sail_ORN

3 minutes ago, stefmaia said:

 

On the other hand, I have sailed both ships and they are both fantastic. I have a soft spot for the Escape because it has the District Brewhouse, Howl at the Moon and I have met some wonderful people on board.

Yes, Howl at the Moon is a favorite!

I’ve narrowed down my choices for a New Year’s Eve cruise. The Escape is sailing from Port Canaveral on December 30. The Encore is sailing from Miami on December 31. Both trips are 7 nights , but different ports in the Caribbean. Which of the two would you prefer, and why? 

On 12/9/2022 at 1:44 AM, BirdTravels said:

Good night

Hey Bird, Thanks for this report! I was on this sailing too. My friend and I each had a BA balcony, and neither of us got any towel animals. We even had a conversation about it, and decided they must not do the folding anymore. So, did you get these critters on this trip? 

You take beautiful photos! I’m booked on the Prima this December. Thanks for sharing!

It looks like the Prima is going to have several wow factors. I know I’m really looking forward to my December cruise! 

I’m solo on the NCL Prima out of Miami Dec 3 this year. And also booked on her sister, the Viva out of PR over New Year’s next year. I’m excited to be on the brand new ships. One of my favorite cruises ever was solo for New Year. The party atmosphere was over the top, and I met amazing people. The Prima will be my first cruise since Covid. It’s been too long !!

Yes you have a choice. Yes they will accommodate special requests. Iced tea is included. The only drinks with an up charge are alcoholic, or soda. 

I’ve been on a few hosted cruises in the “before times”.(before 2020)  Wondering if they’re as popular now as they were? Specifically looking at Halloween, since that seemed to be the largest turnout. 

With all the uncertainties, I’m not even booked on a cruise until late 2022. I’m more afraid of being quarantined in my cabin than getting sick, 🤷🏼‍♀️ My preference is staying in studios, and can’t imagine not being allowed to leave for days on end. It would be tolerable with a balcony, at least you could see the water and sky. But staring at four walls, would make it like a prison. 

On 7/10/2021 at 2:56 PM, MorganClark said:

 

Yaay! Smaller studio cabins....just what we need. Thanks NCL 🤪.

Right?? If it weren’t for the Lounge, I wouldn’t book a studio. But I’ve met some fun people, and really like the daily meetings. 

We were on the Getaway in January 2020, when nobody knew what Covid was, but we kinda knew there was something going on. All of a sudden, half way through the trip, everything was different. They were directing traffic at the buffet, and handed out plates. Hand sanitizer was practically mandatory. Staff were dishing out all the food, there was nothing self service. And yes, they had plenty of staff to cover all the lines.  If food was already in an individual bowl, someone  handed out the bowls. Not even the drinks were self serve.  The coffee stations were probably the biggest bottlenecks, especially at breakfast…folks need their caffeine! Not that I myself contributed to any bottlenecks. But good lord, three ounces of coffee in the mornings won’t even get me out of bed. Two “cups” is kinda an okay start, but I will return very soon for more lol.

Hosted singles cruises are broken down into age groups or decades, for the most part. IE 20s and 30s, over 50, whatever. One exception being the Halloween cruise, where they have a huge costume party. There are numerous get-togethers, and group excursions. Google singles cruise. I booked my first cruise with a singles group. It was great for getting my feet wet.

 If you book with a group on the larger ships, the entire ship probably won’t just be your group. The hosts contract with the ship for a certain number of cabins. Also, you’re not required to stay with the group.
 

As for a kid-free cruise? My experience has been that most kids are thrilled to be independent, and would rather go to their kids clubs for the day than hang out with their family 😁. So you might see them here and there, but likely not all day long. 

I disagree about taking a shorter cruise. At least in the US, they have the reputation of being a booze cruise. Many people sailing because of the free drinks package. Not my idea of fun, watching a bunch of drunks on the pool deck 😎 
 

On 8/9/2020 at 3:01 PM, Outerdog said:

 

Stupid doctors. What do they know...

You think there’s no stupid doctors? 

