Phaedrus78

I respect everyone's right to get what they want, but damn, y'all really need more food at these restaurants?  Even sticking to just one item for each course, they had to practically roll me out the door after meals at Cagney's, Food Republic and Q last month.  And I'm not exactly what you'd call skinny.  😄 

Price > destination > ship, but it's gotta be a ship I want to be on.  I like the big ships, but I wasn't into the Encore so much because my favorite area is Spice H20.  

I'd actually love to do the Southern Caribbean itinerary early next year on the Epic, but the cost of flights to San Juan are KILLING me.  It's got me considering going on a Celebrity Apex cruise instead, balcony rooms on that new ship look like a really good deal right now even though it'll be a set of Caribbean destinations we've already done.  

We specifically brought white outfits to wear to the GLOW party.  On Encore it was on the general pool deck as there is no Spice H2O.  

We had an all right time, but to be honest the DJ kind of sucked.  There are only so many Pitbull songs I can stand... there are other artists that can be mixed in.  

I think I remember seeing one on the Encore?  It was around the Local.  

I may be wrong on that.  I definitely got my money's worth out of the beverage package that week.  

Just sailed Encore a couple of weeks ago, ate at Cagney's, Q and Food Republic.

Cagney's was excellent, on par with most high end steakhouses I've visited.

Q was decent, but I wouldn't do it again.  I can get better BBQ here at home.

Food Republic was OUTSTANDING.  Can't recommend it enough.  Try the tuna poke nachos.  

7 minutes ago, small_world said:

Well that is disturbing.  My husband and I were gifted an Encore cruise and we set sail in April.  It will be our very first cruise.
Had we known about these Encore smoking restrictions beforehand, we would have graciously declined the gift and stayed home.    

I wouldn't let it stop you, especially from accepting a gift.  The Encore is a beautiful ship, and I definitely don't regret what we spent for a great week.  I just know that other ships in the NCL line have an area outdoors on the top deck, so I'd rather book on them.  

A week on the Encore sure beats the hell out a week at home, though.  At least for me.  

That itinerary rocks.  I wish they were doing something similar next spring, but it appears to be all 7 day trips.  

Have fun!

Obviously we have had a few people sharing their thoughts on NCL’s latest and greatest. I’m not sure we need another perspective, but I seem to have a different take than most. 
 

I think background is important, because everyone wants something different from their cruise. Me, I’m 41 years old, working in the tech industry. My wife is 35, and we were on this trip with friends, a younger couple in their mid 20’s. We’re fairly simple people, not looking for anything fancy. We like good drink, good food, lounging by the pool or on the beach and relaxing. We’re not Haven people, can’t imagine paying for more than a balcony room. Oh, and I smoke. That’ll be important later. 
 

I won’t get into thoughts about the ports or itinerary. People know about those. What’s new is the ship. And it’s quite a ship. I’ll break it down with pros and cons. 
 

PROS

* The Encore is a BEAUTIFUL ship. I mean, stunning. I found all of the art to be extremely tasteful and the overall design aesthetics pleasing. 
 

* We stayed in a balcony room with an angled balcony (requested specifically, thanks for the heads up CC) and I had zero complaints. Storage is good, bed is comfortable, everything clean and well appointed. 
 

* The observation lounge is amazing. Gorgeous. I didn’t note a ton of people in there sleeping like others have, but I wasn’t in there much during the day. 
 

* Main dining room food was good to great. 
 

* Service was mostly on point everywhere. Exceptions around the pool area due to sheer number of people more so than fault of the staff. 
 

* Specialty dining was excellent. Cagney’s was on par with most high-end steakhouses I’ve ever visited on land, Food Republic was STUNNINGLY good. Q was all right, but I can honestly think of at least 3 or 4 better barbecue joints here in Indianapolis. 
 

* Buffet food was pretty meh as usual, but the layout of the buffet is really good. We never had any problem finding seats even in the middle of the lunch rush. 
 

CONS

* There is so much valuable space wasted on this ship. The go-kart track and laser tag are cute diversions, but they’re eating a ton of valuable outdoor space that could be put to better use. American Diner is absolutely useless. I never saw a soul in there other than crew standing around waiting for something to do.

* Because of the wasted space, the pool deck is crazy. Yes, it’s possible to find a couple of loungers. But they very well could be tucked away somewhere, and they are stacked right on top of each other. There’s not even a proper jogging track. 
 

* If you’re a smoker, you’re screwed. The only smoking area on the entire ship that doesn’t require you to be gambling is the smoker box on the Waterfront, and that thing is miserable.  Many people would stand on the rail outside the box and smoke to not be in the box, and balcony smoking was pretty rampant. I understand people not wanting to be around cigarette smoke. But you have to provide some outdoor space for smokers somewhere. The loss of Spice H2O and the typical smoking corner that comes with it is glaring on Encore. 
 

