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

[nicsmama649]

We have cruised twice with NCL and have a third cruise booked for the same sailing of Jan 25 on the Escape. We have loved both of previous cruises and can not think of another way we want to spend our vacations. That being said you must go into it with a good mind set. If you are going into it with a predisposition that you will be unhappy then you will find the faults others point out. If you are going into it with the attitude that I am here to have fun and book some fun excursions, you will have fun and may even get hooked. For every person that comes back complaining about how terrible their cruise was there are 10 people that are on their 10th+ cruise and are already looking to book the next. Get involved with the roll call, meet some people you are cruising with. If there is a meet and greet sign up to go, they are fun. If you are going to be a negative Nancy you should probably just cancel your cruise, but if you want to have a great vacation and get to go to fun places, eat some pretty decent food (and lots of it), and get your drink on for 7 days then stop reading the negative comments and go for it. 

[West Coast Gal]

On 6/30/2019 at 8:48 AM, Twipenne said:

 

Just to clarify, I did ask these questions before I cruised. But, there seems to be a major disconnect between what my friends and family, along with other websites I've read  and YouTube videos over seen had to say about NCL and what CC seems to think of the line. It almost fathoms me how large the disconnect is and I'm trying to figure out what cruisers on here are seeing that other people aren't.

If you haven't cruised before and you are on a nice ship like the Escape, I am sure that you will have a great time and wonder what in the world they were complaining about.  Anticipate how much fun you will have because I have never been disappointed in the 30 + cruises I have been on -  And I am on NCL for a second time next month.

Also, if someone has not mentioned it, get onto your ships RollCall on Cruise Critic and ask them about a meet and greet on your ship . . . it lets you meet other cruise critic passengers and some of the officers on the ship.

[dcipjr]

People always can find things to complain about. I find when I’m walking up that ramp to the ship, and stepping onboard, the complaints kind of just melt away for me.

 

There are certainly some things about NCL I would change, and I voice my opinion to them on the surveys, when I’m asked. But they’re all minor things. When it all comes down to it, cruising is still my favorite way to vacation, by a long shot.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited July 20, 2019 by dcipjr

[doozie3]

You should definitely go and enjoy! We will be on that sailing, too. It will be our 1st time on NCL, but we have thoroughly enjoyed our cruises on Disney and Royal Caribbean. Cruising is our favorite way to vacation. Have fun, relax, and take advantage of the drink package. 😉   

[alreadypacked]

On 6/27/2019 at 9:10 AM, perditax said:

 

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. 

 

Twipenne don't cancel your cruise. Cruising is a very nice way to vacation. I agree with perditax in their statement above. I've been on around 40 cruises over the last 17 years and have seen a lot of changes that I haven't cared for. But a first-time cruiser won't feel like they're missing anything. I think we're also just a little "cruised-out" at this point, so we're doing more US land-based vacations as a change. NCL Escape is a beautiful ship with lots to do. Enjoy your cruise.

[Newleno]

Well it looks like you dont have any other viable options other than to burn all your money, really there are no other feasible alternatives, yes I concur just burn all your money and be done with it.

[mking8288]

32 minutes ago, alreadypacked said:

 

Twipenne don't cancel your cruise. Cruising is a very nice way to vacation. I agree with perditax in their statement ... also just a little "cruised-out" at this point, so we're doing more US land-based vacations as a change. NCL Escape is a beautiful ship with lots to do. Enjoy your cruise.

 

Ditto, it's a matter of expectations ... 20 years of cruising here.  With our mightly strong USD and very favorable currency exchange rates, we just spend a week north of the border - tempted to do another one this Fall - over land.  Got a real 2 bedroom suite to truly spread out with 2 mature "adults".  It was a food festival everyday, no butlers or concierge needed - where housekeeping maids actually wrote us a personal thank you note each day (we cash tip for their services, knowing that they don't necessary take care of our suite every day) when we returned to a clean & refreshed suite, re-stocked with clean towels.  

 

Escape is a fine ship, among the best crews in the fleet and actually, the MDR food isn't that bad - considering that they prepared over 10,000 meals daily.  But, we still prefer the Dawn/Jewel class ships - better for freestyling !

 

Edited July 20, 2019 by mking8288

[sprint180]

You will love NCL. Stop reading CC. Some people are just just miserable all the time

[wdsted]

I agree with most.  Step away from the keyboard if CC posts are making you second guess your decision to book a cruise.  It's been my observation that these boards are dominated by those who either have some personal gripe to air, those who love the attention of provacative/controversial posts, or are just plain unhappy people.  Once you get on board, you'll hardly notice these folks because they'll spend most of their time in line at Customer Service.

