Once upon a time, Clayton and I floated at sea during the outbreak of the pandemic. Not the best of times, but we soldiered through. Since we were unable to dock at the majority of the ports on that cruise, NCL gave us 75% off towards a future cruise. We had already been given 25% off a future cruise due to the first leg of our cruise being delayed for several days and several hundred dollars credit due to a non-functional toilet in our cabin. During the pandemic, we bravely booked a couple of cruises that never happened, giving us an additional percentage off a future cruise. Why bring this up? Because we cashed in all our future cruise credits, took advantage of a price drop on a cruise, and due to Clayton’s military service, received an additional discount. When all was said and done, we booked a penthouse suite (with a butler) for an 11-day cruise for a whopping $43.68 (for two!). And, as NCL stockholders, we were given $100 onboard credit so actually, NCL paid us to take a cruise. Right up until we boarded, I figured NCL would realize that they screwed up in some way and ask us to give them more money, but not so. As I type this, I am sitting on the couch in my aft penthouse suite!
We typically book balcony cabins; we have never ever been at the suite level of service. Like everything else, I diligently researched what to expect with the “suite life”. And let me tell you, it is wonderful.
We arrived at the port a couple of hours ahead of our scheduled check-in time, on the off chance that we could get on board that much sooner. There was a dedicated lounge for suite guests, separate from the madhouse that everyone else experiences pre-cruise. There were juices, coffee, and tea as well as lovely crudites and appetizers. I indulged myself with a piece of avocado toast topped with three large prawns. I think Clayton may have had a cookie or two. We were checked in right in the room, taking mere minutes. We met our concierge, who was there to help with anything we needed to make our experience more pleasurable. There was only one other couple in the lounge with us. By eleven o’clock, we were being personally escorted on the ship and to the special restaurant for suite guests. We were seated by the window and provided our menus. The service was impeccable and the food delicious. I opted for the crab cakes; Clayton had steak. We were told that when we finished eating, we would be able to go to our cabin. This is unusual; typically, when boarding, cruisers must wait until mid-afternoon to access their rooms, since the cabin stewards must thoroughly clean them after the prior cruise’s guests have disembarked.
There is a special elevator for suite guests. An NCL employee is in there to push the buttons for you. We wouldn’t want to get our fingers dirty, would we?
Our cabin is quite lovely. There are larger suites, but I chose this one for its aft location and large balcony. I like nothing more than watching the wake of the ship. There was a bottle of sparkling wine chilled and waiting for us as well as a tray of chocolate covered strawberries. We received invitations to a couple of cocktail parties. A fresh fruit bowl adorned our dining room table. And lest we get hungry before our next meal, the butler delivered a tray of hors d’oeuvres. We could have requested that our butler unpack for us, but I rather like putting things where I can find them, so opted to DIY. Poor me!
Pre-Covid, there was a mandatory muster drill on the day of embarkation. In the post-Covid era, this is done by watching a safety video online as part of filling in pre-cruise documents. On the day of embarkation, you need only drop by your muster station and have a crew member scan your keycard, so they know you’ve checked in. I much prefer the new way of doing things. The previous muster drills were a complete waste of time. There was much standing around and waiting because some passengers thought they did not have to attend, so the crew members would wait until everyone showed up, usually quite a lengthy wait. This typically took place on the promenade deck, so you were squeezed in with your muster buddies outdoors. The crew members would valiantly attempt to give directions, but nobody listened. It was a total waste of time. NCL attempted to go back to the old, bad way of doing things but got lots of negative feedback from passengers, so are now doing it the new, good way again. So much better.
Our first week of the cruise had no sea days. We have visited almost every port previously, so wouldn’t be seeing too much new, not that I am complaining. Due to a terrible experience on our first NCL excursion in Langkawi, Malaysia, we opted to not do any further NCL excursions. The one port we had not visited previously, Nha Trang, ended up getting cancelled due to dangerous conditions (it was a tender port). I did get a few pictures at a few of the ports, so click on the links if you want to see what they were like:
Phuket, Thailand (including a monkey show)
The rest of the cruise (Singapore, Vietnam)
Following the cruise, we are spent a few days in Pattaya for a completely different slice of Thai life. Click here for information on that city and many photos of the Sanctuary of Truth.
We will return to our home away from home of Chiang Mai until early April. We plan to spend a couple of months in Seattle before jetting back to Chiang Mai. In August, we head to South Africa for a tour and (hopefully) lots of animal sightings. Stay tuned!
travelswithheather 