Transatlantic questions....???

[ToXS]

:confused: I'm a long time NCL cruiser, but it's been several years. I'm a 1st time TA passenger traveling on the STAR to Copenhagen. I have many questions...

 

What is the weather like in early May - what clothes to bring?

What's the cheapest way to do cell phone calls - are incoming calls free?

Is there WiFi & are there charges?

Is there a laundromat?

On our balcony (mid-ship/deck 10) will there be chairs? Is it true the balcony will be useless because the weather is so bad?

Is room service still at no charge?

Is it true one has to buy spa membership to have a quiet place with a chair, that there are so few places to sit quietly on the ship?

Does anyone above age 20 wear jeans - are they permitted in the dinning rooms?

 

I'll probably have even more questions tomorrow. Thank you to all my new and future CC friends with your wealth of knowledge and generous spirit!!

[TrumpyNor]

I will try to answer some of your questions - see my answers in red:

What is the weather like in early May - what clothes to bring? I once did a transatlantic cruise in April, and the weather/temperatures varied from "bikini-weather" to sweatshirts/light jacket. IMPORTANT: We were travelling with friend who had a balcony cabin on the starboard side and we had our balcony cabin on the portside, and THEY had sun on their balcony during most of the cruise and we didn't.... Usually a cruise ship goes in various directions, so everybody get the "sunny side" some days, but on a Transatlantic cruise the ship pretty much goes in one direction - and we did it from Miami to Europe as well....

What's the cheapest way to do cell phone calls - are incoming calls free? It all depends on your cell phone company - but usually when at sea or abroad you have to pay for incoming calls as well. And it could be expensive....

Is there WiFi & are there charges? Yes, you can purchase packages for wi-fi, but they are quite expensive and often the signals are kind of slow....

Is there a laundromat? No, but there is laundry service on board, and the prices are not too bad - and usually at least once during every NCL cruise they have a laundry-promotion, all you can fit in the laundrybag for $27,99.

On our balcony (mid-ship/deck 10) will there be chairs? Yes, all regular balcony cabins have 2 chairs and 1 table.

Is it true the balcony will be useless because the weather is so bad? No, that is not true - most balconies are protected from both wind and rain in case of bad weather, I have often sat outside on the balcony also in "bad" weather.

Is room service still at no charge? Yes - unless it is between midnight and 5.00 am, then there might be a small fee. And you have to pay for the pizza from room service - $5.00 for a large one.

Is it true one has to buy spa membership to have a quiet place with a chair, that there are so few places to sit quietly on the ship? It all depends on which ship - personally I always manage to find quiet spaces on board without any problems, both inside and outside. The larger the distance between you and the "crowd" the quieter it is. I actually once found the helicopter deck to be great for sunbathing, there were even a few sunbeds there and I was all by myself on a full cruise ship.

Does anyone above age 20 wear jeans - are they permitted in the dinning rooms? Yes and yes. We do that all the time - in any restaurant on board, and we are both in the 50ies. Nice jeans though - and with "nice" I don't mean expensive, I mean not "worn out".

 

I hope my answers have helped you a little bit. :)

Edited April 20, 2014 by TrumpyNOR

[chengkp75]

With regards to cell phone and wifi, especially during a TA where you are hundreds of miles from any cell tower, all service will go through the ship's cell provider, and charges for calls, text, data run around $2.95 a minute. Internet service, as on all ships, is piggybacked on the ship's official satellite bandwidth, so passengers get whatever bandwidth is left over, and this can lead to slow transfer times, dropped signals, and general frustration, unless you find the times when shipboard use is slow (like midnite to 5am).

[garycarla]

I will answer some:

 

- Phone calls are $2.49 per minute, in and out.

- Text are less

- Any "plans" you might have do not work at sea

- Internet via wifi is$.40 to $.75 per minute depending on how many minutes you buy. Same on phone, notebook, your computer or their computer.

