Why NCL

[domi411]

I took 4 cruise in my life, 2 with royal and 2 with carnival. What the major difference with NCL?. I look for feb on the gem. i worry about the temp, do you think the first morning i will be able to go outside in short or it will be to cold?

 

Tell me everything good to know about NCL

 

thank you

[Sauer-kraut]

Your question has been asked recently, you can find replies here:

 

Why NCL over Carnival: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1446968&highlight=why+ncl

 

Why Choose NCL: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1448614&highlight=why+ncl

 

I hope you decide to try NCL, it is actually very nice not having a set dining schedule.

[che5904]

Why NCL. :D Sorry this almost makes me want to write "why not!".;)

 

I've been working on a comparison chart between the mass-marketed cruise lines for a relative that doesn't know which cruise line she wishes to take that would more meet her personality and style.

 

So far the only real differences I have found.

 

Is NCL's freestyle dining that is exactly the same dining style as land based restaurants, compared to the other lines that, even if offered, is just a close proximity. People do it everytime they go out to dinner at home, show up in what you are comfortable wearing (within reason, there are a few guidelines). No need for a reservation, go whatever time you are hungry and eat with the party you go with.

 

No formal nights.

 

Like land, many choices of dining venues to choose from (depending on the ship from 10-16 dining venues). Some at cost, again the same as land since some restaurants charge more than others.

 

Small difference in NCL's DSC and others that have either discretionary for fixed dining or automatic for "my time dining".

 

I haven't gotten to "a la carte" options that NCL offers to know whether the other ships offer that as well. Or I haven't gotten to whether there is a major difference in size of cabins, ie. oceanview vs oceanview.

[spideyfam]

Being a Platinum Carnival cruiser, and exclusive only to Carnival, (except for a two day on the Bahama Celebration), I chose it for a couple reasons.

 

We didn't want to spring for airfare this trip. Driving from Maine to NYC.

 

We want to see Bermuda. I must go on vacation from Sunday to Sunday. I can't split weeks.

 

So this was pretty much the only option for me for the week I have off.

 

I am sure I will have a great time, but it will not be like my other cruises. But I guess variety is the spice of life!

[finsupcruiser]

We sailed to Bermuda on NCL from NY. You will love Bermuda and NCL.

 

We have two future cruises booked on Carnival after that we are returning to NCL and Hal.

 

I do not trust Carnival anymore--they change rules on cruises while on the ship and do not seem to be planning carefully for the future.

 

We have enjoyed most cruises on CCL but it is time to move on.

[domi411]

Thank and what about the temp, and is it true that we can bring a 12 pack of soda or water on ncl?

[che5904]

Thank and what about the temp, and is it true that we can bring a 12 pack of soda or water on ncl?

 

Sorry I've never even been to NY city, let alone cruised from there. But yes you can bring the soda and/or water.

[mizLORInj]

I tried NCL CTN a few years ago and then a few more NCLs, and have had a good time and nice cruise on each. I like to try the various lines to see what they're like. They've all been good. Minor differences here and there and none bad enough to make me not want to sail one again.

I'm on Gem next Sunday and am not planning to be in shorts the first sea day. But I will be when we arrive in FL on the second day! :D

Have fun!

[AnitaVacation]

we have just returned from our 4th cruise with NCL....

 

This year, we decided to give Carnival a try....I went on 3 Carnival cruises this year, and hubby was on 2....

 

We have decided that we prefer NCL over Carnival.....there are pros and cons to each line.....but the big difference (IMHO) is the food and entertainment is far better on NCL...we also enjoyed the casinos on NCL more than Carnival...(newer slots)

 

NCL also offers better deals for return customers....and also for 'Casino at Sea' members....

 

Carnival does have the upper hand on cabin size/layout and the advantage of bringing wine onboard with no corkage fee (1 btl per adult)...also, if you order a bottle of liquor via bon voyage, it is far cheaper than NCL....

 

BUT....NCL 'Casino at Sea' offers include 'free drinks' in the casino...so, gotta luv that...

