Anything positive to say about NCL?

[Clancampbell]

My DW are embarking on our first NCL cruise at the end of September and are very much looking forward to it.

 

I have to say though that there are so many negative comments on CC about the cruise line and it is starting to do my head in.

 

The negativity will have no bearing on our excitement and we intend to enjoy ourselves irrespective of drinks packages, Pepsi only, water price etc etc etc.

 

What I want to know is do people have anything good to say about NCL? It would make a refreshing change to see some positivity here for a change. Perhaps you can tell me your top things about NCL; I am sure it can't be that difficult.

 

All you cruisers with the weight of the world on your shoulders are not allowed to play 😁

[sparks1093]

There are still many people reporting a positive onboard experience and since that is where the rubber meets the road it's all that really matters.

[Clancampbell]

There are still many people reporting a positive onboard experience and since that is where the rubber meets the road it's all that really matters.

 

"Rubber meets the road" ?

[bumorgan]

NCL is a great cruise line like the rest. It is just upsetting to see a lot of things changing over this year which is normally not the case in cruising. You book a year in advance and watch things disappear slowly while your waiting to cruise. Other than that all is well for me.:)

 

Dan

[Kaptivate]

I took my first norwegian cruise last year, on the Pearl. We had a wonderful package that gave us all night in specialty dining restaurants and the food at all of them was wonderful. We were in a suite so we had a private dining area for breakfast and lunch and once again the service and food was amazing. One of our excursions was not so great, we didn't do the things listed even though the group ahead of us did. I brought this to someone's attention and they gave us on board credit to try to make up for it and I thought that was an appropriate response. Our room was amazing, our room attendant was amazing. Oh and everyone from the restaurant for breakfast and lunch remembered our names and what we liked so after our first meal there everything was really above and beyond expectations. I don't have anything negative to say about any part of our cruise and we have already booked another for next year.

 

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[sparks1093]

"Rubber meets the road" ?

 

Sorry, didn't realize where you were posting from. Rubber meets the road is an expression that means the most important point for something, the moment of truth. The onboard experience is the key point for a cruise line and that's the important thing to remember.

[Clancampbell]

I took my first norwegian cruise last year, on the Pearl. We had a wonderful package that gave us all night in specialty dining restaurants and the food at all of them was wonderful. We were in a suite so we had a private dining area for breakfast and lunch and once again the service and food was amazing. One of our excursions was not so great, we didn't do the things listed even though the group ahead of us did. I brought this to someone's attention and they gave us on board credit to try to make up for it and I thought that was an appropriate response. Our room was amazing, our room attendant was amazing. Oh and everyone from the restaurant for breakfast and lunch remembered our names and what we liked so after our first meal there everything was really above and beyond expectations. I don't have anything negative to say about any part of our cruise and we have already booked another for next year.

 

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That's more like it 😁

[Clancampbell]

Sorry, didn't realize where you were posting from. Rubber meets the road is an expression that means the most important point for something, the moment of truth. The onboard experience is the key point for a cruise line and that's the important thing to remember.

 

Got ya and totally agree.

[stardust3000]

I have had nothing but great cruises with Norwegian. I don't sweat the small stuff. I don't care if I have to drink Pepsi rather than Coke. I'll happily drink tap water. There has been a reduction in the choices of wine, but I find those that are included in the UBP to be perfectly ok, and there's an almost unlimited choice of cocktails, so I'm happy! I've never used room service, but if I decide to, then I'll just pay the fee and not worry about it.

 

I've always found the service to be great. Most staff are very friendly, and those that aren't, well, everybody has an off day. The cabins are comfy, the ships are beautiful, the food is good to excellent, and you're on a cruise! What's not to love.

 

Yes, I can see that some of the changes may be mildly annoying, but the value for money, at least to me, is still there, and I can't wait for my next cruise on NCL in two months.

[sf3945]

My DW are embarking on our first NCL cruise at the end of September and are very much looking forward to it.

