Convince me to giving NCL a try

[gritsnc]

My family has been on 3 Carnival cruises and 1 RC. RC is by far our choice. We were on one of the older RC ships too (the Navigator) but we thought the food, service and amenities were better. Just our personal opinions.

We are looking into booking a girls trip for about 5 of us in the family (Me, mom, my sister and two aunts). The ages range from 41 (me) to 70 (my mom). We would really like to give NCL a try but are kind of nervous since we enjoyed RC so much.

So tell me why you think we would enjoy a cruise with NCL. :-)  I'd also like to hear the differences of a NCL cruise vs Carnival or RC. Thanks!

 

[NYcruzzer]

8 minutes ago, gritsnc said:

My family has been on 3 Carnival cruises and 1 RC. RC is by far our choice. We were on one of the older RC ships too (the Navigator) but we thought the food, service and amenities were better. Just our personal opinions.

We are looking into booking a girls trip for about 5 of us in the family (Me, mom, my sister and two aunts). The ages range from 41 (me) to 70 (my mom). We would really like to give NCL a try but are kind of nervous since we enjoyed RC so much.

So tell me why you think we would enjoy a cruise with NCL. :-)  I'd also like to hear the differences of a NCL cruise vs Carnival or RC. Thanks!

 

Since I'm not employed by NCL's marketing dept. I won't try and "convince" you to give NCL a try. I will say if you do choose NCL have a most fantastic cruise !!

[PTC DAWG]

I like the later night parties that I can usually find on NCL cruises...but I've mainly been on warmer weather Caribbean cruises..that may make a difference.

 

I am more of the opinion that Carnival/RCI and NCL are more alike than different...at least that's the take I get from talking to folks who have cruised on the other two recently.  

 

 

[Two Wheels Only]

Just like with RCCL, the ship choice can make a big difference. What NCL ship are you considering?

[candigirl41]

I have been on Carnival 16 times, Princess several times and RC 3 times.  I have been on two NCL cruises and I loved them both.  I was suppose to go on the NCL Bliss in October but my friend had to cancel.  I loved all my cruises.  I am not a foodie so I generally can find something I like to eat.  I like the free at sea on NCL.  We usually book inside cabins so we both get the drink package.  Even after paying the gratuity on the drink package we definitely get our monies worth.  I never thought I would try other lines, but I am glad I did.  Give it a try and then if you find it's not for you go back to RC.

 

Candi

[gritsnc]

16 minutes ago, candigirl41 said:

I have been on Carnival 16 times, Princess several times and RC 3 times.  I have been on two NCL cruises and I loved them both.  I was suppose to go on the NCL Bliss in October but my friend had to cancel.  I loved all my cruises.  I am not a foodie so I generally can find something I like to eat.  I like the free at sea on NCL.  We usually book inside cabins so we both get the drink package.  Even after paying the gratuity on the drink package we definitely get our monies worth.  I never thought I would try other lines, but I am glad I did.  Give it a try and then if you find it's not for you go back to RC.

 

Candi

 

What is the Free at Sea? I'm on their site right now but I don't see that mentioned. Nevermind! Found it!

Edited November 13, 2018 by gritsnc

[gritsnc]

9 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

Just like with RCCL, the ship choice can make a big difference. What NCL ship are you considering?

I haven't even looked at their ships. lol! I've just been reading trip reports on here. Any suggestions? Things we've liked about other cruises: The shows, The pun on the Navigator where we sang along with the entertainer every night, Pools, games (not gambling though...we all stink at gambling).

[Newleno]

Carnival is a lot of fun, NCL is getting more and more like holland america.  The only reason I have been going on ncl lately is because they have been cheap.  Carnival for fun,  Celebrity and Royal are better than Carnival but more expensive.  NCL last option

[kskelley40]

We have been on all three lines several times....my personal favorite right now is Norwegian.  Why?  The drink package, the dining package, the suites, the service etc....