 

Yes.....we are the minority....smokers, drinkers and gamblers....(while on vacation anyway)...so, my opinion and priorities are going to be different than those that are not.....

[willysgrandma]

You won't be able to go outside on the first day in shorts unless you like wearing shorts in 20 degree weather. It was cold when we went in November and very windy.

 

NCL is totally Freestyle, which means not having assigned dining and not having to dress up for dinner at all if you won't want to.

 

Food is subjective, but for me, the food on RCCL and Carnival is better than NCL - but you won't starve.

 

I love the informality of NCL, but some cruisers don't and if you don't, then NCL isn't the line for you. If you want gourmet food - NCL isn't the line for you. If you want top noch service - NCL isn't the line for you.

 

As long as cruisers understand this, they shouldn't be disappointed by sailing NCL. They are a very innovating cruise line. They were the first with Freestyle Dining and I recall being told in a Seminar at Sea with Royal Caribbean and I asked why they didn't have alternate dining "We will NEVER do that. Our clients want assigned dining".

 

Two years after that quote, RCCL started experimenting with My Time Dining and now they offer it on all ships, as do most cruise lines.

 

I wish every cruise line would follow along with NCL's more casual dress code. But it seems on other lines people take that info their own hands anyway. I don't see as many people dressing up formally on other lines as I did 10 years ago.

 

I took 4 cruise in my life, 2 with royal and 2 with carnival. What the major difference with NCL?. I look for feb on the gem. i worry about the temp, do you think the first morning i will be able to go outside in short or it will be to cold?

 

Tell me everything good to know about NCL

 

thank you

[Leeroy-Jenkins]

What the major difference with ncl?

 

f-r-e-e-s-t-y-l-e

[halos]

What the major difference with NCL?.

 

I have had excellent service on every cruise and every line I have sailed...however, there is just something special about the crew on NCL and they make my each and every cruise on NCL exceptionally fabulous.

That is why I will continue to sail with them, and likely more exclusively.

 

We have enjoyed most cruises on CCL but it is time to move on.

That's exactly where I am at this point. One more CCL to go then I'm done for a while. They've changed and I think I have as well over the years. They no longer suit me.

[SuiteCruiser]

The crew on NCL are encouraged to interact with the guests, while the crew on most other lines are told to service the guest and be pleasant, but take it no further. On NCL you could have drinks with a dealer from the casino after their shift, or an officer, etc.

[TEACRUISER]

I have not been on any cruise line other than NCL for many years. I can say that the main reason I first cruised with NCL is the freestyle dining. I am a personable person, I think, and enjoy meeting others. However, I do not like being forced to do so. One cruise I could not stand the stories or personality of one of the co-diners and it made for a less than fun time. I ended up doing alot of room service and eating at evening buffets instead. Plus each night feels like "going out" when you are able to dine at different restaurants.

[puddles99]

Here are our current reasons for why we choose NCL:

1. My husband only "dresses up" for weddings and funerals
   
2. We don't want assigned dining companions
   
3. We enjoy the "suite life" at a good price
   
4. The staff has been fantastic
   
5. I have wonderful fond memories so I stick with what I know
   

[Barb Nahoumi]

We sailed to Bermuda on NCL from NY. You will love Bermuda and NCL.

 

We have two future cruises booked on Carnival after that we are returning to NCL and Hal.

 

I do not trust Carnival anymore--they change rules on cruises while on the ship and do not seem to be planning carefully for the future.

 

We have enjoyed most cruises on CCL but it is time to move on.

 

Which rules did they change?

[Barb Nahoumi]

NYC is usually chilly in winter, but so far the Northeast is enjoying a mild winter. You will need warm clothes for the first day. The weather should warm up, as the ship heads south.

 

I love the casualness of NCL. For this reason, I always choose it.

[Anjjmum0294]

Firstly, I will tell you I never cruised before, and neither had my daughter. Both of us were totally ignorant of any cruise info, save what I learned on the boards.

