LIVE-Prima Feb 2-9, 2024 from Galveston-Western Caribbean with PICs, Haven (HE)

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

The horror

I know! I thought about writing a strongly worded letter to Dirty Harry about the whole situation! 

 

Ok - not really...we survived. After all, we had just consumed a month's worth of calories from Burger King. Had to rustle up a good burger somewhere on the cruise. 🤠

 

Given our graphic guy friend is cruising the Western Caribbean, I'm thinking he'll have escorts off the ship. We did on Joy at the ports we went to.

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

Dan ... Happy New Year 2024.  Marked to follow along.  This will give us something to look forward to until it's our turn in the Spring.  As for "Haven has its own private (AFT) elevator" - it's easy to find, we walked past it almost on a daily basis - quick & easy to find, shortcut to Indulge FH (keep in mind, dinner menu is different & expanded and if you go there early for a quick bite ... usually easy to find a table)  Lunch can be crazy there on sea days ... breakfast & lunch, stick with Haven restaurant.  If your "HE" is AFT, super convenient with the private elevator and its own lobby ... no public stairs.  Midship stairs & elevators usually aren't bad either.  

 

And, I see you are running the M&G ... Improv will be packed beyond full capacity at 75, past standing room only with the refreshment setup, talk with the Group Events/Access Officers onboard based on the "probable" attendance (on our recent TA, CC's actual numbers were somewhere in the 70% to 80% range)

 

Belvedere Bar opens later in the day during our TA but yeah, it is more spacious and seldom crowded - with the casino nearby.  One of the few challenges is to figure out the nearest restrooms - they are semi hidden (signage) ... should you have a few beverages, which I'm sure you will.  Surprised - still - to read from @seemoreroyals comment about better services at The Commodore (MDRoom) vs. The Hudson, larger MDR.  Still, the Haven experience should not disappoint.  

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Henry.  

 

I AM hosting the M&G.  Someone at the CC Roll Call who also a member of the FB 2/2/24 Prima Group asked if they could join the M&G.   Then another, and another, and another.....It snow balled from there.

 

In talking to NCL about the M&G,  I tried to get a bigger venue.  NCL said the ship is sold out and they could not shift the M&G.  So, we're at the Improv.  

 

I had to cut off sign ups at 75. NCL said that's the max they'll allow in, and that number would mean some SRO.  There are some who said they are going to wait outside the Improv to see if they can attend in place of the no shows.  Sure.  I can't stop them.

 

But, as you suggest, I'm thinking there should be room because of no shows.  But, who knows?

[graphicguy]

Just now, cruiseny4life said:

I know! I thought about writing a strongly worded letter to Dirty Harry about the whole situation! 

 

Ok - not really...we survived. After all, we had just consumed a month's worth of calories from Burger King. Had to rustle up a good burger somewhere on the cruise. 🤠

 

Given our graphic guy friend is cruising the Western Caribbean, I'm thinking he'll have escorts off the ship. We did on Joy at the ports we went to.

Escorts?...I dun need no steenkin' escorts!  Actually, that would be nice.  LOL!

[Sugar Magnolia]

3 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I know! I thought about writing a strongly worded letter to Dirty Harry about the whole situation! 

 

Ok - not really...we survived. After all, we had just consumed a month's worth of calories from Burger King. Had to rustle up a good burger somewhere on the cruise. 🤠

 

Given our graphic guy friend is cruising the Western Caribbean, I'm thinking he'll have escorts off the ship. We did on Joy at the ports we went to.

 

BK 🤣

 

No escorts for our graphic guy ... he's bringing his lady friend!

 

 

[graphicguy]

As I was writing the above post, CC sent me an email stating I get some sort of ginger bread cookie icon by my name.  Awwwwww.....that's "sweet".  

[Sugar Magnolia]

5 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

But, as you suggest, I'm thinking there should be room because of no shows.  But, who knows?

 

For the past few cruises I have taken, seems like about half of those who sign up for the M&G do not show up.

 

[ellewoods]

I will be in the Prima Haven in April. Can’t wait to follow along on your review. 

[seemoreroyals]

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

May I ask what about Palomar disappointed you? 

 

 

 

 

We were expecting something more like ocean blue. 

 

To start with the bread they served was more of a tasteless toast with a olive oil blended with something I thought was pesto but ended up being a flavorless something else.  

 

They were also lacking in appetizers.  We were all looking forward to a decent chowder, soup, or something else you would expect to find on a premium seafood eatery menu.  Don't remember what we ordered for appetizers but whatever it was it was not memorable in a good way.

