Norwegian Sky- don't let negative posts stop you!

[bromorg]

My boyfriend and I just got off of the Norwegian Sky after our 3 night cruise to the Bahamas February 12-15. He and I are both experienced cruisers and have cruised larger and smaller ships on Norwegian, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Disney cruise lines. We booked this cruise in the beginning of January to get away from cold temperatures in the north. Our most recent cruise prior to this sailing had been a week long vacation on the Norwegian Breakaway (a newer and larger ship) in August out of New York City.

 

For this time around, we flew out of Philadelphia on Thursday night into Fort Lauderdale and then took a 30 minute cab ride to our hotel in Miami. The next morning, we arrived at the port around 10:30 am to be the first boarding group onto the ship. Arriving early allowed us to not have to wait in any lines for check in and to get our sea pass cards immediately. We were able to board the ship at around 11:15 am which meant we could enjoy the 75 and sunny degree Miami weather and explore the vessel. We ate on the back of the ship outside at the Great Outdoor Cafe and then headed up to Champs Bar by the pool to grab a drink before posting up on lounge chairs.

 

We rarely spend time in the cabins so we booked an inside cabin located on Deck 10. We normally have balconies so it was a bit of a change going to an interior but we are both easy going and had no complaints. Our stateroom attendant Jimmy was very talkative and was always asking us if we needed anything from him. I personally thought this was a great location of a stateroom since the buffet was on Deck 11 and the shops were on Decks 6 and 7. We rarely heard any noise from the floors above or below us so I would highly recommend this deck. There were plenty of elevators that never seemed crowded but we always take the stairs except for disembarking when we have our luggage.

 

We had made dinner reservations online for all three nights but found that in the MDRs, the dining reservations were not necessary and you could walk in whenever you would like. We dined in Crossings the first night, the Palace the second night, and Cagney's Steakhouse our third night. I am used to taking week long cruises and getting to know our waiters in the MDRs but on a shorter cruise, this is not the case. With this said, all of the wait staff was still very courteous and our food was brought out at the perfect speed, but no one gets to know your name. Although I had never dined in Cagney's before, my boyfriend had and recommended we do it to celebrate Valentine's Day. Our steaks and selected sides were absolutely delicious and this is truly worth the extra money.

 

Due to windy conditions, our port days were reversed and we ended up going to Great Stirrup Cay on the first day and Nassau on the second day. We had booked the jet skiing tour through the ship and found that we did not have to make any new arrangements due to the port change. The jet ski tour lasted about an hour and a half and is a great excursion for those who are both experienced and not experienced jet skiers. After, we headed to the lagoon at the far end of island to avoid the crowds. One thing to note is that there is a bar by the lagoon but it was not open so you have to walk to the more popular part of the island to get a cocktail. There are shuttles that run to the various parts of the island so for those who may have disabilities, the only struggle may be getting on and off the tenders. The food on the island was delicious, plentiful, and what to be expected: burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, salad, a sub station, etc.

 

Nassau has never been a favorite port of mine because it seems poverty-stricken unless you purchase a day pass for the Atlantis. Having been there on other cruises, we ended up going to Junkanoo Beach instead which was about a 10-15 minute walk from the port. It provided great photos of the ships in port but due to the wind, we only stayed about an hour and a half before heading back to the Sky. Junkanoo Beach had many restaurants where you could have lunch. It seems like a lot of people were stopping by Senor Frogs on their way back from Junkanoo beach and looked like a great time!

 

Knowing I was going to be on a smaller ship, I did not have any expectations of amazing entertainment. After being on a large ship last summer where the entertainment was top-notch, I knew it would be hard to live up to the performances we had seen. In the theatre, we saw comedian and the Rock Show. First time cruisers will definitely think they are wonderful! While both were average performances, I still recommend going. We attended the Newlywed/Not so Newywed show and the Quest in Dazzles lounge (which are on most cruises). These were both very funny and the cruise director was lively and always ready to have a good time. There were always a lot of people dancing in Dazzles around midnight after the shows (being that my boyfriend and I are both 24 and love to dance, this was important to us). According to our Freestyle Daily, during the day, there was always something to do on the ship and by the pool. We saw the Mr. Sexy Legs competition which occurred when departing Great Stirrup Cay.

