How does Norwegian compare to Carnival and Royal?

[graphicguy]

I agree that VIBE isn’t worth it, as the area right outside the VIBE also has a bar and loungers.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen any children there.

 

Spice H2O is a very nice adults only area.  I don’t remember the times, but it’s very restrictive regarding children (who have their own pool areas).  Spice H2O is where they have all the adult parties (which are a blast).

 

Someone mentioned it was hard to get into shows on NCL.  I found the opposite to be true.  I just showed up 10-15 minutes before the show started and was able to find a good seat.

 

If you’re in the Haven, the concierge will actually escort you to your seat.

Edited April 9, 2019 by graphicguy

[teesmc]

21 hours ago, CruiseTeacher7 said:

I'm surprised to hear that about the food, I thought NCL would beat out Carnival.  Yeah that would be a problem with the drink package.  

I'm a big fan of the Breeze.  We did Vista last summer and I prefer the Breeze to the Vista.  

How is the entertainment on NCL?

I thought the NCL Buffet was better but CCL MDR food and desserts way way better.  Guys Burgers and the Blue Iguana on Breeze and Magic can't be beat for lunch.

NCL MDR desserts were awful.  After a few tries I just got Irish Coffee for dessert:)

Burn the Floor show was amazing!  Comedians were OK.

Edited April 9, 2019 by teesmc

[C Dog]

We have been on 3 NCL cruises and 2 Royal cruises, all within the previous 2 years and all in 2-bedroom suites.  We like them both about equally, albeit for different reasons.  Our opinions:

 

Royal has better ships and ship designs.  The common areas, from the royal promenade to the pool decks are just better laid out and feel less crowded.   The two-bedroom cabins are more spacious but at the expense of much smaller bathrooms.

 

NCL has a better dining experience.  Not only in the taste of the food (admittedly subjective), but in the number of restaurants on board (always more than RCCI comparing equal-sized ships), the variety and selection on each restaurant's menu, and the whole free-style concept.  Also enjoy not having to dress up in the hot Caribbean and packing that extra garment bag.   The two-bedroom suites on NCL have an extraordinary master bath (double sinks, shower and separate soaking tub overlook the sea).  I do agree with a previous poster that the "nickel and diming" seems significantly more excessive on NCL.

 

Anyway, we've stuck with these two lines because they are both family friendly and have great family suites.  Between the two, we now pick based on itinerary.

[josephmz]

I have only sailed Royal and NCL. Haven't sailed Royal for several years as NCL has been our line of choice, but have booked a W. Caribbean next February on Royal. The price was too hard to pass up.

I'm sure by now the OP  has discovered opinions and comparisons are all over the place. I guess that's why there are different cruise lines.

The things I like about NCL are: the spa pass, no dressing up, Freestyle dining,  specialty restaurants, drink and dining packages.

Depending on cabin class you will be offered options. Yes you will pay gratuity charge for drinks and dining package, but you would pay more than that if you paid for each drink and specialty meal out of pocket.

Really looking forward to the Italian on Royal even though it will cost extra. Thought it was fantastic the couple of times I've eaten there.

I will withhold judgment on Anytime vs Freestyle dining. We've never waited more than 10 minutes for a table for two on

NCL. Yes, food is subjective, but have never had a bad meal on NCL and have had no service issues.

I have a hard time understanding the nickel and diming thing. Other than the daily service charge, which at the moment appears more expensive on Royal, I've never paid for anything I didn't want to.

[Peachypooh]

I have sailed on Liberty of the Seas which I believe is a sister ship to Freedom of the Seas. I have only

sailed on the Jewell class NCL ships not the larger ships. That said I thought there were definite

differences. Hands down the Promenade on the RCCL ship was beautiful and the amenities were

quite diverse. Although the Jewell class ships of NCL  (I have been on Pearl, Gem and Jade) are not as splashy

I thought they made that up in the crew. Much more friendly and kind if you had a problem. On both lines

we had a serious problem with our cabin and NCL was more prompt in responding. We actually told

guest services on Freedom of the Seas water was pouring out of our toilet (someone in our

section had clogged the line with a diaper) and they did not respond. Thank goodness my

husband knew how to turn the water.

As for food it was basically the same but NCL is not the greatest in terms of desserts. That's OK

the last thing I need is to eat dessert every day. NCL has the washy washy crew and I felt that

all in all my cabins have been much cleaner on NCL. Owner's Suite on both.

So... you will probably be happy with either but I like the friendly crew and cleanliness plus prompt

service of NCL. Also the furniture in our Liberty cabin was shabby but that is probably ship

specific.

[newmexicoNita]

On 4/8/2019 at 2:20 PM, CruiseTeacher7 said:

I'm surprised to hear that about the food, I thought NCL would beat out Carnival.  Yeah that would be a problem with the drink package.  

I'm a big fan of the Breeze.  We did Vista last summer and I prefer the Breeze to the Vista.  

How is the entertainment on NCL?

