Blondie008

I checked this for a friend who was considering cruising with us.

The sailaway rate under the new premium AI does include the same premium all inclusive as "regular" bookings do. You just don't get to choose your cabin its allocated for you.

Spring TA this year on Getaway there was karaoke through the day as well as in the evening.

I guess it depends on the cruise director, but Spring TAs can be colder weather cruises, so they have to add indoor entertainment - karaoke is always gonna be a "plan B".

Epic karaoke if I remember rightly was held in Bliss lounge. For sure most evenings.

 

If you are both Platinum you will get one lot each at no cost.

Is that correct yeah? One bag per person and not per cabin? If so that's great :)

I forget to read these vouchers in the cabin and miss out on stuff like this?

I guess they are just working their way through the numerous schedules they have to re organise. Must be like a battle plan.

We received an email this morning saying there would be a reschedule of our cruise which is the TA from Barcelona - the one prior to your cruise. In the email it tells us to expect to hear within two weeks.

I am crossing fingers and toes we wont get an added on port stop this side of the pond - its way too cold in November - Id rather just have extra sea days somewhere near sunnier climates. I guess those from the USA might enjoy an extra stop this side whereas we would prefer it on the other side where its warmer.

Whatever the outcome we will take it as it comes - these poor islands have suffered so much -

Only time will tell as they work their way through the schedules.

There is nowhere left for us to do our immigration so I guess it will be done at Port Canaveral -

Just have to wait and see - still excited to be returning to our BigBoy Epic! :D

Just received an upgrade offer. Ive read people will get offers for say $1200 but bid less than that amount. How do you go about biding less than the offer actually is. When I move the "bid meter" on the website, the lowest amount I can bid is their starting at price. How do you bid less?

 

Also I have family on this cruise and they didnt receive the upgrade offer yet. Does everyone get the upgrade offer?

 

Thanks

You cannot bid any less than what their starter pointer is at on the "bidmeter" -

And no - not everyone gets the email.

With the cost difference between NCL and Celebrity, you can buy plenty of specialty coffee on NCL. :D

OR - I used to just ask the barman at the atrium bar for two glasses, one with a large brandy, the other whipped cream - and make a coffee nightcap in our cabin -

Easy :)

You could always try booking via Europe or UK on the premium all inclusive where everything is included.

For me - Since 2014 we have cruised on Epic, Jade, Sky (immediately following 2 weeks on Equinox to the partyship was a bit of a giggle hah) , Getaway, Solstice and as mentioned Equinox. All time favourite - hands down = Getaway. We are booked on Epic for our next three but wish it was Getaway that worked for us - Epic is a close second though. Solstice I preferred to Equinox - just had a better vibe.

Celebrity are sneaking in the charges too. World Class bar drinks were extra - and on port days there was no free sit down service lunch available whereas on NCL you have at least one MDR every day as well as O'Sheehans on top of the buffet.

Entertainment - again - hands down to NCL -

I got fed up with the bartenders being the stars of the show on Celebrity martini bar - as for waiting for a drink - found that was probably one of the worst.

Aquaclass Persian Gardens V NCL thermal suites - HUGE win for NCL - I was sorely disappointed in Celebrity's spa area although we were in Aquaclass and BLU would be one of the key reasons we would cruise with X again WHEN we are older.

Not for now.

NCL do have a lot of wee add ons. However - the base price is very reasonable - and then its all choices. Dining packages are immense value and although Le Bistro doesn't quite match Murano - the Italian on NCL we found was way better than the Italian on Celebrity.

Each has its own pluses - and like you we were long time Celebrity cruisers.

I think the main reason is choice - never bored on NCL - and there is always something for everyone. Too much FabbaAbba for me on X - LOVED Solstice for our Alaska cruise and wouldn't have had it any other way. For a port intensive cold weather trip we felt Solstice was perfect. For anything else, no, our first choice would be Norwegian.

Hope you get the deal you are looking for -

Which ship are you thinking of?

Gem 10/21 just gave away most of the Haven and Suites. I happened to have checked inventory yesterday and there were 17 available, I got my notice at noon and went back to check and inventory shows only 4 remaining. My min amount for GV was accepted. It was flat “poor” but apparently no one else wanted to even put their toes in so I got it. I had lowballed most of the rest of my bids so sort of expected to stay in my balcony. All told, GV for $3700/pp 10 days. Still expensive but not full price.

