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TO be fair... I (Gil) haven't really seen much "crap" on any of the ships. Loud people here and there but honestly no fights. Even the smaller ships like the Carnival Sunrise have been pretty quiet. We've been on The Breeze, Sunrise, Mardi Gras and Horizon. Didn't see any craziness.

We too like the peace of our own balcony. Don't want anything else. Sucks you got the bad end of Shaq's Big Chicken. Was pretty decent on ours. I always say that at times because of workers changing from contracts, you will get different service than someone who sailed a month ago. I feel that I haven't had a great pizza on ANY ship. Closest was Icon of the Seas. Was pretty decent. Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady pizza was also decent. I feel that that NCL Prima & Viva + Icon of the Seas had the best food ever. All depends on your buds.

Yeah. The Encore is probably top 3 in the Breakaway/+ Class. Well balanced and beautiful even though there's no basketball court : (

We def need to get some prizes out for those who actually watch entire videos haaaa We've never encountered that utensil incident on a cruise before, so I'd say it probably won't happen. Def a first. Thanks for taking that plunge and subscribing. Hopefully we have solid info for you. Def let us know how that Meraviglia cruise goes. Also follow us on IG as well @official_downtovacay we put up some stuff on there that we don't put up on TH-cam.

No home training haaaa Well, at least you know it holds the weight. Thats a plus.

Apparently I did Haaaaa I never take my chain off. I did afterwards tough. Lesson learned.

Thanks for taking the time to watch our video. Hopefully you got some valuable information. We got he Fantastica experience which included access to the thermal spa, wifi and drink package. It was around $270+ per person. Def worth it since there's at least 2 days out at sea. Wirth the indoor pool it makes it easier for those rainy days too. Plus the bar at the indoor pool is the better one. Have you looked into NCL Escape or Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas? Little bit extra, but the Escape is one of the best balanced ships out there for the food, entertainment and activities. All depends on your budget.

That's pretty cool. We have yet to go on that ship. Many ships actually haaa Just saw a video of a Pickle Ball championship game where a player kicked the winner in the head. Talk about competitive. Let's pray our cruises don't turn out like that haaaa

Thats a long extension cord to the bed haaaaa

@@downtovacay Maybe 5 feet from desk to night stand.

Ooooh December. Well.. the good thing about that is that you'll have that indoor pool. I'm sure it will be packed though. Def jump on that Thermal Spa package. For a long trip, that will be worth it. That ship is probably the best for winter cruising if you have kids because of the indoor gym. I'm sure you saw that lol Let us know how it goes afterwards.

Curious how was your experience I'm about to go this December for 7 days for my daughters birthday

I don't remember it being salty, but it depends on what you're eating. I don't think we had a time where our taste buds freaked out over saltiness lol The food was ok. That's pretty much it.

Oooooh we so wanna know how that experience is. Like 2026 cant come soon enough lol

Hopefully your cruise is just as cool as ours. Starting to get cold up in the north, so any time we can get that sun, it's great for us. Glad you were able to find it useful. Mission accomplished lol

That Spa pass was well worth it on tis itinerary. Days at sea and peace. Especially on a rainy day. I hope you and the hubby have a really great experience. Let us know how the sailing was when you get back.

You mentioned Yacht Club. Was that where you ate mostly? Would you say that there's better food there or is it the same as normal cruise food? So curious about that.

Indeed!🤠

That's awesome. Glad it was great for ya. Would like to try World America. That looks like an amazing and more modern ship.

That's what it's about. For many it won't matter what cruise you're on. Ride the waves of life and enjoy the view. Too bad I (Gil) I'm not as social as I would like to be. Most people will def jump on this ship out of NYC, because it's cheaper than an NCL out of Manhattan, as well as Royal Caribbean out of Bayonne. But overall... eeeesh I don't know if it can hold up to them as well. MSC certainly has the ability to, but... these days everyone wants bang for the buck. What cabin did u get? Did u get the drink package as well? How was that?

@@downtovacay I was on the 12th floor. My cabin was the exact same as yours! & they gave me my drink package for $60! Only problem I had was someone got hurt & needed dropped off in South Carolina. So we didn’t get to see Nassau but we did catch the rocket launch!!

@@seanchristohper Aaaah man. We were so looking forward to the light show at their private island but we left a few hrs early. So crappy.

Besides missing the port, we get ya. Food was so so. Entertainment was so so. Activities and parties were the saving grace. Drink package wasn't that great. The reason they're all the same is because MSC wanted to speed up the process for their bars. Unfortunately that drink package wasn't worth the extra. If you're just looking to get away for a bit for some sun and island hopping for a little cheaper cost out of NYC then many would be ok with it. No frills so to speak.