Just remember everyone has their reasons for how they feel about a cruise line and about food. Obviously the poster wasn't in love with NCL or the food. For us, RCI and NCL are very similar including food. Of course, again, it somewhat depends on the ship. The advantage NCL has is dining choices. Entertainment on NCL is probably a little better than RCI, but again, it is opinion. I won't even bring Carnival into the discussion here. We do cruise NCL more than RCI as our days of cruising are more limited than years before, our budget doesn't stretch forever and our mobility has been left behind. We happen to be Plat plus on NCL so that is the main reason they get our business:perks do mean something. People talking about waiting for drinks, we have only had an issue one time: It was the booze perk was first offered and we did have some pretty pushy people on the first day, by the pool, cutting in front of everyone to order drinks. Other than that, rarely have we waited more than a couple of minutes to order. It is usually out by the pool. 

 

I will add, our granddaughter and her husband have sailed RCI 3 times in the past couple of years and think RCI nickel and dimes everyone. SO, everyone has his/her own ideas. I am sure you will enjoy your NCL experience Let us know afterwards your opinion. 

[BNBR]

On 4/7/2019 at 7:12 PM, CruiseTeacher7 said:

Hello everyone,

We are thinking about giving Norwegian a try for our next cruise.  How does Norwegian compare to Carnival and Royal?  We are platinum Carnvial cruisers--have been on Breeze/Vista and have been on RCL Freedom of the Seas.   

 

Think about the differences between royal and carnival.  Same concept. Meaning, it's a cruise ship and runs like a cruise ship with a few minor things that make them different.  Nothing about it will be off putting. For sure try NCL. For us, NCL is about 4th or 5th on the list, but I do still price them out and would sail again if price and itinerary were right. 

[bkrickles1]

Did my first NCL cruise in many years (Dawn, when it was new) last July on the Escape.

We've been sailing exclusively on RCCL for many years previous to that cruise.

My opinion is that they are very similar overall, but do have some distinct differences that could sway you one way or another.

Love the Royal Promenade on RCCL. I like to sit outside the English pub, have a beer and people watch while waiting for my girls for dinner.

But the Waterfront on the Escape was just so nice and comfortable with great ocean views. And, of course, there's the District Brewhouse which is great too.

I thought the theater shows were better on RCCL but the entertainment in the smaller venues (Choir of Man, Howl at the Moon for example) was better on NCL. Even the dance parties and games were more lively on NCL.

Food seemed pretty equal (good to very good) on both lines. You kind of have to use your brain when choosing food on a cruise ship.

I think I'd give layout and amenities to RCCL. The Solarium and pool areas on RCCL are nicer than NCL but, Spice H2O is pretty nice too. Pool area on Escape was actually pretty terrible compared to RCCL ships I've been on. There was a very nice area on deck 19 on the Escape right outside of Vibe that made up for the lousy layout of the pool area.

Theater and other venues also were nicer on RCCL. The Anthem was gorgeous everywhere.

As I said, overall they are quite similar. With that said, we are booked to go on Encore next January. We chose Encore because it will be brand new and when we booked, it was the best value.

The Observation Lounge is a new venue that I'm definitely looking forward to.

Last thing. The "nickel & diming" that is mentioned frequently on these forums is something I don't completely understand.

Naturally, all cruises are different now than they were 25+ years ago. Drink packages, specialty dining, etc. has changed things quite a bit but, as someone else mentioned, I've never paid for anything I didn't want and I've never felt pressure to do so. Both lines are very similar in this regard.

Also, I've enjoyed every cruise I've ever been on. The key is to do just a little research ahead of time so you're not spending the first 2 days of your cruise just getting set up.

Happy Cruising!

[hawkman402]

On 4/8/2019 at 4:28 PM, JennyB1977 said:

In the past 12 months, I have sailed both NCL (Sky to Cuba) and Carnival (Fantasy to Cozumel). They are more similar than they are different. I have reviews of each linked in my signature.

 

Crazy to me that the Fantasy is still sailing.  I was on her for my honeymoon in 1996 and she wasn't brand new then.

[ZsaZsa2019]

Having done the following cruises (once each) I put them in this order:

Carnival

NCL (we felt this was a little step up from Carnival)

Royal Caribbean

Celebrity

 

It has been about 20 years since I did NCL, and will be trying them again for an Alaska cruise on the Bliss.  Not impressed will all the pre-booking stress and nickle and diming going on so far.  I remember when you paid one price for a cruise and everything (but drinks) were included.  Ahhh, those were the good days.  LOL

[MotownVoice]

On 4/8/2019 at 5:56 PM, slugg said:

I cruise for the first time with NCL in two weeks. The biggest difference I’ve experienced thus far, prior to getting on the ship, is the constant changes to policies and/or amenities for the cruise I already paid for. If you keep an eye on this stuff, it makes for a stressful time leading up to the cruise date. 

 

Also, before getting on the ship, I already feel very nickel-and-dimed. For example, I paid for a Haven Spa suite and you can request all sorts of things for the butler to do to prepare the room. They can give you a bottle of sparkling wine, rose petals all over the room, unpack and hang your clothing, bring food from a restaurant into the room, and even run the hot tub with the jets going, all for free. But they want to charge $4.99 for chocolate covered strawberries. Stupid, just stupid.

