Yankee47
Cruise Director
Joined 11/2016
11
Cruises8
Reviews181
Helpful VotesUpcoming cruises
Past cruises
January 2024 - 7 Night Caribbean: Harvest Caye Cozumel & Roatan (Galveston Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Prima
MOSTLY UNDERWHELMING. SOME BRIGHT SPOTS.
Understand NCL made several changes to VIVA to address problems the designers (who clearly didn't operate in the real world) ignored on THIS ship. Couldn't verify, but believe they're not building anymore like PRIMA. FUnny re dinner reservations...made ours early...but wanted to make some changes. wheelchair pusher kid took us down to 6th floor where dinner reservation could be made...hundreds of people online...several reps seated at terminals, people looking at menus....you could stay there all day...no exaggeration....kid pushing her wheelchar buttonholed one of the supervisors who fixed everything..then discovered the NCL app magically allowed reservations to be made for venues that were "unbookable"....kiosks didn't work, but room reservations "eventually" did. So between what we had pre-booked, what they did down at the restaurant reservations chaos, and the room tv, we got excactly what we wanted...note...there was NO ONE PLACE that actually listed them all...miraculously, our reservation we in their computer somewhere, and we never had a problem when we showed up.
October 2023 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Vista
Average, managed to "make it work", by lowering our expectations...
Already said enough about it....will continue to cruise, have a couple more already booked on CCL, and two more on NCL as well...
February 2023 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Vista
December 2022 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Breakaway
October 2022 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Vista
MOSTLY AVERAGE, SOME OUTSTANDING, SOME NOT SO MUCH
It suits us. It's only about a 10 hour drive from home. Stay the nite b4 in Texas City. No angst about getting there. CCL (or at least this ship) likes to turn down the a/c late at nite. Hot water issues one nite, notice that it would be off at 10pm, fixed by 6AM. Not exactly, more like 11AM. Haven't showered in cold water since NAM. Won't do it ever again. We will do this ship a couple of more times, it works for us. They're moving it to FL next year. Since covid, we have lowered our expectations, which seems to work. What once was, isn't so much anymore. Did go the IMAX one evening, and amazingly saw BLACK ADAM. it had JUST come out in the theatres. Stupid movie. But a good couple hours of CGI nonsense. Good movies are rare, since they require good actors. Wish there was a way to know whats playing in advance.
April 2022 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Breakaway
LESS IN ALMOST EVERY WAY..BUT WE MANAGED
After all this, we still have two more booked with NCL BREAKAWAY. once you lower your expectations from what "once was" to "what is", It was a reasonable experience. Heading down there in DEC, and again next APRIL. We WILL book PRIMA after we do a little more research...We also cruise other lines and they are a product of the times as well....
November 2021 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Vista
BETTER THAN I EXPECTED
Way better than expected, given the current insanity. We were quite willing to cancel our next one on her in FEB depending on the "experience" on THIS cruise. We're going.
November 2019 - 9 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Getaway
Above average, some below what once was...
Doing this same cruise again in APR on GETAWAY again. Then BREAKAWAY next NOV, same cabin(s)...then switching to CCL for 3 already booked. If you are willing to learn, and work at it, you can almost guarantee a good experience, and a decent bang for your buck. Even if you use a TA (we dont) it doesn't hurt to learn as much as you can when you're buying a big ticket item. What you don't know, or could have learned, might just turn a good experienceinto a poor one. EXCURSIONS: read read read what folks who have actually taken them have to say. else you'll be doing it onboard with a few hundred of your newest friends helping you. Theres something called "the cruise within the cruise". didnt know what it meant until, by experience, we started doing it. Crowd (and line) avoidance is an art form. We now cruise for "the ship" and the cruising experience itself. Unless we go someplace really spectacular. THEN, all bets are off...but especially then, planning ahead is key.
February 2019 - 10 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Breakaway
Well run ship, better than average cruise
We will be on her and her sisters again. We've got this class of ship figured out and how to enjoy it the most. Reserve what you need to do in advance.
