Just off the Breakaway. Parting thoughts:

[BIG POOCH]

We were very disappointed not to go to Great Stirrup, we were looking forward to it big time. I'm beginning to think there is something going on with Norwegian and skipping GSC, and these "medical" Emergencies that make them go so fast to get home. Something smells fishy.

 

Now for my review of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

1) Good: HAVEN. Everything HAVEN was awesome! From Eugene & Nelson our steward and butler, to the private pool, to the private restaurant bar. Thank god for Haven, or our whole trip would haven't been as good. MIXX bar, and Rho the bartender. He was great!

 

2) Bad: Above. No stop at GSC sucked big time.

 

3) Ugly: a) ALL THE TVS ON THE BOAT WERE STUCK ON THE SAME CRAPPY CHANNEL, AND THE COLORS ON THAT CHANNEL WERE ONLY GREEN AND RED. EVERY BAR, EVERY LOUNGE, EVERY TV, EXCEPT THE ONE IN OUR ROOM WERE STUCK ON THIS CRAPPY SOCCER CHANNEL THAT EVERYONE WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT.

b)Getting on and off the ship, was also UGLY. Especially getting back on after excursions, with the NCL staff dancing/blocking our way onto the ship, while people are stepping on our heals.

c) For such a big ship, it rocked like crazy. Don't let anyone tell you ships don't sway. This thing was rocking the entire trip.

 

Overall, the cruise was ok, but could have been better. Not sure if we will do Norwegian again. Our time on Carnival last year was better, and no issues stopping at their private island (the highlight of our cruise last year).

[Suze10860]

We were very disappointed not to go to Great Stirrup, we were looking forward to it big time. I'm beginning to think there is something going on with Norwegian and skipping GSC, and these "medical" Emergencies that make them go so fast to get home. Something smells fishy.

 

Now for my review of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

1) Good: HAVEN. Everything HAVEN was awesome! From Eugene & Nelson our steward and butler, to the private pool, to the private restaurant bar. Thank god for Haven, or our whole trip would haven't been as good. MIXX bar, and Rho the bartender. He was great!

 

2) Bad: Above. No stop at GSC sucked big time.

 

3) Ugly: a) ALL THE TVS ON THE BOAT WERE STUCK ON THE SAME CRAPPY CHANNEL, AND THE COLORS ON THAT CHANNEL WERE ONLY GREEN AND RED. EVERY BAR, EVERY LOUNGE, EVERY TV, EXCEPT THE ONE IN OUR ROOM WERE STUCK ON THIS CRAPPY SOCCER CHANNEL THAT EVERYONE WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT.

b)Getting on and off the ship, was also UGLY. Especially getting back on after excursions, with the NCL staff dancing/blocking our way onto the ship, while people are stepping on our heals.

c) For such a big ship, it rocked like crazy. Don't let anyone tell you ships don't sway. This thing was rocking the entire trip.

 

Overall, the cruise was ok, but could have been better. Not sure if we will do Norwegian again. Our time on Carnival last year was better, and no issues stopping at their private island (the highlight of our cruise last year).

 

I could have sworn I read that the waters were really rough. Isn't that why there was no stop at GSC? Do you really think that NCL is doing something intentional to not stop there and/or to arrive back in NYC early? Do you think they are "fake" medical emergencies? Really?

[KweezyCruiser]

b)Getting on and off the ship, was also UGLY. Especially getting back on after excursions, with the NCL staff dancing/blocking our way onto the ship, while people are stepping on our heals.

 

I have to say, I've never seen anyone ever complain about the welcome back party on the pier. Most people love it.

[NLH Arizona]

We were very disappointed not to go to Great Stirrup, we were looking forward to it big time. I'm beginning to think there is something going on with Norwegian and skipping GSC, and these "medical" Emergencies that make them go so fast to get home. Something smells fishy.

 

Now for my review of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

1) Good: HAVEN. Everything HAVEN was awesome! From Eugene & Nelson our steward and butler, to the private pool, to the private restaurant bar. Thank god for Haven, or our whole trip would haven't been as good. MIXX bar, and Rho the bartender. He was great!

 

2) Bad: Above. No stop at GSC sucked big time.