 

Apparently, they also upcharge you, in addition to your specialty dining package, to get 3 shrimp.

 

The drink package, which is the most expensive out of all the major cruise lines, does not include specialty coffee or bottled water. Those are upcharged. 

 

Most cruise lines allow you to bring a bottle of wine on board for free. Not NCL - that’s an upcharge.

 

Many more I don’t care to get into, but I think you get the point. 

 

I never felt like I was getting nickeled and dimed with Royal Caribbean, or even Carnival. Both RCL and CCL would try to upsell from time to time, but I thought all of it was pretty reasonable. I haven’t even gotten onto the NCL ship and I’m already annoyed. 

 

That all said, I also knew about the “upcharge culture” of NCL well before booking, so I accounted for it in my budgeting. So as long as you’re ready for it, I’d say it’s fine. Just keep in mind that it’s a moving target; packages, policies, and upcharge items seem to change every week, in some way or another. And they pretty much never get better, only worse, for the consumer. NCL has already stated in shareholder meetings that they are inching up the prices, strategically and deliberately, as far as the market will withstand it. 

 

I would suggest planning for these upcharges and building in a healthy margin into your budget to deal with current and future tacked-on costs. In the end, the total sum still comes out to something comparable to what you’d get with Royal Caribbean; it’s just billed more “creatively.”

You've apparently never been to a casino where you can get all the free booze you want round the clock 24/7 ... but have to pay 25 dollars for a sandwich.

NCL didn't pioneer price point.  And everything has a menu with a price tag before you agree to it.  They don't just drop a tray of shrimp on you and then go, "uh-oh ... 'fraid we'll have to soak you for that..."

[BNBR]

13 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

You've apparently never been to a casino where you can get all the free booze you want round the clock 24/7 ... but have to pay 25 dollars for a sandwich.

NCL didn't pioneer price point.  And everything has a menu with a price tag before you agree to it.  They don't just drop a tray of shrimp on you and then go, "uh-oh ... 'fraid we'll have to soak you for that..."

 

You are captive on a cruise ship.  It's fair to aware of the pricing schemes before being surprised after boarding.

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, ZsaZsa2019 said:

Having done the following cruises (once each) I put them in this order:

Carnival

NCL (we felt this was a little step up from Carnival)

Royal Caribbean

Celebrity

 

It has been about 20 years since I did NCL, and will be trying them again for an Alaska cruise on the Bliss.  Not impressed will all the pre-booking stress and nickle and diming going on so far.  I remember when you paid one price for a cruise and everything (but drinks) were included.  Ahhh, those were the good days.  LOL

That’s the evolution of cruising, for good or ill....not just for NCL, but all the mainstream lines.

 

I think back to my first NCL cruise (Norway) where there were no specialty dining restaurants, drinks were “pay as you go” (which had me surprised at the end of the week how much they charged for drinks).  Entertainment wasn’t bad, but nothing even remotely close to how good shows like Million Dollar Quartet or Choir of Man are.  Like today, some meals in the MDR on the Norway were really good, others were less than that.

 

There was a lot more pomp on the Norway than there ever will be with FreeStyle.  I am personally glad they don’t require all the tux/suits/gowns they required back then.

 

Today, spend as little or as much as you want.  You can tailor your cruise to be whatever you want it to be.  You can buy a sailaway or GTY rate, not buy any drinks and just eat in the “free” restaurants (and there are plenty of those) or Garden Cafe and have a great, relatively cheap vacation.

 

To the poster who is sailing in the Haven, and bemoaned the cost of the drink package, if you’re in the Haven, you get all the “perks” thrown in (or you should, given everytime I’ve booked the Haven I got all the goodies.  So, all you’ll pay are the tips for the drink perk.

 

I like variety.  And, even though I sail NCL a lot because I feel they give high value and a great cruise experience, I also look at the other lines to sail (Celebrity, Royal, Carnival, MSC).  They all have different versions of the NCL experience.  They just wrap them in different colors.

 

The industry, as a whole, seems to follow NCL’s programs and policies.  You can find bidding for different categories on other cruise lines, now.  Broadway type shows can be found on Royal now.  Drink perks can be found on Celebrity now.  All of them have their own version of FreeStyle now.  NCL pioneered all of those.

 

It’s up to the person or family sailing to compare and contrast the different lines.  I know people who have kids who won’t sail anything but Disney.  I would NEVER even think about sailing Disney.  Doesn’t make them bad.  I’m just not one who would like a Disney cruise.

 

Do what you want.  Sail who you want.  Any of them should provide you with a program, itinerary, ship you will enjoy, if you let yourself have fun (vs finding and focusing on every little thing you can find to complain amount).

 

🙂

[slugg]

55 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

You've apparently never been to a casino where you can get all the free booze you want round the clock 24/7 ... but have to pay 25 dollars for a sandwich.

NCL didn't pioneer price point.  And everything has a menu with a price tag before you agree to it.  They don't just drop a tray of shrimp on you and then go, "uh-oh ... 'fraid we'll have to soak you for that..."

Except they CHANGE pricing, directly or indirectly, after you've already agreed to it.