NCL - NEVER Sailed with them - GOOD and BAD?

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, wallyworld1059 said:

So, it has been a long time (15+ years) since we cruised NCL. Am I reading the above correctly that we can wear nice shorts to almost all the dining venues, all the time?

What @ggTexasGal said.  I wear Khakis and a button down Hawaiian shirt with tennis shoes to LeBistro.  No issues!

[cruiseny4life]

4 hours ago, graphicguy said:

What @ggTexasGal said.  I wear Khakis and a button down Hawaiian shirt with tennis shoes to LeBistro.  No issues!

Based on your packing list it sounds like you're not a jeans kind of guy. But, jeans could be worn in place of those same khakis. That's what I'll be wearing (if I go to one of those kind of fancy restaurants that actually aren't fancy), because I can't stand wearing work clothes on a cruise. I actually don't wear Docker style pants, but suit pants every day, so no thanks! Haha

 

I'm loving the Hawaiian shirt style though!!

[RocketMan275]

4 hours ago, graphicguy said:

What @ggTexasGal said.  I wear Khakis and a button down Hawaiian shirt with tennis shoes to LeBistro.  No issues!

I go with long cargo pants and polo shirts.  That's as dressy as it gets.  I've dined in Le Bistro like that three times with no issues.

I did get to watch a man wearing shorts arguing with the Matre'd at Le Bisto.  He was insisting that shorts should be acceptable anywhere on NCL.  He was unsuccessful and was turned away. Fun to watch. It went on for 10 minutes or so.

[graphicguy]

12 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Based on your packing list it sounds like you're not a jeans kind of guy. But, jeans could be worn in place of those same khakis. That's what I'll be wearing (if I go to one of those kind of fancy restaurants that actually aren't fancy), because I can't stand wearing work clothes on a cruise. I actually don't wear Docker style pants, but suit pants every day, so no thanks! Haha

 

I'm loving the Hawaiian shirt style though!!

Jeans work, too.   But, they seem to be heavier than khakis.  I know...I'm splitting hairs as jeans may or may not weigh more. And, it's only one pair.  But, my perception is my reality!!!!! 😉

 

Not traditional Hawaiian shirts, but I like Bamboo Cay shirts.  

[TenForward]

I've only ever cruised NCL: Escape twice, Breakaway, Getaway, Joy and another upcoming on Getaway.  One of my very favorite things is the Waterfront and it's actually why I chose Norwegian in the first place. 

[cruiseny4life]

2 hours ago, TenForward said:

I've only ever cruised NCL: Escape twice, Breakaway, Getaway, Joy and another upcoming on Getaway.  One of my very favorite things is the Waterfront and it's actually why I chose Norwegian in the first place. 

That's a great point! The Waterfront is phenomenal. I won't say it's why we chose NCL, but it is definitely one of a few reasons. I've spent lovely afternoons engaged in conversation at the outdoor bar opposite Sugarcane. Really, a nice spot with a million dollar view!

[RedRover96]

We've sailed on the Escape & Breakaway and really enjoyed the Waterfront!  Now we are booked on the Jade for a 14 day, looking forward to the "smaller" ship however will really miss the Waterfront. 

[Ozzieru1e]

10 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Jeans work, too.   But, they seem to be heavier than khakis.  I know...I'm splitting hairs as jeans may or may not weigh more. And, it's only one pair.  But, my perception is my reality!!!!! 😉

 

Not traditional Hawaiian shirts, but I like Bamboo Cay shirts.  

This shirt is perfect for a cruise…very attractive.  It has a relax lay back  appearance.

[Ozzieru1e]

On 8/18/2023 at 2:00 AM, Ozzieru1e said:

My first cruise was a free balcony cabinet on NCL Breakaway in 2016…received it from gambling in Atlantic City. 😆 The cabinet size was sufficient for two but there were no drawers.  I got a tip from watching a video on YouTube which suggested you bring collapsible fabric storage cubes…they can be placed on the top shelfs in the clothing closet which works out nicely.  Also learned to bring a shoe rack hanger so all our shoes are not all over the closet floor. So on my second cruise in 2017 I brought those items on NCL Gem which had I believe a 13” TV …very tiny!!!  It’s extra items to bring on your cruise but it made organizing your items so much easier.

After the NCL Gem I learned to say away from old ships…too outdated.  My next cruises in 2018 & 2019 was on NCL Escape which was wonderful…then came COVID😖!!!  I finally plan to go on a  cruise on NCL Joy in 2024 & I can’t wait.   But I feel all cruises are enjoyable…a cruise is what you make it. Enjoy 🍷

Found some earlier pics of my first NCL cruise to Bermuda in balcony cabins with collapsible storage
Found some earlier NCL cruises
pics in 2016 with collapsible storage cubes and hanging shoe rack in my balcony cabin.

[Giladj]

Sorry if anything I say has been covered but I did not read the 4 pages of responses. We are Saphire with NCL. have status with other cruise lines too. I identify my relationship with NCL like I do with my Apple computer products, as a love and hate relationship. Just for reference purposes, we are currently booked on NCL Star on a B2B2B (30 day) itinerary this fall. 

