Live-ish from the 1/16 Encore Sailing!

[FlatFooted Freda]

On 1/17/2022 at 9:46 AM, jlseymour3 said:

Hmm, it's my understanding that if you test positive at the pier you get a full refund of your cruise fare. NCL just won't cover your changed travel plans back home.

 

But if you test positive 72 hours before, then you get FCC, not full refund.

 

Does anyone know if those can be the home tests, or will that test 72 hr prior need to be proctored?

[bortman23]

3 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

 

I feel bad for those in Canada and how hard the gov't is making things for everyone.

Well know You Tuber "Don F Vac" talks about his frustrations as well.

 

Hoping things get better for all of us soon.  I love Canada and hoping to get back soon.

 

It wasn't too bad for a bit, when cases were low and vaccinated people had less restrictions.

 

Hopefully once this wave us over things will start to get better and we can all get back to crusing more 👍

[Karaboudjan]

52 minutes ago, FlatFooted Freda said:

Does anyone know if those can be the home tests, or will that test 72 hr prior need to be proctored?

It needs to be proctored or independently certified in some other way.

[tinafernnn]

glad you're enjoying your trip! who is the haven concierge?

[Bakedzd81]

On 1/16/2022 at 4:30 PM, TominNC said:

Good luck.  We're on Encore next month 2/20, so I'm following every thread.  Any info is a plus.  Thanks

See you there, WOOOT!

[Oceansaway17]

21 hours ago, bortman23 said:

 

It wasn't too bad for a bit, when cases were low and vaccinated people had less restrictions.

 

Hopefully once this wave us over things will start to get better and we can all get back to crusing more 👍

i hope so as I like Canada and their people a lot.  

[Sand and Seas]

Hope you are enjoying your cruise!  Thanks for posting information for us🌞

 

We love the Encore and plan to be back on her in April.  If you happen to visit the casino, would love to know who the Hosts are. 

[wbrober0]

We are cruising on Encore on Jan 30. We understand the testing requirements before we go and at the pier. Can someone who has been on Encore recently let me know what is happening as far as testing, if any, at ports of call when guests leave and re-board the ship? What testing happens on debarkation day when we leave the ship? Our ports-of-call as of now are Puerto Plata, St. Thomas USVI, Tortola, BVI and GSC. Any info would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Edited January 21, 2022 by wbrober0

[norway olin]

4 hours ago, wbrober0 said:

We are cruising on Encore on Jan 30. We understand the testing requirements before we go and at the pier. Can someone who has been on Encore recently let me know what is happening as far as testing, if any, at ports of call when guests leave and re-board the ship? What testing happens on debarkation day when we leave the ship? Our ports-of-call as of now are Puerto Plata, St. Thomas USVI, Tortola, BVI and GSC. Any info would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

On Encore right now.  The only test required was the one given by NCL at the pier prior to boarding.  No other tests for any ports.  I cannot speak to requirements upon return to Miami for non US citizens traveling on.

[Quincella]

On 1/19/2022 at 9:49 PM, tinafernnn said:

glad you're enjoying your trip! who is the haven concierge?

The concierge is Sonya. 

[Quincella]

On 1/20/2022 at 9:49 PM, Sand and Seas said:

Hope you are enjoying your cruise!  Thanks for posting information for us🌞

 

We love the Encore and plan to be back on her in April.  If you happen to visit the casino, would love to know who the Hosts are. 

I’m sorry but I haven’t paid a single how bit of attention to that!  If I get back today, I will make a point of it. 

[Quincella]

I’ve been quite lax in posting updates here, because I’ve just been having the most amazing time!

Overall, I’d put this in my top 3 cruises ever. The port schedule didn’t change for us, apart from no GSC due to weather conditions (which has happened nearly every time GSC has been on the itinerary for me anyway), and we got more time in St, Thomas than anticipated.  
 

Choir of Man was excellent. The ship is incredibly uncrowded, but with enough people on board still to make it fun.  The weather has been perfect. If I could stay on for next week I absolutely would. 
 

My only negative has to do with the one ship-sponsored shore excursion we took, only because of the very short time in Tortola. I didn’t care for the tour operator the ship partnered with for our Virgin Gorda Baths and Snorkel boat trip. I found the  primary guide was a bit rude, and he eyed my 17-year old like she was a piece of meat, going so far as to ask her how old she was, and to hit him up on Instagram.  Not ok, dude. 
 

