Semi-live 48 day adventure: Prima, Getaway, Dawn, and beyond

[The Traveling Man]

2 minutes ago, Travelicious said:

But bills still have to be paid, and it has become increasingly difficult to access online bank accounts while traveling.  I mean, not too difficult as long as you have good wifi or cell service to receive a code for two-factor identification, but you don't always have that in the middle of the Atlantic.  So I've set up auto withdrawals, which is something I have been resistant to until now.  I don't really like giving corporations access to my bank account, but it seems like the simplest solution.  I set it up a couple of months ago to make sure everything went smoothly.  So far, so good.  I'm sure I'll turn it off when I get back as I like to feel more in control.

Have you considered simply paying an extra amount in advance?  We have several recurring bills for which we have a good idea of how much we will owe in each of the next several months.  Instead of giving the vendor access to our account, we just write them a check that we figure will cover us until we get back.  Sometimes we need to communicate with the vendor via email when that next bill comes due, to remind them that they already have had our payment in hand for a month or so, and to get them to apply our credit balance to the amount currently due, but it works for us.

[JIMESOPUS]

@Travelicious, Holiday Inn in Southampton will allow you to check in early since you are an awards member. In case there isn't anything open they will hold your luggage, also no washcloths at the hotel, so bring your disposable flannels.

[princess76021]

Thanks for inviting us!

Hugs from Texas

[Travelicious]

Two pool school sessions down, one to go.  We are at the point now that I am figuring out what we need to have for meals to get the refrigerator emptied of fresh foods before we leave, without waste.  I think it will work out just right.

 

I plan to add a bit about our port plans a little later today or tomorrow.  

[Travelicious]

We will spend 4 nights in NYC pre-cruise.  This will be our second time there.  The first time, we were unable to make it to Central Park, so that is one of the main goals.  Otherwise, I want to check out Chelsea Market, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, visit the Dumbo area and Dekalb Market Hall, and hopefully make it to Coney Island.  We'll see how the weather holds out for us getting all of this accomplished.  We like to walk a lot while on vacation, so plan to get around mainly by walking while in Manhattan.  Obviously, we won't walk to Coney Island, but will either take the bus or subway, or both.

 

We are booked for Gallagher's Steakhouse one night, and I hope to make it to Katz Deli one day for lunch.  Besides that, we'll add in some cheap eats, like $.99 pizza and Mama Jo's Breakfast Cart.  I'm pretty sure the cost of the hotel does not include breakfast.  😞 We are staying in Midtown, so "must eat at" recommendations are welcome.

[Travelicious]

As far as plans for the cruise ports, we don't have a ton of things pre-planned.  We enjoy just wondering around when the port is close to a town.  I'll be utilizing AT&T's $10 per day international data plan for those days, primarily for GPS functions.  

 

We currently only have one NCL excursion, and that is an "on your own" transfer from Tilbury to London.  On the first of 3 stops in Amsterdam, we will go to Keukenhof to see the tulips with some members of the roll call, one of which got a great deal for 8 people.  I think it is with Get Your Guide.  

 

We will be in Zeebrugge 3 times.  The first is the shortest day, so we will take the shuttle to the nearby town of Blankenberge.  The second and third we will take trains to Ghent and Bruges, respectively.  

 

Of the 3 times we will be in Le Havre, we will take the Le Havre Bee bus to Honfleur and will take a D-Day tour with Overlord Tours, which comes highly recommended.  I put the latter private tour together for 8.  We still have one seat available, but I'm okay paying the extra $137 for that if we can sit in the front.  🙂  The last time in Le Havre is boarding day for the Dawn, so just taking the train from Paris to get onboard.

 

I believe that is all we have booked.   As of now, we are freestyling everywhere else.  Suggestions welcome!

 

 

 

 

[Maleficent's Dad]

15 minutes ago, Travelicious said:

We will spend 4 nights in NYC pre-cruise.  This will be our second time there.  The first time, we were unable to make it to Central Park, so that is one of the main goals.  Otherwise, I want to check out Chelsea Market, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, visit the Dumbo area and Dekalb Market Hall, and hopefully make it to Coney Island.  We'll see how the weather holds out for us getting all of this accomplished.  We like to walk a lot while on vacation, so plan to get around mainly by walking while in Manhattan.  Obviously, we won't walk to Coney Island, but will either take the bus or subway, or both.

