How is the NCL cruise experience after the FSC & free passenger promos?

[maywell]

I am not trying to give you a hard time but, I don't understand. What does the fact that one cruise was in August and another was in November have anything to do with the OP's question? The only difference I can see(besides the length of the cruises) is the fact that one was before the UBP and one was after. Why would the month of the cruise matter in any way?

It matters because less people go in a month when school is in session (November ) than the month or holiday week when school's out (August). Even if the adults don't have kids, still see too many people on a cruise ship because it's summer time or a holiday compare to fall or winter with no holiday in it. Has nothing to do with drinks or promos - more to do with timing and schedules.

 

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[TraJon9]

It just makes sense there are less kids in school season. We never vacation during peak weeks. So when we go it is always a nice mixture of guests. We usually travel as two adults, in our 4Os'. Would I go in August? Free, sure. On my own dollar, no. Has nothing to do with NCL, it has to do with parents having limited time off with their kids.

 

I love the drink package being "free". I am not a big drinker, coffee calls my name more often. But we do drink wine at dinner, have a few drinks around the pool here and there. Even some virgin frozen cocktails in the heat of the day. On a recent cruise to Bermuda (first week in a June, NEastern children still in school, we ran into one completely drunk girl. I am betting free drinks or not she would have been that way regardless.

 

Just because a drink package is offered doesn't mean I change my habits and become trashed. I think most of us adults can handle ourselves and not ruin our own vacations being hungover.

 

And our week cruising the 3rd and 4th person were half off.

 

We pay for speciality dining because that is what we choose to do. That is the point of choices and freestyle. I enjoy the mix of ages, families, etc. I can't play in the kids pool and they can't go to vibe. I enjoy the casinos, some would tell me it is a waste to gamble.

[snoozcroozr]

No offense, if that's how you feel before even stepping on the ship - maybe you should reconsider sailing on that line. And this is true even if the cruise company is Royal or Carnival. A megaship cruise of 3000+ passengers, just doesn't seem to be a good fit for you since you're being overly ridiculous about the occupancy numbers and stuff....[emoji52]

 

I am assuming worse case scenario, given that they already gave into the fact that they have to squeeze themselves into the small rooms (compared to land based resorts), that squeezing 3 or 4 people would be more of the same.

 

We sail NCL mainly because of its freestyle dining and dress code, along with the fact that it sails right off manhattan... don't have to head to industrial neighborhoods like bayone or red hook, which we had to when sailing Princess.

 

OP, as far as the capacity of the specialty restaurants, a few have reported an issue gettin the times they want. Suggestion, if you know which restaurant and time, book on line 100 day prior to sailing if in a suite, 90 if in a non-suite.

 

In my cruises, I've haven't see a lot of drunks on the ships, maybe one here and one there.

 

Book 100 days in advance? I don't even plan my vacations that far in advance, even if it is a complicated multi-destination trip half way around the world. And I just wing all my frequent regional ski trips by feel based on the weather in the coming days or week. My mgr gives me a hard time on that.

 

I usually book specialty restaurants based on the daily menu of the MDR, and that I think comes out after lunch if I am not mistaken. Does NCL publish their daily MDR menus ahead of time?

 

 

As for drinks, even in AI resorts, I might only have 4 or 5 drinks a day, given most of our day, we are off doing activities. On the ship,with the excursions, I usually drink even less. I see the heavy drinkers in the AI resorts, but they usually just linger around the bar the whole day and run around and create scenes everywhere, but then I don't go during spring breaks.

Edited October 16, 2015 by snoozcroozr

[maywell]

I am assuming worse case scenario, given that they already gave into the fact that they have to squeeze themselves into the small rooms (compared to land based resorts), that squeezing 3 or 4 people would be more of the same.

 

We sail NCL mainly because of its freestyle dining and dress code, along with the fact that it sails right off manhattan... don't have to head to industrial neighborhoods like bayone or red hook, which we had to when sailing Princess.