 

3) Ugly: a) ALL THE TVS ON THE BOAT WERE STUCK ON THE SAME CRAPPY CHANNEL, AND THE COLORS ON THAT CHANNEL WERE ONLY GREEN AND RED. EVERY BAR, EVERY LOUNGE, EVERY TV, EXCEPT THE ONE IN OUR ROOM WERE STUCK ON THIS CRAPPY SOCCER CHANNEL THAT EVERYONE WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT.

b)Getting on and off the ship, was also UGLY. Especially getting back on after excursions, with the NCL staff dancing/blocking our way onto the ship, while people are stepping on our heals.

c) For such a big ship, it rocked like crazy. Don't let anyone tell you ships don't sway. This thing was rocking the entire trip.

 

Overall, the cruise was ok, but could have been better. Not sure if we will do Norwegian again. Our time on Carnival last year was better, and no issues stopping at their private island (the highlight of our cruise last year).

How was the food on the cruise?

[BIG POOCH]

I have to say, I've never seen anyone ever complain about the welcome back party on the pier. Most people love it.

 

Trust me, it was more like an ambush than a welcome back. All it did was slow people down, that were already rushing to get back to the ship. Get out of the way and let people board.

[BIG POOCH]

How was the food on the cruise?

 

Food was excellent! Rock of Ages was good and the cirque show was also good, but scary at the same time. One wrong move, and they are the medical emergency!

[riverbeachgirl]

I was on the cruise with you. Everybody is certainly entitled to their own opinion. This was our first ncl cruise and our first family cruise.

1. I agree it was disappointing not to go to gsc but I don't think there was a ncl conspiracy unless they got mother nate involved. It was too dangerous to use tenders. And we ended up getting to nassau early and could have fun there if you wanted.

2. Entertainment was great. The atrium was a little small compared to the number of people who were on the ship and then with cold weather it was hard to enjoy anything there for too long.

3. Food was good. We were impressed with the buffet (and we hate buffets typically). We felt it was much better than royal's which we avoided completely. We also liked the variety of food with different restaurants.

4. The service in the MDR's was awful! Seriously we have better service at our local applebees. They barely smiled or acknowledged you other than a "what would you like to order". They were slower than anything. And quite honestly we never knew who was waiting on us cause we would have 5 or so staff members at any given meal. It just felt disjointed. We did complain to the head waiter at our last meal after being completely forgotten after being seated.

 

Overall we thought it was a great cruise. And the medical emergency didn't even make a blip on our radar. For what it's worth the patient was stabilized and they felt it better just to speed up to get to the pier rather than airlift. I respect their decisions always. It really did not make any difference to us other than we got to see the city lights and the bridge all lit up....so pretty!

[SuiteCruiser]

If they were gravely ill, why werent they airlifted?

 

It's incredibly dangerous to medevac someone in the best circumstances, it puts the patient's life and the medevac team's lives in danger. If the person can be stablized in the OR of the infirmary, and get them back quickly, that's often the best solution.

 

I have had medevacs on 3 of the last 4 cruises I've been on, they are becoming more common, but are still very dangerous. As the population ages, we'll continue to see the incidence of these increase.

[back-at-it]

Overall, the cruise was ok, but could have been better. Not sure if we will do Norwegian again. Our time on Carnival last year was better, and no issues stopping at their private island (the highlight of our cruise last year).

 

We were on the Carnival Victory to the Bahamas. The private port, which I also was looking forward to got canceled do to upcoming weather. The captain said we could get on the island but getting off was iffy. So we got a Fun day at sea.

 

So it can happen to any cruise line. Why yes I will take another cocktail.

[sverigecruiser]

I have to say, I've never seen anyone ever complain about the welcome back party on the pier. Most people love it.

 

I think that the welcome back party is very silly so I really don't like it. In most ports we are back on the ship for lunch so we never have to pass it but it should bother me if we had to pass it.

[BIG POOCH]

Another thing: No real bars on the ship. Well one, but it is in the comedy club and only open when shows are on. All the others are located in the hallway, in the open where everyone is running around. Lack of any live music/bar was a letdown.

[cv322]

Trust me, it was more like an ambush than a welcome back. All it did was slow people down, that were already rushing to get back to the ship. Get out of the way and let people board.

 

No!!!!! I love the welcome back party! And you don't have to rush...if you're in line to go up the gangway, they're not going to pull up the gangway & leave you there!!!