[erdoran]

On 6/27/2019 at 11:35 AM, GA Dave said:

Here is a little comparison I posted on another site that is for a different type of vacation.  Same exact dates. Please note that other vacation does not include unlimited adult beverages.

"A little direct comparison shopping for you. I picked the same week for both a cruise and a WDW deluxe. The cruise is on the Norwegian Breakaway in their Haven area. It comes with all meals, unlimited adult beverages, butler service, concierge service, private pool deck, private sun deck, private lounge, private restaurant, plus all the other amenities on the ship (water park, mini-golf, casino, clubs, shows, etc.) plus visits to three countries/four ports. The Haven is advertised as their "ship-within-a-ship" concept and has to be experienced to be believed. I compared it against a club-level lagoon view at the Poly, with tickets and meal plan included.
Interesting result."

 

 

 

 

Umm...ever hear of David’s Vacation Club—we’re going to WDW with them, staying at Polynesian for a week in late August for about $2500 - one night studio lake view, the rest studio standard view.  I see you have DDP there, I guess that’s most comparable to cruising, that’s $110 or so per person per day, right?  So spa suite is 2 people, so add an additional $1500 about and we’re at $4k before tickets, add another $1k for tickets and we have $5k for the WDW week.  Your Polynesian room is the most expensive studio level; the spa suite is the least expensive Haven room.  

 

I’ve excluded the tips for DDP meals - but your figure excludes SDP and tips to butler and concierge, and cost of excursions.  By rights we should either deduct $1k from my WDW figure, or add anticipated excursion cost to NCL figure to come up with a true comparison.

 

So base price before tips for each is comparable, wouldn’t you say, with WDW perhaps a bit cheaper?

 

Edited July 21, 2019 by erdoran

[nicsmama649]

Also to the OP, you do not need to burn your money. If your trip isn't until Jan 25, 2020 you are still well in your cancellation window. If you decided to cancel right now you are not going to lose money. So there is no need to be that dramatic about it. 

[brandi0727]

I just went through this myself.  We had booked a Journeys cruise on the Carnival Sunrise for June, 2020. We weren't thinking about the ship, but moreso what itinerary and departure port. After reading the horrible reviews and negative responses regarding the ship,  and how overcrowded it is now that they made venues smaller to accommodate more cabins(more passengers), it no longer was appealing.  I can filter out negative people,  but genuinely receptive passengers were not thrilled with the ship either. That is when I decided I would take the hit and cancel.  I had the Early Saver, therefore it was non-refundable. But I was given future cruise credit so I can still use most of the deposit toward another cruise on a bigger and newer Carnival ship next time.  By switching to NCL and booking on the ship, Encore, we still get to go to Bermuda,  but have a lot more activities and shows on board with a brand new clean ship. It has the same amount of passengers, but it has the capacity to hold these passengers unlike the smaller ship. I'm technically only out $200 for the admin fee for canceling,  and as long as I use the credit within 24 months, the rest will be applied to that cruise. You should definitely go with your gut when it comes to choosing what is best for you, because it's usually right. 😊

[Iamcruzin]

On 6/27/2019 at 8:28 AM, Twipenne said:

 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?

You can add Princess and Celebrity to the list of complaints as well.  However what you have to realize is many of us have been cruising since the 80's or longer and have seen a lot of change.  Also many of the complaints come from members who are at the top tiers of the loyalty program who complain that they are getting the shaft after being loyal for soooo.....many years.  

 

You are a new cruiser keep an open mind and have your own experience. You have nothing to compare it too so you I would expect that you will enjoy it and be hooked like the rest of us.  Use Cruise Critic as a source of information. There are a lot of experienced cruisers who are willing to help out.  Ignore the snarky comments and rude replies.

 

My first cruise was with Carnival in 1986. I have sailed with Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and now I'm looking at NCL. I would have never thought that I would be considering NCL because of what I read here and heard from family and relatives. They have some attractive deals for Bermuda next year and since the destination is the top priority I'm ready to consider them. My other choice would be Celebrity Summit but they have become so pricey and the product is just not the same that it warrants the price. I also like the idea for free style cruising. Celebrity is more formal and the entertainment  is not the best. 