 

 

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Nice one! Enjoy!!

Thanks for the reply. Was is the thermal pass? Virgin offered to pay £120 for a daily pass for both of us so im assuming a week is pricey! Refused the offer though

Sorry think I answered you twice?

Okay - Virgin cannot buy a daily pass - there is no such thing available to pre purchase. Daily passes are only ever issued IF and its a huge IF - all weekly passes remain unsold and I believe its a port day only -

Not sure what Virgin are on about - everyone here will tell you its not possible to pre purchase a daily spa pass :(

Don't know who you are dealing with but Id go further up the ladder if you can.

Tell them you want a weekly spa pass EACH - :)

Hey everyone, looking for some advice.

 

Was mis sold the cruise (breakaway) through virgin holidays. Told that there was only 1 paid restaurant and everything else was free. (Spa etc)

 

Now looking to upgrade but ncl won't discuss it with me and Virgin tell me that the price to upgrade to a mini suite is £2k, spa suite £2.8k and Haven £3k.

 

The odd thing is my room cost £859 each so £1.7k and if i go to NCL and pretend i am a new customer, the spa suite is 1,169pp so £310 more than what we paid, so an upgrade should surely be £620 total, yet i'm quoted £2,000. Virgin agreed it was high but said they call NCL and it's their pricing.

 

Spoke to NCL and i get some asian customer service who haven't even heard of the bidding system, so no idea if i am included in that! 68 days to sail date.

 

Any advice!

Just clarify with Virgin that you are referring to a spa balcony/or mini suite. An actual suite would bring you back that plus £2000 - £1169 pp would be the cheapest spa balcony for Breakaway. - for sure not a spa suite.

NCL UK do offer premium all inclusive - ie includes service charge, drinks pack etc etc.

SPA cabins are a totally different price structure.

Your other alternative is to stick with the cabin you have and buy a thermal suites pass - go into My NCl and see if there are any left to pre purchase.

Failing that (at sixty something days in you might be too late) - you can try again on embarkation day.

Hope this helps

The Getaway (and all NCL) thermal suites pass is similar to many cruiselines "spa" system. Cruiselines such as Celebrity have Aquaclass - and Costa have Samsara.

Norwegian have their own spa cabins - and if you want guaranteed access - book one of those.

If not, at 90 days in you can buy a thermal suite pass for the duration of your cruise. They do limit passes - obviously there is limited space - and priority goes to those first and foremost who purchased a spa cabin or suite. After that a limited amount goes on sale at 100 days in to suite guests, and 90 days in for non suite guests.

In addition to this - a small number of passes are held back for sale on embarkation day.

Cost for Baltics - around £200 I would estimate for the week.

Getaway's thermal suites are awesome - worth every penny!

Hey everyone, looking for some advice.

 

Was mis sold the cruise (breakaway) through virgin holidays. Told that there was only 1 paid restaurant and everything else was free. (Spa etc)

 

Now looking to upgrade but ncl won't discuss it with me and Virgin tell me that the price to upgrade to a mini suite is £2k, spa suite £2.8k and Haven £3k.

 

The odd thing is my room cost £859 each so £1.7k and if i go to NCL and pretend i am a new customer, the spa suite is 1,169pp so £310 more than what we paid, so an upgrade should surely be £620 total, yet i'm quoted £2,000. Virgin agreed it was high but said they call NCL and it's their pricing.

 

Spoke to NCL and i get some asian customer service who haven't even heard of the bidding system, so no idea if i am included in that! 68 days to sail date.

 

Any advice!

Firstly - watch that Virgin are not misunderstanding your request.

£1169 would be the price perhaps of a spa balcony or spa mini suite - but there is no way a Spa Suite is going as cheap as that. Is it a 7 day cruise? Spa balconies usually set out at around +£1200 pp for UK AI.

Keep calling them until they come up with the answer -

Failing that you could stick with what you have and buy a thermal suite pass - they are available at 90 days in so you might be too late online - check it in your "my ncl".

If you have missed it you can still try on embarkation day - they do hold some back.

