So what we can expect NCL to be like compared to NCL 10 years ago?

[RMLincoln]

We’re booked on NCL Jade for October but I’m getting a little nervous about NCL with the recent changes and charges. We enjoyed our cruise on NCL Sun in 2005, our 3rd/4th cruises, a B2B out of Houston. It was OK for us then but we were pretty inexperienced – had been on Carnival Spirit to Alaska and then Regal Princess (the old one, gone now) through the Panama Canal, loved them both….. Somehow we always found alternatives to NCL and wound up not booking with again until now.

We didn’t like that NCL constantly pushed their drinks, like every couple of minutes when we were at the pool or listening to music. Now other lines are doing that more than they used to too. But other than that we felt it was good for what we needed, an inexpensive break from building a house.

They did upgrade us to an OV room from an Inside; on NCL Sun that meant we had a loveseat couch which was nicer than nothing to sit on besides the one Spartan chrome chair that went with the other very Spartan furnishings – no drawer in the night stand to put things away was annoying. But the crew was very attentive. The room steward even brought us bathrobes when I asked – I didn’t know we weren’t supposed to get them – had had them on Carnival and Princess so I thought it was normal. Do most people bring their own for going to the pool and hot tub?

We enjoyed the regular dining room just fine. We did ok with the buffet for breakfast and lunch even though they kept running out of juice glasses. The waffles were great – best I’ve had on a ship. The other lines are cutting back on main dining room and buffet hours too but it’s still nice on all the lines we’ve been using – Holland America, Princess, Carnival, and Celebrity, some better than others.

We liked the violin, bass and piano trio very much in 2005, but I’m guessing NCL doesn’t have anything like that anymore… the other lines are cutting back or cutting out classical music. What other music might we expect now? Is the lounge music in the evenings enjoyable or is it so loud to drive us away?

So, is the main dining room fare still decent? Do they have “available every night selections”? DH likes to have the salmon or a steak if there’s nothing else appealing to him and all the other lines we’ve used had these – not sure how NCL does this.

Is there a hamburger place, maybe near the pool? and pizza to had mid-afternoon? Ice cream?

I know we won’t get pillow chocolates on this, our third NCL cruise, and there’s no more beautiful chocolate buffet. And now room service is charged for… but we will have a basic balcony - Will there be a lounge chair on the balcony? – for a 16 night transatlantic and I’m hoping you all can remind me of the good things we can look forward to! Thanks, m—

PS I re-read this and I really don’t want to sound negative; for all the cruise we’ve been on I’ve always said, “It’s hard to have a bad day on a cruise ship!” and I’m sure NCL will be good, just wondering what to expect now after all these years, I know change happens.

[RuthlessBoss]

Expect your worries were unfounded. NCL is NCL. They have their own way of giving a good cruise that's not cookie cutter.

[TrumpyNor]

We have been cruising almost "exclusively" with NCL since 2003, and are still enjoying them - especially the Freestyle cruising concept (dinner when I want, where I want with whom I want).

 

I can at least answer some of your questions:

* Bathrobes are standard in all cabins except inside and ocean view.

* Our last NCL cruise was on the Pearl (in October 2014), and they had a string quartet playing at the Champagne Bar next to Le Bistro almost every day - classical music. In addition there was one guy with a guitar who was playing/singing several times during the cruise - in different venues (incl. the pool deck). And one couple who were singing popular songs from the 1960-1970-1980ies almost every evening, one of them with a guitar. Also this took place at the Champagne Bar, and they alternated with a "piano-man-singer" in the evenings. I am guessing that the musical entertainment is similar on most NCL-ships - except the new "mega-ships" that have maybe more "headliners".

* I found that the quality of the food served in the MDR decreased a little 4-5 years ago - compared to how it was earlier, so then we started having all of our dinners in specialty restaurants (we are "foodies"). On the Pearl last October, we did have the Dining Package, so we didn't try the dinners in MDR. But I heard many say that they now have new menus, and that the food was much better now than it has been in the last few years. The menu is larger now - but they still have a section of it that is available every day.

* We have never been "disturbed" about waiters asking too often to refill our drinks - in my opinion it is better to ask one to many times than the opposite...

