Encore Feb 19 Itinerary and Entertainment changes

[DCGuy64]

55 minutes ago, Carrie_Thompson_Scott said:

NCL, what happened to free?  

Free has (at least 2) meanings: 1. At no cost, gratis, etc. 2. At liberty to do as one wishes. I think I'm on pretty safe ground when I say NCL is using "free" according the 2nd definition. As you rightly point out, nothing is free, as in, you DO have to pay.

 

[Carrie_Thompson_Scott]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

Free has (at least 2) meanings: 1. At no cost, gratis, etc. 2. At liberty to do as one wishes. I think I'm on pretty safe ground when I say NCL is using "free" according the 2nd definition. As you rightly point out, nothing is free, as in, you DO have to pay.

 

I Agree!  Depending on the commercial you’re watching they push both definitions!  Both meanings work for them to sell cruises!  In my opinion commercial 2 is just despicable. #1 is just a joke.

 

1.

 

 

 

2.

 

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

Can anyone tell me how accurate this web site is (posted in #15)?

 

 

https://cruisedig.com/ports/great-stirrup-cay-bahamas/arrivals

 

When I look at Cruisemapper, it does not match up with the site above.  So, now, I have no clue where my ship is headed!  (Not that I wouldn't be happy to just stay on board!)  I'm an incessant planner, part of my "thrill" of cruising. 😉

[DCGuy64]

4 minutes ago, Carrie_Thompson_Scott said:

I Agree!  Depending on the commercial you’re watching they push both definitions!  Both meanings work for them to sell cruises!  In my opinion commercial 2 is just despicable. #1 is just a joke.

 

1.

 

 

 

2.

 

Yep, those commercials are just classic marketing. Personally, I'd say "included" or "pre-paid" as opposed to "free," but tricking people into thinking they're getting something for nothing is as old as the world itself. Just listen to people who say "healthcare should be free." THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS FREE. Ever.

[Carrie_Thompson_Scott]

1 hour ago, zqvol said:

Thanks for letting us know that NCL is no longer a cruise choice for you. 

You’re very welcome!  Never again!

 

Since you expressed interest in our personal choices, I might as well share that Royal Caribbean is my number one choice.  Best private island, best ships, best food, best entertainment, and more.  I used to perceive NCL as classy, now I see them as shysters.

[Perfusionist]

On 12/28/2022 at 7:07 PM, CB_Jackson said:

They wouldn’t cancel GSC for the Prima or the Diva, they both trump Encore.  1 ship is less than 2 ships.

Regarding GSC and the change in itinerary; What makes NCL trump 1 ship over the other?  Seems like the Breakaway class ships carry the most passengers.  1000 over the Prima class.  Could it be that other ports hand the larger ships better than the tendering?  Maybe easier to reroute one class over another?  

 

Also, if you look at a Google Maps pic of GSC and CoCo Cay for RC you see that RC has a pier.  Wonder if NCL will do the same? 

[Perfusionist]

On 12/29/2022 at 2:15 PM, tbo said:

All of that being said-by golly we are going to have a good time. It's paid for already and we are very excited to be blessed to have this vacation. And next time we go....it will not be NCL!

I love the attitude.  We have the ability to go. We should enjoy it.  Some can't.  

[dexddd]

41 minutes ago, Perfusionist said:

Regarding GSC and the change in itinerary; What makes NCL trump 1 ship over the other?  Seems like the Breakaway class ships carry the most passengers.  1000 over the Prima class.  Could it be that other ports hand the larger ships better than the tendering?  Maybe easier to reroute one class over another?  

 

Also, if you look at a Google Maps pic of GSC and CoCo Cay for RC you see that RC has a pier.  Wonder if NCL will do the same? 

This has been talked about for years.  Speculation between cost and damage to environment is why they have not.  Yet you have Royal, DCL, MSC and maybe others that have piers for private island.

