Somewhat loyal Celebrity cruisers try NCL

[mafig]

We did a few Norwegian cruises in the past and enjoyed them very much.

 

At the time we got great deals on suites, they included a specialty dining package so our meals in the main dining room were few.  I admit that the worst meal I've ever had on a cruise ship was in the main dining room on a Norwegian ship.  However, I really enjoy their specialty restaurants.

 

Recently, though, their suite prices are through the roof.  And they don't ever go down.  If they're not selling they do that bidding thing that Celebrity has started also.  In Norwegian's case (don't know if it's true of X), only select people are allowed to bid.

 

Their Haven restaurant is supposed to be great.  Better than Luminae.  However, it's the same menu every night.  

Some of their suites are very large which leads to a lot of kids in the Haven.  

I've read too many reviews where people can't enjoy the pool area in Haven because of this.

 

If I could find a great deal on a Haven suite, at the right time of year, I'd like to try them again.

 

 

[Cruise a holic]

8 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

 

Cruise A Holic you have my sincerest sympathies. You must be the unluckiest cruiser I know in the real world or online. You seem to have such terrible experiences that I can't relate to based on my own sailings. I hope things improve dramatically going forward for you. 

I have had wonderful experiences.  Went on the Harmony of the seas after new years and loved it!  Everything was perfect.  In addition, will be sailing on the Edge in March, for the second time and enjoyed that cruises also.  After sailing about 48 times on multiple lines,  my comments are based on my experiences.  I truly believe I am not alone regarding my experience on NCL.  I do respect your right to have your own opinions 

[PTC DAWG]

I’ve sailed on both lines....NCL is more crowded for sure, agree on the narrow hallway compared to Equinox for sure...

 

Its a small thing to some, but I love not having to worry about pool towels on deck...get as many as you want...NCL makes you do the towel dance.  Solarium pool is a big plus on Celebrity
 

I actually prefer the shorter shows on Celebrity..

 

BUT I must admit the drop slides on Escape are a nice change of pace...get the blood pumping...

 

really different experiences, and that’s a good thing to me..

Edited January 21, 2020 by PTC DAWG

[Georgia_Peaches]

We are on Escape in February.  We've sailed several other NCL ships but Escape will be the largest for us.  In November we were on Silhouette and it did feel like coming home.  We had such a great time on this cruise that it will be hard to top.  But we are staying in the Haven so we'll see.  There's lots about both lines that make them great.  I agree that NCL's thermal suite is pretty hard to beat.  It's probably the only let down on our Silhouette cruise when comparing it to the Persian Gardens.  No comparison IMO.  Thank you for taking the time to report out!  I gets me even more excited for our "escape'"

[Mwgw]

We took one cruise on NCL. We thought the food overall was a notch below Celebrity 

[DENIE]

Thanks for your terrific review of the differences between NCL and Celebrity.  I have to admit that I love having Cafe Al Bacio included in the drink packages, as we stop there several times per day.

[Farts]

9 hours ago, mafig said:

Some of their suites are very large which leads to a lot of kids in the Haven.  

I've read too many reviews where people can't enjoy the pool area in Haven because of this.

I was on the haven about 10 days ago. Due to the smaller areas in the haven, I would get splashed in the hot tub by kids doing cannon balls into the pool. Not a big deal to me, but i could imagine how others wouldn't like that. 

[gfkcruiser]

What is their smoking policy?  I find Celebrity's very limited smoking areas are good for me - a non-smoker.

 

I like RC but the smoking in the Casino was very bothersome for me as you have to pass through on the ship I was on and wafted to nearby areas.

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

29 minutes ago, gfkcruiser said:

What is their smoking policy?  I find Celebrity's very limited smoking areas are good for me - a non-smoker.

 

I like RC but the smoking in the Casino was very bothersome for me as you have to pass through on the ship I was on and wafted to nearby areas.

 

On NCL there are designated non-smoking areas in the casino but it is otherwise a smoking venue.  My understanding is that the casino on Escape has an enclosed smoking area, unlike some of the other (older) ships.  There are also ample outdoor spaces for smokers on NCL.  While I don't begrudge a smoker, I'm with you on Celebrity's smoking policy and appreciate it very much as I am allergic to smoke.

[TFLG]

38 minutes ago, gfkcruiser said:

What is their smoking policy?  I find Celebrity's very limited smoking areas are good for me - a non-smoker.

 

I like RC but the smoking in the Casino was very bothersome for me as you have to pass through on the ship I was on and wafted to nearby areas.

