benzygirl

Yea, that's called a bribe. Many of the crew find that insulting. I agree with them. Good service should be a minimal expectation. I've never done that and have rarely ever had bad service on NCL.

Are you really saying that many of the crew are insulted by getting an upfront gratuity and being told more is coming? What planet do you live on? No offense intended. But think you are dreaming if you think the crew doesn’t live for gratuities ��

I haven't read all these comments, but as far as tipping at the beginning or end, I like to give a $50 or $100 at the beginning, and say take good care of us and there is more. I think you get better service when they know you are a good tipper.

We are sailing soon in the Star and I have a few questions. I’ve trolled the search but can’t find any answers...

 

Does anyone know since the upfit if the OS with 2 balconies...have these been included in redecorating? Does anyone have photos?

 

I’ve been looking for a card room on the deck plans however I can’t find one. Is there a card room?

 

I have mobility problems. Is there a way to get to the Sky High Bar without having to use the stairs by all the deck chairs?

 

Also where are the smoking areas now?

Many thanks!

were are in an owners suite with two balconies on deck nine Star next May 24Venice. Would you report back? I check daily to see if anything opens on deck ten OS, but right now ALL suites are sold out 9 months in advance. I had this cabin on the Pearl once and loved it, but we were on deck 10. I got the last one, and am thrilled no matter 10 or 9! Please review when you get back

Well thanks, we aren't all that hard to please, just like some evening entertainment. It is a special cruise, as it's not the usual. The dates and itinerary worked out well for us, plus getting an H2 through the Canal should make it extra special.

I know it's very early to have any idea what would be on NCL Joy 2/2/20, but we booked an H2 and my sister a 2 bedroom

We love the evening entertainment between dinner and casino. However on a 12-13 nighter, do they increase the entertainment? or is it the same as a 7 night cruise. Thanks in advance.

We had an H2 Owners on the Pearl and loved it. No question the balcony was windy while underway, enough to make the furniture dance around at times. We could scurry out to the full size hot tub and sit behind the partial wind shield comfortably but on the loungers it was obnoxious. Crew came in a few times in the 7 day to take in the pads and bungee down the furniture.

 

We had 4 in the H2 cabin and it was very doable. Of course 2 of you end up on the couch pull-out which isn't great but works. Depending on your comfort level having all 4 in the same cabin might be an option and significantly cut your cost, it did for us.

 

Each cabin has pros/cons. I don't think you will be sorry with your choice the cabin is unbelievable but it will be windy, at least it was on the Pearl.

Well, at least it will be a hot wind, as Panama is warm. And we will have her side 2 bed balcony, though those are very small.

I just thought for the canal it would be a such a great view. And I see now they have a sliding doors, not the old heavy ones like I'm having on the Star 5/24 Venice front owners with two balconies :)

Graytech..you did canal March/April? How hot was it? We're doing Feb 2 but I don't know if it's much cooler then. Thanks

Oh this is my predicament also. I booked Joy 2/2020 12 day partial canal.

I had originally booked a Haven aft penthouse. Now my sister and hubby are joining us

They want to be in the Haven and they took a 2 bedroom for the two of them,

and there was one H2 Owners that I grabbed.

Will I be sorry? It's a lot of money.

Do any of the Owners Suite in the Haven get offered free laundry? We're in a H2

Review Continued

Disembarkation. It was chilly in Miami - boo! Disembarkation was the typical madness, perhaps a little better than usual. The buffet was busy for breakfast - I like going to the dining room for the last breakfast but we didn’t do that this time. We had put our big bags out the night before and just had carryons. We chose the walk-off disembarkation and stood outside on deck for a bit. Found our luggage easily and went through customs very fast. We waited for our pre-arranged transfer to the airport ($10.00 per person) for a while. Uber XL was expensive I thought, $40.00.

All in all, this was one of the best cruises I’ve taken. I really enjoyed writing this (long!) review and will do more. I realized I should have taken more pictures and taken names of the great staff members I met. Thank you everyone for you kind comments too!

