Norwegian VS Royal?

[Loralie]

We have never been on a Norwegian cruise before. We just went on the Explorer of the Seas and we loved it. We live in the New York area and LOVED that we did not have to fly. We are looking to book a cruise in 2014 and the Breakaway looks amazing so we are thinking of giving that a shot. If you have been on both Royal and Norwegian, what are the big differences? Im a little nervous trying a new cruise line. I posted this on the Royal boards too. :-)

 

Thanks,

 

Loralie

[BrownCalico]

We have also only sailed on RCCL (Monarch, Jewel, & Navigator) but due to the decline in service and food quality with Royal, we have booked on NCL this May and Celebrity this December! Excited to see the difference first hand! :-)

[laurabegorrah]

We have never been on a Norwegian cruise before. We just went on the Explorer of the Seas and we loved it. We live in the New York area and LOVED that we did not have to fly. We are looking to book a cruise in 2014 and the Breakaway looks amazing so we are thinking of giving that a shot. If you have been on both Royal and Norwegian, what are the big differences? Im a little nervous trying a new cruise line. I posted this on the Royal boards too. :-)

 

Thanks,

 

Loralie

 

I'm sure that here, in the NCL board, you are going to hear that NCL is better, etc. And at RCCL you'll hear the same about them. lol I've only done NCL, and I love them! The freestyle cruising is exactly the way I like to travel. Eat when and where I want. (Also, the suite perks can't be beat. :D)

 

From the plans I've seen, the Breakaway is going to be an amazing ship, and I'm sure you will have a blast!! Any cruise/vacation is what you make of it, and your mindset going in.

[Red-Sol]

I have sailed the three largest ones:

 

Epic for Norwegian and Oasis and Allure on Royal.

 

All three were wonderful if you like the really large ships. Overall though my wife and I have decided that we prefer Norwegian over Royal mostly for two reasons:

 

We give a slight nod to Norwegian for the entertainment (which I know is subjective)

 

We also really like the way Norwegian does fresstyle. It is almost as if the overall mood of the passengers is in a more relaxed and friendlier mode. Not sure why that is... but it appears that way to us.

 

Our next cruise will definitely be the Breakaway and I expect it to be spectacular and the best one yet! :)

[chrisc71]

The two lines are more alike than different.

 

The biggest difference, as others have posted, is the freestyle aspect. I did my first NCL last summer and enjoyed not having to be at dinner at a certain time. Not having to rush back from the port to get ready for dinner made vacation that much more enjoyable. This is especially true for a place like Bermuda where you stay overnight.

 

I would like to do the Oasis or Allure, but my first choice now on would be a NCL cruise for the Freestyle.

 

I live in NY and not having to fly is a big plus.

 

Also stayed in a suite on the Star and enjoyed the perks.

[antsnanny]

I cruise both and NCL is my first choice... Explorer of the Seas is getting pretty old and the food, especially the buffet food has gone down hill.. I noticed that in the main dining room on NCL they serve smaller portions but the food was excellent but if your a big eater you can ask for 2 meals. I felt the food in the main dining room on RCCL was not good at all last time I sailed on her in the fall. If your not cruising for food, the RCCL has a lot to offer. Price wise, NCL has always been a better bargain.

[gambee]

We have cruise both lines, they are more alike than you would think. Very similar customer base, around the same activity level. Food is very subjective, but we found it to be similar, maybe slightly better in RCCL. Entreatment about the same, no complains there.

 

Breakaway is a brand new ship with what looks plenty of activities and things to do for everyone, I am sure you will love it.

 

The only thing that I like more in RCCL is that they seem to have a better hot tub to people ratio than NCL, we are big hot tub users and had a hard time finding a calm one to enjoy.

 

Just give it a try, the worst thing that can happen is that you don't like it, then you wont go on their ships again. But I almost sure you will have a fun time, they are very similar lines.

 

Oh I forgot, I love the NO formal nights in NCL, I hate dressing up while I am on vacation. As far as the freestyle thing, actually I think RCCL is very similar in that aspect, just prepay your gratuities and thats it.

[tatertot4]

I've done several cruises on both lines. Just got off NCL Epic in January.

 

NCL: food is slightly better, buffet choices changed alot, staff not as friendly as RCCL, MDR very disorganized and we had to flag down servers to get H2O and iced tea. They do have selfserve icecream available at several spots all day, loved that there was a beverage station out by the pool area to refresh tea, coffee and water. We weren't hounded for pics by the ships photographer like they do on RCCL. Those who gambled at the casino seemed to have more payouts than RCCL. Disembarking was a mess...long, disorganized line snaking around the ship with loads of confused and irritable passengers.

 

RCCL: extremely friendly staff, beautiful ships and atrium areas, short line for disembarking, decent entertainment, slightly larger cabins, wider sundecks.

 

LOVE both cruise lines but prefer the beauty of the RCCL line and friendly staff.

