First Cruise!

[2Low4u]

Our Family Just booked a Cruise on the Escape for Feb 17, 2018.

It is my First Cruise, Really looking forward to it.

My Siblings have been on previous Cruises with Carnival and Princess, It is their First on Norwegian Cruise Lines.

What are the Differences or similarities between the 3 Cruise Lines?

Thank you for the Input.:cool:

[BirdTravels]

Congratulations on booking your first cruise and welcome to Cruise Critics. You picked a great ship for your first cruise! Enjoy. :cool:

[uneamie]

Our Family Just booked a Cruise on the Escape for Feb 17, 2018.

It is my First Cruise, Really looking forward to it.

My Siblings have been on previous Cruises with Carnival and Princess, It is their First on Norwegian Cruise Lines.

What are the Differences or similarities between the 3 Cruise Lines?

Thank you for the Input.:cool:

I think that is a pretty TALL question. I've been on Carnival and NCL....never on Princess. I have to say that both cruise lines have their positives and negatives. But frankly, I didn't notice a ton of negatives for either cruise line. Our last cruise on Carnival was on the Legend we had a great great time on that ship. No negatives other than at the time it was not "freestyle". We has assigned times and seating for meals...which I don't like. I love the freestyle of NCL ships and I think other cruise lines are starting to follow in their footsteps. Our last 2 cruises were on NCL and we had 0 complaints. Going again in Jan. Maybe someone else can give you more detailed comparisons.

[King of Cruising]

IMHO, Carnival is younger and more of a party ship, Princess is more of an older (50's +) crowd, NCL is middle of the road and a very nice cruise line.

We enjoy the freestyle way and will be on the Bliss to Alaska next year... Enjoy and have a cocktail for me!!!

Edited April 19, 2017 by King of Cruising
Spelling

[nutocruzing]

I've only been on Carnival and Norwegian so I can only compare the two. And even at that, I've been on smaller, older Carnival ships vs the Getaway, a pretty new mega-ship. I'll give this a try anyways!

 

Carnival:

* The "Fun" ships - Whether this is accurate or not is very much a matter of opinion. A good example is that at dinner in the MDR (Main Dining Room), the staff sing and dance most nights. I went with my family this past Christmas and to my surprise they all LOVED this and had a great time. But I can definitely see how others might find this tacky. Other examples include hairy chest contests on the pool deck. To be honest, I preferred the parties on Norwegian and found them to be more fun that anything I experienced on Carnival.

* Set dining times - This can be a pro or a con. Technically Carnival offers "anytime" dining but availability is limited. For most cruisers on a Carnival cruise you will have a set time to show up at the dining room or else have to eat at the buffet. If you're a small group of people, you're also likely to be sat with other diners. This is a great way to make friends, or an awful daily experience if you hate the people you're sat with. The set time is also potentially inconvenient for scheduling shows and activities.

*Service - Always with a smile. The staff are (in my experience) great at remembering your names and your preferences. For example, they've always dealt well with my sister's diet restrictions.

*Tacky Decor - The decor is a bit Vegas. I think of it as the "glitz" version of cruising. Norwegian on the other hand, at least on their newer ships, has a bit more contemporary style (i.e. less orange and neon lighting).

 

Norwegian:

*"Freestyle" - This has become more controversial lately because on the mega ships (such as the Escape), especially if you're part of a group, you are required to make reservations ahead of time in order to ensure you'll get to whatever show or restaurant you want to get to. However, it remains that you don't have a set required dining time each night allowing you to schedule shows and dining yourself from night to night based on your needs and interests. You have to balance the lack of lines on smaller ships with the greater amenities that larger ships provide.

*"Nickle and Diming" - There are also literally dozens of bar and restaurant options (some free of charge, some for an added fee). For me, the last cruise I took, I only ate in the complimentary restaurants and was very happy with the food. But it is kind of nice in my opinion to have other options. Some people complain though about these additional options as though they are mandatory and an inconvenience. It's up to you, pay or don't. You'll have a good experience either way in my opinion.

*Activities - The mega ships in particular have tons of things to do: multiple water slides, zip lines, ropes courses... the Vista (Carnival's newest ship) has some fun activities as well, but I haven't been on that ship so can't comment to the same extent.

*Entertainment - The entertainment on the Getaway blew the Carnival entertainment out of the water. Pretty much everything I saw I would happily have paid good money for, but it was free!

*Service - In my experience the staff are all still great, energetic and friendly. However I will admit I didn't see much of my room steward. This didn't bother me at all, and it may have been a freak experience, but some people seem to complain about this.

