NCL a "bargain cruise line"??

[shelly11]

I like your idea of a bargain Howard! I agree!

[Baatman]

We have sailed on NCL, RCI, Princess, and Celebirty and can honestly say that we enjoyed them all. Someday maybe we can afford to sail on one of the premium lines and then we will have something to compare them with. Until then I will continue to enjoy NCL!

[cruisetowin]

Funny story,,,we sailed NCL to Alaska, and while we were in Juneau, there were I beleive 2 other ships..RCCL and Princess I believe.. Well Princess was first in line at the port and NCL was a bit further away..

There was a snobbish type of person there talking to my husband and asked what line we were on..He mentioned NCL..the guy replied..oh you went cheap huh (or something to that fashion) and then proceeded to say that him and his family sailed on Princess..My husband looked at him and said..Well that's nice..the main thing is we both got here..cheap or not :)

 

People talk like this make me really upset:mad:. I don't think NCL is a bargain line or a cheap cruise, it's a choice of a lifestyle. I am booking a Haven suite to Europe next summer instead of Crystal or Regent which cost the same and I drive a Ferrari to work. It's my choice and NCL is smart enough to provide it. Enough said.

[dwjoe]

18 month old thread.

[cruisetowin]

18 month old thread.

 

I'm sorry. I was looking at all the reviews about Haven suites in Jade in order to choose the right cabin and I came across comment like this which I couldn't help but to fight for some justice for the people who choose their own style of cruising without being judged.

[AlaskaAtLast]

I was told they were coded to help us non-suite types to remember which day of the cruise we were supposed to report to shovel coal...;)

 

 

Best reply EVER!!!!

[orangepeel]

I prefer to think of NCL as an "ala carte" cruise line. Basic, low bottom-line pricing, add whatever luxuries you wish (liquor, specialty restaurants, spa services, bingo, casino, suite service).

 

I think you summed it up right there. It has been a few years since we have been on a cruise and our previous experience has been with DCL. We wanted a cruise to Alaska & we wanted to go in and out of Seattle so this limited our choices. I had sailed with Norwegian many years ago, had a great time and decided to give them a whirl again.

 

After I booked the cruise my husband gave me a WTH look when I told him about the pay restaurants and that non-alcoholic beverages were not included. I told him the same sort of thing; think of it as ala carte, we purchase the extras we may want. Considering we paid about a fair amount less for the NCL cruise than we would have for a comparable DCL cruise this is not a bad thing.

 

Maybe it is that aspect that makes people consider it to be "budget"? <shrug>

Edited July 24, 2013 by orangepeel

[northwestbear]

We have cruised both NCL and Princess and have had cabins from inside deck 4 to a penthouse suite. I have to say I have not had a bad cruise yet! In fact our most memorable cruise we were on the NCL Star in an inside room. IMHO NCL has the best staff and we love the options. We are always treated well. I do find some great deals on cabins, but that just gives us the ability to try some of the specialty restaurants or take a great excursion. I understand that "freestyle" is not for everyone and I take special care to explain to friends asking about cruises that NCL offers great options but sometimes with a small charge.

 

 

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[Powriv]

Never had a bad cruise on CCL, RCL or NCL, staff, food, entertainment are all great. If a bar server ignored me, I just wouldn't go back to their section but thankfully those instances are rare

 

I do envy people that can afford the suite living, perhaps someday I will get the chance but as a solo traveller(for now) I will take quantity(length of cruise) over quality of accommodation. :p

 

Never quite understood people that pick on other companies especially when they haven't actually stepped foot on board them. Cruise lines offer as basic needs, a place to stay, at least 3 meals a day included in cruise price, variety of entertainment also included in price, chance to see the world and we don't have to cook or clean. Our most important decision is what will we drink today!! :)

 

Whatever any cruise line offers over and above that is our choice to pay for or not.

[HokiePoq]

I believe that the passengers ships card is a different color on NCL, depending on cabin category.

 

Yes. People are identifiable when they use their cards. We've been in everything from a suite to an inside and enjoyed all as we cruise for the ports we're going to. There are two layers but I don't think it's wealthy and lower class. Lots of us could spend the money on a suite, but prefer to be out of the cabin in the ports, at shows, doing activities. We can go on two or more for the cost differential. The special reserved section in the theater aren't as good as the seats I get by showing up early, lol.

For those who sail for the food and ship experience, they can choose to spend more and have a more upscale experience. Both ways are good and NCL provides the choice.