[buckirj1]

I've sailed both lines and prefer NCL by a wide margin. I took an RCCL cruise last year, and while it wasn't actually bad, it was exhausting and I was never able to get comfortable on board. The RCCL "culture" is such that I always felt like somebody was crawling up my butt trying to get me to do stuff. I didn't like the ship (Enchantment OTS) at all. It seemed like I was always trying to get someplace because everything on the ship was so spread out. Who knows, I might like a different class RCCL ship better, but it'll have to be a great price and itinerary to sail that line again. RCCL didn't stike me as very good at dealing with solo cruisers, either.

[UandMe4Ever]

I cruise both and NCL is my first choice... Explorer of the Seas is getting pretty old and the food, especially the buffet food has gone down hill.. I noticed that in the main dining room on NCL they serve smaller portions but the food was excellent but if your a big eater you can ask for 2 meals. I felt the food in the main dining room on RCCL was not good at all last time I sailed on her in the fall. If your not cruising for food, the RCCL has a lot to offer. Price wise, NCL has always been a better bargain.

 

 

Hi: We very much like both RCI and NCL. I noticed from you vast sailings you were on the Jewel 20th Cruise....AND you are from NJ as we are:)

Could you please give us any information with regard to the Jewel, as we are sailing on her 4/21 for a 17 night Repo from NY to LA, through the Panama Canal. Any specific do's or don'ts?

How was the food on the Jewel? I don't mind smaller portions in the MDR..My DH can always order more if he is still hungry;) How is the Buffet Food on the overall?

We were on the Jewel in 2009 for the first time also a Repo (NY-FL), which is what got us "hooked a bit" on NCL....I personally like the Jewel more than the Dawn. I think she's cleaner, etc.

Do they still have the Old TV or have they updated to flat screens..I know they did a Re-furb. in 2010...Are the TV's interactive.

Sorry to bother you with soooo many questions.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Safe sails to you!:)

[jdvmd]

We are Diamond on Royal and Platinum on NCL. Would pick NCL over RCCL in a nanosecond. The service, food is much better on NCL. We went on the Oasis and while it was a great cruise, we went on the Epic and liked it better. Think the Breakaway looks amazing and can't wait to try it.

[nursegrrl8]

I prefer NCL but like RCL too. I like the layout/feel of NCL better. RCL's room seemed smaller too.

[nursegrrl8]

They had small flat screens on our cruise last year. I am sailing in two weeks, let me know any questions and I will try to pay attention.

[travelmom83]

I've been on three RCCL cruises, my first was Enchantment, second was Voyager and third was Explorer. I did enjoy the Enchantment of the Seas, but didn't enjoy the the Voyager and Explorer. So we decided to try something new and went of the Epic about 2 months ago, and it was the best cruise I have ever been on. One of the differences is the freestyle dining. You eat when you want, where you want, and you don't have to dress up. I loved the relaxed style of dining, when I was on the Explorer alot of the furniture was worn down and with NCL's new ships its very modern. Also NCL entertainment is awesome, Epic has the Blue Man Show and boy was it awesome. The only complain I had was Epic's bathroom design, but that will change with the newer ships. Give NCL a try you will love it. I'm booked for the Epic again, and so looking forward to it

[awaywego0000]

I have not been on RCCL. But I have been on NCL Spirit. It was our first cruise. We found the crew to be very friendly. Food was very good and so was the entertainment. We found the ship to be very nice and clean. We thought it was a better value compared to our DCL Magic out of NYC last summer. Both cruises were great but NCL was just fine for half the cost.

[tweakes]

I think the (complimentary) food on RCCL was extremely better than NCL, but I also think the food on NCL is better than I eat 95% of the year so I can't complain. My sister and her husband didn't like the food much on NCL or Carnival and prefer RCCL.

 

Entertainment is hands down better on NCL. I found myself bored quite often on RCCL (I'm in my late 20s).

 

I think the crowd is pretty similar - of course it depends on the time of year and destination.

 

Overall, the differences are so slight it shouldn't affect your decision I don't think. I've only cruised on NCL, RCCL, and Carnival ... I think they all have their pluses and negatives, and I think NCL is the best as putting the positives together in one package.

[fair-winds39]

We have never been on a Norwegian cruise before. We just went on the Explorer of the Seas and we loved it. We live in the New York area and LOVED that we did not have to fly. We are looking to book a cruise in 2014 and the Breakaway looks amazing so we are thinking of giving that a shot. If you have been on both Royal and Norwegian, what are the big differences? Im a little nervous trying a new cruise line. I posted this on the Royal boards too. :-)

 

Thanks,

 

Loralie

We have been cruising since the early 1990's, and just canceled what would have been our 17th cruise. We canceled due to a health issue with a family member. The majority of cruises were with Celebrity, but I think sometime in early 2004/2005, we tried RCCL Empress of the Seas which was leaving from Philadelphia. While the ship was small, we enjoyed it because it was headed to Bermuda. One or two cruises after that, we chose the Norwegian Spirit from NY. The ship was beautiful, the stewards, bartenders, etc. were very nice, the balcony cabin bathroom was very small, and the food/food service was just okay. This ship though had just started sailing from NY, and I believe the "anytime dining," had just started, which I think played a part in the food and food service. After that cruise though, we said we probably wouldn't choose NCL again. That was then. Today, cruising with any cruiseline is about the same. Squeeze as many people on as possible, charge a reasonable price, etc. It's a business. Anyway, bottom line for us is this, if the price is right and the itinerary works, we'll try any cruiseline. We are even looking at the Breakaway out of NY because it sails to Bermuda.

