Oceania cruiser, just booked Dawn, will I be disappointed?

[susiesan]

I have not cruised on an NCL ship since 2006, Pride of America in Hawaii. I have been cruising with Oceania, Windstar, and Princess for the last 15 years. I booked an August 2022 Norwegian Dawn Baltic cruise as a plan B for an August 2021 Oceania Baltic cruise that I suspect may not sail. I got a spectacular price during the current promotion.

 

I have an inside cabin which is what I have booked now on Marina. This is a port intensive cruise so I view the ship as a floating hotel and transportation. My total fare is $1200 less than what I will pay for marina this year and $2200 less than if I took the same Marina cruise in 2022 as Oceania has substantially raised the prices for next year.

 

I have been very happy with Oceania and their smaller ships. The food on O is outstanding. I know Dawn is bigger than Marina but is one of NCL's smaller ships.

 

Do you think I will be content or disappointed cruising on NCL instead of Oceania?

[complawyer]

56 minutes ago, susiesan said:

I have not cruised on an NCL ship since 2006, Pride of America in Hawaii. I have been cruising with Oceania, Windstar, and Princess for the last 15 years. I booked an August 2022 Norwegian Dawn Baltic cruise as a plan B for an August 2021 Oceania Baltic cruise that I suspect may not sail. I got a spectacular price during the current promotion.

 

I have an inside cabin which is what I have booked now on Marina. This is a port intensive cruise so I view the ship as a floating hotel and transportation. My total fare is $1200 less than what I will pay for marina this year and $2200 less than if I took the same Marina cruise in 2022 as Oceania has substantially raised the prices for next year.

 

I have been very happy with Oceania and their smaller ships. The food on O is outstanding. I know Dawn is bigger than Marina but is one of NCL's smaller ships.

 

Do you think I will be content or disappointed cruising on NCL instead of Oceania?

if you only booked an inside cabin, i dont think you'll be disappointed. as there isnt much to say about an inside cabin.

 

if you want to splurge, book a suite or a haven if they are available. if not, get the club mini.

 

that being said, please note that i am never in favor of an inside cabin. im not trying to sound like a diva, or a spoiled sob, but i would always turn down an inside. to me its similar to a walk in closet, and nothing replaces sitting on your balcony, with a glass of wine or a cold beer, and watching the sunsets, 

 

whatever you decide on, have a great cruise, we're on the jade with the same itinerary in july

[kochleffel]

Nothing on NCL is going to be of the quality you have experienced on premium lines, except maybe the production shows, which smaller ships usually don't have at all. I haven't cruised on them and probably never will, but there must be a reason that those lines have higher fares.

 

The passenger demographics will also be different, although a Baltic itinerary will be a mitigating factor since it tends to appeal to a more international and more serious clientele. Last year on a Baltic cruise on RCI, about one-third of the passengers were from the U.K. or Europe, including a surprising number (to me) from Spain.

 

On the question of an inside cabin: I happened to have a balcony cabin, which was lovely in the Stockholm archipelago, but when there is so much port time, I'm completely satisfied with an inside.

Edited January 7, 2021 by kochleffel

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, susiesan said:

I have not cruised on an NCL ship since 2006, Pride of America in Hawaii. I have been cruising with Oceania, Windstar, and Princess for the last 15 years. I booked an August 2022 Norwegian Dawn Baltic cruise as a plan B for an August 2021 Oceania Baltic cruise that I suspect may not sail. I got a spectacular price during the current promotion.

 

I have an inside cabin which is what I have booked now on Marina. This is a port intensive cruise so I view the ship as a floating hotel and transportation. My total fare is $1200 less than what I will pay for marina this year and $2200 less than if I took the same Marina cruise in 2022 as Oceania has substantially raised the prices for next year.

 

I have been very happy with Oceania and their smaller ships. The food on O is outstanding. I know Dawn is bigger than Marina but is one of NCL's smaller ships.

 

Do you think I will be content or disappointed cruising on NCL instead of Oceania?

As you may already know, we cruise on both NCL and Oceania. The food on Oceania is better, the entertainment on NCL is better. That having been said I've never starved on NCL.

 

For a port intensive cruise where you are going to book an inside cabin on either line you should be fine with NCL.

[Langham1865]

I think it's all about expectations... If you are expecting the same food, service and experience as on Oceania, you might be disappointed.  If you you expect good food in general, but not what you get on Oceania, and mix in some specialty dining, you will enjoy yourself.    As you said, it is a port intensive, European based cruise, so the  trip is less about what the ship experience.   I hope you enjoy it, the Baltics are high on my list of "to do" cruises. 

[susiesan]

My first and only Baltic cruise was on NCL in 2002. I loved the itinerary and have been wanting to return as I have been all over the rest of Europe. I am not expecting much, I am a low maintenance cruiser.. I don't care much about production shows, if they are there I  may go. I do expect to be off the ship as much as possible. 

 

I dropped the "free" beverage packaged which took $ 400 off the cost of the cruise, we don't drink that much. I have the "free" specialty dining with 3 nights. Food wise, we should be fine. 

 

The plan is to spend 2-3 nights in Stockholm, before the cruise,  only been there once for 1 day and 2-3 nights in Amsterdam after the cruise, haven't been there in over 25 years. Currently for the Oceania cruise we are in Copenhagen precruise and Stockholm post cruise for 2 nights each city. So almost the same itinerary, with an overnight in St. Petersburg. 

 

 

[susiesan]

One of the favorite food items on all Oceania ships is fresh made sushi every night at Terrace. Our daily routine is have our own happy hour with a cocktail and sushi then go have dinner. Is there fresh "real" sushi on NCL ships? By real I mean made with raw fish, not California rolls with surimi crab meat.

