Your tip about the shareholder benefit is particularly valid right now since the price of the stock is way down due to the travel restrictions from the COVID-19 problem. The high not too long ago was almost $60 a share. Today's closing was $14.03. Another consideration is that SAME 100 shares can be used to claim the benefit EVERY time you cruise on NCL.
As a seasoned traveler, this is mostly solid advice except for reserving of seats. The reason why seats become so scarce is because of the advice you are offering and a selfish practice. Use them and remove your items when done. If you are not ready to participate, leave them for others and this goes for the theater or any other lounge area that is expecting an upcoming event. Common courtesy isn't so common any more.
I leave in less than a week for my 14 day transatlantic cruise with a balcony cabin.. This will be my fifth cruise on Norwegian and I love them. I did the Epic a couple of years ago and although its a nice ship I look forward to going back to the smaller ship for my upcoming cruise..
People have been wondering why they have it... see, all the fish swim forward, so the one lone red fish indicates that he’s swimming the wrong way, so don’t follow him for directions
I don’t necessarily agree with the advice to always travel on Norwegian’s larger ships. If, like me, you want your vacations to be restful, not chasing around doing things on and off the ship, a smaller, quieter Norwegian ship may be a better choice. I have gone on Norwegian’s Pride of America around the Hawaiian islands 3 times now and this should show you all how much I enjoy traveling on this small ship. The scenery visible off the ship is also spectacular
We are going on the Pride in March. Looking forward to it. We have been on Encore and loved it. Trying to figure out whether to pay for the wifi because my wife will have to do work on her laptop.
Finally a video where the host does not yak me to sleep saying the same thing 10 different ways! You are clear and to the point, you gave unique tips (love the stock idea) and instead of showing yourself for 15 mins, you showed us the ship! I'm subscribing and I 'hope' other hosts will follow your ways. Great stuff! Cruising first time on NCL in June to Hawaii. (Only ship that does this itinerary in the summer when my teens are off.) Any tips for this trip, if you've been on the Pride of America? Again, thank you!!
KATHY HOPN Good to hear. My husband and I are going in three weeks on anHawaiian Islands cruise on Pride of America, so appreciate any tips. It's been 16 years since we took the Panama Canal Cruise.
@teresa moehlmann sorry you didn’t get to take your June cruise to Hawaii. We did the POA cruise in 2009 for my sons 4th birthday. We have a group cruise planned for his 16th birthday on the POA on August 28th 2021.
Hope you have a blast. My Wife and I are taking the October 26th sailing on the Pride of America. I was stationed in Hawaii in the 80's but my wife has never been.
Good advice especially about taking the breakaway plus class ships. We have cruised on all four of them and can tell you that the food quality is far superior and the experience is much more enjoyable than any other in their fleet.
Sailed on a transatlantic last year on the newly refurbished Jade. Little smaller but very nice. Bought Cruise Next certificates and have not used them yet. You are very correct about the drink package. Norwegian should offer a free AA rehab package if you use the drink package to the max! Another tip, if they offer free or reduced airfare and you do not need it they offer a substitute package like a $50 shore excursion credit per person per excursion. We are close to Miami and Port Canaveral so we are blessed to have this perk. No more time to chat, must go and buy some stock. Happy cruising to all!
We've also sailed the Jade (earlier this year). Our cruise was five or six days and we'll admit to getting a little bored on the ship. That's why we prefer to sail the bigger and newer ships with more to do.
Thank you for this video. My husband and I are going on our first cruise ever in February 2020. This has been very informative and incredibly helpful for us!
I thought that this was just going to be a normal tips video but to my surprise, you were very informative and helpful with your tips. I did learn a few tips even tho I am a veteran cruiser with NCL. I'm hopefully going to show this to my wife when she gets home if I can find it. I'm new to You Tube so I am still finding my way around.
Dallas Cruiser find your History! On You tube. Best way to find what you watched. Also the 3 dots on upper Right top. Click it and scroll. You can speed up the playback speed. I can watch more videos when I’m on my treadmill that way!! Welcome to You tube, where you can learn ALOT of info. Susan from Indiana 🥰
The NCL Pride of America (Hawaii) does not have fish on the carpet...drat and durn. They have a seaweed pattern that points forward....difficult compared to following the fish.
I just booked a western Caribbean cruise on Norwegian, and the cabin was $50 per person more for free at sea. The drink gratuity was $305 for two. I did the math and free at sea offer was well worth it. $50 credit for one excursion, 150 minutes of wi-fi, two free specialty restaurant dinners, well worth it. There is a specialty restaurant gratuity of $35, but that’s for four meals. The value of the four meals will vary depending on which restaurant you choose.
First NCL cruise booked on the "Sky" for February. Very excited. I love that the "fish face forward". That should help a lot 😉 I'll be interested to use their app on board. Not too impressed with what's on there pre-trip. (We booked the free 3rd and 4th person, and pre-paid for soda packages, gratuities, and one shore excursion.)
Trent in Tampa if you need to stay in touch with others on board, go for the $10 charge in the app once on board. 7 days of texting and calling thru the app with NO charges from your carrier. It was easy!
Boy, all our travel plans have been cancelled for this year and April of next year. At least, we have youtube now to look at all the cruise lines and virtually visit other parts of the World. I can't imagine how boring it would be without internet and all the technological gadgets which help us not only kill time, but also help us to learn and stay together while being apart. Can't complaint. Just wish everyone to be safe and we can enjoy our social activities again once this pandemic is over and a vaccine will be found. Again, stay safe everyone and take care !!!
Have been on the Norwegian Epic twice love that ship will be going back on a Norwegian cruise in November or December of 2020 have to see where the Epic is going those 2 months cause would love to go back on the Epic & we always get the beverage pkg
Informative! My spouse and I are going on our second cruise ever First with NCL and first without our teen kids (but gained my parents lol) and appreciate the tips!
Hello, I’m about to board my first Norwegian cruise on September 11 from New York City. I must admit I was kind of anxious to travel totally alone, I did book the solo studio and free packages. I wasn’t sure if I was preparing properly, and what to look forward to although I cruised on Carnival about 14 years ago. This video was great, thank you so much. I am now excited to board this weekend.
I liked the Getaway (Breakaway class) but the additional two floors of cabins on the Breakaway plus class, without expanding the public spaces, do create a traffic flow nightmare.