* On the Jade (like on many other Jewel class ships), they have an outdoor section of the buffet restaurant in the back, where they usually serve hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, etc. You can find the same plus some more items (but made to order) at the Blue Lagoon restaurant, almost 24h per day.

 

Hope this helps.

[luv2swimwdolphins]

I just (this am) came of the Gem. I had a fantastic cruise. Yes, there were some tender issues (water was bit rough and caused delays. I didn't go, I stayed on boat but people were chatting) but I had a fabulous time. No issues w crew and actually had some "vacation heroes" that made it fantastic. The bands are FABULOUS!! I did one main dining room dinner and it was very good. I did not have an issue w any of the new "rules". Yes, I noticed small things here and there, but SOOOO not worth mentioning. To do so would make me petty.

 

Was it a Crystal Cruise, no? But if I wanted that, I would have booked it.

 

 

You'll have a fabulous time! You will have a chair on your balcony and maybe you will have meet a vacation hero of your own!

[fshagan]

I don't think you'll notice many changes overall. There's a list of them in a thread, and they really boil down to five or six changes related to pricing / cost items:

 

 

1. There is a $7.95 room service fee except for a very limited continental breakfast menu that is served only in the mornings.
   
2. Auto-gratuities on drinks have been increased from 15% to 18%.
   
3. Auto-gratuities of 18% have been added to the specialty restaurant cover charge.
   
4. Children in specialty restaurants now pay the full cover charge instead of 50% of the cover charge.
   
5. The daily service fee named "DSC" has been increased from $12 per day to $12.95 for non-suite passengers (and increased to $14.95 for suite passengers).
   
6. The "dinner show" like "Illusionarium" is no longer included on the first night of your cruise if you buy the Ultimate Dining Package.
   

Keep those extra costs in mind if they apply to you (normally order room service, have children and eat in specialty restaurants, etc.) Some have commented that their other cruise lines charge more for drinks or the specialty restaurants, so the increased costs don't bother them (RCCL passengers primarily). Others say NCL still presents a good value even with the increased costs.

 

As to your specific questions:

 

Pestering about drinks: On our last three NCL cruises we were rarely asked about buying drinks. And, generally speaking, once we refused in a venue like the theater, we weren't asked again by the person working that area. In fact, on one of the "I'll never cruise NCL again!" threads the person was complaining that they were NOT asked if they wanted a drink frequently. So you may be pleasantly surprised on this point.

 

Cabin sizes: Compared to Princess and Disney, the NCL cabin sizes are smaller, especially the inside cabins. While still smaller than the other lines we have been on, the size of the balcony and above cabins on NCL are A-OK for us.

 

Robes: Except when we have stayed in suites, we have never had robes included when we first boarded. But if you ask your steward they will always bring them for you in our experience.

 

Music: On our last three cruises there were still trios and quartets playing classical and jazz music in lounges and the atrium area of the ship. I think the live music on NCL is superior and more available than on either Princess or Disney (although it has been a while since we cruised Princess). We found the music, including the pop music played at other times by live musicians, not too loud. Up on the pool deck it gets louder with the recorded music (we tend to avoid that area if possible, but like to watch the White Hot or Glow party when they throw those). If they have the dueling pianos show take a look at it; we found it to be a lot of fun (all pop and country music, of course, but it was amazing to see three musicians that could play nearly any song someone requested).

 

Balcony Size: We were on the Jade and the balcony was larger than on the newest ships, but you would not be able to fit a lounger on it (or at least, not two of them). A sitting chair and a small table between them is about it.

 

Dining Options: I think NCL does this best. Like you, we usually eat in the MDR and other areas, with only one or two specialty restaurants. On the Epic, we made frequent use of O'Sheehans, a place serving pub style food like burgers, fish and chips, pot pies, etc. We found it very good. The MDR still has "evergreen" choices in case the new entrees don't appeal to you. I'm not sure O'Sheehans has made it onto the Jade or not; it will be the Blue Lagoon or something if not (they always have a complementary casual food place available). There are also burgers, pizza and hot dogs served at lunch times in the pool deck area, and often a bar-be-que on the pool deck at lunch on selected days.

