Hows NCL compared to lines like Celebrity or Princess?

[deb63]

Nicole?

 

I think they meant nickel and diming.

[Sauer-kraut]

Once you have been on one Princess ship you have pretty much been on them all. The decor is usually the same right down to the light fixtures and carpet patterns. Ernie

 

As the old saying goes....Cheaper by the Dozen! :D

 

 

Have a wonderful time on the Pearl!!

[Richie2pies]

IMHO, I have cruised both Princess and NCL, and I find Princess to be much better. NCL is cheaper, but you get what you pay for. I find the free food to be much better on Princess and the food in the pay venues to be equal. Princess allows you to bring on unlimited wine and champagne for your cabin at no charge. NCL charges $15 a bottle no matter where you drink it. I think the service on Princess is better. Entertainment is equal unless you are into "party time" in which case NCL is better. Liquor prices are better on Princess. I never cruised on Celebrity because of their smoking policy. If you are an anti-smoker, I suppose Celebrity is the best choice.

[halos]

Out of the three lines you mention I prefer Celebrity first, Princess second, then NCL. Mind you I'm happy to sail on any of them and in fact I sail on NORWEGIAN PEARL tomorrow.

 

What I find is simply a higher level of quality, professionalism, finesse, and attention to detail on Celebrity. Sometimes NCL seems a bit amerteurish in the way they do things. Often times they have great concepts but lose points with the execution. They sometimes lack that attention to detail other cruise lines have.

 

When it comes to Princess I find them the most consistent of any major cruise line. They have a great product and the delivery is down to a science. Unfortunately I also find them the least interesting. Once you have been on one Princess ship you have pretty much been on them all. The decor is usually the same right down to the light fixtures and carpet patterns. Many Princess diehards love this about the line because they always know exactly what to expect but I prefer a little variety.

 

On NCL I have found just the opposite to be true of Princess. Consistency is not a strong point and my experiences on NCL have run from excellent to poor. There is just no telling from cruise to cruise but I think they are getting much better in this regard under the new leadership. I've been sailing NCL since 1980 so I've seen a massive amount of changes and leadership at the line. They are probably more stable now then they ever have been which is a good thing.

 

I would give NCL a chance. Variety is the spice of life after all.

 

Ernie

 

 

very nicely said :)

[newmexicoNita]

So me and the GF have been on 4 cruises together now, were wanting to do an Alaskan cruise this sept and NCL has some great deals, by far cheaper than Celebrity or Princess. We have heard mixed reviews about NCL, some say its good but others slam it. So its like do we save money and give them a fair try, or do we stick with what we know? I want this to be a good cruise as it will be special, I wana give her the engagement ring this cruise and a bad cruise would really really throw off the vibe! Thank you for your help!

 

wow, I haven't read all the responses but I will give you my opinion: most cruise lines are more alike than different and yet each has its own personality. to us, Princess is a little too subdued and Celebrity is not quite what we like as we are more into the relaxed atmosphere but this doesn't mean either of the lines are bad by anymeans. food on Celebrity is better than NCL (MDRs) but the specialty dining rooms for the price are better on NCL. I am just not a huge lover of Princess period. We do love flex dining; NCL does it better than most lines because they have been doing it for so many years. Princess does Alaska very well: same reason, they have been doing it for decades.

 

If you like a little nightlife, NCL might be a little more active, but remember Alaska is a very port intensive itinerary, nightlife might not be an issue.

 

I don't think you can go wrong with any of them, I would give NCL a shot if the price is right. I don't think you will be disappointed. Which ship are you considering? If it is the Pearl I am sure you will not be sorry. Of course the class of ship makes some difference as well.

 

BTW, one reason you sometimes read more mixed reviews on NCL compared to the others: though NCL loyalists are certainly defensive the most defensive and loyal fans are those who like Princess and Celebrity.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

Princess and Celebrity offer overall better product than NCL.

That's the difference.

All major ships have specialty restaurants and any time dining.

 

 

 

 

In this case take something more reliable.

NCL will be next time.

 

shouldn't your comments be posted as opinion, not fact. What one likes another may not. if you are talking about more upscale, it depends on the ship. Overall I would rate Celebrity as more upscale and Princess maybe, maybe not, depending on the ship. CAbin size they are similar, entertainment also equal and NCL does "anytime" dining much better, plus flex dining or my choice dining is almost impossible to get when cruising Celebrity. Believe me, I have had several couples book Celebrity recently and they could not get it. Only a handful of requests are honored. Yes, they all offer specialty dining, but NCL has so many more choices. Every cruise has strong and weak points, thus it is really isn't true that one is better than another unless you are talking true luxury liners like Crystal.

 

Nita