Norwegian is far and away our favorite cruise line! We have 3 more cruises between this coming December and next Summer. No question: NORWEGIAN IS THE BEST!
1) Both of the small and larger ships have their own charm. For the smaller ships I do love The Sky and The Sun, but have enjoyed cruises on The Pearl, Dawn and Star as well. My favorite though is The Epic (and I have been on The Bliss, Breakaway and Escape. 2) I agree with the NCL app. 3) Specialty restaurants I have been able to walk-up, but then I am Platinum Plus. 4) Agree with the Free at Sea offer...but I cruise in Solo Cabins which has no single supplement and does come with one free at sea offer. 5) FYI additional perks if you are a rated player. Casinos at Sea has their own tier level and comps. 6) Yes I love the al fresco dining and in fact I dined at Cagney's outside on The Bliss while cruising The Panama Canal. 7) Have not been to Harvest Caye yet, but have been to Belize City three times (tendered) and loved it, BUT speaking of NCL private islands, I recommend Great Stirrup Cay. 8) I have had some amazing meals at The Garden Café, but I know what you mean and I do like O'Sheehan's too, called the Local on The Bliss I assume after then NCL CEO Kevin O'Sheehan left NCL. 9) Great tip on NCL shares, But I think you should have mentioned the best deal in the house in my opinion is to purchase CRUISE NEXT certificates on board.
... just to help out....retired tipped employee here...they...( the house ) can charge whatever they like for their goods...but my service remained the same to all... The more to do on the top deck...the more youthful overall the cruise...
Platinum Plus cruisers on NCL. Enjoyed your video but would like to correct a couple of items: NCL Epic has no fish in the carpet, so no directional help there. Epic is sort of the red-headed step child in the NCL fleet, though she does have a great Haven. Also, Caye is pronounced KEY. We’ve sailed on most of NCL’s ships and had a great time on all, though for my money, I prefer the Jewel Class over the mega-ships.
Lauren Robinson you will love the Epic been on it twice love it had a balcony cabin both times really nice going back November or December of 2020 have to see where the Epic is going cause want to go back on it all the staff is terrific just wonderful , well have a great time
norwegian joy had a huge amount of wasted space, including the goKart race track(always empty), a nearby specialty burger joint (always empty), then, of course the Haven (eating up prime real estate). The Local ( a free restaurant) is very good.
NCL cruises are great. I eat all my meals in the dining room or the free restaurants but I do go to the buffet area to get a late night snack (cakes, pastries, cookies or pies) a nice cup of coffee or tea to take back to our room at the end of our night. The shows are really entertaining. On our first two nights at the Casino we did real good, but the smoking casino is really bad. We met some real nice people from all over world. The only thing I didn’t like was leaving from PR. I will leave from Florida next time.
We actually find the larger ships are nice because there is more space to get away from crowds and more things to do as well. But hey, small ship, big ship -- it's still nice to be out on the water.
I like the Gem too but in Oct 2020 my wife and I are going on the Breakaway from NYC to celebrate her being cancer free for 5 yrs This is our 4th sail on NCL
Very helpful advice here on stuff ,going on my first Norwegian encore ship in January 2024 . I wish they would give free wifi and some free soda and some water? Kind of a rip off for wifi and any kinds of drinks . Hopefully they will change it in the future 🙏?
Thomas Richwine ...the gratuity is added last night on most lines...it’s the norm...aside from a casual cash tip to anyone working anywhere onboard...make em smile too...😎
I also noticed that gratuities for free at sea drinks and restaurants were added to the total cost already, as well as port fees, etc. Is this correct (asking experienced cruisers)?
Shannon McClain . Yes you are correct the gratuities for both the specialty dining and the drinks are usually included in you total cruise fare. This however does not cover the daily gratuity charges. Just got back had a great cruise!
@@thomasrichwine100 I chose to pre-pay gratuities. Does this mean that drinks' gratuities are covered? This is my first cruise and I don't want any costly surprises.
@@shannonmcclain350 ...I was trying to get an answer on this very question. We have prepared our gratuities. And now have prepaid a drink package....so will they be adding gratuities to our drink package ???
The activities onboard cruise ships today are great if one is looking for an entertainment park environment, but is it possible to find a cruise ship that has only a minimum of entertainment, mainly the casino, of course, and educational lectures, movies, experts from local areas, and such things?
Norwegian's older ships are like that (anything built before 2010) and I like them better for it. They do trivia, movies, live music, lesser-known theatrical performances, art auctions, etc - no theme park stuff. Heck the waterslide is being *removed* from their Jewel class ships to provide better sight lines for the pool deck stage for live music. The educational lectures often lead to selling things, though (i.e. spend 30 minutes learning about the history of watches, then 15 minutes learning about the watches for sale on board). Same with the description of ports of call (5 minutes learning about each location, followed by 5 minutes learning about the shore excursions available).
I am new to this. So with free at sea you a really get free meals and drinks and wifi? How much extra hidden cost should I prepare for day for a week long cruise
My meals at The Local did not seem individually-prepared. In many cases the food was off temperature and mediocre. The upside is it is often the only option place for late breakfast.
I’m an NCL fan! The best feature of a Norwegian ship is outdoor bars and restaurants as you pointed out. What’s the point of cruising the open seas if your gonna stay inside? I love the Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class ships but don’t discount the smaller ships. They are more relaxing and can cruise to ports where the bigger ships can’t. One reason NCL will be coming out with the smaller Leonardo class ships is to go to more remote destinations with smaller ports. They’ve also remodeled most of the older ships. Added spice H2O and such. But if you have kids or teens the older ships will be boring. I’m on the Star for a 9 day southern Caribbean in March and the recent remodel did away with the slides. My 2021 cruise is on the Joy then 2022 I’m going to book Bliss to AK! Happy cruising 😎
Cruzely.com I do too! Love the crazy slides, ropes courses and all the nightly entertainment. We partied like rock stars on the Breakaway last month. I was a zombie at work for about 3 days after😂 . Our kids are college age and up and we plan to take the whole lot on the Alaska cruise!
Thank you!!! This is great!! First cruise in Nov ‘22. It’s a Country Music cruise. Any tips for this kind of cruise or do you have another video? I’m guessing lots of music events going on.
I am now what NCL calls a sapphire member which means that I've cruised NCL a lot and I'm not sure if I'm going to finish watching this video because I disagreed with you from the start I prefer the smaller ships although I have been on the Breakaway once. I enjoyed my time on the sky more than on the Breakaway but my favorite ship is the Pearl because I like her Bridge viewing room.
