Courtyard Villa

[cruise vs work/]

If my wife and I get a courtyard villa is allright to have my kids in the court yard if they have a inside cabin?

[Kathylovescruises]

Hi:

 

It all depends- we have stayed in the Villas and saw people asked to leave as they were in non-villa cabins but had relatives staying in Villas. ( I would have preferred that they asked the Garden Villa guests to leave, but they were a motley, obnoxious gang that ate cookies in the pool and screamed constantly.... but that is another story!)If the ship isn't full, it might not be a problem, but those paying the extra bucks for the Villas might not appreciate having others there, as the space is limited and the food is, too.:)

 

Last I heard, NCL "officially" didn't allow it, but rules are often bent!

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having an exclusive area?

 

If everyone who had access to the area brought guests, then why pay thousands extra for the private, quiet space that would be overrun?

 

Paying several thousands of dollars vs. several hundreds of dollars for the same cruise should absolutely realize additional benefits and perks...that's the reason you pay such a large premium.

[Kathylovescruises]

If my wife and I get a courtyard villa is allright to have my kids in the court yard if they have a inside cabin?

 

 

Hi!

 

I just spoke to NCL to pay for my cruise and the vacation specialist told me that it shouldn't be a problem for your family to join you, you just have to be there when they are.

 

Have fun!:D

 

Kathy

[Markandrews]

If my wife and I get a courtyard villa is allright to have my kids in the court yard if they have a inside cabin?

 

The Courtyard is for registered guest of A1, A2, A3, A4 and AA guest only. Guest are welcome in your cabin but not in the common area.

[time2cruise1]

Hi!

 

I just spoke to NCL to pay for my cruise and the vacation specialist told me that it shouldn't be a problem for your family to join you, you just have to be there when they are.

 

Have fun!:D

 

Kathy

 

I believe the concierge onboard might provide a very different answer. As a rule only those in the coutyard villas, garden villas, and owners suites have access to the courtyard area and private sundeck. You are welcome to have guests in your villa.

As pointed out if everyone booked in the villas invited guests the area would be a zoo. In fact it can get crowded when many of those permitted are in the courtyard at the same time.

Having cruised in a CV on the Jade I can tell you it most likely would not be a problem to walk a guest through for a quick tour but having them spend time there everyday is not permited. All it takes is one guest who complains and as I saw on the Jade the concierge will come speak to those that had "guests" in the courtyard.

[Kathylovescruises]

That's what happened last time that we were in the CV. Someone complained and out the guests went !

Also, We had an obnoxious guest at priority check in who gave the concierge a tip ( right there in front of us!)and then demanded his whole family, ( 3 non-concierge cabins and his cabin) get advance reservations for the resaturants at check in. I did raise a bit of a fuss when he booked 15 seats at Cagney's for the time we also wanted, then it was full. Needless to say, that particular CV Concierge received a very small gratuity.

 

I don't know why the reservation agent told me what she did, but after thinking about it, I do remember how annoying it was to have that pompous jerk making demands- before we got on the ship!:mad:

 

Looking forward to my next CV in 111 days!

[time2cruise1]

That's what happened last time that we were in the CV. Someone complained and out the guests went !

Also, We had an obnoxious guest at priority check in who gave the concierge a tip ( right there in front of us!)and then demanded his whole family, ( 3 non-concierge cabins and his cabin) get advance reservations for the resaturants at check in. I did raise a bit of a fuss when he booked 15 seats at Cagney's for the time we also wanted, then it was full. Needless to say, that particular CV Concierge received a very small gratuity.

 

I don't know why the reservation agent told me what she did, but after thinking about it, I do remember how annoying it was to have that pompous jerk making demands- before we got on the ship!:mad:

 

Looking forward to my next CV in 111 days!

 

I guess you would not have liked the Cruise Critic members that I met in the Courtyard who pointed me to this site. They had booked dinners for 20+ in advance most of which were not in concierge level rooms.;) In fact they were a pretty nice group and that is why I am here.

[orangeh3]

I believe the concierge onboard might provide a very different answer. As a rule only those in the coutyard villas, garden villas, and owners suites have access to the courtyard area and private sundeck. You are welcome to have guests in your villa.

 

As pointed out if everyone booked in the villas invited guests the area would be a zoo. In fact it can get crowded when many of those permitted are in the courtyard at the same time.

 

Having cruised in a CV on the Jade I can tell you it most likely would not be a problem to walk a guest through for a quick tour but having them spend time there everyday is not permited. All it takes is one guest who complains and as I saw on the Jade the concierge will come speak to those that had "guests" in the courtyard.

