NCL vs RCI

Our daughter who lives in Ohio will be completing her masters in June and we would like to take a short cruise with her and our son who lives in Miami. We would like to spend a few days in Miami on either side with my son and go on a 3 to 5 night cruise. We love Celebrity and Princess, but neither of them are sailing the Caribbean in June out of Florida.

It looks like we need to choose from NCL Sky, or Royal Enchantment of the Seas or Majesty of the Seas. I have have been oh the Sky and the Monarch of the Seas (sister to Majesty), but both were a while ago.

Because of our Elite status on Celebrity, I believe we would be diamond on Royal and therefore get some perks there that we wouldn't get on NCL. Both cruise lines are about the same price, but NCL is offering the drink package.

Which cruise would you pick, and why?

Ncl hands down. Love their freestyle cruising. The sky will include the drink package starting in 2016 so you can pick a different perk like dining

For what it's worth, a friend who is also a cruise TA told me that Enchantment OTS is the nicest ship out there running short cruises to the Bahamas. RCI is getting ready to retire Majesty in 2016, I'd personally avoid it for that reason. I went on an RCI ship last year right before dry dock and was less than impressed with the maintenance, and that was on a ship they were keeping! Never had that experience with Royal before.

RCI's private island CocoCay is very nice.

I've been on several RCI cruises, but by no means am I an RCI loyalist. But I've seen Enchantment several times (docked next to it as recently as last February) and I can report she has a very nice pool deck and that the ships looks in very good condition.

Enchantment is one of my favorite ships. I just sailed her again in December and sad actually that she is leaving Port Canaveral.

On your cruise decision it is truly based on what you are looking for.

NCL has the UBP and freestyle cruising, RCI has more structure with dining times and shows.

I personally prefer the food on RCI.

You can't go wrong with either really. I love CocoCay and is the only reason I do the 3 night cruises.

Our daughter who lives in Ohio will be completing her masters in June and we would like to take a short cruise with her and our son who lives in Miami. We would like to spend a few days in Miami on either side with my son and go on a 3 to 5 night cruise. We love Celebrity and Princess, but neither of them are sailing the Caribbean in June out of Florida.

 

It looks like we need to choose from NCL Sky, or Royal Enchantment of the Seas or Majesty of the Seas. I have have been oh the Sky and the Monarch of the Seas (sister to Majesty), but both were a while ago.

 

Because of our Elite status on Celebrity, I believe we would be diamond on Royal and therefore get some perks there that we wouldn't get on NCL. Both cruise lines are about the same price, but NCL is offering the drink package.

 

Which cruise would you pick, and why?

In June of next year the Sky will include the drink package on all cruises. We have cruised both ships, many times. We much prefer the Sky. An older but "classy" and well maintained ship. Also on the Majesty they most often are very focused on the Spanish passengers and often even have the public areas with all Spanish music, etc. That is fine, but just be prepared. Both ships have a mix of cultures from around the world, which we find interesting and enjoyable. As far as "perks" there isn't much worth while provided on the shorter cruises. Overall we find NCL to be "like" we found RCCL about 8/9 years ago.... and that is a compliment ;)

Thank you everyone for your input. I ended up booking the Sky today. With a 22 and 25 year old onboard, the drink package was a deciding factor. We ended up getting a category upgrade, gratuities and drink package included, and the price was about the same as it would have been on Royal.

Majesty isn't retiring

Good choice! We have done all 3. Majesty is old, EOS and Sky are very comparable. You won't be disappointed! Enjoy your cruise with your children.

Majesty of the Seas is now staying with RCI. She'll receive a massive revitalization early next year before starting a new program of short cruises out of Port Canaveral. Among the enhancements will be new specialty restaurants, waterslides, a poolside movie screen, and free unlimited high-speed internet for all passengers.

Our daughter who lives in Ohio will be completing her masters in June and we would like to take a short cruise with her and our son who lives in Miami. We would like to spend a few days in Miami on either side with my son and go on a 3 to 5 night cruise. We love Celebrity and Princess, but neither of them are sailing the Caribbean in June out of Florida.

