Should I Cancel my Upcoming Cruise and Set My Money on Fire Instead

[Twipenne]

Let's start with the fact that I've never taken a cruise in my life, though it's been on my bucket list for about three years. After doing some research, I booked the Norwegian Escape for Jan 25th because between the solo cabins, the no set dining time, the fact that with free at sea I only have to spend $139 on drinks for the week, the water slides and ropes course, it seemed like a ship I would want to try. But then I found CC after I placed my deposit and all I've seen are posts saying that the line is going down hill and they've been miserable on their cruises. And when I look into RCL and Carnival, I find complaints there as well.

 

So, I ask, should I even bother trying cruising?

[Steff79]

Escape is the the best ship in the ncl fleet. Enjoy your cruise. 

[BaWBarmy]

6 minutes ago, Twipenne said:

Let's start with the fact that I've never taken a cruise in my life, though it's been on my bucket list for about three years. After doing some research, I booked the Norwegian Escape for Jan 25th because between the solo cabins, the no set dining time, the fact that with free at sea I only have to spend $139 on drinks for the week, the water slides and ropes course, it seemed like a ship I would want to try. But then I found CC after I placed my deposit and all I've seen are posts saying that the line is going down hill and they've been miserable on their cruises. And when I look into RCL and Carnival, I find complaints there as well.

 

So, I ask, should I even bother trying cruising?

 

 Yes.

 

Just stop reading CC

[udking]

Yes!  You should definitely try it!  Some people like to complain and let small things bother them.  I was hesitant to cruise at first but have fallen in love it it.  It's a great time, always something to do, plenty of time to relax and see you get to see some amazing places at the same time!

[Just Jo]

Go on board with an open mind and a positive attitude (you're on vacation!) and ENJOY! Then come back to CC and share your experience. (Escape is also our favorite NCL ship so far.)

Edited June 27, 2019 by Just Jo

[mgasaway]

Well this is Cruise CRITIC.    Seriously, some people like to complain.  And like any consumer product the good is always buried under the bad, or what someone thinks is bad.  Remember - to some having the room steward forget to bring them ice ruins the whole cruise.   I've been on many cruises with many lines and where some were better then others I've never been on a bad cruise - even one that skirted a hurricane for 4 out of the 5 days!  Sure, I've had complaints.  If it's a bad enough complaint I take it to guest services to get it rectified.  Other complaints are just annoyances and I live with it. The good far outweighs the bad.  Go on your cruise.  Have a fantastic time.  And forget about the complainers and draw your own opinion.

[Warm Breezes]

Escape was my favorite NCL ship to date.  People have been complaining on these boards that the cruise lines were going down hill since I joined many years ago.  I personally have found them getting better.  Better food options, better entertainment, better comedy shows, freestyle/anytime dining where you are not forced to sit with strangers and can eat when/where you want, and more casual dress codes.  All these things made me love cruising even more.   If I had listened to the complainers on these boards I would have missed out on some of our favorite vacations.

[derek005]

You will have a great time on NCL!!!!! Some folks on here just can't be pleased no matter what. Enjoy your cruise!!!

[spethstation]

I say you should experience it for yourself and make a formulated opinion after your cruise! It's so worth it. I went on my first cruise with NCL in Dec 2015, not expecting to even enjoy cruising, and it was so much fun that now I absolutely love it! Try it for yourself!

[cruisekitty22]

We sailed on the Escape and loved it. Great food, great entertainment. Dont miss Choir of Man show.  Its as great ship for your first cruise!

[perditax]

45 minutes ago, Twipenne said:

Let's start with the fact that I've never taken a cruise in my life, though it's been on my bucket list for about three years. After doing some research, I booked the Norwegian Escape for Jan 25th because between the solo cabins, the no set dining time, the fact that with free at sea I only have to spend $139 on drinks for the week, the water slides and ropes course, it seemed like a ship I would want to try. But then I found CC after I placed my deposit and all I've seen are posts saying that the line is going down hill and they've been miserable on their cruises. And when I look into RCL and Carnival, I find complaints there as well.

