NCL vs RCI

[hls22]

Hi,

Having cruised with RCI in both Indy and Anthem, we are looking at the Epic as the dates and ports suit us.

 

How does NCL compare with RCI? Part of me wants to stay loyal, but with a 17 and 14 yr old with us, the ship does look good...

Any thoughts from those who have done both cruise lines?

 

TIA

:-)

[Deptacon]

I am sailing NCL next week after several Royal cruises. Will be posting a "comparison" review after we return.

[hls22]

I am sailing NCL next week after several Royal cruises. Will be posting a "comparison" review after we return.

 

Brill - thanks!

[SuiteTraveler]

I've sailed on both lines. The biggest difference is between the suites. IMO, NCL does suites drastically better than RCCL - the suites on NCL are so much nicer and I also like the thermal suite on the newer ships (Epic and newer) which RCCL doesn't have. In terms of the pool deck, NCL's is much more crowded - but since we were in suites, we hung out in The Haven pool deck so it was not crowded there. I don't tend to hang out at main pools on ships anyway. In terms of specialty restaurants, on the newer NCL ships - they have RCCL beat. In terms of stuff to do onboard, if you compare the Oasis class to the NCL's newer ships they are equal but different. Your kids will be fully engaged in activities if they want or they can relax - up to them. The buffet on NCL's newer ships is far superior to RCCL. It is larger and more comprehensive. It serves stuff such as hand scooped ice cream. They don't have the Freestyle soda machines that RCCL has, however. On the Oasis class ships, the shows are spectacular and family oriented. On the NCL newer ships, the shows are smaller but less family oriented. I like the location of the casino - the newer NCL ships feel like a Las Vegas Casino resort with shops and restaurants and bars gathered around the casino, then the high roller suites and also the spa and a waterpark up top. The Oasis class ships feel like you are at a theme park with neighborhoods.

 

If you can swing being in The Haven, I wold say hands down, go on NCL. If it is just a regular cabin, then you need to consider - would your kids like the waterslides and ropes course better than what RCCL has? And the other thing is you go to specialty restaurants almost every night on NCL unless you are in The Haven where you might go to The Haven restaurant. So the specialty restaurants do cost extra but the Haven restaurant doesn't.

Edited October 4, 2016 by SuiteTraveler

[MikeBTN]

The lines are more similar than different.

 

I feel Royal's main theater entertainment is much better. NCL's comedy club is better.

 

NCL is more "casual" than Royal - even though Royal has My Time Dining, NCL does it better than anyone. More dining choices for NCL as well, including MDR being open for lunch.

 

Perks are nice - bev package, free grats, and dining packages are popular. Specialty restaurants get pretty full, especially towards the end as people are trying to use up their free meals. Haven't had an issue in bars.

 

The layouts of ships on Royal are much better, especially pool decks. I miss the Promenade. Rooms and balconies are also bigger on Royal.

 

Agree on The Haven - if you can swing it, it is definitely a top notch experience.

 

Service across both lines, for me, has been similar. Plenty of smiling faces, aiming to please, clean ships, etc.

 

NCL tends to run about 30% cheaper for a similar ship & itinerary, plus you get the "free" perks.

[hls22]

Thanks all...we're ready to book :-) Epic here we come!

 

 

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[Deptacon]

In St thomas today. 3rd day on NCL after several royal cruises. So far, i am very impressed with NCL.

 

Food in the buffet is DRAMATICALLY better imo... But food is subjective. There is much more variety in restaurants and bars on escape than any royal ship i have been on except oasis class.

 

The shower in a standard balcony room on ncl is bigger.

 

Royal wins with pools hands down. The pool on escape is too small.... Its a sacrfice they made with have taking so much space for haven.

 

I found the crew, in general, to be more friendly and personable on royal than this cruise... Worth mentioning but not a big deal.

 

I def like freestyle dining better than royals traditional or mytime.

 

Information about what is going on seems more scattered on NCL.

 

The deck party at H2O at night is better than any other experience i have ever had at on any ship. Lot of fun.

 

The lines are similar in many ways but if u want to dress casual nightly and have so many dinner and lunch options you literally cant use them all u may like NCL (at least escape) better.

 

If u are a pool junkie.... Go with royal or get a haven suite.

 

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Edited October 11, 2016 by Deptacon

[graphicguy]

All good points...can't really disagree with anyone's opinion.

 

My take.....as others have said, Haven is the way to go on a cruise, if you can swing it. They pamper you in the Haven as well, probably better, than any land or sea based luxury vacation I've ever experienced.

 

If you can't sail in the NCL Haven, the experiences are pretty similar between RCCL and NCL. As mentioned, pools aren't really NCL's forte, but their water slides make up for it. That said, none of the pools on any recent cruise ship I've been on really qualifies as a traditional pool.

 

I think the entertainment, while good on both, really excels on NCL. Another poster mentions that the entertainment on NCL isn't family friendly. I'm not a prude, and don't think many kids would find NCL's main shows all that entertaining to begin with. But, there is "kid friendly" entertainment all over the NCL and RCCL ships.

 

I do like the shows better on NCL's newer ships, but some of it has recently changed (don't think the Epic has Blue Man Group anymore).

 

Food is equal on both. I find the buffets on both to be mostly good, sometimes mediocre. Specialty restaurants is where both lines shine.

 

Cagneys, LeBistro, Haven restaurants on NCL are very, very good. Giovani's Table, Chops and 150 Central Parke on RCCL are just as good.

 

Ships and service are really equal, as their latest, largest ships really offer quite a bit.

 

I was on Anthem late last year. It's a departure for RCCL. I liked it, but heard others on board complain that it didn't offer enough (not sure why they felt that way, but heard it several times from people who had also sailed Allure/Oasis). Anthem has all the "tech" (robot making drinks, sphere that went high above the ship, etc). Problem, sometimes that tech worked, a lot of time it didn't.

 

NCL is more straight forward. Water slides? Check. Climbing wall? Check. Adults only area? Check.

 

Cabins....pretty straight forward. On the Anthem, I actually stayed in a balcony solo cabin, which NCL doesn't offer. NCL does have solo cabins (which I also stayed in), but preferred the balcony solo on RCCL.

 

For reasons I can't quite understand, RCCL always seems to price out higher than NCL for similar cabins and itineraries. Not sure why as they're similar experiences. Add in the fact that NCL is offering drink and dining packages, and that price differential gets bigger.

 

You'll read some nitpicks here and there on both lines. Overall, you'd have to try really, really hard not to have fun on either cruise line.

[SquishTheWhale]

I do like the shows better on NCL's newer ships, but some of it has recently changed (don't think the Epic has Blue Man Group anymore).

 

The Epic has Priscilla Queen of the Desert now instead of Blue Man. Priscilla is an adult show- there is swearing and sex references galore. I would say that it's not going to be anything a 14 and 17yr old haven't heard before, but it's worth watching the movie first to get an idea of what the content is like.