 

- none of the ships have a laundromat

 

- almost all of your questions apply to most ships, regular cruise or transatlantic

 

 

Suggestion - most of these questions and many more are answered in various posts here. For more information, I might suggest scrolling down through posts form the past week or so.

[Us2inFL]

Epic TA for April 2013, Miami to Barcelona.

 

Weather - downright awful. Rain, wind, dreary, outside areas were unusable for seven straight days.

[Turtles06]

Weather is totally unpredictable, as are the seas.

 

On our eastbound TA two years ago (late April -early May) from Miami to Southampton on the Eclipse, we had some rain, some sun, warm days, cool days. I was able to wear shorts pretty much all the time on our sea days, and we did not let the rain stop the fun. In fact, one day, we were out in a hot tub in the pouring rain, thinking -- isn't this fantastic, we are in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!

 

The best advice in terms of clothing for a trip like this is layers.

 

You might also want to check a web site for average temps in Copenhagen for May.

 

Pace yourself -- losing an hour doesn't sound like much, but it can be a bit tiring when it's nearly every day for a week, particularly if you eat dinner late.

 

Have a great time; TAs are wonderful! We'll be doing our third in November. (Wish I were getting on one right now!!)

[FireEater]

Found this online:

 

http://www.ncl.com/about/staying-connected-sea-cellular-phone-service-texting

 

My buddy used Verizon onboard a few months ago with a plan just for data. $25 for 100mb. He never did a voice call. Just went on line or checked his emails.

 

http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms/global/plans-and-pricing.html

 

Not sure who you have for a company, but hope the above helps some what....

Edited April 20, 2014 by FireEater

[Markanddonna]

Hi,

 

Be sure to sign up for the roll call and you might have more of your questions answered there. I am anticipating the weather to be "April in Ohio" weather, so am preparing for that scenario. I will be taking just one pair of capri for the Miami and close by Miami travel days. I did a Mediterranean TA last year in late Oct-early Nov and found it rather dreary and the balcony was not worth it, although many will disagree. A sunny day makes a port balcony worth it on our east bound TA. My hair frizzes up and so a cool ocean spray isn't my thing.

 

I am expecting weather in the 60's at best in England, Helsingborg and Copenhagen, so jeans will be my typical pants. I'm bringing a weather resistant jacket to be worn on potentially cool/rainy days. I plan on wearing darker/nicer jeans to dinner occasionally and I'm a typical TAer (over 60). You wouldn't believe what some people wear lately onboard, so don't fret over not dressing up. We are spending time on the continent, so are packing rather light.

 

The cell phone thing is tricky depending on which carrier you have. We switched to T-Mobile one reason being that you can text for free from Europe- but not the ship! I think texts are relatively inexpensive and I am just giving my family the ship's emergency number (a call is about $7.95 a minute, but it rarely happens). I'll text them in port. We typically don't communicate every day anyway and what would you do in the middle of the Atlantic in an emergency?

 

I've learned to use the ship's laundry service for almost all items you can see, but wash our delicates myself. If you can afford to cruise, you can afford the laundry service, IMHO.

 

The cost of the spa is extra and since I'm not a swimmer, I likely won't be bringing a swimsuit this time- just workout clothes. One recommendation is to bring a small amount of "pharmacy items" as you might not find the equivalent onboard or even in Europe. We took a bottle of acetaminophen to a pharmacy in Spain and they couldn't figure out an equivalent...really???!!!

 

The best time to use the internet is very late or early in the morning. The connections take you back to early computer days. I don't think I will use the internet on the ship at all. Wasn't worth it because you have to sort through all the silly emails to get to a possible important one.

 

I'm also going to use the ATM's at the port except for one where I have to hit the ground running. I had an experience right before a holiday where the ATM's were not functional in the first two locations. Not typical, but that was my experience.

 

Think through every article of clothing and if in doubt, leave it at home. Save some room for souvenirs.

 

See you onboard.

[FreestyleNovice]

Hi,

One recommendation is to bring a small amount of "pharmacy items" as you might not find the equivalent onboard or even in Europe. We took a bottle of acetaminophen to a pharmacy in Spain and they couldn't figure out an equivalent...really???!!!

