Prima TA Semi-Live 11 Days to NY from Spain, 4+ days @Barcelona from JFK ... land/cruise early Thanksgiving vacation

[mking8288]

Tonight, we turn the clock back by 1 hour, entering a new time zone - 11:30 PM instead of 12:30 AM, an extra hour of sleep. 

 

Currently sailing at 21 knots, calm sea states & barely feel the ship moving at all - should be passing the Straits of Gibraltar in the early/morning hours, our starboard view to the north shore / Spain side. 

 

 

[laudergayle]

9 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Just imagine for a moment, these restored landmarks dated as far back as 2,000 years ago from the Roman empire era 

It really blows my mind as I touch the walls, get the dirt between my toes and realize these stand from BC to AD.  
 

 

Really enjoying your review and pictures…thanks for taking the time to share!

 

Of course, why pack Command Central if you’re not going to make good use of it😊

[mking8288]

Good morning, Day 3 - sunrise, 7:10 AM Portugal / ship time - passing Gibraltar & heading west ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Pictures at various zoom - starboard views

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by mking8288

[cruiseny4life]

8 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Tonight's dinner, a very busy & full Commodore MDR - took nearly 2 hours. Thankfully, we got quickly seated with a reservation for 4 of us ... by the windows. 

 

 

 

Wow! I wandered by the dining room a couple times and was flabbergasted at how cmany people were waiting. Two hours? That's crazy!! I'm glad the meal was good. I was considering stopping in for the Boston Cream Pie, but obviously chose not to. I haven't been on whatever deck Hudson's is on, so didn't try there. 

[mking8288]

@cruiseny4life  I would have you concierge book the MDR ahead for you, unless 2 of you wish to share a table with others. Nearly everyone is asked but once I tell them we have dinner reservation and pull up my account ... 

 

No harsh browns in steerage anywhere, @dexddd - baked beans 😁

 

 

 

 

Service with a cheerful smile and attentive - comments TBA 🤔

Edited November 22, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

CC Meet & Greet at Improv 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Prima's senior officers including the Master (Captain) at our M&G with about 40 attendees, very good turnout & job well done by Janet

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by mking8288

[ColdCruise]

On 11/13/2023 at 2:14 PM, mking8288 said:

Last minute prices on this TA sailing is just unbelievable - where's Dan, my friend a/k/a @graphicguy - still got DL miles to burn, LOL.  Just busting your chops, don't take me seriously - what can you do for about $100 USD per day, room & board, unlimited beverages, all meals ?  Tipping and/or DSC not included, obviously for your convenience but that's easy to figure out.  

 

Real mock pricing - for an assigned family balcony #15708 right next to the Spa - cheaper than a Studio ... NCL is doing all they can to sell and fill those cabins up.  Calling last minute cruisers.  

 

 

According to our active roll call's weekend "intel" - still about 100 cabins so we will be sailing around 95% occupancy, probably a good # of solo travelers onboard ... retirees.  Too bad, this doesn't work for @bedfordmom and @EllieinNJ as she isn't retiring until next January.  Joking with DW this morning that we should've waited to book last minute - 1 cabin for each of us, and use one of our CruiseNext certs each plus the 10% discount that we each have; and, take a shot to apply last minute for NCLH shareholders NR OBC.  

 

Looking at our flight - just got an email that bidding for upgrade has been "discounted" - appeared our overall flight isn't anywhere near full at all.  Hmmm, should we / I take another closer look at this offer and bid ??  

 

 

 

We had the same offer on our TAP flight, bid, didn't win. Asked at checkin (IAD) and was told business was full, no bids accepted & no upgrades available. Checked at gate, same story. However several empty biz class seats after we were all boarded. Guess an empty seat is better than an extra $900 pp. I wonder if we’d booked under 2 separate booking numbers if the bids would have been accepted? All the empty seats were  scattered, ie singles, next to occupied seats.

[mking8288]

Housekeeping hasn't start servicing cabins yet, no carts out on the corridor, yet - except 1. 

 

 

 

 

Metropolitan Bar - being used at 10 am for puzzles ?

 

[mking8288]

Random pictures taken around the ship, Ocean Walk with the clear Sky Walk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Lunch at the Hudson MDR ... Allow 75 to 90 minutes for a set 5 course lunch. 

 

 

 

 

[dexddd]

Glad things going well.  Can you maybe form the corned beef hash into a hash brown look alike?

 

At least having beans will keep things regular.

 

Saw on map yesterday Prima and Seaview neck to neck near Strait.  They are built by same builder by the way, guess you could say cousins.

 

Currently, if going a bit slower, there could have been a t-bone by a Fred Olsen.

[mking8288]

Now that I am onboard, I can appreciate what my niece and nephew said, not just what others on CC said about this new class of NCL ships. 

 

Until I get time on my command central or station zebra, or is it Starlink "express" or O'Sheehan's as the micro-The Local, fat fingers typing on a smartphone to type out a review report isn't easy ...  postpone till later, after tomorrow's Thanksgiving Dine with Officer as invited, most likely avoid the beef & go with something else ... #cough #cough @dexddd - suggestions noted. 

