My fellow NCL Cruisers that have cruised other lines a question

[njkate]

I've been looking at NCL Northern European cruises for next summer and not feeling it, Iceland and Norway not a high priority and I've already done the Baltics plus the pricing is nuts. I want a true British Isle cruise.
I found the perfect itinerary  and decent pricing with drink pkg and DSC included on Princess. My concern and questions is I love the NCL style is Princess going to be too "stuffy" hoity toity for an NCL lover? It is a 12 day port intensive cruise, only two sea days if that makes a difference. This cruise comes in about $6K less than the one NCL is offering on the Dawn for 15 days. The ship is the Regal.

I had looked at Carnival but after reading 7 pages of bad reviews about the ship one of their older ones, the food, the crew and the port of Dover issues I fast crossed that off my list.

[MotownVoice]

I did Princess' British Isles.

One of the best cruises I've ever done.

(mic drop)

[njkate]

38 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

I did Princess' British Isles.

One of the best cruises I've ever done.

(mic drop)

How did Princess compare with NCL

[LGW59]

15 minutes ago, njkate said:

How did Princess compare with NCL

this:  One of the best cruises I've ever done.

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

We did the British Isles on Princess.  Very port-intensive.  i think it was a 12 day cruise, but to be honest, after a while, all of the ports ran together in my mind.  Now I look for cruises that have some sea days to break it up.  This was our 2nd venture on Princess, but we went in a suite on this one and were used to the Haven.  No comparison as far as that experience, NCL won hands down (but its been a few years ago and P may have upped their suite game by now).  Don't get me wrong, we had a good cruise, but DH said "never again" to Princess as far as the suite experience.

Have you compared RCL (to include Celebrity) and MSC for this cruise?  NCL seems to be running high on many cruises right now, but I certainly enjoy the free style of NCL.

[njkate]

48 minutes ago, Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin said:

We did the British Isles on Princess.  Very port-intensive.  i think it was a 12 day cruise, but to be honest, after a while, all of the ports ran together in my mind.  Now I look for cruises that have some sea days to break it up.  This was our 2nd venture on Princess, but we went in a suite on this one and were used to the Haven.  No comparison as far as that experience, NCL won hands down (but its been a few years ago and P may have upped their suite game by now).  Don't get me wrong, we had a good cruise, but DH said "never again" to Princess as far as the suite experience.

Have you compared RCL (to include Celebrity) and MSC for this cruise?  NCL seems to be running high on many cruises right now, but I certainly enjoy the free style of NCL.

Not a Haven person so not looking for that comparison, just the vibe is all. Royal doesn’t have the itinerary I desire. 

[kjquilts]

I'll be diamond on NCL after completing the Gem transatlantic next April and my DH will be diamond after completing the following Gem Med cruise so we are obviously NCL fans.  Our first cruise was on the Grand Princess, followed by a Costa cruise and many NCL cruises with a Royal Caribbean cruise thrown in the mix. 

 

In 2007 we decided to do our first transatlantic and could find no NCL itineraries we liked.  We did a transatlantic on the Regal Princess from Copenhagen to New York.  We really enjoyed the cruise and would sail on Princess again if they offered an itinerary we couldn't find on NCL.    The vibe on Princess was not stuffy.

 

I'd watch a couple YouTube video tours of the Regal Princess to give you a good idea of the ship layout.

We prefer layout on many of the NCL ships but it was fine for our cruise.

 

Speaking of NCL, both the Dawn and the Star have some really good British Isle cruises next summer.

 

 

 

[jenf22]

We just got back from a 12-night British Isles on Princess.  We LOVED all the ports but came to the conclusion we are more NCL people.  I think part of it might have been because we sailed out of Southampton the food was all very "British".  We all got sick of it after a couple of days.  We did not really enjoy any of the food on the ship, especially the buffet.  It was really surprising how bland everything was (husband was eating sausage one morning and made the comment that he had never eaten sausage with zero flavor before).  I realize food is very subjective, but this was our 12th or 13th cruise and we were surprised how little we enjoyed it.  We also spoke to a couple on the tender one day who felt the same way.