 

The Jade has "The Great Outdoors" aft of the buffet area that also has some offerings separate from the buffet, but open less frequently. It is a great outdoor area to eat on nice days.

 

We were in a suite on the Jade, so I don't know if this is true on it, but on every other NCL ship there was always a place to get a fresh made omelet for breakfast; on the Sun it was in one of the specialty restaurants or bars that they renamed and opened for breakfast. They made waffles there too, one at a time, and my wife thought they were great.

 

Daily Activities: We think NCL does these best, with plenty to do all of the time. We were bored on our last Disney cruise that had three sea days, and Princess always seemed a little too staid and buttoned down for us.

 

The Jade is a wonderful, perfectly sized ship, and our favorite among the NCL ships we have been on. We loved sitting on our balcony, or strolling around the ship on the promenade deck (something that a lot of newer ships no longer have). There is a great little bridge viewing room that has some plaques and information about the ship ... she was first commissioned to sail the Hawai'ian Islands as Pride of Hawai'i (I think that was the name!) She has been serving the European market for the last few years and it's good to see her back.

 

Ignore most of the extreme negativity that you read on CC. It has become unnecessarily negative and rude lately.

[Dr. Cocktail]

Many people have a favourite cruise line and then frequently negatively compare it to other lines that they have been on.

 

I think it's important to take advantage of what a particular cruise line is known for - be it the entertainment, service or dining.

 

While you asked about the main dining room, NCL offers the widest array of reasonably priced specialty restaurants in the industry. On a 16 night transatlantic, the ability to dine in a different restaurant every night and only repeat a little more than twice is a really nice treat.

[drvalo]

I didn't cruise on NCL as long ago as you did, but we have cruised every year since 2008. The added fees others have mentioned, may or may not affect you.

 

I think the main changes you will notice since your last cruise on NCL are the multiple eating alternatives. There does seem to be a bit of a less quality issue with the MDR, but, honestly, we find the food there fine and rarely have we had service issues. If we did, we let someone know and it was made right. They do have the available every night menu.

 

The buffet is really excellent. I have not cruised with other lines, but many people who have have mentioned that it superior as compared to some other lines. They have soft serve ice cream there from lunch time until about 10:00 PM. They also now have some flavored waters and lemonade in addition to coffee, tea and water. We love the Great Outdoors area to eat aft behind the buffet. The Jade has that similarly to the Sun. It's quiet (as opposed to the pool deck with the band blaring) and you can either bring your lunch from the buffet or grab something from the limited options out there. It's also where you can usually find burgers, fries and pizza (although sometimes they have the grill going on the pool deck). Or just get a drink and enjoy the views of the port or the wake.

 

There are also a number of additional charge restaurants. Some people buy the dining package, but, I would not do that. We are not always that hungry and you may really like the free options (MDR, OSheehan's/Blue Lagoon, buffet, Great Outdoors, Asian). You will not know if you don't try them. If you want to go to one of the upcharge restaurants for a few nights, it will be an option, but you don't feel like you HAVE to go because you bought the package. Or perhaps it's not available on TA cruises.

 

The entertainment has gotten better, I believe. There is music everywhere, often acoustic guitar or piano in a lounge, and the shows are often great!

 

We have noticed less of a push to sell you things including drinks and those pull tabs, although the bingo and art aution announcements are still frequent in the public spaces, but you will not hear them in your cabin. That has seemed to be definite improvement.

 

There are lots of things to do during the day as well. We always enjoy the trivia, the golf putting, and other little games. It's a great way to make friends on the cruise. The only ship where we were ever bored during the day was the Epic. I think the smaller ships do a really nice job of providing fun activities for all ages all day.

 

Have a great cruise!!! I would just love all those sea days on a Jewel class ship!!!

Edited May 30, 2015 by drvalo

[newmexicoNita]

i am not going to answer your concerns or questions one by one, but I will give you a quick overall view of today versus 10 years ago and today's ships compared to the Sun.