 

The families of CV guests may join the CV guest in their cabin for a gathering but the Courtyard area is private. I wouldn't dream of asking if I could use the Garden Villa private areas. ;)

[caribbean blue for me]

oh boy....I saw this question create a huge ugly scene a little while back.

 

Here is a breakdown from memory:

 

Those who could afford a CV felt strongly that those who can't (or won't) afford it have no right to be in the courtyard.

 

 

 

Personally, I don't care where anyone is as long as they are not on my lap.

[AFAMILY]

IMO you are entitled to ONLY what you pay for. I wouldn't pay for a mezzanine seat for show and expect to sit for awhile in an orchestra seat. Likewise I wouldn't expect to take advantage of private areas/services onboard a cruise ship that others paid THOUSANDS of dollars for when I didn't. It wouldn't matter how full or empty those private areas were, you have to pay to play.

 

BTW, we are NOT suite guests.

 

Happy Cruising! :)

[Fishbait17]

In the past, we have had an AA with an AF for my daughters, and later an AA with adjoining AC and BC cabins for my daughters and a friend each. On neither occasion were they permitted to use the courtyard with us. Both times were on full ships, if that makes a difference. In fact, we were looking at booking an AA and adjoining AC for them for an upcoming cruise, and then had decided that, strictly for courtyard use, we were going to double book them - both with us (as pax 3 and 4) in an A3, plus as pax 1 and 2 in an additional cabin on another deck where they would actually sleep and shower. The logistics were a bit difficult, but NCL assured me that they could make it happen if we needed to. In the end it didn't matter, we decided not to book the trip anyway. We truly enjoy the AA, and actually the courtyard is not that special to us, so we would still choose the AA over courtyard use for most sailings - but this was a winter Europe cruise, and we thought the courtyard would be nice to have for that particular two week sailing.

 

Robin

[time2cruise1]

The families of CV guests may join the CV guest in their cabin for a gathering but the Courtyard area is private. I wouldn't dream of asking if I could use the Garden Villa private areas. ;)

 

Well in fact if you book the GV you can have anyone from the ship in those private areas. The issue here is the shared area for courtyard guests

[orangeh3]

Well in fact if you book the GV you can have anyone from the ship in those private areas. The issue here is the shared area for courtyard guests

 

Point taken. :) I was along a different line. ;)

[Tideone]

Needless to say I am not interested in ever booking a CV again as many times the courtyard got as crowded as the main deck pools.

One family ruined it for everyone as they had a CV and the other 50 people in their family were staying in inside cabins elsewhere.

Since that cruise, we have discovered the aft penthouse cabins and have fallen in love with them.

As long as I have my butler and my Cagney's breakfasts and lunches - you can keep the private courtyard and the cookies.

[cruise vs work/]

Thank you everyone for you replies and not beating me up to bad:)

[time2cruise1]

Thank you everyone for you replies and not beating me up to bad:)

 

You are lucky. It is not many that seem to get out of here without a beating. :D :D

[watchdiva]

OP - why not book an A3 (2 bed/2bath) and then your kids will be up there with you?:D DH and I booked an A3 4/07 on the Pearl and it's ample size for 4.

 

There's limited seating in the CY and it would be quite embarrassing for you and your kids if you brought them up and then wound up having them being asked to leave (if another CV pax complains to the concierge it very well could happen).

 

To TideOne, I would have been FURIOUS had my CY experience been the same as yours - we paid a tidy sum for our A3 and I probably would have said asked the concierge if ALL those extra people were really booked in the CV's and by the way, can you get a steward to bring up a lounger for me to lay on since there's no seats? You can bet that the concierge would be checking out the situation and resolving it very quickly.

[garycarla]

It is too bad that a few people ruin it for others. On a cruise we were on, we did "visit" the courtyard twice with residents of that level. There was nobody around. Though we only stayed for about 5-10 minutes, it would not have been a bother to anyone if we stayed and visited with our friends for awhile. We would not have "bothered" anyone that had spent thousands of extra dollars for their space.

 

But, others abuse it and make it difficult for the rest. As to that large group, somebody should have taken action.

[DMH15]

We visited friends in a CV. Had lunch in their suite but they explained they would give us a "quick tour" but the pool and lounge area was for CV guests only. We totally understood. It was nice to see it though. When we went out there no one was out there... but that was not the point. I respected my friends for their diligence. It is NOT that large of an area and if some people try to gain access by booking one part of a large group then that is a shame and a disservice to all of the other Villa pax.