 

We are booked for Gallagher's Steakhouse one night, and I hope to make it to Katz Deli one day for lunch.  Besides that, we'll add in some cheap eats, like $.99 pizza and Mama Jo's Breakfast Cart.  I'm pretty sure the cost of the hotel does not include breakfast.  😞 We are staying in Midtown, so "must eat at" recommendations are welcome.

If you visit the Met, you can then easily walk into Central Park from there.

In Dumbo, assuming you walk the Brooklyn Bridge, either Grimaldi's or Juliana's (the original Grimaldi's owners) for pizza.

Coney Island has the Original Nathan's hot dogs, it's not on the Boardwalk proper, but a block or so off.  There is one on the Boardwalk, but that's not the original. If you spend time in Brooklyn, Peter Luger's is a famous steakhouse albeit overrated.  Note they take cash only, no cards (unless you have their CC, which just about nobody does).  If you're down at Katz Deli, you're not far from China Town or Little Italy.  Hop Kee in China Town keeps things pretty authentic so it's an experience... Lots of good Italian food in Little Italy as well.  The area is small and most of the places are pretty good.  Stop in one of the bakeries for fresh filled cannolis. There are literally hundreds of bagel shops in Manhattan, just avoid chains for real NY bagels.  

[Travelicious]

8 minutes ago, Maleficent's Dad said:

If you visit the Met, you can then easily walk into Central Park from there.

In Dumbo, assuming you walk the Brooklyn Bridge, either Grimaldi's or Juliana's (the original Grimaldi's owners) for pizza.

Coney Island has the Original Nathan's hot dogs, it's not on the Boardwalk proper, but a block or so off.  There is one on the Boardwalk, but that's not the original. If you spend time in Brooklyn, Peter Luger's is a famous steakhouse albeit overrated.  Note they take cash only, no cards (unless you have their CC, which just about nobody does).  If you're down at Katz Deli, you're not far from China Town or Little Italy.  Hop Kee in China Town keeps things pretty authentic so it's an experience... Lots of good Italian food in Little Italy as well.  The area is small and most of the places are pretty good.  Stop in one of the bakeries for fresh filled cannolis. There are literally hundreds of bagel shops in Manhattan, just avoid chains for real NY bagels.  

Thanks so much!  I'm making additions to my list.

[Maleficent's Dad]

Oh, I almost forgot, if anyone has a sweet tooth in your group whilst in the Big Apple, Economy Candy is around the corner from Katz.  It’s a cool, yet small (packed with candy) place that many celebs visit.  Pretty famous if you need some sugar!

[tcmagnum]

4 hours ago, Travelicious said:

We will spend 4 nights in NYC pre-cruise.  This will be our second time there.  The first time, we were unable to make it to Central Park, so that is one of the main goals.  Otherwise, I want to check out Chelsea Market, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, visit the Dumbo area and Dekalb Market Hall, and hopefully make it to Coney Island.  We'll see how the weather holds out for us getting all of this accomplished.  We like to walk a lot while on vacation, so plan to get around mainly by walking while in Manhattan.  Obviously, we won't walk to Coney Island, but will either take the bus or subway, or both.

 

We are booked for Gallagher's Steakhouse one night, and I hope to make it to Katz Deli one day for lunch.  Besides that, we'll add in some cheap eats, like $.99 pizza and Mama Jo's Breakfast Cart.  I'm pretty sure the cost of the hotel does not include breakfast.  😞 We are staying in Midtown, so "must eat at" recommendations are welcome.

If you have a sweet tooth, I highly recommend Serendipity 3. Located at 225 E. 60th St.  About .7 miles to the south/east of Central Park.  We didn’t expect much with it being popular because of a movie, but WOW!!  Frozen Chocolate was very good.