 

We love the Sun but the newer ships are prettier; cabins a tiny bit smaller

The choice of specialty dining rooms, even with the extra charges makes NCL appealing to us. We don't eat in them every night, but it is fun once in awhile.

The service is the same as it was 10 years ago. If you were happy then, you will be now.

The food, to us has actually improved over the past few years. I can't say better than 10 years ago, I really don't remember back that far. the buffets have improved

Service wise, a few people have reported and I have to agree, service in the MDR can be hit or miss.

The entertainmnet is still great and there is some going on almost all the time, from early or mid afternoon.

There is an much to do as always, if you really want to stay busy there is no reason to be bored.

 

Yes, the new fees can be a shocker if you are not prepared, but you are and I really don't think, overall it should affect anyone's cruise experience unless they make an issue out of finding the negative.

 

As someone said, it isn' Crystal but you are not paying luxury liner prices and I love the relaxed and friendly attitude displayed both by the crew and most passengers.

 

Yes, we are true NLC loyalists, but for good reason. We have cruised, and yes, in the past 10 years on all the mass marketed lines. NCL fits our personality the most. The one line we have not cruised in the past decade is Carnival.

[jenseib]

NCL is changing their main dining room menus, supposedly for the better.

Norwegian Cruise Line to announce

 

"NEW Complimentary Dining Menus Fleet wide by July 1st, 2015

The goal of this investment is to be able offer the BEST complimentary and specialty dining choices in the mass market cruise market. By July 1st, 2015, every single complimentary dining venue on all Norwegian vessels will boast new and improved dining menus and choice."

[Smellytoes]

NCL is changing their main dining room menus, supposedly for the better.

Norwegian Cruise Line to announce

 

"NEW Complimentary Dining Menus Fleet wide by July 1st, 2015

The goal of this investment is to be able offer the BEST complimentary and specialty dining choices in the mass market cruise market. By July 1st, 2015, every single complimentary dining venue on all Norwegian vessels will boast new and improved dining menus and choice."

 

I hope they actually improve the menu and not downgrade it and try to tell us it's an improvement.

[jenseib]

I hope they actually improve the menu and not downgrade it and try to tell us it's an improvement.

 

Well they are claiming it will be improved! ;)

[mking8288]

Well they are claiming it will be improved! ;)

Right, food is highly subjective. Using last week's free Asian Fusion Restaurant menu on the GEM as a comparative case study, it is "new" and it is "different" but personally, I have a slight difference in opinion about what has been "improved" vs. what has been eliminated / discontinued / no longer offered. Serving beef meatballs with spaghetti in the MDR for dinner did not impress us one bit and I seriously doubt that they serve that on O & R ships unless it's a special request. These are the same standards & principles that I use when I do reviews for another major online travel site widely read.

-

Of course, not knowing their food costs budgeted then and now, I can't conclusively claim it is a cost reduction or downgrade - which is opposite of their pledge. Besides, the clock hasn't run out yet and they still have 30 days remaining to continue their trial and error. Let's try to keep the discussion about the complimentary dining options on the ships as I expect disagreements, really.

-

Now, I know with the ongoing domestic US bird flu crisis (mostly midwestern states) and sharp rise in the wholesale costs of eggs, which are consumed in massive quantitites daily across the fleet - it would be part of a bigger challenge to stay within budget. Let's be open & honest, tell us about a seasonal breakfast surcharge - much like the fuel surcharged, indexed if it rise above xyz per dozen.

[bangzoom6877]

NCL is changing their main dining room menus, supposedly for the better.

Norwegian Cruise Line to announce

 

"NEW Complimentary Dining Menus Fleet wide by July 1st, 2015

The goal of this investment is to be able offer the BEST complimentary and specialty dining choices in the mass market cruise market. By July 1st, 2015, every single complimentary dining venue on all Norwegian vessels will boast new and improved dining menus and choice."

 

When and where was this announced? We are cruising July 19th on the BA and I have read the MDR dinner menus that began last summer. They looked really great, so I hope they don't have fewer choices or water down the menus.

[NLH Arizona]

When and where was this announced? We are cruising July 19th on the BA and I have read the MDR dinner menus that began last summer. They looked really great, so I hope they don't have fewer choices or water down the menus.