Yes Wall Street ferry is the best way 👍👍

The fact that you made it that far warms out hearts

Haaaa I concur. Rushed job. Something I don't like doing. I was too busy dealing with health issues. Dare I say C scare, but didn't want to keep losing time. But at least it's a 2.5 and not less

We got a package with Wifi-Meals-Drinks based on bumping up to the Aurea class. For a premium connection, most cruises charge over $150 for 7 days, plus extra for more devices. Sometimes getting a package like we did will make the costs much more inviting instead of buying a la carte. But be mindful. MSC has a different set up for their wifi where if you use 1 device, you're locked into that 1 device. Can't switch back and forth between devices.

@@downtovacay thanks!

What was your best meal on the Meraviglia?

I would have to redo it. Yeah we were told. Glad we get honest feedback. It helps.

What did/do you like about it? What was your best?

Haaaaaa Def don't go to the Test Kitchen on an empty stomach. I'd like to go back on the VV cruise just to soak it in again without the work aspect. See if we made a mistake with it. Yeah u can get your own food, but not all like a buffet. The plus is that you don't have sneezing and coughing people touch stuff. They bring it to you. 3rd VV Cruise booked or in general? How was your experience? Much appreciated. Thanks for the love. Hopefully we're somewhat on point with our reviews. Forget our craziness

@@downtovacay I think VV is not for a traditional type of cruiser. My husband and I binged a few of your videos yesterday. We kept liking snd saying support, they are Nyer’s ☺️. I would like to try Celebrity and MSC

@@ms.d4220 Haaaaaa we are Def NY'ers. I think we are spoiled cruisers. May husband is a NYer and I am a newly one, formerly... a uh NJ'er? LOL Appreciate the support. We've certainly opted to live life as much as we can and share our travels and extras. We're lagging behind, but we have some more stuff from the Icon of the Seas. NCL Breakaway+ class ships. 1st Mediterranean cruise out of Greece. We're flying to Germany to watch our beloved Giants. They owe US money.

@@downtovacay we saw the Icon of the seas hit and misses. We didn’t like so many people and we like quiet zones with a some turn up. My husband and I are Nyers born and raised but left many years ago for NJ. Our kids are born and bread NJ people. They are grown now and they only know NYC really well from us 😆

@@ms.d4220 Def hard to find a true quiet space without kids and club music. If we pay over $5k for a balcony, that would be the only place to get true peace. Now that your kiddos are grown, you can be freeeeeeeee I left Kearney, NJ back in 2013 for the hustle and bustle. Boy do we wish we'd be in a quieter city haaaa

Gym was reasonable. I'm such a schmuck. I forgot to add the video of it. It is a decent modern gym with plenty of treadmills and machines. It's pretty cool. It does the job.

Thats what we said haaaaaa

Aaaah yeah thats a possibility. I (Gil) have IBS so when it comes to leaving from a port I wanna be as close as possible without any delays. There's not a parking garage anywhere close to the Brooklyn port either. Just the Port Parking. So they make mucho dinero out there.

Took the ferry from wall street station, it was awesome!

Much appreciated. Hopefully the cruise is pretty good for ya. Be prepared for a "White Party" where everyone is dressed to party. Also check out the Indoor Pool Bar where the Pińa Colada was the best spot. Let us know how it was when you get back.

@@downtovacay will do! & thank you for the info, I’ll pop back in the comments or on another one of your videos to let you know

Thats cool. What kind of ship size? Like a NCL Dawn or Gem? Those are smaller. More intimate. Have you tried the Prima or Viva yet? We eat dinners at the specialty restaurants mostly because we're Platinum. So we get 2 dinners from reserving a balcony and then we get 2 additional because we're Platinum. So there goes 4 nights out 6/7 that we're able to. I'd prefer Specialty over complimentary all day. Wish the complimentary was better for ya though. We're going on the Bliss in April for an Alaskan cruise. Cant wait for that one.

It's all the same. The only things we were truly bothered by was the lack of ports for our devices and the bathroom. Tis true not everything is going to be great for all. It did it its job haaaaa I think it's because we've cruised so many times and we start comparing. I (Gil) try not to think about other cruises while doing this because I don't want to taint it.

@@downtovacay Last week was my first cruise so everything was wonderful - even if it probably wasn’t. They canceled 2 ports. I got Norovirus, but it was my first cruise and it was wonderful. Going on the Meraviglia this coming Sunday.

@@grayblanchard Noooo waaaay. You got Norovirus? The fact that you contracted it and not afraid to go on another is amazing. I would have been terrified. What was your first cruise? We are working on getting a full review of the Meraviglia out by the end of the evening. We have so much content but had a few issues pop up over the summer. If you wanna know the scoop, let us know. Or you can wait til the video is put up. Hope you're better.

Aaaaah which parts? Always good to know how we flow. Looking to perfect it.

How was it for you?

