Celebrity Elite Plus does NCL

[kelmac]

Hello Everyone!

 

My wife and I just returned from a seven day cruise on NCL's Jewel. NCL, right?:eek: The Jewel leaves from Bayport in Houston, TX -- which is a short nonstop flight for us. We were originally going to cruise the Reflection out of Florida, but spring time flight costs were sky high and we were ready to try something different.

 

Little background:

 

Our last NCL cruise was in 2001, out of NYC. I've always thought we would never again cruise with NCL as the food was very mediocre and the whole "Freestyle" thing was lame. A couple of friends recommended we give them another try, as their new ships offered so much more than the "old days" of Norwegian. I agreed my negative thoughts of NCL may be just a bit dated, so off we went. In addition, we've stopped cruising Princess and HAL for a variety of reasons (another thread), so we needed more lines to fill our "rotation".

 

Here is my quick review of our experience:

 

The Good:

 

-- Using the UDP (ultimate dining package, $119 p/p) the food was excellent! We ate three nights in Le Bistro, two nights in Cagney's, one night in Teppanyaki, and one night in La Cucina. This is very hard for me to say, but the beef in Cagney's and Le Bistro was better than anything Celebrity is offering these days. :o I know, very hard to believe.

 

-- We did lunch in the MDR (Tsar's Palace) and it was very good. We also made a couple of visits to O'Sheehan's; basic, but good.

 

-- Entertainment was top notch! After 53 cruises we rarely go to the main theater, but this cruise we only missed two nights. Kind of refreshing. It was packed, and people were in to it! Show times really worked for us.

 

-- Cabin was a little smaller, but well designed. Bright colors; nice bathroom; king size bed! Balcony was standard.

 

-- Over all cost of the cruise was less than other lines, but the "perks" can add up fast. The Haven is off the charts expensive; sort of like the best house in the worst neighborhood.:rolleyes: Can you tell, we aren't suite people?

 

-- A 360º wrap around promenade deck!!!!! :D Celebrity's epic failure -- no true promenade deck. This is a big deal to us! We can only hope the Edge class of ships adds this excellent feature.

 

-- Pleasant, happy and for the most part, professional service thoughout the ship. Great CD and onboard activities.

 

-- No more smoking on their balconies!

 

-- Carry off disembarkation was the best we've experienced. Out our cabin door, off the ship and to a taxi -- 20 minutes total.

 

The Bad:

 

-- Too many people on the ship. There were many areas that felt private, but at times the crowds were ever present.

 

-- Smoking in the Casino, but not as bad as Holland America or Princess.

 

-- The Freestyle still causes problems with the cabin steward matching up with your habits. Many times our cabin was not cleaned until late morning and turn down service was later than we usually returned to our cabin. He was good, but there was no "flow" like you get on Celebrity.

 

-- Smoking stations all over the ship. Seemed like there was one every twenty yards on the promenade deck. Having said that, it wasn't that much of a problem on our cruise.

 

-- Loads of kids, but we expected that. Younger cruisers overall, but it's nice to have that energy. They handle kids better than most lines.

 

-- Everything about the buffet. Stay out of there!

 

The Ugly:

 

-- Embarkation is "en masse" and a very slow.

 

-- NCL is offering it's version of the 1,2,3 Go package. Many families end up with the UDP and are dragging their kids to the alternative restaurants. Not a major problem, but a two year old can change the atmosphere in these venues. Worst night was in Teppanyaki, with seven of the 24 spaces occupied with children under the age of 10.

 

-- The cabin toilet stall -- I'm 6'2" and it's a good thing there was a "pull up bar" or I might have been pinned in there. I'm sure the really big people don't even attempt this space? :eek:

 

Overall, we were very pleased with our experience on the Jewel. It makes the grade and we will be returning to NCL in the future!

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[debnjoe1438]

Glad you enjoyed your trip. Thanks for posting. :)

[mizLORInj]

Hi, thanks for sharing. I do love the promenade deck that goes all the way around the ship on the Jewel class ships (we're just off the Gem but have cruised on Jewel too). A lot of newer ships don't have this feature.

 

Laughing about the toilet stall; yes in a regular cabin it is very small! In a mini-suite on this class of ship you get additional depth in the bathroom overall since there is a bathtub instead of just shower.

 

I do like NCL's entertainment and food too. Although I like their buffet too.

 

I'm also a fan of Celebrity's Solstice class ships. What has happened with Princess that you've stopped cruising them? Our last cruise was in 2011 but I like their ships too.

 

:)

Edited April 9, 2015 by mizlorinj

[NLH Arizona]

As someone who also cruises on Celebrity, glad to see you enjoyed your cruise and will be back to NCL.