From a post on on April 27th:

 

Here's a portion of an email that just came from our sales rep...

 

 

I’ve just returned from our Partner’s First Symposium Meeting in Miami and couldn’t be more excited to be with Norwegian at this point. With our new CEO, Frank Del Rio, and President, Andy Stuart, we’ve assembled one of the strongest travel partner advocated hierarchies in the industry. Listed below were some of the focuses during our meetings in Miami:

 

• We will be announcing refurbishments of 5 ships in the near future.

• Frank Del Rio has set a precedent that Norwegian Cruise Line will have the Best Culinary Options (Specialty and Complimentary) in the mass market industry.

o We will be delivering entirely new menus, fleet wide, by July 1st, 2015

• Norwegian Escape will be debuting in November 2014 and we’ve set records for consecutive sold out sailings to debut a new ship.

• With the acquisition of Prestige Cruise Holdings, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings now boasts one of the strongest lineups of vessels in the industry. The cross selling opportunities within the Norwegian Family are perfect for any cruise guest (mass market, premium, luxury, ultra-luxury, budget, etc.)

[graphicguy]

Expect your worries were unfounded. NCL is NCL. They have their own way of giving a good cruise that's not cookie cutter.

 

Smartest post here....:)

[cadien]

This post from a recent Gem trip shows the current MDR "available every night" selections and the choices were the same on our recent Star cruise. It's flounder now instead of salmon but I believe posters have said that's a recent change. Maybe they'll put the salmon back as one of the upgrades.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46683286&postcount=445

[MCAT48]

NCL is changing their main dining room menus, supposedly for the better.

Norwegian Cruise Line to announce

 

"NEW Complimentary Dining Menus Fleet wide by July 1st, 2015

The goal of this investment is to be able offer the BEST complimentary and specialty dining choices in the mass market cruise market. By July 1st, 2015, every single complimentary dining venue on all Norwegian vessels will boast new and improved dining menus and choice."

 

 

 

Well I hope they change some of the specialty menus. Le bistro needs an update I my opinion. I feel like it's the same menu since I've started cruising 5 years ago. It used to be my favorite but I'm over it now. I will not be going there until they change the menu. They really should be able to change the menus around at least once a year for repeat customers...it shouldn't be such a big to-do. That's just my opinion.

 

Honestly, All I really want is for them to bring back the brownie sundae [emoji24].

[jenseib]

When and where was this announced? We are cruising July 19th on the BA and I have read the MDR dinner menus that began last summer. They looked really great, so I hope they don't have fewer choices or water down the menus.

 

I read it in an email from a sales rep as well.

[newmexicoNita]

Right, food is highly subjective. Using last week's free Asian Fusion Restaurant menu on the GEM as a comparative case study, it is "new" and it is "different" but personally, I have a slight difference in opinion about what has been "improved" vs. what has been eliminated / discontinued / no longer offered. Serving beef meatballs with spaghetti in the MDR for dinner did not impress us one bit and I seriously doubt that they serve that on O & R ships unless it's a special request. These are the same standards & principles that I use when I do reviews for another major online travel site widely read.

-

Of course, not knowing their food costs budgeted then and now, I can't conclusively claim it is a cost reduction or downgrade - which is opposite of their pledge. Besides, the clock hasn't run out yet and they still have 30 days remaining to continue their trial and error. Let's try to keep the discussion about the complimentary dining options on the ships as I expect disagreements, really.

-

Now, I know with the ongoing domestic US bird flu crisis (mostly midwestern states) and sharp rise in the wholesale costs of eggs, which are consumed in massive quantitites daily across the fleet - it would be part of a bigger challenge to stay within budget. Let's be open & honest, tell us about a seasonal breakfast surcharge - much like the fuel surcharged, indexed if it rise above xyz per dozen.

 

It will be interesting. As I said earlier today, we felt our Pearl cruise last month had better food than our Dawn cruise last year or the Sun cruise last year. As for the Asian, well, we were disappointed, but must have been dreaming if we thought it would be just like it was when we paid a sur charge. Hopefully, when the new menu comes out, they will improve the Asian restaurant some: mayb 1/2 between the olden days and the new, free days.