 

And I agree with the other post, skip the national chains for bagels.  Go to locally owned bagel shop. 
 

Have a great trip!!!

[brookie848]

On 4/16/2024 at 4:36 PM, JIMESOPUS said:

@Travelicious, Holiday Inn in Southampton will allow you to check in early since you are an awards member. In case there isn't anything open they will hold your luggage, also no washcloths at the hotel, so bring your disposable flannels.

Are no washcloths a British thing? It's been years since I've been there. We're staying two nights in Southampton before our Encore TA later this year.

[debenson0723]

55 minutes ago, brookie848 said:

Are no washcloths a British thing? It's been years since I've been there. We're staying two nights in Southampton before our Encore TA later this year.

No washclothes is a European thing. I always pack my own, sometimes an older one, which I leave behind.

[debenson0723]

There are so many great places to eat in NYC, I don't know where to begin. In Midtown, we like to go to John's Pizzeria of Times Square on 44th Street. It gets busy before the theatre so if we are seeing a show, we get there around 5:30 to avoid the crowds. Also great for lunch (opens at 11:30). Best fish and chips we have had are at A Salt and Battery in the West Village. A tiny hole in the wall owned by 2 Brits. Walk the High Line and stop into Chelsea Market for a bite or two but, unless things have changed, not a lot of seating. Two thumbs up for Katz Deli and Economy Candy. Los Tacos #1 is in midtown and has good (and cheap) tacos. Always a long line but it moves fast.

I recommend taking the subway to the first Brooklyn stop and walking back over the bridge towards Manhattan...early Sunday morning is very peaceful with a wonderful view...night time is spectacular also. 

As many times as I have been to NYC, I have never heard of Mama Jo's. You can bet that I will be there in June the morning of my Joy cruise. Thanks for that suggestion.

Have a wonderful cruise. I may have to put this on my bucket list.

[JIMESOPUS]

1 hour ago, brookie848 said:

Are no washcloths a British thing? It's been years since I've been there. We're staying two nights in Southampton before our Encore TA later this year.

It might be a European thing, stayed in several cities throughout Europe and only had washcloths in one city, Rome

[cruiseny4life]

I'm going to add what I love in the city, at least restaurant wise as it hasn't been mentioned. 

 

1. Sullivan St. Bakery, 47th St., (cuz, I mention this constantly) - it's within walking distance of the cruise port, like three'ish blocks. Breakfast here is wonderful! I'm sure everything else is, but I love their morning pastries. I did try the focaccia and it is great too. 

2. Becco, 355 W. 46th between 9th and 10th - unlimited, homemade pasta that changes daily. Yesterday one of their three options was fettucine with short rib ragu (wishing I was in Manhattan yesterday). They do have a non-all you can eat menu too. Close to Times Square, but decidedly not Times Square and that's a damn good thing! 

3. Ubani, 37A Bedford St. between 6th and 7th - Georgian restaurant. Georgia, the country! Loads of pizzalike breads. I recommend the Adjaruli Khachapuri as it's a cheese boat with a raw egg yolk. We make them at home all the time, but this place has a really good one! Also, khinkali which is kind of like a Chinese soup dumpling where you bite into it and suck out the broth. Absolutely phenomenal here! I've had the veal stew (chakapuli) and friends had the Cornish Hen with Georgian Spices. Everything is just delicious. 

 

When you're at Coney Island, pop over to Brighton Beach. Stop at Tashkent Supermarket (it's an Eastern European/Russian store). As you enter, on the left is a great little "sandwich" shop. They make gyros (with a hard G) and shawarma. I get the gyro. My husband gets the shawarma (he's from Russia). With chicken. Absolutely yummy lunch. And if you're not a big eater, you can split it. They slice the meat off a kebab, like a real kebab, not that steak um stuff. It's delightful. Refreshing. Filling. And so much more! Mmmmm!! While you're at it, if you like carbonated mineral water, grab some Bojormi (it is slightly salty). 

 

Ok...I'm done. For now! 🙂

 

Enjoy your stay in NY and I hope you let us know where you wound up (even if you don't go to any of my recommended places, haha). 