November 2018 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Breakaway
EXCELLENT CRUISE
Don't want to turn this into a novel. Not that talented. NO as a port needs work, a lot of work. Those employees are surly at worst, and ignorant at best. Wee expected it, and ignore it. If you cruise out of there a second time, you too can figure things out on your own (We park n cruise at the HI Superdome. One nite on weekends is 260...but SUBTRACT THE 140 you pay for the privilege of parking at the port and its just fine. Cabs are plentiful coming AND going. Let the cabbie figure it all out. Handicapped access is available. Getting someone to help you if you need it is problematical. ARGUE THAT ALL YOU WANT. I have seen it at its worst, and N.O should be ashamed. The NCL employees involved are a different story. Wife has mobility issue..walks with a cane. So we qualify. And I know "how" it works"..Find a seat near the access doors and when they call for your "group, we head directly to the "latitudes"check in people, and directly onboard. No body stops you...just do it. On board went to guest services, got our vibe passes, she finished the dinner reservations next door at the comedy club for the remainder of the week. (NO that's not at Guest services on embarcation day)
Up to Savor?Taste MDRs for lunch. No thats not a typo..those two mdrs are opposite each other, slightly different decor, same menu. We ate in them alot, at the expense of the buffet, which we decided to avoid. Did the buffet on port days for lunch, only half of it open, rest of the time it was Osheehans...love that place. Did either the MDRS or Osheehans for breakfast every day. Also Modernos is open on sea days for lunch..somewhat limited menu some claim, but it was "themed"..Mexican, German, etc. Normal tables and peace n quiet. Dont spread it around.
Didnt bother with the "Manhattan Room", which is the MAIN MDR yes they have musuc there in the eceningsd, but theres entertainment all over, and at least 1/3 of it is "dance floor"..Looked at it from above, its like eating in an aircraft hangar. Didnt regret not eating in it. Best part of the whole cruise was the vibe up on deck 17. Private bartenders, private hottubs, limited access. It was glorious and well worth it. Net cost after OBC for buying it, $259 for the week. If and NCL ship we ever cruise on has it, we're there. Tip the steady bartenders well...they deserve it. One tip here...make sure you actually "lock: your balcony door..closing it isnt enough..if it isnt locked the a/c wont work. You cant lock yourself out. and you need to insert your card in a slot by the door to turn everything on, except the a/c. that will stay on, as long as you have the balcony door latched.
Carnival Vista
Sail date: October 22, 2022
MOSTLY AVERAGE, SOME OUTSTANDING, SOME NOT SO MUCH
It suits us. It's only about a 10 hour drive from home. Stay the nite b4 in Texas City. No angst about getting there. CCL (or at least this ship) likes to turn down the a/c late at nite. Hot water issues one nite, notice that it would be off at 10pm, fixed by 6AM. Not exactly, more like 11AM. Haven't showered in cold water since NAM. Won't do it ever again. We will do this ship a couple of more times, it works for us. They're moving it to FL next year. Since covid, we have lowered our expectations, which seems to work. What once was, isn't so much anymore. Did go the IMAX one evening, and amazingly saw BLACK ADAM. it had JUST come out in the theatres. Stupid movie. But a good couple hours of CGI nonsense. Good movies are rare, since they require good actors. Wish there was a way to know whats playing in advance.
Norwegian Prima
Sail date: January 26, 2024
MOSTLY UNDERWHELMING. SOME BRIGHT SPOTS.
Understand NCL made several changes to VIVA to address problems the designers (who clearly didn't operate in the real world) ignored on THIS ship. Couldn't verify, but believe they're not building anymore like PRIMA. FUnny re dinner reservations...made ours early...but wanted to make some changes. wheelchair pusher kid took us down to 6th floor where dinner reservation could be made...hundreds of people online...several reps seated at terminals, people looking at menus....you could stay there all day...no exaggeration....kid pushing her wheelchar buttonholed one of the supervisors who fixed everything..then discovered the NCL app magically allowed reservations to be made for venues that were "unbookable"....kiosks didn't work, but room reservations "eventually" did. So between what we had pre-booked, what they did down at the restaurant reservations chaos, and the room tv, we got excactly what we wanted...note...there was NO ONE PLACE that actually listed them all...miraculously, our reservation we in their computer somewhere, and we never had a problem when we showed up.