We found Carnival to be cheaper yes, but then you get the younger crowd.  We are in our 50's and enjoy a more laid back cruise.  Royal was great.  If they included their drink package with the Balcony or higher cabins, we would sail on them more often.  Looking at over $1000 for our 8 day Cuba cruise next year just for the drink package.

I personally have found the food to be about the same on all three lines, with the exception of Guy's Burgers.  If we are looking to sail on Carnival, I try to pick a ship that has Guy's Burgers on it.  Yes, they are that good.

So the food for us is not a deal breaker.  Shows and entertainment - found to be about the same for all 3 lines.

 

Happy hunting....no matter what line you choose, the cruise will be what you make of it!

[mizLORInj]

Best to try it for yourself!    We cruise various lines--not just one--and have  great cruises on all.  😁

[nclsuncruiser]

I've only recently come back to NCL, having spent a couple of years on Royal. 

Having come back, first thing I noticed was that I had forgotten his good NCL are for live music, I think Royal are concentrating more on the big hype shows but for bands etc... NCL

[tbo]

We had only been on 3 Carnival cruises before going on NCL. The first 2 were amazing and the 3rd, which was taken 16 years after the first 2, was a lot of fun and we had a good time. We did notice that the food was not as we had remembered and the service was lackluster. We decided to give another line a try and found a great deal on NCL through an online travel agency for the NCL Escape.

 

We loved NCL and the Escape! The food was amazing, the staff and crew were smiles all around and seemed happy to be there and happy that we were there. Entertainment was great. It was an all around great cruise, I didn't want to leave! We enjoyed it so much that we have another 3 booked already.

 

We got a good deal on our cruise and if you look and/or are patient and go at the right time,  there are some great deals on NCL. We were able to book an 11 day cruise and get all 5 of the perks just by booking at the right time. Because we booked it as a Latitudes Club member deal, we also get double points and additional OBC.

 

The "free" beverage package is a big debate on the boards. You can usually get the beverage package free, but you do pay the 20% grat. for it. Still that seems to be less expensive than other lines charge for it. We aren't big drinkers, but found that you don't really have to be to get use out of the beverage package. It was nice to go to dinner, a show, or be out and about and order a drink and not have to worry about a bar tab showing up at the end of the cruise.

 

The free at sea refers to being free to not dress up, dine when you want etc. It was very nice to not have to pack formal attire and high heels-and we didn't! We dressed nice for our evenings on board, but were still comfortable.

 

Oh and don't make a mistake I made when looking into NCL. When I first started looking into their ships, the first deal that got my attention was on the Epic. I went to Youtube to see what a balcony cabin looked like-I didn't like the bathroom set up and told myself that NCL was out. After a little more research, I figured out that the Epic is the only ship like that. And guess what? We liked NCL so much that we are giving the Epic a chance in January! So my suggestion is to do your research 🙂

 

Happy cruising!

[Georgia_Peaches]

I am of the mind that I will try just about anything once as it relates to cruising since opinions are subjective and experiences are varied.  For me, each line has its own set of pros/cons.  RCL has the mega ships and I've enjoyed several of them...but they don't offer a drink package as a perk...so no.  Carnival has a fun vibe and while they don't offer a drink package as a perk, you can often get complimentary drinks in the casino after you've reached a certain player point level during the cruise...so maybe.  Celebrity is my go to when it's just DH and myself because we book a suite and all the perks are included...so yes.  NCL has been fun with new and different things to do.  They offer a beverage package as a perk (not including gratuities)...so yes.

Bottom line, like others have mentioned, you're probably going to see more similarities than differences between all of the major lines.  I haven't tried MSC yet, but I'm sure I will at some point.

[jpcdds6]

It's a great Cruise line, but nothing is perfect. I think it is way better than Carnival, a little better than RC, and a little less than X. I will say that the Suite and Haven levels are great, the food is good, and the crews have been nice. Ships are always very clean and updated. Give it a try.

[dolita22]

We sailed the Carnival Glory earlier this year, after having sailed NCL for a few cruises. I sailed Carnival and Royal before meeting my DH, and together, we've now sailed both. We were just on the NCL Getaway just two weeks ago.

