NCL vs Royal Caribbean - What's Different?

[theotherchad]

I'm not looking for "what's better or what sucks" but what are the differences in the general sense.

Entertainment

Clientele

Food

Tipping

etc.

 

I'd love to hear from those who have actually cruised both lines, preferably on caribbean itineraries. We've been on a number of RCCL cruises and we love their ships and the guest experience, but I don't want to rule out NCL. BTW, I've heard that they are oriented more towards adults and less towards kids and family (not that they don't have kid's programs, just more oriented one way).

 

Thanks in advance for your info! :)

[Cruisin4aTan]

I am came here to post the exact same question!!! Having cruised with RCCL for more times then I want to post, we are looking for a different experience and checking out other lines. Will be more then interested to see the replies!!!

[theotherchad]

Let's hope everyone jumps in with their opinions.

 

I have to say, I kind of hesitated to do this, because I've seen questions like this turn into a thread full of "why Royal Caribbean sucks" and then you get pushback from folks loyal to Royal who have to put in their two cents on "why NCL sucks" and it just degenerated from there.

 

I assume that all the cruise lines have a quality product, but I do know that sometimes, the target cruiser is slightly different for each cruise line, so that can definitely impact one's experience in one way or another.

 

For instance, from all I've heard, both Royal and Carnival have an opportunity to relax in luxury and an opportunity to party, but RCCL is slightly geared toward the former and Carnival is slightly geared toward the party crowd.

 

I trust in my ability to have fun on just about any cruise, but I'm still curious, because I know very little about NCL.

Edited April 10, 2014 by theotherchad

[Single Cruiser]

So Royal is a lot more traditional cruise style (except the new quantum class ships) with more rigid dining times (albeit they do have anytime).

 

Dress code - NCL don't have formal nights etc versus a RCCL casual, smart casual, formal.

 

I find the staff, waiters/bar more formal on the RCCL ships, they are less chatty, often dressed in shirt/tie etc. Whereas I find NCL more casual / friendly community style.

 

Food wise the main dining I found better on RCCL, the casual dining and buffet better on NCL.

 

A lot also depends on the ship. The newer NCL ships are a lot different, the older ones like Spirit more like RCCL with the twice nightly show and just bars.

 

NCL tends to attract a younger crowd. Lot more in nightclubs etc.. RCCL more your retired couple style.

 

My next 5 cruises are RCCL, NCL, NCL, RCCL, NCL. But the new quantum/anthem are more like Breakaway/Getaway class ships.

[theotherchad]

So Royal is a lot more traditional cruise style (except the new quantum class ships) with more rigid dining times (albeit they do have anytime).

 

Dress code - NCL don't have formal nights etc versus a RCCL casual, smart casual, formal.

 

I find the staff, waiters/bar more formal on the RCCL ships, they are less chatty, often dressed in shirt/tie etc. Whereas I find NCL more casual / friendly community style.

 

Food wise the main dining I found better on RCCL, the casual dining and buffet better on NCL.

 

A lot also depends on the ship. The newer NCL ships are a lot different, the older ones like Spirit more like RCCL with the twice nightly show and just bars.

 

NCL tends to attract a younger crowd. Lot more in nightclubs etc.. RCCL more your retired couple style.

 

My next 5 cruises are RCCL, NCL, NCL, RCCL, NCL. But the new quantum/anthem are more like Breakaway/Getaway class ships.

 

Thanks, Single Cruiser, that is exactly the sort of things I want to know. For us, it's a mixed bag. We're both just shy of 50, but we also love to dance and have fun. I'm not crazy about the idea of being on a ship where it's all people my age and older. Then again, I don't necessarily want to cruise the spring break express either.

 

My wife loves to dress up for formal night, but we also love to dance, and have sometimes been disappointed with the turnout in the dance club on RCCL (it's no fun dancing in an empty room).

 

That having been said, I may be able to convince her to do an NCL that sails out of a Florida port, since if we have to fly, she can't bring her "oscar gowns" with her anyway.

 

Thanks again for the response, and I'd love to hear more from you or anyone else with something to add. :)

Edited April 10, 2014 by theotherchad
Clarity

[sdmike]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1997947

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1911201

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1874497

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1859889

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1826097

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1930390

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1915113

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2005436

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1962336

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1997727

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1877496

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1976202

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1972844

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1945719

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1945023

[Single Cruiser]

Lol you've done that before Mike :) . We need a frequently asked questions sticky section.

 

:)

[blackwing]

I'm only comparing Getaway/Breakaway from what I could find out on RC, but the outdoor activities on NCL Getaway are way better than what is apparently offered on RC Oasis/Allure. The only thing Oasis/Allure have that Getaway doesn't is the flowrider.