Norwegian Breakaway
Sail date: April 17, 2022
LESS IN ALMOST EVERY WAY..BUT WE MANAGED
After all this, we still have two more booked with NCL BREAKAWAY. once you lower your expectations from what "once was" to "what is", It was a reasonable experience. Heading down there in DEC, and again next APRIL. We WILL book PRIMA after we do a little more research...We also cruise other lines and they are a product of the times as well....
Norwegian Getaway
Sail date: November 08, 2019
Above average, some below what once was...
Doing this same cruise again in APR on GETAWAY again. Then BREAKAWAY next NOV, same cabin(s)...then switching to CCL for 3 already booked. If you are willing to learn, and work at it, you can almost guarantee a good experience, and a decent bang for your buck. Even if you use a TA (we dont) it doesn't hurt to learn as much as you can when you're buying a big ticket item. What you don't know, or could have learned, might just turn a good experienceinto a poor one. EXCURSIONS: read read read what folks who have actually taken them have to say. else you'll be doing it onboard with a few hundred of your newest friends helping you. Theres something called "the cruise within the cruise". didnt know what it meant until, by experience, we started doing it. Crowd (and line) avoidance is an art form. We now cruise for "the ship" and the cruising experience itself. Unless we go someplace really spectacular. THEN, all bets are off...but especially then, planning ahead is key.
Carnival Vista
Sail date: October 28, 2023
Average, managed to "make it work", by lowering our expectations...
Already said enough about it....will continue to cruise, have a couple more already booked on CCL, and two more on NCL as well...
Carnival Vista
Sail date: November 27, 2021
Way better than expected, given the current insanity. We were quite willing to cancel our next one on her in FEB depending on the "experience" on THIS cruise. We're going.
Norwegian Breakaway
Sail date: November 11, 2018
Don't want to turn this into a novel. Not that talented. NO as a port needs work, a lot of work. Those employees are surly at worst, and ignorant at best. Wee expected it, and ignore it. If you cruise out of there a second time, you too can figure things out on your own (We park n cruise at the HI Superdome. One nite on weekends is 260...but SUBTRACT THE 140 you pay for the privilege of parking at the port and its just fine. Cabs are plentiful coming AND going. Let the cabbie figure it all out. Handicapped access is available. Getting someone to help you if you need it is problematical. ARGUE THAT ALL YOU WANT. I have seen it at its worst, and N.O should be ashamed. The NCL employees involved are a different story. Wife has mobility issue..walks with a cane. So we qualify. And I know "how" it works"..Find a seat near the access doors and when they call for your "group, we head directly to the "latitudes"check in people, and directly onboard. No body stops you...just do it. On board went to guest services, got our vibe passes, she finished the dinner reservations next door at the comedy club for the remainder of the week. (NO that's not at Guest services on embarcation day)
Up to Savor?Taste MDRs for lunch. No thats not a typo..those two mdrs are opposite each other, slightly different decor, same menu. We ate in them alot, at the expense of the buffet, which we decided to avoid. Did the buffet on port days for lunch, only half of it open, rest of the time it was Osheehans...love that place. Did either the MDRS or Osheehans for breakfast every day. Also Modernos is open on sea days for lunch..somewhat limited menu some claim, but it was "themed"..Mexican, German, etc. Normal tables and peace n quiet. Dont spread it around.
Didnt bother with the "Manhattan Room", which is the MAIN MDR yes they have musuc there in the eceningsd, but theres entertainment all over, and at least 1/3 of it is "dance floor"..Looked at it from above, its like eating in an aircraft hangar. Didnt regret not eating in it. Best part of the whole cruise was the vibe up on deck 17. Private bartenders, private hottubs, limited access. It was glorious and well worth it. Net cost after OBC for buying it, $259 for the week. If and NCL ship we ever cruise on has it, we're there. Tip the steady bartenders well...they deserve it. One tip here...make sure you actually "lock: your balcony door..closing it isnt enough..if it isnt locked the a/c wont work. You cant lock yourself out. and you need to insert your card in a slot by the door to turn everything on, except the a/c. that will stay on, as long as you have the balcony door latched.
Norwegian Breakaway
Sail date: February 07, 2019
Well run ship, better than average cruise
We will be on her and her sisters again. We've got this class of ship figured out and how to enjoy it the most. Reserve what you need to do in advance.