Depending on what deck you are on - instead of trying to upgrade to a spa balcony or mini suite - a thermal pass might be a cheaper alternative.

Virgin may have implied all was included as NCL UK IS now premium all inclusive, ie tips etc are included. Spa is a separate issue all together.

Dover Sole in Le Bistro and Ossu Bucco in La Cucina

Delicious every time :)

Was the cabin nice? I guess it must have been if you have had it two times or would a Spa Mini be better? :)

Not been yet - I have three cruises booked on Epic - 2/3 of them I have this cabin - but not until 2018 - It did look like a bigger balcony - but I would have rather had a regular balcony size and a mini suite. We don't spend much time out there so its not a big draw for us. Just happened to be the best available out of the spa cabins we could choose from. We have had a Spa Mini on Epic before and I love the big showers in the Epic's mini suites. Given the choice I would have taken a spa mini over a large balcony.

My apologies for not winning the watch! You are correct, 14141 is a spa balcony (typing it out for future reference before someone digs up my post ten years from now) I was too hasty! :)

Ocht - I was hoping I was wrong lol! :')

14141 is an angled spa mini suite;

 

 

The green slide end somewhere above/near your stateroom, here's a picture of that area on deck 15;

 

If 14141 is a spa mini I've won a watch :) - there were no spa minis left when we booked and took this cabin (for two cruises actually- same cabin) - Its a spa balcony. Category B9.

Hello

 

We are due to sail on Thursday 9 September 2017 for the Hawaiian Cruise (our first cruise) and we have just seen that NCL are now advertising the following package: Premium All-Inclusive Package on Pride of America 7 day Hawaiian Cruise.

 

We are having trouble trying to get this package through our travel agent, we have already paid for the Prepaid Service Charges for All Cat but obviously we would like the All-Inclusive Package - can anyone help??

 

https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/cruises/7-...GGITOKOANWKHNL

If you booked this pre the days of "premium AI" your package wont include grats etc although will probably included drinks and probably dining too depends when you booked and what the deals were at the time.

The up side of this is that you will have paid less - even including the +grats payment.

I have three cruises booked right up to Nov 18 - all on the old system .

For sure better deals than is now.

Thanks Harris - great advice - Your "number 4" description is great - I get it :) TY!!

Update :D

All booked with Coki - wow such friendly helpful people!

PADI refresher in a few days here - only thing I am dreading is regulator recovery again - But I know myself its something I have done loads and can do so why I am even bothered - just do it - right?

Don't over think it - bubbles bubbles, lean swoop purge done!

Easy huh? :eek:

it is about 25 minutes. An 11:30 slot is fine, you can get there within an hour of docking.

Yeah problem is I am from the UK and doing immigration at St Thomas as it is the first port of call.

Fingers crossed should get through fairly early - but TA cruise immigration is always a pain.

And more so for non US residents.

Its not a "regular" St.Thomas stop. Normally NCL offer 2 tank dives as a shorex - but as its unlikely anyone would make the morning dive boat - its not on the list for this cruise.

Hence my concern - but for sure worth a $60 risk and the folks were so helpful. Looking good ! :)

I'm thinking about 20-30 min from port, tops.

Sorry TandK - interrupting again :o

Thanks Dayman - folks at Coki are so nice - I am booked in - but they have told me to call that morning if I am running late - SO helpful and obliging!

All booked up and looking forward to it :D

If you ask on the Scuba & Snorkelling Forum you will find loads of folks on there with a wealth of experience - they are very helpful :)

Soooo, back to the original topic...lol. Anyone know of any submarine excursions or is that semi one the only one available??

I am so so sorry for hi jacking!!

So amidst my investigations into Coki Beach I came across Coral World and they have a semi submersible tour - I think that's the one you already found huh?

and thank you for bringing this up as I am now booked for my dive lol!

Hope you get sorted!! :hearteyes:

On top of the poor exchange rate there is a $10 fee no matter how much or little you change out.

Yes, great place for a novice diver for sure. Sometimes the dive guide will go solo with you which is a treat!

Great stuff - I have emailed them but should be good to go.

Any idea how long it takes in a taxi to get there from the ship? I am thinking of booking the 11.30am slot?