NCL v P&O and Celebrity

[Presto2]

Hi, we are looking at all possible alternatives for our 25th anniversary in 2019 and, as yet, are not bowled over by what P&O or Celebrity can offer. (Well we like the Celebrity one, but the price is sky high).

 

Have just been looking at NCL and seen a really nice cruise for August 2019 and the price looks brilliant (all drinks and gratuities etc).

 

We have never looked at NCL before but the ship (Norwegian Jade) looks a nice size.

 

We are hoping that you can give us some idea of the major differences between NCL and the other cruise lines above. Just to say that we are not 'moaners' ! We do our research and are more than happy to be flexible with cruise lines / holidays and fit in with whatever 'goes'/ (We change to fit them and not expect it to be the other way around!)

 

Thanks so much for any help that you can offer us

[fabnfortysomething]

NCL Jade was our first cruise ship and converted us

 

Have sailed almost exclusively on NCL since so cant comment first hand knowledge on the others but have friends who have sailed them

 

P and O and celebrity still have formal nights which puts us off as we have wear business wear for work so prefer smart casual

P and O apparently on board drinks cheaper but doesn't apply as you have the inclusive option of drinks included

 

what is the itinerary and how long are you in port-that can make a big difference

[sanger727]

Never done P&O but I’ve don’t NCL and celebrity. I think you will find the jade more similar to celebrity than some of their newer ships. The biggest difference is the ‘freestyle’ concept - norwegian does not offer a fixed dining time. They only off anytime dining. So it’s like going out to eat at home; for the nicer restaurants (specialties) you’ll want reservations. For the rest (2 main dining rooms - one dressy and one casual, jasmine garden, and o’sheehans (all included BTW) you can come when you like and if it’s busy there may be a short wait.

 

I think the entertainment is better on NCL; the food choices are better on NCL; but the MDR food quality is better on celebrity.

 

I’m happy sailing on either, just based on the itinerary and cost.

 

 

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[Presto2]

Hi, thanks both of you. The itinerary is 11 days in the Med from Rome - lovely and very port intensive.

We usually have Freedom Dining as we like to eat when we want and when we want so are happy with the NCL concept.

Re no formal nights etc - we like the formal nights, but if we book a cruise that doesn't do them we wouldn't moan and just go along with the flow :-)

Sounds great

[fabnfortysomething]

Hi, thanks both of you. The itinerary is 11 days in the Med from Rome - lovely and very port intensive.

We usually have Freedom Dining as we like to eat when we want and when we want so are happy with the NCL concept.

Re no formal nights etc - we like the formal nights, but if we book a cruise that doesn't do them we wouldn't moan and just go along with the flow :-)

Sounds great

 

think you will like

with a port intensive itinerary you don't know how tired you will be when get back to ship so good to be able to "go with the flow" dining

there are ships photographers most nights available for portraits if you want to dress up and celebrate a particular occasion

we attend the meet and greets and have met some lovely people some of which we have shared private tours with

this means we have arranged to meet up for an evening meal with people we connect with rather than taking pot luck with assigned table mates-all good

[Beach Nut]

I am happy to have found these answers. Thank you for your responses, as they are helpful to me as well as to the original poster.

 

We are strongly considering a sailing on the Jade, primarily due to the itinerary. We have sailed mostly on Celebrity and have become used to a certain quality re the MDR food, cabin and ship cleanliness, and most importantly to me, the restriction of smoking in the cabins and on the balconies. I see that NCL has the same restrictions, but I need reassurance that they will actually enforce this, because if it isn't enforced, we won't bother to waste money on a balcony cabin. Does anyone have experience re actual enforcement of the policy, especially on the Jade? Thank you.

 

Also, re the MDR food, how might you rate the quality? I just need some idea of what I'm getting us into. I'm not expecting Oceania level of MDR food. We have been satisfied with the MDR food on RCI, Princess, HAL and Celebrity.

 

Also, I see that the Jade was refurbished in 2017. Are the beds firm enough for someone with moderate back issues?

 

Where are the outside deck smoking areas on the Jade, so that I can avoid a balcony cabin above those areas?

 

Thank you so much to anyone who takes time to help me with these questions.

[fabnfortysomething]

I am happy to have found these answers. Thank you for your responses, as they are helpful to me as well as to the original poster.

 

We are strongly considering a sailing on the Jade, primarily due to the itinerary. We have sailed mostly on Celebrity and have become used to a certain quality re the MDR food, cabin and ship cleanliness, and most importantly to me, the restriction of smoking in the cabins and on the balconies. I see that NCL has the same restrictions, but I need reassurance that they will actually enforce this, because if it isn't enforced, we won't bother to waste money on a balcony cabin. Does anyone have experience re actual enforcement of the policy, especially on the Jade? Thank you.