I have to disagree with you on Harvest Caye. In my opinion it is flat rude to take a pool side chair and then leave for half the day. Make friends early on and swap with them. So many people come out of their shells and want to meet and chat. It is far easier than it sounds.
Can people please comment on what is included as far as drinks? Coffee, tea, iced tea? Bottled water? How about soda? Then I heard you can bring 2 bottles of wine in your suitcase. Saw another video and a lady packed diet coke in her suitcase....For a light drinker, 1 glass of wine a day or maybe 1 drink a day, is it worth gettjng the drink packages? This is very confusing. Would appreciate comments, please. Thank you!
Ensure that you have the correct app, as not every Norwegian ships uses the same app. This is kind of a critical point. It's difficult to download the app with limited WIFI so doing this correctly ahead of time will save time and trouble. Agree that it's a great thing to have.
Wow.... Thank you so much for this video. I will be sailing on NCL for the first time in December 2020. I'm still looking for info for kids drink package and a option to pay more for faster services (Carnival offers this). I will be checking out more of your videos.
There is no option for "faster" services unless you book a Haven room. You can have your butler or concierge escort you to the front of every line. Shows, getting on and off of the ship, guest services, ect.
Just booked NCL Escape Copenhagen to Southampton on Black Friday offer and was told/shown on paperwork that gratuities on drinks package was now included. Not sure if it's the same on other cruises though.
Sorry i'm having trouble with the free at sea explanation. Imagine I don´t have drinks, but i DO want the excursion offer and free wifi, what do you recommend to book? Also they say that the sail away option may have the balcony's view interrupted. How frequent is that? Thanks!
If you have the Free at Sea, you get a certain number of perks, depending on which cabin you book. More expensive cabins have more perks. You don't have to pick one if you don't want it though. So say you get the choice of three perks, you can select the excursions and the free wi-fi, but not pick the drink package if you don't want it. Not sure about interrupted views, but we've not seen that often.
This will be My first cruise is going to be on Norwegian Gem out of NYC March 30,2022. Im so disappointed with NCL. they downgraded us from a full day in D.R. to just an evening in Puerto Rico, then canceled Turks & Caicos, and then totally removed one of the islands St. Thomas from the agenda with no replacement after we had excursions booked. They replaced it with an extra day at sea that's it. I asked for an upgrade or some kind of compensation and the cruise agent was cold and unresponsive to me. I can't believe you can book a trip for 5 islands and they change 3 of them and then remove one island completely off the agenda. I am afraid we might just get to sit on the boat for ten days in NYC harbor with the way this is going . Very upset.
We're going on the Encore in February. Loved the Getaway and the Breakaway. Not sure the Encore is going to be our cup of tea? I'm going to miss the Spice H2O adult area. I am going to like the Thermal Spa being at the back of the ship though. We always book an Aft room. We will see...
Hi could you explain the room selection again. You said if you pick the lowest price they will give you a room. But if you pay for the next level its more money. What do you get for paying more?
With the Free at Sea offer, Norwegian gives you your choice of free perks (like free drinks, internet, etc.). But the room with the Free at Sea offer costs more than just booking the same cabin without the perks included. For some people who wouldn't use the perks, they are better off not getting the Free at Sea offer.
The Sail Away option is the cheapest fare in any cabin type but does not include any Free at Sea extras and your cabin is randomly assigned so you can end up anywhere on the ship in that type of room, possibly in loud or undesirable locations like right under the pool where there's a lot of noise from the crew moving deck chairs while setting up early in the morning and people shouting and goofing off all day and evening, or near the night club where the music at night will come through the walls. If you want to be able to choose your stateroom, like if you specifically want midship or want to be on a particular deck, you get to choose your room plus you get anywhere from 1 to 4 of the Free at Sea offers depending on which room type. (Inside gets to choose 1 offer; Oceanview gets 2; Balcony, Mini Suite, Suite, Villa or Haven gets all 4.)
at least in europe, most ports are not destinations, actual advertised cities are frequently two or three hours One way from port such as florence rome milano seville cordoba granada mont st michel paris london, brussels, berlin, etc. places you can take public transit or walk into town, edinburgh glasgow athens naples venice barcelona oslo stockholm copenhagen dublin amsterdam. costa 429$ one week venice athens, 599$ barcelona florence rome marseille mallorca, 749$ savona cordoba granada seville lisbon morocco.
1) please don’t dis the smaller older ships. Many people love the more traditional feel, less people, ease of getting into the specialty restaurants, and no reservations needed for the main theater. Plus NCL has mad a grand effort in refurbishing the older ships. 2) Free at Sea-there is a gratuity charge for the specialty dining also, under $6 per restaurant no big deal. As for the beverage package tips, about $20 per day for the tips. It will pay for itself by your 3rd drink 3) for best value - compare the GTY or X category and check the cost of promos vs. difference in category price. It might be worth it to go with a Free@Sea cat IF you have 3rd or 4th guests and they are offering Free guests-do the math, it might be cheaper to choose that promo instead of 4 ppl in a GTY cabin. I LOVE NCL, worked for them for 4 years and learned a lot that still enhances my cruise experience.
Elaine Teut We wait until we get on board to let them add the tips automaton our folio, then on Day 2 or 3 I go down to Guest Services and have them remove half. If you prepay you’re tips- you can NOT make any changes on. Lard and will have to wait until you get home and file with Guest Services in Miami- good luck with that. We bring $5s, $10s and a few $20s to hand deliver to the staff that are outstanding. I usually bring a TY note and or postcards from home and a small gift from our area. The cabin stewards usually are very surprised and grateful. We tip $20 for a 3-4 day and at least $50 for a 7 day to our steward. Head waiters/bartenders/bussers: $20/$20/$5-10 And I always have ones for the pool drink folks. Amazing how much better the service gets when you give them a couple bucks. I spoke to one guest and he said he always meets and picks a bartender and tells them, “Here’s a $20 (or $50) to start the week, have my drink ready as I walk up and I’ll give you another at the end.” Best thing you can do is grab some of the vacation hero cards at the start of the cruise and keep them handy and fill them out during the week. That way I don’t forget names and I’m not filling them out last minute at the last breakfast. 😂. Honestly, those cards go to management and the staff members get recognized, promotions and bonuses. Hope this helps. 😊
Disagree totally that the newer ships are better! THe smaller sized 2,000 - 2500 passenger size are far superior. On the mega ships you can get stuck in queues (lineups) that just do not happen one the more intimate smaller ships
I find the smaller ships tend to be older ships and need LOTS of work. Plus the things you expect (a higher quality of food, entertainment, or hours of operation really take a hit). Though you are right... the larger the ship can mean longer lines, no room in theaters or venues are too crowded and thus lost opportunities. I wish cruise lines worked hard to maintain quality across their fleets.
