HAL vs NCL (No contest)

I recently completed an 18 day cruise on Norwegian Star. Although I'm a veteran of 50+ cruises, it had been over 10 years since my last cruise on NCL. Although the previous cruises on NCL were not memorable, the recent cruise had an ideal itinerary so we decided to give it a second chance. The cruise was great from an itinerary standpoint but my overall impression of NCL remains negative for the following reasons. Firstly, the ship was a floating "informercial" bombarding us with announcements regarding art sales, lotteries, bingo games, etc. throughout the day. Secondly, the interior of the ship was poorly laid out and as luxurious as the Staten Island ferry. Besides the low quality furnishings, the public rooms and dining rooms were generally furnished with 4 chairs set around a table providing no opportunity for larger parties to convene together. "Nickle-Diming" was far more extensive than other lines and costs of drinks was excessive in my view - $12+ for martinis; $5 for a liter of water to name a few. One of our traveling partners had mobility issues and the ship was totally indifferent to his handicap especially during each port's embarkation and debarkation process. Finally, there was absolutely no recognition of one's loyalty status.

In fairness, not everything was negative. The staff was very accommodating and professional, except for the aforementioned handicap issue, the entertainment was excellent and the food quality was better than expected. So given these pluses and the great itinerary, we did come away enjoying the cruise. Nonetheless, we do feel HAL offers a much superior cruising experience.

Thanks for your comments.

As to the food, where did you eat primarily? (MDR, Lido, specialty restaurants?)

It has been several years since our last NCL cruise, but we were not fond of the MDR at all. However, the specialty restaurants were good.

Thanks for your comments.

 

As to the food, where did you eat primarily? (MDR, Lido, specialty restaurants?)

 

It has been several years since our last NCL cruise, but we were not fond of the MDR at all. However, the specialty restaurants were good.

We ate primarily in the MDR and, as I indicated, the quality of the meals was good although lobster was never served throughout the 18 day cruise. We also dined in the French bistro, Italian restaurant and the steak house twice. The 4 meal specialty restaurant package was $99 per person and worth the cost although I still prefer HAL's specialty restaurants.

NCL isn't changing HAL prices and they have to make up the difference somewhere. The beverage charges on NCL are out of control, but they're pretty much always running the "free" beverage package promo, so I don't see it as much of an issue (for me personally). My best cruise ever was on the Star, but I still prefer the onboard experience (and food) of HAL. Unfortunately, they don't sail a true fjords itinerary (my favorite) from Copenhagen or Hamburg so I end up on NCL more often than I'd like.

Thank you for your comments.

It has been many years since we sailed on NCL. We stopped sailing on them when they started that Freestyle business.

Thank you for your comments.

It has been many years since we sailed on NCL. We stopped sailing on them when they started that Freestyle business.

We actually prefer "freestyle" or "as you like" dining because we enjoy meeting other guests. Because NCL essentially provided only "4 tops", we had no opportunity to meet other guests in the MDR and the public rooms.

I cruised Star's sister ship (Dawn) and hated it for many of the same reasons. One of the worst design features was the changing of the Spinnaker Lounge (formerly top forward like the Crows Nest) into suites and the lounge moved to the center of the ship into a small, crowded room. They use this room for all the side entertainment and it's way too crowded. All in all, the whole ship felt cheap. NCL and HAL are polar opposites, in my opinion.

Last spring we sailed on NCL Breakaway to Bermuda. We would never consider NCL again. The interior of the ship looked like a mix of Target and Walmart. Mish mash design everywhere. The atrium was like a warehouse....no appeal what-so-ever!

We ate mostly in the specialty restaurants and they were okay, nothing memorable. MDR food was also okay, but literally the atmosphere of a fast food restaurant. In and out within 45 minutes to one hour tops.

We were docked adjacent to Celebrity Summit and everyday I wished I was there! I don't even remember why we decided to try NCL, but it was not a good decision for us. We'll stick with Celebrity, Princess and HAL.

NCL isn't changing HAL prices and they have to make up the difference somewhere. The beverage charges on NCL are out of control, but they're pretty much always running the "free" beverage package promo, so I don't see it as much of an issue (for me personally). My best cruise ever was on the Star, but I still prefer the onboard experience (and food) of HAL. Unfortunately, they don't sail a true fjords itinerary (my favorite) from Copenhagen or Hamburg so I end up on NCL more often than I'd like.