 

NCL has some of the best base prices in the industry. That is why we have cruised with them so much and have earned the status we have . Do not be fooled by their "Free at Sea" promotions. They are anything but free. But at times, and with careful research you can identify the true cost of these "free" perks. On our current bookings I was able to identify that the actual cost of the "free at sea" perks cost us $24 per day per person. At that price yes it is actually a bargain. The addition $24 entitled us to "free" drinks (up to $14 each) plus 1 specialty dinning options per cruise (because we booked an inside guarantee, you get more if you book outside or balcony cabins) plus wifi and shore excursion credit.  With NCL's inflated drink prices 2 drinks a day makes it a deal. But this is not always the case on all sailings. We are cruising in off season in Europe, so do your homework!

 

NCL has the highest port excursion prices I have encountered anywhere. If you are an independent traveler who can make their own plans in port NCL can be a great deal as long as you do not get coerced into their high excision prices. 

 

NCL has some of th best specialty and complementary dining options I have encountered. We recently spent 21 days on a Scandinavian cruise on Carnival and "won" a free dinner in their specialty steakhouse. Our evaluation was that is was good, but not good enough to justify the $100 price tag. On NCL all of their specialty restaurants are worth the price (we often get them as perks) 

especially Teppanyaki!

 

NCL also has a premium experience (the Haven) which I have no knowledge of. My research has indicated that I would be better served to book a cruise with Oceana or other top tier cruise line rather than pay the price of the Haven on NCL. But this is a very personal decision.  

 

We are value travelers, a distinction from bargain travelers, in my mind, because I am glad to pay more for more of the things I value. 

 

Just for comparison sake we are booked on a 14 day transatlantic on RCCL after we get off the NCL Star. Our first time with this line. Because we have status with Celebrity we are entitled to Diamond perks on RCCl. This gives us discounts on laundry, wifi and we get 4 drinks per day each. We will be sailing in an inside cabin again but for about $40 per day per person. I have noticed that shore excursions cost about 40% less on RCCL. This is an accurate comparison because we will be visiting some duplicate ports. We are excited to sample this product and hope to leverage our Celebrity status on future RCCL cruise. RCCL base prices are usually much higher that NCL but shop around!

 

Another way to add value is to buy at least 100 shares of NCL stock. This entitles you to free on board credit based on the length of the cruise. We will get $100 in OBC on each of our 3 up coming cruises. Just a little bonus. We also use a Florida travel agent that is publicly traded and we own stock with them too. This entitles us to very good dedicated agents and a 5% rebate on the cruise fare (not port charges or taxes) We get a rebate check once we return from a cruise. On our upcoming cruises this will be another $150 back in our pocket. Yes we play all the angles.

 

So we love the perks we get on NCL. We hate their tendency to nickel and dime guests. The informed consumer is the winner with NCL! But shop around, 

 

[DCGuy64]

10 hours ago, Giladj said:

Sorry if anything I say has been covered but I did not read the 4 pages of responses. We are Saphire with NCL. have status with other cruise lines too. I identify my relationship with NCL like I do with my Apple computer products, as a love and hate relationship. Just for reference purposes, we are currently booked on NCL Star on a B2B2B (30 day) itinerary this fall. 

 

NCL has some of the best base prices in the industry. That is why we have cruised with them so much and have earned the status we have . Do not be fooled by their "Free at Sea" promotions. They are anything but free. But at times, and with careful research you can identify the true cost of these "free" perks. On our current bookings I was able to identify that the actual cost of the "free at sea" perks cost us $24 per day per person. At that price yes it is actually a bargain. The addition $24 entitled us to "free" drinks (up to $14 each) plus 1 specialty dinning options per cruise (because we booked an inside guarantee, you get more if you book outside or balcony cabins) plus wifi and shore excursion credit.  With NCL's inflated drink prices 2 drinks a day makes it a deal. But this is not always the case on all sailings. We are cruising in off season in Europe, so do your homework!

 

NCL has the highest port excursion prices I have encountered anywhere. If you are an independent traveler who can make their own plans in port NCL can be a great deal as long as you do not get coerced into their high excision prices. 

 

NCL has some of th best specialty and complementary dining options I have encountered. We recently spent 21 days on a Scandinavian cruise on Carnival and "won" a free dinner in their specialty steakhouse. Our evaluation was that is was good, but not good enough to justify the $100 price tag. On NCL all of their specialty restaurants are worth the price (we often get them as perks) 

especially Teppanyaki!

 

NCL also has a premium experience (the Haven) which I have no knowledge of. My research has indicated that I would be better served to book a cruise with Oceana or other top tier cruise line rather than pay the price of the Haven on NCL. But this is a very personal decision.  

 

We are value travelers, a distinction from bargain travelers, in my mind, because I am glad to pay more for more of the things I value. 