I’ve had all sorts of things come into my mind that I intended to share, but right now, sitting on my balcony watching the world go by, I cannot think of a single one of them.  🙂

[CaptainBazz]

20 hours ago, wbrober0 said:

We are cruising on Encore on Jan 30. We understand the testing requirements before we go and at the pier. Can someone who has been on Encore recently let me know what is happening as far as testing, if any, at ports of call when guests leave and re-board the ship? What testing happens on debarkation day when we leave the ship? Our ports-of-call as of now are Puerto Plata, St. Thomas USVI, Tortola, BVI and GSC. Any info would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

See the following posted under Sail Safe on NCL website:

Antigen Tests

COVID-19 antigen tests prior to disembarkation will be administered on board and paid for by the Cruise Line for those guests who require a test to return home.

PCR Tests

Effective for all disembarkations beginning January 8, 2022, PCR tests will only be available onboard to confirm a positive antigen test, or to test a symptomatic patient. Those guests requiring a PCR test to return home will be responsible for expense and must obtain the test shoreside after the disembarkation either at a company designated facility, at the airport prior to flying out, or at a nearby clinic of their choice. At all US disembarkation ports, Norwegian Cruise Line has engaged a vendor to administer PCR testing at the terminal for those guests requiring a PCR test to return home. If guests choose this service, the guests will proceed to a designated area in the terminal for their PCR test at the guests' expense which varies by port, then proceed with their travel plans as they await their test results which will be sent electronically approximately 90 minutes after the test.

Estimated PCR test costs by port are as follows:

• All current US departure ports (except those listed below) - $125 per person
• New Orleans - $180 per person
• New York - $250 per person
• San Juan - $150 per person

We will continue to update as additional services become available.

[njbeacon63]

On 1/16/2022 at 4:30 PM, TominNC said:

Good luck.  We're on Encore next month 2/20, so I'm following every thread.  Any info is a plus.  Thanks

I'm be on there too 

[TominNC]

22 hours ago, njbeacon63 said:

I'm be on there too 

With so few passengers we're bound to see each other!

[Quincella]

In conclusion.....

 

That trip was really special.  The food, the service (generally),  how genuinely glad the locals seemed to be that we were there on their islands, how fun the crew were......all of it, really. 

 

I'm trying to come up with negatives or nit-picky things, to avoid being called an NCL Groupie or whatever, but there honestly isn't much, which is why I've been choosing NCL for my cruises for so long now.  But to satisfy that itch:

 

1. We only ate in a main dining room once (Manhattan Room, for lunch).  The service was just incredibly slow.  We weren't in a hurry, but it was close to two hours, and there were only maybe 1/2 dozen groups in the entire place. We found out later that most of the delay was due to them cooking our daughter's chicken tenders in a different kitchen to avoid cross-contamination (she has a shellfish allergy), and while I really appreciate that, they could have told us.  Communication is key.

 

2. The roof over the Haven courtyard either doesn't retract, or simply wasn't retracted.  I'm sure someone here knows.  I just thought it was a waste of a beautiful space in the Caribbean, where it was definitely warm enough to be open.

 

3. One of our waitresses was not good at all, in Q. She clearly didn't want to be there (and admitted it to us), and was just not a good server in general. 

 

That's it, honestly.  It really was that good.  As for what we did in different places:

 

St. Thomas: We did an island tour and beach stay through Sunny Liston tours.  We were the only three with him, and we had so much fun! His energy and pride for his country are palpable. He also played music and sang, and seemed to know and greet everyone we saw.  It was a lovely time.  I've been there many times but have never gone with him before. I don't know that I'd go with anyone else now that I know what I was missing.

 

Tortola: We did The Baths of Virgin Gorda and Snorkel trip, through NCL because our time there was so short.  I mentioned in a previous post how I was not a fan of the tour operator, at all.  The Baths are lovely, but there is no snorkeling to speak of because it's just a sandy bottom.  Next time I'm in Tortola, I'll either go back to Jost Van Dyke like I normally do, or maybe stay on Tortola itself and explore, but I won't do this again. 

 

Puerto Plata: The highlight of our trip! First of all, the new port is beautiful.  I mean the actual port is an industrial working port, but the new cruise terminal they've built is really impressive.  For an excursion we booked through TripAdvisor a Zipline, horseback ride and Dominican lunch thing. The name of the place was Country World Adventure Park. Again, we were the only three from the ship who were there, and we were the only people at all until we were about to leave.  The grounds/ranch were the park is is gorgeous!  The zip lines were decent. I've done better, but it was still fun.  The horseback ride through the grounds was nice everything was so lush and pretty!  And the lunch....oh, my....it was like someone's abuelas or tias were there in the kitchen cooking for us.  Totally authentic, everything delicious.  We loved it there.  My husband and I are actually considering moving to the Dominican Republic in a couple of years, and this trip reminded us why.  

