do you go on same cruise line or try different one?

[BunnieBear]

I'm booked for NCL Jewel. Should I be worried? (First Cruise)

 

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[Buck Turgidson]

We've cruised Carnival, Cunard, Celebrity, Holland America and Princess. Carnival was best when we took our son during Easter Vacation. We enjoyed all the ships, only issue was the Cunard Queen Elizabeth, we were in the humid South Pacific and the ceilings leaked like a sieve in many parts of the ship from the air ducting I assume due to the moisture in the air. Other than the moisture issue the Cunard ship was fine. We don't like long drives or flights anymore so we now only cruise out of California ports:cool:

[crystalspin]

I'm booked for NCL Jewel. Should I be worried? (First Cruise)

 

Oh dear, I didn't mean to make anyone worried -- NCL has its loyal crowd as well. As you know from your Roll Call. It's possible our Panama cruise on the N.Star was shortly before a drydock -- the slipcovers and artificial flower decor were somewhat the worse for wear. The activities were fine and the Roll Call (my first at the time) had lots of things organized. I'm sure you'll enjoy your trip to Alaska!

[BunnieBear]

Also my first trip to the States so everything will feel new.

 

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[kimberja14]

We prefer variety over loyalty too. We make our cruise decision based on the ship that best fits our vacation wants at the price we are willing to pay. Our wants and our budget are different for ever vacation. The key is to do your research. Even if it is a line you have sailed before, research would tell you that change is a constant in the cruise industry, and what you enjoyed before may be different today. While some people may profess their loyalty to a cruise line, cruise lines are not loyal to any individuals....that would be impossible based on the number and variety of people that sail with them. Then these cruisers get hurt and angry when "their" cruise line makes changes that impact their enjoyment. It's nothing personal on the cruise lines part... it's just business for them. Which is the way we should look at it. A cruise is a product we purchase. Do your research and choose the best product for you.

 

 

 

Literally the best cruise advice I have ever read and I agree 100% [emoji122][emoji108][emoji106][emoji4]

 

 

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[perditax]

Being fiercely "loyal" to a corporation is behavior that I don't understand. The company doesn't love you back.

 

So ... I've been on DCL, NCL x 4, Celebrity, Princess, and have Royal coming up. (I'm somewhat apprehensive about RCL, can't shake the feeling it's a Target product in a Nordstrom bag, but they had the port/date and itinerary I wanted.)

 

The reason for the high repeat on NCL is their solo studio product, which other lines don't have. (I cruise solo about two-thirds of the time.) No, it's not the same thing on RCL ships, they don't have the solo lounge or locked-off singles area.

 

I don't particularly like the way any of the cruise lines do business, but Princess seemed the least 'shady' in terms of aggressive marketing, nickel and diming, and bait and switch tactics. NCL is the most shady.

 

RC/Celebrity get a special mention for having the most ridiculously crappy websites and refusing to fix them.

 

Princess would be my most likely to achieve "loyalty", but they don't have a whole lot of sailings in my part of the world. (I can't afford EU cruises just yet.)

[Tapi]

Being fiercely "loyal" to a corporation is behavior that I don't understand. The company doesn't love you back.

 

 

For 9 cruises in a row, I was "fiercely loyal" to one cruise line, and I'll tell you why. It was convenient and affordable. It was a product that I was familiar with and enjoyed. And once I reached platinum level with them, those little added perks that I started receiving were enough to entice me to keep coming back.

 

But then, I found myself wanting something more. On that 9th cruise, I even found myself pacing back and forth, on a sea day, bored out of my mind and just wishing that the cruise would be over. The familiarity with this cruise line that I once considered a positive had now become a negative. I wanted to try new ships, new destinations, new entertainment, new cuisine, and a different level of service. And that's when I decided to try a different cruise line. The experience was eye opening. After that, I decided that, from that point on, I would not stick to one particular cruise line. Since then, I haven't repeated the same cruise line two times in a row. And the experience has been wonderful.

 

Even though I used to be a one cruise line man, I now encourage others not to be one. There are just too many cruise lines, ships and destinations out there to justify not sticking to just one cruise line.

 

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[drsel]

Being fiercely "loyal" to a corporation is behavior that I don't understand. The company doesn't love you back.

 

So ... I've been on DCL, NCL x 4, Celebrity, Princess, and have Royal coming up. (I'm somewhat apprehensive about RCL, can't shake the feeling it's a Target product in a Nordstrom bag, but they had the port/date and itinerary I wanted.)