Question... so say I book a cabin that is designed for two people... but I'm a family of four, do I have to pay for four people, or pay just two and the other two people (guests?) say in same cabin for free?
I'm going on an alaskan cruise for the first time next year. i booked on the ncl sun. it's just me and my husband (we are in our 50's) should we see if we should change ships?
You lost me at “the newer ships are better”. The Breakaway class ships may have lots of new attractions, but the traffic management within them is awful. During peak periods, the central spaces become gridlocked and elevator wait times are very long. The earlier Breakaway-class ships don’t have the dellightful Spinnaker lounge found on the Jewel and Sun class ships. Also missing is the open air section of the Garden Cafe on the fantail, a favorite spot for lunch and breakfast. With the exception of Ocean Place (which is unusable in poor weather, and is, almost exclusively, specialty dining with an upcharge), the gathering spaces are mostly all windowless interior spaces and, for such large ships, they seem terribly cramped. Balconies are also shallower. The Jewel class ships seem more spacious and open to the outdoors to me. To be fair, some things are quite good: the thermal suite is very nice and the dinner theatre space is also good. Beware of the preferential treatment given Haven guests, however. Despite being first in line for the Cirque dinner, the best seats were already taken, this was very disappointing. We embark on our 11th NCL cruise next month having sailed on the Star, Gem, Jewel, Jade, Breakaway and Getaway. Recently, our cruises have been longer crossings as opposed to round trips. We still like NCL, but it is clear that both service and quality have declined in recent years. The crew seems more stressed and the tendency to nickle and dime you has increased. This has us considering more upscale cruises in the near future.
Lot to digest here. We've sailed older and newer ships and much prefer the options available on the larger ones. We do wish there was a bit more public space available where there was no charge. A large portion of the pool deck is now dedicated to Vibe Beach Club and Haven-exclusive areas.
⚠️We've updated this video! ⚠️ See the new version here: th-cam.com/video/Wavyaev-1hY/w-d-xo.html
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@@Ira88881😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Your tip about the shareholder benefit is particularly valid right now since the price of the stock is way down due to the travel restrictions from the COVID-19 problem. The high not too long ago was almost $60 a share. Today's closing was $14.03. Another consideration is that SAME 100 shares can be used to claim the benefit EVERY time you cruise on NCL.
As a seasoned traveler, this is mostly solid advice except for reserving of seats. The reason why seats become so scarce is because of the advice you are offering and a selfish practice. Use them and remove your items when done. If you are not ready to participate, leave them for others and this goes for the theater or any other lounge area that is expecting an upcoming event. Common courtesy isn't so common any more.
Norwegian was our 1st cruise. I must admit, it was the best of all our cruises. Their perks are awesome.
I leave in less than a week for my 14 day transatlantic cruise with a balcony cabin..
This will be my fifth cruise on Norwegian and I love them.
I did the Epic a couple of years ago and although its a nice ship I look forward to going back to the smaller ship for my upcoming cruise..
Did you leave from Rome and end in Miami?
Hope it's not the PEARL.
I had always heard about the lone red fish that faces backwards but had never spotted one. You got it on video!
People have been wondering why they have it... see, all the fish swim forward, so the one lone red fish indicates that he’s swimming the wrong way, so don’t follow him for directions
I don’t necessarily agree with the advice to always travel on Norwegian’s larger ships. If, like me, you want your vacations to be restful, not chasing around doing things on and off the ship, a smaller, quieter Norwegian ship may be a better choice. I have gone on Norwegian’s Pride of America around the Hawaiian islands 3 times now and this should show you all how much I enjoy traveling on this small ship. The scenery visible off the ship is also spectacular
We are going on the Pride in March. Looking forward to it. We have been on Encore and loved it. Trying to figure out whether to pay for the wifi because my wife will have to do work on her laptop.
I like the older ones. I'm not interested in go-carts and water slides, etc.
Finally a video where the host does not yak me to sleep saying the same thing 10 different ways! You are clear and to the point, you gave unique tips (love the stock idea) and instead of showing yourself for 15 mins, you showed us the ship! I'm subscribing and I 'hope' other hosts will follow your ways. Great stuff! Cruising first time on NCL in June to Hawaii. (Only ship that does this itinerary in the summer when my teens are off.) Any tips for this trip, if you've been on the Pride of America? Again, thank you!!
Thanks for the kind words. Haven't done the Pride of America. You'll need to tell us your thoughts when you get back!
Pride of America is not a Mega Ship. It is a nice ship though and great way to visit more than one island.
KATHY HOPN Good to hear. My husband and I are going in three weeks on anHawaiian Islands cruise on Pride of America, so appreciate any tips. It's been 16 years since we took the Panama Canal Cruise.
@teresa moehlmann sorry you didn’t get to take your June cruise to Hawaii. We did the POA cruise in 2009 for my sons 4th birthday. We have a group cruise planned for his 16th birthday on the POA on August 28th 2021.
Hope you have a blast. My Wife and I are taking the October 26th sailing on the Pride of America. I was stationed in Hawaii in the 80's but my wife has never been.
Good advice especially about taking the breakaway plus class ships. We have cruised on all four of them and can tell you that the food quality is far superior and the experience is much more enjoyable than any other in their fleet.
NCL, for solo cruisers, provides studio cabins.
We just got off a NCL cruise and wish we had these tips, especially the fish face forward one, that would have saved a lot of time.
Sean McRae ....agreed I was on the Getaway....wish they had a few fish on the lower decks as well...got sooo lost sooo often...
...except Haven rooms. The hallways have no fish.