 

Just for comparison sake we are booked on a 14 day transatlantic on RCCL after we get off the NCL Star. Our first time with this line. Because we have status with Celebrity we are entitled to Diamond perks on RCCl. This gives us discounts on laundry, wifi and we get 4 drinks per day each. We will be sailing in an inside cabin again but for about $40 per day per person. I have noticed that shore excursions cost about 40% less on RCCL. This is an accurate comparison because we will be visiting some duplicate ports. We are excited to sample this product and hope to leverage our Celebrity status on future RCCL cruise. RCCL base prices are usually much higher that NCL but shop around!

 

Another way to add value is to buy at least 100 shares of NCL stock. This entitles you to free on board credit based on the length of the cruise. We will get $100 in OBC on each of our 3 up coming cruises. Just a little bonus. We also use a Florida travel agent that is publicly traded and we own stock with them too. This entitles us to very good dedicated agents and a 5% rebate on the cruise fare (not port charges or taxes) We get a rebate check once we return from a cruise. On our upcoming cruises this will be another $150 back in our pocket. Yes we play all the angles.

 

So we love the perks we get on NCL. We hate their tendency to nickel and dime guests. The informed consumer is the winner with NCL! But shop around, 

 

Please don't take offense at this, but it's hard for me to feel sympathy for someone who complains about the cost of FAS when you've stated you're doing B2B2B cruises on NCL and THEN a 14-day transatlantic on RCCL. I hope you realize how incredibly fortunate you are to be able to cruise for what sounds like almost 45 days in a row. Working stiffs like me only get to do one 10-day cruise at a time, maximum. Also, it sounds like you're falling for the old routine of accusing NCL of nickel and diming you. You should ALWAYS be looking at your bottom line for these things. RCCL may have lower excursion prices than Norwegian, but their drinks package clocks in at around $75 per person, per day, which is far lower than the $21.80 gratuity charged by Norwegian. When I've done comparisons between those two lines, I've usually found NCL to be the better deal. And I do like Royal Caribbean, very much. Personally, I like NCL's model because it allows people to customize their cruises more. Have a nice cruise(s) later this year!

[Giladj]

28 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Please don't take offense at this, but it's hard for me to feel sympathy for someone who complains about the cost of FAS when you've stated you're doing B2B2B cruises on NCL and THEN a 14-day transatlantic on RCCL. I hope you realize how incredibly fortunate you are to be able to cruise for what sounds like almost 45 days in a row. Working stiffs like me only get to do one 10-day cruise at a time, maximum. Also, it sounds like you're falling for the old routine of accusing NCL of nickel and diming you. You should ALWAYS be looking at your bottom line for these things. RCCL may have lower excursion prices than Norwegian, but their drinks package clocks in at around $75 per person, per day, which is far lower than the $21.80 gratuity charged by Norwegian. When I've done comparisons between those two lines, I've usually found NCL to be the better deal. And I do like Royal Caribbean, very much. Personally, I like NCL's model because it allows people to customize their cruises more. Have a nice cruise(s) later this year!

Wasn't looking for sympathy, just information. Thanks so much for chiming in with your sermon. Sheesh.

[graphicguy]

I don’t think I even own enough clothes in my entire wardrobe to need collapsible cubes for storage on a ship.  (J/K….kind of)!

[tw0sugar5]

I regret choosing Free At Sea instead of Sail Away.  It looks like we’ll only be using the wi-fi since my travel companions are so wishy washy about excursions.

[moto_italia]

good

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, tw0sugar5 said:

I regret choosing Free At Sea instead of Sail Away.  It looks like we’ll only be using the wi-fi since my travel companions are so wishy washy about excursions.

No alcohol drinkers or interest in specialty dining?

[Giladj]

2 hours ago, tw0sugar5 said:

I regret choosing Free At Sea instead of Sail Away.  It looks like we’ll only be using the wi-fi since my travel companions are so wishy washy about excursions.

Even if you regret it make sure you leverage it. Not into booze, order virgin drinks. Absolutely check out the specialty restaurants. Our favorite is Teppanyaki. Reserve early. Enjoy some free Wi-Fi. We use it to post tav logged to social media and download library books while sailing. 
 

When your trip is over then you can assess whether it was a mistake or you can at least know better what the FAS is worth to you. That way on your next cruise you can price your voyage with FAS and as sail away and make an informed decision. 
 

[kitkat343]

With NCL, if you book private excursions just be careful with their cancellation policies.  If you are traveling with small children or passengers with disabilities, make sure to study the recent trip reviews from your ship since that will tell you if there's a pattern of specific ports being missed on your itinerary, and what the alternative ports they tend to dock at are so you can  research them in advance.  For example, on my cruise on day in the Dominican Republic was cancelled after final payment and the morning of Antigua were cancelled to help the environment.  The original itinerary was still advertised for the next month until sailing, and guests who booked after the cancellations were not notified prior to booking and were not allowed to cancel or switch because the cancellations happened after final payment.

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by kitkat343

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, kitkat343 said:

the morning of Antigua were cancelled to help the environment.

🤣  That's NCL for you!