. You can fly up in the morning and back in the evening. It is an amazing place. If you are crazy enough you can take a swim in the Arctic Ocean. When we were there, you could wade out to pack ice and then jump in. You won't be bothered by the "stone" beach when you get out because the 32F water will numb your feet (and everything else). If you have more time, they have an ocean front hotel and good Mexican restaurant. If you go, don't miss the totem pole. If you have been there, you will know which one I mean,

We have a branch office in Shanghai that I have visited a number of times. Driving there is different.

Picture a divided highway. 3 lanes in each direction. Driving along and all of a sudden a chain link fence is blocking all of the lanes in your direction. No warning signs, no detour, just the fence. So what do you do? Simple, just make a u-turn and drive back the way you came. Yes, you will be going the wrong way against traffic. Get to the nearest exit and make another u-turn to get off.

That was just one of a number of "interesting" experiences while in a car in China. When I asked our Shanghai manager why people drove so badly, she explained "We haven't been doing it that long."

Good thing they'll be contained on the ship.

They told me that with a suite the charge is waived.

I asked one of their reps about that in an online chat and they said bottle water was included with the suites. They said there would be a number of bottles at embarkation and after that you just ask the butler. We are booked in a suite so I guess we will find out then for sure. It would sure be better than carrying some on.

Started on Home Lines Oceanic in the 70's and have been cruising ever since. Of late, mostly Princess and RCL. The promos were a deciding factor. Seemed like a good deal so we booked a suite on a Panama Canal LAX to MIA. Also got a nice OBC from our TA. Was too good to pass up so we'll give it a try.

That can be a big benefit of a TA. We booked a suite which gives us the 4 perks and the TA gave us $600 OBC. We only got $50 OBC from NCL.

Did a January cruise of of Bayonne. Decks were covered with snow when we left. The concierge disappointed me. He didn't have any skis! That would have been pretty neat - skiing on a cruise ship.

Thanks for all the responses. With the promo they have now I think we will give it a try. Been mostly on Princess & RCL and a few others here and there. Haven't had a bad one yet so why not something new. Pretty sure we will do the 2/17 Panama Canal.

Thanks again.

Ed

I know there are SE and SF suites with the one facing forward and the other aft. I wondered if there is any wind protection on the forward facing ones other than the standard type railing. Any deck better than another? With the aft facing suites any preference as to in board vs out board?

Thanks for your help.

I'd also recommend the train. When we did it a few years ago, the train slowed down unexpectedly. Some of the crew went through our car towards the front of the train and saw that I had a video camera and asked me if I wanted them to take pictures of a moose on the tracks. Of course I said yes. I now have a video of a moose slowly walking down the center of the tracks, turning around and looking at the train, walking a little more and looking again. My video ends with the moose deciding to leave and trotting off into the woods.

Lots of great scenery even if you don't get a visit from a moose.

We were on the "sick" ship, the Explorer in January. When we got our half off Future Cruise certificates I noticed that they had to be used by Feb 2015. This was a problem since we decided to due a New England cruise in Sept 2015. I called RCL and in about 10 minutes I got my file modified to extend my time limit.

We have used a TA for years and went ahead and booked the cruise. It took our TA about 5 weeks to get RCL to process the certificates. This included hours on hold with RCL. Our TA said the procedure in their office was that when anyone finally got off of hold, the line got passed around to everyone that needed to speak to RCL.

I don't think it's a very good idea to aggravate travel agents. We had cruised a lot before our TA suggested we give RCL a try. Now we've cruised a number of times with them. There are a lot of choices out there and lot of people that like to use a TA. It can't be good for a cruise line if the TAs decide they don't want to deal with them.

We've always heard from the concierge. Usually just a hello and list of available things.

When we've booked a cabana at Barefoot Beach we usually email the concierge a few weeks out and get a reply on that before the standard email from him.

You will enjoy the GS. We're hooked on them.

GMA is reporting this morning that after talking to passengers on board the Explorer of the Seas the situation on board is much worse than originally reported. They also reported that they are only refunding 50% of the cruise and offering 50% credit on future cruise. IMO that is a horrible compensation. The passengers that were not ill had a totally ruined vacation. They deserve a paid vacation for their troubles! ... and the poor sick passengers surely deserve a full refund. This is a horrible situation. I have four very good friends that are on that ship. I can't wait to see them on Thursday and get the real story. I will post a full review as reported by them.

DW and I got off of the Explorer this afternoon. Even though DW was ill for a day, neither of us would consider this to be a ruined vacation.

All of the crew did everything within their power to do everything possible to make the sailing as good as it could be. Did we like missing 2 ports and returning early - no. but we understood.

Initially we were offered a refund of $400 per person and 50% off on a future cruise. A lot of passengers were not happy with that. At a meeting in the theater with the captain, this displeasure was clearly displayed. The captain fully understood this and said he would see what he could do. He told us he would work to get it resolved that afternoon.

Later that evening he announced that we would receive a 50% refund, a 50% off certificated for a future cruise, a refund of port charges for the 2 ports we missed and 1 free cruise day for each day a passenger was quarantined.

With the exception of one day, we had a great time and we believe we received good compensation.

Hope they disinfect those shuttle buses as well.

When we got on the bus this afternoon, the driver said they were disinfecting the bus between trips.

We have found that sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. They seem to be pretty good at responding to email.

Sent email yesterday for cruise on 1/21 and got reply today. Not bad at all.

if you rent a cabana on Barefoot Beach; is the upgraded lunch included??

You don't have to rent a cabana to get the upgraded lunch at Barefoot Beach. If you have access to BB it is included. Of course you need to be in a suite to get access or rent a cabana (if they have not been sold to suite guests) to get in.

BB is very nice, but if you are renting a cabana just for the food, you are a bit nuts.