TrumpyNor

Wakening up to a new place pretty much every day (hence I never book a cruise with lots of sea days - that is just not for me). No need to pack/unpack my luggage before heading to the next port on the itinerary.

We have done many B2B cruises with NCL, and the first few times (talking 10-20 years back) we always booked under ONE reservation - the main benefit being a reduction in the cruise price when compared to booking it as two separate cruises. Then two things happened that made us always book B2B cruises as two separate reservation (always with the same cabin no on both cruises though, for practial reasons: There was no longer any financial benefit (lower price) for booking it as one cruise instead of two Our Latitude status only gave us the perks as ONE cruise instead of two Promotional perks were often also better when booking as two cruises For practical reasons our PCC always linked the two cruises though, so that we automatically received all needed information in regards to the B2B-procedures on board.

@ggTexasGal and @MagnoliaBlossom. Thank you very much for your replies, I appreciate it! 😊

For what level Latitudes?

I am sorry, but I am still confused. Does that mean only 1/2 liter per person for the lower Latitude categories and 1 liter (2 cartons) for the higher Latitude categories?

As on our last two cruises (2022) we had many water cartons included both as a promotional perk and as Latitude Diamond members, I simply can't remember if the Flow water cartons listed as Latitude perks (one or two cartons per member, depending on status) are 1/2 liter cartons or 1 lite cartons. We are supposed to get a total of 4 cartons of the Flow water with Diamond, and for our upcoming cruise this summer I just need to know if that means that we (2 persons) will get 2 liters in total (4 x 1/2) or 4 liters in total (4 x 1). The Latitude benefits list just states number of cartons, not size of cartons...

As for all EU nationals (holding a "local" passport), she needs only the ESTA for USA in addition to her German passport to cruise in the Caribbean. I am a Norwegian citizen myself, and in most parts of the world will have the same travel document requirements as a German citizen, and I have also been to a 20 days South America cruise (with NCL) along the coastline from Chile all the way up to San Fransisco, and all I needed in addition to my Norwegian passport was the ESTA for entering USA and visiting American ports.

This photo I took onboard the Gem last summer (after refurbishment). The Tahitian Pool (adults only) is the one in the front of the photo, the regular pool (for "everyone") is the one closest to the Topsiders grill (below the "mirroring" window section that hides Moderno restaurant and the Haven suites). The first photo was taken on embarkation day, so not that many sunbeds set out yet. Below shows the pooldeck on a "normal" day:

I am based in Europe, but always book my cruises in USD through my PCC at NCL who is based in the US. As most of you probably know, ncl.com always redirect you to your "local" NCL webpage depending on where you are geopraphically located. In order to access NCL prices in USD, I therefore instead do mock bookings on one of the larger American online cruise travel agencies (not mentioning any name as that is not allowed, but if you think about the word cruise then the website I am thinking about is pretty easy to find). And on that website it shows the total including all extras and all taxes (when searching for the cruise and picking ship and date, the result shows prices without taxes and extras. But as soon as I choose a specific cabin category, then it shows the total price including a price breakdown.)

In my experience the larger of the MDRs are usually also requiring long pants, but the smaller MDR has only "resort casual" requirements.

Sign that was placed on the counters outside several restaurants on the Gem in July 2022 (also saw similar signs outside restaurants on the Escape in August 2022):

We have cruised with the Spirit several times in the past, and have had a great cruise each of those times. BUT those have been port-intensive-type cruises - with 5 sea days on board the Spirit I would get very bored.

I believe it varies between the ships if they let you have a coffee machine in an inside cabin, as in many inside cabins on NCL the question would be "Where to place the coffee machine" as there is often not much room for that in an inside cabin - at least not in the inside cabins we have had (mainly Jewel class ships though). This photo is from an interior cabin on the Jade:

When I try to do a mock booking on ncl.com (the European version) it gives me several specific Haven cabins (incl cabin numbers and location on deckplan) to choose from. As I am located in Europe, I can't access the ncl.com American version - but If I try to do a mock booking on one of the larger American cruise websites, then that place also gives me several numbers of Haven suites to choose from.

At least wait until a few weeks past the final payment date to purchase a regular upgrade - as the rates often drop around that time. And maybe even more as you get closer to the sailing date. You could always try to keep track on how many Haven suites are available to book at any given time by trying to do "mock" bookings online. Regarding the bidding-upgrade-program, it seems like you would be able to place a "very good bid" on a Haven suite, and still probably pay significantly less than you would pay to purchase a regular upgrade today. But that would of course only be the case if there were still a certain amount of unsold Haven suites available.

Yes, it is a "2-in-1 conditioning shampoo". If your hair "needs" hair conditioner to untangle and soften your hair, then you should bring your own conditioner. If you are in a regular suite, then there is a proper conditioner in the bathroom. But not in any of the "lower cabin types".

Will do!

I just want to thank all of you who took your time to write a comment on this matter, it is highly appreciateted. 😊

We did Mediterranean cruises both on the Gem and the Escape last summer, and on both ships towards the end of the cruise they were actually selling "port t-shirts" for $10. And with Norwegian Cruise Line printed on them as well.

Just quoting myself in order to let others here know that the "one time price-drop FCC" is valid also in case of a price-drop after final payment on your original cabin type even though you have received a Diamond upgrade to a higher category cabin. I noticed earlier this week that on our upcoming cruise for August 2023, there had been a significant price-drop on obstructed oceanview cabins (our originally booked cabin category), so I asked for FCC for the difference even though we have received a Diamond upgrade to a balcony cabin for that cruise. Yesterday I received the confirmation that on completion of our cruise, we will receive a total FCC of $1700.

Just follow the instructions on the top of the page here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/307-norwegian-gem-roll-calls/

We have a booked cruise for August 4-August 15, 2023 where there was a (to me) significant pricedrop after final payment, so I contacted NCL to request for the price-drop FCC, and yesterday received the e-mail stating that we in total got a FCC in the amount of $1700. We have already a cruise booked for August 2024, that starts on August 15 - where I am thinking of cancelling and rebooking as using the FCC would make the total price only half of what it is currently. But as English is not my first language, I am a little uncertain regarding the meaning of the following wording in the FCC e-mail I received from NCL: These credits will be available for one year to book and sail, upon completion of your current sailing on Debarkation Day. As my 2023-cruise embarks on August 4th and debarks on August 15th - does that mean that I can use the FCC for my 2024-cruise or not, as the embarkation date is August 15th? Or does it mean that I can only use the FCC for cruises that starts at no later date than August 14th, 2024? Or does it mean that in order to use the FCC the cruise has to be completed by August 15th? Or is my actual "date limit" that the cruise where I can use the FCC has to be completed by August 4th, 2024 as August 4th 2023 is the embarkation date for the cruise where I will have the FCC available upon completion of... For those of you who have English as your first language, this is probably a very "stupid" question - but I have actually managed to confuse myself very much in this matter.... So all replies from someone who can tell me the actual meaning of that sentence when it comes to price-drop FCC will be highly appreciated.

Shared yes - but only one at the time.

Yes, in addition to English. They often add this on some of the European cruises if the cruise has many Spanish or German speaking passengers - there should be a box that you have to "check" if you want guiding in any of those languages.

You will get the current Free At Sea offer for club balcony cabins - it may be different from the FAS offer you got at the time of doing your original reservation. If the current offer includes more specialty dining for a club balcony than you had in your original booking, then that is what you will get. Note that also other FAS perks may be different now than they were at the time of booking your original reservation. Some times these changes are "better" than originally offered, and some times they are actually the opposite...