 

The reason for the high repeat on NCL is their solo studio product, which other lines don't have. (I cruise solo about two-thirds of the time.) No, it's not the same thing on RCL ships, they don't have the solo lounge or locked-off singles area.

 

I don't particularly like the way any of the cruise lines do business, but Princess seemed the least 'shady' in terms of aggressive marketing, nickel and diming, and bait and switch tactics. NCL is the most shady.

 

RC/Celebrity get a special mention for having the most ridiculously crappy websites and refusing to fix them.

 

Princess would be my most likely to achieve "loyalty", but they don't have a whole lot of sailings in my part of the world. (I can't afford EU cruises just yet.)

Dear Perditax,

Thanks for your feedback.

1) Which NCL ships have solo prices SAME as twin sharing?

2) What are the bait and switch tactics?

[jocap]

I'm booked for NCL Jewel. Should I be worried? (First Cruise)

 

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BunnieBear- we had a wonderful cruise on another NCL ship of the same class as yours, the Jade, and loved everything about her so much that we booked again as soon as we returned. We watched the programme about the cruises in Orkney on TV this week- and there was Jade, sailing into port- and how we wished we were on her again!

We do use one ship every winter, because she's the only one which sails from the UK all the way to the Caribbean and back again ( no long flights), and we're very happy with her, but we like to choose other lines and ships in between.

Have a brilliant time- I'm sure you will! :)

[Tatka]

We like Jewel class of NCL . Nice size. The only negative is smaller size of insides which we are using mostly

[perditax]

Dear Perditax,

Thanks for your feedback.

1) Which NCL ships have solo prices SAME as twin sharing?

2) What are the bait and switch tactics?

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "same as twin sharing", but the NCL ships with solo cabins/fares are Getaway, Breakway, Escape, Epic and Bliss. They also often run "normal" cabins at less than 100% single supplement. For example, I've been on cruises where other solo cruisers were getting last-minute guarantee balconies for less total than I paid for a studio.

 

Bait and switch = something like advertise that all bookings will now come with a great free perk (drinks or dining package, etc) then raise the fares by $300pp.

 

Bait: Get a "free" ultimate beverage package!

Switch: But we've raised your fare by hundreds of dollars!

[drsel]

I'm not sure what you mean by "same as twin sharing", but the NCL ships with solo cabins/fares are Getaway, Breakway, Escape, Epic and Bliss. They also often run "normal" cabins at less than 100% single supplement. For example, I've been on cruises where other solo cruisers were getting last-minute guarantee balconies for less total than I paid for a studio.

 

Bait and switch = something like advertise that all bookings will now come with a great free perk (drinks or dining package, etc) then raise the fares by $300pp.

 

Bait: Get a "free" ultimate beverage package!

Switch: But we've raised your fare by hundreds of dollars!

I meant that if a single cruiser books a normal double room (cabin), he has to pay a single supplement.

So, which Cruises have a single room(cabin), where you pay half the price of a double room(cabin)?

[drsel]

""They also often run "normal" cabins at less than 100% single supplement. For example, I've been on cruises where other solo cruisers were getting last-minute guarantee balconies for less total than I paid for a studio.""

How you find these deals?

[drsel]

If a couple pays a total of 1000 for an Inside double room cabin, does a single cruiser have to pay 500 for an Inside single cabin?

[dreadpirate3]

snip

 

Have considered Princess, but to get seating for two in the cabin, you have to book a mini-suite or up; this gives me a sad face. :(

 

Orient Lines (1), NCL (1), HAL (5 so far).

Plus Yangtze River (and another booked) and two Russian River cruises on the Vodohod Rus.

 

Does this mean there is no couch or chairs in a Princess OV or inside room? That seems very odd to me.

[Tapi]

Does this mean there is no couch or chairs in a Princess OV or inside room? That seems very odd to me.

 

 

 

Depends on the ship. The newest ones do have a deluxe balcony stateroom category which does have a sofa. But the standard balcony, oceanview and inside staterooms will only have a chair.

 

We booked a standard oceanview stateroom on the Golden Princess which would be considered tiny by today standards. It only had a chair with a small round table. However, the room was smartly laid out, even creating a separate dressing area between the bathroom and the closet which was appreciated specially when trying to get ready while the spouse was still asleep. We didn't miss having a sofa.

 

 

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[Aquahound]

Does this mean there is no couch or chairs in a Princess OV or inside room? That seems very odd to me.

 

You are correct about the couch. There is a chair...a small one. This was my standard balcony room on Ruby Princess. I also stayed in standard balcony rooms on Caribbean Princess and Regal Princess. Same exact thing...although Regal's decor wasn't so granny.