 

It looks like we need to choose from NCL Sky, or Royal Enchantment of the Seas or Majesty of the Seas. I have have been oh the Sky and the Monarch of the Seas (sister to Majesty), but both were a while ago.

 

Because of our Elite status on Celebrity, I believe we would be diamond on Royal and therefore get some perks there that we wouldn't get on NCL. Both cruise lines are about the same price, but NCL is offering the drink package.

 

Which cruise would you pick, and why?

Hi there!

We broke down every aspect of the onboard experience for Norwegian Cruise Line vs. Royal Caribbean International" http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1884. We hope it might help with your decision!

Happy Cruising,

~Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor, Cruise Critic

I am reading on this post that drinking package will be included on Sky in 2016. I am planing to book Gem 01/2016. Will the drink package be included as well? We have Next Cruise Certificate Ultimate with UBP attached to it. If UBP will now become part of all cruises, we will change the perk to the other three available with Next Cruise Ultimate promo.

Only the sky will have drinks included

We've never found much difference between RCCL and NCL.

Hi there!

 

We broke down every aspect of the onboard experience for Norwegian Cruise Line vs. Royal Caribbean International" http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1884. We hope it might help with your decision!

 

Happy Cruising,

 

~Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor, Cruise Critic

Awesome comparison! We are also looking at taking our nieces on a cruise and were looking at NCL. So reading the comparison it raises some questions:

1. How bad in the "nickle and diming"?

2. For dining, are the formal nights ship wide or restaurants that offer formal affair?

3. Do passengers get dressed up for dinner or is it very casual?

4. What is the entertainment like in the bars?

5. RCI has Quest, Love and Marriage, Battle of the Sexes, etc...what does NCL have or offer?

We are familiar with the goods and bads with Royal, so what are the goods and bads with NCL?

Thanks!

Awesome comparison! We are also looking at taking our nieces on a cruise and were looking at NCL. So reading the comparison it raises some questions:

 

1. How bad in the "nickle and diming"?

2. For dining, are the formal nights ship wide or restaurants that offer formal affair?

3. Do passengers get dressed up for dinner or is it very casual?

4. What is the entertainment like in the bars?

5. RCI has Quest, Love and Marriage, Battle of the Sexes, etc...what does NCL have or offer?

 

We are familiar with the goods and bads with Royal, so what are the goods and bads with NCL?

Thanks!

We sail both and they are more similar than different. The main difference is in the dinning. Royal tried it on Quantum and it didn't go over so well.

1. I don't notice any more nickel and diming. You want to eat for "free" you can. You want a specialty meal NCL offers more options but you have to pay for it. Now NCL does offer a dinner show on the away class ( Getaway, Breakaway and Escape)and it is extra. Both lines have the overpriced pictures and souvenir cups.

2. NCL has no formal night or formal restaurant. They do have a dress up or not night 2x a cruise. For us when we eat in Le Bistro we dress up. But on any night you will see formal and flip flops.

3. You see mostly what I would call business casual. Men in khakis and women in casual dresses.

4. Not sure about entertainment in either lines Bars. We enjoy the comedy clubs on NCL very much and the Music venues on both lines. Comedy on RCL is sort of lacking IMO. The comedy club on NCL does not require reservations necessary but on Oasis class if you don't have reservations you will need luck and patience to get in. NCL also has Howl at the moon.

5. They have lots of entertainment options check out the dailies of the ship you are interested in. I know they have a newlywed games and other "games"

Being a family we like both lines and go back n forth between them. The water slides on NCL are sweet and my kids spend hours on them. My DD lives on the flowrider on RCL. I get bored with the same thing over and enjoy the change of going on different lines.

Food is so subjective if you ask 10 people you will get 10 answers. IMO NCL's Buffett is better than RCL. MDR on RCL has more options and on a ship where you have a set table I do think you get better service because they get to know you. I have found the MDR on NCL to be slower and less personal, with fewer options. We dine mostly in specialties on NCL and the MDR on RCL.

NCL has more specialty restaurants. They also encourage kids to dine in their specialties something RCL didn't do until the last few years.