 

The Norwegian staff made disembarkation an absolute breeze. We had our last breakfast and one last mimosa at the Outdoor Cafe and then went back to our stateroom to grab our luggage. We got right on an elevator, took it to Deck 6, and walked straight off the ship with no problems. Kudos Norwegian!

 

The all-inclusive drink package was one of the reasons that we chose this ship over Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas as well as knowing that this ship had been updated more recently. I read many reviews prior to our cruise that the ship had a lot of noticeable wear and tear. While the Sky is definitely not a new ship, it was still a beautiful boat and the crew was constantly making small updates where they could. Both on and off the ship, we had no problems finding lounge chairs or had a problem with the drinks being "watered down" (something I had read prior to getting on our cruise). The longest I had to wait to get a drink at the pool bar was about 2 minutes and the staff was always so kind. The food at the buffet was the same as newer Norwegian ships we have been on and was great. Overall, this was the perfect ship and itinerary for a few days of rest and relaxation and I would highly recommend it!

[dolita22]

Thanks for your review! Sailing the Sky for the second time in June and will be sailing with a number of first-time cruisers, so we want their experience to be wonderful and fun. Glad to hear you enjoyed the ship, shows, and overall experience!

[BABYJOSIE98]

Thinking of this ship for a little getaway for my daughter and I on her college break this coming Fall.

 

We are booked on Epic for next January! Can't wait! I plan to book the jet ski for my hubby and I and surprise him on NCL Private Island. Glad it was fun!

 

Thanks for the positive review.

[chapchap]

I'm happy to see a positive review, too! We set sail on the Sky in June and this will be our second cruise (first with NCL). Looking forward to it!

[BirdTravels]

Thanks for the review.

 

We are older, but have never hesitated booking cruises on the Sky each year. We're not in the masses of college kids partying on the beach, but would not hesitate on going on the wave runners at GSC or out to the stingray enclosure. In Nassau, we normally book a snorkeling tour and enjoy the warm waters and sea life.

[NayRN]

I'll be sailing for the fourth time on the Sky in August. I have to say, she's my favorite ship! :D While I enjoyed my cruise on the Getaway, it was just too big and too crowded!

[Ontario cruise duo]

I am thinking about booking a 4 day cruise on the Sky, mainly because I want to experience Atlantis, if only for a day. Do you recall the price to go to Atlantis through the ship? Was supposed to stop in Nassau a couple of years ago on the Epic or Dream (can't remember), but it was too windy and we just sailed right on by. Talk about grown up disappointment:(!

[kelleigh229]

Thank you for a positive review! We chose the Sky over Majesty for the same reasons. We're really looking forward to it!!

 

 

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[bromorg]

Thanks for the review.

 

We are older, but have never hesitated booking cruises on the Sky each year. We're not in the masses of college kids partying on the beach, but would not hesitate on going on the wave runners at GSC or out to the stingray enclosure. In Nassau, we normally book a snorkeling tour and enjoy the warm waters and sea life.

 

Hi BirdTravels! I know that you are going at a different time of year, but we had no problem with college kids partying on the beach. Hope it is the same for when you are on-board:)

[bromorg]

I am thinking about booking a 4 day cruise on the Sky, mainly because I want to experience Atlantis, if only for a day. Do you recall the price to go to Atlantis through the ship? Was supposed to stop in Nassau a couple of years ago on the Epic or Dream (can't remember), but it was too windy and we just sailed right on by. Talk about grown up disappointment:(!

 

We had looked prior to getting on our ship about the pricing but I believe it was upwards of $100 per person. When my boyfriend and his family went to Nassau last time, they ended up booking a day pass at a near-by hotel that gave them access to the Atlantis. You might want to look into doing that! If you have never been to the Atlantis before, I am sure it is worth the extra money though! Hope it helps:)

[medic368]

I have a question about the open bar policy, is there still a gratuity added to each drink ?

[bromorg]

I have a question about the open bar policy, is there still a gratuity added to each drink ?

 

Gratuity was not added to each cocktail. They did not even swipe your seapass card. I prepaid our gratuities on the NCL website when we did our online check-in!