 

Overall, the food and service are comparable, and the amenities (activities and entertainment) vary depending on the age of the ship. One thing people seem to complain most about with Norwegian's mega-ships is the crowding. As far as I'm concerned these people are crazy. I sailed the Getaway with 4600 people on it (double occupancy capacity is 3900 or so), so it was way higher than average capacity and other than the muster drill (mandatory safety drill, sort of the more inconvenient version of the airplane safety video), I never found it to feel crowded. Overall I enjoy cruising itself more than one particular line and will take whatever cruise itinerary and price suits me before I consider the line.

 

My last piece of advice is to take everything everyone days on these boards with a grain of salt. The advice can be immensely helpful (like knowing that the booking option will show up on your online account about 90 days out from your cruise and you should book asap), but people also complain about petty things (like the fact that Carnival decided to reduce their daily laundry by limiting the number of nights with white table cloth dining - don't even look at the Carnival boards... this happened years ago and people still haven't gotten over it).

 

Hope this helps! Enjoy your cruise!

[2Low4u]

Thank you all for the help , it is great to have people on here to help a Newbie!Also Do you leave An Extra Tip after meals for the freestyle Dining?

[Two Wheels Only]

Do you leave An Extra Tip after meals for the freestyle Dining?

It's up to you. There is no right or wrong answer.

[Catchum]

It is your vacation, all you have to do is enjoy! I am sure you will soon find your favourite spot for dining and relaxing but do try all the included options. Even if a show or entertainment doesn't appeal try it and sit at the back (you can always leave) - it is included and you may find you actually love jazz guitar. Finally research your ports of call - many are very doable without expensive ships excursions but just getting off and wandering without any plan can be disappointing. I find an extensively planned day with bus time tables and museum opening times down loaded is a necessity - though they are usually abandoned at the first sight of an interesting side street and local tavern.

[fshagan]

Thank you all for the help , it is great to have people on here to help a Newbie!Also Do you leave An Extra Tip after meals for the freestyle Dining?

 

Your tip for the servers in the dining rooms and your cabin steward is included in your "daily service charge" that NCL puts on your bill. If you charge a drink to your cabin it will have an 18% service charge included, and so will any specialty dinners you pay for. So there is no obligation to tip above and beyond the service charge you have already paid, even in the Main Dining Room where the food is already included in your cruise fare. This system has made tipping really easy because you don't have to stress about it!

 

Some people tip in addition to the service charges, and you are welcome to do that. NCL allows it's employees to receive cash tips and keep them (see the item under "What about Gratuities" in that FAQ). We usually tip the cabin steward a bit extra at the end of the trip if they have been great (and usually they are). But that is entirely optional and there is no expectation you will give an extra tip!

 

This system is in place on the other cruise lines you mentioned also, so it will be very familiar to everyone. The only caveat is to look at the bar receipt before you sign it ... they include a line for "extra tip" on there and some people don't realize the service charge has already been applied.

 

I hope you enjoy your first cruise! I was worried we'd have an awful time "stuck on a boat" on our first cruise but we really enjoyed it. Since then it has only gotten better for us! Of course, when we started cruising we had to sleep in hammocks forward of the mast and watch out for pirates. ;)

[TNcruising02]

I've been on several Carnival ships, one RCL, one Disney, and NCL Getaway. It's been a few years since my Norwegian cruise, but what I remember most is that the shows were outstanding. Definitely better than the RCL or Carnival. I also loved their dance parties on the outside deck. They had game shows in the middle of the ship and those were a lot of fun to watch from an upper level. The food was also better on the NCL then the Carnival. I did not like making reservations for shows.

 

Carnival has the best comedy shows. They booked comedians that had different shows each night, so one night we were able to watch four different shows in one night. It was a blast. What can I say? I love a good comedy show. We didn't have to make a reservation for any of the shows. I also liked the option of purchasing the Faster to the Fun pass for our room, which enabled us to walk directly to our room as soon as we got on the ship (along with a few other benefits). Room service was free for certain items, other items had a small fee. They have laundry rooms on the ships, which allowed us to bring carry-on baggage only. I threw a load of clothes into the washer mid-way through our cruise and had clean clothes for the remaining days. It only took an hour out of my day and I used that time to catch up on emails, etc. My husband went to the gym. I met a lady who just got back from an ATV excursion. She had a blast, but their clothes were covered in mud. She was glad that she could wash them.

 

We didn't use the kids programs, so I have no idea which is better. We enjoyed the adult area of the NCL better than Carnival.

 

We are booked on NCL Escape this September. Every cruise we have been on has been wonderful. Each ship has pros and cons, but we are able to always have an awesome time. We recently cruised on Carnival's Splendor and had a wonderful time.

[Haole]

Also Do you leave An Extra Tip after meals for the freestyle Dining?

 

No, the NCL Freestyle dining is buffet style with seating where you find it. No tipping because no waiters, only table bussing staff.

