Should I try Norwegian

[goofy gopher]

Norwegian or Carnival been mainly on Carnival thinking about Norwegian through the Panama Canal :confused:

[thescot123]

Norwegian or Carnival been mainly on Carnival thinking about Norwegian through the Panama Canal :confused:

 

Yes, you should give NCL a try. I guess you are talking about taking the NCL Jewel thru the Panama Canal.

 

I have tried Carnival once but prefer NCL due the freestyle concept.

 

Below are things that I enjoy.

 

1. Wash Washy guys/girls, they dance/sing as they spray your hands as you go into the buffets. Like the fact that NCL takes those extra steps to stop NoroVirus.

2. Freestyle - you can eat in the MDR when you want with having assigned times.

3. Relaxed dress code - can wear jeans even on formal nights.

4. Noticed that the officers seem to more around and willing to chat to you.

[onlysister]

Definitely try Norwegian. The crew are so nice. If you can get a suite, so much the better. Breakfast and lunch in Cagney's is delish.

 

I have been on RCCL, Carnival and Norwegian. I have always gone back to Norwegian so they must be doing something right. And the price is right.

[champagne123]

I just tried NCL for the first time last month. Very apprehensive, but let me say this: IT WAS WONDERFUL and we will definitely book again:):):)

[soccersharon]

We'll be on the Epic in 2 weeks. Change can be good!

 

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[sailingnut]

Yes, try Norwegian, I have been on four on the ships, the spirit, the dawn, the gem and the wonderful breakaway and I love Norwegian, good luck!:)

[mking8288]

Sailing the PC route is great, on any cruiselines, and if the price is right & fits your plan - go book it & enjoy. Days at sea and seeing different places are always great vs. running the "ship" back at home where you are responsible for all the "departments".

 

NCL's the "home away from home" and we are looking for the "opportunity" to get on one of her ships again, not soon enough, LOL.

 

We just done Carnival and contrary to what some of our cruising buddies said, it was a pleasant surprise & change - opportunity to compare and see how it's done on another line, besides "they" have more ships in the fleet under different branding vs. NCL - and we had very good time for 8 nights. We're also done 2 RCI sailing and it's on the bottom of our "biased" preference list with NCL on the top, all personal views - but we will sail with all 3 lines in a heartbeat.

 

As noted by thescot123 - definitely will noticed that senior officers are very visible & doing management by walking around, all over the ship & greeting pax in a friendly matter in elevators, not because one is platinum or wearing those "status" pins or dining in the steakhouse or coming out of spa cabins, etc. On Carnival, one of the crew member that we consistently see is the one sweeping the floor instead of properly cleaning dirty plates & cups off the emptied table - and what "washy washy" girls at the MDR entrances - nowhere to be found on the "Fun" ships.

 

Go ahead & do it and decide for yourself, you might become addicted (and, not bashing CCL at all - we now owned 200 shares & looking forward to those "combinable" shareholder's OBC ...) Have a great day & happy cruising :D

[kcwingwalker]

Norwegian or Carnival been mainly on Carnival thinking about Norwegian through the Panama Canal :confused:

 

Change can be a good thing...............try NCL:)

[anastasia3939]

They are more similar than different. I'd book either line in a heartbeat, depending on who has the best price for the itinerary I want. I found the overall crew to be friendlier on the NCL ship, but I do enjoy having the same wait staff every night on CCL. NCL has better entertainment, CCL has bigger cabins for us poor folk. Better buffets NCL, better dessert, CCL. NCL is worth a try....won't be a major change from CCL.

[DMH15]

I am doing PC on the NCL Sun. My fave. Smaller no bells and whistles. Been on Jewel too. Loved it.

 

 

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[johnsak123]

You should definitely try it

Expand your horizons

You never know if you dont try

[mpk218]

You cant eat plain dry white toast your whole life , can you ? ;)

 

Just stay away from the AFT cabins , I hear the terrible .

 

Good luck in your choice.

[terrydtx]

Below are things that I enjoy.

 

1. Wash Washy guys/girls, they dance/sing as they spray your hands as you go into the buffets. Like the fact that NCL takes those extra steps to stop NoroVirus.

2. Freestyle - you can eat in the MDR when you want with having assigned times.

3. Relaxed dress code - can wear jeans even on formal nights.

4. Noticed that the officers seem to more around and willing to chat to you.

 

We are trying our first NCL cruise after many HAL and X cruises for these same reasons. Our last 2 HAL cruises were so disappointing.