Sailed on a transatlantic last year on the newly refurbished Jade. Little smaller but very nice. Bought Cruise Next certificates and have not used them yet. You are very correct about the drink package. Norwegian should offer a free AA rehab package if you use the drink package to the max! Another tip, if they offer free or reduced airfare and you do not need it they offer a substitute package like a $50 shore excursion credit per person per excursion. We are close to Miami and Port Canaveral so we are blessed to have this perk. No more time to chat, must go and buy some stock. Happy cruising to all!
We've also sailed the Jade (earlier this year). Our cruise was five or six days and we'll admit to getting a little bored on the ship. That's why we prefer to sail the bigger and newer ships with more to do.
Thank you for this video. My husband and I are going on our first cruise ever in February 2020. This has been very informative and incredibly helpful for us!
Glad to hear it! Which ship are you sailing?
Cruzely.com we are on the Breakaway! Our 30th anniversary and late 50th for me!
@@kellyhause8313 Congrats! Hope y'all have fun. Great ship.
The fish face forward!! Genius!
I thought that this was just going to be a normal tips video but to my surprise, you were very informative and helpful with your tips. I did learn a few tips even tho I am a veteran cruiser with NCL. I'm hopefully going to show this to my wife when she gets home if I can find it. I'm new to You Tube so I am still finding my way around.
Glad you like it! What's your favorite NCL ship you've sailed?
Dallas Cruiser find your History! On You tube. Best way to find what you watched.
Also the 3 dots on upper Right top. Click it and scroll. You can speed up the playback speed. I can watch more videos when I’m on my treadmill that way!!
Welcome to You tube, where you can learn ALOT of info.
Susan from Indiana 🥰
@@Cruzelycom hie may l have the email address to apply for jobs please
Going on my first ever cruise in two weeks with NCL. Thank you for these tips!
You're welcome. We're big fans!
Make sure you take some kind of imunity booster at least a week before your cruise.
Have a blast and write a review. NCL needs to know
@@neceynecey4679 www cwc s
I’ve been on the Carnival Pride, I hope my next cruise is on NCL.
I only walked through the casino, didn’t spend two seconds there.
A lot of people don't gamble and could care less about an on board casino.
@@RG-hf4et And the smoke!
Liked all the tips, specially the drinking packages tip, the restaurants free food and last but not least the carpet fishies 🐟🐟tip. 👍
The NCL Pride of America (Hawaii) does not have fish on the carpet...drat and durn. They have a seaweed pattern that points forward....difficult compared to following the fish.
I just booked a western Caribbean cruise on Norwegian, and the cabin was $50 per person more for free at sea. The drink gratuity was $305 for two. I did the math and free at sea offer was well worth it. $50 credit for one excursion, 150 minutes of wi-fi, two free specialty restaurant dinners, well worth it. There is a specialty restaurant gratuity of $35, but that’s for four meals. The value of the four meals will vary depending on which restaurant you choose.
First NCL cruise booked on the "Sky" for February. Very excited.
I love that the "fish face forward". That should help a lot 😉
I'll be interested to use their app on board. Not too impressed with what's on there pre-trip.
(We booked the free 3rd and 4th person, and pre-paid for soda packages, gratuities, and one shore excursion.)
Trent in Tampa if you need to stay in touch with others on board, go for the $10 charge in the app once on board. 7 days of texting and calling thru the app with NO charges from your carrier. It was easy!
Going on this cruise in a week!
Boy, all our travel plans have been cancelled for this year and April of next year. At least, we have youtube now to look at all the cruise lines and virtually visit other parts of the World. I can't imagine how boring it would be without internet and all the technological gadgets which help us not only kill time, but also help us to learn and stay together while being apart. Can't complaint. Just wish everyone to be safe and we can enjoy our social activities again once this pandemic is over and a vaccine will be found. Again, stay safe everyone and take care !!!
Have been on the Norwegian Epic twice love that ship will be going back on a Norwegian cruise in November or December of 2020 have to see where the Epic is going those 2 months cause would love to go back on the Epic & we always get the beverage pkg
Ncl my main cruise line, been on 20 cruises with them, and your video definitely explains a lot. Nice work 👍
@Vicki Lutz lol
Informative! My spouse and I are going on our second cruise ever First with NCL and first without our teen kids (but gained my parents lol) and appreciate the tips!
At least with the parents you aren't responsible if they get in trouble. Hope you enjoy your trip.
I hope the both of you enjoy
Hello, I’m about to board my first Norwegian cruise on September 11 from New York City. I must admit I was kind of anxious to travel totally alone, I did book the solo studio and free packages. I wasn’t sure if I was preparing properly, and what to look forward to although I cruised on Carnival about 14 years ago. This video was great, thank you so much. I am now excited to board this weekend.
Arrrr, I hope you had a wonderful time.
How was it?
I liked the Getaway (Breakaway class) but the additional two floors of cabins on the Breakaway plus class, without expanding the public spaces, do create a traffic flow nightmare.
Yes also I feel the smaller ships have better quality of food and service.
Norwegian is far and away our favorite cruise line! We have 3 more cruises between this coming December and next Summer. No question: NORWEGIAN IS THE BEST!
It's pretty cool. We especially like the new #NCL ships
"ALL the fish face FORWARD", except that little red one that is heading AFT... 10:15
1) Both of the small and larger ships have their own charm. For the smaller ships I do love The Sky and The Sun, but have enjoyed cruises on The Pearl, Dawn and Star as well. My favorite though is The Epic (and I have been on The Bliss, Breakaway and Escape. 2) I agree with the NCL app. 3) Specialty restaurants I have been able to walk-up, but then I am Platinum Plus. 4) Agree with the Free at Sea offer...but I cruise in Solo Cabins which has no single supplement and does come with one free at sea offer. 5) FYI additional perks if you are a rated player. Casinos at Sea has their own tier level and comps. 6) Yes I love the al fresco dining and in fact I dined at Cagney's outside on The Bliss while cruising The Panama Canal. 7) Have not been to Harvest Caye yet, but have been to Belize City three times (tendered) and loved it, BUT speaking of NCL private islands, I recommend Great Stirrup Cay. 8) I have had some amazing meals at The Garden Café, but I know what you mean and I do like O'Sheehan's too, called the Local on The Bliss I assume after then NCL CEO Kevin O'Sheehan left NCL. 9) Great tip on NCL shares, But I think you should have mentioned the best deal in the house in my opinion is to purchase CRUISE NEXT certificates on board.
love Norwegian - we cruised 2017 ( Norwegian Sun - South America)) . advantage is you can also buy only a softdrink package. we don't drink alcohol :)
I'm sailing on Norwegian in March and we actually got a suite room for 599 a person plus the free at sea offer
That's a great price!