 

For our entrees my wife had sea bass, I had dover sole.   Our friends we were dining with the wife had dover sole and her husband ordered a steak.  Both of us that had the dover sole found it dry and overall not flavorful.  My wife's sea bass was not what she was hoping for.  Whenever we go to a place that has sea bass that is what she gets and usually raves about it.  

 

The only one of our group that enjoyed their entree was the one that ordered a steak.  I don't remember what cut he ordered but he raved about it.  We were disappointed because when you go to a seafood restaurant you expect good seafood.  

 

To top it off they had a cheesecake in a jar we decided to try for dessert and it tasted and had the consistency of a custard.  Like they had just made it and it had not had time to chill properly.  For us anyway the whole dinner just was not good.

 

[vacation44]

12 hours ago, graphicguy said:

 

 

TA discount=$300

Cruise Next (x2) equals $500, but I had to pay for the CN certs at $250.  Net savings=$250

Cruise first was $300, but I had to pay $150.  Net savings=$150

 

 

I am under the impression you could only use one option,  Cruise First or Cruise Next.   You were able to use both?

[graphicguy]

3 hours ago, vacation44 said:

I am under the impression you could only use one option,  Cruise First or Cruise Next.   You were able to use both?

I bought mine when NCL first announced them.  I had heard they changed the Ts and Cs, but mine were combinable.

[graphicguy]

15 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

For the past few cruises I have taken, seems like about half of those who sign up for the M&G do not show up.

 

Yeah....I think you're probably right.  We'll see.  The sign up started very slow, and then took off like gang busters.  Not sure if that has any correlation, though.

[graphicguy]

Got this today...reminded me of the "start up" cruises a few years ago.....

 

Sail Safe Travel Requirements.pdf

[graphicguy]

The ports are ones I've visited several times.  I've seen the sloths, the dolphins, traversed in an ATV, seen a bunch of ruins, etc.

 

Not that it's not exciting and beautiful.  It is.  But, I think I'm relaxing this go round and doing what I want, when I want with no schedules or plans.  As such, looks like my no pre-planing vacation was a sign of things to come....

 

 

Minor changes, and none of it affects me, but noted.

"Dear Valued Guests, We are delighted you have chosen to sail with us on board Norwegian Prima and thank you for your loyalty. On behalf of our crew, we look forward to welcoming you aboard soon. We have important information regarding Norwegian Prima's sailings from January 12, 2024 through and including February 9, 2024. We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue to elevate the quality of our offerings and overall guest experience while driving a positive impact on society and the environment. As we optimize itineraries for fuel efficiencies, we have modified Norwegian Prima's itinerary as shown below.
Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Fri GALVESTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun COSTA MAYA, MEXICO 12:00 pm 8:00 pm   Mon HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Tue ROATAN, BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Wed COZUMEL, MEXICO 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GALVESTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 8:00 am	Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Fri GALVESTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun COSTA MAYA, MEXICO 1:00 pm 8:00 pm   Mon HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE 9:00 am 5:00 pm   Tue ROATAN, BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Wed COZUMEL, MEXICO 9:00 am 6:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GALVESTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 8:00 am
SHORE EXCURSIONS Shore excursions booked through NCL for Costa Maya, Mexico, Harvest Caye, Belize, and Cozumel, Mexico will be automatically adjusted to coincide with the new times in port; no further action is required. If you are interested in booking new excursions for your upcoming vacation, please contact your travel advisor. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS Depending on nationality, guests may require a passport and/or a visa to visit certain ports of call. All necessary documentation should be printed and available to present at check-in on embarkation day. Guests who fail to obtain these documents will be denied boarding. For more information on the necessary documentation to sail and for all ports of call, please visit www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents. Requirements and policies are subject to change. YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY While we welcome all guests to sail with us, regardless of vaccination status, and with no testing or masking requirements, it is the responsibility of the guest to be aware of, and to satisfy, any local protocols and/or travel restrictions in place at the visiting destinations at the time of sailing to avoid denial of boarding. For additional information on our health and safety protocols, please visit www.ncl.com/sail-safe. Please note that destination specific travel requirements supersede any NCL embarkation protocols. As such, we strongly encourage you to visit www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country to ensure you are in compliance and avoid any chance of being denied boarding. We encourage you to check these sites often, as regulations change frequently and with very short notice. As always, we are at your service and look forward to providing you with a truly memorable onboard experience! Sincerely, Norwegian Cruise Line"

 

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!

 

 

 

 

 

Kind Regards,

The Support Department
American Discount Cruises & Travel
Your Destination for Savings & Service
www.AmericanDiscountCruises.com

Toll Free: 1-866-214-7447 (US & Canada) | 0800 098 8041 (UK)
International: +001-732-970-9142

 

Edited January 3 by graphicguy

[Sugar Magnolia]

54 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Minor changes, and none of it affects me, but noted.