 

My advice would be either/or, as your cruise will be what you make of it. Happy sailing!!

[HokiePoq]

We are Diamond on Royal and Platinum on NCL. Would pick NCL over RCCL in a nanosecond. The service, food is much better on NCL. We went on the Oasis and while it was a great cruise, we went on the Epic and liked it better. Think the Breakaway looks amazing and can't wait to try it.

 

My experience is limited compared to yours and I appreciate your comments. It is exactly how I feel about the two lines. NCL food is much better, in my opinion. The Royal ship we were on was beautiful and had a great indoor pool, a plus for them. Freestyle makes the difference for us.

[signora]

I've cruised both lines and although Never Again is a serious statement, that's how I feel about RCCL. I agree with all the posters who feel that RCCL's food quality has declined tremendously in the past years, and I can say I have never had a bad meal on NCL. In fact, I think you can do quite well eating-wise in all the 'free' dining rooms on Norwegian, without stepping foot in a pay-for restaurant (although you may want to; some of them are fantastic). I enjoy NCL's entertainment, but it's really the Freestyle concept and the excellent quality of all its dining venues that keeps me coming back.

[04cruises]

You are doing the right thing in staying with the same size ship.We have learned that today you must compare size and age of ships as much as the line.Everybody has Freestyle dining.Some call it your time or my time etc.Just try a few lines until you find what you like.You will have a great cruise no matter which line.

[HokiePoq]

You are doing the right thing in staying with the same size ship.We have learned that today you must compare size and age of ships as much as the line.Everybody has Freestyle dining.Some call it your time or my time etc.Just try a few lines until you find what you like.You will have a great cruise no matter which line.

 

Have to disagree that everybody has freestyle dining. We had As You Wish on HAL and it is not freestyle dining. You get a choice of certain times that don't conflict with the main seatings. If you just show up, there is a long line. Seats are limited. Anytime was full on the Royal we took and we could not get assigned to it. I am not sure how Royal's anytime dining works as I've only had a main seating but I do know that seating is limited.

[Warmer Climes]

We started our cruising on Explorer, did two NCL cruises on older ships, sailed Mariner (Explorer's sister ship). We felt that the food quality was not nearly as good on the second Royal Caribbean cruise as it was on the first. When we started cruising the newer NCL ships that few designed for Freestyle, we never went back to RCI. We like the entertainment more on NCL and feel that our fellow passengers are friendlier and more relaxed. I hate traditional dining. I don't care if the waiter knows that I drink iced tea with dinner. I hate the parade of chefs.

 

Every year I consider booking another line for a different itinerary but we always come back to NCL.

[clean1owner]

We have never been on a Norwegian cruise before. We just went on the Explorer of the Seas and we loved it. We live in the New York area and LOVED that we did not have to fly. We are looking to book a cruise in 2014 and the Breakaway looks amazing so we are thinking of giving that a shot. If you have been on both Royal and Norwegian, what are the big differences? Im a little nervous trying a new cruise line. I posted this on the Royal boards too. :-)

 

Thanks,

 

Loralie

 

 

To me, they are very similar. Food, service, amenities, crew, all equal. The main difference being the dining. Royal has more traditional, with the My Time option. NCL has the Freestyle.

 

I happen to prefer the Traditional dining plan. I don't like having to stand in line, make reservations, check in at the podium every night, wonder what you will be getting for a table, and wondering what you will be getting for service associated with the Freestyle program.

 

I much prefer being able to just walk in for the early seating, sit down at my table, and having the same Waitstaff for the entire trip. It makes dining a more personal and pleasurable experience.

[jdvmd]

To me, they are very similar. Food, service, amenities, crew, all equal. The main difference being the dining. Royal has more traditional, with the My Time option. NCL has the Freestyle.

 

I happen to prefer the Traditional dining plan. I don't like having to stand in line, make reservations, check in at the podium every night, wonder what you will be getting for a table, and wondering what you will be getting for service associated with the Freestyle program.

 

I much prefer being able to just walk in for the early seating, sit down at my table, and having the same Waitstaff for the entire trip. It makes dining a more personal and pleasurable experience.

 

On NCL, you can request a table with the same server every night. Their sections may change but you still get the same wait staff. The service received on NCL has been second to none. Compare that to our service on our last RCCL - Oasis of the Seas. We went one night and never went back. Service was horrible, food lacking, orders wrong. On other occasions, I have been told, "for this you will be grateful."

[CruiseRansier]

We have been on both lines and we prefer NCL. I think the food and service is better on NCL and also the entertainment is better on NCL ships.