 

Waterslides on NCL ships. None on RCCL. Ropes courses on NCL. None on RCCL. Mini golf is apparently much better too. Real obstacles like a in a good land based mini golf course (e.g., shoot the ball into a bucket and you get to come out the "good" path, otherwise, you get dumped on the side and are farther away.

 

Both have rock walls. RCCL has a zipline, but NCL has a zipline as part of the ropes course.

[MMOMOM]

I'm not looking for "what's better or what sucks" but what are the differences in the general sense.

Entertainment

Clientele

Food

Tipping

etc.

 

I'd love to hear from those who have actually cruised both lines, preferably on caribbean itineraries. We've been on a number of RCCL cruises and we love their ships and the guest experience, but I don't want to rule out NCL. BTW, I've heard that they are oriented more towards adults and less towards kids and family (not that they don't have kid's programs, just more oriented one way).

 

Thanks in advance for your info! :)

 

Just our experience .... because a lot is subjective, but here goes. We prefer Royal. That being said, we LOVED our cruise on HAL's Eurodam and had good experiences on the two Carnival Cruises we did. I won't compare those lines with Royal because you specifically asked about NCL/RCCI. We recently went on the NCL Epic. I can't 'bash' the entire line because I was told by employees as well as other cruisers that the Epic is a one of a kind ship .... there is no sister ship. With our experience, I think I understand why, LOL!! We did not like the ship at all. We had a mini suite and the layout and size of it felt like we were in a camper! We laughed it off and we had a good time anyway! ... but a RCCI JS it isn't! LOL!! The other things you mentioned ... Food - Royal is much better. We actually found the buffet on the Epic not too bad at all. We ate there for breakfast every day but one where we went to the MDR and that was fine. We also ate there for lunch and once for dinner. We found that unless you want to do the upcharge restaurants, the MDR food is not that great. At every one of our meals, the temperature of the food was luke warm to cool. We did two fee restaurants, La Cuccina and (can't remember the name now) the Asian one, and both were very good and worth the extra $. But, in general, the food on Royal is better in our opinion. Entertainment - we like Royal better. Everyone was gaga over Blue Man Group and for us, it was okay ... it just 'wasn't our thing'. But the other shows really didn't excite us that much either. Tipping - about the same. Clientele - well, on NCL it was Spring Break, but even with that, it just seemed that the drinking and behavior was just a 'tad' over the top. We have no problems with people enjoying themselves, but it did seem that the emphasis was on 'party' as opposed to having to be at dinner. And, that could very well be because of the Freestyle dining where you can eat pretty much any time of the day or night. Employees/Service - NCL was excellent! The servers, cabin stewards and everyone else in between couldn't have done enough for us. But, we've always felt Royal was excellent in that area too, so I guess there would be a tie there. You didn't mention smoking (not to start anything, but I have heard a lot about how bad it is on NCL so have to say something) .... it was fine! The Casino wasn't bad at all. We had smokers on both sides of us and there was no problem at all on the balcony. I think that everyone has their favorites and as I mentioned, so much is subjective. We mostly shop the sales and many times go on a last minute cruises with good deals. Actually, we booked the Epic 10 days out. We also booked it because we were curious and like to try other lines. Our next cruise is Royal but we still haven't tried Princess or Celebrity yet! No matter what we have a good time, but if I had to choose between our experience on the Epic and Royal, I'd go Royal. I should also mention we've only sailed on Voyager, Freedom and Oasis Class ships with Royal. On the other lines, we've also done a larger ship. I don't know if that makes any difference with what I've said .... but just throwing it in there! :)

[Mysto]

I always get a kick out of the older crowd - younger crowd discussion.

I have found with the 3 - Carnival - NCL - RCCL it depends. When did you sail - from where - to where. Carnival is the "party ship" Oh yea! Sail the first week in December out of Tampa. NCL or RCCL is an older crowd. I'm sailing out of Tampa on NCL on Easter - I can guaranty plenty of families.

 

HAL, I think, is an older crowd because they cater to that crowd. Disney is more of a family crowd because they cater to that crowd. But of the three above I find them about the same based on when/where. Which do I prefer?

 

The one with the best price/value at the time.:rolleyes: I find things I like better about each of them based on my personal likes/dislikes. We adjust and enjoy what is best about the Line/Ship.

 

For the poster - Try NCL - unless there is something you are wedded to on RCCL I think you'll have a great time. Then you'll have one more choice when deciding.

[Cruisercl]

I agree with Mysto.