[Travelicious]

So many great suggestions!  I can't eat at them all, but I am definitely taking notes.  Unfortunately, I failed in my pre-cruise weight loss efforts, so I am a bit overwhelmed just thinking of all of that food before I even step foot on a ship!  

[tcmagnum]

7 minutes ago, Travelicious said:

So many great suggestions!  I can't eat at them all, but I am definitely taking notes.  Unfortunately, I failed in my pre-cruise weight loss efforts, so I am a bit overwhelmed just thinking of all of that food before I even step foot on a ship!  

Since you get to go on a wonderful cruise, you have to take one for the team and eat ALL the food.  I'm looking forward to hearing where you go to eat and your thoughts.  I'm living vicariously!!

Enjoy!!

[Travelicious]

31 minutes ago, tcmagnum said:

Since you get to go on a wonderful cruise, you have to take one for the team and eat ALL the food.  I'm looking forward to hearing where you go to eat and your thoughts.  I'm living vicariously!!

Enjoy!!

I shall do my best!

[princess76021]

2 hours ago, Travelicious said:

So many great suggestions!  I can't eat at them all, but I am definitely taking notes.  Unfortunately, I failed in my pre-cruise weight loss efforts, so I am a bit overwhelmed just thinking of all of that food before I even step foot on a ship!  

but think of all the walking you are going to be doing in new york!! 

you will be walking off your food!!  worry about it after the visit to the city and the cruise

hugs from texas!!

[Travelicious]

6 minutes ago, princess76021 said:

but think of all the walking you are going to be doing in new york!! 

you will be walking off your food!!  worry about it after the visit to the city and the cruise

hugs from texas!!

Yes, it will be the only thing to mitigate 48 days of eating and drinking!

[Travelicious]

I want to share a bit about the benefits of chasing credit card points and miles.  Many of you probably already know, but maybe it can be helpful to some of the younger folks who are just starting out on their lives of travel.

 

Our first cruise was in 2004.  We were still pretty poor back then.  Not poor poor, but certainly didn’t have much disposable income.  We figured it would probably be the only one we took for a very long time.  

 

In 2008, my brother invited me on a Med cruise.  Of course, I would have to pay my own way, and it seemed like an exorbitant amount to me.  However, I decided to go, as it might be a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Who knew I would ever being able to travel overseas?  It was on that trip that I caught the travel bug.

 

But I digress.  The point is that my brother, who was an avid traveler, advised me to get an American Airlines branded card so I would earn points/miles for the flight and also get a sign-up bonus.  I did so, and soon after Pookie did the same.  We began charging groceries, gas, etc., on the cards, and paying them off every month.  This part is important, because if carrying a balance and paying interest, you really aren’t getting much of a benefit.  
                                        
We first used the points to fly round trip to Hawaii in economy for about $10 each.  Being about an 8 hour flight, it was somewhat miserable.  As points accumulated and we became more financially able to travel, we began booking long-distance flights in business class using points.  We have flown business class round trip to Europe twice (this next trip will be one-way), and to South America.  

 

Of course, the amount of points necessary to do this has increased substantially over the years.  To preserve points, we have booked some on British Airways, which requires several hundred dollars in addition to points.  But, the cash is still much less than paying for even an economy seat without points.

 

Over the years, we have expanded to other credit cards, and use those points primarily for hotels.  On this trip, we will have at least one-night stays at 5 different hotels.  Of those, 3 stays will be paid for with points.  This includes the 4-night stay in Manhattan at an Intercontinental hotel.  This alone is a huge savings, as that hotel is currently running over $400 per night.  We’ll only have to pay a $40 per night “amenity fee.”  I can’t even count the number of nights we’ve booked with points on hotels, but it has been plenty.

 

I also got the American Express Platinum about 6 years ago.  I was primarily interested in this card for access to the Centurion Lounges.  However, it has many other benefits, including a Cruise Privileges Program which offers OBC and certain other benefits on most of the mainstream cruise lines.  On NCL, you get $100 for an inside, $200 for a balcony, and $300 for a suite, plus a dinner at Le Bistro.  If you are cruising 2 or 3 times per year, you can easily get back the very high annual fee (which certainly makes it not for everyone).