 

In the specialty restaurants you can tip or not - personal preference. An 18% gratuity is automatically included, but some add more for exceptional service.

[Oldgoat61]

We have only cruised NCL, and CCL, and as mentioned by previous poster, they are more alike than different.

 

What we like about NCL is the freestyle concept. As far as dining, think of it as if you were going to a restaurant on land. Having not been on one of the mega ships, it is best to set up reservations (90 days out) for the specialty restaurants. I have read that it is necessary, and others say it is not. If you want to eat at the teppanyaki (sp) restaurant make them asap. In the main dining rooms it is not required, but you can do so.

 

Another thing that I like about freestyle is the dress code. No formal nights, but you can dress up if you like (Norwegians night out), which is one night on a 7 day cruise.

 

As far as dipping, as mentioned earlier, the "gratuity", or "daily service charge" is added to you bill every day. If you choose to dip someone, go for it, but you don't have to.

 

We really like the relaxed feel of NCL, so enjoy!! :D

[uneamie]

No it is not.

Your service charge that you pay upfront is distributed equally among the staff. You do not need to tip your servers or your cabin steward more unless you choose to.

[fshagan]

No it is not.

 

Of course it is. The service charge is in lieu of the traditional tip, given in envelopes on the last day of the cruise.

[uneamie]

Wouldn't it be great if all service people in all avenues of life were paid a decent enough salary that tipping would not be an issue or necessary. I know that would generally mean higher prices of course, which in the end would amount to the same.....but it would be giving back the responsibility to the employers. I was a waitress for 13 years so I know how much these people depend on tips. My salary was $2.50 per hour so tips were essential but I think I would have preferred a good salary instead of depending on the public and never knowing what my weekly amount would end up being. Oh and you could be the best waiter in the world and still not get a tip from some people.

[ColeThornton]

No, the NCL Freestyle dining is buffet style with seating where you find it. No tipping because no waiters, only table bussing staff.

 

.

 

 

Not sure what you are talking about here. The MDR's most definitely have servers and you are seated at the tables by a hostess.

[ColeThornton]

You are right that you do not NEED to tip anyone. That is not the same as what I addressed. The DSF is NOT a tip.

 

 

Technically correct BUT most people look at the DSC as replacing tips. Their perception is their reality.

[All-ready2cruise]

No, the NCL Freestyle dining is buffet style with seating where you find it. No tipping because no waiters, only table bussing staff.

 

In the specialty restaurants you can tip or not - personal preference. An 18% gratuity is automatically included, but some add more for exceptional service.

 

You can just as easily dine in the MDR as the buffet. Let's not make it sound like the buffet is the be all and the end all of complimentary dining.

 

You are right that you do not NEED to tip anyone. That is not the same as what I addressed. The DSF is NOT a tip.

 

The Tipping/DSC discussion gets ramped up on this so much I've thought of using this page https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/faq#service-charge as my homepage.

 

It's so confusing for new cruisers and I feel badly for some when the thread gets so many different responses. DSF? = DSC some prefer it to handing out individual envelopes and others don't like it at all, perhaps fearing their favourite waiter/steward won't get their fair share. My late husband always gave extra when the service was exceptional which was most of the time. Did he need to? no, but he did it anyway.

[2Low4u]

Sorry for the Late Response Folks, Thanks for all the Input on helping out with the Q&A.

We Will Probably End Up Tipping A Small amount each Night.

We Would Find it more awkward to just get up and leave Nothing on the Table after our Meals, just a thanks for the Service they Do on a Daily Basis, Just as we are used to Doing it in Normal Out For the Evening Dinner Routine.

[sophia37]

I've only been on Carnival and Norwegian so I can only compare the two. And even at that, I've been on smaller, older Carnival ships vs the Getaway, a pretty new mega-ship. I'll give this a try anyways!

 

Carnival:

* The "Fun" ships - Whether this is accurate or not is very much a matter of opinion. A good example is that at dinner in the MDR (Main Dining Room), the staff sing and dance most nights. I went with my family this past Christmas and to my surprise they all LOVED this and had a great time. But I can definitely see how others might find this tacky. Other examples include hairy chest contests on the pool deck. To be honest, I preferred the parties on Norwegian and found them to be more fun that anything I experienced on Carnival.

* Set dining times - This can be a pro or a con. Technically Carnival offers "anytime" dining but availability is limited. For most cruisers on a Carnival cruise you will have a set time to show up at the dining room or else have to eat at the buffet. If you're a small group of people, you're also likely to be sat with other diners. This is a great way to make friends, or an awful daily experience if you hate the people you're sat with. The set time is also potentially inconvenient for scheduling shows and activities.

*Service - Always with a smile. The staff are (in my experience) great at remembering your names and your preferences. For example, they've always dealt well with my sister's diet restrictions.