 

I can't really speak to the activities or shows.  We went to Deal or No Deal once and BINGO twice.  We didn't go to any shows because there weren't really any that interested us and we were trying to minimize the COVID risks.  I heard the pianist in the Piazza on 3 occasions and every time he played the same song - Captain of Her Heart.  Bleck.

 

We had a mini-suite because there were 3 of us and balcony rooms don't have sofa beds (we were on Emerald).  Room was great, balcony was great, and all the staff were great.

 

I would book Princess again if the itinerary and price was right.  We did, however, cancel our Australia/New Zealand cruise for Jan 2023 on Princess and moved over to Celebrity.  Price and itinerary were the about same and we needed a change.  We've never sailed Celebrity, so fingers crossed. 

 

Good luck with your decision!

[MagnoliaBlossom]

We’ve done five cruises on Princess, British Isles, Southern Caribbean, Alaska, Western Caribbean, loves them all.   Princess was actually our favorite line but they got too pricey for us for a while.  Then NCL came out with. Credit card and because of my business I was able to earn huge amounts of points and with the old program I earned a free cruise for two, each quarter.

 

we are Diamond on NCL and love them, but Princess is a half step up in quality, IMHO.   If you have the Smithsonian channel on TV, there is an episode of Might Cruise ships, that features the Regal Princess.

[njkate]

14 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

We’ve done five cruises on Princess, British Isles, Southern Caribbean, Alaska, Western Caribbean, loves them all.   Princess was actually our favorite line but they got too pricey for us for a while.  Then NCL came out with. Credit card and because of my business I was able to earn huge amounts of points and with the old program I earned a free cruise for two, each quarter.

 

we are Diamond on NCL and love them, but Princess is a half step up in quality, IMHO.   If you have the Smithsonian channel on TV, there is an episode of Might Cruise ships, that features the Regal Princess.

Thank you 

[njkate]

1 hour ago, kjquilts said:

I'll be diamond on NCL after completing the Gem transatlantic next April and my DH will be diamond after completing the following Gem Med cruise so we are obviously NCL fans.  Our first cruise was on the Grand Princess, followed by a Costa cruise and many NCL cruises with a Royal Caribbean cruise thrown in the mix. 

 

In 2007 we decided to do our first transatlantic and could find no NCL itineraries we liked.  We did a transatlantic on the Regal Princess from Copenhagen to New York.  We really enjoyed the cruise and would sail on Princess again if they offered an itinerary we couldn't find on NCL.    The vibe on Princess was not stuffy.

 

I'd watch a couple YouTube video tours of the Regal Princess to give you a good idea of the ship layout.

We prefer layout on many of the NCL ships but it was fine for our cruise.

 

Speaking of NCL, both the Dawn and the Star have some really good British Isle cruises next summer.

 

 

 

For next summer the Star is Iceland, Greenland and Norway as well as Prima.

The 10 day Dawn cruise are either Southampton/ Copenhagen or reverse. The 15 day is a close itinerary to Regal Princess but it’s about $6-7k more in price, that’s air/ excursions. Happy to hear the vibe wasn’t stuffy. 
One huge plus for a 12 day cruise is I can pack lighter as Princess has laundromats on each deck lol

Edited August 4, 2022 by njkate

[kjquilts]

We dearly loved Copenhagen.  Flew Portland, Oregon to Reykjavik to Copenhagen on Iceland Air.

Took the train from the airport and spent two nights before the Regal Princess cruise at the Andersen Boutique Hotel which is a short walk from the Copenhagen central train station.  Wonderful included breakfast and Wine Happy hour.  Purchased the Copenhagen Pass in advance and used it for the train as well as some included attractions.  I would love to go back and spend several more days in Copenhagen.

