Just a small correction to your post. You have a players card for casino play, not your room key.
--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Misscraps <misscraps@...> wrote:
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> Remember the certificate is not transferable. If you bring someone with you and you can't go, they may end up being charged the "normal" rate. This is one reason for always buying the insurance. Two people from the same household cannot both have separate rooms. They can combine certificates for a one level upgrade. Two people with different addresses could each book separate cabins and each take a friend. It is possible to switch cabins once onboard.
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> Single people get the most benefit, because they can book a double sized cabin without bringing a friend or paying extra. A very nice benefit one of my single friends loves.
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> You can pay extra to upgrade your rooms. The cabins on NCL are very small, so adding a balcony instead of oceanview gives u a little more space (not just a better view), and a little can mean a lot. A minisuite isn't all that much bigger than a balcony however.
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> You can't combine two certificates from two events to get a bigger cabin. Just two for people in the same household.
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> If you have played on NCL before, you might get a better deal by calling their casino department rather than using a certificate. I tried this and got a balcony for the same cost as a oceanview.
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> Although it is possible to win on a cruise ship, I have found NCL even tighter than most. On the Epic I and some friends played VP almost every day, despite bad pay tables, and found the amount of quads really abnormally bad. Craps or blackjack is your best theoretical bet onboard. The tournaments run have a LOT of people doing them and small amount of prizes. They may be fun, but generally not a good bet. Bingo is the worst. If you want to take a flyer, take the $25 (or more) you were going to spend on bingo and plunk it on a roulette number. Your odds of hitting a number are greater and if you do hit you'll get more money than a bingo hit.
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> If you do play, be sure to ask the casino "host"/manager, if you can get comps -- these usually take the form of a free bottle of wine and free admission to one of the specialty restaurants. On the Epic, since I played a lot, after a couple of days I got free dinner for 4 people and wine in one restaurant, then free dinner in another. Also once the host is on notice (by you, it doesn't seem to be automatic), they may also start sending extras to your room such as wine, cookies, appetizers. Like you need more food! Even more important, go to the host at the end of the stay and they may increase the amount of "free play"/comps toward your room bill over the amount that was posted. In my case it was more than doubled. That money can be used to pay for Internet, spa, and some (but not all) room charges.
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> Your boarding card also serves as a room key and a slot card (odd). You get it when u arrive at the ship. Don't lose it and take it onshore whenever u leave the ship. For many ports you won't need a drivers license or passport.
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> Speaking of passport, be sure to make sure you have a valid one well before leaving. The passport office is backed up, so get yours in order when u book the cruise. You probably will need one for most cruises, even Alaska (you cross the Canadian border).
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> A handy item is a plastic holder on a string (or equivalent) to wear around your neck for holding the room key. These can be bought onboard. You will use the card instead of money for any onboard purchases. You won't need foreign $ in any ports unless you go to Europe.
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> Plan to arrive at the port the day before if you can't get there by 12-1 pm. Depart on a plane after 12 noon. Ask the cruise company if there is a question on times We often stay at a motel near the airport that has a free shuttle to the port, then go back to the airport and get on the NCL transfer bus (for a fee) to go to the port. Once onboard you will find a nice buffet. We like to arrive at the port around noon to give plenty of time to get onboard and get acclimated. Your luggage won't get to your room until a lot later in the day, so take important papers and pills with you as carryon.
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> Lines for check in at the port can be long. Another reason to arrive early. Handicapped people should just avoid the lines, go to the front, tell the guard you are handicapped and can't stand so long and you'll get inside.
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> In ports, listen to instructions on the time to get back to the ship, and follow these. The ships WILL leave on time. Remember that the ship will delay for its own shore excursions if they run late, but not for I dependent ones. We have never found this to be a problem because we are careful and wear watches and use common sense when booking non-NCL shore excursions. Some ports are crowded and taxis to scenic locations can get tied up in traffic. Use common sense. We often take a taxi to a beach we've seen recommended online and ask the taxi driver to pick us back up at a specific time. For common locations there are plenty of cabs if ours doesn't show up.