 

 

There were minor changes to our Eastern Caribbean itinerary on the Encore as well. Three out of four of our ports shrunk by one hour, but St. Thomas, coincidentally a U.S. territory, is increased by two hours.

 

I appreciate, as I know you do as well, that NCL is committed to "driving a positive impact on society and the environment."

 

[MamaToMany]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

The ports are ones I've visited several times.  I've seen the sloths, the dolphins, traversed in an ATV, seen a bunch of ruins, etc.

 

Not that it's not exciting and beautiful.  It is.  But, I think I'm relaxing this go round and doing what I want, when I want with no schedules or plans.  As such, looks like my no pre-planing vacation was a sign of things to come....

 

 

Minor changes, and none of it affects me, but noted.

"Dear Valued Guests, We are delighted you have chosen to sail with us on board Norwegian Prima and thank you for your loyalty. On behalf of our crew, we look forward to welcoming you aboard soon. We have important information regarding Norwegian Prima's sailings from January 12, 2024 through and including February 9, 2024. We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue to elevate the quality of our offerings and overall guest experience while driving a positive impact on society and the environment. As we optimize itineraries for fuel efficiencies, we have modified Norwegian Prima's itinerary as shown below.
Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Fri GALVESTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun COSTA MAYA, MEXICO 12:00 pm 8:00 pm   Mon HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Tue ROATAN, BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Wed COZUMEL, MEXICO 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GALVESTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 8:00 am	Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Fri GALVESTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun COSTA MAYA, MEXICO 1:00 pm 8:00 pm   Mon HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE 9:00 am 5:00 pm   Tue ROATAN, BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Wed COZUMEL, MEXICO 9:00 am 6:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GALVESTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 8:00 am
SHORE EXCURSIONS Shore excursions booked through NCL for Costa Maya, Mexico, Harvest Caye, Belize, and Cozumel, Mexico will be automatically adjusted to coincide with the new times in port; no further action is required. If you are interested in booking new excursions for your upcoming vacation, please contact your travel advisor. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS Depending on nationality, guests may require a passport and/or a visa to visit certain ports of call. All necessary documentation should be printed and available to present at check-in on embarkation day. Guests who fail to obtain these documents will be denied boarding. For more information on the necessary documentation to sail and for all ports of call, please visit www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents. Requirements and policies are subject to change. YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY While we welcome all guests to sail with us, regardless of vaccination status, and with no testing or masking requirements, it is the responsibility of the guest to be aware of, and to satisfy, any local protocols and/or travel restrictions in place at the visiting destinations at the time of sailing to avoid denial of boarding. For additional information on our health and safety protocols, please visit www.ncl.com/sail-safe. Please note that destination specific travel requirements supersede any NCL embarkation protocols. As such, we strongly encourage you to visit www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country to ensure you are in compliance and avoid any chance of being denied boarding. We encourage you to check these sites often, as regulations change frequently and with very short notice. As always, we are at your service and look forward to providing you with a truly memorable onboard experience! Sincerely, Norwegian Cruise Line"

 

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!

 

 

 

 

 

Kind Regards,

The Support Department
American Discount Cruises & Travel
Your Destination for Savings & Service
www.AmericanDiscountCruises.com

Toll Free: 1-866-214-7447 (US & Canada) | 0800 098 8041 (UK)
International: +001-732-970-9142

 

They made the same changes to my Prima sailing for next week. Not thrilled. CM was already a short day, so why shrink it further? Seems like it’s happening on other sailings as well, and with very little notice. 

[Ticatraveler]

Hi Dan! We met you at the m&g that you hosted in October aboard the Epic. 
We are looking at booking a cruise on the Prima in May.  Iceland to England. 
Can’t wait to read your comments on the ship.  Can you tell me what deck you chose and why?  We are thinking of 13 but we always prefer higher.  Any thoughts?  Thanks 

[cruiseny4life]

54 minutes ago, MamaToMany said:

They made the same changes to my Prima sailing for next week. Not thrilled. CM was already a short day, so why shrink it further? Seems like it’s happening on other sailings as well, and with very little notice. 

And almost always after final payment date...I'm all for the environment too (won't take up much valuable space in @graphicguy's live), but gosh, you'd think NCL would know 121 days prior to the cruise that they need to alter the sailing to save a few bucks in fuel. I still maintain it has nothing to do the environment, but buckos in the bank account. 

