TrumpyNor

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...

I actually believe that it is now an official policy - as below is the reply I received from my PCC at NCL yesterday when I by e-mail asked for the possibility of FCC in regards to a significant price drop for my upcoming cruise in a few months: Quote: I can send the request to our Price Drop team for them to look into and determine if it is applicable. Keep in mind, this can only be done one time, so it is up to you if you want me to send that request now or wait and see what the pricing does as we get closer to the sailing. This request can be sent in all the way up until 16 days out from the sailing. End of quote.

The agent obviously have quoted the price of a private transfer for you (door-to-door-service), that is always rather expensive. I advice you to just take a regular taxi from outside the terminal at the airport and directly to your hotel, price would be around $35 if I remember correctly.

Thank you for posting this update, as it may help others.

Both my husband and myself take a large number of different prescribed medication on a daily basis (all original boxes/bottles would take up a significant space in a suitcase), and when on vacation (both cruises and land vacations) we just bring the medication in "pill-organizers" - but do however have all original prescriptions available online through the Norwegian health care authorities. We travel internationally several times every year, and it has never been a problem. When crossing international borders with larger numbers of medication, as far as I know you are obliged to either keep it in original bottles with your name on it OR be able to provide an original prescription in your name.

We had a club balcony "suite" on the Gem last summer, and allthough we were only 2 persons so didn't use the coach to sleep - it has a decent sice when in "regular position", with the width of what we in Norway call a "3-seater". Here are some other photos from the cabin:

The "two hour rule" is only for embarkation day (the very first day of your cruise). In all other ports on your cruise itinerary it is "all aboard" 30 minutes before the scheduled sailing time. And yes, they are strict with the 30 min. rule. In tender ports they always announce when the last tender will go back to the ship, it is often about 60 min. before the scheduled sailing time. Usually there is a long waiting line for the tenders when it gets close to sailing time.

As others have pointed out, unfortunately it will not be possible to see the northern lights/aka Aurora Borealis during your cruise. The fact is that the northern lights actually happens year round, but they are "invisible" because of the "lack of darkness". But the 24 hours sunshine/day light you will experience can also be fascinating and "exotic". I am pretty certain your cruise will be a great and different experience anyway. 😊

These photos are from the pool deck on the Escape last summer - I have no idea if they actually enforced it as I usually look for more quiet places than the pool deck to sunbade...

Since I pay gratuities for my FAS drink package, I never pay any extra tip when ordering a regular drink from the menu. And I have not experienced bad service because of that...! If I asked for something special that was not on the regular menu, then I would probably give $1-$2 per order (either by cash or ask for a slip and then add extra tips there). Many replies in this thread makes it seem like the majority of passengers on board give extra cash tips with every drink order - and that is NOT the case/nor the norm. Extra tipping is completely optional and at your discretion - and if you choose to not tip "twice" then that is completely fine too...

NCL shore excursion priority is ONLY for tender ports. And in Santorini, you have no choice but to get tendering from NCL in to the "regular port" where the cable car station is located. And for your information most private shore excursions for Santorini island are available from the upper cable car station - in Fira town (the capital of Santorini), not from the old port. There are also boat tours that goes from the regular Santorini port to the old port, ticket office is located on the pier.

I actually believe that NCL offers various flavored water in their buffet restaurants (free of charge) - I am not sure that is with bubbles though....

That obviously varies a bit then, as we have been to Bergen with NCL twice in recent years - once with the Star and once with the Jade, and both times we docked where it is marked on the map as Cruise Terminal Bergen. This photo is taken from the Fløien mountain and it shows the Star on the right hand side of the photo.... And even if the ship is docking at the Jektevikstermal this time, it is still less than 20 minutes walk from the pier to the funicular station.... So the essence of my reply would be the same anyway. 😊

Yes, if you plan your day well. For the Ulriken cable car we experienced a very long line to get "on board", as the weather was very nice that day and "everyone" seemed to be waiting in that line. Would probably be a good idea to get there early in the morning, then when you are back down take a taxi from the lower station if the Ulriken cable car to the Fløibanen funicular, and after that just explore the city on foot.

Actually there are two different "funiculars" in Bergen, and both offer spectacular views and are worth a visit, as the views are very different - and the "way to the top" is also very different. We have done both while visiting Bergen on a cruise - allthough on two different occasions. The photos below I have taken myself. The more touristic Fløibanen is a regular funicular up the steep hill and offers a nice view over the city centre of Bergen and its surroundings: And the other one is a regular cable car, it is called Ulrikenbanen and takes you to the top of Ulriken mountain (a popular spot for the locals to go hiking). And the view from there is even more spectacular:

Actually the funicular station of Fløibanen is located less than 20 minutes walking distance from the port, so not really any need for bus transportation unless you have difficulties walking.

Nope, not in suite or Haven. Maybe just some extra "non-official" benefit as we were only ones onboard with Diamond status? I didn't realize that the complimentary Latitudes sparkling wine was not offered anymore....

Personally I love prosecco, "all types", but I really dislike the Duc sparkling wine NCL for years used to offer (and maybe still does?) as complimentary welcome for Latitude members. Last year we went back to cruising again for the first time after covid - and did two NCL cruises with the Gem and the Escape in July/August 2022. A nice surprise that on both occasions we received a proper prosecco and NOT the Duc on embarkation day. I honestly thought that NCL finally had gotten rid of their entire stock of Duc and now were offering actual prosecco instead. But maybe the explanation was just that both cruises started in an Italian port..... Well, we were satisfied as it definitely tasted MUCH better than the Duc...

When we did a Mediterranean cruise with NCL in May 2019, and the only place we could watch the Eurovison finale on board, was in our stateroom. It was one of the European channels offered, and it was not English spoken (could have been Spanish, but unfortunately I don't remember anything specific. But as the finale is usually broadcasted bi- or tri-lingual anyway, that was not a problem.

Prosecco is considered as "wine by the glass" and priced below $15, so is absolutely offered/included in FAS "regular" drink package.

Usually NCL tender tickets are distributed at a "first-come-first-served" from a certain time the evening before arrival at the tender port. The time will be announced both over the "intercom" system and in the Freestyle Daily - but just be aware that some times they leave the tender tickets "up for grabs" even before the scheduled time, so always a good idea to show up early. NCL usually arrive in Santorini after lunch and not in the morning, so the tendertickets may get distributed that same morning instead of the previous evening. If you are in a suite, you will get priority tender service and don't need any tenderticket (your concierge will excort you to the tender using some "behind-the-scene-shortcuts"). If you have booked a NCL shore excursion, then you don't need any tenderticket either - you will get access to priority tenders when your tour is called in the theater.

That was our experience as well, on the Gem in July 2022. Fabulous service at Cagney's and the opposite at Le Bistro (and usually Le Bistro is our favorite - but not on that cruise....).

I just checked my own account and all points are there and my Latitude status is also correct.

My point is that I go to the front of the line, show my ship card and get escorted to a table within minutes (instead of waiting in line).

Still two dinners, but only one that includes a bottle of wine.