[HokiePoq]

I also believe that is incorrect, only because I lost my card (twice) and received a different color both times.

 

 

Yes, my DH and I had different colors, but the one time we were in a suite, we had silver cards which we shown to get into the Epic Club.

[4774Papa]

I read a thread recently which referred to NCL as a bargain line which offers better treatment of the "wealthy" suite passengers than the rest of us "lower middle class" passengers. (this is not me speaking btw). Once you are outside of your cabin, the staff does not know what cabin you are staying in, so how can they determine how to treat you?

 

I researched fares on different lines before choosing ncl as my next vacation. I did not find that ncl has significantly lower fares than any other comparable cruise so why is it being called a bargain cruise line?

We cruise on NCL and Celebrity. Celebrity has cruises to South America, Asia, Australia and NZ as well as the Black Sea and British Isles.

NCL's prices are usually a bit lower than other cruise lines, although we have seen that Carnival is about as low as it gets. We just don't want to do Carnival for saving a couple of hundred bucks.

[SissasMomE]

The passenger dynamic has changed on NCL in the last couple of years. It has been very noticeable. Edited - I should say - I noticed it on our last Epic cruise.

 

I agree that RCCL costs more to sail on certain ships, but definitely disagree about Princess. In most cases, they are the same price and, sometimes even cheaper. I don't care for the level of service on Princess. That really is the only reason we stopped sailing on that line.

Edited July 24, 2013 by SissasMomE

[bjlaac]

the post i refer to is under "ask a cruise question". I think it was an older post i don't really recall. it's just something that stuck with me and then upon reading a few cruise reviews which implied the same thing it got me thinking. I felt that this board was abetter place to hear some feedback.

 

I do agree with you that if i am paying 4 or 5 times as much as someone else, i have ahigher expectation of service but by no means should the service be lower for those in lower cabin categories (by service i mean attentiveness of staff, food quality etc., not perks)

 

I think you may have hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. I have not found NCL to be different than most mass market lines in any respect regarding service or staff attentiveness but the quality of food for those that choose not to "freestyle" and pay for those specialty restaurants is a major negative. Many choices available on other mass market lines just aren't available unless you pay for it on NCL.

 

Case in point, the NCL Breakaway just removed Lobster from the main dining room menu. Whether you like lobster or not is not the issue, but an example of many foods that have disappeared cheapeningthe overall experience. Its not a good direction for the industry.

[sdmike]

I think you may have hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. I have not found NCL to be different than most mass market lines in any respect regarding service or staff attentiveness but the quality of food for those that choose not to "freestyle" and pay for those specialty restaurants is a major negative. Many choices available on other mass market lines just aren't available unless you pay for it on NCL.

 

Case in point, the NCL Breakaway just removed Lobster from the main dining room menu. Whether you like lobster or not is not the issue, but an example of many foods that have disappeared cheapeningthe overall experience. Its not a good direction for the industry.

 

I found much better food and FAR more selection for free on our NCL cruises than our Carnival cruise. My RCI experience is too old now to offer a valid comparison. I think all the lines are cutting back. Just read the carnival and RCI boards to see that NCL isn't alone in cutting back on more expensive food choices. I still find the food to be very good, in most cases, however. Just because I don't get lobster doesn't mean I don't enjoy their chicken dish (or whatever) just as much.

Edited July 24, 2013 by sdmike

[Powriv]

Isn't Lobster only available A La Cart in dining room on RCL?

 

I would personally miss not having lobster if it comes to a cruise line not offering it, but it wouldn't stop me from cruising

 

For as many people that say they go cruising to eat the lobster and other higher valued items, I see just as many or more that just want burgers, fries and pizza.

 

Always remember one cruise stop in Nassau and happened to be walking near the Mcdonalds and the lineups were out the doors with cruise passengers. While some were locals in the line the majority were cruise passengers :)

Edited July 24, 2013 by Powriv

[jonbgd]

Isn't Lobster only available A La Cart in dining room on RCL?

Nope...... It is available on 5day and longer cruises aboard RCCL

They are usually bigger than the ones I have had on NCL

[bjlaac]

Isn't Lobster only available A La Cart in dining room on RCL?

 

I would personally miss not having lobster if it comes to a cruise line not offering it, but it wouldn't stop me from cruising

 

For as many people that say they go cruising to eat the lobster and other higher valued items, I see just as many or more that just want burgers, fries and pizza.