 

Our favorite cruise line is NCL for the service, the free at sea/more laid back atmosphere, the beverage package, newer ships, and the food. Carnival is our second favorite because, at least on the ships we've sailed, we've found the "free at sea" atmosphere to be comparable to NCL's laid back, come-as-you-are feeling. We weren't big fans of the dancing waiters in the MDRs on Carnival, however. Minor annoyance, but was nice to not have them on the Getaway.

 

Food is subjective, but we found Carnival's food to be just a step below NCL's, but good, and their staff were all friendly. On Royal, we weren't fans of the food and the service we had was very average. I do wonder if the Oasis class and larger ships have better food/service; we plan to sail those ships one of these years.

 

So much depends on what you find ideal and what you'd like in a cruise. We've found NCL to fit our needs and typically look to them first. Do your research, and if you find something that meets your needs, try it out! You never know what'll happen.

[rtkenmore]

7 NCL cruises so far and two more booked already....  Looking to see what's next.

 

We love NCL and it would take a lot to get us to switch.

[BNBR]

I would only sail NCL if it was the best deal for you.  As another poster said, it also largely depends on the ship.

 

Compare an NCL cruise with what is available from Royal and Carnival for similar dates.  Compare the TOTAL cost, as NCL has their "free" perks but usually have highly inflated base pricing to cover the cost of it.

 

There is nothing terrible special about NCL, and quite a few things that I think make them worst than Royal.  But overall, cruise lines are more similar than different in the general product that is provided.  Pick the best deal, to the best ports regardless of which mainstream line it is.

 

Either that, or I'd pick a Royal Caribbean Oasis-class sailing if you want something that is truly unique/different.

[SteveH2508]

We started our cruising career on NCL. We only sailed on the c2000 pax ships (Particularly Jade). We also sailed RCI once (never again - in 4 days they forgot our breakfast order in the MDR and could'nt get us into the MDR one night - disaster!)

 

We are trying NCL again in 18 months (again a c2000 pax ship - Spirit).

 

What I am trying to say is that there is a world of difference between the 'smaller' ships on NCL and the biggies. We do not want the mega-ships and the hassles that come along with 4000+ pax in one place trying to get to another place at the same time.

 

We are also very itinerary driven - 7 day Epic round the usual Med ports - no thanks. 24 day Spirit South Africa to Singapore = bring it on!

 

 

[havanadaydreaming]

my pals who have sailed RC and NCL have told me they think the lines are pretty comparable.  Wish I could comment on RC but I haven't been on their cruises. 

 

I've have sailed Carnival, MSC and NCL.  I would say that MSC is more comparable with NCL than Carnival(food and entertainment a step up), but I've enjoyed every cruise I've ever taken. 

 

I would say do NOT consider booking sail away NCL rate unless you do not drink much at all.  I may be in the upper half of adult beverage consumers on a cruise ship and I tried to save $300pp on a weeklong itinerary.  welp, that didn't end so well. 

 

 

 

[cathi007]

4 hours ago, gritsnc said:

My family has been on 3 Carnival cruises and 1 RC. RC is by far our choice. We were on one of the older RC ships too (the Navigator) but we thought the food, service and amenities were better. Just our personal opinions.

We are looking into booking a girls trip for about 5 of us in the family (Me, mom, my sister and two aunts). The ages range from 41 (me) to 70 (my mom). We would really like to give NCL a try but are kind of nervous since we enjoyed RC so much.

So tell me why you think we would enjoy a cruise with NCL. 🙂 I'd also like to hear the differences of a NCL cruise vs Carnival or RC. Thanks!