 

 

[coastcat]

7 hours ago, njkate said:

I've been looking at NCL Northern European cruises for next summer and not feeling it, Iceland and Norway not a high priority and I've already done the Baltics plus the pricing is nuts. I want a true British Isle cruise.
I found the perfect itinerary  and decent pricing with drink pkg and DSC included on Princess. My concern and questions is I love the NCL style is Princess going to be too "stuffy" hoity toity for an NCL lover? It is a 12 day port intensive cruise, only two sea days if that makes a difference. This cruise comes in about $6K less than the one NCL is offering on the Dawn for 15 days. The ship is the Regal.

I'm an NCL enthusiast but have cruised Princess twice and will happily do so again. To me, Princess had a more low-key vibe paired with more traditional decor. It definitely felt more formal but that's in comparison to NCL's super-relaxed contemporary feel. You will have formal nights for the MDRs but there are plenty of dining alternatives if you don't want to dress up.

[scooter6139]

Our two main cruise lines are Princess and NCL.  Princess is not into the "Resort" part of the big NCL ships, so don't expect waterslides, racetracks or arcades.  They are not hoity toity at all, just feel more "calm" and traditional.  They don't have as many food options/restaurants as NCL, but include more as complimentary.  I admit I like the cabins better on NCL than Princess (can't stand the stupid shower curtains).  IF the app works for you (that is a big IF), then having the Medallion service is great (mine worked fine, loved ordering food and drink from anywhere/everywhere)

 

Give it a shot.  No matter what you will still be on a cruise!!

Edited August 4, 2022 by scooter6139

[MotownVoice]

7 hours ago, njkate said:

How did Princess compare with NCL

This will be my first NCL Cruise.  I can only confirm that if your Princess British Isles cruise is anything like ours was in 2019 you’ll be saving the photos forever.  

[milolii]

 We sail both lines.   NCL Dawn next week and Enchanted  Princess in September.  We’ve been on the Royal; sister to the Regal.  We’ve sailed on the Star, but not the  Dawn.  
 

Entertainment:  overall NCL is superior to Princess.  But Princess has more events geared towards that particular cruise. Princess:  MUTS plays movies a lot even durning the day. 

Food:  Horizon Court is a massive buffet.  Food was excellent.  We usually don’t eat in the buffet restaurant on NCL.  Alfredos Pizza awesome,  International Cafe great.  Cagney’s  better than Crown Grill, however.  Princes will also serve a tea on one of the sea days and a pub lunch on another. 

Princess:  Two favorite places are the retreat  pool area (free) and the Sanctuary(pay)  

 

Princess:  Kettles in all cabins for cruises out of Southampton.  Laundry facilities on each deck.  I think NCL has coffee makers in cabins.  We have one when we crusie with them.  
 

NCL:  I don’t know your ports, but the Dawn can dock some places or take a more scenic route that bigger ships can’t.  
 

Overall more options on the Regal than the Dawn as she is bigger.  
 

Enjoy 

 

 

 

[lynelz1]

I cruise solo so if I can get a great price on my cabin or even get a suite, I cruise on NCL.  Princess can give decent prices if you look for them and book early enough.  I loved the buffet on the Regal because of the large variety of dishes.   Their crew were great and I loved watching the movies under the stars (MUTS) even all bundled up on the deck.   Depending on your age, I would say NCL is fine for families with kids and teenagers and Princess is more for adults.  Princess airfare was very user friendly and I had control of my flight choices.  Booking airfare with Princess's gave me better prices than booking directly with the airline and I was able to make changes up to a couple of weeks before the travel date. 

I would be booking with Princess now but NCL beats their prices for now.  Have fun planning.

[wil e coyote]

We've sailed on Princess twice, both times because of the itinerary, and both times with our (then) teenage sons. We were on the Regal in 2018 for a Caribbean cruise. Overall, I think NCL and Princess are very comparable. Stateroom sizes are similar for balconies and inside staterooms. We thought the food was comparable, with perhaps a slight edge to Princess. Princess definitely had a better selection of beers than NCL! Our sons weren't really into the "teen scene," so I can't comment on that, but they certainly felt  comfortable on the Princess cruises.