 

There are so many variables and it depends on what you are looking for. I have cruised equal amounts on both cruise lines and I was on the big and smaller ships on both lines.

 

IMO each has their own great things and not so great things. Clientele is very much dependent on what time of year you go no matter what the cruise line. Food: I prefer NCL. The food variety is much better in the MDR; I was recently on the IOS and the MDR food was bland and had very little variety. Good buffet on both. Entertainment: much better on NCL. There are many different options each evening; the only show I liked on RCL was the ice show.

 

Again, JMO. Try NCL for variety, you'll have a good time......you are on a cruise!!!

 

Happy and safe cruising!! :D

[sdmike]

Lol you've done that before Mike :) . We need a frequently asked questions sticky section.

 

:)

 

Yeah, it's kind of my way of saying "this has been asked and answered a million times already" without being rude

[Rebels82]

I have been on several NCL ships and just got off the Dawn Sun. Just because NCL doesn't have a "formal night" doesn't mean people will look out of place in a suit, tux or evening dress. There are 1 or 2 nights that people dressed up or not... formal pictures are taken and there were lots of people who chose to dress up.

[LMaxwell]

It depends on what ship you are contemplating on RCI.

 

Sovereign-Class, Vision-Class, Radiance-Class are more "classic style" cruise ships; they feature a central multi-story atrium; the Vision and Radiance-class ships having a lot of glass area.

 

Voyager-Class and Freedom-Class give you much more the Royal Wow factor. Those ships have a Royal Promenade (the indoor city street; some call it a mall, thats up to you to decide). They have the ice rink.

 

Oasis-Class...nothing like them. Mind-blowing ships; definitely a resort at sea. Without an ocean view cabin of some type though you may totally forget you are even on a ship.

 

I would suggest a Voyager or Freedom class ship.

Those are Explorer, Mariner, Navigator, Adventure, Voyager for the former

Freedom, Independence, Liberty for the latter.

 

All ships, save for Majesty (Sovereign class) feature an adults Solarium area that is free of charge. Unlike NCL there are not a lot of deck spaces that are reserved or any actually require additional payment. Some ships DO have some deck area reserved for suite guests but they are typically up a half deck and don't eat any main real estate. No special fees to get a section for a week. Not a lot of real estate is devoted to suite guests (good or bad depending how you look at it).

 

 

Pretty easy ships to navigate for the most part; no weird dead ends, or up and over required.

 

Automatic gratuity charges pretty much similar between the lines; RCI will charge you up front for gratuities if you take My Time Dining; if fixed seating the auto charges are added to your onboard account.

 

RCI Crown and Anchor points have reciprocity for perks with Celebrity

 

It's not hard to find perks, obc, etc for RCI cruises but I think the perks and benefits offered for NCL are more attractive more of the time.

 

RCI ships rarely ever feel cramped. They do well with crowd flow and interior spaces, deck spaces, etc. are not so confined; usually pretty open areas with some visual wow to them. Nice upscale-ish finishing on the ship but not loud or gaudy really.

 

Entertainment really depends on which class of ship you go on; the Vision and Radiance class ships with a Centrum have relatively new aerial shows. But Voyager and Freedom class have the parades on the promenade, they have the ice shows, all Freedom class have a Flowrider, some Voyager class do. Even if it's not your thing it's still fun to watch; some people are really talented on there.

 

Standard sort of passenger interaction events include a Captains Corner (Q&A sessions with officers for about an hour), Quest adult scavenger show, Love and Marriage show, Battle of the Sexes, the parades, 70's night. You'll probably get one night time deck party w late night food per 7 night cruise. Plenty of spirited trivia, karaoke, dance classes, etc.

 

Drink packages are available ranging from just soda, to premium NA beverages, to beer/wine, to all alcohol, to basically everything.

 

Labadee, RCI's private stop, is about the prettiest, nicest laid out private stop there is. Hard not to fall in love with Labadee. It blows the Bahamas out of the water for a beach day.

 

Steam and Sauna are free on RCI (most if not all ships).

 

In general while there are plenty of things you CAN spend money on with RCI, they seem a bit less in your face about it, or you don't feel so left out of the fun by not spending I guess. There's not a fee every time you turn around for a lounger in a good spot, or to see the "good" show, etc. There's no charge for any shows on any ship. It's just more inclusive feeling.

[Aquahound]

I'd love to hear from those who have actually cruised both lines, preferably on caribbean itineraries. :)

 

Without getting into a bunch of details of why I feel this way, I'll just simply say that I think NCL is a good line for first time cruisers and RCI is a better line for veteran cruisers.