 

 

 

Book 100 days in advance? I don't even plan my vacations that far in advance, even if it is a complicated multi-destination trip half way around the world. And I just wing all my frequent regional ski trips by feel based on the weather in the coming days or week. My mgr gives me a hard time on that.

 

I usually book specialty restaurants based on the daily menu of the MDR, and that I think comes out after lunch if I am not mistaken. Does NCL publish their daily MDR menus ahead of time?

 

 

As for drinks, even in AI resorts, I might only have 4 or 5 drinks a day, given most of our day, we are off doing activities. On the ship,with the excursions, I usually drink even less. I see the heavy drinkers in the AI resorts, but they usually just linger around the bar the whole day and run around and create scenes everywhere, but then I don't go during spring breaks.

 

*Facepalm* You had no problem with going on a Princess cruise that squeezes 3-4 in rooms with less deck public space to spread out but you have a problem with a big NCL ship that has more space? Just stick to the Gem, it's similar to a Princess ship.

 

And the port happens to be in industrial part of Manhattan too - the park and water just masks the dirty Santiation building, car deals hips and highway right next to it so well....[emoji57]

 

Regarding the menus - it's on the TV screens when you it turn on to look at your onboard account. It's also found on all TV screens / kiosks throughout the ship, outside the restaurants and at Guest Services too.

 

Don't compare heavy drinkers - the service charges and fare prices before boarding literally screened out most of the drunkards out from NCL anyway. One or 2 drunk people who can't handle their liquor is NOT a whole ship of 4000 well-behaving people - don't confuse the bad behavior of AI resorts guests and antic's of few posters on this forum like it's speaks for whole actual NCL passengers. Because they don't.

 

Why don't you look at pictures or videos of the Breakaway especially when its "crowded" like beyondships2.com or YouTube 1st before rambling off how terrible the "overcrowding" is. Because the only time that ship is crowded when school is in session, is embark day. Otherwise, it's spaced out and not crowded even during dinner time or disembark.

 

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[NLH Arizona]

 

 

 

Book 100 days in advance? I don't even plan my vacations that far in advance, even if it is a complicated multi-destination trip half way around the world. And I just wing all my frequent regional ski trips by feel based on the weather in the coming days or week. My mgr gives me a hard time on that.

 

I usually book specialty restaurants based on the daily menu of the MDR, and that I think comes out after lunch if I am not mistaken. Does NCL publish their daily MDR menus ahead of time?

.

no one is saying you have to book 100 days out. Some do plan ahead and this is a great option for them.

 

Don't think they publish the menus for MDR ahead of time, but to some it wouldn't matter what the MDR is serving. As for me, I don't eat in the MDR, only specialty restaurants and I'm sure others do that as well.

[hawkeyetlse]

I usually book specialty restaurants based on the daily menu of the MDR, and that I think comes out after lunch if I am not mistaken. Does NCL publish their daily MDR menus ahead of time?

At the end of each evening's service they post the menu for the next day's dinner outside the MDR. Or at the beginning of the cruise you can ask one of the head waiters to show you the menus for the whole cruise.

 

If this still sounds like too much advance planning for you, you can take your chances and play it by ear day by day. But if you try to reserve a specialty restaurant for the same day, the most popular dining times will probably be fully booked. If you don't mind eating a bit earlier or later than most people, and if you don't mind possibly ending up at your second or third choice restaurant, this can work out fine. But the days when all the specialty restaurants were mostly empty and you could basically walk in anytime are over.

Edited October 16, 2015 by hawkeyetlse

[snoozcroozr]

*Facepalm* You had no problem with going on a Princess cruise that squeezes 3-4 in rooms with less deck public space to spread out but you have a problem with a big NCL ship that has more space? Just stick to the Gem, it's similar to a Princess ship.

 

And the port happens to be in industrial part of Manhattan too - the park and water just masks the dirty Santiation building, car deals hips and highway right next to it so well....[emoji57]

 

Why don't you look at pictures or videos of the Breakaway especially when its "crowded" like beyondships2.com or YouTube 1st before rambling off how terrible the "overcrowding" is. Because the only time that ship is crowded when school is in session, is embark day. Otherwise, it's spaced out and not crowded even during dinner time or disembark.