*Tacky Decor - The decor is a bit Vegas. I think of it as the "glitz" version of cruising. Norwegian on the other hand, at least on their newer ships, has a bit more contemporary style (i.e. less orange and neon lighting).

 

Norwegian:

*"Freestyle" - This has become more controversial lately because on the mega ships (such as the Escape), especially if you're part of a group, you are required to make reservations ahead of time in order to ensure you'll get to whatever show or restaurant you want to get to. However, it remains that you don't have a set required dining time each night allowing you to schedule shows and dining yourself from night to night based on your needs and interests. You have to balance the lack of lines on smaller ships with the greater amenities that larger ships provide.

*"Nickle and Diming" - There are also literally dozens of bar and restaurant options (some free of charge, some for an added fee). For me, the last cruise I took, I only ate in the complimentary restaurants and was very happy with the food. But it is kind of nice in my opinion to have other options. Some people complain though about these additional options as though they are mandatory and an inconvenience. It's up to you, pay or don't. You'll have a good experience either way in my opinion.

*Activities - The mega ships in particular have tons of things to do: multiple water slides, zip lines, ropes courses... the Vista (Carnival's newest ship) has some fun activities as well, but I haven't been on that ship so can't comment to the same extent.

*Entertainment - The entertainment on the Getaway blew the Carnival entertainment out of the water. Pretty much everything I saw I would happily have paid good money for, but it was free!

*Service - In my experience the staff are all still great, energetic and friendly. However I will admit I didn't see much of my room steward. This didn't bother me at all, and it may have been a freak experience, but some people seem to complain about this.

 

Overall, the food and service are comparable, and the amenities (activities and entertainment) vary depending on the age of the ship. One thing people seem to complain most about with Norwegian's mega-ships is the crowding. As far as I'm concerned these people are crazy. I sailed the Getaway with 4600 people on it (double occupancy capacity is 3900 or so), so it was way higher than average capacity and other than the muster drill (mandatory safety drill, sort of the more inconvenient version of the airplane safety video), I never found it to feel crowded. Overall I enjoy cruising itself more than one particular line and will take whatever cruise itinerary and price suits me before I consider the line.

 

My last piece of advice is to take everything everyone days on these boards with a grain of salt. The advice can be immensely helpful (like knowing that the booking option will show up on your online account about 90 days out from your cruise and you should book asap), but people also complain about petty things (like the fact that Carnival decided to reduce their daily laundry by limiting the number of nights with white table cloth dining - don't even look at the Carnival boards... this happened years ago and people still haven't gotten over it).

 

Hope this helps! Enjoy your cruise!

Thank you for this!

[newmexicoNita]

Our Family Just booked a Cruise on the Escape for Feb 17, 2018.

It is my First Cruise, Really looking forward to it.

My Siblings have been on previous Cruises with Carnival and Princess, It is their First on Norwegian Cruise Lines.

What are the Differences or similarities between the 3 Cruise Lines?

Thank you for the Input.:cool:

first let me say, there is nothing like that first cruise: it is amazing!!

AS for the differences, well, in my mind they are more alike than different. Princess is a little older crowd, Or at least, the 3 times we have sailed them this has been the case. They are a little more formal than other lines. So, even on formal optional nights, you may feel out of place if you choose to dress to casually. The cabins are similar in size with NCL. the entertainment, overall not as good.

Carnival ships are more elaborate in the decor. To me, they are actually gaudy, but that is just my opinion. I will say, the service on Carnival as never been as good for us as other ships. Again that is me. I would put Ncl in the middle of the 3 lines as for age breakdown. We are loyal NCL fans so it is hard to be totally objective. As I said mass marketed lines are similar and yet, each has its own personality. :p

ps: Carnival has by far, the largest cabins. That is one of my "I don't Like" about NCL: small cabins.

[newmexicoNita]

No, the NCL Freestyle dining is buffet style with seating where you find it. No tipping because no waiters, only table bussing staff.

 

In the specialty restaurants you can tip or not - personal preference. An 18% gratuity is automatically included, but some add more for exceptional service.

Have you ever even been on an NCL ship? Freestyle has nothing to do with the buffet. There are several eateries, including 2 MDRs on all NCL ships and they are not buffets. You sit down, just like any other line, you receive a menu and you order. There are also specialty dining rooms which are something totally different.

 

Now to the OP no your daily service charge, just like on other lines covers tipping as well as your cabin steward. Most people do not tip above the service charge but there are times when you may want to add a little. We usually leave our cabin steward a little extra at the end of the cruise and we always leave something when eating in the specialty dining rooms. You do not have to and the crew doesn't really expect the extra. We also, often find a bar tender that is exceptionally nice, so we will hand him or her an extra buck, but you are already tipping him if you have the UBP or when you buy your drink.