@@downtovacay We enjoyed our cruise as the only other one was P & O (we are from Australia, and it was hot and loved the touched of cold water and wet face washer when arriving at the ship after a day out we loved being deck 9 as it was quite close to everything although the atrium looks good it doesnt work and found the wardrobes not long enough in the bedroom the bathroom was great as hubby is over 6 ft and he fit well in the shower

@@bronwenmcinnes4768 Def a lil more spacious than other cabins on other ships. NCL was cabins slightly roomier with better furniture to make it feel roomier. If we could have a Prima/Viva cabin on all the cruises we go on that would PERFECT haaaa

Glad you were able to find helpful stuff from our review. I would say that not having a basketball court really made me sad because I play. I like being able to shoot around and play in competitions. BUT if you're a youngin', theres still some stuff you can do. The Stadium was a hot a spot for the kids. If they're old enough, theres still the Entourage. That's where the kids really have their fun. The Viva/Prima could probably slide without a court, but it depends on whether thats a make or break. We feel the Viva/Prima are more for great food, solid musicals, bars and a luxurious vibe. Where as a Carnival Mardi Gras is ok food, a lot of entertainment, sports court for slightly less. Then there's the Icon of the Seas where you can take 2 Mardi Gras cruises for the price of 1 Icon cruise. Solid food. Solid Entertainment. A lot of Activities. Sports court. But just sooooo expensive. All depends on you : )

Most definitely. With Waterworks, Camp Ocean, Shaq's Big Chicken and Guy's Burger Joint, what kid wouldn't love those? : ) The good thing is that your grandchildren can be put together if you're sailing while they're 6 & 8. They will be put together in the "Stingrays" group. There are so many activities for them on the Mardi Gras. And if the parents, as well as you, want to have a little peaceful time you're able to do that as well. AND IT'S FREEEEE They have a lot of activities for the kids. We have a soon to be 2 yr old grandson, so we'll see how it goes in a few years.

Glad you were able to find some helpful things. That's our goal. You booked the VIVA? Hopefully you'll be able to see Beetlejuice. We didn't get that chance. It's def a relaxed and smooth ship. So many spots for sun. Food is solid. When are you cruising? Have you tried any of the Breakaway+ Class ships?

@@downtovacay Viva booked: March. 2 Med. Cruised on EPIC( not a fav ship). Is priority access a good buy?

@@ThePardu Aaaah ok. So you have it coming up in 2025. Have yet to cruise on the Epic. We pretty much cruised on all of the Breakaway & Breakaway + Class ships. Is Priority Access good? It really depends on a few things. The itinerary, your use of room service and check in. If your Itinerary has ports that are tendered and you'd like to be the 1st ones off, then maybe. If you're a room service type of cruiser in the mornings you'd get continental breakfasts. Nothing extravagant. It'll still cost ya. Sometimes ports have check ins where it doesn't even matter what level you are unless you're Haven. We're Platinum and in San Juan, we jumped in the same line as everyone else. At that time though. Not sure if they changed it. Same for Debarkation. Doesn't even matter. You'll get free canapés : ) Is it worth it? I lean towards no, for the most part. I remember when Carnival offered it for $50. No mas. Now they add things that no one really cares about. We want to sail on the Aqua next year.

Ok tks. EPIC isn’t a great ship. I cruises twice i the ship based on Itinerary. As far as Priority Access … passing on it. I am re-watching your vid. Thanks Much. Will Keep watching the vids. Ansy

Funny thing is we had many videos before this one using our Rode Caster mics. I tried using the wireless Go with 2 mics and found it was separating and didn't know how to make it one audio track. Talk about Rookie

Aaawe thank you. Glad you got some good info from us. Hopefully you liked the Viva. We would definitely love to try the Aqua. I think more for the relaxation and less feeling of work lol Hopefully you get to see BeetleJuice. Come back and let us know how you like Viva.

I hope you're able to get a chance to jump on board the ship. Entertainment every day and night. You'll have a blast. Keep traveling. Ride the waves of life and never stop enjoying the view.

@@souperflyone6362 Def looking forward to Carnival’s new massive ship line up to compete with Icon of the Seas. If they can only up their food game. Lights out.

Life is crazy, man. Ride the waves of life and enjoy the view.

The Joy is def a well balanced ship. We always liked the Atrium style for entertainment and O'Sheehans/Local setup. The Breakaway class ships are well rounded, that's why we like cruising on them. Food seems to be really good on all of the newer NCL ships. Have you tried the Getaway or any other Breakaway ship?

Aaaawe much appreciated. We're so behind though : (

If the food was better... : )

NCL broke my heart, man. I'd like to go on another Prima or Viva cruise again and just sail as a regular Joe. No recording. No worrying about content. Just ride the waves and see where it takes me. I think it's for those who love food and entertainment. Great bars. Luxury. Get pampered. Then I'll see if it's really worth it as an older person who's starting to wind down. It's cuttin' close : )

Whoooaah that's a long trip. Def come back and share your experience for that itinerary. Hope it's super awesome. I hope there will be a lot to do as well. I don't want to be a Debbie downer