 

Don't get discouraged by what you read and try to stay away from the complaint threads. Since this is your first time cruising you are better off not knowing what has changed or what others have considered a negative experience. You won't miss what you never experienced in the first place.  

 

I would suggest that you join your roll call on Cruise Critic and or Facebook group. You will get to interact with people before you sail and perhaps find someone to experience the cruise with.

[BostonGal35]

we love NCL (see signature lol).

you will have a great time.

[Ozzieru1e]

On 6/27/2019 at 8:28 AM, 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?

 

Enjoyed a second cruise to Bermuda on NCL Escape 7/7/2019...last year 5/2018 also sailed to Bermuda on NCL Escape.  NCL Escape is a wonderful maintained clean ship.  I’ve been on four NCL ships 🚢 since 2016; Breakaway in 2016, Gem in 2017, Escape in 2018 & 2019.  I’ve never had an unpleasant experience...cabin steward, waiters, bartenders, servers were very polite & attentive.  I prefer newer ships 🛳 because they have more bells & whistles which you will find on NCL Escape.

Once you start cruising you will want to go again shortly afterwards.  I’ve only been on 7 day cruises but I’ve found 7 days goes by too quick & you are sad 😞 when it’s over...that’s how nice it is cruising with NCL. 

I don’t pay too much attention to negative comments...there is more positive than negative comments.  Cruising is what you make it...kinda like life😎

 

[TobyHellis]

Has anyone ever been on Symphony Of The Seas? We are currently looking to take a cruise on the Freedom Of The Seas or Oasis Of The Seas because it's less expensive but wondering if we should pay the extra to go on Symphony Of The Seas because I think our teenagers will enjoy the ship much more than Freedom or Oasis. What is your experience with these ships? Any thoughts? 

[TobyHellis]

On 7/1/2019 at 7:51 AM, NCteacherlovescruising said:

All of the responses in here have been such great feedback. Thanks everyone! 

[Paelos]

On 6/27/2019 at 8:28 AM, 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?

 

You'll be fine enjoy it. Some cruisers want to remember THE GOOD OLE DAYS that haven't existed for over a decade, long before you set foot on a ship. You won't notice what's missing because you never saw it. What is on a NCL cruise is a lot of good drinks, some of the best specialty dining on any line, and enough complimentary food to keep you occupied. The staff is very nice, the entertainment is very well put together, and the live music the best of any cruise line I've been on.

 

Don't worry be happy my friend.

[beerman2]

6 hours ago, TobyHellis said:

Has anyone ever been on Symphony Of The Seas? We are currently looking to take a cruise on the Freedom Of The Seas or Oasis Of The Seas because it's less expensive but wondering if we should pay the extra to go on Symphony Of The Seas because I think our teenagers will enjoy the ship much more than Freedom or Oasis. What is your experience with these ships? Any thoughts? 

You will get more responses on the Royal Caribbean board being the ships are part of their fleet not NCL's.

[deliver42]

Got off the Symphony in May. Fantastic ship. No extra  charges for any shows or attractions. Even free ice skating at certain times. They will give you the skates to use.

[Sweetnspicy]

I absolutely love cruising but I understand it's very much a "you love it or you hate" kinda of thing. I can see where you would be frustrated and maybe a little worried about cruising after being here on the boards. Every trip is what you make of it, and with cruising you can have any kind of trip you want. Super adventurous? Great you can make it that. Want to just sit on your balcony and drink till you pass out? Yep, you can do that too and everything in between. I think the people that complain are mostly doing it because they had extremely far out expectations. For our next cruise in January we will be back on the Epic. I don't care for the bathroom set up but I can't cart around my luxury at home bathroom so I'll deal with it. 🤣  Seriously though I haven't had a single issue on any of the cruises I have been on. You will wait in line sometimes, you might have to wake up early for a port, the buffet might be crazy and you may not like everything you eat but if you are courteous and not a jerk they can fix it. No one has ever been rude to me, I haven't had smokers on the balconies next to me or anything else that you may see on here. Go and enjoy it and then report back on all the good stuff you liked! Maybe you will love it and we will meet someday out on the sea. 😄 

[beantownmike]

On 6/27/2019 at 8:28 AM, 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?

You will have a fantastic time! I'm a nine time NCl cruiser and never ever never did I find anything to complain about! Enjoy!

[monl765]

On 6/27/2019 at 8:28 AM, 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?

 

A bad day on the Ship is way better than a good day at work, or at home wondering what it would be like on the ship.  Go, and enjoy yourself.