I hesitated to hijack the thread, but curiosity won out. What, exactly, is a true fjords itinerary?

Once on NCL Sun was enough for us for many of the same reasons already posted!

I hesitated to hijack the thread, but curiosity won out. What, exactly, is a true fjords itinerary?

Oh.. I am so happy you did, because I have this exact same question. I am interested in doing a Norway Fjord cruise next so I want to know too. I hope we find out.

After 6 cruises on HAL, we tried the NCL Epic 18 months ago and had a great cruise. We had been on NCL about 8 years ago, and didn't like them, but this time around we were impressed.

We had a specialty dining included in our base fare, so we ate in those restaurants every night and thought they were excellent. We bought a spa pass, and loved the large spa area. The interactive TV is good, you can book your tender tickets on there, which I find way better than waiting in line for ages on HAL, the shows can also be booked on the TV and were top quality. We were concerned getting that number of people on and off a large ship would be an issue, but actually it was all very well organised.

I did not like the layout of the Epic as much as the HAL ships I have been on, which are more elegant. The balcony cabin we had was ok, although I know a lot of people do not like the fact the toilet is an a different area to the shower (one each side, with separate doors) I think from memory the drinks were expensive, but we don't drink much so not an issue for us. I think probably NCL are not as good at 'scenic cruising' as HAL, there is less listed on their Norwegian cruises. If I ever take a cruise on my own I would probably take the Epic as a first choice, because their studio cabins for singles looked nice and are priced well.

Thank you for your comments.

It has been many years since we sailed on NCL. We stopped sailing on them when they started that Freestyle business.

Yes, same for us.

Our last NCL cruise was when Freestyle was new. Maybe they do it better now, but they didn't organize tables the way HAL does. They just seated anyone anywhere, regardless of what course the other passengers were on. No ability to ask for a 2-top, so people who didn't want company just ignored the latecomers. It felt like they could care less if the passengers were happy. Sooo different from our earlier NCL cruises.

Good friends and cruising buddies went on NCL a few years after we gave up on NCL. It was a family thing and our friends didn't choose the line. Horrible service. They would make a reservation for a large table and be told yes, no problem. And then show up and no table for them. They pre-ordered champagne for a birthday dinner, and when they arrived, there was a bottle of champagne on the table--warm, not an ice bucket in sight.

The travel business is a SERVICE industry. HAL gets it. NCL forgot.

My step-daughter just returned a week ago from a Bahamas Booze Cruise on the NCL Sky - open bar included. Told me about seeing people yakking up into the pool and hot tubs.

And they say Carnival is bad......

My wife and I have sailed with NCL eight times, most recently this winter on a 16-night Panama Canal cruise. This was on the NCL Jewel, and we had a wonderful time. (We were in a suite, but not all of our NCL cruises have been in suites.)

I'm not here to defend NCL, but I do want to note that some of the negative comments above about NCL are not based on recent experience and some are based on experiences on ships (like the Dawn and Star) that I consider to be lacking in good public spaces and frankly would not sail. In contrast, NCL's Jewel class ships (the Jewel, Gem, Jade, and Pearl) are very well laid out, are a comfortable size, and have nice public spaces.

NCL's freestyle dining is excellent and implemented well (and nothing like described above). In fact, freestyle dining proved to be so popular after NCL launched it years ago (and purpose-built ships to handle it) that just about every cruise line now has some imitation of it (my time dining, anytime dining, etc.). On NCL, you can turn up at any MDR, any time, without a reservation, and be seated, usually with very little wait. If there are two of you, you can dine alone or with others if you wish. (And not with people who have already started their meal.)

We'll be taking our first HAL cruise next year. We are really looking forward to it, and I'm sure it will be a very differently wonderful experience, but I did want to provide some recent comments about NCL.

I hesitated to hijack the thread, but curiosity won out. What, exactly, is a true fjords itinerary?

One that goes to Norway and doesn't include the British Isles.