 

I have to say though that there are so many negative comments on CC about the cruise line and it is starting to do my head in.

 

The negativity will have no bearing on our excitement and we intend to enjoy ourselves irrespective of drinks packages, Pepsi only, water price etc etc etc.

 

What I want to know is do people have anything good to say about NCL? It would make a refreshing change to see some positivity here for a change. Perhaps you can tell me your top things about NCL; I am sure it can't be that difficult.

 

All you cruisers with the weight of the world on your shoulders are not allowed to play 😁

 

From a fellow Brit we love it !!!

[Jezo]

"Rubber meets the road" ?

 

American expression maybe?

 

It means people talk and talk and complain here on message boards but then when the experience actually happens people realize it's pretty nice to be on a big old boat in the Carribean sipping fruity cocktails and being waited on and not being able to drink a Coca Cola for a few days really is not the end of the world.

 

Also, the people cancelling their cruises over the inability to have a Coke product for a week are the people who are never happy with anything anyway, so forget them and just go have fun.

[Heronymous]

My DW are embarking on our first NCL cruise at the end of September and are very much looking forward to it.

 

I have to say though that there are so many negative comments on CC about the cruise line and it is starting to do my head in.

 

The negativity will have no bearing on our excitement and we intend to enjoy ourselves irrespective of drinks packages, Pepsi only, water price etc etc etc.

 

What I want to know is do people have anything good to say about NCL? It would make a refreshing change to see some positivity here for a change. Perhaps you can tell me your top things about NCL; I am sure it can't be that difficult.

 

All you cruisers with the weight of the world on your shoulders are not allowed to play [emoji16]

 

 

 

I've only been on two cruises, my third is in two weeks... All NCL... I did have some issues with them in the beginning with absolutely rude and disrespectful customer service, and an issue with my current PCC not returning calls or emails, other than that I have no complaints. A lot of people complain about what they used to offer and how they offer less but charge more... For me, I really don't care. Sure I'm annoyed that they're deceptive in how they offer "free" promotions which actually cost a significant amount of money in surcharges and taxes... But in the end, it costs what it costs and its up to each individual to decide if it's worth paying for what they get.

 

With that aside, I absolutely love the cruise line and their ships. I went on two cruises and had an absolutely amazing time. They assisted me in making my proposal to my fiancé something truly special and something to remember forever... And despite some of the negative feelings I've had, and my PCC refusing to call me back now that she has my money.... I'm still returning for a 3rd cruise this month and I'll be back to NCL again.

 

Unfortunately bad customer service people can exist at any company, and any cruise line. I'm not going to base my decision on cruising with NCL based on a few not so great things. The good definitely outweighs the bad. The entertainment has been great, the food is great as long as you're careful with what you pick, and I think the fare is pretty decently priced as well. A lot of people don't like change... I think those are the ones who have the biggest problem with NCL, not to say they do not have valid arguments with their dislike... I'm just not as concerned about lobster on the menu or bringing water onboard as others are.

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

It is not difficult in any way shape or form. Here are some of my positives:

 

1. Great offers from CAS
   
2. The crew is outstanding
   
3. The food in the specialty dining rooms is excellent
   
4. The entertainment is great
   
5. The suite experience is awesome
   
6. They added the 18% gratuity to the dining and beverage packages, so those of us who tipped on these don't have to carry cash any longer
   
7. Freestyle; you can eat when you want, where you want and with whom you wish
   
8. Non-smoking on balconies. Can't wait until the casino is non-smoking
   
9. They got rid of Nickelodeon
   
10. A la carte pricing. My meal in Cagney's just went from $35 to $26, including gratuity
    

 

These are just a few of the positive things for me; there are many more. Everyone is different and what is positive a for me is a negative for another.

[Clancampbell]

I have had nothing but great cruises with Norwegian. I don't sweat the small stuff. I don't care if I have to drink Pepsi rather than Coke. I'll happily drink tap water. There has been a reduction in the choices of wine, but I find those that are included in the UBP to be perfectly ok, and there's an almost unlimited choice of cocktails, so I'm happy! I've never used room service, but if I decide to, then I'll just pay the fee and not worry about it.