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> If you go onshore a bit later than most folks, sometimes you are at the tail end of people looking for shore excursions, and you can find a real cheap bargain onshore, or bargain down the tour provider (oh it is $30 for each person, how about 2 of us for $50). For flea market situations or vendors who come up to you, always bargain, whether in Mexico or another port. Don't buy "ganja" (pot) or other drugs onshore. Some pharmacies in other countries may sell items that are not available here (codine tablets in Belize for instance). Look for local crafts as great souvenirs or gifts. Some liquor stores onshore may have booze cheaper than in the duty free onboard (but it will be held by ship til you arrive home -- and you can't take liquids onboard a plane except as checked luggage).
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> The ship will sell bottled water as you leave the ship, for a lot of $. Buy it onshore or take some from the buffet (put it into an empty bottle you bring with you or refill one you bought onboard). Watch for special ship's sales of watches and jewelry as the voyage goes on. These can be bargains. Near the end of the voyage they will have sales of tshirts and other stuff. They may even run special booze sales onboard, so don't be too quick to buy items. Never buy loose gem stones, they are far too expensive to mount later -- buy them already in a ring or necklace.
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> We found the spa services onboard just as expensive as in casinos, but not as good. In some places you can find a massage on the beach or at a beach resort for a good price. Adults should look for adults only jacuzzis or pools, if available onboard.
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> NCL ships have a free cafe called the Blue Lagoon (usually) with 24 hour food. We found these places a great place for a snack or even a meal (especially breakfast). Free room service is also available, except there may be a fee for pizza (for unknown reasons) and for late night hours. If you fall sick, see if additional meal choices can be brought while confined to your room.
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> When choosing your room, look at a map of the ships layout (available at NCL.com). Don't choose a room too close to an open atrium area (too much music or announcements), under an area with people walking above you, or close to the ship's motors/screws if possible (stern faxing rooms with balconies can have great views, especially useful on an Alaskan voyage, but can be noisy, so decide what is important). Once onboard you probably will NOT be able to switch rooms if yours has a problem.
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> Beds can generally be converted to single or double. Take dramamine or patch with u if u get seasick, though modern ships are a lot better with good stabilizers (but I still start out taking dramamine).
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> A great item to take for swimming is a holder on a necklace that holds your room key and some money. They sell them onboard. This saves you from needing to worry about your purse and money when swimming, it goes with you.
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> Dress up if you like on NCL, but casual is pretty much all you need nowadays. Formal nights are optional and plenty of people will not dress up. You cannot wear shorts in the dining room at dinner though.
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> Save money by planning your excursions or town visits in the morning or afternoon in port, and go back to the ship for lunch. Why pay for an excursion that includes a meal? (at least I dont generally). Fruit cannot be taken on and off the ship.
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> Some people love the art shows and buy art. But I found if I liked an artist they sell, I could find the same or similar pictures on EBay from other people who took cruises for less $. I won't go so far as to say the art shows are a scam, but some of the prices quoted during the auctions seem to be inflated ("We value this painting at $1000 but you can buy it at $250" --- Just who is valuing it??"). But they can be fun to attend, and give out free champagne. Also costs for them to crate and ship artwork home can be very high. Best bet, buy already framed items you can put in your luggage if you really want art from them, unless you are a more sophisticated buyer. Note this same art company runs all the auctions on NCL, and maybe other ships, and a lot of these prints and artists will be the same on other voyages.
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> Pack light. You can wear the same clothes more than one day! If needed, laundry facilities are onboard.
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> Internet at sea is expensive. Once onboard your phone will be connected to the ship's service at high prices. You don't want to run up a fortune phoning or browsing the Internet on your phone/device. Do phoning onshore, or in ports if you get a signal from outside the ship. Do Internet sparingly onboard if you must or from Internet cafes. In some ports you may be able to latch onto a Internet network from the shore for free (I've done it in Mexico and elsewhere).
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> Have fun, and don't be like one man we saw who was so eager to get onboard he ran and tripped, broke his leg, and never got onto the voyage!
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