[kcwingwalker]

We are trying our first NCL cruise after many HAL and X cruises for these same reasons. Our last 2 HAL cruises were so disappointing.

 

Hope you like NCL.

 

I've been looking at an 11 day HAL cruise, the price and itinerary are excellent. Why did you find HAL disappointing?

 

OK I know I'm off topic here:)

[terrydtx]

Hope you like NCL.

 

I've been looking at an 11 day HAL cruise, the price and itinerary are excellent. Why did you find HAL disappointing?

 

OK I know I'm off topic here:)

 

I am a young 63 but on HAL we are the youngsters, half the passengers need walking assistance and hover rounds are everywhere in the halls. The food quality has degraded and is too bland IMO to accommodate the older demographics. You will never find a dish too salty or spicy. Their anytime dining is a joke as you can not make a reservation between 5:30 and 7:30 so wait times can be 30 minutes or longer between 6 and 7pm when we prefer to eat. The Pinnacle Steak house for $30pp is not good IMO. With the older demographics late night activity after 10pm is too dam quiet as most guests are in bed. I also think with their smaller ships there is not enough to do on sea days to keep from bored. The dress code is also too formal for a warn weather vacation. But if the itinerary and price is right go for it.

[newmexicoNita]

Norwegian or Carnival been mainly on Carnival thinking about Norwegian through the Panama Canal :confused:

 

Other than the Carnival cabins being a little larger, I think you will like NCL as well, if not better. Of course I am partial; I am not a huge Carnival fan...That being said, there really isn't a lot of difference in the mass marketed lines, NCL, Carnival and RCI but they each have a slightly different personality.

[luddite]

NCL isn't a step down from a Carny Cruise.

[kcwingwalker]

I am a young 63 but on HAL we are the youngsters, half the passengers need walking assistance and hover rounds are everywhere in the halls. The food quality has degraded and is too bland IMO to accommodate the older demographics. You will never find a dish too salty or spicy. Their anytime dining is a joke as you can not make a reservation between 5:30 and 7:30 so wait times can be 30 minutes or longer between 6 and 7pm when we prefer to eat. The Pinnacle Steak house for $30pp is not good IMO. With the older demographics late night activity after 10pm is too dam quiet as most guests are in bed. I also think with their smaller ships there is not enough to do on sea days to keep from bored. The dress code is also too formal for a warn weather vacation. But if the itinerary and price is right go for it.

 

Thanks so much! This is just the info I needed. Price and itinerary are important, but so is having a good time. Think I stick with NCL.

 

:)

[kcwingwalker]

NCL isn't a step down from a Carny Cruise.

 

Like!

 

In many ways NCL is a step up.

[terrydtx]

Like!

 

In many ways NCL is a step up.

 

Carnival has nothing close to freestyle either.

[Lisah101]

I just did my first HAL cruise and found the average age to be 50-60 or so. There were younger people also and it seemed EVERYTHING didn't start until 10pm at night with happy hour, big shows, etc. I couldn't keep up with everything. I'm pulling together all my pics to do a review on the HAL thread. Now thinking of trying NCL just to see the difference.

[cruis247g]

As someone mentioned above, I would choose the cruise with the itinerary that works best for you. If they are equal, I might try a new line. We've cruised quite a few and like each for different reasons. You might love NCL! At the least, you'll have a new experience. Either way you should have a good cruise:).

[Ciardasully]

I don't think you have anything to lose for trying another cruise line. I doesn't hurt to know what your options are. And even if you like Norwegian, it doesn't mean you can't ever sail Carnival again.

 

I am trying Norwegian though it is only a one night cruise to nowhere. But if I like it, I would definitely plan on sailing with them again. I live in New York and they seem to have a lot of good itineraries out of NYC and it is nice to have options that don't require us to fly.

 

I also want to try Royal Caribbean as well.

[DMH15]

You cant eat plain dry white toast your whole life , can you ? ;)

 

Just stay away from the AFT cabins , I hear the terrible .

 

Good luck in your choice.

 

You are sooooo bad.

 

 

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[kcwingwalker]

You cant eat plain dry white toast your whole life , can you ? ;)

 

Just stay away from the AFT cabins , I hear the terrible .

 

Good luck in your choice.

 

Are you saving all the aft cabins for yourself again?