 

Would be good to see coaching some of the crew to smile more often & better 😉 seriously, per Mrs. M as the mystery shopper, as almost none know us ... DYKWIA.  Let's see how things are shortly at Palomar. 

 

Northerly wind direction, moderate sea state but no white caps, fairly smooth today as we continue our westbound journey.  All indications, Ponta Delgarda is on schedule with our headings.

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Undercover report from the (mini) buffet with Food Republic as overflow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Dinner tonight at Palomar was very good, we used our 1st & 2nd set of Platinum vouchers, thus limited to 1-1-1 including 1 side only.  Jumbo prawns were more like large shrimp in sizing (#15/20). Lamb chops were VG with a touch of fat. Dover Sole was tasty. Apple tart w ice cream as a good ending. Service hits the mark, sweeping the table of loose food particles before dessert - out of there in about 75 minutes at a leisurely pace.  MDR teams - can you beat them on time management to turn tables around faster - resulting in shorter lines & wait.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Dessert menu from Palomar -

 

Anti-jetlag, or is it cruise.lag in motion again tonight, we turn the clock back by 1 hour - that's an extra hour of sleeping in. 

 

 

While we're out enjoying our dinner, our steward (John) came into our cabin & tidy things up for us quickly as if evening turndown services were still in force, left the FSD on the bed & time change card. And, reposition our pillows in a new "design"  None of this requested or asked for.  That's edging toward earning a Vacation Hero card recognition. 

 

 

 

Comments Card are out in the dining places, and yes ... also see the need to fill them out as well.

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by mking8288

[photochan]

Hello Henry and Susan, finally got around to read up on your t/a . Sounded like you two are having a wonderful time. The only bad part about a west bound t/a was soon you will be loosing an hour every nignt which got us so confused. On our last trip Mary used an analog watch to keep track of time. A early Happy Thanksgiving to you both ! 

[mking8288]

Good Thanksgiving Eve to all, en route to the Azores, port destination is planned for Ponta Delgada with 9 AM local time arrival, ship time will become just 4 hours ahead of EDT by tomorrow as part of the crossing (advantage - westbound) - cruising at 20 knots on a course heading of about 270 degrees, seas are fairly calm with light to moderate sea swell.  When you are located mid-ship on the lower end of balcony staterooms, you sleep well - DW is tired after a "busy" sea day of eating & walking, exploring the new ship (to us) and take a nap after showering & our 6 PM dinner. 

 

I'm on my Linux "station" connected to SpaceX Starlink on NCL's unlimited WiFi satellite plan for 1 device, using WiFi 6 on my 1 year old Google Pixel 7 Pro, hotspot on - supporting 3 to 5 devices, not all of them actively in use, but it is usable & working for my set-up.  

 

 

 

Missed the 1:30 PM Latitudes "reception" by CruiseNext today for Decks 5 to 12, tomorrow is Deck 13 to 16 and we'll possibly stop by at that time - held in the Observation Lounge ... probably nothing important, but why not.  Dine with two (2) officers tomorrow evening should be interesting on Thanksgiving, so Mrs. M will "reluctantly" come along - will just have to figure out when to do Food Republic, although - given the options at the Indulge Food Hall ... not so sure we really need to eat at FR.  Let's just "wing" it since we got 3 other nights of specialty dining, all booked.  

 

Donna Summer is on stage for the current sailing - not a big fan of her music but ... might just go "standby" on the late (9:30 PM) show - rather than "disturb" for evening dining plans - Freestyle Dining concept not exactly in play these days. 

 

Our 1st bag of "free" Platinum laundry was send out this morning, should get them back tomorrow - mostly underwears, socks, tee's and polo shirts.  Thus far, we really haven't found the need for long sleeve or fall/winter clothing, maybe a vest or fleece jacket for the outdoors as it is windy & can be chilly in the morning & evening.  Starting to hear echos of coughing here & there, so we are going the "smart" way onboard.  Washy washy protocols are recommended, encouraged but not strictly enforced - mindful of outbreaks like Noroviruses can behave like a runaway train or trucks with disconnected air brakes.  

 

Odds & ends - there is a subtle, high-pitch but barely heard sound in our bathroom, could be the HVAC or exhaust air vent behind the wall panels - with the door closed, not a problem.  There are squeaks & noises coming from behind/between the wall panels & by the balcony/sliding windows - not terribly annoying but, sounded like our low-mileage 1995 Pontiac when it was just 3 or 4 years old then, LOL.  Nothing wrong, probably and not much that NCL's shipbuilder can do about it - good thing, both of us tend to sleep well at sea, rocking & rolling along.  Wait, maybe it's inadequately secured wiring/ducts behind the access panel inside the wall. 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Tech / Geek Ttps - there are bedside USB-A and USB-C ports, but they are only rated at 1.5A (or less) but useful for devices with low-moderate power requirements, and not for a quick charge.  