Lucky lady! Have a blast
... just to help out....retired tipped employee here...they...( the house ) can charge whatever they like for their goods...but my service remained the same to all...
The more to do on the top deck...the more youthful overall the cruise...
im going on my first cruise in aug this was very helpful
I wish they would of kept the Garden Villa suites on the newer ships. They were the best villas
Platinum Plus cruisers on NCL. Enjoyed your video but would like to correct a couple of items: NCL Epic has no fish in the carpet, so no directional help there. Epic is sort of the red-headed step child in the NCL fleet, though she does have a great Haven. Also, Caye is pronounced KEY. We’ve sailed on most of NCL’s ships and had a great time on all, though for my money, I prefer the Jewel Class over the mega-ships.
We came off the Epic today and we definitely had the fish on the 13th deck where our cabin was.
@@aliguest7237 yes, they replaced the carpet during the last drydock period and added the fish.
Thanks for a very helpful video. We are considering NCL for my birthday cruise next January and need all the info we can get.
I'm taking my first cruise in January 2022 for my birthday
Thanks for the great information. I booked on Norwegian Epic October 2020. My third cruise but first time on NCL. This was very helpful!!!
Glad to help!
Lauren Robinson we’re going October 2020 also. Any chance is Barcelona?
Lauren Robinson you will love the Epic been on it twice love it had a balcony cabin both times really nice going back November or December of 2020 have to see where the Epic is going cause want to go back on it all the staff is terrific just wonderful , well have a great time
Epic sailed twice on that one
Loved it
norwegian joy had a huge amount of wasted space, including the goKart race track(always empty), a nearby specialty burger joint (always empty), then, of course the Haven (eating up prime real estate). The Local ( a free restaurant) is very good.
NCL cruises are great. I eat all my meals in the dining room or the free restaurants but I do go to the buffet area to get a late night snack (cakes, pastries, cookies or pies) a nice cup of coffee or tea to take back to our room at the end of our night. The shows are really entertaining. On our first two nights at the Casino we did real good, but the smoking casino is really bad. We met some real nice people from all over world. The only thing I didn’t like was leaving from PR. I will leave from Florida next time.
I went on the Jewel to Alaska a lot cheaper than the Bliss and the Joy. I love the Jewel.
Me too - on the Jewel to N.Z. and Singapore to Hong Kong.
I will always choose the smaller ships with Norwegian.. but to each their own. :-) The Jewel Class is the best.
We actually find the larger ships are nice because there is more space to get away from crowds and more things to do as well. But hey, small ship, big ship -- it's still nice to be out on the water.
Krista Exactly ! I love the Gem..😊
Agreed 100%
I like the Gem too but in Oct 2020 my wife and I are going on the Breakaway from NYC to celebrate her being cancer free for 5 yrs
This is our 4th sail on NCL
Love them also!
Very helpful advice here on stuff ,going on my first Norwegian encore ship in January 2024 . I wish they would give free wifi and some free soda and some water? Kind of a rip off for wifi and any kinds of drinks . Hopefully they will change it in the future 🙏?
These tips r great thanks booked the Escape as my first ever cruise in sep 2021 in a solo cabin
Awesome! Haven't sailed solo cabins, but got to tour them. They seem really cool!
My gratuities for the drinks package and dining package were added into the total of the cruise fare.in
Thomas Richwine ...the gratuity is added last night on most lines...it’s the norm...aside from a casual cash tip to anyone working anywhere onboard...make em smile too...😎
I also noticed that gratuities for free at sea drinks and restaurants were added to the total cost already, as well as port fees, etc. Is this correct (asking experienced cruisers)?
Shannon McClain . Yes you are correct the gratuities for both the specialty dining and the drinks are usually included in you total cruise fare. This however does not cover the daily gratuity charges. Just got back had a great cruise!
@@thomasrichwine100 I chose to pre-pay gratuities. Does this mean that drinks' gratuities are covered? This is my first cruise and I don't want any costly surprises.
@@shannonmcclain350 ...I was trying to get an answer on this very question. We have prepared our gratuities. And now have prepaid a drink package....so will they be adding gratuities to our drink package ???
Very good tips!!
😂i like the fish carpet tip and the share owner tips thanks!!
I'm going to my first NCL cruise onboard the Norwegian Pr1ma, in january 2023
What are the newest tips for the EPIC ship anything new since the video?
The activities onboard cruise ships today are great if one is looking for an entertainment park environment, but is it possible to find a cruise ship that has only a minimum of entertainment, mainly the casino, of course, and educational lectures, movies, experts from local areas, and such things?
Norwegian's older ships are like that (anything built before 2010) and I like them better for it. They do trivia, movies, live music, lesser-known theatrical performances, art auctions, etc - no theme park stuff. Heck the waterslide is being *removed* from their Jewel class ships to provide better sight lines for the pool deck stage for live music. The educational lectures often lead to selling things, though (i.e. spend 30 minutes learning about the history of watches, then 15 minutes learning about the watches for sale on board). Same with the description of ports of call (5 minutes learning about each location, followed by 5 minutes learning about the shore excursions available).
I am new to this. So with free at sea you a really get free meals and drinks and wifi? How much extra hidden cost should I prepare for day for a week long cruise
My meals at The Local did not seem individually-prepared. In many cases the food was off temperature and mediocre. The upside is it is often the only option place for late breakfast.
I’m an NCL fan! The best feature of a Norwegian ship is outdoor bars and restaurants as you pointed out. What’s the point of cruising the open seas if your gonna stay inside?
I love the Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class ships but don’t discount the smaller ships. They are more relaxing and can cruise to ports where the bigger ships can’t. One reason NCL will be coming out with the smaller Leonardo class ships is to go to more remote destinations with smaller ports.
They’ve also remodeled most of the older ships. Added spice H2O and such. But if you have kids or teens the older ships will be boring. I’m on the Star for a 9 day southern Caribbean in March and the recent remodel did away with the slides. My 2021 cruise is on the Joy then 2022 I’m going to book Bliss to AK! Happy cruising 😎
Great insight. Maybe we are simply kids at heart because we liked all the extra things to do on the newer ships.