 

Personally I don't go by cruise line, I go by itinerary. I mostly cruise NCL now, as I live in CT and they sail out of NY. This makes it very easy for me. I have cruised CCL, RC, and Celebrity. I did not like RC at all. I was on the Brilliance of the Seas when it first came out. I liked the ship, but not the crew, at all. The entertainment was lacking and the food wasn't so great. I though the dealers in the casino were down right rude. I never went back. I'm not saying I won't ever, but NCL is just my go to for now. Celebrity was amazing and the food to die for, but there wasn't as much "fun" as some of the other ships. Carnival is the fun ship. I had a blast on Carnival both times I sailed. The food on CCL, ehhh. So for me NCL is the best. They have great food, entertainment, the UBP, and they are close by. You should give them a try. Freestyle is awesome :). But any line you chose, I am sure you will be happy. Enjoy

[deliver42]

I like Royal also, but have branchedout to several lines. They all offer something different. My advice is to give NCL a try. We've been on two, not including the Norway, and had a great time on both cruises. The Jewel and the Escape, which was fantastic.

[NLH Arizona]

A poster said that NCL was getting more like Holland America, which could not be further than the truth.  On NCL there are younger and older singles, just as there are older and younger families, but no where the demographic of a Holland America cruise where the majority are older folks.  

[Newleno]

1 hour ago, NLH Arizona said:

A poster said that NCL was getting more like Holland America, which could not be further than the truth.  On NCL there are younger and older singles, just as there are older and younger families, but no where the demographic of a Holland America cruise where the majority are older folks.  

not the last two cruises we were on, September Canada Gem, Oct/Nov Breakaway,  I was hoping to see some 20 something, 30 something 40 something or even some in shape 50 something around the pool area, well I was out of luck, very very very very old crowd like Holland (we are 4 star mariners)  

Edited November 14, 2018 by Newleno

[rtkenmore]

6 hours ago, tbo said:

We had only been on 3 Carnival cruises before going on NCL. The first 2 were amazing and the 3rd, which was taken 16 years after the first 2, was a lot of fun and we had a good time. We did notice that the food was not as we had remembered and the service was lackluster. We decided to give another line a try and found a great deal on NCL through an online travel agency for the NCL Escape.

 

We loved NCL and the Escape! The food was amazing, the staff and crew were smiles all around and seemed happy to be there and happy that we were there. Entertainment was great. It was an all around great cruise, I didn't want to leave! We enjoyed it so much that we have another 3 booked already.

 

We got a good deal on our cruise and if you look and/or are patient and go at the right time,  there are some great deals on NCL. We were able to book an 11 day cruise and get all 5 of the perks just by booking at the right time. Because we booked it as a Latitudes Club member deal, we also get double points and additional OBC.

 

The "free" beverage package is a big debate on the boards. You can usually get the beverage package free, but you do pay the 20% grat. for it. Still that seems to be less expensive than other lines charge for it. We aren't big drinkers, but found that you don't really have to be to get use out of the beverage package. It was nice to go to dinner, a show, or be out and about and order a drink and not have to worry about a bar tab showing up at the end of the cruise.

 

The free at sea refers to being free to not dress up, dine when you want etc. It was very nice to not have to pack formal attire and high heels-and we didn't! We dressed nice for our evenings on board, but were still comfortable.

 

Oh and don't make a mistake I made when looking into NCL. When I first started looking into their ships, the first deal that got my attention was on the Epic. I went to Youtube to see what a balcony cabin looked like-I didn't like the bathroom set up and told myself that NCL was out. After a little more research, I figured out that the Epic is the only ship like that. And guess what? We liked NCL so much that we are giving the Epic a chance in January! So my suggestion is to do your research 🙂

 

Happy cruising!

 

The Epic bathrooms are not nearly as bad as some people make them out to be especially if you know what to expect going in...  If you blindly walked into a room without knowing, I'd be shocked...  But knowing, it isn't bad.

 

And Epic has the best Thermal Suite in the fleet to me. I wish more ships had the private balcony space in the thermal suite the way Epic does.

[rtkenmore]

11 minutes ago, Newleno said:

not the last two cruises we were on, September Canada Gem, Oct/Nov Breakaway very very very very old crowd like Holland

 

Well, I would think young people aren't likely to do the Canada trip in the first place...