jticarruthers

Going to jot down a few prices today and see how it looks over the weekend. Just booked NCL Escape which was BOGO AND Drink Package and the price didn't increase from the week before when I priced it when it was BOGO OR Drink Package ... will be interesting to see how the RCL offer looks. To make that clearer ... the price stayed the same but the Drink Package was now included ... and since RCI hasn't even released their schedule for springbreak 2016 yet that just made it even easier to decide to give NCL a try.

Havent checked UK rates but I am sure they jacked up the base rates to offset the same way they jacked up the base rates so that the BOGOHO deal brings it back to the exact same price as it was before the sale. Rumors are that the sale starting mid-Feb will have a free drinks offer built into it, be curious to see if prices rise just in time for that "discount" ....

Great now the restaurants work like the "sales" ... if we raise the price 10% and then offer a 20% discount, people will think they got a great deal but really not much.

We already put Chops on the "don't bother" list at the old price, price increase just seals the deal. The experience changed a lot in our brief cruise history from a "special" experience at $20 on our first go around (Liberty) to nothing special at $35 last time we tried it (Allure). Looking forward to trying Sabor this Thanksgiving on Freedom though.

Further cementing my lack of interest in trying Quantum/Anthem and Oasis/Allure until this chaotic mess settles.

Primary reason for me to transfer to a TA would be the cash back. Typically about 8% per cruise or so in OBC ... adds up to a free cruise pretty fast :)

We did this on Allure last spring break. Bought it for the last 5 days of the cruise. If you don't think you will get the value on the first day or two it works out well.

I saw a rumor that NCL was planning a KSF (Kids Sail Free) Promo starting 2/1 ... my current plan is too book Escape for Thanksgiving 2016 with the Free Beverage Package and then reprice in Feb to see how it compares. Until RCL extends their booking window I am basically tapped out anyway .. already got my two booked for '15 and they don't offer Thanksgiving '16 yet to compare with.

Getting close to pulling the trigger on Norwegian Escape for the 2016 Spring break cruise, primarily because of the Freestyle Drinking offer noted above. Priced it against the Freedom of the Seas for the same week and FOTS is about $300 cheaper. Throw in free drink packages though and the value flips over for me. Throw in a new ship, new cruise line and a new port and I think we are going to try something different. Only issue now is if the school confirms the 2015-16 calendar before the end of the month so I can book before the promo ends. If not I may have to take a guess and/or drop a couple if deposits to be safe :) KSF was nice, BOGO was ok but the true value of the RCI promo has faded out over the last few months as it became "the standard price".

It has to be purchased with at least 4 days left (unless on a 3 day cruise in which case its all or nothing). We did something similar on Allure earlier this year, skipped the first night (since we had BOGO coupons and also did the Ritas Cantina Fiesta which included 3 drinks each for $10) and then bought the package the morning of day 2 for the rest of the cruise.

Mike, think you are pretty close. I love the idea of DD options if I wanted to eat at a particular style place on a given night (basically additional fee restaurants ala Chops, etc.) I hate the idea of having to get the group of people I am with to pick a restaurant and a time every night, especially as none of the menus really appeal to me all that much. On balance I don't want DD but I could see a middle ground working out ....

Tea, Coffee, Water are available throughout the day. Lemonade, Iced Tea, Flavored water seem to vary by ship. On at least one of our cruises they were available at Sorrentos (I think that was Navigator or Liberty) and on another they were available at the Promenade Café (Thinking Liberty or Freedom), but most recently on Indy there was only water, coffee and tea available at both locations so it might be a policy change or a ship by ship thing. They were available in Windjammer when Windjammer was open though. Ice cream machine also has "hours" so sometimes it may not be available when you want one.

Pricing changes - prices no longer include gratutity but the gratuity is automatically added, so in essence the prices are understated by 15%. No longer required for all adults in the cabin to buy the package, you can pick and choose. Probably nothing else and those may not be new to you either depending on how long you have been around for.

Cruise regularly out of Florida at Thanksgiving and Springbreak and it is usually pool weather pretty much from the beginning on those cruises (with an occasional exception for a front coming through for example). Did Disney out to the Bahamas last January and we were in the pool on that one and hit the beach at Castaway Cay but it was definitely "cooler" than usual. If you are headed south out of Florida into the Caribbean it stays pleasant most of the year. If you are coming down from a northern port the first few days are likely not as pleasant ;)

I don't recall the exact time for being out of the cabin, but that is a different story. They want to get the cabins stripped, cleaned and ready so there is a time slot when you have to be out of the cabin. They have the various lounge areas setup for you to wait in before getting off the ship but they want you out of the cabin. I think its 8 or 9 is the deadline to be out of the cabins but I am guessing on the time.

They don't force you off when your number is called so if you just want to sit on the boat until the last number is called you can do so. The biggest difference between self assist and waiting on your number is whether you turn your luggage over the night before or carry it yourself. If it were me and I was in no rush I would turn my luggage in the night before so that I don't have to keep track of it all morning on disembarkation day and then at some point after my number was called do a leisurely walk off. There isn't a lot of stuff open though since the ships focus is on getting everyone off so they can turn it around and get everyone on again though.

2nd RCI was Navigator of the Seas, definitely had RCI as the preferred line since then but have flirted with Disney for 2 cruises and considering NCL for one upcoming. 1st RCI was Grandeur which was nice but didn't sink the hook until Navigator.

Matt did you really just ask if Windjammer as a dinner option was not something people wanted as part of the DD experience? I actually do like Windjammer and on one cruise ate there almost exclusively but being pushed to specialty restaurants or Windjammer as the only options is probably one of my major concerns with DD.

The tip policy changed so depending on when each person bought their package you might have had different experiences. Originally the package was prices as inclusive of the 15% tip, it was changed a few months back to be before the mandatory 15% tip. So now the price quoted is before they add the tip. Either way if you have purchased a package it "includes" the 15% tip in the price.

No plans to sail Oasis class again so doesn't really impact me either way but hoping it decreases the odds of DD finding its way down to Freedom class anytime soon.

For the same money probably the Central Park, Balcony with natural light beats the view of the mall. Assuming any kind of cost differential though I would take the Promenade, did the Central Park Balcony on Allure and weren't impressed. Might have been bad location, might have been cabin design in general but the room felt small, there really wasn't anything to see (Except other people on their balconies), etc.

I was mostly joking on the propulsion comment, just frustrating that the ship will be in drydock in a few days and they still haven't said what to expect afterwards ;)

I don't know as secretive as they are with the plan, there may not be enough time to address the propulsion system.

I think the restaurant rumored to go into the nightclub is Sabor ?

I heard it might be getting the ring of panoramic oceanview cabins up on the bow? You hear anything like that Matt ? Also have heard back and forth and back and forth on Dynamic Dining, that's gonna have to be a wait and see :)