My step-daughter just returned a week ago from a Bahamas Booze Cruise on the NCL Sky - open bar included. Told me about seeing people yakking up into the pool and hot tubs.

 

And they say Carnival is bad......

yakking = talking ???

One that goes to Norway and doesn't include the British Isles.

What about the HAL Koningsdam from Amsterdam? That's the one we picked, because the routing looks excellent.

yakking = talking ???

yakking = throwing up/ being physically sick..... and there was none of that on the Epic!

What about the HAL Koningsdam from Amsterdam? That's the one we picked, because the routing looks excellent.

As I wrote in my original post, I prefer to sail from Copenhagen or Hamburg (because they're within a reasonable driving distance). Technically, Amsterdam is also within driving distance, but the drive about 3 times as long as the other two ports.

As I wrote in my original post, I prefer to sail from Copenhagen or Hamburg (because they're within a reasonable driving distance). Technically, Amsterdam is also within driving distance, but the drive about 3 times as long as the other two ports.

I did see that, but I thought the routing of the Koningsdam may make the extra travel worth it. We would fly to Amsterdam, rather than drive 2 hours to Southampton if the routing was better. :)

Well now this is a topic near and dear to me as a single person. HAL prices were great around 2010 - 2014. But lately the prices have gone way up. NCL does the most for singles in the entire industry with at least 4 ships and more having entire hallways and lounge just for singles. The prices are good too. RCI and HAL try hard but their idea of single rooms are on the lowest level and near noise. Also, HAL entertainment can be a range from good to boring. Now I like the walk around promenade (which now is not on the Koningsdam). NCL has fun drinks in their comedy lounge and they create original shows like RCI. Disney is NOT just for kids either. Try the Dream for 4 nights and you adults might just be surprised at yourselves

So in my opinion ones does a HAL cruise for their more interesting itineraries including still doing the Glacier Bay cruise. HAL has best promenade too. NCL and RCI are similar in shows, food and fun. But look out for Carnival and MSC because they too are doing new designs and interesting things as well. I know a lot of you HALers are loyal, but keep in mind the industry growth and changes and try them all. I know all the lines have something to offer and things are every changing. I would suggest also getting Cruise travel magazine if ya can because they keep up on the trends. NCL and Carnival as well as MSC are on cutting edge more and more like RCI. I do wish they would have the wooden deck wrap around. Bless HAL for that. and Bless HAL for mid size ships too. But pick up the show quality will ya.

I recently completed an 18 day cruise on Norwegian Star. Although I'm a veteran of 50+ cruises, it had been over 10 years since my last cruise on NCL. Although the previous cruises on NCL were not memorable, the recent cruise had an ideal itinerary so we decided to give it a second chance. The cruise was great from an itinerary standpoint but my overall impression of NCL remains negative for the following reasons. Firstly, the ship was a floating "informercial" bombarding us with announcements regarding art sales, lotteries, bingo games, etc. throughout the day. Secondly, the interior of the ship was poorly laid out and as luxurious as the Staten Island ferry. Besides the low quality furnishings, the public rooms and dining rooms were generally furnished with 4 chairs set around a table providing no opportunity for larger parties to convene together. "Nickle-Diming" was far more extensive than other lines and costs of drinks was excessive in my view - $12+ for martinis; $5 for a liter of water to name a few. One of our traveling partners had mobility issues and the ship was totally indifferent to his handicap especially during each port's embarkation and debarkation process. Finally, there was absolutely no recognition of one's loyalty status.

In fairness, not everything was negative. The staff was very accommodating and professional, except for the aforementioned handicap issue, the entertainment was excellent and the food quality was better than expected. So given these pluses and the great itinerary, we did come away enjoying the cruise. Nonetheless, we do feel HAL offers a much superior cruising experience.

Thanks for sharing your impressions. As someone who feels just as comfortable on NCL as I do on HAL, I'm always interested in these comparison posts. (That said, as I push the big 5-0, I'm slowly drifting more toward HAL.) I'm curious, what were the ports on your cruise, and did you suffer from the catastrophic azipod failure?