[OceanDreaming2]

We are just back from our first Celebrity cruise. Loved the space we had in our standard balcony cabin, but clothing storage space on the NCL ships is better even though the cabins are smaller.

 

Buffet on the Jewel class ships is better than the older NCL ships but Celebrity's buffet was wonderful. Still way too many people to cram their way into a line; you'd think it was going to be their last meal!

 

It was ironic that X had a guy greeting everyone at the dining room entrance with "Happy, Happy"! :rolleyes:

[NLH Arizona]

We are just back from our first Celebrity cruise. Loved the space we had in our standard balcony cabin, but clothing storage space on the NCL ships is better even though the cabins are smaller.

 

Buffet on the Jewel class ships is better than the older NCL ships but Celebrity's buffet was wonderful. Still way too many people to cram their way into a line; you'd think it was going to be their last meal!

 

It was ironic that X had a guy greeting everyone at the dining room entrance with "Happy, Happy"! :rolleyes:

Did you happen to try the pasta bar on Celebrity. It was so great on the Summit in January, I had lunch there almost every day.

[ronandannette]

Hello Everyone!

 

My wife and I just returned from a seven day cruise on NCL's Jewel. NCL, right?:eek: The Jewel leaves from Bayport in Houston, TX -- which is a short nonstop flight for us. We were originally going to cruise the Reflection out of Florida, but spring time flight costs were sky high and we were ready to try something different.

 

Little background:

 

Our last NCL cruise was in 2001, out of NYC. I've always thought we would never again cruise with NCL as the food was very mediocre and the whole "Freestyle" thing was lame. A couple of friends recommended we give them another try, as their new ships offered so much more than the "old days" of Norwegian. I agreed my negative thoughts of NCL may be just a bit dated, so off we went. In addition, we've stopped cruising Princess and HAL for a variety of reasons (another thread), so we needed more lines to fill our "rotation".

 

Here is my quick review of our experience:

 

The Good:

 

-- Using the UDP (ultimate dining package, $119 p/p) the food was excellent! We ate three nights in Le Bistro, two nights in Cagney's, one night in Teppanyaki, and one night in La Cucina. This is very hard for me to say, but the beef in Cagney's and Le Bistro was better than anything Celebrity is offering these days. :o I know, very hard to believe.

-- ...

 

Not hard to believe at all. I've only one Celebrity cruise under my belt but when it came to dining, we honestly thought Celebrity needed to "get over themselves" a little bit. It wasn't anywhere near as superior to other lines as it was hyped to be.

 

Thank you VERY much for posting a current review of an actual NCL cruise. I've been waiting for days to read something other than discourse about fees. Really appreciate your efforts! :D

Edited April 9, 2015 by ronandannette

[OceanDreaming2]

Did you happen to try the pasta bar on Celebrity. It was so great on the Summit in January, I had lunch there almost every day.

 

No I did not, but DH had meatballs several times. He also enjoyed the pizza. My go-to lunch would be a taco salad made with romaine and other veggies and topped with the chili con carne.

[spanishguy1970]

for your review of the Jewel. We are going to be on it in 9 days.:):)

[NLH Arizona]

No I did not, but DH had meatballs several times. He also enjoyed the pizza. My go-to lunch would be a taco salad made with romaine and other veggies and topped with the chili con carne.

 

Celebrity's pasta bar beats NCL's hands down. If you cruise with Celebrity again, try it!!!! I'll have to try the taco salad on my January cruise.

[GrabMyWrist]

Great review. We just sailed the Jewel in November and had a great time. I'm curious though. What was so bad about the embarkation process? Honestly, we thought it was the fastest we've ever experienced. It literally took us less than 30 minutes from dropping off bags to boarding the ship. Full disclosure, we were suite guests. Seattle was much more lengthy to be honest.

[kelmac]

The number one thing I missed was heading up to Celebrity's buffet for fresh waffles + blueberries + whipped cream and British Back Bacon!:p:)

We just skipped breakfast and had an early lunch. The Jewel's buffet was just "packed" with people and nothing looked appealing for breakfast.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[kelmac]

Great review. We just sailed the Jewel in November and had a great time. I'm curious though. What was so bad about the embarkation process? Honestly, we thought it was the fastest we've ever experienced. It literally took us less than 30 minutes from dropping off bags to boarding the ship. Full disclosure, we were suite guests. Seattle was much more lengthy to be honest.

 

Good Morning GMW,

 

Bayport is a great terminal and it is arranged well. There were just two major lines for all us minions. Checking baggage and Xray lines went pretty fast, but several hundred people in each of the two check in lines. About a 45 minute wait after you queued in one of the two lines. Off to the far right side of the terminal you could see the very short suite line.

Perhaps this is a "frame of reference" problem, as I'm Elite Plus with Celebrity and it never takes more than 15 minutes to check in.