[AFAMILY]

It is too bad that a few people ruin it for others. On a cruise we were on, we did "visit" the courtyard twice with residents of that level. There was nobody around. Though we only stayed for about 5-10 minutes, it would not have been a bother to anyone if we stayed and visited with our friends for awhile. We would not have "bothered" anyone that had spent thousands of extra dollars for their space.

 

But, others abuse it and make it difficult for the rest. As to that large group, somebody should have taken action.

 

It's not the point that YOU don't think you would bother anyone. The point is you didn't pay for this perk and others did.

 

I recall reading another post from a closed thread. The poster wrote:

"It is freestyle, and if some people have no class, manners or simple civility, that is their choice.

 

Freestyle means I can dress like a hick if I want and have no regard for anyone around me or what they think.

 

And, it means I think my sweats with the holes in them are comfortable and I am on vacation, so the heck with all of you!"

 

Of course I disagree with that quote as most of us would. I rest my case.

[cruise vs work/]

OP - why not book an A3 (2 bed/2bath) and then your kids will be up there with you?:D DH and I booked an A3 4/07 on the Pearl and it's ample size for 4.

 

There's limited seating in the CY and it would be quite embarrassing for you and your kids if you brought them up and then wound up having them being asked to leave (if another CV pax complains to the concierge it very well could happen).

 

To TideOne, I would have been FURIOUS had my CY experience been the same as yours - we paid a tidy sum for our A3 and I probably would have said asked the concierge if ALL those extra people were really booked in the CV's and by the way, can you get a steward to bring up a lounger for me to lay on since there's no seats? You can bet that the concierge would be checking out the situation and resolving it very quickly.

 

Six kids:) , three inside cabins

[Boat_Drinks]

This is news to me, and I'm booked in a CV (A3) on Jade next May. I simply assumed that the Courtyard was available to me AND any guest/guests I may choose to bring on a REASONABLE basis. I don't recall seeing anything saying that I could NOT have a guest in the Courtyard so, again, this comes as a surprise to me.

 

While I can see both sides of the coin here (particularly if some people have abused use of the Courtyard to the detriment of those who they share it with), I'm still annoyed. I see no reason why I should not be allowed to bring a guest (or even 2) if the Courtyard is not being used, or being used but nowhere close to it's capacity. I don't see this as being a "You didn't pay for it so you can't use it" issue, I see it as being one of the benefits that come with my CV - but then being told I can't really use it, unless I want to sit quietly alone or some such thing.

 

Imagine if you booked a balcony cabin and invited a guest or two to join you for cocktails on your balcony, only to have some NCL "hall monitor" tell you "Sorry, while the balcony is indeed for YOUR enjoyment, your inside-cabin friend has to stay OFF the balcony.....". Ugh. :mad:

[AFAMILY]

This is news to me, and I'm booked in a CV (A3) on Jade next May. I simply assumed that the Courtyard was available to me AND any guest/guests I may choose to bring on a REASONABLE basis. I don't recall seeing anything saying that I could NOT have a guest in the Courtyard so, again, this comes as a surprise to me.

 

While I can see both sides of the coin here (particularly if some people have abused use of the Courtyard to the detriment of those who they share it with), I'm still annoyed. I see no reason why I should not be allowed to bring a guest (or even 2) if the Courtyard is not being used, or being used but nowhere close to it's capacity. I don't see this as being a "You didn't pay for it so you can't use it" issue, I see it as being one of the benefits that come with my CV - but then being told I can't really use it, unless I want to sit quietly alone or some such thing.

 

Imagine if you booked a balcony cabin and invited a guest or two to join you for cocktails on your balcony, only to have some NCL "hall monitor" tell you "Sorry, while the balcony is indeed for YOUR enjoyment, your inside-cabin friend has to stay OFF the balcony.....". Ugh. :mad:

 

The difference is, your private balcony is just that, private for your use or whomever you wish to share it with. The courtyard is the private area to be shared among suite level guests only.

 

No one will say you're not permitted to invite guests to your cabin, just not to the courtyard, which is the common area for people who paid for the perk.

 

Enjoy your cruise! :)

[Boat_Drinks]

No one will say you're not permitted to invite guests to your cabin, just not to the courtyard, which is the common area for people who paid for the perk.

 

That's where the difference of opinion comes in, I paid for the perk - but I can only enjoy it with the specific passengers who are also in CV's.

 

Again, I understand the issue and the problem of "fair use" for those who paid for the perk (myself included). But I'd like to be able to sit in the courtyard with a guest of MINE (certainly not an unescorted guest, and certainly not if the courtyard is too busy).

 

It'll be interesting to see how much use I actually make of the courtyard now. I guess I could have my guests stand on my balcony while I sit in the courtyard and we could shout back and forth to one another......... :D