 

Anyway, NCL and their reps and crew made everything easy and seamless. We were waited on hand and foot, and treated like princesses. We had everything we wanted handed to us long before we knew we wanted it! I had an issue that did require corporates attention (due to a language barrier my seventeen year old daughter was inadvertently served alcohol) but when contacted they were right there to respond and apologize and a person for Kevin Sheehan's office said they intend to revamp the system so it never happens again. I had a response literally the same day!

 

We ran into a small storm, and yet I didn't fell unsafe at any time. The Captain kept us informed at every chance he got and we had constant updates on the ships TV channel. I love NCL and my daughter and I are planning our second already.

[par383]

My wife and I just got back from our third cruise, this time on the Norwegian Sky (our first two were on Carnival - one of which was our honeymoon). We've never sailed Royal Caribbean. We compared NCL and Carnival the entire trip:

Embarkation/Debarkation: NCL gets the point. Seamless and easy. At most 10 minute wait to embark. No lines to debark (we left somewhere in the middle). Also very easy to get on/off at each port of call. They even have staff outside the ship at each port with water & hot towels to wash off when you get back on.

Entertainment: NCL. No comparison. The shows were much better and entertainers are much more talented than Carnival. There seemed to be more crowd involvement in the various activities (which we enjoyed more than Carnival). Many activities seemed more original (Dancing with the Stars, the Quest, and Liars Club to name a few).

 

We liked how the cruise director only came on 2-3 times/day to remind of activities, compared to once/twice an hour on Carnival. We think Carnival tries too hard to be "fun" and constantly reminds you of all the "fun activities" going on. NCL relies on you to read the daily activities and figure it out on your own.

Food: Carnival. We enjoyed all meals on NCL...they were all good. But Carnival has the Chocolate Melting Cake. We also liked the freestyle dining.

 

Ship: It's a wash. Carnival's ships flowed a little better, and were a little more open than NCL. But NCL has more quaint little lounges/bars for their activities. NCL's decor is more updated than Carnival too.

 

Staff: It's a wash. Both cruise lines have very friendly staff who will do anything you ask of them. We liked how the NCL waitstaff wasn't as pushy when it comes to selling drinks as Carnival is. (Could be because drinks are a little more expensive, so their profit margin is higher.)

 

Customers: NCL. Customers seemed a bit more upscale/friendlier on NCL. We got the impression that Carnival is good for beginners, and NCL is great for repeat cruisers. In fact, out of every group/couple we spoke to, at least 1 person had cruised before (not necessarily NCL). People keep to themselves more on NCL, except in the activities, where there is much more involvement.

 

TLDR; We probably prefer NCL over Carnival, but each has things we prefer here or there. NCL is a party boat, but not as much as Carnival. If you've cruised before, I think you'd really enjoy NCL. We'd have a hard time choosing between the two.

[rsinj]

We've sailed all the major cruise lines we care to, giving them all a shot, more than once for some. We've decided we've tried enough, NCL is the only line we sail going forward.

 

We sailed Carnival only because we were able to get the aft suite with wraparound balcony. Besides that, there really was no other reason beside price. We didn't find anything special about Carnival that made us want to sail with them. The second time we sailed with Carnival, again, same reasons as the first time. However, after that second time, we had enough to know that we wouldn't be sailing with them again - just did not agree with or like the product they were offering.

 

We've sailed in the suites on each of the lines we've sailed with (except Disney - way too expensive for a suite) and both times with NCL we were basically floored with everything about the product/service - from the first moment we entered the terminal, all the way to the very end when we got off.

 

We can get the smallest/cheapest suite in The Haven on NCL and be pampered the entire cruise, and the price is the same as a standard balcony with Disney (with a cabin half the size), or pay more for an Owners Suite on RCL with a shorter cruise.

 

We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite on our first NCL cruise to Alaska and would have never dreamed they could provide even better, but we learned they could when we had the Haven suite this past cruise.

 

Howard