 

But you don’t have to get the high dollar cards to save a ton of money just buying what you would buy anyway.  An airline branded card, maybe a hotel group branded card or one of the many other cards that will allow you to transfer to hotel groups or book directly through the issuer’s travel portal, will eventually net you great savings.  Or, at least, it has for us.

[Travelicious]

If you want a super detailed review of everything about and leading up to the transatlantic cruise on the Prima, the port, NYC tips, see @mking8288's review.  Henry came onboard a little later than some and had to get our roll call whipped in to shape.  Much appreciated and we are all the better for it. I’m not nearly as detail-oriented, and don't have any local knowledge, so I’m just going to try to relay our plans and experiences.

 

Here is what our Prima cruise is looking like.   We will have $745 in OBC.  Being a 15 day cruise, the NCL shareholder credit is $250.  We are in a balcony, so will have $200 from Amex. $100 is from NCL and $195 is from the TA.  I believe the only refundable credit will be the $195 from the TA.  

 

If that is, in fact, refundable, I’ll likely gamble it away in the slots.  For the rest, we’ll use to pay for unlimited internet, which we’ll share when the FAS 300 minutes each runs out.  We will use it to pay taxes for drinks while in port, for upcharges for drinks not included in the regular FAS, maybe for a lobster tail addition.  Maybe pick up a cheap NCL shuttle or excursion, if any exist.  We’ll see how it all play out.  I don’t like owing anything on the back end, so DSCs are prepaid on this cruise.

 

We will have 6 specialty dinners. 3 are from FAS, 2 from being Latitudes Platinum or above, and 1 from Amex to Le Bistro.  We have not been on a ship with Onda or Palomar, so we are doing each twice on this cruise, and also doing Los Lobos twice, as it is not on most of the ships we’ve been on.  I ate at Los Lobos on a solo cruise and loved it.  Pookie has not yet eaten there.

 

We were supposed to sail from NYC at 4:00, and I booked Onda for the first night at 5:30, thinking that would give us sufficient time to enjoy the sailaway.  When we sailed from NYC the other time, there was a Nor’easter in NY and also some sort of medical emergency on the prior cruise, and it was very late getting in.  By the time we boarded, after midnight, we were worn out.  I crawled into bed around 2:00 a.m. and was just about to doze off when the announcement came of the mandatory muster drill. Seriously.  Needless to say, we missed the sights of sailing out of NYC.

 

Anyhoo, NCL recently notified us that we would actually not sail until 6:00 on embarkation day.  So, I’m going to have to reschedule Onda for another night.  We don’t want to miss the sights again because we are sitting in a restaurant.  We’ll take care of it once we board.  

 

The earliest check-in time is noon, and we are not sure what time we will actually be able to board.  Sure hope we can still get lunch in one of the dining rooms, as is our custom.  But whatever happens, we’ll work it out and make the best of it.
 

[Travelicious]

Meanwhile, on the preparation front, pool school sessions completed, pool cleaned, yard mowed, Snake Away distributed.  

 

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

1 hour ago, Travelicious said:

Meanwhile, on the preparation front, pool school sessions completed, pool cleaned, yard mowed, Snake Away distributed.  

 

 

 

Wow...I always marvel at how much space other people have and are able to enjoy. I live in a closet where the micro kitchen and bathroom are virtually one room. This is why I think the NCL solo studios are palatial and frankly don't know what to do with all that space.

 

Very excited to hear about your romp around NYC when we board.

 

[Travelicious]

14 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Wow...I always marvel at how much space other people have and are able to enjoy. I live in a closet where the micro kitchen and bathroom are virtually one room. This is why I think the NCL solo studios are palatial and frankly don't know what to do with all that space.

 

 

I get it.  This is why we always feel so cramped in a balcony cabin.  It's all what you are accustomed to.

 

Of course, the trade-off is living in the middle of nowhere next to chicken houses.

Edited April 19 by Travelicious