 

I've always found the service to be great. Most staff are very friendly, and those that aren't, well, everybody has an off day. The cabins are comfy, the ships are beautiful, the food is good to excellent, and you're on a cruise! What's not to love.

 

Yes, I can see that some of the changes may be mildly annoying, but the value for money, at least to me, is still there, and I can't wait for my next cruise on NCL in two months.

 

Mmm, I have seen recent comments from people complaining about the quality of the chardonnay on board. Blimey, to us wine is wine, it goes down the same way and hopefully will have the same impact.

[Clancampbell]

American expression maybe?

 

It means people talk and talk and complain here on message boards but then when the experience actually happens people realize it's pretty nice to be on a big old boat in the Carribean sipping fruity cocktails and being waited on and not being able to drink a Coca Cola for a few days really is not the end of the world.

 

Also, the people cancelling their cruises over the inability to have a Coke product for a week are the people who are never happy with anything anyway, so forget them and just go have fun.

 

Well said Jezo

[Into Cruising]

There is no such thing as a bad cruise, just some are better than others !

 

One thing for sure, you will cherish your first cruise experience, and use it as a standard to measure all others.

 

And as you probably have already seen, while there is no such thing as a bad cruise, there are lots and lots of "bad" cruisers !

[coolcruiser86]

In addition to these points I would add that we have much preferred our experiences with NCL to that of RCCI. NCL has amazing entertainment, great food and awesome crew members. Sign me up :)

 

 

It is not difficult in any way shape or form. Here are some of my positives:

 

1. Great offers from CAS
   
2. The crew is outstanding
   
3. The food in the specialty dining rooms is excellent
   
4. The entertainment is great
   
5. The suite experience is awesome
   
6. They added the 18% gratuity to the dining and beverage packages, so those of us who tipped on these don't have to carry cash any longer
   
7. Freestyle; you can eat when you want, where you want and with whom you wish
   
8. Non-smoking on balconies. Can't wait until the casino is non-smoking
   
9. They got rid of Nickelodeon
   
10. A la carte pricing. My meal in Cagney's just went from $35 to $26, including gratuity
    

 

These are just a few of the positive things for me; there are many more. Everyone is different and what is positive a for me is a negative for another.

[Clancampbell]

Loving the positivity so far...I feel good! 😁😁

[TSUmom]

After 10 cruises with NCL I have seen many changes. Some good and some well.....but that does not stop us from cruising with them. I look at it this way, we live with changes in our lives everyday - some and some not so good.

 

We enjoy the entertainment and the food. We have been in suites and reg balcony cabins (suites are awesome!) The crew is fabulous and the ships are beautiful. We also love the freestyle dining because many nights we want to be casual and just eat when we feel like it.

[AmberCascades]

I've only been on one NCL cruise and that was the Pride of America around the Hawaiian islands. We went with our two young adult kids and we loved it. I'm sure there were things wrong with the ship and maybe the food and possibly the activities and entertainment......but we enjoyed it all.

 

I think having a positive attitude helps. We heard so many bad things about our first cruise (with Celebrity - our first love). You would think the ship was about to sink any minute and a hostile crew would attack us in our sleep. We loved it. The food, the crew, the experience.....We didn't even realize until the last day that there were supposed to be wooden caps on our balcony railing. I guess they took them off before our sailing to re-varnish them. I noticed they were being put back onto the neighbouring balconies on disembarkation day. I assume our cabin would be next after we left. Anyway, we were so busy enjoying ourselves that we didn't even notice they were missing. :)

 

Have a great time.

[KeithJenner]

Dealing with NCL pre cruise can be extremely frustrating (I'm currently in another situation where a booked cruise is being rearranged), although that's a consequence of booking early.