 

 

The Bliss also has an eclosed Casino for the smokers.  Unfortunately it does a rather poor job of keeping the smell in.  The first time I went on the Bliss (Oct 2018) you couldn't really smell smoke outside the enclosed Casino area, but last October it smelled as bad outside as I imagine it did inside.  I don't know why, maye they were leaving the doors open.  Other than in the casino I didn't really notice smoke

[luckyinpa]

On 1/21/2020 at 9:26 AM, Cruise a holic said:

Thanks for your report.  We also mostly sail on Celebrity, and tried the Haven on the Breakaway.  Found all but the Haven area crowded and as busy as Disney World.  The speciality restaurants were very disappointing IMO.  We wouldn't sail again on NCL I  would only recommend the Haven.  We walked around the tiny pool deck and couldn't even find a place to sit- and walking through the mob wild- thought I would step on people as I tried to navigate the space . No real theatre or good spaces to sit and relax.

 

i was on bliss christmas in haven. ive never been to disney but didnt find it overly crowded even then. loved the 2 private hot tubs on deck and the seating area. celebrity has the private deck but not in the 'complex' on summit at least. haven indeed is an all in one space with the tiny pool. the 3 hot tubs. the sun deck, the courtyard, the restaurant. all behind a single door. i think that much better than celebrity

 

re: pool deck. i'm not a pool guy but looked like a 3rd world country when i went out after they canceled the private island. for you pool people, you are nuts to navigate all that. that is not a vacation. shoulder to shoulder zig zagging trying to crawl thru/around loungers. that was my last time on the pool deck at a peak time. maybe all other ships are like that but i never was on one to see in 4 other cruises. 

 

the theater i thought had very good shows on breakaway and bliss. i disliked the jersey boys music but liked the plot and rock of ages and the dancing show were great and i hate dancing/singing things. 

 

on bliss you would have an observation deck for public and 2 for haven so there you would have privacy, somewhat. good places for the rainy days. otherwise. on the BA, on rainy days, its horrible. nothing to do. regal princess was much better on cold weather days. since BA was my 1st ship i realized how important cold day indoor spaces are and watch videos accordingly. summit seems to have a few nice spaces and i hope to try her this summer. solarium is a huge draw for me. hope no one is there and is out on the pool deck

 

did you try teppanyaki on the BA? i thought it was the best filet on the ship. cagneys id never go to for steak. 

 

the bigger NCL ships have the 24 hour eatery/bar and i find that a nice plus. 

[luckyinpa]

19 hours ago, Farts said:

I was on the haven about 10 days ago. Due to the smaller areas in the haven, I would get splashed in the hot tub by kids doing cannon balls into the pool. Not a big deal to me, but i could imagine how others wouldn't like that. 

 

did you have a little one in the hot tubs out on deck. under 16 not allowed and i was ready to report the tike because he was annoyingly kicking me when he went underwater. not nice! alternatively there was a nice teen in one day and she pushed the button every time the jets went off. not loud, nothing

 

and one night 4 teens joined us in the tub. totally well behaved, not crazy or anything. i judge each child on how they behave. 

[luckyinpa]

On 1/21/2020 at 10:56 AM, mafig said:

 

 

Recently, though, their suite prices are through the roof.  And they don't ever go down.  If they're not selling they do that bidding thing that Celebrity has started also.  In Norwegian's case (don't know if it's true of X), only select people are allowed to bid.

 

Their Haven restaurant is supposed to be great.  Better than Luminae.  However, it's the same menu every night.  

Some of their suites are very large which leads to a lot of kids in the Haven.  

I've read too many reviews where people can't enjoy the pool area in Haven because of this.

 

If I could find a great deal on a Haven suite, at the right time of year, I'd like to try them again.

 

 

 

penthouse on christmas cost me 8400 for 8 days. thats a spanking new 2 story observation lounge/outdoor haven restaurant, 2 outdoor hottubs, one indoor, and lounge/bar and courtyard with 'kiddie' pool. i choose haven vs 2 mini suites for our party. for those not familiar with haven the indoor pool is super tiny so dont even count on it really as a pool. its one small one with a few loungers in it then a bit bigger one that is deeper. if more than handful would be in there it would be full

 

im new to celebrity and only priced suites on my summit cruise in june but they start at 13000. to me thats thru the roof. theres nothing on summit that merits 5K more than on bliss. i totally agree haven restaurant gets boring and i only ate there total 5 times during the week. i admit the service was slow and it turned me off. even though i missed my filet and eggs for bfast every day. the 2 BR suite was 15K for christmas and yes the def draws the kids as it sleeps 6. still id find that more over all value if i could afford it, vs what ive seen on vids of summit. i do like the idea of all my perks under 'one roof' vs throughout the ship. 