All ships have crowded pool decks on seas days.

RCL has serenity its usually inside and quiet. NCL has spice H2o outside and defiantly more lively. The thermal spa on NCL is worth the extra money but again that's me some people prefer the pool parties.

Staterooms We have always cruised in Balcony's on RCL and Minisuits on NCL. They are comparable in size. The bathrooms in the minis are better than RCL. Our next cruise we are in Haven on Escape. I am very excited about getting to do the Haven. Its something RCL does not have.

RCL has the royal promenade and we love that. NCL has 678 and its no where as nice or open. The Casino is more apparent in NCL and sometimes that can mean some smoke. My DS is super sensitive (think overacting) and he was fine as long as he didn't walk thru the casino.

Thanks for your views, they are very helpful. On formal we are in a tux and gown (not at the same time:rolleyes:;)) would we be overdressed in your opinion? Would the nightlife/disco be happening in the evening for our early 20 nieces?

Awesome comparison! We are also looking at taking our nieces on a cruise and were looking at NCL. So reading the comparison it raises some questions:

 

1. How bad in the "nickle and diming"?

2. For dining, are the formal nights ship wide or restaurants that offer formal affair?

3. Do passengers get dressed up for dinner or is it very casual?

4. What is the entertainment like in the bars?

5. RCI has Quest, Love and Marriage, Battle of the Sexes, etc...what does NCL have or offer?

 

We are familiar with the goods and bads with Royal, so what are the goods and bads with NCL?

Thanks!

Just got off the Sky and made a posting here, and the RCI board (diamond member) comparing the Sky to the Majesty.

1. Nickle and Diming was not as bad as feared. Not IN YOUR FACE.

2. There is a "Norwegian Night Out". It's photo ops with the captain. No mandatory dress. Shorts allowed in all venues on Sky.

3. Resort casual. polo shirts, button up short sleeve, golf shorts, khakis.

4. They had a solo guitar player/singer, piano guy, karaoke at another bar, big deck party one night. No live band at the show but about 14-16 singers and dancers.

5. Game shows/activities were almost an identical match with Royal on the games you listed plus a few others like dance competition with guests and the professional dancers paired up.

Here is the post I put on the Royal board about things Royal should copy from NCL

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=47988928

And my posting is here on the NCL board as well with a review of the cruise itself. I have not been on Enchantment but have been on two other vision-class ships recently and think the Sky is largely comparable to them. I think the Sky and Majesty are a fair comparison as well. I have been on Fantasy-class with carnival and think NCL and RCI are significantly nicer than those.

It should be noted when discussing the Sky: No comedy club. Only one main show per night in theater. No waterslides. The Sky is comparable to other lines doing the 3/4 night Bahamas runs but is not comparable in amenities to the larger NCL ships. Nothing wrong with that, just have to understand up front what is there and what is not.

Thanks for your views, they are very helpful. On formal we are in a tux and gown (not at the same time:rolleyes:;)) would we be overdressed in your opinion? Would the nightlife/disco be happening in the evening for our early 20 nieces?

There is good nightlife on the Sky for younger people. Lots of younger couples in their 20's and 30's. There is not a dedicated nightclub though. The White Party on deck is like a big Miami club scene. They will have games/entertainment in the lounges, and the ship "goes late" but no dance club.

I saw one tuxedo on the Sky. There may have been more. It is up to you if you feel out of place. There is no pressure to dress any particular way. It is a lot more laid back than Royal Caribbean.

Thanks for your views, they are very helpful. On formal we are in a tux and gown (not at the same time:rolleyes:;)) would we be overdressed in your opinion? Would the nightlife/disco be happening in the evening for our early 20 nieces?

In a word......yes.

As far as wearing a tux and gown, yes most will be much more casual. But the one thing I love about NCL is you can do as you please. On the Sky I have seen from shorts and flip flops to gowns and tux but mostly in between. I think this reflects on the type of people this cruise attracts more relaxed and fun loving. We are in our 60's and have always really had a good time on the Sky. If you want to get dressed up go ahead, if not you don't have to and it makes packing so much easier. I hope you have a great time.