Thinking about cruising with NCL Sky (first time with NCL)

[DimSum]

Hello

 

We are thinking about taking a 4 day Bahamas cruise on the Sky this summer. This would be our first time cruising with NCL; we have in the past been on Disney and Celebrity in the past.

 

Hope someone can help answer a few questions about the Sky:

 

1. Are the inside cabins big enough to sleep 4? We will be traveling with 2 kids (age 7 and 10). Is there a pull-down bed or just a pull out sofa for 2 to sleep on?

 

2. Should we forget about an inside cabin and get the family inside cabin? We are budget cruisers and don't care for the balcony and suites.

 

3. Are there alot of kids activities in the youth center? Is there a cost?

 

4. What is the attire for Freestyle Cruising? Business casual? Or just wear t-shirts/shorts? I'm a little confused. Is there a formal night for such a short cruise?

 

5. We may drive to the Port of Miami, is there a parking lot to park your car during the cruise? Any recommendations of lots to park at?

 

TIA

Michelle

[dexddd]

Hello

 

We are thinking about taking a 4 day Bahamas cruise on the Sky this summer. This would be our first time cruising with NCL; we have in the past been on Disney and Celebrity in the past.

 

Hope someone can help answer a few questions about the Sky:

 

1. Are the inside cabins big enough to sleep 4? We will be traveling with 2 kids (age 7 and 10). Is there a pull-down bed or just a pull out sofa for 2 to sleep on?

 

2. Should we forget about an inside cabin and get the family inside cabin? We are budget cruisers and don't care for the balcony and suites.

 

3. Are there alot of kids activities in the youth center? Is there a cost?

 

4. What is the attire for Freestyle Cruising? Business casual? Or just wear t-shirts/shorts? I'm a little confused. Is there a formal night for such a short cruise?

 

5. We may drive to the Port of Miami, is there a parking lot to park your car during the cruise? Any recommendations of lots to park at?

 

TIA

Michelle

 

There are rooms big enough for 4 but generally you'd only want to stay with kids about your age at the oldest. From the pics I've seen, it is two twins that can be pushed together, one bed on the wall, and one pull out sofa.

 

Look for mitsugirly review here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2140051

[fshagan]

I can answer your last two questions because I have been on the Sky out of Miami and it is different than other NCL ships in a few respects.

 

Because of the short itinerary there is a bit more of a party atmosphere (we were on board during Spring Break, and half the passengers were under 25 so your experience may differ!) The ship is one of the oldest ones in the fleet and will not match even the older Disney ships, the Magic and the Wonder, in terms of public space or stateroom decor. I haven't cruised Celebrity but I suspect Disney is closer to it than NCL is ... NCL in general is a less expensive cruise line. Not quite Motel 6 but probably like Comfort Inn compared to Disney's higher class feel.

 

Attire: during the day tshirts and shorts are acceptable almost anywhere. For dinner, one of the main dining rooms requests that you do not wear shorts or flip-flop type sandals, while the other allows it (unless this has changed lately). Basically, if you can wear the clothes to your local restaurant on land, you can wear them to dinner on NCL.

 

They don't have formal nights per se, but some cruises have a "Dress Up or Not" or "Norwegians Night Out" where about 10% of the people will dress up, mainly because Mom wants a picture with the captain in the atrium with the family all dressed up. You would think that those dressing like they are residents of Downton Abbey would feel self conscious about being "over dressed" but no one really cares. On our Sky cruise I don't recall them announcing one of these nights but I could have missed it ...I won't bring "work clothes" (a suit) on vacation any more.

 

Parking is available at the Port of Miami and is really convenient. There is a parking structure across from the terminal, so you park and take your stuff across the street into the terminal. When we sailed NCL was in Terminal D (actually in the large tan rectangle to the right of Terminal D in the image) and we parked in "Parking Garage C":

 

 

Parking is $20 per night except for handicapped vehicles with a lift, ramp, etc built in ("regular" handicapped vehicles with just a handicapped parking placard pay the $20). Specialized handicapped vehicles with that equipment park free. See http://www.miamidade.gov/portmiami/parking-transportation.asp

 

We parked at the port for convenience's sake and not at one of the private lots. You can save a bit by parking outside the port but we felt the extra money was well spent, especially when we returned and could just walk across the street and get into our car.

[aquarianne11]

We were on the Norwegian Sky last December 15-19, 2014. Of all our 4 cruises with Norwegian, this was our least favorite. We still had fun nonetheless.

 

Like the previous poster mentioned, being a short itinerary there is a bit more of a party atmosphere. That did not bother us all, but it may bother some.

 

Parking --- Very easy process of dropping off luggage with a porter, then parking. Our 4 night cruise cost $80 for parking, totally worth the convenience.

 

Splash Academy/Kids Club --- My daughter love it, as usual. The area is small and nothing fancy like in the newer ships. They have different themes and activities and the kids’ club staff was really great. It is free except for late night babysitting.

 

I hope this helps.

[RuthlessBoss]

I wouldn't come from Canada for a 4 day on SKY. I think you'll get the wrong impression of NCL. Just my opinion. As others say, it can be more partyish than a longer cruise. People try to cram too much into a short cruise with such low prices as SKY offers.

[Nola26]

Your best bet to view cabins is to pull up the ship on the NCL site. An inside cabin that sleeps 4 will have two beds folding out from the wall, not a sofabed configuration. The balcony will give the lower sofa configuration someone described.

 

Kids program club is complimentary with the cruise.

 

Nothing formal for freestyle dining rooms. No tanks or shorts.

 

If you have the time you may also want to consider a longer cruise. Because your kids are free the upcharge to essentially double your cruise may not be that much more.

 

I cruised on the Sky solo in November and loved it. However, I think NCL offers other even more kid friendly ships.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Nola26

[dexddd]

Your best bet to view cabins is to pull up the ship on the NCL site. An inside cabin that sleeps 4 will have two beds folding out from the wall, not a sofabed configuration. The balcony will give the lower sofa configuration someone described.

 

Kids program club is complimentary with the cruise.

 

Nothing formal for freestyle dining rooms. No tanks or shorts.

 

The cruise you select isn't part of NCL's current promotion where your kids are free and you select one other perk. If you can take a longer cruise where the kids are free you may get a better deal. The promotion will be over at the end of February so I'd call soon. For example on our 7 night Getaway cruise you'd save $600 because your kids sail free.

 

Here are the virtual tours from NCL:

 

http://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/sky#staterooms

 

Pick the 360 tours.

 

Those both show one pull down bed and a sofa bed as does Mitsugirly's photos. Which rooms have the two beds on the wall?

[Nola26]

Great corrections!