 

Also, re the MDR food, how might you rate the quality? I just need some idea of what I'm getting us into. I'm not expecting Oceania level of MDR food. We have been satisfied with the MDR food on RCI, Princess, HAL and Celebrity.

 

Also, I see that the Jade was refurbished in 2017. Are the beds firm enough for someone with moderate back issues?

 

Where are the outside deck smoking areas on the Jade, so that I can avoid a balcony cabin above those areas?

 

Thank you so much to anyone who takes time to help me with these questions.

 

OK food is very subjective-we prefer plain simple food so can usually find something to our taste as there are several eating places some free others at a cost

 

beds-we have a firm mattress at home and had no issues with beds on board

however they do have "egg crate" mattresses if need more firmness they lay on top

 

smoking pretty well enforced -especially if you report to guest services any suspicions of neighbours violating!

however cant confirm where smoking areas are on Jade

[sanger727]

I’m not a foodie and am fine with simple dishes - will pick lasagna over osso buco every time. But I found the MDR food mixed. Generally the apps were excellent, the desserts were decent, and the mains were hit or miss (with a couple just plain bad). So I just started ordering two apps so if the main wasn’t to my taste I wouldn’t leave hungry.

 

But between the MDR, jasmine garden, and o Sheehan’s - plus we had the 4 SDP; I was satisfied with the food overall.

 

We didn’t run into anyone smoking on the balconies so can’t comment on enforcement. But we didn’t find the ship too Smokey over all.

 

 

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[deliver42]

I was on the Jewel last May, and except for the cigar lounge, which I don't think the Jade has anymore, the smoking areas are on the upper decks, so you shouldn't have any effect on your balcony.

[Presto2]

Have read somewhere that on a Med. Cruise people embark and disembark at every port. Is that true still and if so how do you book that? The price we saw was Rome to Rome..

 

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[SteveH2508]

I was on the Jewel last May, and except for the cigar lounge, which I don't think the Jade has anymore, the smoking areas are on the upper decks, so you shouldn't have any effect on your balcony.

 

The Jade cigar bar is on deck 6 next to Le Bistro.

[fabnfortysomething]

Have read somewhere that on a Med. Cruise people embark and disembark at every port. Is that true still and if so how do you book that? The price we saw was Rome to Rome..

 

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not every port but on NCL Epic 7 day Med cruise there is option of embarking in either Civitiveccia[Rome] or Barcelona

[Captain-John]

The Jade is a fantastic ship, and having recently been in dry dock I gather she looks better than ever. A nice size, plenty of dining options and bars, you won't get bored trying them all that's for sure. I've been on her 4 times and I hope she replaces Spirit on the Canary Islands run one day, in which case I'll be on her many more times in the future.

 

Regarding price, recently I've noticed Norwegian increasing prices, especially for UK guests, but if it's a price you're comfortable with, then go for it. One thing we do is book through a US agent (you lose the ABTA/ATOL protection but at over £300 p.p saving it's a risk I'm willing to run), you usually find the perks are better as well as far as OBC goes.

 

Interestingly, having spent some time on the Celebrity boards here, I am eager to go the other way (13+ NCL cruises vs. none on Celebrity), given the price gap is closing for a few itineraries I've looked at in the Caribbean.

 

All the best with whatever you decide.

[Presto2]

Thanks everyone. Have to say it is very tempting.

We like P&O and Celebrity but are happy to try anything if we have done our homework and know what to expect!

 

Just a few more questions - sorry

 

Am guessing that smart casual is for most dining places in the evening?

What is the smoking policy? Am guessing not in cabins or balconies.

Are excursions a decent price?

Are passengers a mix like Celebrity?

What is the currency onboard?

 

Many thanks everyone

 

:-)

[AKR2011]

Am guessing that smart casual is for most dining places in the evening?

What is the smoking policy? Am guessing not in cabins or balconies.

Are excursions a decent price?

Are passengers a mix like Celebrity?

What is the currency onboard?

 

I can help with some of these:

• One dining room usually requires long pants, but the other does not. My DH and I like to dress up for dinner, so I wear a sundress and I "make" him put on a collared shirt and khakis. However, t-shirts are just fine. You see all kinds of dress at dinner, from totally casual to fancy evening gowns. I believe long pants are also required in the French Specialty Restaurant.
  
• There are designated smoking areas on all NCL ships. I usually only notice smoke in the casinos, so just avoid that if you are sensitive to the smell.
  
• Excursions through NCL are known to be a bit higher for Caribbean ports, so I would guess that this is the case in Europe too. I almost always book through a 3rd party agency and have never run into issues. Most will guarantee to get you back to the ship on time.
  
• Passengers on NCL are usually varied in age, but again, I am not familiar with European itineraries.
  

[sanger727]

Norwegian is super casual. One MDR plus some of the specialties are long pants/nice shirt. The rest are anything besides swim suits.