 

So, I ask, should I even bother trying cruising?

 

The line IS going downhill, but a lot of mass market lines are. It's an economic thing; unemployment is low, and more people than ever have the means (and the desire) to achieve 'affordable luxury', which means the big cruise lines are trying to figure out how to cram as many of those people onto the same ship at once as possible, turn them upside down, and shake every last penny out of their pockets. They're just arguably going a little too far and alienating people who remember 'what it used to be like', and possibly some of those new people won't want to cruise again.

 

But on the flip side: the Escape is (in my opinion) the best of NCL's big ships right now, and the solo product is pretty fantastic. Edit: I also had a look at January, and that's a pretty good price for a studio. Sometimes they try to get insane prices for them on 7-day sailings.

If you'd spent tens of thousands of dollars on Haven, my answer might be different. 

Edited June 27, 2019 by perditax

[Wedgie23]

Don't fret. The reason people are upset about the direction NCL is going is because of how much they love previous NCL ships and their cruise experience. People wouldn't care to post and read about cruising if they didn't love it. 

 

Escape is a very large ship the universal issues you will face are occasional large crowds (waxing and waining depending where/when) difficulty in getting elevators, some difficulty in getting drinks at times and needing to reserve things ASAP (there is always standing lines if you can't get a reservation). As long as you can let the little things not get to you you will have an absolutely incredible time. So long as you're able to have patience when needed you will have a great vacation. You may find a part of it really annoying, say if disembarkation is backlogged and you're waiting for a very long time, but one long line shouldn't completely ruin a week of fun.

 

Maybe you'll decide the big crowds aren't for you and pick a smaller ship or a different line next time but you will still love it enough there will be a next time. The ships people are talking about with questionable re/designs are Encore and Getaway. 

 

You're going at a different time of the year than I did so I'm unsure of what the colder weather will be like but here's some Escape tips:

 

Atrium Cafe has a starbucks they don't advertise- it's not included in drink package but it's nice to have sometimes. 

There is an unlisted bar next to hot tubs on deck 19. Just look for the map of the vibe lounge it is outside there in the public area. This sun deck portion, bar and hot tub tend to be less crowded. 

Food Republic and margaritaville are not included in your meal package and Tapas bar is a $7 up charge per person on top of it but so worth it. Tapas place always looks closed you need to see the matri 'd at Ocean Bleu for seating. 

Don't bother to try to get an elevator right after the muster. Just accept now is the time to take a stroll on whatever deck you're on and don't let the first day swam of people sour you for the whole cruise. The crowd does thin out. 

5'oclock bar inside and on waterfront- whisky bar and mojito bar do not serve anything other than that bars specific specialty drinks- you cannot get one of their specialty drinks at any other bar. Mojito bar is incredible. 

 

One of the best parts of the Bermuda literary is the 3 days not only giving you plenty of time to explore Bermuda but also time to enjoy an empty ship. This is a great time to try out the pool if it was too crowded before. Casino will open in the evenings while in port. Be sure to catch the pier runner show at 2:30. 

[tallnthensome]

The Escape is better than the Bliss, been on both . You’ll love it ! 

[perditax]

1 minute ago, Wedgie23 said:

Food Republic and margaritaville are not included in your meal package and Tapas bar is a $7 up charge per person on top of it but so worth it.

 

Apparently Food Republic is part of the dining package now. I'm repeating hearsay but I think I heard 'four items can be ordered'.

 

https://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq

[boatseller]

You will find people come here to complain about the most trivial, inconsequential and frankly dumb things.

 

"OMG!!!  My cruise was totally ruined because the waiter forgot my appetizer on day 4!  Never cruising again!  Unacceptible!!!"

 

Or they expect the cruise line or other passengers to cover for their obvious mistakes.

 

"Unbelievable!!!  I was only like a hour late getting back and the ship left without me and now they won't pay to get me to the next port!!!!  What ever happened to customer service?????"