 

Always remember one cruise stop in Nassau and happened to be walking near the Mcdonalds and the lineups were out the doors with cruise passengers. While some were locals in the line the majority were cruise passengers :)

 

Lobster wasn't the point I was trying to make but the fact that it is one of many items still found on RCCL and HA MDR that NCL requires up charges.

 

A little over a year ago we completed a 12 night NCL out of NYC. It was one of three cruises we took within a year. The other two being on RCCL and HA. On HA and RCCL MDR menus but not NCL were Escargot, shrimp cocktail, osso boco, steak thicker than that on NCL, and so on. Now we are seeing that Lobster is also joining that list which is only available for a fee.

[davy jones]

NCL help resurrect the cruise industry in the 70s by offering one class cruising. You paid by the cabin category and after that everyone had equal access to the ship and the same level of service and cuisine. With the exception of drinks, additional charges were minimal.

 

The model was that if you wanted more luxury, you moved up to a cruise line with a higher level of service and amenities. It was similar to moving from Chevy to Cadillac or Toyota to Lexus.

 

Freestyle started as a concept where a more casual air was introduced and fixed dining times were eliminated. This made tipping a mandatory charge instead of a reward for exceptional service. They also introduced two upcharge restaurants. Freestyle has morphed from that into a combination of a class system and pay as you go. Other cruise lines have picked up on this and are implementing the same aspects into their revenue model. New builds by mainstreal lines increase the number of upcharge options at the expense of the standard, with prices that are approaching the cost of a similar dinner on land in many US areas.

 

Mainstream lines now have special restaurants, spas, pools, and lounges for passengers based on accommodations or the number of prior cruises. It has caused some on these boards to post comments that are degrade new cruisers or those in standard accommodations. It's not the Titantic yet, but definitely headed in that direction, and NCL is leading the way.

 

You can't be all things to everybody, so these lines are heading down a potentially dangerous path. Eventually the divide between luxury and mainstream will become so large that disgruntled passengers on both ends of the spectrum will move on to other lines.

[terrydtx]

Lobster wasn't the point I was trying to make but the fact that it is one of many items still found on RCCL and HA MDR that NCL requires up charges.

 

A little over a year ago we completed a 12 night NCL out of NYC. It was one of three cruises we took within a year. The other two being on RCCL and HA. On HA and RCCL MDR menus but not NCL were Escargot, shrimp cocktail, osso boco, steak thicker than that on NCL, and so on. Now we are seeing that Lobster is also joining that list which is only available for a fee.

 

My last HAL cruise in 2011 I was so disappointed that MDR menu items that we loved on previous HAL cruises, like Lamb shanks, Osso Bucco, lamb chops and even thick juicy veal chops were not available. The lobster was so small it looked like rock shrimp and the shrimp cocktails had shrimp that many swore were canned. The only lamb served was sliced leg of lamb and what they called prime rib was thin sliced roast beef tough as shoe leather. We had to go to the specialty steak house to get rack of lamb and Osso Bucco at $25 a pop which I hear is now $30. I might add, I have NEVER had a lobster on any cruise that was worth going out of my way to eat. On 8 prior HAL cruises over 8 years we saw the MDR food quality and selection get worse with every cruise and the Nieuw Amsterdam was the worst and probably our last on HAL.

 

We are trying NCL this year for the first time and we do not have high expectations on the MDR or as some call free food as we are not cruising for the food. We chose NCL because of the freestyle and nice selection of specialty restaurants and much younger demographics of passengers. We are no longer wanting to haul around that extra suitcase of dress up clothes just to eat dinner in the main dinning venues 2 nights of the week as the final reason for choosing NCL.

[Chickenwing]

From accommodating , friendly and helpfull staff to all the perks of freestyle cruising , ncl has made the crusing experience much more comforting and enjoyable for all . Reasonably priced specialty restaurants and superior entertainment seems to be their new fortay . The odd nuances just like any other line . Our new england /canada 14 tour was rewarding and relaxing . Ncl has nice itineraries that compliment their cruises , and generally at a superior price . Ncl seems to have the best 'bang for your buck " . Most relaxing atmosphere of other ships we have been on . :)

[cj'smom]

Lobster wasn't the point I was trying to make but the fact that it is one of many items still found on RCCL and HA MDR that NCL requires up charges.