 

though id love to try aft penthouse haven just for the space and 2 rooms and 2 full baths. 

 

unsure what kind of room you need but i found sept/oct to be pretty cheap, relatively speaking. im sure every ship has a butler for the suit but i always found them great. but seen reviews they are horrible too. luck of the draw. can ask for another though. 

 

NCL does excel in one area ive never taken advantage of. last minute balcony and lower are dirt cheap. i think theres a 399 14 day australia and 599 week long one on even one of the new ships.  but you gotta go in a week or 2. sometimes they even have singles at single price, not double! never seen that on any other ship. 

[luckyinpa]

On 1/20/2020 at 10:36 PM, helen haywood said:

Just to add, as an Elite + on Celebrity, that we also loved both Getaway and Escape.  One other nice thing about NCL is a MDR is open for lunch on embarkation day.  And tables for two are regular tables for four with the extra settings removed.

 

im new to X and this is what i worry about on summit. even in blu vids ive watched, every table is on top of each other. thing is NCLs bigger by 2x on the population front, yet i found relative privacy in the MDR, haven and other restaurants. with summit its clear to me that MDR , tuscan, and if i choose it, blu, would not have the simple luxury of an easily obtainable private 2 top. as you have to eat every day. this is something i'm just gonna have to deal with. 

 

so why is MDR not open to all on celebrity. they really wanna make the peons suffer dont they? its so relaxing on NCL because no one is there then! 

[bebe08]

55 minutes ago, luckyinpa said:

 

did you have a little one in the hot tubs out on deck. under 16 not allowed and i was ready to report the tike because he was annoyingly kicking me when he went underwater. not nice! alternatively there was a nice teen in one day and she pushed the button every time the jets went off. not loud, nothing

 

and one night 4 teens joined us in the tub. totally well behaved, not crazy or anything. i judge each child on how they behave. 

You are so right re judging each child on how they behave...same for adults.   Ironically, when we were in the Thermal Suite which is adults only, there was a couple there who were very loud.  They were shushed by other guests but took no notice.  We actually got up and left. Adults should know better....there is signage everywhere saying "quiet area".

 

 By contrast, we never saw a child misbehaving and there were many on the ship.  We were quite entertained by a couple of cute little ones who were dancing to the live music in one of the bars.  Up way past their bedtime and extremely well behaved. 

 

I'd much rather be in the company of kids who are well behaved vs adults who aren't.   

[GateGuardian]

I love O'Shenhan's on NCL and the Entertainment. I just find it too crowded in the evenings. Almost impossible to walk around the camera store area.

[helen haywood]

1 hour ago, luckyinpa said:

 

im new to X and this is what i worry about on summit. even in blu vids ive watched, every table is on top of each other. thing is NCLs bigger by 2x on the population front, yet i found relative privacy in the MDR, haven and other restaurants. with summit its clear to me that MDR , tuscan, and if i choose it, blu, would not have the simple luxury of an easily obtainable private 2 top. as you have to eat every day. this is something i'm just gonna have to deal with. 

 

so why is MDR not open to all on celebrity. they really wanna make the peons suffer dont they? its so relaxing on NCL because no one is there then! 

 

I'm not sure I understand your question...."so why is MDR not open to all on Celebrity. they really wanna make the peons suffer..."  The MDR is open to everyone except suite passengers who have their own dining room and aqua class passengers who eat in Blu....  But either of them can eat in the MDR for lunch on a sea day if they desire....

[luckyinpa]

oh i have misinformation then, i look forward to embarking and going to the MDR for lunch. i was told in another thread i couldnt do that in a balcony room because it was reserved for the higher up classes

[helen haywood]

On embarkation day the MDR is only open for lunch to Concierge Class cabins.  This is a relatively new perk for Concierge Class.  Luminae is open on embarkation day for suite passengers.  Blu is never open for lunch for Aqua Class or suites.  Otherwise the MDR is open for breakfast and dinner for all other guests every day and open for lunch on sea days.

[Farts]

5 hours ago, luckyinpa said:

 

did you have a little one in the hot tubs out on deck. under 16 not allowed and i was ready to report the tike because he was annoyingly kicking me when he went underwater. not nice! alternatively there was a nice teen in one day and she pushed the button every time the jets went off. not loud, nothing

 

and one night 4 teens joined us in the tub. totally well behaved, not crazy or anything. i judge each child on how they behave. 

No children with me. It was someone else's 8-12 yo boy doing cannon balls in the pool. But I got splashed while in the hot tub. I think his dad was with him. But not sure. He was very loud, but it didn't bother me or my guest. I could tell other ppl in the haven were very annoyed. 

Edited January 23, 2020 by Farts