 

I suppose if I truly cared about the environment, I'd not sail a cruise ship at all or fly in airplanes. I'm one that would prefer NCL keep their itineraries as is than a crude attempt at their ethos of "sail and sustain." 

[graphicguy]

36 minutes ago, Ticatraveler said:

Hi Dan! We met you at the m&g that you hosted in October aboard the Epic. 
We are looking at booking a cruise on the Prima in May.  Iceland to England. 
Can’t wait to read your comments on the ship.  Can you tell me what deck you chose and why?  We are thinking of 13 but we always prefer higher.  Any thoughts?  Thanks 

HI.....that Epic Med Cruise was fun.  Weather was generally good, ports were great, staff was wonderful.

 

Funny you mentioned the cabin.  GF asked me the same question, albeit from a superstition perspective.  I'm not superstitious so deck 13 doesn't bother me.  There's nothing above except cabins on deck 14.  Same goes for Deck 12 below me.

 

I always like being close to the stairs, which I am.  I NEVER expect anything tragic to happen, but if it does, I'm close to the stairs for a "getaway".  No drop slides near my balcony, either.

 

Hope to post plenty of pics and thoughts!  Let us know what you decide.

 

Not a great thought process, but that's what I was thinking.

[graphicguy]

3 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

And almost always after final payment date...I'm all for the environment too (won't take up much valuable space in @graphicguy's live), but gosh, you'd think NCL would know 121 days prior to the cruise that they need to alter the sailing to save a few bucks in fuel. I still maintain it has nothing to do the environment, but buckos in the bank account. 

 

I suppose if I truly cared about the environment, I'd not sail a cruise ship at all or fly in airplanes. I'm one that would prefer NCL keep their itineraries as is than a crude attempt at their ethos of "sail and sustain." 

Good points.  

 

Personally, on this itinerary, I really don't care about docking an hour later, or staying an hour longer in a port.

 

Even 3rd party excursions will adjust their itinerary to the ship's comings and goings.

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

There were minor changes to our Eastern Caribbean itinerary on the Encore as well. Three out of four of our ports shrunk by one hour, but St. Thomas, coincidentally a U.S. territory, is increased by two hours.

 

I appreciate, as I know you do as well, that NCL is committed to "driving a positive impact on society and the environment."

 

Only reason I can think of (outside of the so called environmental impact excuse) is that they buy port times in blocks and some blocks at a given time of day are cheaper than others.

 

I have no basis in fact stating that.  Just my opinion. And, we all know what that's worth. 😉

Edited January 3 by graphicguy

[cruiseny4life]

5 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Good points.  

 

Personally, on this itinerary, I really don't care about docking an hour later, or staying an hour longer in a port.

 

Even 3rd party excursions will adjust their itinerary to the ship's comings and goings.

And, on this trip report, as long as you're happy, we're all happy! Really am looking forward to your updates from the Caribbean. Ahhh - those HE rooms are wonderful!! 

[graphicguy]

1 minute ago, cruiseny4life said:

And, on this trip report, as long as you're happy, we're all happy! Really am looking forward to your updates from the Caribbean. Ahhh - those HE rooms are wonderful!! 

I keep telling my friends and family the same thing.  "Don't you want me to be happy?".

 

They just laugh and walk away from me!

[Sugar Magnolia]

8 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I have no basis in fact stating that.  Just my opinion. And, we all know what that's worth. 😉

 

Your opinion is worth its weight in hash browns.

 

[RocketMan275]

6 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Got this today...reminded me of the "start up" cruises a few years ago.....

 

Sail Safe Travel Requirements.pdf 65.23 kB · 2 downloads

I've received it three times today.  

One from NCL and two from my TA.

[graphicguy]

INSURANCE......

 

I've gone back and forth about the type and amount of insurance I should buy.

 

I've spent a small fortune over the years for travel insurance.  My sister had comprehensive cruise insurance for a Caribbean we took together about 6-7 years ago.  It was from a widely recognized company, too.  

 

She had a weather related flight cancellation.  Missed a connection.  Missed the ship.  

 

In brief, she couldn't make it to the first port, nor the 2nd port.  Her reimbursement was limited.  And, there were exclusions that negated much of her expected refund.  

 

Not going to get into the weeds on who the company was or the particulars except to say she's never bought cruise insurance of any kind, again.

 

I won't go that far.  I will buy medical only, though.  If something catastrophic happens while I'm in a foreign country, I do want a safety net.  Moreover, the insurance my AMEX card (which I charge my cruises to) has decent medical coverage, too.

 

So, I don't spend hundreds of dollars per cruise for comprehensive coverage.  I spend well under a $100 for medical insurance, though.