* Speaking of which, this was enough of a con to stand on its own: The loss of Spice was an absolute killer for me on this ship. Say what you will about the faults of the Epic, but the Spice area on Epic is awesome, and I spent most of my Epic cruise back there. I never found anywhere on Encore to regularly hang out.  And no, I’m not paying for Vibe. $420 to get a sun deck and to have to wear an annoying bracelet all week isn’t worth it to me. 
 

OVERALL VERDICT

I enjoyed the hell out of my cruise on the Encore. It’s a fantastic ship. But the decisions NCL has made over how to allocate the space, especially the outdoor space, have me unwilling to ever sail on it again. Other people may have different priorities and fall in love with it, but I now have an NCL ship I will actively avoid in the future. 

Epic's got its good and bad points.  

A lot of people have issues with the room and bathroom design, and those are justified I think.  They're weird.  I wasn't into them, but some people are.  There are also some ship design issues, I get the complaints that it feels very closed off.  

On the other hand, the Spice H2O area is fantastic, the Thermal Suite is probably the best in the fleet, and the Epicurean show was one of the coolest performances I've ever seen, at sea or off.  I'm not a Haven guy, but I also understand the Haven setup is one of the best in the fleet as well.  

Pluses and minuses, all ships have them.  I'm on Encore leaving Sunday, and I'm sure I'll have things that I will and won't like, even on the new hotness.  I wouldn't worry, the Epic's a fine boat and I'm sure you'll have a good time.  

January 2019 - Epic - NO

4 hours ago, Oakman58 said:

Threads like this drive me batty because of the people who say the Epic is their favorite ship.  Why is it your favorite Ship?  What does the Epic offer that the other large NCL ships don't?

 

People who complain about the Epic almost always list what they don't like yet those who say they love the Epic never mention what makes the Epic their favorite.  C'mon, tell me why the Epic is better than the Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, Joy, Bliss, and Encore.

In multiple threads, I’ve seen people claim that the Haven, the thermal spa and Spice H2O on Epic are the best in the fleet. I’m not saying they’re right or wrong on the first two, but I’ll bet I’m going to miss Spice on my Encore cruise in a couple weeks. 

Last year we were on Epic the weekend before the Super Bowl, and they showed the Pro Bowl on the big screen at Spice H2O, as someone else mentioned here.  I would imagine they'd do the same for the playoff games.  

Highly recommended.  Chilling out in the sun on a lounge chair with a cold beverage and taking occasional dips in the pool is one of the best ways to watch any sporting event.  We made the comment that scheduling for the Super Bowl would be awesome, but didn't go that way this year.  

On 12/20/2019 at 6:57 PM, GettotheSun said:

I'm not sure I understand the fascination with a lobster dinner.  I get that if it is included in the regular cruise fees it is a bit of a treat, but is it?  Admittedly I haven't even gone on my first cruise yet but I've been to many all inclusives including ones that have boasted a lobster dinner.  My experience was the lobster tail was mushy and really not a nice thing to eat.  I think some are expecting to get a giant rock lobster tail with drawn butter.  But if a cruise ship is doing an included lobster tail night, you can only imagine the quality.  sorry pass.

Absolutely this. I don’t understand all of the drama that gets wrapped up in the availability of some frozen lobster tails. 

On any of the cruises I’ve ever taken, the worst part has always been the other passengers. I’ve worked in service and support positions for so long that I have a low tolerance for rudeness. The level of completely unreasonable complaints and the absolute entitlement of some people just blows me away. 

2 hours ago, Vertigirl99 said:

Hey y'all.  I found this, sort of by accident. Ignoring the date of the question posed (2011!)  The answer is updated with all the newer ships for NCL:

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq%23smoking?cid=PS_TSI_GENERIC_GEN_GOO-g_LEN_SRH___aud-790538556959:dsa-112401137825&kwid=9017494&anchor=NA&gclid=CjwKCAiAis3vBRBdEiwAHXB29NcVroighurEUQtvo914AftLdbjxi_q0uhlxmYPcUoptgBMhcOJ3GxoC5yAQAvD_BwE

 

You have to parse every word regarding indoor and outdoor, but it's...VERY INTERESTING  Esp. in regard to the casino. Almost gives the appearance that on Bliss, Joy and Encore you can smoke in the enclosed area and not be actively gambling.

From the link:

On Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipe smoking and vapor smoking devices are permitted at Spice H₂O, starboard side.

If only there WERE a Spice H2O on the Encore.  Unless I missed something somewhere...

2 hours ago, lizord said:

Carnival is more upscale than Norwegian, they serve better, more premium food in the MDR, and have a dress code, giving for a more elegant experience.

 

The main reason we sail NCL is because it's cheaper than Carnival and O'Sheehans.

 

Have you every been on a Carnival Cruise?

I have.  Multiple times, on multiple ships.  And this is the funniest part of this thread other than the title.  

