RCI and Carnival cruiser considering NCL

[LouCap]

We have sailed NCL quite a bit out of Miami. We live in the Clearwater area, and the drive to Miami isn't bad, although I wouldn't do it in the same day. We drive down the night before and stay at a nice hotel, making it part of our vacation. If you stay near the port, you can wake up and see your ship waiting at the dock, which is always fun.

 

Regarding the NCL experience, we quite like it. The freestyle dining is great, and they have monitors by the elevators so you can see which restaurants are busy, along with their wait times. People seem to regard it as some sort of bargain cruise line, and if that's your feelong too, I suggest taking the $$$ you're saving and upgrading to a suite. Once you've cruised with a butler and concierge, you'll never go back!

[mostrow]

Its so funny to read everyone's take on cruise food. We just got off the Epic a month ago, and off the Glory yesterday. Been on many Royal ships. We always purchase the Dining package on NCL. Just nice to have options. On the Glory, we were so surprised how good the food was. We own a restaurant. Reading everyones take of the food is just funny. If you don't care for chocolate, you won't like Carnival's melting cake. If you do, you will love it. Some like the seasonings, some don't. In our opinion, we feel the food was better overall in the MDR's on CCL, then NCL,, then Royal. For specialty: NCL by far. Best overall, speciality restaurant: Moderno on NCL. Don't let the food persuade you from what ship to take. Whats great some some, is awful to others.

[MaryL31]

Agreed, mostrow. For me, simply put by DH's differing opinion from mine about The Garden Cafe on the Sun. After our second dinner there, he wanted no part of it. Said the offerings were the same each evening we went (meant to eat at MDR on second night, but time slipped away from us, thanks to jet lag). I would honestly have liked to eat there more (did not tell him that the reason was that they had Indian food, which I happen to love)...amongst other choices, all of which one cannot consume in one meal!

[Swampbabe]

Its so funny to read everyone's take on cruise food. We just got off the Epic a month ago, and off the Glory yesterday. Been on many Royal ships. We always purchase the Dining package on NCL. Just nice to have options. On the Glory, we were so surprised how good the food was. We own a restaurant. Reading everyones take of the food is just funny. If you don't care for chocolate, you won't like Carnival's melting cake. If you do, you will love it. Some like the seasonings, some don't. In our opinion, we feel the food was better overall in the MDR's on CCL, then NCL,, then Royal. For specialty: NCL by far. Best overall, speciality restaurant: Moderno on NCL. Don't let the food persuade you from what ship to take. Whats great some some, is awful to others.

 

Generally agree but I love chocolate, hate the melting cake. Tastes like Hershey's syrup. Yuck

[kwazi07]

Generally agree but I love chocolate, hate the melting cake. Tastes like Hershey's syrup. Yuck

I agree. It seems like they heated up chocolate syrup and put it in a dish.

 

Anyways, I decided to not try NCL. I am more of a traditional person, I like having assigned dining times. Also, the comments on the food being worse than Royal scares me. I think I would like to try Celebrity.

 

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[mdwcruises]

The food on Norwegian is pretty similar to Carnival and RCCL. No complaints from me.

 

I have noticed one thing: Norwegian almost always charges higher port fee / taxes in Caribbean (I haven't never checked anywhere else) than RCCL and Carnival, especially Carnival, for the same itinerary. At first I chalked it up to just random differences. But after a while I have never found one example where Norwegian charges less for the same Caribbean ports than Carnival and I don't think it's random anymore. Don't know why. But if you are very price conscious like me (I admit I am young and poor and love cruising) it might make a meaningful difference.

[rednose83]

 

I have noticed one thing: Norwegian almost always charges higher port fee / taxes in Caribbean (I haven't never checked anywhere else) than RCCL and Carnival, especially Carnival, for the same itinerary. At first I chalked it up to just random differences.

 

Funny that you mentioned that because I always find that CCL charges more than NCL! I was just talking about that to my Mom last night. I wonder what the deal is?