TrumpyNor

Both Euros and USD is highly appreciated.

The reply to my question a few years ago was probably the same as you got in April, so opposite of my original reply - sorry for causing any confusion!

Yes that is what we always do (2 persons) - take a taxi as it is the same price as taking the NCL shuttle.

I actually asked a waiter on NCL about that, and was told that if the tip was added on the receipt that you sign at the end of the meal, then that tip would go to the waiter who's name was on the receipt. And cash tip would be shared. But this was 3-4 years go, they may have changed it since then.... In speciality restaurants, if the sevice was very good, then we add $5 as extra tips at the end of the meal. And on very rare cases $10 is added. After all, there has already been paid 20% tips that is shared among all the waiters on board (that was also confirmed by the same waiter).

As we will not be staying in Venice pre-cruise (unless our flights get rebooked due to unexpected cancellations ), we want to go directly to Trieste from the airport (we have two nights booked at a hotel there). I found it easier to just take the bus, as there is no train-station at the airport. We have pre-booked seats on a bus from Venice airport to Trieste (we paid a couple of euros extra to have two seats at the very front of the bus). Just do a search for "flixbus.com".

Crete???? I believe these photos are from Corfu? 😉😚

If booked from NCL Europe a name change can be done for a fee of €50 up until 7 days before the sailing date (for booked in other parts of the world, the terms and conditions for a name change may be different): Quote: " If any individual Guest wishes to transfer their individual booking to another person (introduced by you), you may do so provided the person to whom you wish to transfer your individual booking satisfies all conditions which form part of your contract with us. Requests for transfers must be made in writing at least 7 days before departure and must be accompanied by the name and other required details of the person(s) to whom the booking will be transferred. The costs and charges incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers as a result together with an amendment fee of €50 per person transferring their place must be paid before the transfer can be made." End of quote.

So different/lower corkage fee if you have a beverage package? It used to be $15 per bottle of wine "pre-covid"..

Great, thank you for taking the time to do this - we will be on the cruise that starts July 24th. 😊🤩

For most European ports this link provides lots of information, this is the official EU site for covid restrictions and is always updated: https://reopen.europa.eu/en

According to that press release, no they will not. Only for cruises that are "originating" (=starting) from Piraeus, Greece.

Not that many years ago NCL actually had that on several (if not all?) their ships - a FREESTYLE SUN DECK where clothing was optional. It was usually located on a small "hidden away" upper deck. I know because I used it myself on several occations - just because it was always sunbeds available there and it was nice and quiet even on seadays, AND I usually had the place to myself. I didn't go "freestyle" myself though, but couldn't have cared less if others were sunbathing topless or even but naked for that matter. I actually found and old topic about it in case you don't believe me: 😉 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1959523-what-is-freestyle-sun-deck/

And there is no Vibe Beach Club on the Spirit, that you find only on the large ships in the fleet.

Is this only if you have booked the cruise with NCL insurance, or is it for "all" NCL cruisers? I am just asking because we have two different cruises booked for end of July and beginning of August, and I am really worried about catching covid and testing positive prior to the cruise, and then "loose the cruise". I do have a very good travel insurance as well, but as my cruises are already paid with FCC from cruises cancelled in 2020 and 2021 (and not with "cash"), I am suspecting that a reimbursement through my travel insurance may be a struggle to get.

No, unfortunately they do NOT keep spots on shore excursions to have to sell on the ship. If it is not available anymore, then it is just because of one of two reasons: Either it is sold out, or it is not offered anymore. But of course, cancellations happens - so I agree in contacting the shorex desk on board as soon as they open on embarkation day.