I’m with Njkrewzer on this. No concern at all about catching the virus. But, being quarantined on a ship, basically locked in my cabin,for days unending,  is absolutely not on my bucket list! It might sound okay at first, but seriously? It’s not like you’d be going to the bars or shows or the pool or whatever. You are in your cabin!  Not to mention, a month or more out of work, my BTO would be depleted. I suppose FMLA would protect my job, but still. I’m disappointed in NCL, but not very surprised.

Utter surprise from a woman traveling with her friend. Then she said "I wish I was brave enough to do that!" I'm still trying to figure out if that was a compliment, because she had such a horrified look on her face. 

I’ve had good experiences with Resort for aDay. Enjoyed having all-inclusive amenities, beach and pool time, then returning to the ship.  

But I guess it would depend on what kind of activity you’re looking for, and what’s your definition of “worth it”?

I usually enjoy most every part of a cruise. After all, a bad day on vacation is almost always better than a good day at work 😎

I'm a former smoker, so I understand the mindset of a smoker. There's not a whole lot better than a good cup of coffee and a cigarette. I didn't quit for years, because I thought I wouldn't be able to ever drink a beer again. lol 

So, if I were still a smoker, heck yes I'd pay more to be able to smoke in peace while on a cruise. But, as a former, I'm glad they don't offer the option. 

And yes, we all know the cruise lines don't care about any individual's opinions. But, if we can't talk about it, what's the point of having a message board? 🙄

Thanks for this review. I had this cruise booked this past summer, but ended up canceling. My biggest regret was missing out on St. Petersburg. Which port did you enjoy most?

Problem solved...we cut off the lock. 

I'm certain I have the right bag. ID was on outside and inside. I had a bright neon green "belt" around a basic black bag. I live in NC, and didn't notice the lock until I was unpacking the day after I got off the ship, so no going back to Miami to get the lock off. I don't lock my suitcases. I've read many times that if someone wants to get in your bag badly enough, they will find a way. 

As for random searches, my room mate's bag was also searched. TSA left a note. ✈️

I was surprised how easy it was to clear customs. They barely looked at the passports, and didn't even ask any questions. 

💙

An open question to anyone who disembarked the NCL Getaway in Miami yesterday, 12-16; Are you missing a lock from your suitcase? I just might have it! If you post the combination, I will try it. If it opens and I can get it off MY bag, I will gladly send it to you!

Seriously. How the heck am I gonna get this thing off my bag?? How am I gonna do laundry?? 

I was notified today that my bid was accepted.

Sailing on the Getaway from Miami this Sunday, December 9. We were upgraded from an inside cabin to a balcony.

Just  yesterday(12-2) I increased my bid for a balcony from $55 to $65.  It was definitely in the "poor" range. I also bid on an Ocean View at $45. 

There was an option to bid on a Spa Balcony, but I didn't even place a bid there.

We are thrilled with what we got!

Sorry your trip was so bad! I would have been upset, also.

Note to self...Never cruise from Florida during March.

Following. I love the Epic. I probably enjoy the solo cabins even more than the Balconies. Yes, weird, I know.

My husband and I love Jamaica, on our first trip there 7 years ago we met a small boy who was doing flips for tips, our son who was 15 at the time asked him why he needed the money, and he replied that he wanted some new shoes. Our son took his off and gave them to him, with a piece of paper with our email address on it. The two boys have stayed in contact ever since. That young boy even stayed with us while attending college, we have helped him and his family many times and every time we go back to the island his family embraces us and we hang out with them for the day.

Thanks for sharing this heartwarming story! I'm sure you're very proud of your son :-) Karma isn't always bad, as you've experienced first hand.

I was on a tour with Courtney Taylor last week. We had a relatively large group, and paid $35 each. It included admission to Blue Hole, but food and drinks were on us.

They drove up Fern Gully, which was gorgeous. I would have liked to stop there and maybe do some walking or hiking through the rain forest, but wouldn't consider it without a guide.

We had Jamaican patties (yum!), and stopped at a few places to shop.

Also did Scotchies for lunch...get the ribs if they're available!

If you're offended by the cannabis culture, let them know, and they'll refrain from bringing it up. On the other hand, if you'd like education about the Jamaican laws, etc, I'm sure they could get the info for you.

Courtney was polite, professional and friendly. And Kimaya, the tour guide, was bubbly, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable about Jamaican culture.

I wouldn't hesitate to use their services again