[Kimberlyr22]

On our first cruise the only sport on television for the entire 9-day trip was Cricket. I thought my husband was going to lose his mind. Instead he embraced it, got into it, learned all about it, and when we got home he ordered his new favorite team's hat. Now he gets slightly sad when we're on a cruise and there isn't Cricket on the tv. It's his cruise sport. It's much more fun to go with it than rally against it.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Gregor4500]

On our first cruise the only sport on television for the entire 9-day trip was Cricket. I thought my husband was going to lose his mind. Instead he embraced it, got into it, learned all about it, and when we got home he ordered his new favorite team's hat. Now he gets slightly sad when we're on a cruise and there isn't Cricket on the tv. It's his cruise sport. It's much more fun to go with it than rally against it.

 

Nice post.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your review, sounds like it could have been better than it was.

[mrsbucketlist]

How early did you arrive in Nassau? Early enough to get off the ship on Wednesday?

[BIG POOCH]

How early did you arrive in Nassau? Early enough to get off the ship on Wednesday?

 

I am guessing around 6-7? We were warned ahead of time not to get off because of the rampant crime there at night.

[BIG POOCH]

Thanks for your review, sounds like it could have been better than it was.

 

You are welcome. It could have been Much better. Already looking for next year's to make up for it! :-)

[Keith1010]

Welcome home. Thanks for the report.

 

Keith

[BIG POOCH]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

You are welcome!

[BIG POOCH]

Welcome home. Thanks for the report.

 

Keith

 

You are welcome Keith!

[hansolosmom]

We made GSC on our cruise (3/6) but let me tell you the tenders were scary.

 

I also agree the bars were kind of open. I didn't find a cozy one to sit in either. They were using Bliss for kid's club activities so we never went in there so I can't comment on that.

 

We called our cruise the "code alpha" cruise. We had 4 code alphas. One cause a delay leaving NYC - the code alpha was called right after muster, and we waited to leave until they took the person off in an ambulance. We had another one and saw someone get in the ambulance when we got to Nassau. The last one happened on the last sea day and then the Capt. announced we would go faster to get the person back. We wondered to why they didn't pull close to the coast and airlift like Anthem did a couple months (?) back. But I can't imagine NCL would do something like that on purpose because they have to close the casino & shops early on the last night & they lose $$ that way.

 

If anything I think it has to do with the demographics on the cruise. I know I'm stereotyping, but we had a lot of older cruisers on our ship make your own inference from that statement.

[jessyka182]

I really think they need to come up with a new place to use, if their channel is indeed to narrow as they claim. I also really do think it is suspicious to have MULTIPLE times now of "emergency" medical issues that need to habe the ship race through supposed rough seas. Why werent these people airlifted? Is it necessary to put all the passengers at risk?

 

 

Number one... If the seas are too rough, it's likely also windy and in that case, they medivac or helicopters won't fly.

 

Number two.... As far as I know, the person being treated or their next of kin or Power of Attorney has to make the choice to airlift the person. Most people choose not to be airlifted because of the extreme cost associated with it. Let's face it, most people don't purchase travel health insurance and most stateside insurance carriers don't cover international travel OR airlifts.

 

Number three.... the person has to be stable. In order for the airlift to happen there needs to be a life threatening emergency and a stable patient.

If it was me or a family member, I would want to make sure they were stable and safe on the ship before agreeing to put them at risk in an airlift. Does it suck that you rushed back? Yes. But accidents happen.

 

 

It sucks that so many have reported missing GSC lately. But you also have to remind yourself that NCL loses money but not docking in GSC. They either dock early in Nassau which I read costs a small fortune (which thus far they haven't charged any additional funds for) or stay at sea which costs them in fuel. Plus the island itself has no income from excursions.

 

 

 

 

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[mypleasure]

If they were gravely ill, why werent they airlifted?

Because the ship may have been outside the range of a helimed. Because weather conditions may have made it too dangerous to attempt a helicopter evacuation, because the patient was stable and not in immediate danger but still needed to go to a hospital for further treatment.

 

There are many, many more reasons and all were in the best interests of the patient. The medical centre would have discussed things with the bridge, the bridge discusses with shore. They all decide what is the course of action needed for the patient. No one else matters but the patient.