NCL v. Princess

We are trying to decide between a Med cruise on the NCL Spirit vs. the Royal Princess next summer. It doesn't help that the Princess ship is huge and brand new, and the Spirit older and smaller, so we aren't comparing apples to apples. The cost of the Spirit cruise is significantly less. I've never sailed either line before. If anyone has any advice we'd welcome it. Thanks.

Med cruises are usually port intensive with very few sea days. I would choose based on ports of call and if both are the same, I would take the savings to use on excursions.

IMHO ship amenities are more important on cruises with many sea days.

Lamchops makes a lot of sense. My initial impression would have been to pick Royal. You really do have little opportunity to enjoy the amenities of the ship on Med cruises. I have not cruised NCL yet but have done Med and British Isles cruises and was dead tired when we returned to the ship. You have too remember that you may be in a bus for 4 hours out of a 12 hour excursion. Also, these excursions are often times $200-250 PP so any savings from the more expensive line can be put towards those. There is a mystique to sailing a brand new ship but you will be paying a premium. You will be eating, sleeping and scrambling on a Med cruise. Princess may have been superior but I have been disappointed with them as of late with regards to food and service. (I hope no Princess lovers flame me over here)

There is a link in my sig block to my review of NCL v Princess which may help you.

Med cruises are usually port intensive with very few sea days. I would choose based on ports of call and if both are the same, I would take the savings to use on excursions.

IMHO ship amenities are more important on cruises with many sea days.

I agree with the previous posters. We have sailed an equal number of times on NCL and Princess, including a Med cruise with NCL, but not on those ships. Despite Princess being our favorite line, we would easily sail on either one (regardless of the ship) if provided the right itinerary at the best price. Each line has its respective advantages, but you will be so busy with the ports that it probably won't matter to you.

There is a link in my sig block to my review of NCL v Princess which may help you.

Excellent!

We have sailed Princess but not NCL(until October anyway!) so very very helpful

Thank you

I hope to sail on the Royal Princess next year, it is a brand new ship and unlike any other ship in their fleet.

You have a tough decision to make, I'm sure the Royal Princess costs more, but it may be worth it. Just depends on your financial situation.

Any Mediterranean cruise is great.

Enjoy.

We had the same dilemma and have ultimately decided to go with NCL for the savings. If the costs of this past summer are any indication of next summer's eventual pricing, then NCL will be much less; especially since Princess' ship is new.

That said, I think we would love the Princess ship much better based on the reviews of the Spirit (older, less amenities, etc...). However, from what other's have said, it's a very port intensive itinerary and I'm thinking we'll be too busy/tired to miss the extras on board.