 

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The princess cruise was a long while ago, and it was an upgrade over RCCI since it was the first time we can dine on our own instead of with a whole bunch of strangers. It harder to get seats in the Garden Cafe for breakfast or lunch than what I remember on the Princess or RCCI non-megaships. Probably due to the Jewel class's narrower beam.

 

We don't cruise that frequently, we usually do one when the SO wants to take a break from the more strenuous trips such as liveaboard dive trips or cycling tours on the Andes. We've just been doing alot more of that lately so am late in the game on the way things are on the away ships.

 

The manhattan pier is a couple of blocks from midtown, while to get to red hook, its a long windy way (for me) on BQE and lots of driving on local roads in the middle of nothing. Maybe I'm familiar with the city so everything seem interconnected. Haven't gone to bayonne's port, but crossing those tunnels are always a gamble, sometimes could add hours to a simple pickup/dropoff.

 

I didn't say how terrible or overcroweded it is, I am just asking how bad does it get with these promotions that promotes overpacking and overindulgence of passengers. I've been to a cruise during the summer once and the place was like summer camp. We won't be going during that time again. We almost did go when a trip with the in-laws and some in-laws with kids could only go before labor day, thus forcing everyone to go at that time. We were glad the plan didn't go through.

 

As for the smaller ships, they are also crowded in certain situation. If one doesn't get to the theater early for the show, one will be sitting in the mezzanine.

 

At the end of each evening's service they post the menu for the next day's dinner outside the MDR. Or at the beginning of the cruise you can ask one of the head waiters to show you the menus for the whole cruise.

 

If this still sounds like too much advance planning for you, you can take your chances and play it by ear day by day. But if you try to reserve a specialty restaurant for the same day, the most popular dining times will probably be fully booked. If you don't mind eating a bit earlier or later than most people, and if you don't mind possibly ending up at your second or third choice restaurant, this can work out fine. But the days when all the specialty restaurants were mostly empty and you could basically walk in anytime are over.

 

I guess we don't linger around late to the MDR to look at the menu, usually when we are passing by it.

 

We usually eat later, but usually coordinate it with the shows. Not sure how the show works yet on these mega ships. I know about having to book them etc. But not how frequent they are repeated, and how many there are (I thought it is freestyle, what's with the planning ahead?) Will probably look into it in due time. Still got over a month til the sailing. So will probably have to coordinate the specialty dining reservations with the shows we want to attend with the time we get back from land excursions.

 

 

The only thing I don't wing are the morning gym and scuba excursions, everything else we try to squeeze it here or there.

Edited October 16, 2015 by snoozcroozr

[maywell]

The princess cruise was a long while ago, and it was an upgrade over RCCI since it was the first time we can dine on our own instead of with a whole bunch of strangers. It harder to get seats in the Garden Cafe for breakfast or lunch than what I remember on the Princess or RCCI non-megaships. Probably due to the Jewel class's narrower beam.

 

We don't cruise that frequently, we usually do one when the SO wants to take a break from the more strenuous trips such as liveaboard dive trips or cycling tours on the Andes. We've just been doing alot more of that lately so am late in the game on the way things are on the away ships.

 

The manhattan pier is a couple of blocks from midtown, while to get to red hook, its a long windy way (for me) on BQE and lots of driving on local roads in the middle of nothing. Maybe I'm familiar with the city so everything seem interconnected. Haven't gone to bayonne's port, but crossing those tunnels are always a gamble, sometimes could add hours to a simple pickup/dropoff.

 

I didn't say how terrible or overcroweded it is, I am just asking how bad does it get with these promotions that promotes overpacking and overindulgence of passengers. I've been to a cruise during the summer once and the place was like summer camp. We won't be going during that time again. We almost did go when a trip with the in-laws and some in-laws with kids could only go before labor day, thus forcing everyone to go at that time. We were glad the plan didn't go through.