 

However, I don't book with NCL to enjoy the pre cruise issues. I book to enjoy the cruise itself and can honestly say that we have enjoyed every single one. I had some nervousness before our last cruise, as I'd started to let the negative comments influence my thinking, and I remember saying to my wife when we were in Barcelona that it could be a bit of a make or break cruise for us. Then we got onboard and the experience was honestly not noticeably different from our previous experience.

 

We have always got on well with the staff. Our preference with service staff is that they treat us like people and expect us to treat them the same way, I am always put off by the fawning that you sometimes get in some upmarket places. On NCL we invariably make friends with some crew members. That's very important.

 

We like the food. We aren't massive foodies, but I like a bit of variety and we have had some excellent meals, lots of good ones and a few just ok. Overall, very satisfactory.

 

We certainly don't cruise for the entertainment. Sometimes we do a few shows, sometimes none, but the variety is usually good. We do enjoy live music so the likes of Howl at the Moon on the larger ships, or the solo guitar players that you often find in the smaller ships are very enjoyable.

 

The destination is the main thing for us, but a cruise ship is a great way of getting between the different places. I'm not for a second claiming that NCL is the best cruise option. I wouldn't know that as I haven't tried the others, but the reason that I haven't is that we have never felt the need to. For us, if something works as well as NCL does for us there is no great need to move.

 

The final thing I would say is that the time that I always feel that I really want to book a cruise is when I have just finished one. The reminder of just how much we enjoy it shows that it really can't be bad at all, can it.

[www3traveler]

I am about to leave home for my 30th Norwegian cruise with 6 more booked behind this one.

 

Every cruise is different because you have a different mix of both passengers and staff. Have I met passengers and staff I would rather not see again Yes. Have I missed ports of call for one reason or another, have I been delayed getting to or out of a port because of a medical emergency or the death of a passenger YES. Have I let it bother me NO. Things happen including mechanical just as it would at home.

 

I would tell that you and you alone can make a difference in your cruise. If you go into with a positive attitude, you will have a good cruise. Enjoy.

 

 

I love Norwegian and have NO desire to ever cruise with another line.

[BrandoMan13]

I've never been on a cruise before, but I can tell you the reasons I am going and the things that appealed to me:

 

My friend set this up as a small group trip, so I didn't have to do much leg work early on. Our group is getting the UBP + the 18% completely free which is a very nice perk and the main reason I even considered the cruise.

 

For what it would cost me to cruise and drink, I can spend half that and go to my favorite resort for a week.

 

I like the freestyle dining options. I don't like the concept of assigned seating and times. That whole set up turned me off from cruising for years. I know that for many traditional long time cruisers they much prefer the old fashioned way of cruising.

 

And lastly I've always found cruising and cruisers to be stuffy, at least too much for my liking. From the dressing up every night to the assigned seats, etc. It just wasn't for me.

 

Joining this site has shown me that many cruisers are very similar to me and some are exactly the type of people I want to avoid in my daily life and why I doubt that ill ever become a frequent cruiser.

[gknep]

I've been on 3 NCL cruises and about to go on a 4th. Everyone of them has simply been amazing. Our first cruise was a balcony cabin, the next a mini suite, and the last was a 2 bedroom family suite. The only changes we have noticed since we started in 2002 is that NCL has gotten more casual with the dress code. We introduced my parents to cruising with NCL in 2004 and they are now addicted and cruise at least once every year with NCL in the Haven. They have also never had a bad experience. I used to bring my own soda on board now I can't, its a small annoyance but nothing that will cause me to look for another cruise line. NCL has been treating my family pretty well for quite a while now and we are sticking with them.

[April42749]

Ok....here's why I like NCL

 

I get dressed in the morning....and don't change my clothes till I go to sleep

 

I can get healthy meal options in the buffet and other casual restaurants

 

I don't have to sit with a bunch of people I have nothing in common with and listen to their boring stories

 

The entertainment is very good

 

The thermal spas are excellent

 

The gym is very good

 

For what you are getting....it's a great value

 

I have nothing negative to say