Couple of questions about NCL

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Just as I was ready to disregard NCL because they serve Pepsi products, which I don't like at all, I priced them once again before booking another Carnival cruise. They are almost identical in price to the two Carnival cruises I'm looking at, but includes the Ultimate Beverage Package. Since I've never cruised with them before I have a couple of questions.

 

I would be booking now for summer of 2016. If I understand correctly, if rates go down I would be able to cancel before final payment (is that 90 days before sailing?) and rebook at the better rate, but losing any perks (UBP) I currently have. Is this correct? Would I incur any penalties if we cancel?

 

We are looking at the Getaway. Is this a newer ship? A nice ship? Would our room have a refrigerator? If so, would my cabin steward remove their products so I could keep my Diet Cokes in there? Is it cold? I ask because Carnivals aren't but they serve Coke products so we don't need it.

 

We will be taking our 18 year old son. Do they have anything planned for the 18-20 age group?

 

This is only apx. $150 more than the Carnival Valor, both balcony rooms. I know the Valor is an older ship, but the port is a few hours closer to home, I know what I'm getting with Carnival and they have Coke products. On the other hand, it would be nice to have a glass of wine or frozen cocktail whenever I want without worrying about a growing bar tab. Oh and we always buy the soda package on Carnival which will make the costs nearly the same.

 

We are also looking at the Carnival Dream, which has 3 of the same ports but with an extra sea day instead of Costa Maya which I would like to do.

[Sand and Seas]

 

We are looking at the Getaway. Is this a newer ship? A nice ship? Would our room have a refrigerator? If so, would my cabin steward remove their products so I could keep my Diet Cokes in there? Is it cold? I ask because Carnivals aren't but they serve Coke products so we don't need it.

 

We will be taking our 18 year old son. Do they have anything planned for the 18-20 age group?

 

 

 

I'll just answer a couple of these and let others with more knowledge fill you in on other questions. The Getaway is a beautiful new ship with lots of free entertainment and food options. We were on her last year and have booked two more cruises on her in the upcoming year. Yes, you an have your steward empty the refrigerator so you can bring your Diet Cokes (like I do!)

 

I think your son would love this ship over a mid-size or small ship. It has multiple water slides that rival some water-parks, including two that drop out beneath you for a very exciting ride. Also has a rock climbing wall, basketball court, ropes course, etc. It also has plenty of good complimentary food venues that do not require him to dress up. With freestyle cruising you can go almost anywhere without shirt & tie....which is something my sons like.

[rvsullivan]

They don't have an 18-20 group on board. Kids club cuts off at 17. 18 year olds are part of the adult group on the ship and can't mix with the kids.

I thought the other day you were talking about not thinking NCL was for you and Coke was the final deal breaker for you? I know things change but many times if you are not comfortable with the cruise line to begin with, it doesn't work out.

The cabin steward will empty your fridge for you. If all three of you (you didn't say, but I assumed three) are in one cabin, you will get two UBP packages and your son will get the soda package free.

[maywell]

There's always bring your own soda case(s) since NCL doesn't restrict the amount one can take.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

The Getaway is a beautiful new ship with lots of free entertainment and food options. We were on her last year and have booked two more cruises on her in the upcoming year.

 

I thought it might be much nicer than the Valor. Do you have any pictures?

 

Yes, you an have your steward empty the refrigerator so you can bring your Diet Cokes (like I do!)

 

Nice! Is it cold? We tried this once on Carnival and it wasn't cold enough to drink them without ice.

 

I think your son would love this ship over a mid-size or small ship. It has multiple water slides that rival some water-parks, including two that drop out beneath you for a very exciting ride. Also has a rock climbing wall, basketball court, ropes course, etc. It also has plenty of good complimentary food venues that do not require him to dress up. With freestyle cruising you can go almost anywhere without shirt & tie....which is something my sons like.

 

Our son is more intellectual than athletic so he wouldn't do any of the typical fun stuff most boys his age would enjoy. He does like to eat and hates to dress up though!

 

Thank you!

[NCteacherlovescruising]

They don't have an 18-20 group on board. Kids club cuts off at 17. 18 year olds are part of the adult group on the ship and can't mix with the kids.

 

I knew they couldn't mix with the kids, but some of the cruise lines have a little something planned to get that age group together. I believe they are informal, more of just a chance for them to meet. He always loved the kids club and can't go anymore, yet he can't drink either.

 

I thought the other day you were talking about not thinking NCL was for you and Coke was the final deal breaker for you? I know things change but many times if you are not comfortable with the cruise line to begin with, it doesn't work out.

 

Yes, I did say that. Everything changed once we found out our son wants to come next time~ ships, itinerary, everything. (This year he opted not to join us.) Besides, now I will have a big, strong son young man to carry on my Diet Cokes for me. ;) Yes, I'm sure he will roll them on but I didn't want to deal with another carry on. I also started wondering how much soda I would be drinking if I can drink all the alcohol I want... I'm sure I will opt for wine at dinner. Can you get orange juice for breakfast?

 

The cabin steward will empty your fridge for you. If all three of you (you didn't say, but I assumed three) are in one cabin, you will get two UBP packages and your son will get the soda package free.