Next up this summer:

NCL Star - Venice, Greece, Croatia and Montenegro! We are going with another couple and my friend takes lots of pictures so I’ll be covered. This is my first trip to the other side of the world! We are staying in Venice two nights pre-cruise and have excursions purchased for each port so it will be a busy cruise.

NCL Dawn - Bermuda - This will be my 4th trip on the Dawn to Bermuda. I absolutely LOVE this cruise. I will see it with new eyes as I’m going with six cruise newbies. Will I survive the cruise with a drink package with my adult kids, their friends and my Mom? That’s the big question. We have lots of plans such as “alter ego” night: dressing up as someone else; dancing every night, a slot pull, a scavenger hunt and checking out that pirate ship at the dock. And, we will go to Horseshoe Bay!!! Yay! I love Bermuda!

Are you doing Star this summer? I read your panama cause i just booked it on the Joy for Feb 2020, and i booked Star Venice-Greece May 2019. I got an H2 front owners on Joy, and a front owners on Star, but thats why i book so far out. LOL Plus I have to save, save save $$ up

I just booked an H2 on a 13 day cruise. Price is crazy high. In the old days, if cabins weren't taken, they were lowered. So do I understand that instead of lowering prices that people can see, they are doing behind the scenes bidding? Is that so Haven prices aren't discounted publicly? So I guess I'll never get this cabin for a lower price, correct?

An H2 came up and I put a deposit down. I just have to work on rationalizing the cost but I have 18 months to do that. It's the Panama Canal and I keep telling myself wouldn't it be nice to see it up front. I'll have to start brown bagging it to work now. LOL

We were in an aft balcony on the Bliss on deck 11 through the Panama Canal and we were not bothered at all from Spice H20. We were bothered a little by the soot on the railing.

 

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We are booking this for a 13 day transcanal. Would you have booked something else looking back? The only other cabin I'd be happy with is the H2 but $25k???? I have deck 12, but deck 9 has a bigger balcony. Was a higher deck an advantage? Appreciate any info. Thanks

When I try to pull up it works ... I don't know why it doesn't for you. The other thing I might suggest is go to facebook and try to pull up photos on my page "Marlon Hanson" or my wife's page "Kristin Barclay" and see if either comes up ... Hopefully, you won't have a problem

Got it. Great pics. Thank you very much

This is what you have under you.

 

 

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Yes I saw that, but the picture you posted of the aft of ship looked like it had tables out there. Perhaps just a reflection?

H6 staterooms are all the same overall size but the bedroom/master bathroom configuration can be either A or B.

 

The living-room/small bathroom is the same for all other than mirror image between port and starboard.

 

Configuration A has the master bedroom (larger) near the balcony and a 2nd access door to the balcony.

Configuration B has the master bathroom (larger) near the balcony but no 2nd access door to the balcony.

 

On Escape, Joy, Bliss and Encore, Configuration A is all H6 decks other than decks 11 and 14.

On Escape, Joy, Bliss and Encore, Configuration B is on decks 11 and 14.

Hope you don't mind one more question. If I considered the bigger balcony on deck 9, what is on deck 8 at the very aft of the ship right below? Is there outside eating right below the cabin? Is that part of Cagney's that is open for breakfast? I love the idea of the biggest balcony, but we also like a quiet cabin :)

Balcony is 248 sq ft ... larger than on any other deck ...

yes i heard it has the largest, and i'm thinking of switching from 12. right now everyone is open cause i'm looking at 2020

picture didn't work, would you mind emailing? benz601 at aol dot com thanks

We did 9 and had no noise or problems whatsoever. And Naveen is the BEST butler we have ever had and he serves that cabin.

do you by any chance have a picture of your balcony?

The deepest ones are 9 then 12.

 

 

 

 

None have an actual side balcony but you can look and see around the corner....

 

Bliss, Joy, and Encore match Escape in H6 size and configuration.

Thank you, I think I'm going with 12 cause it might be noisy above 8. Do you think that is a good idea?