Cruise tips
Norwegian Prima
Read lots of reviews from experienced cruisers. We had another scheduled on her for end of 3/24. Cancelled it prior to this one, based on thiose reviews, and glad we did.
Carnival Vista
For a newbie, got walk around, learn, and don't think you're on the QE2...For old timers...it is what it is..
Major Road construction EVERYWHERE. Get used to it. It won't be over in our lifetime..Or anyone's.
Carnival Vista
Learn to use the HUB. it can be quirky/balky. If an elevator shows up, get on it, even if its going the wrong way. Nuff said.
Cozumel response...btw...its their island...you can tell by what everything costs...
Coxen Hole, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
See Cozumel response...amazing the number of people who don't get off anymore. Wonder why? Hmmm?
See Cozumel response. BTW, some family of 5+ were "delayed" getting back to the ship. CAPN making announcements the "authorities wouldntlet them leave them. Clearly po'd...and he would have...so we waited..."
Ship is homeported there for the season. NO is big, noisy, dirty and dare I say dangerous. You want to go wandering and see the huge swaths that were never rebuilt after KATRINA, more power to you. Nothing "french" about the French Quarter".
Been there, done that..Stay on board and enjoy.....
Norwegian Breakaway
If you've never cruised, its a staggering experience...if you've cruised many times...its becoming underwhelming.
Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
Been there done that...
Been there done that
Been there done that
Better than many, and they're going to expand it...Don't know how long that will take tho.
Carnival Vista
Learn the HUB. Unfortunately, I doesn't "liven up" until you're on board. Took a day or so and little advice from another cruiser. After that, works like a charm. TV sucks as usual, found a "real" music channel by sccident.
Another port we didnt bother to get off the ship for this trip. Now if you've never been, by all means.
Clean, seemed safe, walked around, for an hour, bought some junk.. theres still a few sq inches of space on our frig.
Any island that has 11,217 banks on it must have something going for it. excellent place for a vackay especially NOT on a cruise. Might spend a week there, still negotiating. Touk a tour just to see as much of the island as possible.
The whole place is designed by NCL to get more of your tourist $$. And no, your drink package does NOT work there.
No, the "downtown" area is seedy, complete with homeless living under the highway. N o one I know goes wandering anywhere, unless its from bar to bar, and the only place to do that is the FRENCH QUARTER itself. Been there, done that. Its like St Paddy's Day every day.mostly amateur hour, and expensive.
Coxen Hole, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
Been there dont know how many trimes, didnt bother to get off...whole bunch of others didnt either. Ship is an amazing place when 3/4+ of the passengers get off.
Norwegian Getaway
This was #22, our first on GETAWAY, two previous on BREAKAWAY, her sister and a virtual twin. You may be sailing with 4k+ of your newestr friends, competing, shall we say, for whatever entertainment and resorces are available. Do your homework, and book as early as you can manage..make reservations wherever you can.
I think I could live here in another life.
Been here too...nothing special. Ive seen jungle. They paid me once upon a time to wander aound in it. Get of the beaten path and it becomes a 3rd world country.
The usual junque shops and hawkers. Been here at least a dozen times, didnt get off the ship. Amazing how pleasant the ship is on port days when you stay onboard.
Tender port. fortunately they use local tenders, way bigger than the old lifeboats they used to use. We got off just to stretch, back in an hour.
Been here before too. Just a great way for NCL to separate you from your money. Read the fine print if you wander off the ship. Its THEIR port, they built almost everything in it, but your key card is next to useless.
Emarnked and disembarked here. Old, raggedy, too small. Parking at the pier is inconvenient, and you have to walk thru traffic and across RR tracks to get to the terminal. We stay downtownwith "park n cruise rates" at the HI, and cab over.
Norwegian Breakaway
Do your homeowrk online. Theres so much to do on board that even if you use a TA (we don"t) if enhances the experience if you know whats available.
Norwegian Breakaway
Make all your dinner, theatre, excursion reservation in advance, from home. Some dinner packages require additional reservations be made on board. We immediately headed to guest services to do that. or magically, the times you want may not be available.
Didn't think much of it right after it opened. We back again this trip just to stretch. Yes they've improved it. All kinds of new expanded ways to separate you from your $$..Came back after an hour or so. And we weren't hardly alone.
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