Plus with the new 'sail and sustain' program it doesn't fit.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 1/8/2023 at 11:22 AM, Perfusionist said:

Regarding GSC and the change in itinerary; What makes NCL trump 1 ship over the other?  Seems like the Breakaway class ships carry the most passengers.  1000 over the Prima class.  Could it be that other ports hand the larger ships better than the tendering?  Maybe easier to reroute one class over another?  

 

Also, if you look at a Google Maps pic of GSC and CoCo Cay for RC you see that RC has a pier.  Wonder if NCL will do the same? 

The Prima is the new baby and also carries fewer passengers than the Breakaway Plus Class ships so thus the tendering process would be easier.

Just got off of the Encore and GSC was switched for Nassau and Nassau ended up getting cancelled because of weather so it was another sea day.  But we did get a small port charge refund so I was happy about the weather issue.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 1/8/2023 at 12:08 PM, dexddd said:

This has been talked about for years.  Speculation between cost and damage to environment is why they have not.  Yet you have Royal, DCL, MSC and maybe others that have piers for private island.

Plus with the new 'sail and sustain' program it doesn't fit.

Half Moon Cay and Princess Cay are two other private islands that don't have piers.

[Hmcgaughey]

So I am a little confused about the Nassau vs GSC with the cruise on Feb 19th. When my husband and I booked it through NLC at the end of November there was no GSC stop, it was Nassau. And to be honest I have been to GSC and was not that impressed plus it was so crowded so was looking for a cruise that didn't have that stop hence why we picked this cruise. So they must of changed things before November?

[CruizinSusan70]

17 minutes ago, Hmcgaughey said:

So I am a little confused about the Nassau vs GSC with the cruise on Feb 19th. When my husband and I booked it through NLC at the end of November there was no GSC stop, it was Nassau. And to be honest I have been to GSC and was not that impressed plus it was so crowded so was looking for a cruise that didn't have that stop hence why we picked this cruise. So they must of changed things before November?

If you were not impressed with GSC, can't wait to see your reaction to Nassau, which is normally one step above Freeport on the popularity list of ports that ships visit.  Unless of course you wish to overpay at Atlantis or get harassed at the straw market.

[Hmcgaughey]

3 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

If you were not impressed with GSC, can't wait to see your reaction to Nassau, which is normally one step above Freeport on the popularity list of ports that ships visit.  Unless of course you wish to overpay at Atlantis or get harassed at the straw market.

Well I guess I will find out, and will decide if that is also a port I don't need to go to again. Really I am just happy to get away with my  little family finally. I am sure we will make the best of what we experience. 

[CruizinSusan70]

3 hours ago, Hmcgaughey said:

Well I guess I will find out, and will decide if that is also a port I don't need to go to again. Really I am just happy to get away with my  little family finally. I am sure we will make the best of what we experience. 

For future cruise reference, the southern Caribbean route with Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, known as the ABC's, is fantastic.

[cruiseny4life]

15 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

If you were not impressed with GSC, can't wait to see your reaction to Nassau, which is normally one step above Freeport on the popularity list of ports that ships visit.  Unless of course you wish to overpay at Atlantis or get harassed at the straw market.

Haha....so in this year's ranking of popular Caribbean cruise ports, Nassau is indeed "one step above Freeport." Nassau is ranked #19. Freeport is #20....of 20. 

 

Source: https://cruiseradio.net/nassau-port-ceo-says-bahamas-has-failed-providing-cruise-visitor-value/

 

Personally, I've been to Nassau twice. I'll go back to explore more of the city and we'll probably head over to Blue Lagoon. I would like to go to Atlantis as well. I think there's plenty to do in Nassau for several trips. Never been to Freeport, so I can't say anything about that city. 

[Crazy planning mom]

On 12/28/2022 at 7:00 PM, BirdTravels said:

GSC was replaced with a sea day

 

Kinky was replaced with random lounge acts in main theater. 
 

This happens on all cruise lines. Royal tends to cancel theater show if the seas are rough. NCL seems to better adapt. 

Royal cancels Coco Cay or Labadee much less as they have a dock.  The only show Royal cancels due to weather is the aquatheatre shows which are outside.  

