cruiser1955a

Nobody should request a refund for a free service they didn’t like. It makes no sense.

It all depends on the specific Butler you get. We sailed in a Garden Villa this year. We had friends onboard who were in an aft Penthouse suite. We happened to be in their suite when their butler came to introduce himself, and spend time showing showing & explaining the layout & amenities of the suite (the smallest suite available). He spent 15-20 minutes explaining everything, and asking what he could do to make their cruise more enjoyable. He was so kind & informative! Flash forward 20 minutes. We arrived at our Garden Villa and unpacked after looking around. Our butler arrived to introduce herself after about 45 minutes (not an issue). She then proceeded to show us the bank of light switches in the living/dining area (many of which no longer work), and asked us if we had any questions, then departed. The Garden Villa is a 5000 sq ft suite, vs maybe 200 sq ft in the aft Penthouse. She spent less than 5 minutes with us, without even a smile on her face. We didn’t know what to ask her when she wanted to know if we had any questions because we’ve never sailed in a Garden Villa. There was no tour. There was no explanation of how to operate any of the amenities (hot tub, stereo, coffee machine, power window shades, etc) and no explanation of the things we could have requested from her. Thankfully, our steward was always nearby to help us with questions that came up. note: This is not meant to be a “poor us” story. We loved the suite. This was a once in a lifetime adventure which we thoroughly enjoyed. I’m just pointing out that it doesn’t make any difference what size suite you are in (other than the added perks of dos & Garden Villa’s), it matters which Butler you get. Also note: Our freind’s butler told us he was the Garden Villa butler the previous week. Butlers rotate weekly through various blocks of suites. It’s just the luck of the draw. We’ve always had wonderful butlers in the 7 suites we’ve previously sailed. This butler didn’t ruin our trip. She just wasn’t anything close to our past butler experiences, and didn’t seem to have the friendly, warm demeanor of a butler, or the proper training to give us a guided tour of the suite. The few (simple) questions we did have for her during the cruise required her to call someone, then get back to us later with an answer.

Binoculars

Not everyone wants to share that info, especially prior to cruise. I thought you said “if you don’t mind sharing”. I didn’t know it was a demand.

Every situation is different. But the more you learn from threads like this, the more you can determine what to be aware of in the process. example: If you’re bidding up from an ocean view, to a mini-suite, you have to keep in mind that people who booked a balcony may be bidding too. Typically they’ve paid more up-front than you for their balcony. I assume that NCL is going to favor their bid (if they bid the same as you) because they’ve offered more “total dollars”, and because NCL can now get more money re-selling their vacant balcony, than they can re-selling your ocean view. This is just one example of the many factors they probably use. It is, after all, about getting the most profit out of every cabin.

Don’t most, if not all people leave it on their hands? If they head to the nearest sink to wash off “the goo”, that’s even better for sanitation.

NCL’s goal is to make money. They are not choosing upgrades at random, they are looking to maximize profit for each sailing. Naturally, they’re going to choose the person who’s spent more “total”.

If you mean Aft Penthouse (not Haven Penthouse) it will sleep 3. 1 king bed, one fold-out (couch/chair) single bed. The benefit of the penthouse is that you’ll have more space in the cabin, even with the fold-out open. You’ll get a full table & 4 chairs, more storage, bigger balcony, more walking space, and of course...suite perks (breakfast and lunch at Moderno/Cagney’s can’t be beat). suggestion: search utube for penthouse and mini-suite videos. It will help you make the decision if the extra perks for penthouse aren’t enough to make up your mind. suite perks: Priority boarding/disembarking Butler & Concierge Sparkling wine Breakfast/Lunch in specialty restaurant Reserved theater seating etc. Not to mention, the aft view is so peaceful, with no wind while sailing. And your balcony will have cushioned loungers. if you’re referring to a Haven Penthouse, I don’t know how many they sleep, but in addition to the suite perks listed above, you get the Haven Courtyard. VERY SPECIAL

I can’t answer your question, but keep in mind that NCL considers your “total dollars spent”. People who pay top price for their original booking may not have to bid as much to win, and those who book sail-away or any discounted cabin might have to bid higher to win. Other than that, your chances increase if there’s lots of vacancies in the category you’re upgrading to. You are getting close to your sail date. If there’s lots of vacancies, your chances are good with a medium bid. No guarantees.

No

Notified Monday, before Friday cruise.

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Aft penthouse has 1 king bed, and a fold out single.

Let me understand this....Somebody did something thoughtful for someone, and somebody else is criticizing them for it. Do I have that right ?

It was the Garden Villa. They are sold out for the season now. This was a once in a lifetime, last minute opportunity.