[Markanddonna]

I have traveled with both NCL and RCCL and think they are pretty equal overall with Royal being just a smidge above NCL in the food arena. NCL, IMHO, gets a bad rap because they were the line who revolutionized cruising to be more casual and the traditionalists lament this move. Now you find a version of freestyle with most cruiselines.

 

Besides the particular ship, I think where and when you go makes a huge difference. We were ready for an old crowd on HAL in June in Alaska and found the mix was the same as any other ship. It also wasn't "luxury" as their fans had stated. Go on a 3 night Bahamas cruise and you are likely to be underwhelmed with most any cruise f you are a veteran.

 

We had the best experience on a 16 night TA on RCCL, but that was filled with lots of veterans and people who had "diamond and + status", so the company wants to keep them happy. It was also pretty childless, so that made the experience seem more "upscale" (sorry, kids...). Lots of empty nesters who were very active.

[dolita22]

I'm not looking for "what's better or what sucks" but what are the differences in the general sense.

Entertainment

Clientele

Food

Tipping

etc.

 

I'd love to hear from those who have actually cruised both lines, preferably on caribbean itineraries. We've been on a number of RCCL cruises and we love their ships and the guest experience, but I don't want to rule out NCL. BTW, I've heard that they are oriented more towards adults and less towards kids and family (not that they don't have kid's programs, just more oriented one way).

 

Thanks in advance for your info! :)

 

I've sailed NCL twice and RCCL twice - all Caribbean/Bahamas cruises. All good cruises, but no cruise is a bad cruise in my book. :-)

 

Clientele and tipping on both lines were similar. A good mix of people of all ages.

 

We prefer entertainment on NCL more. On our last cruise on RCCL in February, on breaks between shows, we felt like the only other options for entertainment were to go to bars. My husband and I enjoy drinks, but felt entertainment options on RCCL were not as plentiful as on NCL. Maybe it was just us and how we timed going to dinner (MyTime Dining), I'm not sure.

 

Food -- subjective! I haven't liked the food on RCCL as much as NCL. My husband isn't picky at all, but didn't like the food much on RCCL in February -- except for Johnny Rockets and the ice cream on the pool deck. We like NCL's MDR and complimentary food options, and have not yet eaten in a specialty restaurant.

 

For us, it comes down to enjoying NCL's Freestyle concept and not feeling as, for lack of a better term, confined by the more traditional way of cruising on other lines. After our RCCL cruise in February, we decided we prefer NCL's Freestyle of cruising with not getting dressed up for dinner, eating when we want to eat, etc., to RCCL's more traditional style of cruising.

 

Hope that helps some. If you're looking for something new, I'd suggest trying NCL. Can't go wrong with a cruise. :-)

[theotherchad]

Yeah, it's kind of my way of saying "this has been asked and answered a million times already" without being rude

 

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in with information and opinions.

 

Mike, I did appreciate the links, and I did read them, but if I have to do it over again, I'd still start a new thread. I try to be specific about the info, and if I chime in with follow up questions, it can get me info that is a bit more specific to my interests. Also, what would all these folks do if they couldn't chime in on discussions like this? :D But seriously, thanks for the additional threads.

 

I am already pretty savvy about the kinds of responses you get to these questions, where some folks don't take into account the itinerary or the length of the cruise. On any cruise line, you get a huge difference in age and other factors (kids, party, dressup proclivities,etc) between a 4 day cruise and a 7 day or longer.

 

We mostly always do the 7 day cruises because shorter than that is just not long enough, and if it's longer than that, we're likely to be the youngest people aboard. Also, we have friends who have raved about their Alaska cruises, but again, it's going to be mostly older folks, and I just can't get with the idea of being cold on a cruise. It's a caribbean thing for us.

 

Thanks again to everybody, and if anyone else has more to add, it is genuinely appreciated! :)

[petesweet]

Some practical points:

1. When you first board an NCL ship, there is (I understand) a room where you can store your hand luggage if your cabin is not open yet. I say "I understand" because I've never had to use it.

2. When you first board, you have the choice of going to a regular dining room for lunch rather than the crowded, noisy, and hectic buffet. (Depends on what time you board, of course.) This is a very nice feature that I take advantage of every NCL cruise.

Happy sails.:)

Kathy

[petesweet]

One other difference:

NCL's "Meet and Mingle" must be set up by a member of the roll call. At this very nice gathering, a number of the ship's officers will join the group and answer questions. Nice snacks are provided.

RCCL handles your "Meet and Greet" automatically if at least 25 people sign up on the website. They send invitations to your stateroom. A member of the activities staff is in charge, and there are drawings for prizes. Nice snacks provided also.