One other fun thing about Princess is that they run "The Love Boat" on one of the TV channels, which we like!

I think the pricing on NCL is a bit better, but for us, Princess is a definite viable alternative.

Enjoy!

[rugerdog]

3 hours ago, milolii said:

Entertainment:  overall NCL is superior to Princess.  But Princess has more events geared towards that particular cruise.

 

5 hours ago, scooter6139 said:

Princess is not into the "Resort" part of the big NCL ships, so don't expect waterslides, racetracks or arcades.  They are not hoity toity at all, just feel more "calm" and traditional. 

 

6 hours ago, coastcat said:

To me, Princess had a more low-key vibe paired with more traditional decor. It definitely felt more formal but that's in comparison to NCL's super-relaxed contemporary feel.

 

Agree to all of these.  You asked about the "vibe" of Princess.   Obviously, what each person enjoys varies greatly, but my overwhelming preference between NCL and Princess is definitely Princess.  Food and customer service much better on Princess, entertainment better on NCL.  The overall onboard feel of Princess, to me, was very relaxed and laid back.   My belief is that Princess tends to skew towards a slightly older demographic, but I've never experienced a stuffy or hoity toity feel onboard.  I would suggest that NCL has a more "party" vibe whereas Princess a more refined yet easy going feel.

 

Have a wonderful experience!

[KeithJenner]

12 hours ago, njkate said:

For next summer the Star is Iceland, Greenland and Norway as well as Prima.

The 10 day Dawn cruise are either Southampton/ Copenhagen or reverse. The 15 day is a close itinerary to Regal Princess but it’s about $6-7k more in price, that’s air/ excursions. Happy to hear the vibe wasn’t stuffy. 
One huge plus for a 12 day cruise is I can pack lighter as Princess has laundromats on each deck lol

Dawn is doing 10 day Southampton round trips in May and September next year, all British Isles.

 

I suspect that is outside your possible times, as you’d have noticed them otherwise, but thought I’d mention it just in case.

Edited August 5, 2022 by KeithJenner

[MagnoliaBlossom]

12 hours ago, njkate said:

For next summer the Star is Iceland, Greenland and Norway as well as Prima.

The 10 day Dawn cruise are either Southampton/ Copenhagen or reverse. The 15 day is a close itinerary to Regal Princess but it’s about $6-7k more in price, that’s air/ excursions. Happy to hear the vibe wasn’t stuffy. 
One huge plus for a 12 day cruise is I can pack lighter as Princess has laundromats on each deck lol

Laundromats are handy, but you can do a bag of laundry on NCL.  About midway on the trip they have a special, don’t remember what it is nowadays.  I also hand wash my good stuff, as they do wash everything in hot water.  But it’s a thought.

[RosieCanberra]

I really like Princess, food is better than NCL. Service is probably equal, but NCL entertainment is fabulous. 

Give them a try. 

[negn]

I think entertainment on NCL is much better.    Food varies from ship to ship and depends on the chef.  I don’t think Princess is stuffy but they tend to reinforce dress code in DR, no shorts.  They due seem to have an older demographic, but I think with these itinerary they are a bit older anyway.  Either one you’ll have a great cruise

[njkate]

Thanks everyone!! I’m not too concerned about entertainment as the cruise is very port intensive when we get back to ship will probably just want to get something to eat and relax with a drink. 
As far as my 8 year old grandson there is a kids club which he used a lot on our Alaskan cruise on NCL Bliss two weeks ago and of course a pool. I already told my son no arcade, laser tag or race cars but if I had booked the Dawn that would be the case as well.

[njkate]

1 hour ago, KeithJenner said:

Dawn is doing 10 day Southampton round trips in May and September next year, all British Isles.

 

I suspect that is outside your possible times, as you’d have noticed them otherwise, but thought I’d mention it just in case.

Yes it’s the time as my son and his family are coming which limits me to July and August. April 2024 I’ll do a similar cruise on NCL but it’s a trans Atlantic and just adults