 

I never heard of acetaminophen in Europe untill I just Googled it.. paracetamol!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol

 

"Paracetamol is the International Nonproprietary Name (INN), Australian Approved Name (AAN) and British Approved Name (BAN), while acetaminophen is the United States Adopted Name (USAN) and Japanese Adopted Name (JAN)."

 

Widely sold over the counter in many European countries, not just pharmacies but also at groceries and supermarkets. We are quite modern over here!

[NMLady]

:confused: I'm a long time NCL cruiser, but it's been several years. I'm a 1st time TA passenger traveling on the STAR to Copenhagen. I have many questions...

 

...

Is it true one has to buy spa membership to have a quiet place with a chair, that there are so few places to sit quietly on the ship?

...

Thank you to all my new and future CC friends with your wealth of knowledge and generous spirit!!

 

Your other questions have all been answered so I'll answer your reading question.

The library is quiet and comfortable but no windows.

The window seats on deck 6 are fairly quiet but people walk by and I didn't think the seating was comfortable.

I often read in Gatsby's Lounge on deck 6 during the day.

My favorite place to read was the 'mezzanine' area just steps down from Blue Lagoon. It was quiet and comfortable.

[Markanddonna]

I never heard of acetaminophen in Europe untill I just Googled it.. paracetamol!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol

 

"Paracetamol is the International Nonproprietary Name (INN), Australian Approved Name (AAN) and British Approved Name (BAN), while acetaminophen is the United States Adopted Name (USAN) and Japanese Adopted Name (JAN)."

 

Widely sold over the counter in many European countries, not just pharmacies but also at groceries and supermarkets. We are quite modern over here!

 

Thanks so much for your advice. I think I will google some of our frequent meds to get the international name. Now, I wonder why the pharmacist who seemed helpful didn't look it up or know about it. We still think bringing our little bag of meds is a good idea esp. for that long stretch of sea days and who wants to spend their port time looking for simple meds.

[Turtles06]

We still think bringing our little bag of meds is a good idea esp. for that long stretch of sea days and who wants to spend their port time looking for simple meds.

 

I totally agree. I always travel with basic meds (things like headache meds, Alka Seltzer, a small first aid kit, etc.); if you need them, you don't want to be trying to buy them somewhere. And for a trip like a TA where you won't even be on land for many days, it's good to have this stuff along. I'm kind of a traveling pharmacy. :)

[NMLady]

I totally agree. I always travel with basic meds (things like headache meds, Alka Seltzer, a small first aid kit, etc.); if you need them, you don't want to be trying to buy them somewhere. And for a trip like a TA where you won't even be on land for many days, it's good to have this stuff along. I'm kind of a traveling pharmacy. :)

 

We take long cruises so I do that too, including antibiotic cream like Bacitracin, anti-itch cream, cough syrup, cold pills, Imodium. And, because I frequently get bronchitis I also bring antibiotics for that.

[FreestyleNovice]

Thanks so much for your advice. I think I will google some of our frequent meds to get the international name. Now, I wonder why the pharmacist who seemed helpful didn't look it up or know about it. We still think bringing our little bag of meds is a good idea esp. for that long stretch of sea days and who wants to spend their port time looking for simple meds.

 

Totally agree, only wanted to clarify the wrongful assumption about the meds for lurkers/other posters for future convience. Happy cruising!

[fishywood]

I was on this same TA last year, though we disembarked early in Dover.

 

No guarantee you will see the same weather this year, but the issue was not the temperature but the wind. It was never cold enough to cancel the poolside BBQ lunch every afternoon...but it was quite comical chasing after the blowing plates and napkins. The sun did peek out a few times and the loungers on the terraced deck facing the pool would fill up. The temperature did significantly drop once we entered the English Channel; it was barely 40F the morning upon arrival in Dover, but a fine spring afternoon in London.