It's true that NCL MDRs typically have more 2-tops and 4-tops than comparable dining rooms on other brands, but they do also have 6-tops and 8-tops. A request to the hostess to start a group table is typically honored, but you do have to ask. I'm surprised by the number of announcements you mention, as on my recent cruise on Jewel it was stated that announcements would be kept to a minimum and they were. And yes, drink prices are preposterously high on NCL, which forces passengers to choose the "free" unlimited booze package when booking or otherwise suffer. I sailed on Star in October 2016, and we saw the premiers of Star's two new production shows, so I'm glad you enjoyed those.

My wife and I have sailed with NCL eight times, most recently this winter on a 16-night Panama Canal cruise. This was on the NCL Jewel, and we had a wonderful time. (We were in a suite, but not all of our NCL cruises have been in suites.)

 

I'm not here to defend NCL, but I do want to note that some of the negative comments above about NCL are not based on recent experience and some are based on experiences on ships (like the Dawn and Star) that I consider to be lacking in good public spaces and frankly would not sail. In contrast, NCL's Jewel class ships (the Jewel, Gem, Jade, and Pearl) are very well laid out, are a comfortable size, and have nice public spaces.

 

NCL's freestyle dining is excellent and implemented well (and nothing like described above). In fact, freestyle dining proved to be so popular after NCL launched it years ago (and purpose-built ships to handle it) that just about every cruise line now has some imitation of it (my time dining, anytime dining, etc.). On NCL, you can turn up at any MDR, any time, without a reservation, and be seated, usually with very little wait. If there are two of you, you can dine alone or with others if you wish. (And not with people who have already started their meal.)

 

We'll be taking our first HAL cruise next year. We are really looking forward to it, and I'm sure it will be a very differently wonderful experience, but I did want to provide some recent comments about NCL.

I agree very much with your statement about NCL's Dawn-class sisters. They are the only two midsize ships in the NCL fleet that have neither forward observation lounges nor outdoor cafes aft of the Lido buffet, and as a result they are very unpopular. If on your forthcoming cruise you're sailing on a HAL Vista or Signature class ship, you will be surprised by the similarity in layout to NCL's Jewel class. The forward observation lounge, gym, spa, MDR, theater, main pool and buffet are all in the same relative location.

Happy sailing!

I had not heard there was no walk-around promenade on the Konigsdam, only that was narrower with a few pinch points, with no deck chairs. But I thought it was still a full wrap.

Well now this is a topic near and dear to me as a single person. HAL prices were great around 2010 - 2014. But lately the prices have gone way up. NCL does the most for singles in the entire industry with at least 4 ships and more having entire hallways and lounge just for singles. The prices are good too. RCI and HAL try hard but their idea of single rooms are on the lowest level and near noise. Also, HAL entertainment can be a range from good to boring. Now I like the walk around promenade (which now is not on the Koningsdam). NCL has fun drinks in their comedy lounge and they create original shows like RCI. Disney is NOT just for kids either. Try the Dream for 4 nights and you adults might just be surprised at yourselves

 

So in my opinion ones does a HAL cruise for their more interesting itineraries including still doing the Glacier Bay cruise. HAL has best promenade too. NCL and RCI are similar in shows, food and fun. But look out for Carnival and MSC because they too are doing new designs and interesting things as well. I know a lot of you HALers are loyal, but keep in mind the industry growth and changes and try them all. I know all the lines have something to offer and things are every changing. I would suggest also getting Cruise travel magazine if ya can because they keep up on the trends. NCL and Carnival as well as MSC are on cutting edge more and more like RCI. I do wish they would have the wooden deck wrap around. Bless HAL for that. and Bless HAL for mid size ships too. But pick up the show quality will ya.

There are those who sail for travel and those that sail for onboard entertainment, with many somewhere between those two extremes. HAL has a fine niche for the primary travelers who could care less about the "entertainment" because where they are going is entertainment enough. I hope others who want new and novel do go elsewhere and not ask all cruise lines to be all things to all people. That would be marketing folly.

I can't think of a single thing that would make me want to try a trendy new ship with better entertainment. That is just not my cruise niche. Let's not forget that when trying to entice others to different brands or demand HAL ships keep you entertained to other cruise lines' level of high energy offerings. HAL passengers don't run campaigns to get the other lines to offer better, more global itineraries, longer special destination cruises, smaller ships and more traditional ambiance.