 

A little over a year ago we completed a 12 night NCL out of NYC. It was one of three cruises we took within a year. The other two being on RCCL and HA. On HA and RCCL MDR menus but not NCL were Escargot, shrimp cocktail, osso boco, steak thicker than that on NCL, and so on. Now we are seeing that Lobster is also joining that list which is only available for a fee.

 

Hmmm - have done 2 cruises on NCL in the past year...a 7 nt and 11 nt. Just got off the 11 nt. Both had lobster/steak but it was only the first night so if you missed the lobster by not eating in the MDR that night you were out of luck. Did not get escargot but really didn't miss it that much. I'm pretty sure they serve it in the French upcharge restaurant.

 

As far as NCL being a "bargain" line -- I say bring on the bargains! We only cruise when we get an exceptionally good deal. We've had some real "steals" but did I feel like a bargain cruiser once on board? Nope! The service on NCL is great as is the entertainment. The food, while not gourmet, is certainly enjoyable. The ships and cabins are nice and well kept up. I always feel as if I am treated very well and that they crew are glad to have me aboard. If I can get all that and pay very little for it - then I'm a happy camper! And, as many others have pointed out, if I want a more "upscale" experience, I can pay more for it.

[auntierobin]

We were on the Gem in a 2bdrm suite a couple of months ago and our cards were purple (we are platinum) as they were on the Jewel in a penthouse. Last year on the Jewel in a penthouse our cards were metallic, so you just can't tell. One time we sailed in a mini-suite and those cards were purple also. There is another big thread currently going about card colors and the info there is that Haven gets metallic, others it's random.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1952235

Edited December 5, 2013 by auntierobin

[xenagurl]

Insightful and well said. It really does explain the mentality behind the bashing.

 

For over a decade NCL seems to have intentionally done things differently than other lines. Freestyle was developed to reach out to those who didn't want an assigned dining time, assigned table mates, assigned show time, etc. back when it started it was quite different than the other lines. NCL changed their dress code, not longer requiring formal wear certain nights. NCL added many extra restaurants choices back when other lines might have had one specialty restaurant. NCL adjusted the prices of those venues to spread people choices among venues and adjusted show times to help the flow through the venues. It is not perfect every night on every cruise, but I really think NCL has tried.

 

There is evidence that NCL's concepts have succeeded...nearly every line has added an open dining option. Most lines now have more specialty restaurants on their newer ships. Several lines have adjusted their dress codes over the years.

 

Not all cruisers like any of the above. There is a set of very traditional cruisers really dislike these concepts. NCL is not for them; some of them say NCL "cheapens" the cruise experience...whether the NCL's cost is more or less, they dislike it and it cheapens their experience. If people at other tables in the dining room are not dressed, the elegance of their evening is shattered. If other people are not assigned to dine and converse with them, the cruise experience is cheapened. Had NCL's freestyle concepts failed, some might have felt vindicated. Had NCL's concepts stayed confined to NCL ships, they could have written it off as a new cruisers line. But NCL's concepts have crept over onto other lines and even proven popular with many established cruisers, so imagine the frustration and vitriol of those who hate said changes in the industry. Well, you don't have to imaging, just come to cruise critic or have yourself seated at their dining table in traditional dining...you can get an earful. Or not, some very traditional cruisers are also Delightful, nonjudgemental and/or restrained. OK, perhaps my rant may also seem judgmental. I do not mind traditional dining. Depending upon table mates, I have had some lovely experiences and learned much from some cruise mates. But I also enjoy mixing in freestyle cruises. I try not to judge the dress of fellow cruisers and I do not they to guess their incomes.. I'd likely be wrong if I tried.

[MermaidWatcher]

I prefer to think of NCL as an "ala carte" cruise line. Basic, low bottom-line pricing, add whatever luxuries you wish (liquor, specialty restaurants, spa services, bingo, casino, suite service). Sure, suite passengers get somewhat better treatment than non-suite guests, almost all inside the suite itself, but it's one's choice whether to pay for it or not. Same with specialty restaurants, etc. But everyone eats basically the same food, sees the same shows, goes to the same ports, and (as far as I can see) gets treated basically the same outside of their cabin. The bartender doesn't give better service to a suite guest, but might give it to the guest who tips best ;) or even the guest who is simply friendliest! Robin

In reference to the sentence I highlighted, that is pretty much the same on all the "main stream" lines. If you want a few extras for free, you either have to move to a higher end suite or pay for one of the luxury ship brand cruises. Have never sailed NCL, but I think the main drivers of price differences are the size/newness of the ship, and the quality/selection of food and entertainment.