 

That's a plus! Yes, there will be 3. He's too young to drink so that's exactly what we would need. He's not picky like me. I'm sure they will have some type of soda he would drink.

 

 

Thank you!

[20YearsBetweenCruises]

Bring your coke with you. The fridge is cold, but if you like it really cold bring a small collapsable cooler. Then ask the room stewart to keep it filled with ice. When we did this we also gave the room stewart an extra tip for this service.

 

 

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[NCteacherlovescruising]

It is pop.

This CANNOT be a deal breaker.

It's pop.

How could this effect your life for a week?

 

How it could effect my life is major caffeine withdraw if I didn't take my own soda. I am highly addicted, drinking at least 8 cans per day. I don't drink coffee so it's my only way to get my caffeine fix. Of course I can bring my own. We did it once on Carnival and it was a pain to carry them on and then our frig wasn't cold so they didn't taste good. However, I think I've decided we can deal with carrying them on because it seems like too good of a deal to pass up. Now to convince my husband, because he doesn't like Pepsi either... It's just so convenient to get soda wherever you are at the moment. Then again, how much soda will I drink when I could have a nice cocktail or glass of wine instead?

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Bring your coke with you. The fridge is cold, but if you like it really cold bring a small collapsable cooler. Then ask the room stewart to keep it filled with ice. When we did this we also gave the room stewart an extra tip for this service.

 

 

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We would. I just read somewhere we can check it in. Is that correct? Carnival makes you carry them on yourself and it's quite a pain to drag them around until your room is ready.

[Sand and Seas]

How it could effect my life is major caffeine withdraw if I didn't take my own soda. I am highly addicted, drinking at least 8 cans per day. I don't drink coffee so it's my only way to get my caffeine fix. Of course I can bring my own. We did it once on Carnival and it was a pain to carry them on and then our frig wasn't cold so they didn't taste good. However, I think I've decided we can deal with carrying them on because it seems like too good of a deal to pass up. Now to convince my husband, because he doesn't like Pepsi either... It's just so convenient to get soda wherever you are at the moment. Then again, how much soda will I drink when I could have a nice cocktail or glass of wine instead?

 

I know what you mean about Diet Cokes! With the UBP I now get by with carrying 6 single Cokes on board for the room. The rest of the day I'm enjoying the UBP:cool:

[NJsharon]

Ummm yeah it's soda & if you are drinking more than 2 cans a day. Well going to bite my tongue on that.

 

Really though, bring your own soda & check it in. All you need to do is slap a luggage tag on it & check it in. It will be delivered to your cabin. No need to schlep it around. We did it with waters when we cruised a few weeks back.

[jjikids]

You can rebook at lower rate if it goes down. You would get the perks that are current. There is no cancellation charge. The only issue is the same cabin might not be available while the booking is cancelled and rebooked. Most of the time there is no problem with that.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

I know what you mean about Diet Cokes! With the UBP I now get by with carrying 6 single Cokes on board for the room. The rest of the day I'm enjoying the UBP:cool:

 

I think I'd need at least 2-3 a day to avoid getting headaches. Of course, I could try to cut way back between now and then, but I just love my Diet Cokes. Believe it or not, I also drink a lot of water.

[20YearsBetweenCruises]

We would. I just read somewhere we can check it in. Is that correct? Carnival makes you carry them on yourself and it's quite a pain to drag them around until your room is ready.

 

 

Yes, that is correct. I just tapped a room tag to the 12 packs and they delivered them to our room.

 

 

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[kchiumento]

Actually on NCL your 18-20 year old can drink wine and beer. There is a form the parent has to fill out, but he can in open waters.

 

Also, New Orleans is a port that will not allow you to check your soda/bottled water/Gatorade. You have to carry it on in NOLA. Found that out the hard way.

 

I hope you enjoy NCL. We do.

[paulanddarnell]

We brought a duffle bag, put soda in it, and checked it. The steward told us we could just empty the fridge so we put it in the stuff in there in the ottoman. The fridge was somewhat cold, but the steward kept our ice bucket filled. We were happy! I drink Pepsi, but still brought my own because I need my first one pretty soon in the morning so I do not get my withdrawal headache.

[HazelSmrf]

I get it! I would choose a line that offered Coke products over Pepsi as well because I find Pepsi disgusting and Diet Cokes are my beverage of choice. BUT I absolutely adored my cruise on the Epic and so I'm booked on the Getaway next week. I've done the Valor too and it's a great ship, but I liked the extra live entertainment with NCL. You just can't compete with live music vs a DJ, or the Carnival shows vs the Norwegian shows. If soda is a deciding factor do not worry about it, carry on your coke and replenish in the ports, you will do FINE :) Also if you're like me, Diet Pepsi is doable when it's in a mixed drink.

[HazelSmrf]

If you're really mostly worried about the caffeine withdrawal, you know you can get caffeine pills too.

