April 23-24, 2025
Hello again friends!
I awoke in my Brisbane hotel Wednesday morning thinking my brain having no idea what time zone it was in. I looked at my watch and it was 8am, so I guessed my brain knew after all. I did my typical social media scrolling, got up, took a shower, and re-packed the few things I had unpacked for the short stay. I affixed my cruise ship bag tags to both my checked back and my carry one. (I put one on the latter in case I accidentally get separated from it.)
I went downstairs and summoned an Uber for the short ride to cruise port arriving at about 10:30am. I dropped-off my checked bag and went inside. There were already a number of people waiting, but it seemed no one had actually checked-in yet.
Don’t Yell at the Port Workers
I approached a port worker and asked about priority check-in (due to my status with NCL). When I asked the question and older woman ran-up saying “I’m Diamond! I’m also priority!” The port worker (who does not work for NCL keep in mind) started-in with “if you’re not on the list, you’re not priority.”
OK, I’ve cruised enough to know this problem sometimes happens when you’re boarding a cruise at a port where they don’t have cruises all the time. The port worker (usually part time help) is given a list of suite guests, but is told nothing regarding priority for people with higher status with the cruise line. This is 100% NCL’s fault and they need to do better.
Anyhow the “I’m diamond!” woman, I don’t know her name, but it’s probably Karen, starts hollering at the port worker.
Meanwhile, I’m standing there saying “It’s not his fault. NCL hasn’t given them all the information. You’re not helping.”
Long story short, I was one of the first people to board the ship a short time later, as was Karen. I asked her “happy now?” She just grumbled somethings and wondered-off. I don’t think I’ve seen her since.
I generally consider embarkation a success if I am on the ship, food in my belly, and a drink in my hand before noon. All three boxes were checked that day.
That was followed by the usual waiting around for the rooms to be ready (at about 2pm) and running into people I’ve cruised with before, be they fellow passengers or crew.
The Solo Meetings on NCL are Getting Out of Hand
When I cruised solo on the Norwegian Epic in April of 2019 there were about 25 solos who came to the solo meetings. In the period after covid, 2022 and most of 2023, it was about the same. NCL then announced they would increase the number of cabins that had no solo supplement. This has dramatically increased the number of solo travelers and in turn the number who actually come to the meetings. At the meeting on embarkation day, it was at least 100. This makes the “old way” of running the solo meetings no longer work in my opinion. With a small group everyone kind of meet and knew everyone. Now there are smaller subgroups formed and some people get left-out. I’m not sure what the solution is, but comradery of the solo cruiser groups is not as good as it used to be and that’s unfortunate.
And Then the Kraken Struck
Not long after the solo meeting that first night, I felt unwell. I didn’t think it was food poisoning or norovirus as I was only having problems in my southern hemisphere. I attributed it to the stress of travel and eating weird food. I decided it would be best to retire for the evening and take it easy. The next day, Thursday the 24th, was a sea day and I spent most of it wishing I would feel better and I did to a point by that evening. I went to bed looking forward to our first cruise stop, Airlie Beach, Australia.
Until we meet again, I hope you avoid the Kraken and have Fair Winds and Following Seas.
Eric Cable
April 27, 2025