Anything positive to say about NCL?

[Donmack]

We have been on several NCL cruises andalways enjoyed ourselves.

We also enjoy oceania because its all exclusive. Now we book NCL with the specialty dining and drinks package and its the same quality of service!

 

Booked on the Jade Oct 23 from Venice and the back to back with the TA from Barcelona :)on the 30th.

The Sun on the 5th of Feb from Buenas Aires.

:p:)

[beachys]

NCL cruises see a lot of fun, tons of entertainment options and great staff! Not to mention plenty of great food options!

[Clancampbell]

The reaction to the new menus is very mixed. Personally, I think that they are a big step up from the old ones. But others state the opposite.

 

Whenever I've looked at the menus or eaten there, I've seen dishes which are a step up from the last menus. In fact, one of the reasons why we haven't eaten there all that much on our last cruises is that a there aren't now quite as many dishes that our fussy son will happily eat (he doesn't really like ordering from the kids menu).

 

 

 

 

I'm pleased to report that I know from another thread that this isn't an issue to the OP, who has the UBP and was pleased to hear that there is no gratuity to pay. :)

 

Well remembered Keith 😊

[Clancampbell]

I have sailed on Carnival, Royal, NCL, Disney, MSC and Princess. Overall I found the experience on them all to be more similar than not. Whether you enjoy it has more to do with your outlook and what things may bother you or not. Out of them all I would say NCL has been my least favorite - basically I like having the same dining staff and set times (I have never had to dine with strangers on any other cruise, I have always gotten a table just for us or our group). I like getting to know the wait staff and miss that on NCL. I also have found the food on NCL to be the least memorable of all cruises I have been on.

 

Most people who brag about NCL are often booked in the Haven, which is really just a different experience in general.

 

Entertainment I found to be pretty awful on NCL, I can't stand Second City and don't care for the comedians they have on their ships. They don't have large style Broadway type shows on the smaller ships, like the Star and the Pearl. I have sailed both of those and can't recall any entertainment that we went to after dinner. The Breakaway at least I remember Rock of Ages and Burn the Floor.

 

I have another NCL cruise booked because I really wanted a cruise that was closer and it ended up being a better price than the Anthem in October. I was able to book a mini suite with 2 drink packages including tip for less than an oceanview on the Anthem, so we jumped at it.

 

Overall I don't really like some of the changes, but most don't really bother me. I don't order room service, I do drink Mtn Dew (pepsi product), I don't drink wine or beer so their selections their don't bother me, and their cocktails are fine to me and I will get great use from the drink package. I wouldn't ever drink the $80 a day the package cost, but I clearly would have spent more in 7 days than the $94 (Est) gratuity cost me.

 

We have booked a balcony and will be more than happy with that. I very much hope that I will still be in a position to brag about NCL despite not being in the Haven and having read the numerous posts on this thread I am more confident than ever that that will be the case.

 

Also seems to me that you are in the minority on this thread with your comments regarding the entertainment on offer but I guess we all have different tastes.

[Clancampbell]

I am a cruise "virgin" and will finally experience one in about a month. We picked NCL for a few reasons ranging from free style dining, to the casual atmosphere onboard to the lovely waterfront features. I have been reading a lot of comments about NCL and some are pretty shocking but never once have I wanted to cancel this cruise. I am beyond excited and look forward to seeing what it's all about. I think if you go into it with a positive attitude you'll have a wonderful cruise like I'm sure I will have. It's a vacation so dance like no one is watching, drink and eat anytime you want and laugh!

 

Let us know how it goes!!!

 

Enjoy!

 

Cheryl:D

 

PS I don't know what happened with he tag line on this message .. LOL

 

"dance like no one is watching. .." as someone with 2 left feet that is never going to happen unless I make the most of the UBP ☺

 

Our cruise isn't until 28th September so if you are setting sail in about a month you will need to let me know how yours goes first.

 

We are first timers too and are so looking forward to the experience.

[Honestlee314]

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.

 

 

I haven't finished reading all of the comments here... But have to agree! My husband and I have been on 5 NCL cruises, 1 on The Gem and 4 on the BA. We got off the last one on July 10th and we booked again for 8/14. As with any vacation, it's what you make of it. We enjoy specialty dining, main dining, the shows but most of all the STAFF. We always get to know our staff and have even become "friends" with some on FB. We have never had a bad meal, or walked away from an event. I LOVE all of my cruises and am super excited to be back again in 10 days. Do I miss some things... Yes, but not enough to make me not go back. They were extras. Relaxing at Spice or the pool, participating in activities and eating great food as well as meeting new people is what truly makes it great!