 

As for the smaller ships, they are also crowded in certain situation. If one doesn't get to the theater early for the show, one will be sitting in the mezzanine.

 

 

 

I guess we don't linger around late to the MDR to look at the menu, usually when we are passing by it.

 

We usually eat later, but usually coordinate it with the shows. Not sure how the show works yet on these mega ships. I know about having to book them etc. But not how frequent they are repeated, and how many there are (I thought it is freestyle, what's with the planning ahead?) Will probably look into it in due time. Still got over a month til the sailing. So will probably have to coordinate the specialty dining reservations with the shows we want to attend with the time we get back from land excursions.

 

 

The only thing I don't wing are the morning gym and scuba excursions, everything else we try to squeeze it here or there.

 

Might want to look at Myncl.com since the show bookings / dinner reservations open 75 days (90 days for haven) before the sailing. You can only book one show of each production but you book the rest onboard the ship or do standby at show.

 

Regarding getting seats at Garden Cafe on the Breakaway? The buffet takes the entire Aft of the ship, it's not small but big is an understatement - the only time you won't find a seat is embark day, since the staff funnels people up there for lunch. Luckily, the MDR, O'Sheenan's and Moderno will be open on embark day for lunch too.

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

(I thought it is freestyle, what's with the planning ahead?)

Everyone tends to interpret "Freestyle" in their own way, but it basically means that you are competing with 4000+ fellow passengers for the same dining venues and the same entertainment options all the time. It doesn't mean that everyone can decide what to do on the spur of the moment and be guaranteed a walk-in spot for their group at any venue, at any time, with no waiting. If you want to avoid the frustration of waiting, or the disappointment of being turned away from a venue altogether, a little advance planning can go a long way. And I'm not necessarily talking about 100 days in advance. Once you're on board, planning one day ahead, or even making plans at lunchtime for that evening, can make a big difference.

[fshagan]

I didn't say how terrible or overcroweded it is, I am just asking how bad does it get with these promotions that promotes overpacking and overindulgence of passengers.

 

You won't run into over capacity problems because of the promos. What I have heard (and observed on the Epic) is that the pool area is more crowded on the larger ships. If you hang out by the pool a lot then the BA might not be a great choice over one of the smaller ships.

 

 

We usually eat later, but usually coordinate it with the shows. Not sure how the show works yet on these mega ships. I know about having to book them etc. But not how frequent they are repeated, and how many there are (I thought it is freestyle, what's with the planning ahead?) Will probably look into it in due time. Still got over a month til the sailing. So will probably have to coordinate the specialty dining reservations with the shows we want to attend with the time we get back from land excursions.

 

There are planners, and there are non-planners. I plan a lot, but hate making reservations. On the Gem, we reserved a specialty every night, where usually we might eat in one or two on a cruise, so we are the demographic you are worried about. Except for Teppanaki, which has very limited seating, we observed that the "availability" monitors showed walk ups available for most specialties at most times if you were looking in the later afternoon. You can still totally Freestyle the experience if you are flexible; if you have a time in mind for your "freestyle" (which makes it not freestyle, by the way) then make a reservation.

 

We were able to see the Blue Man Group on the Epic twice without a reservation. Arrive a few minutes before it starts and if there's seating they let you in.

[snoozcroozr]

thanks for all the info. I usually do plan my days on vacation, and believe me, on scuba trip, we got to be exactly on time for every one of the 4 or 5 dives every day, but that's a set schedule know from the night before.

 

Even on the cruises, we have to be on time for the excursions. But otherwise, we kind of follow the general plan laid out for the day based on the daily, some things we might not make it on time due to things like lunch taking too long or freshening up taking longer than expected, etc. Even for the shows, we might show up late if something like dinner delays it or the wait to get into the MDR took longer than expected. But that is on the old style ship procedure where we only had to worry about whether we should catch the early show and have late dinner or vice versa.

 

I'll figure out how the mega ship's system works and book accordingly.

Edited October 19, 2015 by snoozcroozr