We live in Norway, and SAS Scandinavian Airlines is normally the airline we prefer, we have flights booked with them to get from north of Norway to Venice on the 21st for our two cruises - first cruise starts out of Trieste July 24th and the second cruise is August 3rd out of Rome. And of course we have booked return tickets with SAS from Rome to north of Norway on August 14th. For our SAS flights that are supposed to take place on July 21st, to get to Italy - I am not "relaxed and optimistic" at all. Literally thousands of people in Norway, Sweden and Denmark have alrady within the first 36 hours of the pilot strike had their vacation plans ruined, and with travel insurances not covering expenses caused by strikes and the airline at best offering a small, fixed amount as "compensation" for "other losses" besides the flight, I feel so sorry for everyone who will have their flights cancelled. From Scandinavia (at least not from Norway) we don't have that many airlines to choose from when SAS is "out of the question" - and with the SAS pilot strike "known" in advance to be very likely to happen, all flights are already getting fully booked. And IF you find tickets, the prices are extremely high. Even train tickets from Scandinavia to rest of Europe are getting hard to find right now. So as soon as the SAS pilot strike was a fact, I booked us new tickets from Northern Norway to Rome - had to pay much more than they normally cost but at least now we know that we WILL get to Italy one way or another. Because IF the strike is still going on when we get to July 21st, then at that time there would be absolutely NO WAY we would find means of transportation to get from "top of Norway" to Trieste and allthough the plane tickets would be reimbursed and the hotels I have booked post- and pre-cruise in Italy are all possible to cancel without any penalties - the two cruises I have booked and fully paid thousands of $$$ for with NCL would be lost. And those two cruises are are "replacements" for two cruises that were cancelled by NCL in 2020 because of the pandemic, and then rebooked for 2021, and then cancelled again and rebooked for 2022. Usually we do two cruises per year, and this will be the first cruises since May 2019... So I do NOT want to risk them to get "lost" because I can't get to them in time.... As reassurance for OP: At least there are many, many choices for you to get from LAX to Copenhagen instead of flying with SAS, so I sincerely wish you best of luck!

Does that mean that NCL did have a shuttle from the "normal" pier, but didn't notify about that and you found out later? We have a cruise on the Gem out of Trieste in less than 3 weeks, and I am crossing my fingers that it will be leaving from the normal cruise pier, as I booked a hotel just across the street... If they change the pier/port, then we will just take a taxi (would prefer not to take a public bus and then walk in the heat that is in Italy at the moment)....

Just a tip when doing a Panama cruise with NCL: NCL have their photographers making amazing photos of the ship at various points of the canal/locks - they can be be purchased as a photo package at a reasonable price in the photo gallery on board. Here is a collage of the photos I purchased on board and then scanned for my cruise photobook - photos that I would not have been able to make myself no matter where on the ship my cabin would have been located....

Maybe what you remember is that bottles of wine is not included, because drinks by the glass has always been included - aslo with speciality dining. Up to $15 that is - if you want eg. more expensive wine by the glass, you then just pay the difference between $15 and the more expensive price listed in the wine menu.

Maybe I misunderstood something - I was thinking about purchasing a drink package on NCL - I previously was told this was the way to do it when travelling with "minors" between 18-21 in eg. Europe. That may be wrong then.... Sorry about the confusion.

The parent or legal guardian who isn't traveling with their son/daughter can fill out this form https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/ParentGuardianForm_01302012b.pdf And that gives the adult person they are travelling with, the authority to sign the "waiver" form regarding alcohol, when cruising in parts of the world (eg. Europe) where the drinking age is below 21.

What are the rules to enter Malta from an EU Member State or Schengen Associated country? https://reopen.europa.eu/en/map/MLT/7001 What are the rules to enter Malta from outside an EU Member State or Schengen Associated country? https://reopen.europa.eu/en/from-to/OTC/ML

https://spth.gob.es/

Only if you pay the corcage fee of $15 per bottle of wine....

I believe the total price for the guide for 2 hours was €100 - then we gathered a group of people just in front of the ticket kiosk, so ended up with a price of €10 per person. But this was back in 2018, so the prices may have changed since then. I would just book atticket that includes the guide, just to be on the "safe side" - after all, Pompeii is a site where you should make certain to make the best out of the time you have there - especially since you will probably not be back...