 

No smoking permitted in cabins or balconies

 

Excursions are high - similar to other cruise lines

 

On board currency is USD

 

Not entirely sure what you are asking about passenger mix.

 

 

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[Presto2]

Thanks folks

 

Re passenger mix - I was thinking nationalities.

 

Am guessing that it is the same as Celebrity. A mix of everyone :-)

[Presto2]

Well, we've found ourselves looking at NCL again having gone round in circles over the past few months!

As it is a special anniversary we are tempted to treat ourselves to an aft penthouse suite. The price is far better than Princess and Celebrity so very tempted now.

Just wondering if anyone has had one of these cabins on the Jade.

Thanks

[fshagan]

Thanks everyone. Have to say it is very tempting.

We like P&O and Celebrity but are happy to try anything if we have done our homework and know what to expect!

 

Just a few more questions - sorry

 

Am guessing that smart casual is for most dining places in the evening?

What is the smoking policy? Am guessing not in cabins or balconies.

Are excursions a decent price?

Are passengers a mix like Celebrity?

What is the currency onboard?

 

Many thanks everyone

 

:-)

 

"Smart casual" is the term used; but to be honest, other than shoes and shirt required, dressing for dinner is just as it is on shore here in California. Wear what you like. They officially have a "no shorts" policy for Le Bristro, one of the better specialty restaurants.

 

Unlike some lines, the day you embark you can eat lunch in the buffet, main dining room, or O'Sheehans, a pub-style place with comfort food. On the pool deck there are burgers and hot dogs and usually a lively party for sail away.

 

Smoking (and vaping) areas are limited to one side of the pool deck for outdoor smokers, and the casino. No smoking or vaping permitted on balconies or in cabins, or in other public places not identified as smoking. It is enforced; we have never had smoke smell on our balcony. If you do, you can call security and they can take a look at the cameras and see how it is violating the rules.

 

Passengers are a mix like Celebrity; a lot depends on the itinerary and time of year. However, I think Celebrity skews a bit more toward the older set, as it is more sedate and there is less night life.

 

Currency is US dollars.

 

Entertainment was very good on our last Celebrity cruise, but everyone usually says that NCL has better entertainment. They do have more live music in lounges, bars and theaters.

 

The Jade is a lovely ship, built originally for the Hawai'ian market as Pride of Aloha (I think). I don't know if the recent dry dock removed the last vestiges of it's Hawai'ian heritage, but you used to be able to tell by the carpet design and the statue in the bridge overlook room. It's a great size, has a nice promenade deck and when we sailed her had a wonderful crew.

[snowyboy]

My opinion based on NCL Spirit (March 2018) and CelebrityMillennium (Jan 2018)

 

Ship overall NCL old with eastern flavour but nice -- CelebShip little Newer more modern -- Both equal IMHO

 

Cabins NCL smaller bathroom OK good shower toilet hassliding door very small, storage space very good also includes coffee makerwith plenty of supplies super bed and great linens.

Cabins Celeb A little bigger and larger balcony, bathroomgood, storage very good, no coffee maker, bed etc same.

Cabin Celeb just has edge.

 

Food NCL Food was very good with a good selection fromMenu 4 places to eat evening meal 2 main restaurant + Asia + Buffet Main Diningroom seats 480 but is very spacious with tables well spaced apart. 3 specialtyrestaurants from A La Carte Menu not fixed price. Teppanyaki fixed 29.95$ also24 hour Cafe included in price serving Wings Burgers Fish & Chips etc verygood. Buffet Poor.

Food Celeb Not as good as NCL limited choices of placesto eat, no 24 hour cafe, Buffet very good.

CC 2018 Best UK Cruise Ship For Dining NCL Spirit.

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/membe...ing&sort=large

Food must go with NCL

 

 

Bars and Drinks Package- Bars on NCL are not great justOK however drinks package selection very good.

Celeb Bars are better Martini Bar will not be beatenDrinks selection on package not as good.

Must go with Celeb for Martini bar alone.

 

 

Entertainment - Shows on NCL first class very very good,other activities not appealing to me, night time in Sky Lounge buzzing great,very much partying ship at night.

Celeb better theatre however shows not up to NCLstandard, activities better, night time good not as much partying though silentdisco is a hoot.

This is hard one so going to say Equal

 

Dress Code NCL is freestyle so most things go some andsome. Being snobbish dress code better on Celeb.

 

In conclusion yes would do another NCL trip not sure Iwould like the large ships, however not jumping ship Celebrity still mypreferred cruise line.

 

I have tried to be fair and honest and this is just myopinion so not lets start world war 3.

 

John

[deliver42]

I haven't tried Celebrity yet, though I'm booked on the Equinox. I think you probably hit the nail on the head though. We have been on 2 NCL cruises, and enjoyed them both. An older ship, the Jewel, and the newer one, the Escape.