Cruzely.com I do too! Love the crazy slides, ropes courses and all the nightly entertainment. We partied like rock stars on the Breakaway last month. I was a zombie at work for about 3 days after😂 . Our kids are college age and up and we plan to take the whole lot on the Alaska cruise!
Thanks for the advice!
Thank you!!! This is great!! First cruise in Nov ‘22. It’s a Country Music cruise. Any tips for this kind of cruise or do you have another video? I’m guessing lots of music events going on.
I agree about the chair hogs!
There is one carpet fish swimming against flow
Oh him? We don't talk about him. :)
@@Cruzelycom How can you talk about NCL and not talk about the freestyle fish?
I am now what NCL calls a sapphire member which means that I've cruised NCL a lot and I'm not sure if I'm going to finish watching this video because I disagreed with you from the start I prefer the smaller ships although I have been on the Breakaway once. I enjoyed my time on the sky more than on the Breakaway but my favorite ship is the Pearl because I like her Bridge viewing room.
I just was on Norwegian Bliss last week with my children
Is buffet the only option if you don’t purchase specialty restaurants?
so what about on excursion days you don’t utilize the drink package correct
I have to disagree with you on Harvest Caye. In my opinion it is flat rude to take a pool side chair and then leave for half the day.
Make friends early on and swap with them. So many people come out of their shells and want to meet and chat. It is far easier than it sounds.
He says not to be a chair hog and don't reserve it if you know you are going to be gone a long time
Can people please comment on what is included as far as drinks? Coffee, tea, iced tea? Bottled water? How about soda? Then I heard you can bring 2 bottles of wine in your suitcase. Saw another video and a lady packed diet coke in her suitcase....For a light drinker, 1 glass of wine a day or maybe 1 drink a day, is it worth gettjng the drink packages? This is very confusing. Would appreciate comments, please. Thank you!
Ensure that you have the correct app, as not every Norwegian ships uses the same app. This is kind of a critical point. It's difficult to download the app with limited WIFI so doing this correctly ahead of time will save time and trouble. Agree that it's a great thing to have.
Wow.... Thank you so much for this video. I will be sailing on NCL for the first time in December 2020. I'm still looking for info for kids drink package and a option to pay more for faster services (Carnival offers this). I will be checking out more of your videos.
Went on the breakaway a few years back got 3 adult drink packages and my son was 18 and we got him the soda package. Hope it helps enjoy
There is no option for "faster" services unless you book a Haven room. You can have your butler or concierge escort you to the front of every line. Shows, getting on and off of the ship, guest services, ect.
Great information for my 1st cruise on the Getaway to in 2021 thank you 😊
You're going to love it!
...that was my very first ship too...wow...eh?
At the island owned by Norwegian are any drinks or food included while you are on their island?
Just booked NCL Escape Copenhagen to Southampton on Black Friday offer and was told/shown on paperwork that gratuities on drinks package was now included. Not sure if it's the same on other cruises though.
It seems that the free drink package gratuities are included as well if sailing from Europe, but not from the U.S.
Super helpful tips, thank you!!
You know it! Glad you like 'em.
Sorry i'm having trouble with the free at sea explanation. Imagine I don´t have drinks, but i DO want the excursion offer and free wifi, what do you recommend to book? Also they say that the sail away option may have the balcony's view interrupted. How frequent is that? Thanks!
If you have the Free at Sea, you get a certain number of perks, depending on which cabin you book. More expensive cabins have more perks. You don't have to pick one if you don't want it though. So say you get the choice of three perks, you can select the excursions and the free wi-fi, but not pick the drink package if you don't want it.
Not sure about interrupted views, but we've not seen that often.
This will be My first cruise is going to be on Norwegian Gem out of NYC March 30,2022. Im so disappointed with NCL. they downgraded us from a full day in D.R. to just an evening in Puerto Rico, then canceled Turks & Caicos, and then totally removed one of the islands St. Thomas from the agenda with no replacement after we had excursions booked. They replaced it with an extra day at sea that's it. I asked for an upgrade or some kind of compensation and the cruise agent was cold and unresponsive to me. I can't believe you can book a trip for 5 islands and they change 3 of them and then remove one island completely off the agenda. I am afraid we might just get to sit on the boat for ten days in NYC harbor with the way this is going . Very upset.
Did they say why they cancelled? To be sure, things are still up and down due to Covid.
We're going on the Encore in February. Loved the Getaway and the Breakaway. Not sure the Encore is going to be our cup of tea? I'm going to miss the Spice H2O adult area. I am going to like the Thermal Spa being at the back of the ship though. We always book an Aft room. We will see...
We just sailed Encore. We loved it. I hear it is very similar to other ships in the class, but you're right -- no Spice H20 area.
Vonnie Bench what is spice h2o, and why an aft room?
Thanks for the tips! I’m going on the Pearl next week.
Brittany Thompson I used to work on the Pearl
Brittany Thompson
i just got off that ship 3 days ago
It is ok at best !
We were on the Pearl for our Alaska cruise in 2014. How did you like it? Where did you go?
Hi could you explain the room selection again. You said if you pick the lowest price they will give you a room. But if you pay for the next level its more money. What do you get for paying more?
With the Free at Sea offer, Norwegian gives you your choice of free perks (like free drinks, internet, etc.). But the room with the Free at Sea offer costs more than just booking the same cabin without the perks included. For some people who wouldn't use the perks, they are better off not getting the Free at Sea offer.
The Sail Away option is the cheapest fare in any cabin type but does not include any Free at Sea extras and your cabin is randomly assigned so you can end up anywhere on the ship in that type of room, possibly in loud or undesirable locations like right under the pool where there's a lot of noise from the crew moving deck chairs while setting up early in the morning and people shouting and goofing off all day and evening, or near the night club where the music at night will come through the walls. If you want to be able to choose your stateroom, like if you specifically want midship or want to be on a particular deck, you get to choose your room plus you get anywhere from 1 to 4 of the Free at Sea offers depending on which room type. (Inside gets to choose 1 offer; Oceanview gets 2; Balcony, Mini Suite, Suite, Villa or Haven gets all 4.)
at least in europe, most ports are not destinations, actual advertised cities are frequently two or three hours One way from port such as florence rome milano seville cordoba granada mont st michel paris london, brussels, berlin, etc. places you can take public transit or walk into town, edinburgh glasgow athens naples venice barcelona oslo stockholm copenhagen dublin amsterdam. costa 429$ one week venice athens, 599$ barcelona florence rome marseille mallorca, 749$ savona cordoba granada seville lisbon morocco.