 

Kathy

[nbsjcruiser]

I'm not looking for "what's better or what sucks" but what are the differences in the general sense.

Entertainment

Clientele

Food

Tipping

etc.

 

I'd love to hear from those who have actually cruised both lines, preferably on caribbean itineraries. We've been on a number of RCCL cruises and we love their ships and the guest experience, but I don't want to rule out NCL. BTW, I've heard that they are oriented more towards adults and less towards kids and family (not that they don't have kid's programs, just more oriented one way).

 

Thanks in advance for your info! :)

 

They're more the same than different. We're RCI fans but a few years ago we did 3 Carnival cruises because the price difference was too good to pass up. After the 3rd one I was tired of Carnival for a number of reasons. So we tried NCL and I remarked afterwards that the two lines are similar in a lot of ways. Service was equally good, food was similar and much better than Carnival and the decor was similar. No 1970's glitzy orange colors but nice relaxing colors and easy on the eyes just like on RCI. Entertainment is well done on NCL, clientele is the same. They really have the My Time dining down pat while RCI is still trying to perfect it.

 

Long story short, RCI is equally as good as NCL and I'd cruise on either one happily.

[kkespo]

I have been on both ships as well, more NCL because when I first started cruising some 30 yrs ago they had a sea savor program whereby just before you cruised for a cheap rate you went the week they told you and where they told you. The best part was if you joined their snorkeling program from the start of the cruise you did so at every port and I loved that aspect- now being in our early 50s too we tried the Oasis of the Seas last year and thought it was wonderful however this year we are back to NCL on the Getaway- we love the newer ships and if you go on the Epic which is fairly new you will love it as much as the newer Royal ships. The older ships aren't the same anymore, no enough selection of places to eat, the shows aren't nearly as good and just overall the newer ships have so much to offer- so if you go on NCL's Epic or newer ships you will like it no doubt!

[welove2cruise*]

We are Diamond members with RCL and Platinum with NCL. The things that make the most difference to me are the coffee maker in the cabin (RCL does not even allow you to bring your own any more), first day lunch in the DR (I can't express how much this relaxing first event helps get us in the cruise mood) ;) and the no dress up is also tops for me. I have not been on one of the newer RCL ships, but the last time we sailed them it was not the best experience (Mexican Riviera 2009?)

 

If NCL doesn't start changing up their itineraries we will be back to trying other lines though. I want to do a Pacific Coastal and the British Isles. There is a 12 night (too long to be away from work) and no option for Pacific Coastal. We will have done the Venice trip twice as of this coming fall and the Barcelona twice as well. I keep hoping they have not posted all of the itineraries yet for 2015. We would have considered the Copenhagen trip but the prices are outrageous for some reason on that one.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[noche_caliente]

I have been on both lines, and right now I prefer NCL. The price/value is better, and the freestyle really works for us when travelling with our kids. Prior to our first cruise, I was worried that I would really dislike it. I am one who prefers a known entity. However, after our Gem cruise, I LOVE it. I didn't have to rush to get ready for anything and I could come and go as I pleased without having to worry about a set schedule, or HAVING to dress a certain way. While I do like to dress up, it's nice to be able to do it on my own terms.

I did not like the food as much on NCL in general, but perhaps that is part of disliking change. I have always been a fan of the cold soups and main courses on RCL, and did not find as much that I enjoyed on NCL. HOWEVER, my diet was very restricted on our NCL cruise, as I had to eat according to my nursling daughter's food allergies. I feel like I would have found the food to be of comparable quality had I not had that restriction.

With regards to tipping, I actually found that I liked the DSC. It was nice to not have to worry about the silly envelopes at the end and to have it taken care of in advance. I have done the pre-paid gratuities with RCL in the past, but this somehow seemed easier. I also liked how you could have guest services place an additional tip for a particular staff member on your account.

I can't speak too much for the entertainment, as again, we have 2 kids, and usually we would go to bed not long after them! The clientele I found to be similarly aged, with RCL maybe averaging just slightly older. BUT, because of the kids and my job, we tend to cruise during school vacations.

Overall, I think the two lines are much more similar than different, and you will have a great time whatever you choose.

[AjBren2]

Yeah, it's kind of my way of saying "this has been asked and answered a million times already" without being rude

 

 

The only thing more prolific than threads on tipping, cruise line comparisons, UBP, bacon, maple syrup, etc...is the constant reminder that there is a search feature and the snarky comments from CC 'lifers'. They seem to be on EVERY post. The act is getting old, and WAY more annoying than seeing a repeat thread that can be left unopened if you are not interested. BTW...you failed at the "without being rude" part. Let's move on....