 

I agree with you, we all have to take into consideration the rise in cost of food, especially beef and of course eggs. If we want to keep the price of cruising down, we have to give up something.

 

I do wonder if the new menu will affect the specialty dining rooms. I am very happy with what the offer now. I might be unhappy if I cruised constantly, but we cruise once or twice a year.Even if the specialty dining rooms remain the same, I will still enjoy each of them. To me, eating at Le Bistro is the height of our cruise; well almost.

Edited May 31, 2015 by newmexicoNita

[RMLincoln]

Thank you all for your great replies. You really do give me a better feel for the current NCL environment. I'm quite impressed to hear that at least some NCL ships still have some classical music. We are never bored on a cruise so I'm sure we will find things to enjoy.

 

Very good to hear that the MCR offerings are still generally good. We may try an alternative restaurant or two this time around since so many folks seem to enjoy them.

 

I had forgotten that NCL's entertainment was really a cut above back then and it sounds like it still is. We always try the shows.

 

The balcony may not be spacious but we got that category room for me because I wanted a couch in the room and I will enjoy the big view windows even if it's too cold to sit outside (Oct 29 - Nov 14). This TransAtlantic itinerary is mostly sea days - only 3 port calls, Canary Islands, St Thomas, Miami, so we may have at least some warm weather.

 

I was very pleased to see that there is a library! Even those seem to be going away on many lines and many ships to make room for more revenue-making functions, not that I'm against ships making money. On a very long touring trip as we are making it is very hard to pack light, so my reading material is more on my tablet but it will be nice to get a real book to read during the crossing.

 

Trivia is a favorite for social time for me - win or not, it's fun. I'm excited about our choice of this NCL return cruise and I am looking forward to this as a fun and relaxing time after a hectic set of tours in Europe. I am confident that they will take good care of us.

 

Thank you all for sharing your insights and experiences. m--

[bangzoom6877]

I wonder how the new menus will look for the MDR. Like others have said, I also wonder if the specialty restaurant menus will be different, especially Le Bistro. Their current menu looks like the same menu we had there on the Jewel 4 years ago, and DH and I really loved that dinner. Hopefully it's still just as good or better than it is now...we have a dinner reserved there just the two of us. We also have Cagney's reserved for all of us and I'm curious to see how that menu will change as well, especially with all the recent talk about possible major changes at Cagney's. We've never eaten there, but our sons both really love steak so we thought it would be nice to take them there to eat dinner one night.

 

I also hope that since the new menus will only be less than 3 weeks old when we sail, that the restaurant staff knows what they're doing in regard to the new menus. But on the Jewel cruise we went on in July 2011, they had updated their menus shortly before that cruise as well, and the service was wonderful. You wouldn't have known that they weren't working with the same menus for months or years, based on the service in the MDR or Le Bistro.

[SteveH2508]

I am curious - my understanding of the 'new' MDR menus was that they were being rolled out fleet-wide and would be in place across all of the fleet by mid 2015.

 

Are they now talking about more/different new menus or are these the ones we have seen on most ships already?

 

Could this be a bit of 'marketing spin'?

[fshagan]

I was very pleased to see that there is a library! Even those seem to be going away on many lines and many ships to make room for more revenue-making functions, not that I'm against ships making money. On a very long touring trip as we are making it is very hard to pack light, so my reading material is more on my tablet but it will be nice to get a real book to read during the crossing.

 

The library on the Jade was very nice. The librarian is only there limited hours, so the books remain locked up when she is not there, but the space itself is very relaxing and quiet to sit and read. Our suite was right below the library and we never noticed any wild partying above us! LOL.

[RMLincoln]

The library on the Jade was very nice. The librarian is only there limited hours, so the books remain locked up when she is not there, but the space itself is very relaxing and quiet to sit and read. Our suite was right below the library and we never noticed any wild partying above us! LOL.

 

Great to have a librarian too! I doubt the limited hours will be an issue when we have 12 or 13 sea days! And with that many sea days there might just be a chance of wild party ;0 m--