[Ruminant]

Same with us.  We have our first Cruise booked for March 5 and Great Stirrup Cay was a major draw for us booking this particular trip.  It was swapped out for Nassau also, which we really aren't that interested in visiting.  We paid for all up front and were notified about a month after booking the itinerary has changed.  We are hearing that it's because the Prima is scheduled the same day and takes precidence over older ships, but not sure how true that is.  Not to whine, but it also increases the cost of our trip because we'll have to pay for food, drinks, excursion in Nassau now and had hoped for an "all inclusive" day at GSC for the budget. We are pretty disappointed but are just going to roll with it since it is our first cruise.  May impact what Cruise Line we choose for future cruises though.  

[mjkacmom]

2 hours ago, Ruminant said:

Same with us.  We have our first Cruise booked for March 5 and Great Stirrup Cay was a major draw for us booking this particular trip.  It was swapped out for Nassau also, which we really aren't that interested in visiting.  We paid for all up front and were notified about a month after booking the itinerary has changed.  We are hearing that it's because the Prima is scheduled the same day and takes precidence over older ships, but not sure how true that is.  Not to whine, but it also increases the cost of our trip because we'll have to pay for food, drinks, excursion in Nassau now and had hoped for an "all inclusive" day at GSC for the budget. We are pretty disappointed but are just going to roll with it since it is our first cruise.  May impact what Cruise Line we choose for future cruises though.  

Getting to GSC is always a crapshoot.

[hallux]

3 hours ago, Ruminant said:

Not to whine, but it also increases the cost of our trip because we'll have to pay for food, drinks, excursion in Nassau now and had hoped for an "all inclusive" day at GSC for the budget

There's nothing that says you MUST get off the ship at the port.  I'm on the Escape in March with a scheduled stop at GSC, if that gets replaced with Nassau I fully intend to stay on board unless I feel like stretching my legs and going to walk the Queen's Staircase (maybe an hour-long adventure to walk there, up the stairs and back).

 

Of course, I've actually been to Nassau on a cruise before...

Edited January 31, 2023 by hallux

[Ruminant]

9 minutes ago, hallux said:

There's nothing that says you MUST get off the ship at the port.  I'm on the Escape in March with a scheduled stop at GSC, if that gets replaced with Nassau I fully intend to stay on board unless I feel like stretching my legs and going to walk the Queen's Staircase (maybe an hour-long adventure to walk there, up the stairs and back).

 

Of course, I've actually been to Nassau on a cruise before...

True.  Someone metioned that while in Nassau port, there are taxes levied on drinks on the ship while in port?  Is that true? Seriously not a cheapskate, but just want to be careful of extra charges since its our first time.  I'd be game to sit on deck and drink for the day but figure I've never been to Nassau so might as well check it out, even if just a couple of hours.

[Ruminant]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

Getting to GSC is always a crapshoot.

So I'm learning. 🙂 

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, Ruminant said:

True.  Someone metioned that while in Nassau port, there are taxes levied on drinks on the ship while in port?  Is that true? Seriously not a cheapskate, but just want to be careful of extra charges since its our first time.  I'd be game to sit on deck and drink for the day but figure I've never been to Nassau so might as well check it out, even if just a couple of hours.

I don’t think taxes are added to drinks when docked in Nassau.

[eileeshb]

I had one sailing with GSC as a port, the tender ticket management was absolute rubbish and a bunch of people missed their excursions as a result. Honestly I’d prefer to avoid GSC being on my itinerary after that experience. I hadn’t booked an excursion and had a relatively early tender ticket but it was still 1.30pm before I got to the island so just enough time for lunch and a bit of a swim then back to the tenders to return to the ship before the rush started. 

[Stelkp]

I’m thinking there might be another change. My Tortola excursion is now on the day of Puerto Plata. (In “my plans” on the app).Puerto Plata is listed there too.   and when I try to book some thing for Tortola, it looks like there’s only dining available as if it was a sea day. Very strange. Does anyone have something booked for Tortola to see if this is happening to them too? For the Feb 19 sailing out of Miami. Encore.