 

So if you don't mind a bit of a stiff breeze you should be able to use your balcony, or curl up with a book in the area of the Bier Garten and the adults-only deck area forward of it. As for a quiet area inside, the Library and the seating pods near Blue Lagoon were packed shoulder to shoulder from dawn 'til dinner time every sea day. (And the Star is planned to have the Blue Lagoon and Moderno areas on deck 8 replaced by O'Sheehan's, though I gather not in the next month).

Edited April 22, 2014 by fishywood

[Markanddonna]

We ask our doctor for a basic antibiotic when we go to Europe. My DH has COPD and has caught the upper respiratory thing that goes around twice now. You might want to ask your doctor about this.

[digitaldan1]

Very helpful info! thanks!

[Markanddonna]

Hey,

 

How did you enjoy the cruise? I was on the TA and enjoyed it very much. Our fellow passengers were wonderful to meet and the weather was great. I thought the crew was friendly and efficient. I will write a comprehensive review as the Star itself has a few issues, but overall it was a great experience.

[Ians Grandma]

I was on the TA but I didn't care for that cruise. in my opinion, the ship felt crowded, the food wasn't very good, and my forward cabin was extremely noisy.. I also thought that the buffet area was unpleasant and that the thermal spa wasn't worth the money. Now, I sound like a grouch :-) On the positive, good crew and good port stops.

[Markanddonna]

Your point about the crowded ship is right on. That was the fault of NCL turning a few desirable public spaces into penthouses and high priced suites and private restaurants. There is nothing the crew can do to fix that. I would only choose the Star again if I had no other options. I think the PEOPLE made this cruise a very memorable one for me in the most positive way possible.

[meatball_nyc]

Your point about the crowded ship is right on. That was the fault of NCL turning a few desirable public spaces into penthouses and high priced suites and private restaurants. There is nothing the crew can do to fix that. I would only choose the Star again if I had no other options. I think the PEOPLE made this cruise a very memorable one for me in the most positive way possible.

 

 

Haven't been on NCL yet, but I have to agree with this statement 100%.

Been reading these boards extensively for over a year to do my research and have learned so much.

Hope to be able to do a TA once in my life.

Thanks to all for their input.

Happy Sailing!

 

 

~Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

[bespin]

I was on the TA but I didn't care for that cruise. in my opinion, the ship felt crowded, the food wasn't very good...On the positive, good crew and good port stops.

I agree - this was our first NCL cruise, and we were not impressed with the food at all. The seats on the main floor of the theater were extremely uncomfortable. During the few days of rain at sea, there weren't many comfortable seating options inside.

 

There are obviously improvements being made (new carpeting was installed during the cruise, and pools were painted), and certainly the crew/staff were exemplary, but I'm not sure we'd choose NCL again, regardless of the ship.

[bobg529]

I just returned from a TA aboard the QM2 on May 16th. We set sail from Southampton on May 9th and temps were in the 50's to 60's. The winds were stiff. For the first two days of the crossing we had gale force winds, force 8, and it was very rough. There were some passengers who were NOT enjoying the ride if you know what I mean, although I will admit I thought it was fun. :rolleyes: The decks were closed for safety reasons and there was really no way you would have wanted to sit on your balcony. You couldn't even walk outside without holding the handrail the whole time. (I snuck out at one point to see what it was like, very unwise! :eek:). The QM2 is the most stable ship at sea and even she rocked, but she is built for trips like this so the captain just sailed right into the wind and be damned!:D. I doubt if the Star would do that. They would probably do all they could to avoid it. For the entire sailing, even though the winds were high at times and the seas rough, the sky was clear, a beautiful blue, and quite sunny.

 

By the third day the winds started to diminish and the seas smoothed out. The last full day at sea was like glass and people were able to actually lie out by the pool and take in the sun. My advice is to dress in layers. Have both polo shirts and long sleeve, some kind of fleece pullover, and a water proof windbreaker with a hood. Please don't be frightened by my weather report. A transatlantic voyage is one of the most wonderful things you can do. Enjoy the experience and you will have a great time!:)