 

First world problem! Really was a very small issue for us.:)

[cpj]

I was and elite on Celebrity and went on NCL for the first time last year. I'm hooked I really like the freestyle. And the entertainment and the best casino program on the seas. I'm sure will end up on Celebrity again but NCL new ships are great. Also we had the dinner package and ate in a different place every nite. Going on NCL escape as soon as we can.

[NLH Arizona]

Good Morning GMW,

 

Bayport is a great terminal and it is arranged well. There were just two major lines for all us minions. Checking baggage and Xray lines went pretty fast, but several hundred people in each of the two check in lines. About a 45 minute wait after you queued in one of the two lines. Off to the far right side of the terminal you could see the very short suite line.

Perhaps this is a "frame of reference" problem, as I'm Elite Plus with Celebrity and it never takes more than 15 minutes to check in.

 

First world problem! Really was a very small issue for us.:)

I think being Elite Plus is the difference. I cruise in suites on NCL and it has never taken close to 45 minutes.

[GrabMyWrist]

Good Morning GMW,

 

Bayport is a great terminal and it is arranged well. There were just two major lines for all us minions. Checking baggage and Xray lines went pretty fast, but several hundred people in each of the two check in lines. About a 45 minute wait after you queued in one of the two lines. Off to the far right side of the terminal you could see the very short suite line.

Perhaps this is a "frame of reference" problem, as I'm Elite Plus with Celebrity and it never takes more than 15 minutes to check in.

 

First world problem! Really was a very small issue for us.:)

 

Gotcha! I only asked because I was curious if it was indeed the actual check in process. I found that to be the most frustrating part in Seattle. I swore then, if it was within my grasp, to always book a cabin with priority embarkation. In my opinion, it's an area where NCL really needs to improve. For example, Seattle had roughly 25 +/- windows where they checked people's documents. That said, it took over 40 minutes for us to check in our party of 6. We all had the necessary documentation, passports and relevant info. Way too long, IMO. Makes smiling for the pre ship photo rough....

 

Thanks for answering!

[NH Cruisers]

It is refreashing to see someone who is pretty loyal to another line come on and do an honest review. Thank you.

 

 

The wrap around promenad decks are a must on cruise ships I feel. But I will say my sailing on the Celebrity Solstice as an Aqua class passenger and eating in BLU was a highlight of my 16 cruises on various lines.

[kelmac]

It is refreashing to see someone who is pretty loyal to another line come on and do an honest review. Thank you.

 

 

The wrap around promenad decks are a must on cruise ships I feel. But I will say my sailing on the Celebrity Solstice as an Aqua class passenger and eating in BLU was a highlight of my 16 cruises on various lines.

 

Thanks NHC,

 

We've been in Aqua Class twice and it is something special, without paying the Haven or Princess Grills (Cunard) prices. Blu is just what we like, "small amounts of high quality food". The Queen Mary 2 has the best 360º wrap around teak-wood promenade deck. I wish Celebrity would consider this in their next class of ships!!

But yes, NCL was surprisingly excellent for the price paid! Their new ships are being built in Meyer Werft, which is where the S-class ships were constructed. We are cruising one of the new Q-class ships of Royal Caribbean, which were also built there. Does the newer class of NCL ships have a promenade deck?

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[GrabMyWrist]

The Getaway, Breakaway and Escape do for sure. Though from what I read, they are different from promenades on other cruise lines.

[Susie51]

Thank you for sharing your point of view with us.

[polySeraph]

My wife and I just returned from a seven day cruise on NCL's Jewel. NCL, right?:eek: The Jewel leaves from Bayport in Houston, TX -- which is a short nonstop flight for us. . . .

 

The Good:

 

-- Using the UDP (ultimate dining package, $119 p/p) the food was excellent! We ate three nights in Le Bistro, two nights in Cagney's, one night in Teppanyaki, and one night in La Cucina. This is very hard for me to say, but the beef in Cagney's and Le Bistro was better than anything Celebrity is offering these days. :o I know, very hard to believe.

 

-- Entertainment was top notch! After 53 cruises we rarely go to the main theater, but this cruise we only missed two nights. Kind of refreshing. It was packed, and people were in to it! Show times really worked for us.

 

 

The Bad:

 

-- Smoking stations all over the ship. Seemed like there was one every twenty yards on the promenade deck. Having said that, it wasn't that much of a problem on our cruise.

 

-- Loads of kids, but we expected that. Younger cruisers overall, but it's nice to have that energy. They handle kids better than most lines.

 

The Ugly:

 

-- Embarkation is "en masse" and a very slow.

 

Overall, we were very pleased with our experience on the Jewel. It makes the grade and we will be returning to NCL in the future!