[GORDONCHICK]

The things we enjoy about NCL are:

 

Friendly and helpful crew & officers

 

The best Meet & Greets afloat

 

Lots of options - when & where to eat, do we want to dress up tonight, etch

 

Home port not to far from our home

 

Many foods that we enjoy such as escargot in LeBistro, Oreo cheesecake in Cagney's, lamb just about anywhere, fish & chips in O'Sheehan's, etc

[Honestlee314]

I like getting to know the wait staff and miss that on NCL. I also have found the food on NCL to be the least memorable of all cruises I have been

 

 

About to be on the BA for the 5th time, we KNOW the staff and have seen many of the wait staff at dinner, breakfast and lunch and they always recognize us, even 4 cruises later.

[deladypilot]

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.

 

I will go with everything here and add that if you dont sweat the small stuff and remember that someone else is doing the cooking and the cleaning and all you have to do is worry about relaxing and having fun (your way) then you will have an awesome vacation

[mlsetc]

My wife and I have sailed on NCL 6 times and have 2 more booked, one being the Epic in October for the T/A. This will be our fourth T/A on Epic, have had nothing but positive experiences. We sailed the Allure of the Seas last year, a T/A, greatly enjoyed the cruise but, we prefer NCL. That doesn't mean I won't sail Royal again if the price and itinerary is right.

[mom2tcdx2]

About to be on the BA for the 5th time, we KNOW the staff and have seen many of the wait staff at dinner, breakfast and lunch and they always recognize us, even 4 cruises later.

 

My biggest thing is I don't tend to do the same cruise very often. We like to see different places and different ships.

 

It isn't that I dislike NCL, they just haven't been my favorite. Though I like different aspects of each. Our first NCL cruise was in a suite, while our second two were not. If I could afford the suite experience I would do it every time.

 

We totally plan to have a good time, as Bermuda will be a new destination for us, even though we have sailed on the Breakaway before. Though being its first sailing it had quite a few little glitches I am sure are more than worked out by now.

[keeponcruising]

I hear a lot of complaints about what has been taken away. Sure, prices have gone up, but the perks they have going now are so good. The only thing I can complain about is that I can't afford the Haven or a anymore.:( There is always to upsell fairy;)

[Tammyd549]

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.

 

This. I have no experience in the "suite experience" but I agree 1000% that everyone is different and what is positive for one could be negative for another. And all the above points are totally true to me!

[DMH15]

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.

 

 

I agree with this. Great crew. A fun vacation.

[Red-Sol]

We have mostly cruised NCL with a couple other cruises on Royal (Oasis and Allure)

 

My absolute favorite thing about Norwegian is just the general "Vibe" We have always felt that the friendliness and just upbeat attitude in a total relaxing way is just something that I don't think other cruise lines can match. (As aesthetically beautiful as Oasis and Allure are..the general vibe onboard is no match) The demographics cover all age groups and the choices of food and entertainment are almost endless. No matter what you choose to do onboard you will have a great time. Maybe it is just "Freestyle" that fosters that attitude and feeling.

 

I think you will love the Epic...I know we do! :)

 

The negativity that sometimes runs rampant on Cruise Critic in no way reflects the feeling you will have on the actual cruise! ;)

[luvtheships]

Since its your 1st Ncl cruise you will love it....and you won't even have a clue as to what they have taken away since fdr took over

[kathybelcher2433]

What is so funny is many of the items on their list are actually a positive for me and the rest I could care less about.

 

 

Ha ha ha. "The List" just serves to clog up my feed every time it appears.

[AdoraBelle]

Since its your 1st Ncl cruise you will love it....and you won't even have a clue as to what they have taken away since fdr took over

 

 

This. Ignorance is bliss.

 

One thing I can say is that food on the GA seemed somewhat improved on my 2016 cruise vs 2015.

 

Sadly they're taking away Flamingo Grill to make room for another upcharge restaurant, and I probably won't sail her again.

 

Sorry, gave it a shot.

[KeithJenner]

Sadly they're taking away Flamingo Grill to make room for another upcharge restaurant, and I probably won't sail her again.

 

 

This really demonstrates why you can't just take some random people's views from the Internet.

 

For some people, as above, changing Flamingo Grill to Margaritaville is a big enough deal that they probably won't sail on the ship again. Many others see it as a negative, even if they don't feel as strongly.

 

For me, I went in there once, and thought it was ok. Certainly not good enough for me to have ever even considered going back. I did go to Margaritaville twice on the Escape (when it was free) and thought it was pretty good (not great).

 

So, the change will have extremely little impact on me, as I would probably not go into either, although if I did it would be more likely to be Margaritaville with the upcharge than Flamingo grill for free, so if anything it's a slight improvement for me.

 

Neither of us are right or wrong. We just have different priorities and tastes.

 

There are many more examples. The famous list tells me that I'm suffering because the menu in the Asian is more limited, whereas I know that in fact I'm having an enjoyable meal for free when I used to have to pay, and wouldn't even have noticed that the menu is more limited if I hadn't been told.

 

There really is only one person who can decide on these things.