 

Miami - Pre-cruise:  We stayed two nights at the Hotel Beaux Arts, which is a boutique hotel inside the JW Marriott Marquis in downtown Miami.  I would not recommend this hotel.  It was pretty enough, but nothing special for the prices they charged.  The toilet wouldn't stop running, and there were no toiletries in the room when we got there and it took three trips from housekeeping to get what we needed (shampoo, conditioner, body gel, and hand soap).  I will say they were quite responsive and got to us quickly, but come on....that's pretty basic stuff.   I'll be back in the Intercontinental when we return, for sure.  We walked to Bayside that night to eat, which was what Bayside is (touristy and overpriced, but my husband and step-daughter had never been, so you just do it anyway). On Saturday, we rented a car and drove around for a bit.  I graduated from the University of Miami so it was fun to show my family the campus, where I lived, etc.   

 

Miami Beach - Post-cruise:  Because I knew we wouldn't be anxious to get back to the frozen tundra where we live, I booked us for tonight in the Savoy Hotel on Miami Beach.  We arrived very early today but they stored our luggage and we went out through their beautiful garden and pool area to the beach (there is direct access from the hotel).  It was very cloudy and cool this morning, but the location can't be beat!  And because we had time to kill, we decided to take a guided Segway tour, which, despite the chill, was a blast.  Lunch somewhere not very memorable, then back to the beach for a peek because I love Miami Beach and the sun came out for a bit.  We'll be staying in most of tonight because our flight is early tomorrow, but it's nice to sit here with the balcony door open, listening to the waves crash. I'd love to stay here longer. It's an adorable space.

 

That's it! Again, if anyone has anything you'd like to ask, feel free.

 

[Sand and Seas]

Thanks Quincella!   Very kind of you to take time and share with us your thoughts.

 

Love that you are taking another day at South Beach.  It's our favorite post-cruise stop to get a little more time in the sunshine🌞

[WAHMto5]

Glad that you had a great cruise!!

[Jim The Lizard]

Great comments, thanks for your review!  

[norway olin]

On 1/23/2022 at 2:48 PM, Quincella said:

 

 

2. The roof over the Haven courtyard either doesn't retract, or simply wasn't retracted.  I'm sure someone here knows.  I just thought it was a waste of a beautiful space in the Caribbean, where it was definitely warm enough to be open.

 

 

The roof did retract.  We didn't spend much time in there, but I did notice the roof was open on one of our walkthroughs toward the end of the week

[wbrober0]

On 1/21/2022 at 11:03 PM, norway olin said:

On Encore right now.  The only test required was the one given by NCL at the pier prior to boarding.  No other tests for any ports.  I cannot speak to requirements upon return to Miami for non US citizens traveling on.

Thanks for the answer on the testing process.

[wbrober0]

On 1/22/2022 at 1:46 PM, CaptainBazz said:

See the following posted under Sail Safe on NCL website:

Antigen Tests

COVID-19 antigen tests prior to disembarkation will be administered on board and paid for by the Cruise Line for those guests who require a test to return home.

PCR Tests

Effective for all disembarkations beginning January 8, 2022, PCR tests will only be available onboard to confirm a positive antigen test, or to test a symptomatic patient. Those guests requiring a PCR test to return home will be responsible for expense and must obtain the test shoreside after the disembarkation either at a company designated facility, at the airport prior to flying out, or at a nearby clinic of their choice. At all US disembarkation ports, Norwegian Cruise Line has engaged a vendor to administer PCR testing at the terminal for those guests requiring a PCR test to return home. If guests choose this service, the guests will proceed to a designated area in the terminal for their PCR test at the guests' expense which varies by port, then proceed with their travel plans as they await their test results which will be sent electronically approximately 90 minutes after the test.

Estimated PCR test costs by port are as follows:

• All current US departure ports (except those listed below) - $125 per person
• New Orleans - $180 per person
• New York - $250 per person
• San Juan - $150 per person

We will continue to update as additional services become available.

Thanks for the answers on the testing process.

[kenzie]

Just thank you for your upbeat review, glad you had a great time and you provided much information to all. 

[weltek]

Ditto to what was said just above me. This was a nice review to read and appreciate that you took time to post throughout the trip. So glad to read that you hit Tortola and St. Thomas (but yeah, eww about the tour guide in Tortola).

 

Edited January 25, 2022 by weltek

[Quincella]

16 hours ago, norway olin said:

The roof did retract.  We didn't spend much time in there, but I did notice the roof was open on one of our walkthroughs toward the end of the week

Really?  Good to know!  My husband I I spent a tiny bit of time in the pool there and saw there were rails to retract, but since we never saw it we didn't know if it didn't, or just wasn't.  We were tempted to request that it be retracted, but we just were too lazy and probably tipsy to get off our butts to do it. 🙂