[SuiteTraveler]

I've sailed on Carnival and NCL and frankly, I prefer NCL. I prefer NCL for their better and more diverse specialty restaurants, better entertainment, more elaborate things to do on deck. Even if your son is not athletic he might enjoy the ropes course as that is a case of mind over matter. It's also fun just to watch others do these things. I'm sure your son would like the magic show and there is a great arcade, bowling and pool. There is so much to do on this ship, you can't do it all in a week and that makes it a terrific ship to vacation on. I also prefer the accommodations on NCL - they are more attractive than on Carnival. NCL changes decor of the cabins from ship to ship in many cases, so you can actually remember what ship you were on by how your cabin was decorated. Think of the Getaway as being kind of like a Las Vegas casino resort hotel. That is how the ship is styled and the layout is a great deal like that with the casino at the heart of the ship. I also like the spa - it's just wonderful. And it's great never having to dress up. I bring maxi dresses and sundresses and flip flops and wear these most of the time, when I'm not in a swimsuit.

[Barb Nahoumi]

I get it, as I need my coffee fix every day.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Actually on NCL your 18-20 year old can drink wine and beer. There is a form the parent has to fill out, but he can in open waters.

 

I hope you enjoy NCL. We do.

 

Is this true? 18-20 can buy beer and wine? Our son (will be 19 then) would love that! I told him someone said that on here and he said he wanted to go on this cruise then. lol

 

Thanks! It's a cruise, I'm sure we'll enjoy it! :D

[NCteacherlovescruising]

We brought a duffle bag, put soda in it, and checked it. The steward told us we could just empty the fridge so we put it in the stuff in there in the ottoman. The fridge was somewhat cold, but the steward kept our ice bucket filled. We were happy! I drink Pepsi, but still brought my own because I need my first one pretty soon in the morning so I do not get my withdrawal headache.

 

Perfect! Thank you!

[NCteacherlovescruising]

I get it! I would choose a line that offered Coke products over Pepsi as well because I find Pepsi disgusting and Diet Cokes are my beverage of choice. BUT I absolutely adored my cruise on the Epic and so I'm booked on the Getaway next week. I've done the Valor too and it's a great ship, but I liked the extra live entertainment with NCL. You just can't compete with live music vs a DJ, or the Carnival shows vs the Norwegian shows. If soda is a deciding factor do not worry about it, carry on your coke and replenish in the ports, you will do FINE :) Also if you're like me, Diet Pepsi is doable when it's in a mixed drink.

 

Yeah, I think some people took it all wrong. We couldn't make up our mind between various cruises so we let Pepsi kill the deal with NCL...all things being equal I'm going with Diet Coke. However, now it seems like the Getaway might be a bit nicer and a good experience so we are going to give it a try. I plan to book it tonight after work...dh is going to check out their website today first, but I don't expect him to find anything wrong because I've pretty much filled him in on it. Besides, I already told our son that he could buy beer and wine with our approval on NCL so he wants to try it too. That was his big reason why he didn't want to cruise with us this year (silly boy, now he's going to miss out on the Oasis!!), he didn't know what he would do as an 18 year old. He's always made friends in the kids club and felt like he would be alone. Hanging out by the pool with mom and dad all day is not his idea of fun! Having a couple beers with dad, on the other hand, sounds quite appealing to him. He does enjoy our shore excursions too. He's pretty good at speaking Spanish so he will really enjoy these ports!

[TATraveler]

Is this true? 18-20 can buy beer and wine? Our son (will be 19 then) would love that! I told him someone said that on here and he said he wanted to go on this cruise then. lol

 

Thanks! It's a cruise, I'm sure we'll enjoy it! :D

 

My understanding is that is true only in international waters. The parent has to sign permission and the child can buy beer/wine. If you're in US port, they have to be 21. See this link on the NCL site.

 

With your drink preferences, you may want to consider choosing one of the other options rather than UBP, possibly the UDP or the prepaid gratuities for the first two. I don't know. It may end up being a wash over doing UBP and bringing your own soda???

 

Regarding the soda consumption, I worry about your osteoporosis risk. Your body uses calcium from your bones to balance the acid you ingest. The pop is a huge acid load. Get confirmation from your doctor, but you might consider using this trip as an opportunity to cut back. Give yourself a ration of sodas to stave off the headache and try and find alternatives to the 8 sodas a day. Saying because I care, not because I judge. We all have our vices.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

My understanding is that is true only in international waters. The parent has to sign permission and the child can buy beer/wine. If you're in US port, they have to be 21. See this link on the NCL site.

 

Thanks for the link! I read it and it sounds like he will be able to drink beer and wine with our written consent while at sea.

 

With your drink preferences, you may want to consider choosing one of the other options rather than UBP, possibly the UDP or the prepaid gratuities for the first two. I don't know. It may end up being a wash over doing UBP and bringing your own soda???

 

I like the idea of being able to drink all the alcohol I want without worrying about incurring a bar tab. We have always been somewhat careful with our alcoholic purchases while cruising. I'm not sure how much we spent on it our last cruise, but I think we would get more out of this than the UDP. I'm sure we would have drank more if it would have been included. I am a fairly picky eater so many specialty restaurants, other than steakhouses, usually aren't my cup of tea. Give me a salad along with some chicken or steak and I'm happy.

 

 

Thanks!