Anyone know which is the best deck to book one? Nicest/deepest balcony?

I see some have side balconies, not sure that is important when you have such a great view from the aft corner.

I think they go from 9-15?

Thank you so much in advance.

Listed square footage numbers are rarely accurate.

I prefer to go by pictures or videos from multiple angles when possible.

 

Here's deck 12, for example...

 

 

...it is smaller than deck 12 H6 on Breakaway/Getaway but is still a good size. There are 2 loungers over there but you have to look at the reflection to see the other one. The door from the bedroom is there but it's not pictured.

We are looking to book on the Joy which I believe will be like Bliss and a Penthouse aft. The agent was telling me each one had a differenet size balcony but the same size cabin. Is this true? She said 9 had biggest balcony and then 12. We are thinking of 12. They are all open right now. Which do you think is the best balcony to have? I was wondering if 9 was too low. Thanks so much

I was on the 5/24-6/3 10 day med on the Star. This was my first NCL cruise and first Mediterranean cruise. My opinion on this topic may not be very popular, but it is just my opinion. I view this itinerary as a more port intensive cultural cruise and therefore feel like the experiences to be had on this type of cruise are lost on small children. They are less likely to appreciate all of the historical sites and more likely be stressed out on all of the long days of touring in very busy, tourist populated ports of call. I did make note that I did not see many children during our stay. In speaking with one of the kids club staff members that we bumped into while in Monte Carlo, I was surprised to hear that there were 95 children on the ship, though she only had 5 in the kids club. I think they must define children as anyone under 18. In any event, I thoroughly enjoyed our experience and think that this type of Freestyle cruising is perfect for a port intensive cruise like this. Unlike previous cruises that we have taken, we felt no pressure to get back to the ship in order to make a specific dinner seating so we were able to make the most of our times in port.

Hi. We are going to be on Star almost the same dates as you next year, 5/24-6/2 Our cruise is Venice to Greece. If you did any of those ports, I was wondering how the temps were. We once cruised in July and it was way too hot. Thank you

Just got off the Star yesterday in Venice. First time on the ship, so don't know what changed, but there are no slides anywhere, just the pool. Spice H2O I think is in the back with seats, it's covered and with large screen TVs, showing World Cup.

 

You can tell the carpet in some general areas were new, other areas and in the rooms (we had a mini-suite) we not.

 

Overall, liked the Star (and I hated the Epic due to room config). Debarkation was nutty, as they did not mention walkoffs, but there were mass lines to walk off the ship with your luggage (deck 7). We just walked off deck 4 after they let the first group go (yellow 8am)and our bags, green 1 was 2nd, were ready (8:05am). Off the ship in 15 minutes :)

 

Croatia was cancelled due to high wind, but other than that, had amazing time and would cruise again on the Star if the ports lined up to what we wanted.

Hi Grillfish. We are booked on a 9 night VCE Adriatic leaving next May 24-June 2nd. Wondering how the weather was when you were there in June? Thanks you

Hi, thanks for the replies. Itinerary is fairly important, we are not stay on the ship while in port people. We have not been to Tortola or Great Stirrup Cay, which is why Epic and the itinerary looked good. We were thinking about the Escape because of the Bermuda itinerary. We have never been.

 

We actually have been on the Jade for the Venice/Greece itinerary. Absolutely loved the size of the Jewel class and the OS with 2 balconies. We wanted to try one of the larger ships and the larger Haven that goes with it. This trip is for our 20th anniversary, no kids. [emoji3]

 

 

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I just booked Venice/Greece on Star OS with two balconies. Were you on 9 or 10? I could only get 9 but wondering if 10 is better and I should keep my eye open? Sorry to go off topic.

Two quick questions. Can you upgrade the drink liquor package in the take 5? Or can you pay the difference on a particular drink if it's above $13

Does water come with a suite or do I need a separate package for that too?

AFAIK it only shows the time when you look at your booked cruise

 

I could be wrong

That would make sense. I just booked and don't have a booking number yet so I can't log in. that is probably why i don't see the time. thanks