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Not really. When you purchase the drink package - it automatically adds gratuities to your cruise total. It is the same with the Specialty Rest. package. Even if it is part of the Free at Sea package. The water for puchase is only filtered watered - not spring and it is NCL's own brand. It comes in a plant based container and does not taste good. Better off bringing a refillable bottle and lemon/lime and ice. When you stop in a port - you can buy water or soda and bring it back on the ship. My husband and I cruise a lot and we do not drink - we drink water with lots of ice & lemon (free) and I drink lots of Iced tea(free). You can deny both of these packages when you book your cruise and see the overall total of your cruise go down a few bucks. Also there are many liquors and cocktails that have an extra charge depending on what you drink. Have fun.

So the NCL Pearl left Bermuda yesterday to get away from Tropical Storm Alex and has been sailing around in nasty weather since. Just out in the ocean waiting to get back into Bermuda. Passengers had to pay and extra $120.00 each just to get the Bermuda Travel Authoriztion approval. Why couldn't NCL have gone to Bar Harbor first and then made their way to Bermuda? All passengers would have had to take another Rapid Covid test onboard to meet the requirements to enter Bermuda 4 days or more after embarkation. It is crazy that there is the extra fee to go to Bermuda (not an NCL policy) still. I feel sorry for the passengers whose vacation was interrupted by the storm but NCL knew about the storm and chose to sail to Bermuda anyway. I have been n many NCL cruises where the itinerary was changed for a lot less than a tropical storm.

Yes - what a rip!. Most of the people on the Boston to Bermuda cruise are from New England and have had enough of winter! This cruise had been up on the NCL website for months for the month of April. We were looking at the end of the month just so we could spend 3 nights in Bermuda and not leave and go to Bar Harbor where it is colder than where I live in MA. I can drive to Bar Harbor if I want - I cannot drive to Bermuda. When we went to Florida/Bahamas in March, our itinerary changed constantly and we were not notified until it happened - not prior. We were especially dumbfounded because we only stayed in Nassau for 6 hours and bolted out of there to get to Norfolk, VA - which we had to bypass because of weather and go strait to NY. On previous cruises, we stayed in Nassau from 8am - 6pm. If I go out of Boston this year - it wont be until July or August when it is hot n Maine. Unbelievable!

When we went to Bermuda last October we took the PCR test at CVS which was free a the time. Now you have to pay for it. Last month when we went to the Bahamas we took the Rapid Antigen test at an Urgent Care Center on Friday as we were leaving on Sunday. You can also call or e-mail your questions to the BTA. Toll Free Number (1-833-570-2594) or via email at TAapprovals@gov.bm Negative Pre-Arrival Test All visitors 2 years and older must provide a negative COVID-19 pre-arrival test result. Supervised antigen tests must be taken no more than 2 days before arrival and NAAT (PCR, LAMP or TMA) tests taken no more than 4 days before arrival. See complete list of pre-travel testing requirements and accepted tests.

Well NCL has rescheduled all of the Boston to Bermuda cruises to visit Bar Harbor this month. I do not know what they are thinking either as it is still cold there ( hovers around 40 degrees), not much is open until Memorial Day Week-end, and it is a tendering port. Nuts!

The Boston to Bermuda cruise through the month of April was supposed to spend three nights in Bermuda and head strait back Boston. After that, the ship would spend 2 nights in Bermuda and proceed to Bar Harbor, Maine and then return to Boston. I wanted to take the 4/22 cruise specifically to avoid going to Bar Harbor. I live in MA and can drive to Bar Harbor if I want.. I want to be in Bermuda for 3 nights. The cruise leaving Boston today had an itinerary change to leave Bermuda early and go to Bar Harbor and then back to Boston. What a bunch of BS! Why can't NCL get their act together and provide customers with what they paid for and expect! It is costing an average of $120.00 extra just to apply for the Bermuda Travel Authorization needed to get on the ship. NCL does not devulge why the change is taking place, only that is is. I experienced this on a Florida/Bahamas cruise I took in March. What a disaster. I hope this change was for this cruise only.

I sailed on The Getaway on 3/6 for the Florida/ GSC/Nassau cruise. I understand bad weather as we have have sailed many times in bad weather . But this time we did not get to Port Canaveral until 6pm (we were suppose to arrive at 1pm) and stayed overnight and left at 6pm the next day. Because of that we were not able to go to Great Stirrup Cay and went to strait to Nassau. Got there at 8am and left at 2pm? All other times we have stayed for a full day. Never stopped in Norfolk, VA - and it did not change anything disembarking in NY. Not sure why Norfolk was on the itinerary in the first place. In any event, information about the weather and itinerary changes was only forthcoming right before the change and after the ship had listed from the strong winds. I have been cruising with NCL for over 20 years and have had many great cruises but this one turned me right off.

You must apply to the Bermuda Tourism Authority for Travel Authorization. The application is online and it costs $40.00 to process. You will have to provide proof of a negative Covid Test and other ID information. We went to Bermuda last October and the application fee was $75.00. If you go to the website there will be an icon for cruise ship passengers and all of the info will be there. When I did it - I got my test results first and then applied for the Travel Authorization. You must have that to board the ship. This is separate from any NCL protocol. The negative Covid Test will also serve as the NCL requirement. If the Travel Authorization is not obtained ahead of time and brought with you it can be very expensive at the terminal. Offiicials from Bermuda were present at the Manhattan Terminal to assist people who had no knowledge of the Bermuda requirement. I only knew about this because I had thought about flying to Bermuda and the entry requirements were so prohibitive. I am glad tthat I knew because unlike many people who booked cruises to Bermuda I was prepared. NCL was not any help with this step. This is the most recent information because we are going to Bermuda form Boston in April . Good Luck

Thank you, where did you find the itineray for this trip? I just want to go where it is hot! We are buried in snow and freezing here in Massachusetts.

Does anyone know why the GEM is heading to Nassau? We are still looking to book a trip to the Caribbean on the GEM and Nassau is not mentioned in any itinerary.. Seems like it changes all the time.

Does anyone know why the GEM is heading to Nassau? We are still looking to book a trip to the Caribbean on the GEM and Nassau is not mentioned in any itinerary.

I believe the GEM is on its way back to NY. No more stops. 3 sea days to return instead of 2. Coming into NY during the snow storm.

What a nightmare for you and the other passengers. I have been watching this cruise and the current one that just sailed yesterday to see what happens. I cannot beleive that th GEM would sail again (with the same itinerary) knowing that the same thing could happen again? I am looking to book this cruise for next month but am wary after reading your post. Are the decisions to not allow port calls made last minute and based on covid positive crew members? I was on NCL cruise in October to Bermuda and the crew was not allowed off of the ship at all - one crew member told me that he would not touch land for 6 months - he knew that when he signed on. What a mess.

I am looking to book the 2/8/21 Caribbean Cruise out of NY on the GEM. Does anyone have any information on what happened with the cruise that just returned. I understand not being able to get into ports because of Covid but there is no information on what the restrictions are. Also, there is no information forthcoming as to why the cruise itinerary was cancelled yet the ship did not return to NY until today. I will be watching the outcome of the cruise that is leaving today to see how it goes. Thank you.

I am thinking about taking the 10 day cruise out of NY this month on the GEM. Do I need a negative PCR test prior, will I be tested at the terminal prior to boarding, or do I just need my vaccinaton card? What are the testing protocols once the ship is underway? Thank you.