 

Hi Kel, Thanks for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed your experience. I am an NCL Platinum Latitudes member and I've just returned from my first cruise aboard Celebrity. It was interesting to see your comparison of the two lines since I've just been looking at them in reverse. I've excerpted your post so I can reply to specific portions of it.

 

-- We really enjoyed our experience in the MDR on the Infinity and would rate it as a better overall experience than NCL's MDR. Having said that, we've received many very good meals in the NCL MDR (maybe because, having cruised NCL a lot, we know what they do well and what to avoid). What we do on NCL is eat some of our evening meals in the MDR - depending on what's on the menu that night - and the rest we eat in a specialty restaurant. On the Infinity we ate dinner in the SS United States twice and lunch in Bistro on 5 once. We liked the SS United States but we probably wouldn't have liked it if we had paid $50/person (yowser!); we were able to get a substantial discount. Bistro on 5 was a fun change of pace.

 

-- I agree that the entertainment aboard NCL is top-notch. That is what we missed the most on our recent Celebrity cruise, We did like Celebrity's daytime Beyond the Podium series. DH found a Latin duo that played in the lounges that he liked, but nothing else really had that wow-factor and I spent a lot of evenings entertaining myself in my cabin by organizing and editing my photos.

 

-- One thing we really missed on the Infinity was NCL's emphasis on local entertainment. On our longer NCL cruises, we've often been treated to entertainment that reflected the itinerary. In Turkey we had Turkish folk dancers, in Scotland, bagpipes, in Argentina, a gaucho, etc.

 

-- We did appreciate Celebrity's relatively smoke-free environment. Out of long habit, we avoid the casinos - not even to walk through them on our way to somewhere else - and we were about halfway through the cruise before we realized that we could walk through the casino without holding our breath.

 

-- The kids may be more a function of the time of year and the length of the cruise. On our longer NCL cruises we've had as few as 10 kids aboard.

 

-- The chaotic embarkation may be more of a function of the cruise terminal (and the time of year) than the cruise line. It may also be due to the different levels of the loyalty program. On NCL we are platinum and embarkation always seemed to go smoothly. On our recent Celebrity cruise, embarkation was chaotic and somewhat painful. I'm not sure whether it was due to the cruise terminal (Valparaiso, Chile) or due to the fact that we waited in a long line with others with no loyalty status.

 

There were a couple of things that we really enjoyed aboard the Infinity. We felt the shore excursions team did an excellent job of managing the departure of shore excursions. We've already mentioned the excellent lecture series. I know it's a little thing, but it was nice to be greeted with champagne during embarkation.

 

On the other hand, we didn't like Celebrity's laundry prices and could have really used one of those stuff-a-bag laundry specials. We heard that higher levels in the loyalty program received discount coupons, but for us it was full price. $2.75 to wash a pair of socks? Really?

 

We did enjoy our two-weeks aboard the Infinity, and being itinerary cruisers, if Celebrity is able to take us where we want to go, we'll be happy to consider them in the future.

Edited April 10, 2015 by polySeraph

[OceanDreaming2]

 

 

On the other hand, we didn't like Celebrity's laundry prices and could have really used one of those stuff-a-bag laundry specials. We heard that higher levels in the loyalty program received discount coupons, but for us it was full price. $2.75 to wash a pair of socks? Really?

 

We were just on the Equinox. A laundry special - all you could fit in the paper bag - was noted in the Daily, but the price of $45 was far more than NCL's $25. We'd asked our steward if a laundry special was being offered just the day before and he said it was not available. Apparently, no one had been taking up the offer on previous cruises.

[klingoncruiser]

Nice post. We are also on the top of the food chain for Celebrity, but have not been on one now for years. (No ships near us and prices are out of line when I do look.) We have really grown to like what NCL has right now. Good to keep trying just in case. We nearly wrote off Celebrity forever after our first cruise so I know what you are saying.

[polySeraph]

We were just on the Equinox. A laundry special - all you could fit in the paper bag - was noted in the Daily, but the price of $45 was far more than NCL's $25. We'd asked our steward if a laundry special was being offered just the day before and he said it was not available. Apparently, no one had been taking up the offer on previous cruises.

 

 

I had been paying attention to the threads about laundry over on the Celebrity forum before my cruise. My impression from those threads was that sometimes they offered the special and sometimes they didn't. I would have been happy to pay $45 to get a bag of laundry washed. I watched the Celebrity Today very closely for any laundry specials and didn't see any advertised. I heard from other roll call members (in higher tiers of the loyalty program) that they had received coupons for laundry in their welcome-aboard packets.

 

Still, it was a wonderful cruise on a very comfortable ship.

[OceanBlue123]

Just an FYI ... On the Gem last week laundry is now $27.95. Still a bargain vs. Celebrity, but another little 10% increase in cost sneeking in.