 

I know there is a sushi bar with an extra cost, al la carte, which could get very expensive and Teppanyaki for an extra cost. I get 3 meals in specialty dining with thee cruise under the free at sea promo. Is there any other restaurant that would have no extra charge sushi? What about Bamboo, does that restaurant have sushi?

[Norseh2o]

Most of our cruises have been with NCL, different ships, different itineraries.  Our most recent cruises have been with on Oceania. We prefer smaller ships, less people and the food offered on Oceania. Oceania is 'practically perfect' for us and will travel on NCL only to take care of our remaining cruise next credits.  The cabins (we like balconies) are much the same on NCL and Oceania, the ports depend on the itinerary, we don't travel for the shows/entertainment onboard so can't comment on the qualities or which is a better option. We have found the staff and fellow travelers (and the food!) on Oceania to be a good match.  

[hamrag]

3 hours ago, susiesan said:

....Is there fresh "real" sushi on NCL ships? By real I mean made with raw fish, not California rolls with surimi crab meat....

 

I wouldn't count on that being available.

[complawyer]

WRONG!!!! there are a number of sushi dishes available and not just with the imitation crab. order a couple of bottes of cold saki and you wont even care if theyre serving goldfish

[susiesan]

19 hours ago, Norseh2o said:

Most of our cruises have been with NCL, different ships, different itineraries.  Our most recent cruises have been with on Oceania. We prefer smaller ships, less people and the food offered on Oceania. Oceania is 'practically perfect' for us and will travel on NCL only to take care of our remaining cruise next credits.  The cabins (we like balconies) are much the same on NCL and Oceania, the ports depend on the itinerary, we don't travel for the shows/entertainment onboard so can't comment on the qualities or which is a better option. We have found the staff and fellow travelers (and the food!) on Oceania to be a good match.  

All of my cruises over the last 10 years have been with Oceania, Windstar, and Princess. I also prefer small ships, the smaller the better which is why I enjoy the Windstar sailing yachts. I would have stayed with Oceania to duplicate what I have booked for this year but the cost per person in 2022 is $1000 more than what I would be paying in 2021.  My O final payment is due April 20 and if I am not happy with how O is going to run this cruise if at all, I will cancel and get the $1500 back I have already paid and definitely go to the Baltic with Dawn in 2022.

[warburg]

Hello, Susiesan. My husband and I sailed on Dawn twice when she was new and had a fine time aboard. We were dining in the French restaurant, Le Bistro I think, when I said to the waiter that the Van Gogh above our head looked real. It was, and so was all the art on board. We sailed on her again the next year. All the real stuff was still there. Later, though, the master pieces were removed. We also sailed Oceania and Regent. One  thing you may miss on NCL is the minibar filled with complementary soft drinks. Water is also complimentary. Riviera and Marina, Oceania's largest vessels, carry at capaciy 1250 passengers. It rarely feels crowded. However,  Compared to larger ships, there isn't that much to do. My next cruise is on the Joy in December, if it sails. If you don't enjoy NCL. you will choose another option next time.

Mary

[VACruiser123]

That is really hard to say. What I can say is that NCL was our first cruise line and it was our favorite for years. We sailed the Crown, Norway, Sky, Sun, Epic, and Getaway twice...once in the Haven. BUT at this point we are a hard no on NCL, even to the point of letting $500 of CruiseNext deposits expire rather than cruising them again. IMO it is nothing like it was when you last sailed them. We found the non upcharge food quality to now be the least desirable of any cruise line we have sailed. That list includes Carnival and RCCL by the way. We feel that NCL is the biggest offender of the "nickel and dime" trend.  I am particularly put off by the NCL business model in which "free" costs you more and not even allowing bottled water to be brought onboard. Even if one is to argue that the "Free" at sea promotions offer value...it is hard to justify the combination of a gratuity add on to a beverage package that has a rack rate almost twice the competition (thereby doubling the "gratuity" cost). Anyway lots of people love NCL...we did as well, but they moved away from us. Our last cruise was Seabourn and it was fantastic and we are Elite on Celebrity so our tastes have changed;  BUT our last two Carnival cruises on the Pride were better all around than NCL...I am an infrequent poster but since you noted that you sailed NCL years ago I thought I should give you my opinion on how it has changed.

[AstoriaPreppy]

5 hours ago, VACruiser123 said:

We found the non upcharge food quality to now be the least desirable of any cruise line we have sailed.

I agree entirely, although this is a much more tactful way of saying it than I would. We've found NCL to be way behind the other lines in terms of protein and veg quality and choices, preparation, spice and flavors. NCL's MDR food can have a very... bad hotel luncheon banquet sort of vibe to it. 
 

On 1/9/2021 at 3:40 PM, susiesan said:

One of the favorite food items on all Oceania ships is fresh made sushi every night at Terrace. Our daily routine is have our own happy hour with a cocktail and sushi then go have dinner. Is there fresh "real" sushi on NCL ships? By real I mean made with raw fish, not California rolls with surimi crab meat.

There is generally a sushi bar (upcharge) attached to the Teppanyaki restaurants on NCL. Lots of surimi-based and tempura-filled rolls that are heavily covered in eel sauce or mayos, but they also serve nigiri and sashimi. It's all sushi-grade fish, nothing remarkable, and a completely fine meal option in comparison to the MDRs. You're not getting Tsukiji fish market omakase, but it's totally serviceable!

Edited January 21, 2021 by AstoriaPreppy
Weird spacing issues fixed!