 

Pack at least two (2) 10' USB extension cords each - along with your preferred USB-C, USB-A and/or iOS style Lightning cable ... that'll give you at least 12 ft. of reach.  If you plan to sit out on the balcony - I would recommend a 3rd 6 ft. USB extension. You will find it useful & don't need to thank me at all.

 

 

The USB-A outlet/charging port at the desk/dresser (and the USB-C port) is rated at 1.5A only and can be blocked if you are using a 220V to 110V outlet adapter.  The "slim" Anker charger as seen above does not interfere or get in the way of other gadgets.  This is the only easily accessible 220V - needed for using the Hamilton Beach 1-cup coffee/hot water maker (our steward overstocked us with 5 to 7 days worth of coffee to start us off ... thank you) 

 

 

The other items that we find invaluable - 10,000 mAH USB battery power bank while traveling, in-flight and when ashore sightseeing, even when we're in Barcelona.  Wtith Black Friday coming up & online deals and discounts, invest and get one or more.  

 

The slim nightstand closet to the balcony has a 220 wall plug that might served as a power tap but - it's best not to mess with it, for fire safety reasons unless you know what to do with it - and, we always disconnect when we leave the cabin.  The wider night table with the other lamp (these are fixed or stationary, cannot be moved aside) with 2 drawers is heavier - not practical to move it around.  The small, round table out on the balcony can be taken inside to use as a coffee/end table in front of the sofa ... we might just do that with sea days coming up.  

 

Luggage storage, plenty of space under the beds with elevated space, 4 to 5 suitcases of average size will easily fit underneath ... (to be continued) 

Edited November 22, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

11 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

We had the same offer on our TAP flight, bid, didn't win. All the empty seats were  scattered, ie singles, next to occupied seats.

Good question ... don't have an answer for you & advice from Flyertalk Forum remained limited with TP, talks of being sold & a national airline being privatized.  We flew the A321 NEO LR - asked at JFK check-in about how full the flight was, agent at the bag drop counter said it's full, and even advised us to check DW's 21" rollerboard (under 22 lbs/below 10 kg) - should've "hide" it but we did Airtag it also, just in case.   We each had 2 bags allowed, free and could've bring along 3 more bags at no extra charge, LOL.   P

 

Our JFK-LIS segment was about 85% to 90% full, Executive class was full but E-Plus wasn't so we had the middle seats open (B and E) - legroom was okay, but not worth bidding or paying $1,500 more for the 7 hour scheduled segment and the short 90 minutes connection LIS-BCN.  

 

Soft product or services for the red eye overnight flight was okay, dinner was served once we reach FL 350 within 1 hour of wheels up, FA also distributed the pre-landing cold snack box ... and for hours in between, disappeared behind the curtains to rest - no water or beverage services down the aisle, until we're getting ready for the initial descent.  But, given the prices & options out of NY and JFK, we probably will choose them over UA, AA or DL and AC for that matter.  

 

Our 75 minutes connection in Lisbon was tight, passport control was moving slowly and we ran from landing thru to the opposite end of T1 as they're doing the final boarding call already.  Thankfully, no shuttle bus to ride out to step on the stairs, our bird was at the gate - within 5 minutes of finding our seats, this time - the extra length over-the-window emergency exit row ... we're taxiing toward a hurried takeoff.  As a matter of fact, we departed JFK without the FA doing the in-person life vest/emergency evac & safety belt demo ... maybe they have a FAA waiver ?? 

[cruiseny4life]

I know we didn't talk long but it was truly so great to meet you! I'm sorry we only talked a minute at the net and greet. Thank you for your graciousness!!

[mking8288]

Day 4 - Thu ... Sea Day & happy, healthy, peaceful & safe Thanksgiving 🦃 to all 

 

 

Footnote: With Starlink, able to connect to check on our home video security streaming cams 👌

 

 

[Ajkcruiser]

Good day Henry, Hope this finds you well…. I had to comment on your report…. I am currently overwhelmed with my packing since I am going on Prima with my girlfriends and then joining my family in Miami for another long cruise (Xmas and Ny’s) so I took time off to read your review….. cannot be more grateful and delighted THANK YOU … the attention to detail makes me feel like I am already on board…. You are doing an AMAZING job.

 

See ya at the Meet and Greet on the 3rd…. I look forward to doing this journey thru your wonderful written narrations.

 

Stay blessed and enjoy.

 

 

Aj

[mking8288]

Again, our sincere & warmest wishes, blessed to be on this and other cruises ... enjoying the Prima, we live in an perfect world of challenging times. A sea day of relaxation and perhaps doing next to nothing, whatever makes one happy 😊

 

@Ajkcruiser as you we'll know, we had a team effort going to pull the CC M&G gathering next Sunday. Congrats on your life journey, etc. etc. 

 

Here's to Thanksgiving 🦃 from our simple balcony 🛳️