 

Some people are just miserable people and thrive on sharing it.  Escape is my current favorite ship.  Food Republic and District Brew House are great venues.  

[derek005]

25 minutes ago, spethstation said:

I say you should experience it for yourself and make a formulated opinion after your cruise! It's so worth it. I went on my first cruise with NCL in Dec 2015, not expecting to even enjoy cruising, and it was so much fun that now I absolutely love it! Try it for yourself!

I did the same thing in 2012 and now I'm on my 21st!!

[Kingkonig]

1 minute ago, boatseller said:

You will find people come here to complain about the most trivial, inconsequential and frankly dumb things.

 

"OMG!!!  My cruise was totally ruined because the waiter forgot my appetizer on day 4!  Never cruising again!  Unacceptible!!!"

 

“I want Three Cheese Ziti but don’t want to go to the restaurant that serves it, I want the waiter to bring it to another restaurant for me!”

[dznymom]

You will have a wonderful time!  On my worst cruise (of 50 so far) I had a blast.  Don't sweat the small stuff and as long as you do your planning, you will be fine!  

 

I call this forum Cruise Complainers (or the Whiny Baby Cruise Forum) these days!  There is still a ton of good information here and many, many satisfied cruisers.

[deliver42]

Forget the naysayers. Cruising is fun and you will have a wonderful time. The Escape is one of our favorite ships. People who complain usually are the loudest on CC. Just go with an open mind and you won't be disappointed.

[Wedgie23]

3 minutes ago, perditax said:

Apparently Food Republic is part of the dining package now. I'm repeating hearsay but I think I heard 'four items can be ordered'.

Interesting. I went last month and it was not. I also don't see a mention of the $7 per person up charge for Pincho it's quite possible they changed things though I'd think if they were including more they would want to make a point of it. 

 

It also says Margaritaville is now included. Two years ago on the Breakaway it wasn't and I *believe* margaritaville was mentioned by guest services as not included on the Escape when I asked about Food Republic but I didn't actually try. Is this a recent inclusion as well or have people been able to use their dining perk at margaritaville for sometime now? 

[perditax]

1 minute ago, Wedgie23 said:

Interesting. I went last month and it was not. I also don't see a mention of the $7 per person up charge for Pincho it's quite possible they changed things though I'd think if they were including more they would want to make a point of it. 

 

It also says Margaritaville is now included. Two years ago on the Breakaway it wasn't and I *believe* margaritaville was mentioned by guest services as not included on the Escape when I asked about Food Republic but I didn't actually try. Is this a recent inclusion as well or have people been able to use their dining perk at margaritaville for sometime now? 

 

I saw it in a recent thread. Maybe 2-3 weeks max? 

 

I wonder if m'ville and FR were being under-utilized. 

[dmdiver]

While I can't speak specifically to NCL - will be trying them for the first time next year, I will tell you that you have to take reviews with a grain of salt.  As others have said, some people just like to complain.  Also remember that what is important to one person is really trivial to another.  Food, entertainment, decor are all pretty subjective.  There are a couple of ships that I am not likely to sail on again, but others love those ships.  That doesn't mean either of us are wrong, it just means we want something different out of our cruise.  I would not let anything posted on cruise critic deter you from cruising.

[MrMike45]

Despite any minor complaints, in 17 cruises, we have never had a bad one (although we did catch noro once which kinda sucked).  It is still the best option for a vacation IMO, and an amazing time 

[BaWBarmy]

22 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

The Escape is better than the Bliss, been on both . You’ll love it ! 

 

 

Me too. I thought the Bliss was better.

 

Which all goes to show how subjective CC is and why you should go on your cruise and enjoy it.

[perditax]

3 minutes ago, BaWBarmy said:

Me too. I thought the Bliss was better.

 

Which all goes to show how subjective CC is and why you should go on your cruise and enjoy it.

 

The Bliss was nice, and I'm glad I got to see the Observation Lounge before they turn it into Haven suites. 😉