"War on seafood" cracks me up every time I see it.  

War on Seafood.  I love it. 

Come on now.  I can understand some caution, but this seems excessive.  

I'm trying to envision myself having the staff hold up menus for me so I don't have to touch them myself, but I just can't do it.  

We're on this sailing in mid-January, so definitely following along.  Thank you for all the great info so far.  

3 minutes ago, schildiams said:

Nope,  you are the one who is misunderstanding the terms. The terms both currently, and in the past, have addressed changes for "additional entrees." In the past, before the recent rise in menu prices at the SRs, the charge for an "additional entree" was a flat $10. If the terms meant what you mistakenly think that they mean, the terms would also say "additional appetizer charges may apply," since they are surcharging for apps, too. Again, you have helped to make another point - that the terms not only need to be followed, but that they also need to be super clear, so that even Homer Simpson can understand them 🙂 PS you clearly don't mind being taken advantage of, and will "gladly" pay any surcharge rather than intelligently question it. Not everyone feels the same. If in fact you are so chill, I don't quite understand why you care so much about defending an unethical (and possibly illegal) business practice. Feel free to pay whatever NCL throws your way, despite contradictory terms and conditions. It won't bother me at all. But please don't try to shame me and other customers into doing the same.

Think we're just going to end up disagreeing on this one, and that's cool.  I'll agree that the wording could be better, but it seems NCL's legal team is probably fine with the way they've set it out in their Terms and Conditions.  If you feel like NCL is violating those conditions, take 'em to task on it.  It could be worth enough to buy a damned lot of lobster tails.  

Also, don't get me wrong, I don't like the fees either.  The difference here is that if I don't want to pay the fee, I won't avail myself of the service.  It's my opinion that taking advantage of the service and then refusing to pay for it on ethical grounds is unethical in and of itself.  

1 minute ago, schildiams said:

Yes - thanks for reiterating this point! If you order more than one entree, you may be charged for the "additional entree." Note that there are no charges for additional appetizers/desserts - they are unlimited.

I feel like you might be misunderstanding "additional entree charges may apply".

If you order the surf and turf it is included in your SDP, but the $19 is an additional entree charge.  If it wasn't included in the SDP at all, they'd charge you the flat $49.  

1 minute ago, schildiams said:

EXACTLY! NCL clearly states on their website that every single item on their menu, EXCEPT THE SEAFOOD PLATTER IN RAW BAR, in INCLUDED in the SDP. That is the point! How can they advertise this on their website but then once on the ship, after you have paid inf full for the SDP say that other items are not included and that you will be charges extra for them? 

Because additional entree charges may apply.

12 minutes ago, schildiams said:

The difference here is that the SDP meal has been prepaid in full, with no surcharges in effect, and no mention anywhere in the SDP terms that surcharges on specific menu items are even a possibility, or that things might change in the future. So to your question about the local restaurant, if I pre-purchased a meal to cover any entree, and unlimited apps of my choice with none excluded in the terms of the purchase, but then when I got to the restaurant, the waiter said "We've decided to charge you both an additional $19 pus $5 plus $5 and 20% more on top of that for our great service, despite that it violates our own terms and conditions," who is wrong? The restaurant who arbitrarily changed the agreed upon deal, or the customer who questions this improper (and quite possible illegal) practice? Holding a business to their own terms in not "making a stink." If NCL want to surcharge, then account for that in the terms and conditions and FAQs. Otherwise, what use are terms in the first place?

 

https://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq

1 hour ago, blcruising said:

I didn't use the word berate, did you? In fact, I made it less about my waiter and more about ridiculous corporate policies. And the waiters just nod their head and roll their eyes. They routinely use their hard working crew as pawns while the bean counters hide under their desks in Miami.

 

And, as I've said before, there is always someone somewhere that will pay whatever fee or surcharge NCL decides to assess without question....which is one reason why we keep seeing new fees and surcharges.

That's my fault, I apologize.  I'm sure it was a very civil interaction.  Most demands that reference higher levels of management usually are.  

I do wonder if you recommend this same strategy if one of my local restaurants has to raise their menu prices.  Ordering and eating the meal then refusing to pay the full amount of the bill seems a bold move but hey, maybe they'll allow it just to not have one of their customers raising a stink in their dining room over a few bucks.  

4 hours ago, blcruising said:

Just fight it like I did. I looked the waiter in the eye and said I am not paying a surcharge plus a 20% gratuity for a crab cake. You can get your boss, you can get the hotel director, you can get the captain, but I assure you one way or the other my onboard bill at the end of the cruise will not include this charge. I was not charged.

 

Some thing are a matter of principle to me. And two can play at this silly game....if you nickel and dime me long enough, I might just nickel and dime you back. 

Good Lord.  If I ever have the "pleasure" of sharing a dining room with you, I'll gladly pay the $6 to not have to watch you berate crew until they let you get away with theft.