[babs135]

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 😁

 

I have shared the same misgivings as you. Some of the negativity on the boards is really disturbing. Our cruise is over New Year and as it is part of a bigger cruise package (2 ships + 4 and 1 night in New York) it was a case of booking the whole thing or looking for something else entirely. However, the greater part of the holiday was the 'pull' and so for better or worse we will be on the Breakaway for 7 nights.

 

I then did a bit more research and have managed to find some positive comments which has cheered me up plus a cruise is what you make of it and I am absolutely certain that we will have a great time and as it gets nearer (19 weeks to go, not that I'm counting :D) I am beginning to get excited.

 

I am looking forward to experiencing the ship, which I will do with an open mind. Any judgements made will be mine and mine alone (DH will simply go with the flow!) I also daydream that enough people will cancel because of the 'water policy and threat of the Zika virus that we will be upgraded to a balcony :D

 

The ship sound amazing with lots to see and do and if all else fails, we have the Drinks Package and I will drink myself into a stupor if I hate everything :eek:

 

But I repeat, I am genuinely looking forward to sailing on the Breakaway.

[johnrich]

My DW and I cruised with RCCL several times and loved it. We've also tried Princess and Celebrity. We had planned on going back to RCCL but ended up doing a family cruise with NCL. We absolutely loved it. In our opinion, the food was just as good if not better, the entertainment was much better and the staff has been great. I have attended CC Meet & Mingles on almost every cruise and the ones on NCL are the best. The officers and staff show up and talk with you and get to know you.

 

For those who complain about the Coke and water, they are lucky they were able to bring it on for as long as they did. We've had both water and caffeine free Coke Zero confiscated by RCCL.

 

We've never stayed in the Haven, so IMHO that has nothing to do with it. As others have said, it is what you make of it. When we cruised Princess to Alaska we though the staff was the most miserable we've ever encountered but we didn't let it bother us. We still had a great time. When we sailed on Celebrity we couldn't find much to do late at night but we made the best of it and still had a great time.

 

Our last cruise was on the Getaway and we encountered no problems whatsoever and it was by far the best we've ever had and the staff was magnificent. Several times we would be in various places around the ship and an officer or staff member we met at the Meet & Mingle or from a bar or restaurant would see us and not just say hello, but also address us by name. My birthday occurred during our cruise and I ended up getting 3 birthday cakes from the Captain, the Hotel Manager and the Maitre 'd, plus cupcakes from the F&B manager and chocolate covered strawberries from one of the MDR managers. And each one had a personalized birthday wish and was signed. To me, that is outstanding customer relations and something I've never experienced on other ships. (And no we couldn't eat all of the cakes but we did share them with the staff who were most appreciative!)

 

We are sailing NCL (Getaway) again in 43 days plus have two more planned. So, yes, we are NCL cheerleaders now.

 

Have a great and positive cruise!

[sparks1093]

I don't have an issue with those that are negative toward NCL, but they have to realize that not everyone thinks like they do. Many of us don't care where the NCL stock is at or that their debt ratio is X or that they don't serve lobster or that the hippo slide is gone or you have to pay for room service, etc. we care about the experience we have on the ships and that that experience holds a value to us. They just don't seem to understand that we don't agree with them on everything they feel is negative.....one really has to wonder!!!

 

Trouble is you are talking as if it's you against them and I think that is far from the case- almost everyone wants the same thing here, they want NCL to be the best cruise line it can be for themselves. As you point out since everyone's needs are different that is difficult to maintain under the best of circumstances. But up until Del Rio started changing everything those who are complaining were loyal NCL customers. Yes there have been a lot of changes. Does that make NCL bad? Heck no. Does it mean anyone still sailing with them is somehow flawed? Double heck no. All it means is that NCL has changed enough to make some people look elsewhere.

[LrgPizza]

Despite all the changes that have a small group of people making lots of noise around here, if you read the posts from people returning from cruises, you'll see overwhelmingly positive comments.

 

For me, each and every cruise I've taken with NCL has improved over the previous one.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[abe3]

Despite all the changes that have a small group of people making lots of noise around here, if you read the posts from people returning from cruises, you'll see overwhelmingly positive comments.

 

For me, each and every cruise I've taken with NCL has improved over the previous one.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

Agree. Don't let the few people on here that always post negative things and have an agenda to put NCL out of business from having a great time on your cruise

 

I have never had a bad cruise on NCL and each and everyone has been consistently great with service and fun.

Edited August 5, 2016 by abe3

[sparks1093]

Agree. Don't let the few people on here that always post negative things and have an agenda to put NCL out of business from having a great time on your cruise

 

I have never had a bad cruise on NCL and each and everyone has been consistently great with service and fun.

 

LOL, I've never seen anyone suggest that NCL should go out of business or that is what they want. As I said above we all want NCL to be the best cruise line it can be for ourselves.

Edited August 5, 2016 by sparks1093