Good information. I think I'll buy some stock!
cruise.com you get credit too.
I just got of MCL Norwegian joy Cruise line in January 7 2020 2019
1) please don’t dis the smaller older ships. Many people love the more traditional feel, less people, ease of getting into the specialty restaurants, and no reservations needed for the main theater. Plus NCL has mad a grand effort in refurbishing the older ships.
2) Free at Sea-there is a gratuity charge for the specialty dining also, under $6 per restaurant no big deal. As for the beverage package tips, about $20 per day for the tips. It will pay for itself by your 3rd drink
3) for best value - compare the GTY or X category and check the cost of promos vs. difference in category price. It might be worth it to go with a Free@Sea
cat IF you have 3rd or 4th guests and they are offering Free guests-do the math, it might be cheaper to choose that promo instead of 4 ppl in a GTY cabin.
I LOVE NCL, worked for them for 4 years and learned a lot that still enhances my cruise experience.
wendy meuret What is the average tipping at the end of the cruise for the various people who serve you?
Elaine Teut We wait until we get on board to let them add the tips automaton our folio, then on Day 2 or 3 I go down to Guest Services and have them remove half. If you prepay you’re tips- you can NOT make any changes on. Lard and will have to wait until you get home and file with Guest Services in Miami- good luck with that. We bring $5s, $10s and a few $20s to hand deliver to the staff that are outstanding. I usually bring a TY note and or postcards from home and a small gift from our area. The cabin stewards usually are very surprised and grateful. We tip $20 for a 3-4 day and at least $50 for a 7 day to our steward. Head waiters/bartenders/bussers: $20/$20/$5-10
And I always have ones for the pool drink folks. Amazing how much better the service gets when you give them a couple bucks.
I spoke to one guest and he said he always meets and picks a bartender and tells them, “Here’s a $20 (or $50) to start the week, have my drink ready as I walk up and I’ll give you another at the end.” Best thing you can do is grab some of the vacation hero cards at the start of the cruise and keep them handy and fill them out during the week. That way I don’t forget names and I’m not filling them out last minute at the last breakfast. 😂. Honestly, those cards go to management and the staff members get recognized, promotions and bonuses. Hope this helps. 😊
Quick question. Do you know when I can book the theater? I am 88 days out and Alderney booked food. But not yet allowed to book Jersey Boys!
Omg!!! ClIm your chair then do what you want. Isn’t that the definition of a chair hog??? No bueno!! 30 min rule on chairs!
On what cruises do you go to the private island
Great info. Very helpful!
Disagree totally that the newer ships are better! THe smaller sized 2,000 - 2500 passenger size are far superior. On the mega ships you can get stuck in queues (lineups) that just do not happen one the more intimate smaller ships
That's the good thing about cruising... there is something for everyone. We're big fans of newer ships.
Thanks for the advice. It makes sense
I find the smaller ships tend to be older ships and need LOTS of work. Plus the things you expect (a higher quality of food, entertainment, or hours of operation really take a hit). Though you are right... the larger the ship can mean longer lines, no room in theaters or venues are too crowded and thus lost opportunities. I wish cruise lines worked hard to maintain quality across their fleets.
If I'm cruising a smaller ship, i would go with Holland America.
What about the refurbished ships.? Are they good?
What happened to the updated version the link does not work.
Question... so say I book a cabin that is designed for two people... but I'm a family of four, do I have to pay for four people, or pay just two and the other two people (guests?) say in same cabin for free?
I'm going on an alaskan cruise for the first time next year. i booked on the ncl sun. it's just me and my husband (we are in our 50's) should we see if we should change ships?
Great advice!! Do you have a video on the various ports, tips on getting to the beach etc.Thank you.
Sandy -- check us out at Cruzely.com. We have hundreds of articles on all aspects of cruising.
What are the older ships
I wonder if someone with a 401k could get 100 NCL shares added before the cruise and get that OBC?
We are booked on Norwegian for the first time August 2021. Great tips,thanks for sharing.
Be careful if they offer you future cruise credits coupons. Should you have to cancel - no refunds. They also have limited use dates.
Can you reserve a table in the Mahattan dining room on theEncore?
Not a SPECIFIC table, but you can make a reservation.
Do NcL accept my Bank Monthly stock statement showing me have NCLH shares to get the Shareholder onboard d credit ?
YOU CAN TELL THIS GUY WORKS FOR THEM. YOU NOT KIDDING ANYONE
Great tips.
Tanner, has anyone ever told you that you sound a little like Scott Van Pelt on SC?
Going on my first Norwegian Cruise next week (The Viva). They are burying me in "upgrades". Makes me wonder WTF I actually booked? We shall see.
You lost me at “the newer ships are better”. The Breakaway class ships may have lots of new attractions, but the traffic management within them is awful. During peak periods, the central spaces become gridlocked and elevator wait times are very long. The earlier Breakaway-class ships don’t have the dellightful Spinnaker lounge found on the Jewel and Sun class ships. Also missing is the open air section of the Garden Cafe on the fantail, a favorite spot for lunch and breakfast. With the exception of Ocean Place (which is unusable in poor weather, and is, almost exclusively, specialty dining with an upcharge), the gathering spaces are mostly all windowless interior spaces and, for such large ships, they seem terribly cramped. Balconies are also shallower. The Jewel class ships seem more spacious and open to the outdoors to me.
To be fair, some things are quite good: the thermal suite is very nice and the dinner theatre space is also good. Beware of the preferential treatment given Haven guests, however. Despite being first in line for the Cirque dinner, the best seats were already taken, this was very disappointing.
We embark on our 11th NCL cruise next month having sailed on the Star, Gem, Jewel, Jade, Breakaway and Getaway. Recently, our cruises have been longer crossings as opposed to round trips.
We still like NCL, but it is clear that both service and quality have declined in recent years. The crew seems more stressed and the tendency to nickle and dime you has increased. This has us considering more upscale cruises in the near future.
Lot to digest here. We've sailed older and newer ships and much prefer the options available on the larger ones. We do wish there was a bit more public space available where there was no charge. A large portion of the pool deck is now dedicated to Vibe Beach Club and Haven-exclusive areas.
there are only 2 breakaway class ships i believe,the breakaway and the getaway.
Is there also non-alcoholic beer in cruise ship?